Max Verstappen says he has no intention of returning to Formula 1 in a management role after he retires from driving. The Red Bull champion, whose contract ends in 2028, plans to race in endurance series and focus on a project to help simulator racers break into real-world motorsport.
Haas has recruited Jack Doohan as a reserve driver for 2026, offering the Australian a route back into F1 after losing his Alpine race seat and a failed move to Super Formula. The role allows him to stay closely involved with a team while Haas gains an experienced and hungry young driver for its reserve roster.
Lance Stroll's debut of the Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin AMR26 lasted only five laps in Barcelona after an electrical issue halted his running. Teammate Fernando Alonso subsequently completed 49 laps the following day, creating an early experience gap as the team troubleshoots its new Honda-powered challenger.
Charles Leclerc turned heads in Monaco by driving a rare, £2.5 million Ferrari 275 GTB, a classic 1960s sports car. The sighting highlights the F1 driver's passion for Ferrari's heritage and his impressive personal collection, which bridges the gap between historic icons and modern hypercars.
Jack Doohan has joined Haas as its 2026 reserve driver, targeting a full-time F1 return in 2027. After losing his Alpine seat in 2025, he views Haas as the ideal team to rebuild his career, given its potential driver vacancies and extensive Toyota-backed testing program.
Jack Doohan will be a reserve driver for Haas in 2026, giving the Australian a chance to reset his F1 career after losing his Alpine race seat during a tough rookie season. He joins the team's development pool alongside race drivers Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
Ferrari has renewed its historic technical partnership with brake specialist Brembo, extending a collaboration that spans over 50 years. The new multi-year deal deepens the relationship, making Brembo a technical partner for both the F1 team and the WEC Hypercar program, with a complete integrated braking system supply planned from 2026.
Williams F1 has announced Barclays as its new official banking partner, uniting two historic British brands. The deal provides financial partnership stability as Williams aims to rebuild its competitive form ahead of major new technical regulations, with Barclays branding to appear on the FW48 car and team kit.
George Russell admits Adrian Newey's first Aston Martin design is visually 'spectacular' but stresses that true success in F1's new era is measured solely by lap time, not aesthetics. The Mercedes driver anticipates a close fight between several top teams but warns against underestimating the potential of the radically different AMR26.
Williams enters the 2026 F1 season facing an immediate challenge after production delays forced it to miss the Barcelona pre-season shakedown. The team, now led by James Vowles, must scramble during Bahrain testing to complete vital checks while rivals focus on performance, putting its goal of building on a promising 2025 at risk.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff is deliberately tempering excitement after a promising 2026 car test, citing the "humiliating" failure of the team's last ground-effect car in 2022. He aims to manage pressure and focus on long-term development, fearing another shocking competitive shortfall when the new season begins.
Ferrari strengthens its technical team by hiring Guillaume Dezoteux from Red Bull's Racing Bulls, Mercedes expresses cautious optimism after pre-season testing, and Williams unveils a model of its 2026 car, underscoring the strategic preparations across the grid for both the imminent season and the next regulatory era.
