Author Archives: PressBox

Ferrari’s Austrian Grand Prix left the team arguing that its bigger problem was pace, not strategy. Team principal Fred Vasseur said Ferrari’s race was lost earlier when the cars were pushed too hard and began to overheat, while the team struggled to match Mercedes and Max Verstappen. Ferrari had started second and third with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but finished eighth and fifth after its pace fell away. The team was the only top-four outfit to commit to three pit stops, and its straight-line speed was also compromised.

Hamilton said he had already warned Ferrari about tire management, strategy and straight-line speed at the Red Bull Ring. He said the car still lacked outright pace, estimating Ferrari was about two to three tenths off the front-runners. Vasseur said the team had taken strategic risks to try to make up for being slower, and Leclerc backed that view, saying no strategy would have looked good without stronger underlying pace. Hamilton’s hard-tire stint after the virtual safety car did not deliver the progress Ferrari expected, and he later used a different engine mode to help control temperatures.

The result contrasted with Ferrari’s upbeat qualifying, when Leclerc took second and Hamilton third behind Mercedes’ George Russell, whose pole came after Max Verstappen’s crash triggered yellow flags. Vasseur said Ferrari remained in the fight and could still challenge if it executed properly, but he also said the underperforming upgrade package had not met expectations. That has increased pressure on the team ahead of the British Grand Prix, with Ferrari now looking to solve its performance and race-management problems rather than focus on one bad call.

McLaren’s strong Friday pace turned into a disappointing qualifying result at the Austrian Grand Prix, as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished sixth and seventh at the Red Bull Ring. Norris said the team ended up “where we deserve to be,” while Piastri called McLaren “just not quick enough” after the team failed to turn promising practice speed into a front-row challenge.

Norris was 0.009 seconds ahead of Piastri, and both McLaren drivers were about four-tenths of a second slower than pole-sitter George Russell of Mercedes. Ferrari filled second and third on the grid with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, and McLaren also slipped behind Max Verstappen. Norris said his lap felt decent and that gaining more places would have required mistakes from others, while Piastri said he may have overpushed while searching for extra time.

The team had looked competitive in practice, with both drivers near the front on Friday, but McLaren said the MCL40 lacked the outright speed needed to fight at the front on a single lap. Norris sustained minor rear brake duct damage in Q1, but McLaren repaired the car quickly enough for him to continue. Both drivers and the team pointed to Sunday’s expected heat, tire degradation and strategy as possible chances to recover in the 71-lap race.

George Russell moved to shut down fresh driver-market speculation around Mercedes, saying he was “100 percent” certain he would race for the team next season and in 2027. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, Russell said there had been no real discussion about his future with team principal Toto Wolff, that there was “not even a question mark” over his place at Mercedes, and that there would be no announcement this weekend. The comments came as rumors about Max Verstappen’s next move gathered pace.

Wolff then reinforced the message after FP3 in Austria, saying Mercedes plans to keep its current lineup for 2027, that Russell will remain with the team and that Verstappen is not a current target. Wolff called Verstappen “off the radar” for now, said he is very happy with Russell and Kimi Antonelli, and saw no reason to change a pairing he believes is working well. He also defended Russell’s season, saying the Briton has had poor luck and limited results without needing to prove his speed, while Mercedes’ strong form has put the team in position to lead the constructors’ championship this season.

The wider paddock speculation has centered on Verstappen’s future with Red Bull and beyond, with reports linking him to both Mercedes and McLaren and saying he may be exploring the market, including possible secret talks with McLaren about a 2027 move. Earlier comments from Russell about talks involving Wolff and Verstappen helped fuel discussion of a possible Mercedes shake-up, and the rumors have also raised questions about Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and other drivers. Broader driver-market talk has reached Red Bull’s junior ranks too, although Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane dismissed reports that Nikola Tsolov could be promoted, calling them rumor.

Fernando Alonso criticized Formula 1 rivals for continuing to pour effort into 2026 car development despite the FIA cost cap, joking that some teams must have a “money machine” in their factory. He pointed to Ferrari’s update package in Barcelona, Red Bull’s planned major upgrade for Austria, Cadillac’s long list of changes and McLaren as examples of teams still finding performance late in the season. Alonso also cited the FIA’s Friday documentation on visible car changes as evidence that some teams were pushing harder than others under the rules.

Alonso contrasted that approach with Aston Martin’s decision to pause smaller updates and wait for a larger package around the summer break. The team has found the AMR26 difficult to improve through minor changes, so it has chosen a one-step development push under technical partner Adrian Newey’s direction. Chief trackside officer Mike Krack said the issue came down to budget management and commitment, and Alonso said he supported the plan because Aston Martin needed more than “a few tenths” while running near the back of the grid.

Aston Martin has scored only one point this season, with Alonso saying his Monaco 10th-place finish accounted for it, although one report said that result came after penalty-related position changes rather than on pure pace. Alonso said the team had been working “flat-out” and urged people not to underestimate it. Carlos Sainz also described the budget pressure facing Williams, saying the team planned aero upgrades for Silverstone and Azerbaijan, was managing its spending carefully and was delaying lighter components until earlier parts had been fully used.