Author Archives: PressBox

Oscar Piastri said he is still adapting his driving style to McLaren’s 2026 car, as he works through uneven form and a growing gap to teammate Lando Norris. Piastri said techniques that worked in previous seasons have been less effective under the new regulations, and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he needs a more intuitive relationship with the MCL40. Piastri said the team has tried different approaches, increased technical support and made progress, while the right setup can change from weekend to weekend.

The Australian said McLaren is still looking for performance gains and is “not standing still,” but he has struggled to match Norris, with his eighth-place finish in Spain underlining that gap. Piastri said his progress has been uneven, though he feels supported by the engineering response and is gradually improving.

He now turns to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, where first practice is scheduled for 6 p.m. AEST on Thursday. Piastri described Baku as a “love-hate” circuit, pointing to his victory there in 2024 and a difficult 2025 weekend that ended with a crash on the opening lap. On F1 Nation, James Hinchcliffe said the weekend would be shaped more by last week’s disappointment than by memories of the 2024 win, while Jolyon Palmer said Piastri may be less comfortable with the current car’s handling, especially on low-grip tracks, and could be hoping for a reset next winter.

Max Verstappen has ruled out a 2027 Le Mans 24 debut for now, even though the 2027 F1 calendar appears to leave room for endurance racing on off-weekends. Speaking in Baku before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Verstappen said Le Mans was “not on my list for now” and pointed instead to the Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours as the races that interest him most. He called Spa an “exciting option” and said he wants another chance at the Nordschleife after his car dropped out of the lead there because of mechanical trouble.

Verstappen said the Le Mans test day falls on the same weekend as the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix, which could create logistical problems for F1 drivers even though Le Mans itself does not directly clash with the championship. The 95th Le Mans 24 Hours is scheduled for June 12-13, 2027. An open 2027 calendar could also let Verstappen begin an endurance campaign with the Daytona event in January, with Bathurst, the Texas 8 Hour, the Nürburgring 24 Hours, Le Mans and Spa all mentioned as possible stops. He would not be able to complete the full Intercontinental GT Challenge because the 1000km of Suzuka would conflict with the Italian Grand Prix.

Verstappen made his endurance debut in the Nürburgring 24 Hours earlier this year and came close to winning before a driveshaft failure ended his run while he was leading. His own Mercedes-AMG GT3 team, along with a possible tie-in with Ford through Red Bull, could help make future endurance starts realistic. Fernando Alonso said a Verstappen-Le Mans partnership could happen in the future if Verstappen has more calendar freedom. Lando Norris said he has not been thinking about Le Mans despite testing McLaren’s new Hypercar at Portimão, and that F1 remains his main focus.

Formula One Management has delayed a decision on whether to cancel the season-ending Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix because of the financial and contractual fallout. F1 and the promoters are at a stand-off over who would absorb the losses: if F1 cancels the races directly, it would face sanctioning-fee costs, while leaving the call to local organizers would shift the cancellation burden onto them. F1’s annual accounts say event cancellations are a principal risk and that insurance usually does not cover the losses.

The uncertainty comes amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, with freight logistics through the Strait of Hormuz and team insurance concerns adding to the pressure. Stefano Domenicali said in late July that a decision would come by the middle of September, but that deadline has passed and both races are still being described as confirmed. F1 has already canceled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix this year, and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said decisions would be guided by local promoters while safety remained the priority.

F1 is also preparing replacement plans if either race is called off. Imola in Italy is the leading fallback venue and could be used for the Abu Dhabi finale or as a proxy for one of the canceled events, while a Las Vegas double-header has been ruled out. Qatar is not expected to be replaced if its race is dropped. Reports also differ on the broadcast impact: F1 says the season would still have at least 22 races and would not owe broadcasters compensation, while other reports say one broadcast contract requires 23 races and would need a replacement final round.

Fernando Alonso said Formula 1’s 2026 regulations and the way they manage battery energy, not Aston Martin’s competitiveness, were the bigger issue as he weighs his future beyond 2027. Alonso said the current rules force drivers to slow down and balance battery harvesting and deployment, which he described as a “weird” way to drive. He said he is not against electrical energy, but wants it used over longer periods so cars can keep building speed down the straight and arrive at corners at full pace.

Alonso said the planned move toward a 60-40 combustion-electric split should help ease the energy-management problem, but he still believes more changes may be needed. He said Formula 1 has grown as a commercial and entertainment product, yet drivers are more frustrated behind the wheel. He also said classic high-speed venues and corners, including Silverstone, Spa, Suzuka, Eau Rouge and 130R, have been hurt or “killed” by the current formula.

The Aston Martin driver said he has been discussing the issue with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and teams. Those talks also cover support for struggling power-unit manufacturers. Ben Sulayem has said it would be “not acceptable” for Alonso to leave while he is uncompetitive, and has worked on a rules concession plan aimed at keeping him in the sport. Aston Martin said it trusts the existing regulatory framework, and Honda said it is satisfied with concessions it has already received through the FIA’s ADUO system.

Cadillac’s F1 setup in the United Kingdom and the United States has drawn scrutiny, but team leaders say the structure is not a sign of trouble at Silverstone. Team principal Marcin Budkowski called suggestions that Cadillac is preparing to leave its newly opened Silverstone factory totally unfounded, saying Britain remains central to the project. He said Cadillac is building a long-term international footprint with operations in Silverstone, Indianapolis and Charlotte, and added that drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez have already visited Silverstone for technical meetings.

Cadillac entered F1 this season as the sport’s 11th team and is expanding facilities in Indianapolis and Charlotte while Silverstone handles key manufacturing and logistics. Bottas defended the setup, saying Cadillac would not build a structure it viewed as a weakness. He said the UK operation brings established F1 knowledge, while the US side adds fresh ideas and GM’s motorsport expertise, with GM also planning to build Cadillac’s power unit in America as part of the long-term strategy.

Not everyone in the paddock agrees. Otmar Szafnauer said a three-way split across Silverstone, Indianapolis and Charlotte would be suboptimal for a team trying to win a world championship, and he argued that a more unified model like Mercedes’ would work better. Szafnauer said he raised that view directly with executive engineering consultant Pat Symonds, who replied that the arrangement was only suboptimal if Cadillac wanted to win the title.

Formula 1 stakeholders have agreed on the main direction of the sport’s next engine rules cycle, with the planned 2030 package centered on a 3.0-liter V8 turbo hybrid power unit. The concept would keep a small turbocharger rather than switch to a naturally aspirated engine, and the regulations are still awaiting final official approval.

The proposed engines would retain electrification through a simplified 100kW electric motor, down from the current 350kW level. The package is also expected to be lighter and less complex overall, with one report saying the new power units would be at least 50kg lighter than current units.

Noise limits at street circuits were a key reason behind the turbocharged approach, with a naturally aspirated V8 seen as too loud for venues such as Melbourne, Miami, Madrid, Singapore, Baku and Las Vegas. FIA and manufacturer discussions are continuing on final details, including a possible push-to-pass-style overtaking aid, and the target debut could be as early as 2030.

Formula 1’s return to Baku has opened a crucial stretch in the 2026 championship fight, with Kimi Antonelli trying to protect a lead that one source puts at 81 points over George Russell and another at 106 points after the last two races at Monza and Madrid. Antonelli has won eight of the first 14 races, and the title picture is being described as close to settled unless a rival can mount a major comeback. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is the first leg of a demanding run that includes Malaysia and Singapore, and one report said this is the last realistic chance for Antonelli’s rivals to pull the battle back before the gap becomes too large to overcome.

The Baku weekend was moved to Saturday to avoid clashing with Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day on Sunday, with practice and qualifying shifted earlier in the week. The street circuit is expected to put energy management in focus because of its long straight and heavy braking zones, and drivers will have to balance battery use and energy harvesting. Mercedes’ engine power is expected to suit the track, and the team arrives at its final race before a planned major update in Malaysia. Singapore’s new Sprint format and tight walls, along with Malaysia’s heat and humidity, add more uncertainty to the three-race sequence.

McLaren is bringing a substantial upgrade package for Lando Norris as it looks to cut Antonelli’s advantage at a circuit that may expose the team’s weaknesses. Williams is also introducing long-awaited FW48 upgrades in Baku, including two new chassis and aerodynamic changes for Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon, although team principal James Vowles said the package will not be enough for regular points finishes. Aston Martin is bringing the final part of its upgrade package, and Fernando Alonso’s future remains uncertain. Oscar Piastri’s title challenge also unraveled in Baku last year, adding more weight to the weekend’s role in the championship fight.