Andrew Benson

Cadillac have replaced founding team principal Graeme Lowdon with former Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski. CEO Dan Towriss said the change was driven by the team's future direction rather than its recent reliability problems, including overheating brakes. Budkowski will focus on building the organisation, improving development and processes, and creating a stronger competitive structure. Cadillac have yet to score a point after 11 races despite drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, while operating across facilities in the UK and the United States before moving its headquarters to Fishers, Indiana.

Kimi Antonelli has emerged as a genuine title contender, taking control of Mercedes' dominant 2026 campaign and opening a 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. The new hybrid engine regulations have produced energy starvation, artificial overtaking and unpopular “yo-yo racing,” prompting rule tweaks and plans to alter the engine power split. Hamilton has revived at Ferrari after a difficult 2025, while Aston Martin's late upgrade offers hope after a disastrous start. Williams, by contrast, has fallen to the back of the field despite using Mercedes engines, exposing major problems with its new-car development process.

Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix after recovering from an early mistake that handed the lead to McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri. Norris maintained strong pace, benefited from McLaren's pit-stop strategy and eventually took control after Piastri collided with Carlos Sainz before retiring with a gearbox failure. Ferrari, despite appearing to have the fastest car, finished fourth and fifth after qualifying problems, penalties, slow pit stops and strategic difficulties. Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead, while George Russell endured another Mercedes reliability issue. Norris said improved confidence, technical understanding and hard work had driven his return to form, though he cautioned that McLaren's competitiveness may vary across upcoming races.

Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix for McLaren, securing his first victory since São Paulo the previous November. Max Verstappen finished second after Red Bull’s late soft-tyre strategy, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took third and extended his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Oscar Piastri, who had led much of the race, retired with a gearbox failure after McLaren’s controversial pit-stop strategy. Hamilton finished fourth on the road but dropped to fifth after a five-second pit-lane speeding penalty, while Ferrari endured another disappointing result. Aston Martin showed significant improvement with its upgraded car despite failing to score points.

Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix for McLaren, ending his wait for a victory and leading home Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli. McLaren’s strategy and Oscar Piastri’s gearbox failure shaped the result after Piastri had led much of the opening half. Red Bull’s decision to give Verstappen soft tyres helped him secure second, while Ferrari endured another penalty for Lewis Hamilton, who finished fifth behind Charles Leclerc. Antonelli extended his championship lead, and Aston Martin showed substantial improvement with its upgraded car despite both drivers finishing outside the points. Formula 1 now enters a four-week summer break before the Dutch Grand Prix.

Malaysia is expected to host the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang from 2–4 October 2026 after Bahrain’s race was postponed because of the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Formula 1 has arranged the replacement, but it still requires formal FIA approval. The change would create three consecutive races in Azerbaijan, Malaysia and Singapore. Ongoing regional instability also threatens the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with Imola the leading alternative and Portimao and Istanbul Park less likely options. F1 is seeking at least 21 races to avoid potential contractual financial penalties.

Ferrari set the pace in Hungarian Grand Prix Friday practice, with Lewis Hamilton leading team-mate Charles Leclerc by 0.148 seconds and McLaren's Lando Norris third. Mercedes struggled, as George Russell finished fifth and championship leader Kimi Antonelli was 13th after two interrupted qualifying simulations. Aston Martin's major upgrade delivered a substantial improvement for Fernando Alonso, although he remained 19th and Lance Stroll missed the second session after a suspension failure. Alonso said the car was more predictable and that the upgrade performed as expected, while further developments and a new Honda engine are planned. Leclerc expects the qualifying gap to close, and Russell criticised the newly resurfaced Hungaroring for being excessively bumpy.

George Russell retired on the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix after a collision compounded by a significant battery deployment failure, costing him crucial championship ground to team‑mate Kimi Antonelli, who secured his sixth win of the season. Russell voiced frustration over repeated technical issues that have hindered his campaign, while Mercedes acknowledged an engine‑related deployment deficit affecting multiple cars. Toto Wolff emphasised the need to restore Russell’s confidence ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Antonelli overcame early energy issues and a virtual safety car setback to reclaim the lead from Charles Leclerc and win comfortably, while signs of improved competitiveness from rivals offered some hope for closer racing in upcoming rounds.

Mercedes driver scout Gwen Lagrue is set to leave the team after a decade to lead Red Bull’s driver development programme, effectively replacing Helmut Marko. Mercedes and Red Bull are negotiating his release from his current contract, with Mercedes expected to reorganize its junior programme internally. Lagrue played a key role in recruiting talents including George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Esteban Ocon, Frederik Vesti and supported Alex Albon after his exit from Red Bull’s programme. Antonelli, now leading the 2026 championship, is highlighted as one of his major successes.

George Russell reports severe straight‑line speed issues with his Mercedes that he says undermine his title fight with Kimi Antonelli, despite improvements made in cornering performance. Mercedes engineers acknowledge an unexplained loss of power deployment, particularly late in the lap, which cost Russell grid positions. Drivers including Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz criticise the current F1 engine regulations for reducing the challenge of iconic Spa corners due to energy‑recovery limitations. Teams anticipate further rule adjustments in coming years to rebalance electrical and combustion power. Antonelli enters the race as the clear favourite after securing pole with a significant pace advantage.

Red Bull will switch back to a conventional rear wing for the Belgian Grand Prix after tests revealed issues with their new high-drag-reduction design, linked to Max Verstappen’s high-speed crashes in the past two races. The team identified an airflow reattachment problem affecting rear downforce when the wing closed, prompting Verstappen to characterize the situation as dangerous. Following a filming-day test at Silverstone, the team aims to revert to a reliable configuration while continuing development of the innovative wing concept.

Lando Norris will take a 10‑place grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix after McLaren fitted a fourth power‑electronics unit to address ongoing reliability concerns. The team chose Spa due to its easier overtaking and to avoid compromising upcoming races where major upgrades are planned. McLaren and Mercedes have faced multiple power‑unit issues this season, while Red Bull have reverted to a conventional rear wing following Verstappen’s recent crashes. Kimi Antonelli receives a new engine within his allocation after a fault at Silverstone, avoiding penalties as Mercedes investigates the issue.

A late safety‑car period shaped the finish of a chaotic British Grand Prix, prompting comparisons with the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi finale but with regulations correctly applied. Charles Leclerc secured victory ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton after Max Verstappen crashed and Kimi Antonelli suffered steering issues that derailed his title lead. The result cut Antonelli’s championship advantage as Mercedes and Ferrari assessed unexpectedly strong pace, while the FIA attributed a confusing restart message to a software glitch.

Max Verstappen condemned a recurring rear wing failure on his Red Bull after crashes at both the British and Austrian Grands Prix, calling the issue dangerous and expressing wider frustration with the team’s performance. The malfunction, caused by the wing not closing properly as straight‑line mode disengaged, led to significant loss of downforce at corner entry. Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the severity of the issue and said Red Bull would consider all options regarding continued use of the wing design. Verstappen, seventh in the championship and facing multiple retirements this season, is evaluating his future with the team despite being under contract until 2028, with his management exploring potential moves to rivals including Mercedes and McLaren.

Charles Leclerc secured Ferrari’s second win in three races after a chaotic finish at the British Grand Prix, which ended under a safety car due to a software error in race control. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium as late-race incidents reshaped the order, including Kimi Antonelli’s mechanical problems and Max Verstappen’s crash. The result tightened the championship standings, reducing Antonelli’s lead over Russell to 25 points. Mercedes and Red Bull faced contrasting fortunes, while McLaren and Racing Bulls delivered solid points finishes. Damon Hill noted the shifting momentum in the title fight and Ferrari’s unexpectedly strong pace at Silverstone.

A record crowd is expected at the British Grand Prix as home drivers Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris chase victory, but Hamilton doubts they can catch Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, who dominated the sprint and secured pole. Antonelli appears calm and confident, while Russell cites straight‑line speed issues. McLaren continue to struggle, with Norris and team principal Andrea Stella detailing drag, downforce and development delays, though upgrades are planned for upcoming races. Teams prepare under variable conditions as the championship battle intensifies.

Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the British Grand Prix with a dominant performance ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, extending his championship momentum after winning the sprint race. George Russell struggled with straight‑line speed issues that hampered his qualifying, while Max Verstappen reported similar problems. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri faced pace deficits, and rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed by out‑qualifying team‑mate Liam Lawson. The session highlighted strong form from Antonelli and challenges for several leading contenders heading into Sunday’s race.

Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead by overtaking Lewis Hamilton to win the British Grand Prix sprint at Silverstone, timing his battery deployment to make the decisive move. Hamilton defended strongly but lacked the straight-line speed to respond, while Lando Norris charged to third after early battles with George Russell and Max Verstappen. Russell finished fourth after losing positions early, and Verstappen slipped back to sixth behind Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri and Liam Lawson completed the points, with qualifying for the main race scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Lewis Hamilton secured pole for the British Grand Prix sprint race by narrowly beating championship leader Kimi Antonelli, with Max Verstappen third. Ferrari showed improved pace following recent upgrades, while Mercedes drivers Antonelli and George Russell expressed frustration at their performance gap. McLaren and Red Bull filled out the remaining top positions as drivers assessed their prospects for the sprint race at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the only practice session at the British Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri spun but remained fifth, while Max Verstappen struggled with grip and placed sixth. The session ran under clear conditions as large crowds are expected for the weekend, with sprint qualifying scheduled for later in the day.

Drivers expect Silverstone to feel significantly different under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations due to reduced energy deployment, leaving cars power‑limited through high‑speed sections such as Copse, Maggotts and Becketts. Lewis Hamilton warns that battery depletion will force downshifts and lifting, while teams anticipate larger competitive gaps based on energy recovery characteristics. George Russell suggests that despite performance limitations, racing could improve, though he criticizes the FIA’s decision not to allow straight‑line mode for safety. Upcoming changes to engine power ratios are expected to ease the issue. Drivers also express concern and frustration over a promotional Lego‑car parade planned for race day.

Lando Norris acknowledges McLaren’s disappointing start to the season, attributing reliability issues and reduced preparation to the intense effort required to win last year’s titles. Despite sitting fifth in the standings, he remains optimistic about race‑by‑race competitiveness and says last season’s achievements help him handle current setbacks. Norris reaffirms his long‑term commitment to McLaren, valuing loyalty and environment as much as winning, while expressing openness to high‑profile team‑mates such as Max Verstappen. He reflects on his season performance, comparisons with George Russell, and the rising form of Kimi Antonelli. Ahead of the British Grand Prix, he describes the home‑race atmosphere as uniquely motivating and emotionally significant.