LANDO NORRIS ISSUES 'WAIT AND SEE' PERSPECTIVE ON SPA GRID PENALTY DISCOVERY

Lando Norris has issued confidence in the possibility of a successful damage limitation job in this weekend’s Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, after having taken a 10-place grid penalty for the race.

The reigning World Champion is braced for the significant grid drop after McLaren opted to change the power electronic unit in order to reap benefits from Mercedes’ updates to them.

It will leave Norris in an extremely vulnerable position, needing to get into Q3 and perform well to mitigate the pain of the penalty.

But, speaking to media, including Motorsport Week, ahead of this weekend’s race, Norris was hopeful of nullifying the problems the grid drop will cause, conveying quiet confidence he will make up positions.

“We will have to wait and see how the overtaking is,” he said. “Most people would deploy basically the whole battery to Turn 5, and you would go from pretty much 100 percent battery to zero, so there is not much use for the battery, so we have to wait and see.

“We probably have a small straight-line speed advantage compared to the people a little further back, so we should have a good chance.

“But just to overtake in general, I think it could be pretty difficult here.

“But the slipstream is pretty big, and there are still a few straights where there is no straight mode, and therefore the slipstream is pretty large, and you can gain a good amount for that.

“So I don’t have all the answers yet, but we know it is better than Zandvoort and better than Hungary to take penalties, so I hope it is not the end of my weekend before it starts, but I am confident we can have a good weekend.

“We will wait and see.”

What can Lando Norris expect in midfield battle at Spa?

Spa-Francorchamps presents a unique puzzle for energy management, and it is one of the reasons Norris’ optimism is not entirely misplaced.

The uphill blast through Eau Rouge and Raidillon into the Kemmel Straight is the single biggest harvesting-and-deployment zone on the calendar, with cars spending an unusually long period at full throttle before drivers are forced to lift for the Les Combes chicane.

That long full-power phase burns through battery reserves quickly, but the compensating downhill and braking zones, particularly into Pouhon and the final sector, give the MGU-K plenty of opportunity to recover energy for the next lap.

The difficulty, as Norris alluded to, is that so many cars arrive at Turn 5 simultaneously low on charge, which flattens out what would otherwise be a clear straight-line advantage for cars with stronger deployment.

That bunching effect can work in favour of a recovering driver, since the field’s energy resources are levelled just as the long straights offer the best passing opportunities.

With Spa’s notoriously changeable weather adding a further variable to tyre and energy strategy, teams will need near-perfect harvesting execution through the middle sector to have anything left when it matters heading onto the straights.

- Jack Oliver Smith

NO PAPAYA FOR SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT AS MCLAREN PAYS HOMAGE TO.THEIR FIRST F1 CAR

 

No papaya this weekend as McLaren have gone for a retro look 😎

- F1

ALL THE F1 BRITISH GP SPECIAL LIVERIES UNVEILED SO FAR

The 2026 British Grand Prix should again prove a popular occasion for special liveries among Formula 1 teams.

While just three of the 11 teams are registered as British, the majority of the squads are either de facto UK-based or at least part-based there, and usually not far from British GP venue Silverstone.

Here are the British GP-specific colour schemes unveiled thus far.

McLaren

McLaren's Silverstone design showcases the partnership with its major sponsor Google and specifically Google's AI tool Gemini.

But it references a specific car from the past, the white-and-green McLaren M2B campaigned by team founder Bruce McLaren in 1966.

Cadillac

Though Britain was...a relevant party in the historical event in question, Cadillac's special colour scheme for Silverstone is not British-themed.

Instead, the American team will deploy a stars-and-stripes USA colour scheme to celebrate Independence Day, July 4 - which will align with qualifying day and which this year marks 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Williams

Williams's Silverstone livery is a minor update to its primary 2026 colour scheme.

The British GP version of the FW48 will feature a "Union Jack-inspired" palette on the side of the nose structure - and also on the team kit and racesuits.

- The Race Team 

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

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON | GRAND PRIX WINS PER F1 TEAM

 

BARCELONA-CATALUNYA GP 2026 | PL PRACTICE 2 -CLASSIFICATION

 

OSCAR PIASTRI DELIVERS DAMNING MCLAREN F1 CANADIAN GP VERDICT: 'WE LOOK LIKE IDIOTS'

Oscar PIastri has slammed McLaren's decision to start the F1 Canadian GP on hard tyres

Oscar Piastri has lambasted McLaren’s decision to start the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix on intermediate tyres, resulting in a miserable afternoon.

McLaren attempted a radical strategy at the start of the F1 Canadian GP, opting to put Piastri and teammate Lando Norris on intermediate tyres.

The track, while not dry, also did not warrant intermediates, forcing both drivers to pit for dry tyres in the opening two laps.

Now back in the midfield, Piastri suffered a disastrous afternoon and finished outside the points after incurring a ten-second time penalty for crashing into Alex Albon.

Speaking after the race. Piastri revealed how the decision quickly unravelled as the formation lap began.

“There was definitely no standing water, but you could clearly tell where it was wet and where it was dry, and getting to the grid was not easy on slicks; getting to full throttle was pretty tough.

“Unfortunately for us, it stopped raining as the formation lap started, basically. Just one of those things where if it had rained a little bit more, we would have looked like heroes, but it didn’t, so we looked like idiots. So just one of those things.”

Oscar Piastri apologises for Alex Albon crash

Apologising for his crash with Albon, Piastri admitted to driver error, describing the incident as “not my finest moment”.

“It was just so, so difficult out there.

“I felt like I was going into the corner pretty carefully, but locked the front, and that was it. It was not my finest moment.

“Apologies to Alex and Williams, because it was unnecessary damage for both of us, especially for them. So just one of those things.”

McLaren and Piastri will need to deep dive urgently as to how a front row and top six start led to no points.

- James Phillips

ZAK BROWN HINTS MCLAREN COULD UNLEASH IT'S OWN 'MACARENA' WING

 

©McLaren

McLaren may be preparing to join Formula 1’s latest aerodynamic arms race after Zak Brown dropped a strong hint that the Woking squad is seriously evaluating its own version of the now-infamous “Macarena” rotating rear wing.

What began as a curious Ferrari experiment earlier this season is rapidly becoming one of the paddock’s hottest technical trends – and now McLaren appears to be circling the innovative concept.

After briefly trialing the idea in pre-season testing, the Scuderia gave the rotating element a more complete outing in Miami. Red Bull then arrived in Florida armed with its own interpretation as part of a major RB22 upgrade package.

The result? A clear performance leap, although it’s unclear how much of that improvement was to the novel rear wing.

Max Verstappen returned to the sharp end with a front-row qualifying performance, while McLaren itself enjoyed its strongest weekend of the season as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a double podium finish.

And Brown openly admitted the reigning constructors’ champions have been paying close attention.

“We have. As you can imagine, all the teams look at what each other do,” Brown told Sky F1. “It’s clever and we think it could be beneficial, so not surprised to see another team using it.”

That comment alone has ignited speculation that McLaren engineers are already deep into studying how to integrate a similar concept onto the MCL40.

A consolidating field

The intrigue surrounding the rotating rear wing is only adding fuel to an increasingly intense development battle at the front of the grid.

After a shaky opening to the season, McLaren and Red Bull both made visible gains in Miami, tightening the fight with Mercedes and Ferrari as Formula 1 edges toward another ultra-competitive era.

Brown believes the field compression has already begun.

“They’ve been quick all weekend, so they’ve got some great development on the car,” he said of Red Bull.

“Obviously [there’s] the Ferrari and then the Mercedes, so you have your top four. If you look at the lap times now compared to Australia, the whole field is starting to get consolidated.

“So I think 0in not too short order, we’ll be back to where we were with a very competitive, tight grid.”

And if McLaren does unleash its own “Macarena” wing in the coming races, Formula 1’s aerodynamic chess match may become even more fascinating.

- Michael Delaney

MCLAREN SPY 'VERY INTERESTING' TRICK ON HEAVILY UPGRADED RED BULL

An aspect of the new, heavily upgraded Red Bull has caught the eye of McLaren chief Andrea Stella.

© XPBimages

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has singled out the sidepod design of Red Bull's heavily upgraded RB22 as "very interesting" and said that "each team" will be looking to extract its secrets.

For F1's return at the Miami Grand Prix, most teams brought a huge upgrade package, including McLaren and Red Bull, with the most visibly eye-catching being Red Bull's interpretation of Ferrari's 'Macarena' rear wing. 

However, it was another area of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar's RB22 that caught the eye of McLaren team principal Stella, as he explained how he felt the Milton Keynes squad had been "quite smart and innovative" in its upgrade approach.

"For those who are technically interested, we are in a very, very interesting phase," Stella told media, including RacingNews365. 

"It is very interesting because if you see the sidepod concept that Red Bull introduced, it is quite different to the sidepod concept that, for instance, Mercedes and Ferrari have adopted, and the McLaren style is further different.

"There will be a stabilisation at some stage, a convergence, but we look like we are quite far from this convergence.

"So I think there will be a process of looking at each other, testing things and certainly each team will be testing, taking a look at the Red Bull concept to see the advantages.

"They have been quite smart and innovative in the way they have used some legality concessions to introduce such geometry.

"I think the overall designs of the cars are far from converging. This doesn't mean that some things have already started to look like: 'Oh, that is the direction everyone has taken', but with the 2025 cars, after a few years of the regulations, they started to look very similar to each other.

"I think we are still far from these conditions."

© XPBimages

- Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes

LANDO NORRIS BEATS KIMI ANTONELLI FOR MIAMI GP SPRINT POLE

May 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (1) during Sprint qualifying before the Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

McLaren's Lando Norris beat out Mercedes' young star and Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli for pole position in spring qualifying Friday at the Miami Grand Prix.

Norris emerged from a one-lap shootout in SQ3 0.222 seconds better than Antonelli, with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in third, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth and Red Bull's Max Verstappen fifth.

The Brit earned McLaren's first P1 of the young season with his SQ3 time of 1:27.869.

"It was great, a perfect result for us," Norris said, per Formula1.com. "A nice way to reward the team. We've got a lot of new upgrades on the car, so it's nice to feel some grip again and nice to reward the guys and the girls that have put a lot of work into this. I've always loved Miami, both on and off the track. It's a good result for us. Of course, it's just the beginning of the weekend, still a long way to go but nice to kick it off by doing this."

Norris is the reigning F1 World Drivers' champion and won seven Grand Prix last year; he also earned his first F1 victory at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old Italian Antonelli has won each of the last two F1 stops, the Chinese and Japanese Grand Prix, starting from the pole each time.

Next comes the Sprint on Saturday at noon. The Miami Grand Prix is slated for Sunday afternoon.

--Field Level Media

MCLAREN BOSS ADDRESSES FERRARI DEFECTION RUMOURS

 

McLaren Team Principal has been linked with a move to Ferrari

McLaren Formula 1 Team Principal Andrea Stella has responded to increasing speculation linking him with a sensational switch to Ferrari.

Stella is seen by many as the architect of McLaren’s success in recent years, rising through the ranks of the team since joining in 2015 from Ferrari as Head of Race Operations.

Promoted to Performance Director in 2018, and then Racing Director in 2019, he assumed the role of Team Principal in 2023, spearheading McLaren’s double constructors’ titles in 2024 and 2025.

But the Italian has been linked to Ferrari, given the sensational news that GianPiero Lambiase will join McLaren as Chief Racing Officer in 2028.

But Stella has firmly rejected these rumours, jokingly confirming the speculations “made me smile.”

“Honestly, some of the recent rumours, including those regarding astronomical salaries and mythical pre-contracts, have made me smile,” said Stella. 

Andrea Stella rumours showing ‘silly season’ now covers Team Principals?.

“Silly season”, covering driver moves, now seems to cover off Team Principals, the paddock seemingly connecting the dots of moves in the Team Principal market.

Jonathan Wheatley has departed Audi, heavily linked to Aston Martin, replacing Adrian Newey, while Stella’s supposed departure could lead to Fred Vasseur leaving Ferrari.

Stella had a somewhat unusual analogy to describe the whispers going in the paddock.

“It almost seems as though the ‘silly season’, which usually begins before summer, has arrived early!” he said.

” I’m quite used to this sort of thing by now and I take with a smile. 

“It almost looks like that some envious pastry chef has tried to spoil the preparation of a good dessert at the McLaren patisserie. 

“However, we do know very well how to distinguish the good ingredients from the poisoned biscuits….”

Stella’s firm denial is to be expected, but speculation will continue to grow until McLaren announces a firm contract renewal. Ferrari is also conspicuous in its silence.

- James Phillips

MAX VERSTAPPEN BACKS GIANPIERO LAMBIASE MCLAREN F1 MOVE: 'HE’D BE STUPID NOT TO TAKE IT'

Verstappen issued his first comments on his long-time Red Bull Formula 1 race engineer inking a deal with McLaren for 2028

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen says he fully backs race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase's future move to McLaren and says Lambiase had discussed his Red Bull exit with him before agreeing to it.

Last week, McLaren announced it had snapped up Lambiase for the role of chief racing officer, supporting team principal Andrea Stella on race weekends. Lambiase is expected to make the move by the start of 2028 at the latest, pending any deal to pry the British engineer loose from Red Bull Racing before the end of his current contract.

That means that if Verstappen sees out his current Red Bull deal, which expires at the end of 2028, he is set to lose his long-time ally as his race engineer. But amid suggestions the prospect of losing Lambiase could further influence Verstappen's thinking on his F1 future, with the Dutchman disillusioned with the 2026 technical regulations, he says he fully backs Lambiase's promotion to a more senior role within the F1 paddock.

“We’ve spoken about it, and when he told me what the opportunity was, I said: you’d be stupid not to take it," Verstappen said at a Viaplay event in Amsterdam. “It’s an incredible opportunity for him, not just in terms of the role but also for his future. You have to think about your family and long-term security as well.”

Verstappen revealed Lambiase had first sought his approval before committing to the career move. “He told me he wanted to hear it from me,” Verstappen said. “I said: 100%, you should just go for it.”

The Dutchman insisted his strong bond with Lambiase wouldn't change over the remainder of their time together at Red Bull, forging a lasting friendship through the many high and lows of their partnership.

“We’ve already achieved everything together, and more than once. We’ve won a lot. That won’t change," he said. “We’re both still young. You never know what happens in the future. Maybe we’ll work together again.

“We’ll be friends for life. Everyone has their own goals and ambitions. You can’t hold someone back. In the end everybody needs to grow. Everyone has their own goals in life.”

- Mike Mulder

FORMER RED BULL MECHANIC SAYS HANNA SCHMITZ COULD BE NEXT TO LEAVE AFTER GIANPIERO LAMBIASE

Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Ex-Red Bull mechanic Kenny Handkammer has claimed that Hannah Schmitz could be the next senior figure to leave the team.

In recent times, Red Bull have been hit with several high-profile exits, including the likes of Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay.

Last week, another senior departure was confirmed as Gianpiero Lambiase is set to leave Red Bull for McLaren in 2028.

Lambiase is set to become Chief Racing Officer at McLaren and will report to team principal Andrea Stella.

Less than a week after Lambiase’s departure was confirmed, it has been claimed that another senior figure could leave.

Hannah Schmitz could be next to leave Red Bull after Gianpiero Lambiase

Speaking on The Two Mechanics podcast, Handkammer claimed that the current Head of Strategy, Schmitz, could be next in line to leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

Handkammer said: “The decline of Red Bull is quite sad. If I were the CEO of Red Bull global, I’d be thinking. Look who he has lost, Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Gianpiero Lambiase and Will Courtenay.

“It looks like Hannah Schmitz, Head of Strategy, is rumoured to go too, all these massive key people and talks are there’s going to be more. That’s a real head scratcher. How do you reconfigure the team?”

Who is Hannah Schmitz and what is her role at Red Bull?

Schmitz, 40, is regarded as one of the most talented figures in the Formula 1 paddock, having joined Red Bull back in 2009 as a Modelling and Strategy Engineer.

In 2011, Schmitz became Senior Strategy Engineer before being promoted to Principal Strategy Engineer in 2021. In 2026, she became Red Bull’s Head of Race Strategy following Courtenay’s move to McLaren.

Schmitz has previously been praised for playing a major role in a number of Red Bull victories.

Following the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen labelled Schmitz as ‘insanely calm’ after the Dutchman won the race from P10.

He said: “You can’t afford many mistakes. It’s of course very hard to always be on the good side, let’s say it like that. But I think we have a lot of good guys and girls in the team.

“Today, I think Hannah, our strategist, was insanely calm. Yeah, she’s very good.”

With several big names already out the door, Red Bull will have to keep the likes of Schmitz in the team if they want to prevent Verstappen from engineering his own exit.

MAX VERSTAPPEN EXPECTED TO QUIT F1 FOLLOWING SHOCK RED BULL DEPARTURE

Not only is Max Verstappen unhappy with F1's current regulations, his long-time ally Gianpiero Lambiase is leaving

@XPBimages

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes the exit of Gianpiero Lambiase has all but guaranteed that Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull at the end of the current season.

It was announced last week that Lambiase will leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit when his contract concludes at the end of 2027, completing a shock move to McLaren.

At McLaren, Lambiase’s role will be chief racing officer, rather than race engineer for either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri.

It is believed that McLaren’s plan is eventually to make Lambiase its team principal, kickstarting a new chapter for the 45-year-old.

Lambiase has served as Verstappen’s race engineer since the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, with the pair building an exceptional working relationship during that time.

In Palmer’s view, the departure of Verstappen’s long-time ally is just another nail in the coffin at a time when the Dutchman is already unhappy, making an exit this year highly likely.

Asked if Lambiase's exit increases the chances of Verstappen leaving Red Bull, Palmer told the F1 Nation podcast: "That’s exactly how I see it. I think we’re already talking about Max probably leaving the team at some point.

"You’ve got Red Bull not being competitive, and not having the easiest route back to being competitive, given where they’re at when you factor in all the personnel who have left.

"For me, GP is such a linchpin for him; it sort of connects the driver to the team. I see this news as offering a more in-depth understanding of another reason why Max isn’t particularly happy in the team.

"And on many levels, I just don’t see him sticking around particularly long, probably beyond the end of this year, unless they have a concrete plan in place and a clear sign of progress."

- Nick Golding

FORMULA 1 CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

 

LEWIS HAMILTON MAKES HISTORY YET AGAIN

 

F1 TEST: MCLAREN HITS TRACK, RED BULL BIDES TIME, ALPINE SHINES AND AUDI RUNS INTO TROUBLE

Lando Norris has taken the new McLaren out on track on Day 3 of the F1 test in Barcelona. Image: McLaren

Lando Norris has hit the track for the first time this week, as McLaren begins its programme on Day 3 of the Formula 1 pre-season test in Barcelona.

The wheel of the MCL40 has been turned in anger for the first time on Wednesday morning by the reigning World Champion, the car sporting a special black livery, as well as the #1.

With the media and data blackout continuing, all information is subject to confirmation, but early reports suggest Norris has been part of a varied strategy by Mercedes to increase the testing of its new powertrains.

The German marque’s works team is thought to be focusing on long runs, with McLaren opting for short runs before pitting.

Mercedes’ newest customer, Alpine, is deploying a similarly long strategy, with Franco Colapinto reportedly setting a 1:19.150, which is thought to be the quickest time of the day so far.

 | Audi is facing real challenges during this shakedown.

They ran 27 laps on Monday before Bortoleto had to retire from a mechanical issue and today Hülkenberg has had to retire the car as well after running into another problem.

pic.twitter.com/fsiW1Irv9d

— deni (@fiagirly) January 28, 2026

Red Bull sits out Day 3 of F1 test as Audi runs halted by Hulkenberg woe

Red Bull has confirmed it will sit out Day 3 after a productive first two days, with Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen completing runs on Tuesday.

It is thought that the Milton Keynes-based squad has not made the decision based on Hadjar’s crash shortly before the chequered flag, with a calculated strategy as to which day it will decide to use as its final one of the week.

Ferrari have also yet to take to the track on Wednesday, after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both managed to get runs in on Tuesday.

Audi appears to have run into trouble, with Hulkenberg’s reported five laps down to a stoppage on track earlier in the morning, his R26 halting at Turns 9 and 10.

It is the second time the car has stopped out on track this week, with Gabriel Bortoleto also having to find a tow truck on Day 1.

Oliver Bearman has also been in the wars, his Haas VF-26 also stopping out on track in the morning, after some positive long runs from the car alreadty completed this week.

- Jack Oliver Smith

MERCEDES TO SLASH ENGINE CUSTOMERS, HINTS WOLFF

Wolff signals slimmer Mercedes customer roster for next rules era

Mercedes is preparing to tighten its engine supply network in the next regulation cycle, with Toto Wolff making clear the works team doesn’t plan to power as many cars up and down the pit lane as it does now.

Speaking on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Wolff said the company is reassessing how many customers its Brixworth-based High Performance Powertrains division should support when the rules reset after the incoming 2026 era runs its course.

“I think where our current mindset is, also discussing with Ola [Källenius], is that we will reduce the number of teams we are going to supply in the next cycle,” Wolff said. “We don’t know whether the truth is between two and three [in total]… it depends on new regulations going forward. Are they rather simple or not? … It’s not going to be four anymore.”

Mercedes HPP is one of five power unit manufacturers on the grid alongside Ferrari, Honda, Audi and Red Bull Powertrains/Ford. Its hardware sits in the back of the works cars and long-standing partners McLaren and Williams, with Alpine set to join the fold for 2026. That spread has traditionally given Mercedes a data deluge when the lights go out on a fresh ruleset — more cars, more mileage, more feedback — but it also brings logistical heft and earlier design lock-ins that can bite.

“When you consider how many engines we need to ship to Melbourne, for all of us, 16 engines… longer lead times, longer production cycles,” Wolff said. “All of that going forward, it’s not going to be four anymore.”

Hywel Thomas, managing director at HPP, outlined the same push-pull from the factory floor. More partners equals more learning — and more headaches.

“We’ve shown in the past that having more than one team, you’re getting more data, more information… you’ve got four times the engineers all sitting around telling you, ‘No, you can do this better,’ and that is very, very beneficial,” Thomas said. “Doesn’t always feel like it, but it definitely is in terms of making a great product.

“But the flip of that is, we’ve got to make a lot of hardware. We’ve got to make a few decisions earlier. I’m not even sure whether the right place is one team, two teams, three teams, or four teams. There’s definitely a sweet spot in there somewhere. I think it’s probably nearer four than one.”

That “sweet spot” is where the internal debate clearly lives. Wolff wants a leaner roster in the long term; Thomas sees value in a wider customer map. What’s not up for debate is the priority. HPP exists to serve the Mercedes works operation first.

“We are wholly owned by Mercedes. We exist to do one thing, and that’s to win World Championships with Mercedes,” Thomas said. “That’s why I sit in a Mercedes garage, and it’s why the relationships with the engineering group in Brackley are so strong.”

Wolff was even blunter. Customer wins are nice-to-have. The star on the nose is the must-have.

“The raison d’être for HPP is to win World Championships with the works team,” he said. “In order to make the economies work and also to use it as a test bench and a comparison to the works team, it’s good that we have the customer supply situation.

“There will always be a part of Hywel, and I think HPP, that is allowed to cheer for their power unit to have won a championship,” Wolff added. “But the mindset we always had is that this power unit has won a Constructors’ World Championship. That means our car wasn’t good enough… For us, being able to benchmark ourselves, you can at least take the power unit out of the equation. So on the chassis side, we haven’t done that.”

Read between the lines and the plan looks pragmatic. Keep enough partner cars for data and benchmarking — the “test bench” Wolff references — but not so many that Brixworth is forced into conservative choices or long lead times that blunt development agility. In practice, that likely means some of today’s Mercedes-powered teams won’t be by the time the next rules arrive.

For now, Mercedes will head into the 2026 reset with a large footprint and a familiar philosophy: build a PU that can win, use customer programs to accelerate the learning, and make sure the car in silver is the one that cashes the cheques. The next era after that? Fewer shirts to ship, fewer engines to box up, and a tighter circle around Brackley and Brixworth.

- Alex Albuquerque

LANDO NORRIS IS THE FORMULA 1 CHAMPION

 

'DISGUSTING: OSCAR PIASTRI'S AUSSIE INTERVIEW BAN AHEAD OF ABU DHABI GP

Explosive new claims of bias towards Oscar Piastri’s McLaren teammate have rocked F1 ahead of this weekend’s season-ending Grand Prix.

Just days out from its shot at a drought-breaking F1 drivers’ title, McLaren is in disarray amid revelations Oscar Piastri has been banned from speaking to Australian media.

The season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gets underway this weekend, with championship leader Lando Norris in the box seat on 408 points and his McLaren teammate Piastri in the mix on 392.

They are separated by Max Verstappen (396 points), with all three in mathematical contention to claim this year’s title.

Yet instead of a buzz around the F1 world over a thrilling end to this year’s championship, McLaren is in damage control following a damning report from CODE Sports.

An article from the masthead that landed on Thursday afternoon (AEDT) addressed the year-long speculation the British outfit would prefer Englishman Norris take out this season’s crown.

Oscar Piastri reacts after finishing second at the Qatar GP. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

 

Talk McLaren has favoured Lando Norris (right) has bubbled along for months. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
 

McLaren is well placed to win a first drivers’ world title since Lewis Hamilton’s salute back in 2008, but that is barely rating a mention outside of its Woking base.

The team’s much maligned ‘papaya rules’, which insist the two drivers are on a level playing field, have been all but debunked by this stage as Aussie Piastri has repeatedly had odds stacked against him by his own team.

The latest was their mea culpa after McLaren was the only team not to pit after an early yellow flag in last week’s Qatar GP, blowing a dominant Piastri’s hopes of victory and handing the win to Verstappen.

Smiling team boss Zak Brown has said ad nauseam all is well among the team, but CODE stated it’s well known that is no longer the case, calling the situation “bordering on toxic”.

A pitiful team representation when Piastri celebrated his second place in Qatar only added fuel to the fire and the Victorian admitted he was “speechless” over team radio after they blew his shot at a victory that would have drawn him much closer in the title fight.

Piastri has now been banned from holding individual interviews with Australian media, with CODE stating the team feels he is too busy, although that sounds flimsy at best and downright laughable in reality.

A number of journalists and McLaren team insiders spoke to CODE about the situation and all were united in condemning the treatment of the 24-year-old Aussie.

One was quoted as saying: “It’s disgusting to see what’s happening. It’s like he’s fighting with one arm tied behind his back.”

“He’s constantly being undermined by the team. The bias against Piastri is unquestionable.”

Fans are also well and truly fed up with the perceived treatment of the young Aussie star.

McLaren’s official X account posted a tweet on Thursday morning with the caption: “23 races, 20 countries visited. Country 21, round 24, Abu Dhabi, let’s do this.”

A number of fans used that opportunity to vent their feelings.

One wrote: “From now on, I’ll remember 2025 F1 season, not for McLaren winning the constructors championship, but for the sneaky ways they found to prevent Oscar Piastri from becoming World Champion.”

 Another replied: “23 races, 20 countries visited, 90% support for Norris, 10% support for Oscar. 100% loser team.”

Many F1 fans have tired of the message coming from Zak Brown (right) and McLaren. (Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1 via Getty Images)
 

A third offered: “And you destroyed a young man’s spirit – poor Oscar.”

Whatever its approach to this point, McLaren will be unable to gag Piastri in the lead-up to and after this weekend’s race.

He has mostly kept his cool and maintained his dignity to this point, when many others in such a competitive arena would have blown their stack."

Unless he finds a way to win this year’s title – needing to win the race in Abu Dhabi and have Norris finish sixth or lower – Piastri’s ultimate reaction to a season of missed opportunities could prove as fascinating as the race itself.

- James Dampney