FIA WRC 2026 CHAMPIONS 🏆 | ELFLYN ENANS & SCOTT MARTIN

 

BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA 2026 | FIA PRESS CONFERENCE

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the season with victory at the Sepang circuit. Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP / Getty Images

1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)

2 – Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes)

3 – Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari)

TRACK INTERVIEWS

(Conducted by David Coulthard)

Q: Max Verstappen, it’s your 72nd victory and I suspect your sweetest.

Max VERSTAPPEN: It’s a really nice one, you know, after the year that we’ve had and the progression that we’ve made. So, yeah, I’m incredibly proud of everyone and it’s just super nice to win here.

Q: What a complicated race to unpack. You had to be one of the few who made the decision to start on the intermediates. You didn’t get off the line well. Mercedes at that point were looking strong. Put us in the cockpit, take us on that journey back to winning this Grand Prix.

MV: Yeah, it was very hectic with a lot of different things. In the start, no power, so you have to wait for the power to kick in. But then, yeah, we made the right call with the intermediates and after that, step by step, we moved our way forward. From there onwards, we could do our own race until the end, again, of course, with a Safety Car, but we kept it all under control.

Q: Kimi, coming to you. You battled hard. There were many opportunities there, but in the end, Max just had a little bit more pace. But you must be satisfied with that second place?

Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, I mean, I think today was the maximum we could have done. Of course, massive congrats to Max and Red Bull for the incredible weekend. On our side, a lot of work to do. Of course, we’ve been struggling a bit more than usual, but still really happy to come away with P2.

Q: Your first experience of this Malaysian track. Obviously, we’re here celebrating the Bahrain Grand Prix. You enjoyed it?

KA: Yeah, it was amazing and the fans were incredible this weekend, so thank you so much. And hopefully we’ll come back in the future to Malaysia.

Q: Thank you, Kimi. Lewis, perfect example of never giving up. You were a minute behind at one point and you fought through, and this must be a proud third place for you.

Lewis HAMILTON: Yeah, well, thank you, guys. Big congratulations to Max. What a tough race that was. Obviously, we had the wrong call at the beginning, which was so difficult, and I could see everyone just pulling away. And as I could see on the screen, it was a minute down, and I thought that was kind of race over for us. But I just kept my head down. The guys did a great job with the pit stops. Obviously, lots of tyre changes, lots of chasing, and honestly, of all the years I’ve been here, this is the best race we’ve had here, but particularly because of this crowd. So, big thank you, everyone.

Q: Well, congratulations, Lewis. Max, coming back to you. This is a historical moment for the Red Bull Racing team. A few years ago, the late Mr Mateschitz and, of course, his partner Mr Yoovidhya decided to build their own powertrain. You’ve now delivered their first victory.

Max VERSTAPPEN: It’s incredible. I think already, of course, we started, but also to win our first race in our first year with our own power unit is pretty impressive.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Welcome to the post-race press conference for the FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. We have today’s race winner in the centre, Max Verstappen; on the left, in second place, Kimi Antonelli; and on the right, completing the podium, Lewis Hamilton. Max, I’ll start with you. Huge congratulations. Your 72nd win for Red Bull and the first for the Red Bull powertrain, but you’ve had to wait 309 days for this. Tell me how this win feels today.

MV: Yeah, of course, very special for us. I mean, we had a very complicated and tough start to the year with all sorts of problems and just not being competitive enough. But throughout the year, the team has been working very hard to understand our issues and bring good performance upgrades to the car and make it more driveable. Step by step, we’ve been getting closer and closer, and today, and of course especially this whole weekend, we’ve been really in good form. So, yeah, it’s amazing. I mean, the race, of course, was quite complicated. It was not made easy for us in terms of all the calls that we had to make and then the Safety Car at the end, but we kept cool and we made all the right calls with the tyres. So, yeah, very, very enjoyable to win here and also have our first victory for our own engine. I mean, it’s an incredible project with a lot of partners and a lot of people that are dedicated to be where we are now. So, yeah, fantastic feeling.

Q: What was going through your mind at the start when the two Mercedes appeared either side of you and went ahead?

MV: I mean, I was not surprised because my start was horrendous. Again, dropping the clutch and not having power. The engine just completely died on me. But then you just have to settle in, try not to overreact as well, and just slot in, try to keep your position there. The race is long, a lot of things can happen and, step by step, I could close the gap. And then I had quite a, I think, quite a nice battle on the slicks with Kimi. It’s quite slippery in some phases of the corner, but, yeah, it was nice.

Q: If I can move to you now, Kimi. Congratulations. Not the win, but you have extended your lead in the championship today to 84 points. You had a fantastic start, you got into the lead, but ultimately was it just that the Red Bulls had too much pace for you today? Was there anything else out there for you?

KA: Yeah, I think, you know, Max has been very, very quick all weekend. Red Bull, they’ve been doing a great job, and we’ve just been struggling more than previous races. I think we’re still trying to understand the new package because also this track, with such a rough tarmac and high temperatures, it made our life more difficult. And probably next week in Singapore, we hopefully will have a better read on the package and also understanding what set-up needs to be run. But I think today, with the pace we had, P2 was the maximum we could have achieved.

Q: I’m going to ask you about the upgrade. Do you think, then, the surface here has masked the potential of it? Does the team understand whether it’s a step forward or a step back?

KA: That’s the question we need to answer because we don’t really know if it made us go faster or worse. Fair to say, this season, whenever we went on really old tarmacs, we’ve struggled. For example, Zandvoort, McLaren was much quicker than us, especially on the older tarmac. So I think maybe it’s just a question, maybe it’s just a fact that the tarmac is just very old and that for the tyres it’s very, very hard, and maybe we just struggle on this kind of tarmac. But, of course, the track and the tarmac made our life difficult in understanding whether it made us improve or not. But I’m sure the team, you know, they have a lot of data, especially after this weekend, and I’m sure for Singapore we will come with a much, much better view on the package and hopefully we can extract the full potential out of it.

Q: Thank you, Kimi. Lewis, what a race. Running 17th and a minute down at one point, but 29 laps on the soft saved yourself a pit stop, essentially. Can you take us inside your helmet at the start of the race, where you were on the slicks and the others weren’t around you, and then the mentality you used to get yourself back into that race and ultimately be sitting here?

LH: Yeah, well, firstly, big, big congrats to Max today. They’ve done a really great job in improving through this year. And I think for us, we were having a good weekend. The car felt great in qualifying. It felt amazing to get to second, and I really, really, really... Me and my engineers were here till, like, 11:30 last night just going over everything, and I really, really felt today was the opportunity to have at least a good battle with Max. But then, obviously, the rain came, the big panic with everyone when we all lost power. And particularly, my power didn’t come back and I had to stop on track and restart the car. And then we all ended up in the pit lane. Thankfully, we all got back to our positions, but then after that there was such a long wait and we were debating on what tyre to go on to. And I said, “Look, there was a lot of spray on the laps to the grid.” And I went into the pit lane, I looked at the ground, I was like, “It’s still wet.” I went to the pit wall and I was like, “It’s still wet.” And they’re like, “Yeah, but because it’s been so long, it’s definitely going to dry up real quick and maybe we’re already in the crossover.” So, anyways, as a team, we ended up taking that soft and when we were at the end of the pit lane and these two took off their blankets and they’re on inters, we were in trouble. And as we pulled out, all the spray came out the back of Max’s car and I was like, “Okay, I’m done. My race is really in trouble.” So, I mean, he didn’t make it around on the formation lap, so then we just had to stick with it. Like, we’ve made the decision and live with it. And I think then, through that, as everyone’s overtaken me, they’re like, “We stop,” because I know we’ve already made another 26 seconds. What’s the difference from that with one minute 40 or whatever I was down? So I was just, “Let’s just wait it out for the track to dry.” And once it did, it felt good that I was catching people. The car felt great then after that. Really good pit stops from my guys in the garage and then good strategy. But for us to get back to the podium, I never thought that that was going to be the case. But, of course, I’m really, really grateful that we managed to get back here.

Q: We heard you on the radio saying, “No, let’s take the gamble.” Fighting spirit from you there. What was possible today and what will you be saying in the debrief to help the team move forward and so that the decisions are correct in future?

LH: Yeah, not going to go to the casino with the guys.

Q: You have an open dialogue, you feel?

LH: Yeah, of course. Yeah, we’ll definitely have an open dialogue. And, you know, I’m really so proud of my team. The mechanics every weekend, just the work they’re putting in, the engineers that accompany here every weekend, the catering, everyone really, really comes and gives it their best. Their heart’s all in the right spot. We’ve definitely got areas that we need to improve and we know that, and we’re not in any denial of that. So I think we’ll have a constructive chat, we’ll regroup, we’ll take the positives from this weekend, which the car was really good, and we’ll come back next week fighting. I thought today, as I said, was a chance for us potentially to try and fight Max for the win, but maybe we can do that next week.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) For Max and for Lewis. Lewis, you already referenced the big panic you felt when you couldn’t feel any power. Could you just talk through what happened in those moments? And how concerning is it for F1, with these very complicated engines, the first bit of rain and we’ve ended up in a situation like this?

MV: That’s the problem that we have. You know, these engines are so complicated and a lot of software is implemented. And, yeah, when there’s like some kind of... I want to call it... That’s the problem. And, yeah, I triggered it first and then I look in my mirror, I just see... I was like, “Wait, are they waiting for me or what’s going...?” It was like the Lego race.

LH: Yeah, we had the same speed.

MV: Same speed. Yeah, it was insane. Like, it’s the Lego power. At some point we were five-wide on the straight because we couldn’t understand what was going on. Then we did a lap and then I see eight other cars crawling still, and I saw you by yourself crawling.

LH: Well, I had to stop on track and stop the car and engine and restart it. I’ve never done that before.

MV: Yeah, what can you say? I mean, that’s not what you want, right, for the sport.

LH: Yeah, I hope there is a lesson learned.

Q: (Laurine Slingerland - NU.nl) A question for Max. Congrats, first, on the win. We saw your father got emotional and I was wondering if you got emotional as well, and what this win means for you also as a family?

MV: Yeah, I mean, we’re all very much invested in it. And, of course, you know, my relationship with my dad, we really understand each other well from all the years that we have spent together working towards our goal in Formula 1. So he’s still there in the background. He’s not coming every race, but when he is there, we talk a lot about everything. He knows everything. And, yeah, also for him, I guess the beginning of the season was not nice to watch, as for me being in the car was not nice to drive. But then seeing how the team progressed and basically never really stopped working and really took the car and just really tried to fix the issues that we had, and then deliver something like this, it’s amazing. And also with the people involved, honestly, the spirit in the team is very good. Everyone is on the same line and we really understand each other well. So it’s very enjoyable to work in the team and that’s why I think also everyone is super happy that we finally delivered a result like this.

Q: (Ajit Devadason - The New Indian Express) It’s a question for Kimi. Kimi, today you finished a couple of seconds behind Max and a couple of seconds ahead of Lewis. You’re racing alongside two drivers who represent very different generations of greatness. How much are you consciously learning from watching Max’s ability to manage a race and Lewis’ experience to never, ever give up? And do you feel that guidance is already influencing the driver and champion that you’re becoming?

KA: That’s a good question. Yeah, I think, you know, it’s always great to, first of all, be able to share the track, especially, you know, in this case with Max and Lewis, because they’re definitely rewriting... Well, Lewis basically did the history of the sport and Max is doing the same. So I think, on my side, I try to learn as much as possible whenever I drive closely to them. Today was a really good showcase of how Max handled the restart on slick tyres and the slippery track. He just knew much better how to position the car and had a better feeling for the grip in those first two corners and overtook me. So, of course, that was really good. Even though it was not nice to get overtaken, I was very annoyed with that, it was still a good way to learn from that and to use it in the future. And then, of course, with Lewis, I think we’ve seen many, many times, many years, that even when things go badly, he always keeps his head down and tries to do his best to achieve the best result possible.

Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Sorry about that. On the restart, after the restart, to Max and to Lewis. There was a long delay after the initial start was suspended. Were you guys told why there was that delay? Because the track was basically dry when we got racing again. Was it to do with the weather or something else?

MV: Well, I mean, Lewis probably tends to disagree that it was dry.

LH: No, but it was because they had to update the software and then you have to load it into the car. I guess some had some faster laptops than others.

MV: Yeah, that was the delay, just getting the software transferred, I guess, for everyone.

Q: Is that a bit crazy, that there’s almost an hour delay because software needs to be updated to the cars? This is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor racing.

MV: Yeah, you know, we’re partnered with Oracle, so we have very, very fast connection. So we were there, you know, we were waiting for half an hour. So maybe some others had a bit of a slower connection.

Q: Max, could you just explain for us what was going on in the car when you guys were having that issue? Because if you’re off throttle too long in these cars, they don’t like it. I mean, this is the new generation, isn’t it?

MV: Yeah, there was nothing going on. That was the problem. It was just like driving at, what, 35 kilometres, going uphill, actually losing speed. So, yeah, I don’t know exactly, because when you go too low in speed and too low RPM, for whatever reason, then it just bogs down. And normally it takes one or two seconds and it comes back. That’s basically also what I had in the start. But somehow that didn’t trigger in the first software round, and then in the second software round it was a bit better, luckily. Otherwise, I think I would’ve been stuck as well in the start, which I had probably a few times in the beginning of the year as well when I had a poor start, but it meant that I was lost. So at least now it was a bit better.

- FIA

'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE': F1 DRIVERS SLAM FARCICAL BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA

LAT Images

"Horrible," "sad," and "totally unacceptable" were among the reactions of Formula 1's drivers to the sport's farcical attempt at going racing in wet conditions at Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

A deluge of rain as the cars arrived on the grid resulted in the start of the race being delayed by 40 minutes before the first attempt was made to get racing underway behind a Safety Car.

But before the cars could complete a single lap behind the Safety Car, a bug in the software supplied to all teams by the FIA resulted in multiple drivers losing power and dropping down the order.

Initially Max Verstappen, who was set to start from pole position, lost power, before Lewis Hamilton, who was alongside him on the front row of the grid, ground to a halt and had to restart his Ferrari's power unit on the pit straight.

The FIA later said that "an unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings and the Sepang circuit's sector configuration led to an unintended loss of power for a number of cars."

But several drivers chose to sum up the situation more concisely, pointing the finger squarely at this year's complicated power unit regulations.

Getty

"[It was] horrible," reigning champion Lando Norris said. "It proves that we shouldn't have any of that stuff on the electronic side."

When the issue became apparent, all cars were told to return to the pits where a software patch was supplied by the FIA and uploaded by each team.

The resulting delay meant the start of the race was over 90 minutes behind schedule.

"We missed some good racing, wet tyres at the beginning, we should have been out there running," Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll said. "Instead cars are fixing their software issues, it's a bit sad to see."

Cadillac driver Sergio Pérez added: "I mean it's obviously not great what happened today -- I'm sure we will learn from it as a sport, but what happened today is totally unacceptable for the sport."

For many drivers it was further proof that this year's regulations, which were designed so that nearly 50% of the car's power comes from its battery, are overcomplicated.

"That's the problem that we have, these engines are so complicated and a lot of software is implemented," race winner Verstappen said. "When there is some kind of error or glitch, or whatever you want to call it, that's the problem.

"I triggered it first, then I look in my mirror, and I just see everyone ... I was like wait, are they waiting for me or?"

Hamilton, who was sat next to Verstappen in the press conference after finishing third, likened the situation to Lego's marketing stunt at the British Grand Prix where all the drivers were given electric go-karts to race against each other.

"It was like the Lego race!" Hamilton said.

"Yeah, we had the same speed," Verstappen responded.

Kimi Antonelli, who finished second in Sunday's race, chimed in: "It was insane. Like at some point we were five-wide in the straight, because we couldn't understand what was going on."

Getty Images 

Williams driver Carlos Sainz called on the sport to "have a hard look at themselves and see how we ended up in this situation."

"It is clear the regs are extremely complicated for the drivers, for the teams, for the PUs [power units], for the manufacturers. It is too complicated," he added.

"Again, my only question mark is who, five years ago, decided that this was the direction to go?

"We are doing the best with what we are given as a sport and as regulations. The FIA and F1 are doing the best they can with what was decided four or five years ago, but clearly what was decided four or five years ago is wrong ...

"Not a lot more to say -- just learn as a sport not to do those mistakes again and not suffer from the same strange cases."

Once racing got underway, the track dried up and the grand prix featured two further Safety Car periods to clear cars that retired from the race in dangerous locations.

George Russell, who retired with a power unit issue under the final safety car period, said the fans that turned up to Malaysia's first grand prix since 2017 deserved a better show.

"The whole day felt like a bit of a faff, with the delay and then the red flag and then endless laps under the safety car and then suddenly doing extra laps to allow Checo [Sergio Pérez] to overtake [behind the Safety Car], it didn't feel very F1 today," he said.

"I'd have been a bit disappointed if I was in the stands, watching that unfold, so ... That wasn't good."

- Laurence Edmonson

FIA STATEMENT ON REMOVAL OF ENERGY UNIT CONSTRAINT

 

FIA REVEALS WHY F1 CARS STOPPED IN RAIN AT BAHRAIN GP IN MALAYSIA

Numerous cars came to a standstill in Sepang – because they needed a software update

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images

The FIA has given insight into why Formula 1 cars experienced technical issues ahead of Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The start of the Sepang race was delayed by 40 minutes due to a downpour; then a chaotic formation lap saw the likes front-row starters Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton suffer from a glitch which rendered throttle input ineffective, with numerous cars coming to a standstill. The red flag was waved.

The situation was branded “unacceptable” by Sergio Perez; Lando Norris described it as “just horrible” and evidence that “we shouldn't have any of that stuff, the electronic side”, given this was linked to Formula 1’s new machinery, which features 47% electrical power.

FIA single-seater Nikolas Tombazis has now explained that, given F1 had never had competitive running in actual wet conditions this season, it was caught out by the power unit’s reaction to cars driving extremely slowly at that time. A software update therefore had to be carried out, hence a 53-minute delay to get the race restarted.

“We didn't manage to test the software as extensively as we would have liked, because there's been very little wet running this year, and there was a bit of a combination of circumstances which caused this bug to kick in,” Tombazis said.

“Basically, the formation lap, some cars went very slowly, almost came to a standstill. There was a bit of a concertina effect between cars, and some cars almost stopped completely. And that bug prevented the power to be redeployed and for the cars to start again. I think if we had had a bit more testing, we probably would have managed to catch it in time and not to have such a situation.”

Tombazis praised the FIA’s reaction when it came to fixing the issue as swiftly as possible.

“Once the problem happened, our guys realised very quickly what was happening and had to work under a lot of time pressure for an update to the software, which was issued to the teams, and the teams had to install it on their cars,” he added.

“So all of that took about 20 minutes. It may have felt like five hours for spectators waiting [for] a race and for everybody else, which is understandable, and we are sorry about that. But I think it was quite a fast reaction given the problem.”

Not everyone was so upset about some cars running into trouble, with eighth-placed Fernando Alonso joking at the end of an unusually good day for Aston Martin-Honda: “I had 50% DNFs this year, they never stopped the race for us.”

- Ben Vinel & Ronald Vording

WRC MANUFACTURERS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

 

FIA CONFIRMS THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST TWO AUDO ASSESSMENT PERIOD

The FIA has confirmed the results of the first two Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) assessment periods for the 2026 Formula 1 season, with no Power Unit manufacturer receiving any additional homologation upgrades following the second review.

ADUO was introduced for the 2026 regulations as a mechanism designed to help manufacturers whose Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) performance falls significantly behind the benchmark. Rather than acting as a traditional Balance of Performance system, the mechanism gives eligible manufacturers additional opportunities to develop their power units, alongside increased Cost Cap and dyno testing allowances.

The FIA evaluates the ICE performance of each manufacturer during three defined periods of the season. The assessment is based on an ICE Performance Index incorporating factors including input shaft torque, engine speed, MGU-K power and the impact of power sensitivity on lap time.

A manufacturer becomes eligible for ADUO when its ICE Performance Index is at least 2% behind the best-performing ICE.

Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari and Honda benefited from first review

The first ADUO assessment period was originally intended to cover the opening six races of the season. However, changes to the 2026 calendar resulting from the disruption in the Middle East meant that the period was adjusted to cover the first five races, ending with the Canadian Grand Prix.

The FIA subsequently confirmed that Mercedes fell within the 2-4% performance deficit window. As a result, the German manufacturer was granted one additional homologation opportunity for 2026 and another for 2027.

Audi, Ferrari and Honda were found to be more than 4% behind the leading ICE during the first assessment period. They therefore received two additional homologation opportunities for 2026 and two more for 2027.

All four manufacturers also received corresponding increases to their Cost Cap and dyno testing allowances.

No manufacturer qualifies after the Hungarian Grand Prix

The second ADUO review covered races six through 11, from the Monaco Grand Prix through to the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Following its analysis, the FIA confirmed that no Power Unit manufacturer was granted any additional homologation upgrades during the second period.

The governing body has not disclosed the individual performance figures behind its decision, citing the confidential nature of the data and the intellectual property of the manufacturers.

This means that none of the manufacturers accumulated a new set of ADUO upgrade opportunities as a result of the second review.

The FIA has nevertheless stressed that its analysis was extensive and that it has a high level of confidence in the results.

“The FIA has undertaken thorough and exhaustive analysis as part of our ADUO review process,” FIA Director of Single Seater Nikolas Tombazis said. “With the release of the findings of period 2, we are confident that, based on the quality of the data, its analysis is incredibly robust, giving us a high level of confidence in our findings.”

Tombazis added that 2026 is the first season in which ADUO has been implemented, meaning that some aspects of the system could be refined in future years through discussions with the Power Unit manufacturers.

What exactly does ADUO allow?

ADUO is not designed to artificially equalise performance on track. Manufacturers do not receive additional fuel flow, ballast adjustments or other direct performance advantages.

Instead, the system provides additional financial and development freedom to manufacturers that are sufficiently behind the leading ICE.

A manufacturer between 2% and 4% behind the best-performing ICE receives one additional homologation opportunity in the current season and another in the following season.

If the deficit is at least 4%, the manufacturer receives two additional upgrades in the current season and two more in the following campaign.

The financial allowances also increase according to the size of the performance gap. Manufacturers between 2% and 4% behind can receive up to $3 million outside their Cost Cap calculation, while the allowance rises to $4.65 million for a 4-6% deficit, $6.35 million for 6-8%, and $8 million for 8-10%.

For a manufacturer at least 10% behind, the allowance can reach $11 million per ADUO period. In 2026 only, such a manufacturer could also bring forward up to $8 million of Cost Cap allowance from future periods.

Upgrades are not limited to the ICE

Although ICE performance determines whether a manufacturer qualifies for ADUO, the additional upgrades themselves are not restricted solely to the combustion engine.

The regulations allow eligible manufacturers to make changes to a broad range of Power Unit components, including certain ICE elements, the exhaust system, turbocharger and wastegate or pop-off systems.

Eligible areas can also include electrical components and sensors mounted to the ICE or exhaust, the Energy Recovery System and its cooling systems, the MGU-K and Control Electronics. Certain hydraulic functions, fluids and ballast are also covered by the regulations.

This gives manufacturers considerable freedom in deciding where additional development resources can have the greatest performance impact.

The opportunities are not simply carried over

ADUO upgrades are also subject to strict timing rules. Additional homologation opportunities granted for a particular season must be used during that season. Any unused opportunity expires at the end of the relevant campaign and cannot simply be carried over indefinitely.

There is, however, an important exception when opportunities for the following season are awarded. If a manufacturer qualifies for ADUO again in the subsequent season, unused opportunities awarded from the previous year's assessment can potentially be combined with the new allocation.

This means that a manufacturer could, under the regulations, introduce four upgrades in a single season if it received two opportunities from the previous year's ADUO assessment and another two from a new assessment.

Final 2026 assessment still to come

The second review may not have produced any new opportunities, but the ADUO process is not yet complete for 2026. The third and final assessment period will cover races 12 through 18, beginning with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and ending with the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The results of that review will determine whether any manufacturer falls at least 2% behind the leading ICE and therefore qualifies for additional development opportunities.

For Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari and Honda, the first-period allowances remain available according to the rules governing their respective 2026 and 2027 allocations. No new allowances were added after Period 2.

The final assessment will therefore be closely watched, particularly as manufacturers continue to develop their 2026 power units and the competitive picture evolves during the second half of the season.

With ADUO being introduced for the first time this year, its final 2026 review will also provide an important indication of how effective the new system is at giving struggling manufacturers additional development freedom without turning Formula 1 into a conventional Balance of Performance championship.

- Balazs Szabouu

VERSTAPPEN, ANTONELLI AND MULTIPLE DRIVERS CLEARED BY FIA INVESTIGATION

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

The FIA have cleared 11 drivers of infringements during sprint qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Half the grid was noted for failing to follow the maximum delta time of 1:28.0.

Verstappen one of 11 drivers cleared by FIA

They were: Esteban Ocon, Arvid Lindblad, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Gabriel Bortoleto, Max Verstappen, George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas.

The investigation took place after the session, with all of the drivers cleared.

The FIA said in a statement: "The Stewards thoroughly reviewed Marshalling/Positioning data, timing data, on-board cameras and CCTV cameras.

"All drivers concerned stayed at or above speeds necessary to stay below 1:28.0 around the vast majority of the circuit.

"However, in all cases the Stewards determined that the drivers took appropriate actions to not impede other drivers, and in all cases, they slowed down significantly to allow other drivers to pass while giving those drivers a clear track.

"The Stewards therefore determine that all drivers concerned did not drive 'unnecessarily slowly', and that they were above the maximum time because they took appropriate steps, and we therefore take no further action.

"Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 5 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.

"Decisions of the Stewards are taken independently of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines and evidence presented."

Russell, who was under investigation, took pole position for the sprint race, which will take place tomorrow at 12:00 PM CEST.

The investigation was Verstappen's second of the session after he was cleared for a potential impeding incident with long-time rival Lewis Hamilton.

The FIA stewards noted the potential infringement in SQ1 when Verstappen and Hamilton came close together at Turn 3.

Eventually, the stewards announced that no further action would be taken.

The full results from sprint qualifying are as follows, with the drivers who were under investigation in bold.

- Connor Andrews

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF APPEAL - HEARING AUGUST 25, 2026

The following hearing of the International Court of Appeal will take place in Paris:

Hearing

Case ICA-2026-06-07-08-09: Appeals lodged by McLaren Racing Limited and Red Bull Racing Limited against Decisions No. 1 and No. 2 of the Stewards contained in Document 99 of 12 June 2026 in respect of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, counting towards the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship.

On 7 June 2026, having received reports from the Race Director of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, counting towards the 2026 FIA Formula One Word Championship, the Stewards decided to impose two 5-second time penalties to Car No. 10, driver Pierre Gasly (Documents 73 and 75) for pit-lane speeding during the Race, for recorded speeds of 60.1 km/h and 60.4 km/h respectively, in breach of Article B1.6.3a of the 2026 FIA Formula One Regulations - Section B.

On the same day, the Stewards received two petitions for Review under Article 14 of the FIA International Sporting Code from BWT Alpine F1 Team in respect of the aforementioned decisions of the Stewards of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix.

On 12 June 2026, the Stewards determined that there was a significant and relevant new element that was unavailable to them at the time of their decisions contained in Documents 73 and 75. They decided to rescind both 5-second time penalties imposed on Car No. 10 (Document 99), amend the Race Classification (Document 100) and recalculate the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship points (Document 101).

On 16 June 2026, McLaren Racing Limited and Red Bull Racing Limited lodged an appeal against the above Stewards’ Decisions before the ICA.

When

09:00 hrs

Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Where

FIA – 8 place de la Concorde – 75008 Paris - France.

Decision

The decision will be published as soon as possible after the hearing.

Attendance

Upon decision of the Judging Panel and as requested by the parties involved in this case, for confidentiality reasons the above hearing will be closed to public, media and any person who is not authorised to attend it.

- FIA

WRC'S BIGGEST CHANGE IN OVER A DECADE

 

TYRE SUPPLIERS'' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS | AFTER ROUND 04 | FIA ERC

 

TOP 3 AFTER SATURDAY | #RALLYPOLAND

FORMER FEDERACIÓN DOMINICANA DE AUTOMOVILISMO PRESIDENT, HENRY KRAUSZ, HAS PASSED AWAY

The FIA is deeply saddened by the passing of Henry Krausz. Henry was made an Honorary Member of the FIA earlier this year having served on the World Motor Sport Council for fourteen years. He had also been a member of the FIA Senate and the Circuit and Safety Commissions, and was the former President of the Federación Dominicana de Automovilismo - FDA. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

- FIA

FIA PUNISH LEWIS HAMILTON AFTER DRAMATIC GEORGE RUSSELL COLLISION AT BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

Lewis Hamilton has been punished by the FIA after a dramatic collision with George Russell at the Belgian Grand Prix.

George Russell was involved in a dramatic collision on the opening lap of the Belgian Grand Prix with Lewis Hamiliton, leading to a punishment for the seven-time world champion.

The Mercedes driver has seen his bid for the 2026 drivers’ championship take another hit as he has had to retire from the race this weekend at Spa.

It means that he will receive no points for his world championship bid, seeing him lose ground on his teammate and title rival Kimi Antonelli if the Italian driver were to finish the race.

Before the red lights went out, the gap between the title rivals was 25 points, but this is expected to grow if all goes to plan for Antonelli.

Hamilton appeared to be at fault for the incident; at least that is the reading from the FIA, as they have given the Ferrari driver a five-second penalty for causing the incident.

The seven-time world champion will now serve that penalty when he enters the pit, with his team not being allowed to touch his car until the car has been sat stationary for five seconds.

Hamilton was straight on the team radio to defend his actions in the incident, as he said: “Car crossed over in front of me. I was right behind another car, so I had no front end.”

Russell appeared to be quite emotional in his interview with Sky Sports after the collision, after getting back to the pits following the collision.

He said: "I just got totally swallowed up down the straight," Russell told reporters back in the Spa paddock, before Hamilton was issued with a five-second penalty by the stewards.

"I lost three positions down the straight down into turn 5 and then the incident was a racing incident. Maybe I could have gone a bit wider or he could have braked a bit more.

"The incident wouldn't have happened if I had the speed down the straight. I'm very, very disappointed."

Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc was involved in a collision just a number of laps later at the same corner, as he made contact with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Leclerc would then progress past the Australian at the corner, and it appeared that this had an impact on the McLaren car as Hamilton, who was nearby during the incident, also overtook Piastri within a couple of laps following the incident.

However, while the seven-time world champion got a punishment from the FIA for his collision, Leclerc would not.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

- Brendan McGilligan

FIA ISSUES HEAT HAZZARD WARNING FOR AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX 2026

 

FIA DECLARES HEAT HAZZARD FOR AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX AS EUROPE BATTLES EXTREM TEMPERATURES

 

Europe’s first major heatwave of the summer has forced the FIA to declare an official Heat Hazard for this weekend’s Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, as temperatures at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring are forecast to exceed the regulatory threshold for driver safety.

With Austria among several countries breaking June temperature records, the governing body confirmed that the combination of heat and humidity will push the heat index beyond 31°C, activating additional cooling requirements under Article B1.5.10 of the FIA F1 Regulations.

According to the FIA’s official weather service, temperatures are expected to reach 32°C during Saturday’s FP3 and qualifying sessions, with Sunday’s race start at 15:00 local time predicted to take place in 33°C conditions.

While these figures may appear moderate compared to some of the sport’s historically hottest events, the heat index calculation—combined with cockpit heat soak, altitude, and the Red Bull Ring’s short‑lap intensity—creates a significantly harsher environment for drivers.

The FIA therefore issued a formal statement confirming the Heat Hazard declaration once forecasts showed the heat index surpassing the 31.0°C limit at some point during the competition.

Under the activated protocol, drivers must now choose between wearing an FIA‑approved cooling vest or adding 0.5 kg of ballast to their cars to compensate for not using the device.

The federation had originally intended to make cooling vests mandatory across the grid, but driver feedback over comfort, mobility, and inconsistent effectiveness led to the system remaining optional. Even so, the FIA insists that some form of mitigation is essential, as cockpit temperatures can exceed 50°C during long stints, especially at high‑altitude circuits where reduced air density limits cooling efficiency.

The Red Bull Ring is deceptively demanding in hot conditions. Its short lap—typically around 65 to 70 seconds—offers drivers almost no recovery time, while long full‑throttle sections increase engine and brake temperatures.

The circuit’s elevation of roughly 700 metres further reduces cooling capacity, and the aggressive kerbs add to the physical strain. Combined with the heatwave gripping central Europe, the Austrian Grand Prix is shaping up to be one of the most physically taxing events of the season.

Teams are expected to adjust hydration strategies, cooling system settings, and cockpit airflow management, while drivers will rely heavily on pre‑session cooling routines and grid‑formation ice vests. The Heat Hazard protocol, introduced after several high‑profile cases of driver exhaustion in recent years, will now face a significant real‑world test as the sport continues to adapt to increasingly frequent extreme‑temperature events.

- Balazs Szabo

ABB FIA FORMULA E WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | SEASON 13 CALENDER

 

FORMULA 1 RETURNS TO THE RED BULL RING FOR THE 12TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Round 8 is here at the heart of the Styrian hills! 🇦🇹

Formula 1 returns for the 12th consecutive year at the Red Bull Ring.

#FIA #F1 #AustrianGP

- FIA

MERCEDES GRANTED FIA HEARING OVER GEORGE RUSSELL'S MONACO F1 PENALTY

The FIA has confirmed Mercedes' request for a review of the Monaco Grand Prix results, with a hearing scheduled for this Saturday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Erik Junius

The FIA has accepted Mercedes' request for a review of the Monaco Grand Prix result and George Russell's penalties, with a hearing scheduled for this Saturday, following Alpine's successful overturning of Pierre Gasly's penalties.

A document published by the FIA on Wednesday confirmed that Mercedes has lodged a Right of Review petition regarding the decision made by the Monaco stewards following Alpine's successful challenge against the penalties issued during the race.

That puts the Monaco Grrand Prix result in further doubt after it was already amended last week.

The hearing will take place in two stages. As per the regulations, the stewards will first determine whether Mercedes has presented a "significant and relevant new element" that was unavailable at the time of the original decision. If that threshold is met, the case will proceed to a second hearing, where the substance of the challenge will be considered.

The latest development follows the dramatic twist in the Monaco Grand Prix result that saw Gasly's two pitlane speeding penalties overturned.

Several drivers were penalised during the race for allegedly exceeding the 60km/h pitlane speed limit. Gasly received two separate five-second penalties, dropping him from a podium finish to seventh place in the final classification.

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine

However, Alpine successfully challenged those penalties after presenting evidence that the distance used by the official timing system in one of the pitlane timing sectors was incorrect for the Monaco pitlane layout. Formula One Management acknowledged the issue, admitting the timing system had been set up incorrectly, leading the stewards to rescind both penalties and restore Gasly to third place.

That decision immediately raised questions about the cases of other drivers who had received penalties under the same circumstances.

While the FIA stewards have not yet formally established that Russell's penalty was unjustified, the fact that FOM acknowledged the timing system was working incorrectly strongly suggests the Mercedes driver may also have been incorrectly penalised for speeding in the pitlane.

Russell was initially handed a five-second penalty for pitlane speeding. He then attempted to serve that penalty during a pitstop, but the stewards later determined that the penalty had not been served correctly. As a result, he received an additional drive-through penalty, which he served after the final restart.

The sequence dropped Russell out of the points, turning what had been a solid points-scoring afternoon into a point-less finish.

The consequences extended beyond Monaco itself, as Russell lost significant ground in the drivers' championship, with the zero score proving particularly costly in his battle against team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes

Two other teams are understood to be challenging what is now a provisional Monaco Grand Prix result, with McLaren having already confirmed on Tuesday that it has formally protested the decision to overturn Gasly's penalties.

Its driver Oscar Piastri was also penalised during the race but, unlike Gasly, served his penalty during the grand prix. As a result, the decision to reinstate Gasly's original race time effectively dropped Piastri from fourth to fifth in the final classification.

Red Bull has not confirmed that it has protested last week's stewards' decision, but it is understood to have done so as well, as it seeks to restore Isack Hadjar's podium finish.

Hadjar originally inherited third place after Gasly's penalties were applied, before losing the position again when the Alpine driver's sanctions were rescinded.

Following the stewards' decision to cancel Gasly's penalties, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed the team's intention to continue challenging the Monaco result.

While admitting it was a long shot to have Russell's result revised, Wolff stressed that Mercedes would explore every possible avenue to secure a better outcome for its driver.

Although Russell ultimately finished outside the top 10 after serving a drive-through penalty, he had been running third on the road before the sanction was applied.

Wolff suggested there may be a mechanism to revisit the result by converting Russell's drive-through penalty into an equivalent time penalty. Under the sporting regulations, a drive-through penalty that cannot be served during a race is converted into a 20-second addition to a driver's race time.

Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Lando Norris, McLaren

"A drive-through, if it didn't happen at the end, is equivalent of 20 seconds race time," Wolff said. "What would 20 seconds race time have meant for his result? Do we think that we realistically have a position, a chance of reverting the result? I don't think so, but we definitely have to give it a go if we see that there is a millimetre of chance to do so and bring him back to whatever it was before."

Wolff was referring to Article B1.9.6.c.iii of the sporting regulations, which covers situations where a driver is unable to serve a drive-through penalty during a race. In such cases, 20 seconds are added to the driver's final race time.

The Mercedes boss argued that the same principle could potentially be used in reverse if the original speeding penalty is ultimately deemed invalid. Under that interpretation, Russell's drive-through could effectively be converted into a 20-second race-time adjustment, potentially moving him back into the points-paying positions.

Whether the stewards have the regulatory scope to apply such a solution remains unclear, but it is one of the possible avenues Mercedes could pursue in its attempt to recover some of the ground Russell lost in Monaco.

- Oleg Karpov

MONACO APPEAL MONACO GP RESULT AFTER FIA PENALTY REVERSAL SPARKS FAIRNESS ROW

McLaren⁠ have formally lodged a notification of appeal with the FIA International Court of Appeal after the revised Monaco GP result triggered a fresh sporting fairness row in the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The team confirmed it is appealing decisions related to Stewards Document 99, Revised Final Race Classification Document 100 and Revised Championship Points Document 101, following the post-race process that changed the Monaco result after the FIA reviewed pit lane speed penalties.

The controversy centres on the reversal of penalties that had shaped the Monaco finishing order and championship points. Alpine’s successful review restored Pierre Gasly⁠ to the podium, but it also created a wider problem for teams whose drivers had already served penalties during the race or had their strategies affected by the original decisions.

McLaren made clear their appeal is not aimed at any rival team or driver. Instead, the Woking team argued that the way the situation has unfolded raises broader questions over consistency, fairness and the integrity of the championship.

Oscar Piastri during practice for the 2026 F1 Monaco GP | McLaren F1 Team

“McLaren Racing can confirm that it has formally lodged a notification of appeal with the FIA International Court of Appeal regarding the following decisions related to the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix: Stewards Document 99; Revised Final Race Classification Document 100; Revised Championship Points Document 101,” the team said in a statement.

“While we fully respect the FIA’s judicial processes and the role of the Stewards, we believe this case raises important questions concerning sporting fairness, regulatory consistency and the integrity of competition.”

McLaren question sporting fairness after Monaco revision

The Monaco controversy has become one of the most complex regulatory disputes of the 2026 season because it is not simply about whether one penalty was right or wrong.

The issue is what happens when a penalty is removed after others have already served punishments or adjusted their race decisions based on the original rulings.

McLaren’s position is that teams followed the regulations and established practice as they were being applied during the Monaco weekend. If penalties are later removed from some competitors, the team argues that those who accepted the original decisions can be left at a disadvantage.

“Throughout the Monaco Grand Prix weekend – and in every event – all teams operated according to the regulations and established standard practices for what concerns the speed limit in the pit lane as they were applied at the time,” McLaren added. “Competitors adjusted their procedures accordingly and, where required, accepted and served penalties imposed under those regulations.

“In our view, the subsequent removal of penalties creates a situation in which some competitors are disadvantaged by having acted in accordance with the rules and the Stewards’ decisions. Such an outcome risks creating sporting inequity and undermining confidence in the consistent application of the FIA Sporting Regulations.”

That wording is significant.

McLaren are not arguing simply that Gasly should not have regained his position. They are challenging the wider consequence of revising the result after teams had already accepted penalties that could not be fully unwound.

Monaco appeal could test FIA consistency

The appeal now places the FIA’s regulatory process under renewed scrutiny.

Pit lane speeding is usually one of the most straightforward offences in Formula 1, but Monaco’s unique layout and the reported timing discrepancy turned a routine penalty process into a much larger issue.

The problem for the FIA is that the revised classification did not affect every competitor in the same way. Some penalties could be removed after the race through a points and classification change. Others, particularly penalties already served during the Grand Prix, had already shaped track position, strategy and race outcome in ways that cannot easily be reversed.

“Our decision to appeal is not directed at any competitor,” the team said. “Rather, it reflects our belief that the Championship benefits from regulations that are applied consistently, transparently and fairly to all participants.

Oscar Piastri during the F1 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix | McLaren F1 Team

“McLaren remains committed to working constructively with the FIA, Formula One and fellow competitors to protect the integrity of the sport and maintain confidence in its regulatory framework.”

For McLaren, the championship implications matter too. Any revised classification or points adjustment can affect the fight against Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, especially in a season where small swings have already carried major consequences.

But the bigger question now goes beyond one result.

If the FIA International Court of Appeal takes the case forward, it may have to address how Formula 1 handles errors that are identified after the event, particularly when some competitors can be restored while others cannot be compensated in the same way.

That makes McLaren’s appeal more than a dispute over Monaco.

It is now a test of how the FIA balances correction, fairness and sporting certainty when a Grand Prix result has already been shaped by decisions made in real time.

- John Smith