Audi's new F1 team has appointed retired Formula 2 race winner Ralph Boschung as a development driver, headlining its freshly launched Driver Development Programme led by Allan McNish. The move underscores Audi's long-term investment in cultivating talent for its 2026 entry.
Sky Sports will air every session of the second F1 pre-season test in Bahrain live this week, a major increase in access after limited coverage earlier this winter. The three-day broadcast from February 18-20 allows fans to watch all track action as teams prepare their 2026 cars.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur says swapping Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer from Riccardo Adami to Carlo Santi will have little impact. Vasseur emphasizes the team’s depth over any single role.
Two‑time champion Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s partnership with Adrian Newey and Honda is a work‑in‑progress, but wind‑tunnel, in‑house gearbox and development give hope for a 2026 debut.
Hollywood star Keanu Reeves partners with the new Cadillac Formula 1 team to film a behind‑the‑scenes docuseries, tracking the American outfit’s rise from concept to its first race in March.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown says the team will retain its internal ‘papaya’ driver‑order system into 2026, ensuring Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can race freely despite past bias accusations.
In 2006, FIA chief Max Mosley proposed a football‑style promotion‑relegation system linking F1 and GP2 to force under‑performing teams out and reward successful feeder‑series outfits. The plan was quickly dismissed, but its core idea foreshadowed today’s cost‑cap and ladder reforms.
Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar crashed in a Barcelona shakedown and joked social‑media backlash made him feel ‘screwed for the whole season.’ He’s testing in Bahrain, logging 146 laps to close the gap.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly says the 2026‑era start at the Australian Grand Prix could be a “one everybody remembers,” as turbo lag and the loss of the MGU‑H may make launches harder and raise safety concerns.
McLaren Andrea Stella said Mercedes and Ferrari posted quicker race‑pace simulations than McLaren at Bahrain’s test, with Red Bull. He warned on data, urging safety upgrades before the Australian GP.
Charles Leclerc warns that Mercedes is concealing substantial performance with its 2026 power unit after Bahrain testing, where the team already posted the fastest times. The Ferrari driver's alarming statement suggests the Silver Arrows could enter the season with a hidden advantage, complicating the competitive picture as the FIA continues to investigate Mercedes' engine design.
Ferrari’s Frederic Vasseur downplays Lewis Hamilton’s claim that early‑season race‑engineer swaps are ‘detrimental’, calling them routine in a 1,500‑person operation and focus on the team’s performance.
