Author Archives: PressBox

Lewis Hamilton was set to be investigated by FIA stewards after being accused of impeding Liam Lawson during second practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. Lawson said over team radio that Hamilton was driving dangerously after the Ferrari moved slowly and blocked him, and the FIA said Hamilton would be reviewed for an alleged breach related to impeding. Hamilton had faced similar criticism at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this season, when he avoided a penalty. Lawson finished 12th in FP2.

George Russell led the session for Mercedes with a lap of 1:43.347 and finished 0.552 seconds ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, who completed a Mercedes one-two. Antonelli missed the start of FP2 while Mercedes changed his power unit after a hydraulic failure in first practice. Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari and Hamilton was fifth, more than a second off the pace.

The session was interrupted once by a red flag when Arvid Lindblad hit the wall at Turn 8, and Ollie Bearman later stopped on track with an engine problem. Fernando Alonso completed only nine laps because of a suspected oil leak, and both Aston Martins finished at the bottom of the timesheet. Russell had also topped first practice earlier in the day.

Jamie Chadwick became the first woman in more than a decade to drive a contemporary Williams Formula 1 car when she completed a 32-lap test at Portimao on Monday in Williams’ 2025 car. The run was her first proper Formula 1 test since joining Williams in 2019, and her only previous driving with the team had been demonstration runs in historic cars at Goodwood. Susie Wolff had been the last woman to drive a Williams before Chadwick, and Chadwick also became the first British woman since 2023 to get behind the wheel of an F1 car.

The test took place under Formula 1’s Testing of Previous Cars rules and also gave Williams data ahead of the sport’s return to Portimao next June. Chadwick, a three-time W Series champion, said she had prepared with simulator work and extra neck training. She described the experience as the “best day of my life so far,” called it “phenomenal” and said it was “more than I had imagined.”

Williams team principal James Vowles said Chadwick had “thoroughly earned” the opportunity and said the team praised her feedback and performance. He also said the test showed there is a path for women to compete at Formula 1’s top level. Chadwick, who is a Williams ambassador and Sky Sports F1 pundit, said the run would help her future racing and her mentoring of younger drivers. She also won all three seasons of W Series and became the first woman to win a road course race in Indy NXT in 2024.

Several teams brought upgrade packages to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, even though the circuit is seen as one that rewards aerodynamic efficiency more than large development steps. McLaren led the way with an eight-part package aimed at improving flow conditioning and straightline performance, including revised sidepod and engine cover shapes, a new floor edge and diffuser layout, changes to the rear suspension, and a low-drag rear wing setup for Straight Mode. The team is trying to close a 52-point gap to Ferrari in the constructors’ standings.

Audi submitted the biggest package, listing 14 new parts for its 2026 challenger and effectively turning its R26 into a B-spec car. Williams also arrived with a broad set of changes, including an updated floor, new tail geometry, revised rear brake duct parts, suspension changes and a lighter newly manufactured chassis. Alex Albon said the upgrades should help if they work as intended, while Carlos Sainz said he was cautious about how much the package would change the team’s performance against its rivals.

Red Bull added five updates to the RB22, covering the floor body, diffuser, sidepod, mirrors and Halo, with one part introduced for reliability reasons. Racing Bulls and Cadillac also brought smaller aero-focused changes, and Cadillac has approved Sergio Perez to run Ferrari’s latest ADUO 2 engine in Baku. Mercedes, Ferrari, Alpine and Haas listed no new parts for the weekend, while Aston Martin planned lighter components rather than a major update. Baku’s long straights and energy-harvesting demands are expected to make deployment tricky, and colder brakes and tires could increase the risk of Turn 1 lock-ups.

Lewis Hamilton criticized Formula 1’s plan to shorten standard Grand Prix races from 305km to 290km starting in 2027, saying the move “makes no sense” and that he would prefer longer races. The FIA commission agreed to the change to help offset higher fuel use under revised engine regulations, with the reduction amounting to about two or three laps at most circuits. Monaco will remain at 260km.

Hamilton said modern tires and improved reliability have made many races less physically demanding, and he argued that drivers should be pushed harder rather than reducing the challenge. He said Grand Prix length and physical demands are part of Formula 1’s appeal, and pointed to tougher events such as Singapore and Malaysia. Hamilton also said the hardest races of his career came in his debut season in 2007 and in 2020, when he felt the cars were more physically taxing.

He made the comments in Baku ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. George Russell took a milder view of the planned change, while Lando Norris and Max Verstappen said a small reduction could be acceptable if it improved racing, though they also said the sprint format would not solve Monaco’s overtaking issues. Hamilton also welcomed Malaysia’s return to the calendar and said the Sepang circuit should be considered because of its heat and demands.