Liam Lawson says the uncertainty over his F1 future was finally resolved after the Qatar GP, when Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane personally confirmed his seat for 2026. The clarity provided a mental relief, allowing him to end a season of tangible progress—including 38 points and a P5 in Baku—with renewed focus for the upcoming regulatory changes.
Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has labeled claims that Max Verstappen controls the team as "nonsense," asserting the champion driver has never made a personal request of him. He emphasized that the only real boss is the brand's commercial success, while expressing hope that Verstappen remains with Red Bull for life, potentially in a role beyond driving.
Despite falling short of the 2025 title, Oscar Piastri's season confirmed his meteoric rise, transforming from a rookie soundly beaten by teammate Lando Norris in 2023 to a near-equal title contender. His challenge now is mastering the season-long consistency required to convert his elite pace into a championship.
Charles Leclerc praised Lando Norris's emotional first F1 title win as "beautiful," calling it the "ultimate dream" for every driver. Following a winless season with Ferrari, Leclerc immediately shifted focus to 2025's new regulations, aiming to challenge Norris and fight for the championship himself.
Jak Crawford, after finishing second in the 2025 F2 championship, has closed the chapter on his junior formula career. The Aston Martin reserve driver revealed he turned down a Formula E opportunity to remain solely focused on securing a Formula 1 race seat, citing his three years in F2 as crucial preparation for the highest level.
Mercedes, Red Bull, and Audi have reportedly devised an engine mapping fix for the 2026 'clipping' problem, using the V6 to charge the battery mid-lap to prevent sudden power loss. This addresses a major performance and safety concern for the new MGU-H-less power units.
Lewis Hamilton is unperturbed by being outperformed by Charles Leclerc in his first Ferrari season, attributing the gap to Leclerc's long-established team setup. With his eyes on the 2026 regulation reset, Hamilton views 2025 as a necessary integration phase.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff predicts that a driver's intelligence and preparation will be a major performance differentiator under the complex 2026 technical regulations, which feature active aerodynamics and a 50-50 hybrid power split.
1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve says Oscar Piastri must return from the winter break as a 'completely new man' after the mental blow of losing the 2025 drivers' title from a leading position. He argues Piastri's challenge is to digest the tough experience and start 2026 with a fresh slate, free from any hangover of his dramatic championship loss.
Red Bull's CEO has explained the decision to replace Christian Horner, signaling a new era for the team. Meanwhile, an F1 insider predicts the 2026 regulation changes will drastically reshuffle the grid, with power unit efficiency becoming the ultimate differentiator and potentially leaving some manufacturers behind.
A look back at 10 of Lewis Hamilton's most spectacular overtakes, spanning from his rookie 2007 season to 2025 with Ferrari. The list highlights his fearless aggression, strategic patience, and opportunistic racecraft against rivals like Alonso, Vettel, and Raikkonen in key moments that defined races and championships.
Liam Lawson warns that F1 drivers face a massive adaptation challenge in 2026 due to sweeping new chassis and power unit regulations. The changes, including active aerodynamics and a 50/50 power split, will require a new driving style, with a very short winter break to learn the completely different cars.
