Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is actively tempering the intense hype around Kimi Antonelli, calling early comparisons to Ayrton Senna unhelpful. While pleased with the 19-year-old's development and championship-leading start, Wolff stresses the importance of managing pressure and expectations to ensure his long-term success.
Kelvin van der Linde, defending Nürburgring 24‑Hour champion, warns the 2026 edition will be a strategic battle. An early May start ups rain odds, new Michelin wet tyres add risk, and Max Verstappen’s participation could flip the grid.
Four‑time champion Jos Verstappen admits he sometimes turns the TV off, echoing Max’s view that the 2026 power‑unit package turns F1 into “Formula E on steroids.” Their criticism highlights growing driver unrest over the new rules and its impact on the sport’s identity.
Jenson Button backs George Russell to remain mentally strong despite losing the F1 championship lead to Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. Button cites Russell's calm demeanor and attributes the points gap to a run of bad luck, including a poorly-timed pit stop and technical issues in Japan. He believes Russell's proven speed will keep him in the title fight.
F1 drivers face a dual threat of a retroactive Italian tax investigation and renewed speculation about Max Verstappen's future at Red Bull, following a prediction he may leave before his race engineer. These off-track dramas coincide with technical rule changes and ongoing performance struggles for Aston Martin's Honda engine.
Twenty‑two years ago, MotoGP star Valentino Rossi took the wheel of Ferrari’s F2004 at Fiorano, lapping just 0.7 seconds off Michael Schumacher’s benchmark – a performance that still amazes fans and underscores the rare crossover between two‑wheel and four‑wheel racing.
Driver Liam Lawson backs the FIA’s new 2026 rule tweaks, set to debut at Miami, that cut energy regeneration, boost peak power and cap boost‑mode output to improve safety and simplify qualifying.
Former world champion Jenson Button says Max Verstappen isn’t likely to take a year‑long break and may quit Formula 1 for good, pointing to his criticism of the 2026 rules, recent poor results and key staff departures at Red Bull.
F1 veteran Jolyon Palmer says Max Verstappen's next move will set the tone for the 2026 driver market. A switch could spark a paddock frenzy; staying at Red Bull would likely keep the market calm.
An Italian court probe into a luxury escort service used by Serie A footballers mentions a Formula 1 driver. The driver’s identity is still unconfirmed, raising concerns about cross‑sport misconduct.
New FIA tweaks for 2026 – a cut to ERS capacity, a low‑power start detection system and a boost to peak MGU‑K power – narrow Mercedes’ energy edge while giving Ferrari’s strong chassis a chance to close the gap.
On 21 April 1985, a 24‑year‑old Ayrton Senna claimed his first F1 win in torrential rain at Estoril, lapping the field and ending Lotus’s six‑year drought—a performance that announced the arrival of a future legend.
