Australian Senator Matt Canavan has questioned McLaren's strategic decisions and alleged 'bias against Oscar Piastri' during a parliamentary hearing. This follows a significant drop in Piastri's championship standing and a critical pit-stop blunder at the Qatar Grand Prix, which cost him a potential win and fueled public concern over his treatment by the team. McLaren has acknowledged the error and promised a thorough investigation.
Ferrari's dismal performance in Qatar was primarily due to mandated high Pirelli tire pressures, which team boss Fred Vasseur said made the car feel "like on a balloon." Despite all teams facing the same rules, Ferrari struggled significantly with setup, leading to their worst result of the season and a drop to fourth in the constructors' standings. Vasseur emphasized that the team simply failed to adapt as effectively as their rivals.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has forged a significant global partnership with PepsiCo, bringing Gatorade, Sting, and Doritos into Formula 1 as of 2026. This landmark deal will see Gatorade apply its sports science expertise to driver hydration, while Sting and Doritos will engage fans through social media activations, marking a major commercial win for Mercedes and expanding F1's appeal to a wider audience.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff strongly criticized Pirelli's mandatory two-stop tyre rule at the Qatar Grand Prix, asserting that such restrictions eliminate strategic variety and make races predictable. He believes strategies should evolve naturally, allowing teams to balance tyre degradation with pace. This ongoing debate highlights the challenge of balancing safety with dynamic racing and could prompt future discussions on track layouts and tyre construction.
Max Verstappen's manager, Raymond Vermeulen, attributes the driver's remarkable mid-season performance turnaround to significant internal changes at Red Bull, specifically citing the departure of former team principal Christian Horner. Vermeulen claims a more stable and less political environment has allowed the team to take aggressive risks with car setup, propelling Verstappen into a surprise championship battle for his fifth title, with the pressure now squarely on McLaren heading into the Abu Dhabi finale.
McLaren has signed newly-crowned Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli to its restructured junior programme, granting him a test and development role within its F1 team. This strategic move follows a series of high-profile departures from McLaren's junior ranks, signaling a renewed focus on immediate F1 prospects. Fornaroli's back-to-back F3 and F2 titles make him a compelling addition, with expectations for potential F1 Free Practice opportunities as early as 2026. The Italian's unexpected rise positions him as a key figure in McLaren's future talent pool alongside other new additions.
McLaren has announced a significant revamp of its driver development program, welcoming newly-crowned FIA Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, experienced F2 driver Richard Verschoor, and rising karting star Christian Costoya. These strategic additions follow the surprising departure of Alex Dunne and underscore McLaren's commitment to nurturing future talent for its expanding racing endeavors, ensuring a robust pipeline of competitive drivers for the highest levels of motorsport.
Lewis Hamilton has publicly criticized the FIA for its perceived lack of effort in improving the racing at the Qatar Grand Prix, specifically regarding the Lusail circuit's poor overtaking opportunities. He questioned why no adjustments, such as extending the DRS zone, were made despite past difficulties, highlighting a broader issue of proactivity in enhancing F1's on-track spectacle.
Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes Lewis Hamilton could retire if his highly anticipated Ferrari stint doesn't yield success by the 2026 season. Hamilton's challenging maiden year with Ferrari has been marred by a lack of podiums in main races, sparking concerns about his future if the team fails to deliver a competitive car under the new power unit regulations. The pressure is on Ferrari to provide a package suited to his driving style to avoid a potential exit from the sport.
Relive the incredible drama of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen secured his maiden F1 world championship by controversially passing Lewis Hamilton on the final lap. This winner-takes-all race saw a late Safety Car intervention lead to a hotly debated unlapping decision, setting up a breathtaking last-lap showdown that forever changed the course of Formula 1 history.
Max Verstappen has staged a remarkable comeback in the 2024 F1 season, drastically closing the gap to McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after a challenging start. His resurgence has transformed the championship into a thrilling three-way battle, fueled by Red Bull's strategic upgrades and Verstappen's consistent performance. The second half of the season promises an intense development race and a fierce fight for both drivers' and constructors' titles.
Ferrari attributes its disastrous Qatar Grand Prix, where both cars struggled to score points, to set-up complications caused by unusually high tire pressures mandated by Pirelli. While a lack of development was a factor, team principal Fred Vasseur believes the extreme tire conditions uniquely impacted their sensitive SF-25, highlighting a crucial area for improvement.
