Author Archives: PressBox

F1 plans to expand its Sprint weekend schedule in 2027 beyond the six Sprint weekends set for 2026, and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the change is expected, with more details to be announced soon. He said F1 wants more Sprint weekends because they boost Friday and overall weekend attendance, while still keeping the format scarce enough to feel like a bonus. In the same discussion, Flavio Briatore argued for a Sprint on every weekend, while Juan Pablo Montoya pushed for a full 24-race Sprint schedule.

The comments came in a recent interview with The Race and after Liberty Media’s second-quarter 2026 results, when F1 reported revenue of $764 million for the three months ended June 2026, down 38% because there were four fewer races. Domenicali also said the new U.S. broadcast deal with Apple lifted viewership and total hours watched by 13%.

Valtteri Bottas’s first season with Cadillac has been defined by the team’s struggles to score points, but the veteran driver said he still believes the project can turn into a success. Bottas and Sergio Perez became Cadillac’s first Formula 1 drivers, and the U.S. team’s debut campaign has brought a series of firsts that have impressed many people in the paddock. Speaking during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend as the season reached the August break, Bottas said his best years in Formula 1 are still ahead and that he appreciates life in the series more than ever after a year away from the grid.

Cadillac reached the summer break as the only team without a point, though Bottas said the outfit has already improved its pace, reliability and trackside operations. He said the team’s short-term targets are to reach Q2 in qualifying and then score points, but added that the car still needs more speed and reliability. Bottas’s early season was disrupted by five retirements, with his best finish for Cadillac coming in 13th place in China, and brake problems forced him to stop at the Hungaroring. He said he hoped Cadillac would have a fix for Zandvoort after the break.

Bottas, who has 257 Grand Prix starts, 10 wins and 67 podium finishes, said helping build a team from scratch would make any future success more rewarding. He spent 2025 away from full-time racing after losing his Kick Sauber seat and served as Mercedes’ reserve driver. Guenther Steiner has questioned Bottas’s motivation at Cadillac, saying the Finn has “given up a little bit” and could be the driver replaced if the team changes its lineup, leaving Bottas’s future uncertain.

Liam Lawson said he is in a good place after the best start to his Formula 1 career, a run that has helped lift Racing Bulls to fifth in the 2026 constructors’ standings at midseason. The team has scored points in 10 races, recorded five double-point finishes and sits on 66 points, five clear of Alpine. Lawson said Racing Bulls did not know how competitive it would be under the new regulations, but the team found performance quickly after a difficult start.

Lawson moved to ninth in the drivers’ standings after finishing eighth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, while Arvid Lindblad’s 10th place gave Racing Bulls another double-score weekend. Lawson has scored 43 points this year, more than Lindblad’s 23, and the pair are split across the qualifying battles, with Lawson leading 6-5 and Lindblad ahead 7-5 in Q3 appearances. Lawson said his points finish in China and Lindblad’s debut points in Melbourne helped confirm the team’s direction, and he pointed to strong weekends in Monaco, Austria and Silverstone.

Lawson said he is focused on maximizing each weekend rather than chasing a specific championship position, and he believes Racing Bulls can finish as the best midfield team. Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe said the team could finally score a podium this season, which would strengthen Lawson’s or Lindblad’s case for a Red Bull promotion.

Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer has denied rumors that Formula 2 leader Nikola Tsolov will replace Lawson next season, even as Tsolov is being considered for a Formula 1 promotion. Max Verstappen is now expected to stay at Red Bull. Guenther Steiner rated Lawson’s first 11 races a B-, placing him level with Lindblad, as Lawson has turned around a difficult 2025 season.

Formula 1 revenue fell sharply in the second quarter, with Liberty Media saying F1 revenue dropped 38% year over year to $764 million. Adjusted OIBDA fell 61% to $139 million, and profit declined to $73 million from $293 million a year earlier.

Liberty Media said the comparison was skewed because four fewer Grands Prix were held in the quarter than in the same period last year, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races were postponed because of unrest in the Middle East. The postponements cut payments to teams, hospitality sales and freight revenue. By the end of June, F1 had three fewer races on its calendar than in 2025.

Liberty Media said more calendar changes may be needed this season and that contingency plans were in place if the Qatar or Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are not held. Even with the revenue hit, CEO Derek Chang and F1 chief Stefano Domenicali said the company’s fundamentals remain solid. Domenicali said fan engagement remained strong. Liberty Media also said sponsorship, licensing and premium hospitality were the main near-term revenue opportunities. Total hours watched on Apple’s platform rose 13% year over year.