Giancarlo Minardi has advised Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur to learn Italian and be more consistent in his public statements, following a winless 2025 season. He criticized Vasseur for initially claiming development continued on the SF-25, only to later admit it was halted in April to focus on 2026.
George Russell admits Mercedes fundamentally misjudged the 2022 F1 regulations, starting "in the wrong place" with its car concept. This early error, contrasted with Red Bull's quick porpoising fix, gave rivals a lasting head start that defined Mercedes' challenging cycle, despite Russell's two 2025 wins. The team now aims for a clean slate with the 2026 rules.
Lewis Hamilton has voiced cautious concern about the radical 2026 Formula 1 cars, calling them a potential 'massive challenge' to drive. The seven-time champion highlighted issues with reduced downforce, increased torque, and difficult wet-weather handling, though he remains open to being surprised by the new regulations.
Guenther Steiner labeled Zak Brown's congratulatory radio message to Lando Norris after Abu Dhabi as an unfunny joke that missed the mark, highlighting the pitfalls of trying too hard for humor in F1's high-pressure spotlight.
Newly crowned 2025 F1 champion Lando Norris is in the running for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. He faces competition from stars in football, rugby, darts, and golf, with the winner to be decided by public vote during the live ceremony on December 18th.
1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Oscar Piastri "must be feeling terrible" after letting the 2025 drivers' title slip from his grasp, having led the standings mid-season before a podium drought cost him the crown to teammate Lando Norris.
Max Verstappen will switch his permanent F1 race number to 3 starting in 2026, finally securing his long-preferred digit after a rule change and Daniel Ricciardo's approval. He moves on from the number 33, used for his first title, and the champion's number 1, which now belongs to Lando Norris.
An analysis of 2025 teammate points percentages reveals Oscar Piastri had the most competitive pairing, scoring over 96% of Lando Norris's points. In stark contrast, Yuki Tsunoda scored less than 8% of Max Verstappen's total during their time as Red Bull teammates, highlighting the extreme performance spread.
Audi will achieve a key milestone in its Formula 1 project by firing up its first-ever F1 power unit integrated with its new chassis before Christmas. This unusually early test demonstrates the team's accelerated preparation for its 2026 debut, though its true competitiveness remains a question mark until the racing begins.
Rwanda aims to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2029, with development plans centered on building a new circuit and city around an airport. The bid signals a serious push for F1's return to Africa after a 30-year absence.
Isack Hadjar has been warned he must control his emotional outbursts when he joins Red Bull in 2026. Analyst Anthony Davidson says the rookie's tendency to "explode" in the car "won't be tolerated" alongside Max Verstappen, despite his impressive driving talent.
Jacques Villeneuve says Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz possess a rare "old-fashioned" ability to intuitively understand their F1 cars while driving, a skill he believes most modern drivers lack as they over-rely on post-session data analysis.
