Daniel Moxon

Max Verstappen could activate an exit clause in his Red Bull contract by October if he remains outside the top two in the drivers' championship. Despite frustration with Red Bull's declining performance and an earlier threat to leave Formula 1, former driver Christian Danner believes Verstappen will stay because Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes have no realistic vacancies. Danner expects Verstappen to remain with Red Bull through at least 2027, while seeking improved performance and a larger bonus.

Lewis Hamilton was given a three-place grid penalty for unnecessarily impeding Oscar Piastri during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. After qualifying second behind Lando Norris, Hamilton will start fifth, while Kimi Antonelli’s separate penalty moves him to seventh. FIA stewards said Hamilton was travelling slowly on the racing line and forced Piastri to take avoiding action and abort his lap. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur admitted the team warned Hamilton too late.

Charles Leclerc laughed after his dog Leo urinated against the Red Bull garage wall beneath Max Verstappen’s number during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, while Leclerc’s wife Alexandra appeared embarrassed. Red Bull joined the joke on social media with a reference to Toto Wolff’s famous radio message. The report also notes that stewards in Budapest later acknowledged Leclerc should have received a penalty for his collision with Oscar Piastri at the previous Belgian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth for the Belgian Grand Prix after crashing in final practice and requiring quick repairs to his Ferrari. He said the car felt stronger before the crash and believed he lost a couple of tenths in qualifying compared to its earlier performance. Mercedes drivers showed superior straight‑line speed, limiting Hamilton’s expectations for gaining positions in the race. Charles Leclerc also felt he lost time due to yellow flags and echoed concerns about Mercedes’ power advantage.

Lewis Hamilton damaged his Ferrari after striking a barrier during Belgian Grand Prix qualifying, forcing him to stop trackside while the team faced a tight deadline to complete repairs. He confirmed he was unhurt but apologised over team radio as mechanics worked to recover and fix the car before the session. Kimi Antonelli led the practice times, with George Russell seeking more pace and Max Verstappen remaining a threat. Lando Norris showed strong speed but will serve a 10‑place grid penalty due to new electronic components.

Jeremy Clarkson recounted spending two hours with Max Verstappen at last year’s British Grand Prix as he returned to the Silverstone paddock as a guest of the Alpine team, whose staff were supplied with produce from his Diddly Squat Farm. Clarkson briefly toured the grid before leaving early to avoid traffic, joking about his previous experience being stuck with Verstappen, whom he praised personally. Verstappen endured a difficult weekend marked by engine issues, frustration, and a late-race crash caused by another rear-wing failure similar to his recent incident in Austria, prompting safety concerns from the driver.

Christian Horner is expected to return to the Formula 1 paddock at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, marking his first appearance since his departure from Red Bull. He recently announced a memoir titled DRIVE, detailing his two decades with the team. Horner has explored routes back into F1, including a stalled attempt to invest in Alpine and a potential partnership with BYD to form a new team. His return is likely to draw mixed reactions given his history and past disputes within the sport.