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Several Formula 1 drivers turned a last-minute stop in Langkawi into a boys’ trip that mixed training with downtime ahead of the Malaysia Grand Prix weekend. George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Oscar Piastri, Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman and former F1 driver Roberto Merhi were among those who took part after deciding to stop in the island rather than fly straight to Kuala Lumpur from Baku. Lando Norris joined for chess and training, and Kimi Antonelli also arrived early, spending time in Kuala Lumpur and at a water park.

The group spent the trip cycling, hiking rocky trails, cooling off at waterfalls and playing chess on the beach, with some go-karting mixed in. Russell said the visit was recommended by Petronas and described Langkawi as “incredible,” calling it a perfect way to prepare for the weekend. Photos Russell posted showed the drivers in swimsuits and casual clothes instead of team gear, and Norris appeared to be filming his McLaren teammate in one shot.

The karting session turned rough, with Russell calling it “carnage.” Bortoleto was bruised, Piastri nearly broke a rib and Bearman put Merhi into a wall. Several drivers said the outing gave them a rare chance to relax together before the physically demanding race weekends in Malaysia and Singapore, and the trip may also have been filmed for upcoming media projects.

Pirelli says F1 teams will face a major tyre-management test when the Malaysian Grand Prix returns to Sepang after a nine-year absence. It has brought the C2, C3 and C4 compounds, a more aggressive range intended to widen strategy options and narrow the gap between one-stop and two-stop races. With high temperatures, low grip and an abrasive surface, tyre life is expected to be the main issue, and the C4 is expected to last only one qualifying lap.

Several drivers said they expected two or three pit stops. Carlos Sainz welcomed greater degradation, while Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli, Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto all said Sepang would be especially tough on tyres. Antonelli said the asphalt was the roughest he had seen and thought the heat could force multiple stops. George Russell said surface overheating could make it harder to follow closely and re-overtake, and Valtteri Bottas and Laurent Mekies also pointed to overtaking as an important factor.

The race should look very different from 2017 because the cars, battery limits and track conditions have changed, and there is limited data with current-generation cars and tyres. That should make Friday practice especially important, particularly for several drivers learning Sepang in F1 for the first time. Weather could add more uncertainty, with early October heat, humidity, thunderstorms and heavy rain all possible. Lando Norris said the new cars would face a completely new experience in wet conditions, and he and others suggested Sepang could produce chaotic, yo-yo-style racing.

Max Verstappen said he has had to accept that he cannot fight for the 2026 Formula 1 title as he chases his first victory of the season. The Red Bull driver said Mercedes has dominated the year and that Red Bull has not had a race-winning car, leaving him focused on getting over the line with eight rounds left, even as uncertainty remains over whether the final two races will be held.

Verstappen has still put together a strong run of podiums, with five in his last six races after only two in the first nine. He finished second in Azerbaijan by less than two tenths of a second behind George Russell and was also second in Madrid. Verstappen and Russell are tied for the most runner-up finishes this season with four each, and Verstappen said he is getting closer to a first win.

Red Bull’s form has improved in recent races after a difficult first half of the season, helped by upgrades to the car. Verstappen said the last few weekends have been much better and that the remaining races will help the team learn what the car needs for next year. Red Bull is fourth in the constructors’ standings, and Verstappen said he still wants at least one win this year. He also has good memories of Sepang, where he won his second career Formula 1 race in 2017 and was the last driver to win there.

Audi has announced a new Formula 1 campus in Hinwil, Switzerland, as part of a long-term plan to build its works team around the site where Sauber was founded in 1970. Some parts of the campus on Zurichstrasse were already operational in the summer of 2026, and the full project is scheduled to be completed in 2030. The new campus is less than one kilometer from Audi’s current headquarters.

Audi said its existing Hinwil facility will be redeveloped into the team’s manufacturing center and wind tunnel operation. Power unit development and assembly will remain in Neuberg, and the team will keep its technical center in Bicester, England. Audi’s current Hinwil site will continue to serve as a wind tunnel and manufacturing base.

Audi F1 CEO and team principal Mattia Binotto said the campus is designed to help the team attract and retain talent and improve the working environment for engineers, designers, mechanics and other specialists. The move comes after Audi fully rebranded Sauber under its own name this year, following a gradual takeover ahead of its works Formula 1 debut. Audi is eighth in the 2026 constructors’ standings with 17 points, and Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are set to remain the team’s drivers next season.

Arvid Lindblad will start from the back of the F1 grid at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang after Racing Bulls fitted new power unit components to his car that exceeded his season allocation, triggering an automatic engine-related grid penalty. He was the second driver to receive a grid penalty for the race, after Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, who took a five-place drop after a collision in Baku.

The penalty was separate from Lindblad’s Turn 1 collision with teammate Liam Lawson, after which stewards took no further action. The 19-year-old was making his F1 debut at Sepang International Circuit and was among 12 current drivers who had never raced there before. Lindblad said he remembered watching the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix at home with his father and expected weather, tire wear, pit strategy and overtaking to shape the weekend.