KIMI ANTONELLI SHOUTS OUT JANNIK SINNER AFTER MIAMI GRAND PRIX WIN

The world No. 1 and the 19-year-old Formula 1 driver have lifted trophies on the same day for the third time this season.

© 2026 Kym Illman, Tennis Channel

Two of Italy’s biggest young stars are moving in sync, and Sunday offered the latest proof.

On the same day that Jannik Sinner lifted the trophy at the Mutua Madrid Open, he received a major shoutout from Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli following his victory at the Miami Grand Prix.

“Jannik has been doing great too,” Antonelli said after the race, which took place at the Hard Rock Stadium. “I want to dedicate this victory to (the late) Alex (Zanardi), but also to Jannik. He’s always been very kind to me.

“I’m just very happy that both of us are experiencing beautiful moments like these.”

A lifelong Formula 1 fan and an official ambassador for the sport, Sinner wasted no time dispatching No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 in Madrid on Sunday. The world No. 1 didn’t face a single break point, and wrapped up the win in just 58 minutes. The victory marked Sinner’s fourth title of the year, and his fifth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 triumph.

A few hours later, the 19-year-old Mercedes driver crossed the finish line in Miami, continuing the Italian sports bonanza with his third career race win.

Sinner and Antonelli are not just two of Italy’s brightest young sports stars—they’re also uniquely in sync when it comes to lifting trophies.

In one of the more unique cross-sport stats, each of Antonelli’s three grand prix wins in 2026 has come on the same day as one of Sinner’s Masters 1000 titles:

• March 15: Sinner wins Indian Wells Masters and Antonelli wins Chinese Grand Prix
• March 29: Sinner wins Miami Masters and Antonelli wins Japanese Grand Prix
• May 3: Sinner wins Madrid Masters and Antonelli wins Miami Grand Prix

GRANDEEE 🇮🇹 ❤️‍🔥 @janniksin and Kimi Antonelli have now won three titles on the same day 🤯 #MMOPEN #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/Kkoyc9Q4l9

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) May 3, 2026

 

Back in March, Sinner had previously given the 19-year-old a shoutout after winning in Miami, where he defeated Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. After the final, Sinner signed the camera lens with the message: “Bez, Kimi, Italia”—a reference to the two other Italian winners on that day, including Antonelli in Formula 1 and Marco Bezzecchi in MotoGP.

Much like Sinner’s own ATP Tour breakthrough at age 22, Antonelli has long been tipped for Formula 1 greatness and now carries the expectations of a nation closely tracking his rise.

Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has already cautioned about the growing spotlight surrounding the two young stars.

“The easier bit is making sure that he (Antonelli) keeps both feet on the ground here in the team... The bigger problem is the Italian public,” Wolff said.

“Now that they are not qualified for football (in FIFA World Cup), it’s all about Sinner and Antonelli, and Antonelli and Sinner. Sinner won in Madrid, so it’s the two that are superstars.”

Sinner is next scheduled to compete on home soil in Rome for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, which begins on May 6, before heading to Paris for Roland Garros.

Meanwhile, Antonelli will turn his attention to the Canadian Grand Prix and the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix—the latter set for June 7, the same day as the Roland Garros final.

- Stephanie Livaudais

MERCEDES CHIEF SEND CLEAR WARNING TO GEORGE RUSSELL AND KIMI ANTONELLI AHEAD OF F1 RETURN

Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta has issued a warning to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli about their chances of winning the F1 world championship.

At the halfway point of a thrilling F1 campaign, Mercedes have established a lead at the top of the constructors' championship, largely thanks to Antonelli's incredible form.

The 19-year-old has won six of the 11 Grands Prix, including nine podiums, with the teenager recording a third-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix last time out.

Despite leading throughout the opening months of the season, Mercedes' dominant streak did come to an end before the summer shutdown, with five different drivers tasting victory in the races leading up to the August break.

Lewis Hamilton is enjoying a strong resurgence with Ferrari, and he's currently 50 points behind Antonelli in the race for the drivers' championship as he aims to win his eighth world title.

Ferrari have also closed the gap to 72 points behind Mercedes in the constructors' table, setting up a potentially thrilling second half of the season.

The seven-time world champion is the most likely to threaten Antonelli's dominance, and Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta has warned their drivers that they will face more "intense battles" once the action resumes in Zandvoort on August 23.

"History tells us that the championship always changes after the summer shutdown," Resta told Mercedes' Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show.

"The pressure increases on the teams that are leading, but equally it increases on the teams trying to catch up. The environment becomes more intense, and every result carries more weight. That's when you really see the strength and resilience of an organisation.

"It's where teams demonstrate whether they can handle the pressure and continue performing when the stakes become higher. I'm very interested to see that phase of the season unfold because it's often where championships are ultimately won or lost."

Mercedes have let a healthy advantage at the top slip in recent weeks, with reliability woes and a convergence in race pace allowing the chasing pack to close in.

But Resta is doing his best to keep the team grounded, as there is a long way to go before they can think about winning their ninth constructors' championship.

Kimi Antonelli backed to become like George Russell

Antonelli's mesmeric performances across the F1 campaign have featured an aggressive style, and this fearlessness has played a huge part in his dominance.

Teammate Russell, on the other hand - currently 59 points behind the Italian - has been calmer rather than aggressive with his displays.

According to former F1 driver Thierry Boutsen, Antonelli's approach is no different from how Russell drove at the start of his career.

"I think if you take George from his first F1 season, he would have been as aggressive as Kimi," Boutsen said.

"But he’s learned a lot, he’s calmed down also, he’s got more maturity. He races a totally different way. I believe that Kimi will be the same in three, four years. He will drive very differently to today."

Antonelli has been tipped to adapt his style as he gets older, but right now, his assertiveness and bravery on the track has held the key to a stunning campaign so far.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

- Thomas Griffin

F1 BRITISH GP: KIMI ANTONELLI TAKES FIRST SPRINT WIN WITH PASS ON LEWIS HAMILTON

Championship leader Antonelli makes half-distance overtake on sprint polesitter Hamilton to claim first blood at Silverstone

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli beat Lewis Hamilton to win a frantic British Grand Prix sprint race at Silverstone for his first Saturday victory of the 2026 campaign.

The Mercedes driver crossed the line 2.7 seconds ahead of the seven-time world champion in a race where Antonelli and Hamilton had proven dominant over the rest of the field.

McLaren's Lando Norris completed the podium, but was seven seconds behind the Ferrari driver as two separate front-running groups quickly emerged during the 17-lap sprint contest.

This was evident right from the start as pole man Hamilton and Antonelli bolted clear at lights out and built a four-second buffer across the opening three laps, with a scrappy battle behind emerging over third place.

That was a five-way tussle between Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, who all continuously traded places in the return of yo-yo racing at the high-energy Silverstone.

Drivers were running with different levels of energy through the lap and this led to overtakes at various parts of Silverstone, whether it be Verstappen's move on Russell at Abbey, or Leclerc on Piastri at Brooklands.

The battle for third started to die down come the halfway mark and, ultimately, it was Norris who emerged victorious, but as he locked down his podium, the battle for the lead finally heated up.

Getty

That came after Hamilton had built a steady one-second advantage over Antonelli, who closed in come lap eight and made his first attack on the home favourite down into Brooklands.

Hamilton held firm but not for too long, as the 19-year-old eventually moved by into the lead on Hangar Straight before soon boasting too much pace for the Ferrari to keep up.

It was around this point on lap 10 when the fight behind Norris intensified once more, as Verstappen dropped into sixth behind Russell and Leclerc before a steady final seven laps.

Russell therefore took fourth behind Norris, finished a second behind the McLaren, ahead of fifth-placed Leclerc and Verstappen in sixth, with Piastri taking two points for coming seventh.

The final points position went to the Racing Bulls of Liam Lawson, who moved into the top eight Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar fell out of the points-paying positions at the start. Lawson defended the point from his former team-mate late, on but in contentious circumstances as he squeezed his former team-mate under braking at Stowe. 

This all leaves Antonelli with a 43-point championship advantage over second-placed Russell ahead of Sunday’s grand prix, with third-placed Hamilton now four behind his fellow Briton. 

- Ed Hardy

LEWIS HAMILTON REPLACEMENT SIGNED MERCEDES WITH MERCEDES ANNOUNCEMENT IMMINENT

F1 2024 is Lewis Hamilton's final season with Mercedes before he heads to Ferrari

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has signed a contract to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the F1 2025 season, it has been claimed.

And an announcement is reportedly expected at next month’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with the teenager set to partner George Russell at Mercedes next year.

‘Mercedes sign Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement’

Hamilton rocked the F1 world in February by announcing that he will join Ferrari for F1 2025, ending his long and successful association with Mercedes.

The British driver has claimed six of his seven World Championships, as well as becoming the first man in F1 history to surpass 100 grand prix victories and pole positions, with Mercedes since arriving from McLaren at the start of the 2013 season.

Hamilton’s decision to leave for Ferrari came less than six months after he had agreed a two-year extension to his Mercedes deal – announced on the eve of last year’s Italian Grand Prix – with the 39-year-old activating a break clause in his revised contract last winter.

Analysis: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari

Mercedes has been persistently linked this year with an ambitious move for reigning three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, with team boss Toto Wolff making no secret of his desire to land the Red Bull driver.

Yet with Verstappen giving no public indication of a willingness to leave Red Bull, where he is under contract until the end of 2028 season, Mercedes seem set to promote teenage sensation Antonelli as Hamilton’s successor.

And an announcement is reportedly expected at next month’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with the teenager set to partner George Russell at Mercedes next year.

Autosprint has claimed that Antonelli has already signed a contract to race for Mercedes from next season, with the team planning to confirm the deal ahead of the Monza race on September 1.

Mercedes protege Antonelli has emerged as a potential star of the future over recent years, winning a number of junior championships before stepping up to Formula 1 feeder series F2.

After a slow start to the season with the struggling Prema team, Antonelli’s talent has come to the fore in recent weeks with the Bologna-born starlet winning in Britain and Hungary.

Those breakthrough victories came after Antonelli had commenced an extensive testing program with previous Mercedes F1 cars as the team sought to prepare him for a potential F1 debut, with the teenager testing the team’s 2021 and 2022 machines at the likes of Imola and Silverstone.

Although Mercedes had harboured hopes of securing Verstappen’s signature, Antonelli had long been regarded as the overwhelming favourite to succeed Hamilton for F1 2025.

Speaking to select media including PlanetF1.com the morning after Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was announced, Wolff teased that Mercedes had an opportunity “to do something bold” with their F1 2025 driver lineup.

The rise of Antonelli, who will turn 18 on the day of the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25, is set to mirror that of Hamilton, who also made his F1 debut with a front-running team when he started out with McLaren as a 22-year-old rookie in 2007.

Hamilton gave his blessing to the signing of Antonelli at this year’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, telling media including PlanetF1.com: “Honestly, I have no idea what Toto’s plans are but, for me, taking on a youngster would be [the right move].

“If it was my job, my role, I’d probably take on Kimi.”

- Oliver Harden

GEORGE RUSSELL ISSUED 'PSYCHOLOGICAL' WARNING AHEAD OF F1 CANADIAN GP

George Russell is looking to bounce back in Canada

Martin Brundle has warned George Russell that winning this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix is an important “psychological” step in his quest to win the Formula 1 World Championship.

The Mercedes driver has fallen 20 points behind teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ standings, with Italian teenager’s blistering seeing him triumph in the last three Grands Prix.

The results have swung against the pre-season narrative that Russell was indeed the title favourite, which was initially furthered with success in the opening round in Australia.

Whilst McLaren and Red Bull have appeared to catch-up to Mercedes, the German marque is still the standout overall favourite for both title crowns, leaving Russell with what appears to be a big chance to close the gap to Antonelli.

And whilst Brundle, speaking to Sky Sports News, acknowledged there is a “long way to go” in the championship, a victory in Montreal this weekend would give Russell a chance to firmly press the reset button.

“There’s a long way to go. There’s 482 points available in this championship,” he said.

“I don’t think the points deficit is that much of a problem for George Russell.

“For example, last year in Canada, Lando Norris had a clumsy accident with his team-mate Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, and that looked like he’d hurt his championship chances, then he goes on to become World Champion.

“This is only our fifth Grand Prix of the season, and it’s going to be a challenging one. It’s the first Sprint in Canada.

“It’s going to be cold. It might be wet on race day. It’s going to be quite the challenge.

"George needs to stop Antonelli in his tracks and get a few points back against him, but I think it’s more psychological than the mathematics.”

George Russell struggled to keep with teammate Kimi Antonelli in Miami, and enters this weekend’s race 20 points behind

'Mighty’ Antonelli but Canada strength could see George Russell resurgence – Brundle

Antonelli has certainly silenced the doubters, the teenager having been lambasted for a number of performances across his debut campaign, with Russell often outperforming the W16.

Brundle was full of praise for the sport’s youngest-ever title-leader, however did point out that Russell, who often performs well in Canada – winning the race last year, with Antonelli third – could prove to be a sterner test than he previously was last time out in the Miami Grand Prix.

“He’s been mighty, his speed, his consistency. He kept his head under pressure in Miami,” he said.

“George Russell struggles in Miami, but is very strong in Canada, so Kimi will have a bigger fight on his hands across the garage and a lot of teams are bringing upgrades.

“But, Kimi’s raw pace and consistency has been super impressive.”

With Antonelli still shaking off the 2025 criticisms, every Grand Prix feels like a litmus test for the young Italian. And if he can navigate the latest one, his title credentials will soar once again.

- Jack Oliver Smith

KIMI ANTONELLI WINS BELGIAN GRAND PRIX TO EXTEND F1 CHAMPIIONSHIP LEAD

Mercedes driver won his sixth GP of 2026 as championship rival and teammate George Russell crashes out on first lap.

Kimi Antonelli celebrates winning the Belgian Grand Prix for Mercedes at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, July 19 [Andrej Isakovic/AFP]

Kimi Antonelli won the Belgian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday to stretch his Formula One lead to 45 points over Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton on a bleak day for teammate George Russell, his closest title rival heading into the race.

Russell had been the 19-year-old Italian’s closest rival before the start at Spa-Francorchamps, but the Briton spun off into the gravel on the opening lap after a collision with Hamilton while trying to make up places lost at lights out.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was second in the 44-lap race, 1.952 seconds behind after leading, thanks to a pit stop while a virtual safety car was deployed, with Max Verstappen third to give Red Bull their 300th Formula One podium.

Hamilton finished fourth, despite serving a five-second penalty for the collision with Russell, but remained under investigation for an unsafe release from a pit stop that could drop him to fifth and further stretch Antonelli’s lead.

It was Antonelli’s sixth win in 10 rounds this season, leaving him 50 points clear of Russell. Antonelli was first in qualifying, continuing Mercedes’ clean sweep of pole positions this season.

“It’s great to be back on the top step after a few difficult rounds,” said Antonelli, who had drawn a blank in two of the past three rounds.

“It was a hard-fought race. We lost first place with the VSC but then we managed to make our way back.

“The momentum was always there. It was just about getting the results,” he added. “Today we were a bit lucky with what happened in terms of the championship but you have to take every opportunity because we saw how much it can swing.”

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished fifth, with Isack Hadjar sixth for Red Bull from last on the grid. Reigning champion Lando Norris was seventh for McLaren after starting 13th due to a 10-place grid drop.

Gabriel Bortoleto brought more points for Audi in eighth place, with Arvid Lindblad ninth for Racing Bulls and Argentine Franco Colapinto completing the scoring in 10th place for Renault-owned Alpine.

- Reuters

'STILL EARLY DAYS TO THINK ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIP' – YOUNGEST F1 POINTS LEADER ANTONELLI REFLECTS ON JAPANESE GP VICTORY

Back-to-back wins have moved Kimi Antonelli into the lead of the Drivers' Championship for the first time.

Kimi Antonelli believes it is "still early days to think about the championship" despite taking victory in the Japanese Grand Prix and becoming the youngest driver to lead the championship in Formula 1 history.

The 19-year-old Italian made it back-to-back wins on Sunday at the Suzuka Circuit following his success in China at the previous round, where he became the youngest Grand Prix winner in the process.

Having claimed pole in Japan, Antonelli suffered a terrible start and dropped as low as sixth on the opening lap before cycling back towards the front as McLaren and Ferrari pitted their drivers.

The crucial moment came approaching the mid-point of the 53-lap race, Mercedes team mate George Russell pitting from the lead just as a Safety Car was deployed following a heavy crash for Ollie Bearman.

The caution allowed new race leader Antonelli to make a pit stop and rejoin at the front of the field before romping to victory by nearly 14 seconds.

With Russell struggling for performance and being forced to settle for fourth at the chequered flag, Antonelli now leads the standings for the first time by 9 points after the opening three Grands Prix of the season.

"It feels pretty good. Of course it's still early days to think about the Championship but we're in a good way," said Antonelli post-race.

"In the race, had a terrible start, just need to check what happened but then I was lucky with the Safety Car to be in the lead but then the pace was just incredible and was a really nice second stint. I felt very good with the car and very pleased with that.

"I think we were obviously very lucky with the Safety Car but on the medium we were really strong once I got some clean air and then on the hard the pace was just incredible.

"I don't know what would have happened, what the outcome would have been without the Safety Car but definitely made my life a lot easier."

Antonelli leads the Drivers' Championship for the first time in his career

With the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races not taking place in April, there's a gap until the next race in Miami with teams set to bring significant upgrades to the American race.

Antonelli stated his focus would be on improving his starts, which have been sub-optimal compared with Mercedes' rivals throughout 2026 so far.

He said: "Luckily I've got three weeks so now I can practice some clutch drops just to get a better feel with it because definitely it has been a weak point so far this year and we need to improve that because you can easily win or lose races with that."

- F1

FP3 REPORT: WHAT HAPPENED IN FINAL PRACTICE AT THE MONACO GP

Kimi Antonelli transformed the picture at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix by topping final practice for Mercedes ahead of qualifying, as Ferrari suddenly found themselves chasing rather than leading.

After Ferrari dominated Friday practice, Antonelli delivered the clearest sign yet that Mercedes had found performance overnight. The championship leader set a 1m 12.720s to finish 0.327 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton third, just 0.004 seconds behind his team-mate.

George Russell was fourth in the second Mercedes, while Max Verstappen completed the top five for Red Bull.

The final Formula 1 practice hour suggested qualifying may not be the Ferrari walkover many had expected after Friday. Antonelli looked confident from the moment the soft tyres went on, and his pace was strong enough to leave the rest of the field with serious work to do before the most important qualifying session of the season.

Kimi Antonelli during practice for the 2026 F1 Monaco GP | Mercedes

Antonelli takes control as Ferrari chase answers

Ferrari had looked like the team to beat after finishing one-two in both FP1 and FP2, but FP3 gave Mercedes a major boost.

Antonelli found time early on the soft tyre and then stayed clear of the field, while Leclerc and Hamilton were unable to match his benchmark when the final qualifying simulations began. Traffic played a role, as it always does in Monaco, but the gap to Antonelli was large enough to suggest Mercedes have made genuine progress overnight.

Leclerc still ended the session second, but the Monegasque driver continued to sound uncomfortable over team radio, with the brake issue he revealed on Friday still appearing to be a concern. That could be crucial at Monaco, where confidence under braking is everything.

Hamilton was third and remained close to Leclerc, but neither Ferrari driver could land a response to Antonelli before the late red flag disrupted the final runs.

Bearman crash interrupts final laps

The session was stopped late on after Oliver Bearman crashed his Haas at Massenet. Bearman lost the rear while climbing the hill, shortly after passing Russell, who had moved as far aside as possible to stay out of the way. The Haas driver clipped the barriers and left debris on the track, bringing out the red flag.

“Sorry guys, it’s the ***** bottoming. I’m so sorry,” Bearman said over team radio.

He climbed out of the car unharmed and later returned to the pit lane, but Haas will need to check the car carefully before qualifying, particularly around the rear and gearbox after the impact.

The marshals cleared the car quickly, but barrier checks meant the session resumed with only four minutes remaining. That gave some drivers time for one final run, although out laps were heavily compromised as the field queued up in classic Monaco fashion.

McLaren still searching before qualifying

McLaren still looked short of the very front after a difficult Friday. Oscar Piastri finished sixth, 0.978 seconds off Antonelli, while Lando Norris was ninth after continuing to play catch up following his FP2 stoppage.

McLaren confirmed before the session that it had broken curfew after Norris stopped at the Nouvelle Chicane on Friday. The team replaced the wiring harness and changed the ESME pack within the permitted allocation as part of its investigation into the issue.

Team CEO Zak Brown admitted a second row start might already be an optimistic target, with McLaren still trying to understand its pace before qualifying.

There was also a late traffic moment between Norris and Hamilton, with neither driver sounding impressed over the radio. The incident was not noted by Race Control, but it served as a reminder of how tense qualifying could become when 22 cars fight for space around the narrowest circuit on the calendar.

Nico Hulkenberg during practice for the 2026 F1 Monaco GP | Audi F1 Team

Audi impress again as Cadillac suffer more issues

Audi continued their strong Monaco weekend, with Gabriel Bortoleto seventh and Nico Hulkenberg 10th.

Both Audi cars had finished inside the top 10 in FP1 and FP2, and their FP3 pace suggested the team could be genuine contenders for Q3 if they execute qualifying cleanly.

Isack Hadjar was eighth as he continued to rebuild confidence after his FP1 crash at the Swimming Pool section. Liam Lawson also had another nervous moment at the same part of the track, catching a slide after the rear stepped out.

Cadillac had more brake trouble after Sergio Perez suffered a brake fire in FP2. This time Valtteri Bottas reported smoke and limped back to the pits, avoiding a stoppage but raising fresh concerns for the team.

The final practice message was clear. Ferrari still have pace, Verstappen remains close enough to threaten, and McLaren are not out of the picture. But heading into qualifying, it is Antonelli and Mercedes who suddenly look like the combination to beat.

- John Smith

GEORGE RUSSELL'S CONTRACT LENGTH REVEALED AS MERCEDES CONFIRM KIMI ANTINELLI FOR THE 2026 F1 SEASON

hoto by Kym Illman/Getty Images

Mercedes have finally confirmed that George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be their Formula 1 drivers next season.

The F1 driver market hasn’t been particularly captivating this season, but Mercedes have kept things interesting.

George Russell was entering the final year of his deal, while Kimi Antonelli was only handed an official one-year contract during his rookie Formula 1 season.

Team principal Toto Wolff had hinted that Russell and Antonelli’s contract extensions were done for a long time, but he has waited until the eve of the United States Grand Prix to officially announce their futures on the grid were secure.

However, Mercedes have held a long-term interest in Max Verstappen, and all eyes were on whether Russell would sign a one-year deal, or if he would be handed a long-term extension.

Information coming out of the Brackley-based team has now indicated which direction Wolff eventually decided to go in.

Photo by George Hitchens/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli confirmed for the 2026 Formula 1 season

A report from The Race, corroborated with information from The Athletic, has shared more details about Russell’s future.

The official statement from Mercedes states that Russell and Russell will ‘continue as the Mercedes driver line-up into 2026’.

However, The Athletic believes that Russell has signed a ‘multi-year deal’ to stay with Mercedes for the foreseeable future.

On top of this, The Race believe that Russell is tied down for the 2027 Formula 1 season.

The reason, it’s believed, that Mercedes have not confirmed this publicly is because they don’t want to be dragged into talking about specific details of the agreements.

On top of this, both Mercedes and Russell know that 2026 represents a completely changing landscape in Formula 1.

The upcoming regulation changes mean that Mercedes could suddenly be the team to beat, or if they’ve made a mistake in the power unit or aerodynamics department, marooned at the back of the grid.

Mercedes are expected to have the best engine next year, but if Russell struggles, or the team don’t live up to his expectations, then not revealing too much about their new contract could give both parties the flexibility to be nimble in the driver market if required.

George Russell ‘really proud’ to continue racing for Mercedes into 2026

After his new deal was confirmed, Russell said in his official statement: “I am really proud to be continuing our journey together.

“Next year will mark my 10th year since I signed with Mercedes back in 2017.

“It has been such a long and successful partnership with the team so far, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead, particularly as we embark on one of the largest regulation changes in the sport’s history next year.

“We are all incredibly focused on making that a success and, for me personally, building on what has been my strongest season in F1 to date.”

Russell’s new contract will see him overtake Valtteri Bottas as the driver with the third-most Grand Prix starts for Mercedes next year.

He’s currently 49 race starts behind Nico Rosberg heading into the United States Grand Prix.

It means he’ll need to spend one more year beyond his contract’s proposed 2027 expiry date to go ahead of the one-time world champion, but he still has a long way to go to reach Lewis Hamilton’s 246 Grand Prix entries for the Silver Arrows.

- Ben Evans

KIMI ANTONELLI INVOLVED IN A CAR CRASH BEFORE BAHRAIN TESTS

Kimi Antonelli was involved in a road accident in San Marino just days before the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. The incident occurred while he was driving his AMG GT 63 PRO Motorsport Collectors Edition when the car hit safety barriers. The crash immediately raised concern given the timing.

According to reports Antonelli was checked by medical staff shortly after the incident. He was confirmed to be in good condition with no serious injuries. That confirmation quickly eased worries across the paddock and among fans.

Despite visible damage to the vehicle the driver himself escaped unharmed. Sources close to the situation stressed that this was a road incident and not related to any on track activity. The focus shifted quickly from speculation to recovery and readiness.

Most importantly Antonelli is expected to take part in the upcoming Bahrain tests as planned. Teams see this as a key phase for preparation and there is no indication that his schedule will change. His physical condition has been cleared with no restrictions.

The moment serves as a reminder of how quickly situations can change in motorsport. While the accident was serious enough to draw attention the outcome could have been far worse. For now Antonelli moves forward focused and ready for Bahrain.

- F1 Legacy

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

F1 - PIASTRI TOPS SINGLE PRACTICE SESSION IN BELGIUM AHEAD OF VERSTAPPEN AND NORRIS

F1 championship leader Oscar Piastri set the fastest lap of the sole practice for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, with the Australian beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by four tenths of a second and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris by a further tenth.  

At the start of the session, Carlos Sainz ran into trouble almost as soon as running got underway and he limped his Williams back to the pit lane where his mechanics began to work on what was later revealed to be a fuel system problem. 

Lando Norris took an early top spot but Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen moved to P1 on Medium tyres with a time of 1:45.545. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli got to within three hundredths of a second of the Dutchman but Oscar Piastri then moved past Verstappen with a Hard-tyre time of 1:44.979. 

The Red Bull driver was soon back on top as he put in a lap of 1:44.236 but with a little over 20 minutes gone Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc went 0.088s quicker to take top spot on Hard tyres with a lap of 1:44.148. On the half hour Piastri also moved past Verstappen to take second place, just 0.005s off Leclerc. 

With a little under 10 minutes remaining Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll bolted on a set of Soft tyres and jumped to top spot with a lap of 1:43.112. Piastri soon breezed past that time, going almost a second quicker with a lap of 1:42.123, almost a second clear as Fernando Alonso moved to third place in the other Aston, 0.997s off top spot. 

Verstappen then jumped to second place on 1:42.653, half a second off Piastri. Leclerc moved to third almost three tenthsBehind the top three, Russell kept hold of fourth ahead of Leclerc, with Antonelli ending the session in sixth place. Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the other Ferrari with Stroll eighth ahead of team-mate Alonso and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar. Sainz returned to the track in the second half of the session to eventually rise to P11 ahead of Williams team-mate Alex Albon. 

 behind the Dutch driver, but the Ferrari driver was ousted by Mercedes’ George Russell and then dropped back a further place by Norris. 

The McLaren driver put in a lap of 1:42.426 with a later second flyer after being forced to abandon his first attempt when he dipped a wheel into the gravel. 

Piastri and Verstappen also put in late flyers and the Australian improved to 1:42.022 to seal top spot ahead of the Dutchman. The Red Bull driver outpaced the McLaren driver across the flat-out first sector, posting a purple time, but in the more technical second sector he shed eight tenths of a sector versus the Australian to eventually finish four tenths off top spot. 

Behind the top three, Russell kept hold of fourth ahead of Leclerc, with Antonelli ending the session in sixth place. Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the other Ferrari with Stroll eighth ahead of team-mate Alonso and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar. Sainz returned to the track in the second half of the session to eventually rise to P11 ahead of Williams team-mate Alex Albon. 

2025 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1 

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:42.022 23 247.146

2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:42.426 0.404 23 246.171

3 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:42.526 0.504 22 245.931

4 George Russell Mercedes 1:42.598 0.576 27 245.759

5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:42.928 0.906 22 244.971

6 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:42.979 0.957 23 244.849

7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:43.085 1.063 24 244.598

8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:43.112 1.090 17 244.534

9 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:43.120 1.098 22 244.515

10 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:43.122 1.100 19 244.510

11 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:43.217 1.195 16 244.285

12 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:43.261 1.239 24 244.181

13 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:43.262 1.240 25 244.178

14 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:43.470 1.448 20 243.688

15 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:43.478 1.456 21 243.669

16 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:43.570 1.548 22 243.452

17 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:43.929 1.907 21 242.611

18 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:44.492 2.470 23 241.304

19 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1:44.847 2.825 21 240.487

20 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:45.077 3.055 22 239.961

- FIA

MAX VERSTAPPEN RECEIVED AN OFFER TO JOIN MERCEDES - RALF SCHUMACHER

Max Verstappen's F1 future is currently unknown, but it appears Mercedes has opened the door for the four-time champion.

ARTICLE
© Red Bull Content Pool

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has claimed Mercedes submitted an offer to Max Verstappen to poach him away from Red Bull.

However, according to Schumacher, the four-time champion turned down the contract due to its financial conditions.

Verstappen has long been linked with a move away from Red Bull and last year, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff publicly voiced his interest in teaming up with the Dutchman.

Verstappen has cast doubt over his F1 future, admitting on several occasions that he's unhappy with the direction of the sport in relation to its technology, regulations and weekend format.

But as the 28-year-old continues to assess his own position in the sport, Schumacher has stated Mercedes has opened the door to him.

“There’s no spot at Ferrari right now,” Schumacher told the Backstage Boxengasse podcast. 

“And at Mercedes, you hear that Wolff has made him an offer behind the scenes.

“But that offer was apparently so bad financially that it’s not an option anyway. 

“That’s apparently what’s going on behind the scenes right now.”

Mercedes has returned to the head of the F1 pecking order this year, winning six out of the opening seven rounds of the campaign.

It is currently enjoying a strong run with second-year driver Kimi Antonelli, who has fired himself into contention for the F1 title.

Schumacher has theorised that Mercedes' alleged low-ball offer to Verstappen was deliberate, as the team recognises it will need to substantially boost Antonelli's figures if he keeps on his current trajectory.

“I believe this is intentional,” he said.

“I’ve said it before: why would Wolff bring in the expensive Max Verstappen alongside Kimi Antonelli - the next superstar if everything goes according to plan?

"Then he’d have two drivers on the team fighting each other. He remembers that well from the days of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, and that’s the last thing you want. 

“Above all, he’d be putting Kimi at risk. So that actually makes no sense at all.”

- RN365

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE F1 CANADA GP

Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Here are some of the key storylines to keep track of

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Three weeks on from the events in Miami, the Canadian Grand Prix marks Formula 1's second North American visit at one of its most unique and quietly beloved venues. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve may not offer a high-octane combination of fast corners, but with its unpredictable weather, long straights and the punishing proximity of its many walls, the race on the picturesque Ile Notre-Dame has delivered more than its fair share of classics.

For the first time in its history, Montreal will also host a sprint weekend, and rain appears to be on the horizon, too. With all that in mind, here are five things to look out for in Montreal.

Will Russell strike back as Montreal's defending winner? 

Getty Images 

The current Formula 1 championship picture is arguably misrepresenting the battle between the dominant Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. They occupy the top two positions with Antonelli on 100 points, 20 clear of his more experienced team-mate after three consecutive victories in Shanghai, Suzuka and Miami. 

Antonelli is the only driver with a podium at every grand prix this season, having finished second at the Melbourne opener to Russell, who has since taken second, fourth and fourth again. So looking on paper, Antonelli has been the better driver and is rightfully the bookies’ favourite for the title heading into Canada this weekend - but this writer wholeheartedly disagrees.

That’s because Miami is a bogey track for Russell, who struggles with its low-grip nature and it was even witnessed last year. In 2025, when the Briton was significantly better than his rookie team-mate, he was still outqualified for both the Miami sprint and grand prix so Russell getting beat last time out was no surprise. 

Fans should therefore expect the 28-year-old to come back fighting in Canada and for two reasons: a, he won from pole in 2025 and, b, Miami was the first time this year Antonelli held the upper hand throughout after Russell was hit by ill fortune in Shanghai and Suzuka.

So, in this writer’s mind, nothing has really changed since pre-season and surely last year taught us that title fights constantly ebb and flow…

- Ed Hardy

Will Mercedes restore its dominance as upgrades hit Canada?

Getty Images 

That´s, of course, if Mercedes gets its own way in Canada as it has done at the majority of 2025's races so far. In Miami, McLaren took a big bite out of the Brackley squad's lead thanks to the first of a two-pronged upgrade package - with reigning world champion Lando Norris winning the sprint event from pole. 

Meanwhile, Mercedes kept the vast majority of its novelties back for Montreal, which has made Antonelli's convincing pole-to-flag win during the Miami grand prix somewhat ominous.

Both teams are now bringing a suite of upgrades to Canada, with McLaren teasing "new components across the floor, chassis, front and rear wings, bodywork, halo and roll hoop." According to our information, it's still a significant package though not quite as massive as its Miami update. Mercedes hasn't shown its hand yet, but expect the Silver Arrows to be strong at a circuit Russell drove its predecessor to victory last year from pole.

Can Alpine continue to lead the midfield? 

TWJB Photography 

Alpine had already shown in China and Japan that it has the pace to lead the midfield fight this season, but in Miami it appeared to hold an almost surprising advantage over its direct rivals.

The team comfortably placed both cars inside the top 10 in both qualifying sessions, while Franco Colapinto finished seventh in the grand prix, 20 seconds clear of the next midfield runner. Pierre Gasly’s true potential, meanwhile, remained unclear after his race ended upside down on the opening laps after being tagged by Liam Lawson.

What is certain is that Alpine’s standout weekend in Miami coincided with the introduction of a significant upgrade package – with more developments expected in Montreal – while rivals such as Haas are set to roll out major updates of their own over the Canadian weekend.

That poses an intriguing question heading into round five. During a season where teams are unlocking performance at a rapid rate under this year’s major regulation overhaul, there is no guarantee Alpine can sustain this performance level. If it does in Canada, the Enstone-based outfit could begin to establish itself as the enduring midfield benchmark.

- Federico Faturos

Will Canada be more of the same for Aston Martin? 

Getty Images 

It was probably a surprise when, in Miami - after a month without racing - Aston Martin was the only team that didn’t submit updates in the document the FIA releases before each grand prix. The team and its engine supplier, Honda, focused on eliminating vibrations caused by the power unit and improving driveability. And while they seem to have put the vibrations behind them, another problem with the gearbox became more evident, and ultimately the result was similar, with Aston seemingly only able to spar with newcomer Cadillac.

Fernando Alonso dashed any optimism in front of the media when he all but confirmed his team's fortunes would remain unchanged for at least another couple of months, and that he does not expect major progress until after the summer.

Now, Aston and Honda have continued working on improving the car’s stability and gaining experience on the test bench in Japan, Canada can be a first opportunity to at least focus on squeezing more performance out of its flawed package, which would already be a step forward. Can the stop-start, traction-heavy Gilles Villeneuve circuit work in the team's favour?

It remains to be seen whether the team will introduce changes on the aerodynamic side or if its upgrade sheet will once again be completely blank. If that's the case, we’ll have to see if the progress in terms of deployment and driveability is enough to start seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, or if Canada is more of the same for Aston Martin, Alonso and local driver Lance Stroll.

Will the weather spring a surprise?

2026 will mark the earliest Canadian Grand Prix in Formula 1 history, taking place on 24 May – as opposed to the previous ‘record’ of 2 June in 1991. Spring can be quite chilly in that part of the world, but the forecast is looking decent for this weekend, with 15C to 19C (59F to 66F) expected for the grand prix’s competitive sessions.

It should be mostly dry, too – with an important caveat: rain is forecast on Sunday, which might spice things up and provide a first picture of wet-weather racing with 2026-spec machinery. For the record, only one of the last 10 Montreal races took place on a wet track – the 2024 round, won by Max Verstappen.

Regardless, the freezing (figuratively speaking) cold of the very first grand prix at Ile Notre-Dame, with 5C (41F) on 8 October 1978, won’t be an issue this weekend. It will get pretty close to this temperature in some mornings, but the track action is scheduled late enough in the day.

-  Ben Vinel

- Motorsport.com

F1's RICHEST DRIVER WORTH £350M - MORE THAN VERSTAPPEN'S, LECLERC AND NORRIS COMBINED

As the world gears up for the 2025 F1 season, the Express reveals the richest driver on the 2025 grid, who is worth more than Verstappen, Leclerc and Norris combined.

the Express reveals the richest driver on the 2025 grid, who is worth £350 million. (Image: Getty)

As the engines roar back to life for the 2025 Formula 1 season in Australia this weekend, all eyes fall on the lucky drivers who have secured one of 20 coveted seats. F1 is one of the richest sports in the world, generating some £1.9 billion annually and attracting substantial investment.

The lead-up to the new season has seen a huge number of drivers move teams and join for the first time. As a result, they have been negotiating contracts that are more than most of us will make in a lifetime. But who on the 2025 grid is the richest?

2025 will see the debut of an impressive six new drivers, including Ollie Bearman and Kimi Antonelli (Image: Getty

2025 will see the debut of an impressive six new drivers, and, as a result, their net worths are largely unknown. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, son of sportscar racer Marco Antonelli, made his F4 debut in 2022 aged just 15 and quickly climbed the ranks. His success led Mercedes to promote him straight to F2, skipping F3. The 18-year-old has now taken Lewis Hamilton’s seat and is reportedly set to earn a salary of £1.6 million in his maiden season.

Gabriel Bortoleto is also making his debut with Kick Sauber, having won F2 last year. His net worth is currently unknown but he has already secured a three-year endorsement deal with KitKat. His salary is also reportedly £1.6 million this year. French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar will drive for Racing Bulls this season, having secured four wins and eight podiums in F2 in 2024. He is reportedly set to earn between £386k and £772k in his rookie season.

Liam Lawson will replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull this year, having replaced Daniel Riccardo at VCARB last year. The most recent estimates say he is now worth around £1.2 million. British driver Oliver Bearman made his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia last year. He also raced twice for Haas twice, taking over from Kevin Magnussen, before securing a full-time seat with Haas for 2025. The 19-year-old’s estimated net worth stands at around £1 million, having already secured partnership deals with Deus X and Eurospares, according to loveMONEY.

Australian driver Jack Doohan has been Alpine’s reserve driver for the last two seasons but has been promoted to a full-time seat this year. Son of five-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion Mick Doohan, he began kart racing at age nine in a go-kart given to him by Michael Schumacher. Today, his net worth is between £772k and £1.6 million.

Alexander Albon and George Russell both made their F1 debuts in 2019. (Image: Getty)

Thai-British racer Alexander Albon made his F1 debut in 2019 and has raced for Red Bull and now Williams. Albon’s net worth is estimated to stand at around £2.3 million and has a brand ambassadorship with Thailand's Monsoon Valley Vineyard. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri made his F1 debut in 2023 after achieving victories in F3 and F2. The 23-year-old was the seventh highest-paid driver in 2024 after earning £17 million in salary and bonuses, not including tax and agent fees. Most recent estimates place his net worth at £3.1 million.

Yuki Tsunoda has been racing for Red Bull’s AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) since 2021, progressing from F4 to F1 in just four years. His estimated net worth stands at around £3.9 million. Nico Hulkenberg has raced for many teams since joining in 2010 and will be racing for Kick Sauber this year. Thanks to his work with brands including Rolex, he is now worth around £7.7 million.

British driver George Russell made his F1 debut in 2019 with Williams and now with Mercedes. In 2024, he was the sixth highest-paid driver, earning £17.8 million in salary and bonus pre-tax and agent fees. He is currently worth around £12.4 million and has secured partnerships with brands including Tommy Hilfiger. French driver Esteban Ocon made his debut in 2016, and this year, he will race for Haas alongside Bearman. The most recent estimates place Ocon's net worth at £16.2 million.

Driver championship runner-up Lando Norris has driven for McLaren since his debut in 2019 and was the third highest-paid driver last year, earning an eyewatering £27 million before taxes and agent fees. The 25-year-old is now worth around £23.3 million, owning his own gaming and lifestyle brand, Quadrant.

Pierre Gasly will race for Alpine again in 2025, having joined the sport in 2017. He was the 10th highest-paid driver of 2024 (£9.3 million) and is now worth around £25.5 million. Monaco-born Charles Leclerc was promoted to a coveted Ferrari seat during his rookie season with Sauber in 2018 and was the fifth highest-paid driver last year at £20.9 million. His net worth is estimated at £38.7 million.

Lewis Hamilton has taken Carlos Sainz's seat at Ferrari for 2025. (Image: Getty)

Lance Stroll made his F1 debut in 2017 with Williams and now races for Aston Martin. The team is owned by his father, billionaire businessman, Lawrence Stroll, and Stroll is now said to be worth some £38.7 million. Spanish driver Carlos Sainz has raced in F1 since 2015, having joined the likes of McLaren, Ferrari and now Williams. Son of legendary rally driver Carlos Sainz Sr, he is net worth is also estimated at £38.7 million.

Readers may be surprised to find the current champion Max Verstappen as only the third richest driver on the 2025 grid, despite his successes. Joining Toro Rosso at just 17, he was the youngest driver to ever compete in F1 at the time. Unsurprisingly, he was the highest-paid driver in F1 in 2024, earning a staggering £58 million in salary and bonuses pre-tax. He is now said to be worth an incredible £168 million thanks to impressive endorsements with brands including Heineken and Oracle.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has raced in F1 on and off since 2001 and joined Aston Martin in 2023. The Spanish driver’s total net worth is estimated at £200 million, making him the second-richest driver in the sport, having earned £21.3 million last year, pre-tax and agent fees.

At 40-years-old, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is said to be worth up to £350 million—£100 million more than Verstappen, Leclerc, and Norris combined. Having made a shock switch to Ferrari for this year, his new contract means he will be earning an eyewatering £77.3 million per year.

- EMILY WRIGHT

GEORGE RUSSELL BLAMES A MERCEDES POWER FAILURE, NOT LEWIS HAMILTON, FOR HIS BELGIAN GRAND PRIX TITLE BLOW

• George Russell retired from the Belgian Grand Prix on lap one after colliding with Lewis Hamilton, but he pinned the cause on a Mercedes power problem rather than his former teammate

• Hamilton received a five-second penalty for the clash, yet both drivers agreed afterward that it was a racing incident

• Toto Wolff confirmed all Mercedes engines lacked power on the straights in the race, extending a pattern of reliability issues that has cost the team points all season

Getty Images 

George Russell’s Belgian Grand Prix ended on the opening lap, but the Mercedes driver said a problem with his own car, rather than the collision that put him in the gravel, was the real cause of his retirement.

Russell started third at Spa-Francorchamps and held the position through the first corner before Lewis Hamilton passed him along the Kemmel Straight. Russell moved to the outside of Hamilton into the braking zone at Les Combes to try to reclaim the place, the pair made contact, and Russell was spun into the gravel and out of the race. Hamilton received a five-second penalty for the collision, but Russell placed no blame on his former Mercedes teammate.

‘I Just Got Totally Swallowed Up Down the Straight’

“I just got totally swallowed up down the straight,” Russell told Sky Sports F1. “I lost three positions down the straight down into Turn Five and then the incident was a racing incident.”

“Maybe I could have gone a bit wider, maybe he (Hamilton) could have braked a bit more. The incident shouldn’t have happened if I had the speed down the straight,” Russell added. “Very, very disappointed.”

The collision followed a qualifying session in which Russell had already flagged a lack of power, finishing more than half a second off pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli in fourth. He had spent Thursday’s media day discussing changes to his driving style to try to find lost time in this year’s cars, only to reverse that thinking on Saturday and conclude his technique was not the problem.

“I appreciate everyone is working hard to solve the problem, but I’m stood here [in the TV interview pen] on lap five of the race,” Russell said when asked how Mercedes could get to the bottom of the issue. “It felt like I was in a good position to fight for the lead up to Turn One and then, suddenly, no power and it’s all gone.”

Hamilton Agrees It Was Nobody’s Fault

Hamilton, who went on to finish fourth carrying the penalty and separate front-wing damage, echoed Russell’s read on the incident once the race was over.

“Ultimately, sorry for George because that obviously ended his race, but I did think… I do agree that it was a racing incident,” Hamilton said. “It’s not like I went in aggressive and was misplaced or anything like that. I think it was just an unfortunate scenario, which happens in racing. Then I had damage as well, so I carried that through the race. It was a tough one.”

Wolff Confirms a Problem Across the Whole Grid

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff went further than Russell in explaining what had gone wrong, confirming that every Mercedes-powered car on the grid had lost straight-line performance in the race. As well as building their own engines, Mercedes also supply McLaren, Alpine and Williams with power units.

“The accident that happened was unfortunate for us. We lost a lot of constructors’ points and George’s drivers’ points,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. “We had an issue on all Mercedes engines that we lacked the power out on the straights. That hit him badly and it 100 per cent goes on us.”

“We are trying our best as a team. We have the most powerful power unit, a strong car that is capable of winning,” Wolff added. “Everyone is giving their maximum to minimise the mistakes and still it happens because we are humans at work.”

A Season Defined by Reliability, Not Pace

Russell’s retirement at Spa was his second of the season following an engine failure in Canada. His teammate Kimi Antonelli has had his own share of mechanical trouble, retiring in Barcelona after an engine failure and dropping from a likely victory to outside the points at Silverstone after a wheel-guard failure.

“We let Kimi down at Silverstone where George got a podium, which is maybe better than the result should have been,” Wolff said. “Then one DNF for Montreal, the other in Barcelona. That’s a little bit of the story of our season. It’s a technical sport, a mechanical sport.”

“We came out with a product [power unit] that is so strong and I’d rather fix the reliability rather than accelerate a slow engine, or slow car,” he continued. “We are giving it 100 per cent and need to give it 100 per cent because we lost a lot of points with reliability. We should be much further ahead than we are.”

Championship Fallout

The result dropped Russell 50 points behind championship leader Antonelli, and Hamilton’s fourth place moved him back ahead of Russell into second in the standings, 45 points off the lead.

- Jack Renn

F1 - LECLERC TOPS OPENING PRACTICE IN LAS VEGAS AHEAD OF ALBON AND TSUNODA

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc went quickest in the opening practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix with Williams' Alex Albon in second place ahead of Red Bull Racing's Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen. Championship leader Lando Norris was sixth with title rival McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastrin P8. 

On a dusty, dirty track surface Isack Hadjar was the first to post a time with the French driver crossing the line in a conservative 1:46.042. His Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson was also on track and the New Zealander was soon on the radio to tell his pit wall that the ‘green’ track was “so slippery”.

Williams’ Carlos Sainz took over at the top of the order thanks to a Medium-tyres time of 1:41.164. He was soon dislodged by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and then by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who posted a time of 1:39.733 to move up to P1. 

Hadjar then returned to the top of the timesheet with a lap of 1:39.415 before being dislodged by Sainz who went six hundredths of a second quicker. The Racing Bulls driver responded, however, and once again made his way to P1 with a lap of 1:38.753.

With grip improving steadily, the lap times continued to drop and after Gasly, Sainz, Leclerc and Hadjar all cycled through top spot Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg then dropped the benchmark to 1:37.370, on the Hard tyre.

It was then the turn of Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda who posted a lap of 1:37.094 but the Japanese driver was ousted by title contending team-mate Max Verstappen who took top spot with a lap of 1:36.493 before working his way down to 1:35.776, but attention was focused on championship leader Lando Norris who clipped a barrier with his right rear wheel. The Briton was able to continue, however. 

With the halfway mark in sight the field began to move to performance runs on Soft tyres. With the red-banded tyres on board his Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton immediately jumped to P1 with a lap of 1:35.561. However, he was quickly ousted by Leclerc who hit the top with a lap of 1:35.281, which he then lowered to 1:35.121. 

Verstappen had also bolted on a set of Softs and the four-time champion made his way back to P1 with a time of 1:35.109. However, he was once again pushed back by team-mate Tsunoda who posted a lap of 1:35.071. 

There was no denying Leclerc, however, and he moved back to the top for the final time in the session with a lap of 1:34.802.

Williams’ Alex Albon delivered a late lap of 1:34.968 to rise above Tsunoda who ended the session in in P3, 0.269s off Leclerc, while Verstappen finished fourth ahead of Sainz. 

Norris initially failed to post a clean lap on the Softs but he eventually logged a lap of 1:35.258 to finish in sixth place, almost half a second off Leclerc. 

Isack Hadjar took seventh for Racing Bulls ahead of title contender Oscar Piastri, while Mercedes’ George Russell took ninth ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli. 

2025 FIA Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:34.802 29 235.476

2 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:34.968 0.166 23 235.064

3 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:35.071 0.269 27 234.809

4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:35.109 0.307 24 234.715

5 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:35.179 0.377 31 234.543

6 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.258 0.456 25 234.348

7 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:35.299 0.497 30 234.247

8 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.450 0.648 27 233.877

9 George Russell Mercedes 1:35.534 0.732 25 233.671

10 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:35.538 0.736 30 233.661

11 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:35.561 0.759 26 233.605

12 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:35.589 0.787 26 233.537

13 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:35.709 0.907 28 233.244

14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.746 0.944 23 233.154

15 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.894 1.092 25 232.794

16 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:35.990 1.188 28 232.561

17 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:36.123 1.321 30 232.239

18 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:36.170 1.368 25 232.126

19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:36.398 1.596 25 231.577

20 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1:36.758 1.956 28 230.71

 - FIA