Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has directly refuted rumors that Christian Horner will join the F1 team, making an explicit statement to staff after Adrian Newey's promotion to team principal for 2026. This move aims to end persistent speculation and solidify the team's focus on future development under Newey's leadership, despite ongoing questions about how team principal duties will be fully managed alongside Newey's primary design role.
Aston Martin has officially ended speculation regarding Christian Horner joining their team, with owner Lawrence Stroll stating it's "absolutely not happening." This announcement clarifies the team's leadership plans following Horner's departure from Red Bull and Adrian Newey's confirmed move to Aston Martin for 2026, ensuring no reunion of the former Red Bull duo.
Former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil has been arrested in Germany and is being held in pre-trial detention on suspicion of aggravated joint fraud and embezzlement. This marks his second legal issue, following a 2012 conviction for assault. The arrest came after raids in Monaco, Switzerland, and Germany, as authorities investigate the serious allegations against the ex-F1 competitor.
The F1 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Race is live, with Oscar Piastri starting from pole position, aiming for crucial points against championship rival and McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who starts third. Max Verstappen, starting sixth, faces a challenge to keep his title hopes alive. The 19-lap sprint will offer the first points of the weekend, intensifying the championship battle as the season approaches its finale.
Four drivers, including Lance Stroll and Lewis Hamilton, will start the Qatar F1 sprint race from the pitlane due to parc ferme breaches. Teams opted to make suspension and other crucial setup changes, sacrificing grid positions for an optimized car, hoping to gain an advantage in the main Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri secured a significant victory in the Qatar Sprint, reclaiming second place in the championship standings. Max Verstappen saw his lead slightly diminish after Lando Norris held strong, denying the championship leader an opportunity to extend his advantage. Ferrari, meanwhile, endured another disappointing outing with both cars finishing outside the points.
Four F1 drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, and Franco Colapinto, will start the Qatar sprint race from the pit lane due to extensive car changes under parc fermé conditions. The modifications, primarily to suspension and other components, mean they forfeit their grid positions, further complicating their weekend after failing to advance past SQ1.
Pirelli found 'deep' cuts on F1 tires at the Qatar Grand Prix after Friday's sessions, caused by sharp gravel in new track limit deterrents. This raises significant safety concerns, prompting the FIA to consider potential precautionary measures like track cleaning or even modifications, despite a mandatory maximum tire life already in place. The situation is under close observation, with possible interventions pending the outcome of the Sprint race.
Adrian Newey's move to Aston Martin Team Principal in 2026 is a practical shift to manage the complex 2026 power unit project, allowing Andy Cowell to focus on the Honda-Aramco partnership. Newey emphasizes his core design responsibilities will remain unchanged, with the new role having minimal impact on his workload. This strategic decision highlights Aston Martin's commitment to leveraging Newey's design genius for the upcoming regulation changes, while long-term leadership options are still being considered.
Red Bull Racing performed urgent, last-minute repairs on Max Verstappen's RB21 before the Qatar Sprint. The team replaced a damaged floor, cantilever assembly, keel panel, and a brake-duct bracket following an off-track excursion in Sprint Qualifying. Despite the extensive work, Verstappen avoids penalties and will start sixth, aiming for a strong performance in the sprint race.
Max Verstappen believes his Spanish Grand Prix incident won't be the sole reason for potentially losing the 2025 F1 title. Despite a mid-season comeback, he's 24 points behind Lando Norris with two races left, acknowledging Red Bull's earlier struggles and McLaren's missteps as factors in the tight championship battle.
Ferrari's Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, expressed understanding and empathy for McLaren after their double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear. Having faced a similar situation earlier in the season, Ferrari's team knows the pressure of pushing technical limits for performance. This incident highlights the razor-thin margins in F1 and the constant challenge for engineers to balance speed with strict regulations.
