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Only Verstappen made Dutch GP possible - Ecclestone

GMM — 2026-08-08T11:16:00Z

Bernie Ecclestone says Formula 1 would never have returned to Zandvoort without Max Verstappen.
The Dutch GP rejoined the calendar in 2021 after a 36-year absence, but this month's race will be its last for the foreseeable future.
"The real reason is Max," the former Formula 1 boss told f1-insider.com.
"Without him, it would never have happened."
Ecclestone said Verstappen transformed the event into something commercially and emotionally viable.
"He makes the race special because (…)

Kristensen defends 2026 rules despite 'artificial' racing

GMM — 2026-08-08T09:24:00Z

Nine-time Le Mans winner and Audi ambassador Tom Kristensen has defended Formula 1's controversial 2026 regulations, although he admits the racing can sometimes appear artificial.
Audi entered Formula 1 partly because of the new power-unit formula, potentially colouring Kristensen's support for the concept.
"The cars have become more compact and lighter, and you can see that," he told Speed Week. "The cars are more agile, and that's the right direction for Formula 1."
However, (…)

Red Bull lines up McCullough to replace Lambiase

GMM — 2026-08-07T09:10:00Z

Red Bull is reportedly preparing another major technical signing, with Aston Martin veteran Tom McCullough lined up to become its new head of race engineering.
It had already emerged that McCullough will leave Aston Martin at the end of 2026 after more than a decade with the Silverstone-based operation.
He was moved away from the core Formula 1 program in early 2025 during a management restructure, with Mike Krack taking over his trackside duties.
Now Bild journalist Michel Milewski (…)

Perez linked with Williams as Cadillac future clouds

GMM — 2026-08-07T08:21:00Z

Sergio Perez is being linked with a possible move away from Cadillac for 2027, despite clearly outperforming teammate Valtteri Bottas during the new team's difficult debut season.
According to Japan's as-web.jp, Bottas has a two-year Cadillac contract without a release clause, explaining why both driver and team have firmly rejected speculation that American Colton Herta could replace him next year.
Perez's position is apparently less secure, despite his strong performances and (…)

Verstappen urges Dutch government to back motorsport

GMM — 2026-08-07T07:36:00Z

Max Verstappen has urged the Dutch government to do more to protect the future of motorsport as Formula 1 prepares to leave Zandvoort after this month's final Dutch GP.
The race returned in 2021 amid Verstappen's enormous popularity, with Bernie Ecclestone this week saying it would never have happened without the four-time world champion.
But Verstappen says sustaining Dutch motorsport after Formula 1 leaves will require more than his own profile.
"That's not in my hands," he told the (…)

Verstappen criticism can go too far - Albers

GMM — 2026-08-07T06:43:00Z

Christijan Albers says Max Verstappen's relentless mentality is also creating a downside as uncertainty continues over his future at Red Bull.
The former Formula 1 driver praised fellow Dutchman Verstappen's aggressive racing, including his recent battle with Lewis Hamilton.
"No, he does it to everyone," Albers said, when asked if his audacious move on Hamilton in Hungary recently was partly personal.
"That is what is so great about Max," the former Minardi driver added. "That is what (…)

Pagenaud finds new purpose in Cadillac F1 role

GMM — 2026-08-06T15:19:00Z

Simon Pagenaud says Cadillac's Formula 1 project has helped rebuild his life and career after the 2023 crash that left him with lasting neurological symptoms.
The former IndyCar champion and 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner has not raced since suffering a brake failure and violent rolls at Mid-Ohio.
Three years later, he still experiences significant vertigo depending on fatigue, according to Ouest-France newspaper.
"There were consequences due to the impacts and especially the rapid (…)

Hulkenberg ready to stay with Audi long-term

GMM — 2026-08-06T11:23:00Z

Nico Hulkenberg says he is prepared to continue racing for Audi for as long as the team wants him, with earlier doubts about his 2027 seat now fading.
The 38-year-old ended his points drought with P9 in Hungary and insists his season has been much stronger than the standings suggest.
"There's a huge discrepancy between what you see there and what actually happened on the track and where we stand as a team," Hulkenberg told Sport Bild.
"Looking at the standings, you think: What a load (…)

Camara plays down growing Haas rumours

GMM — 2026-08-06T08:28:00Z

Rafael Camara has played down growing speculation that Ferrari could place him at Haas in 2027 as a replacement for Esteban Ocon.
Ferrari's influence over the American team makes the 21-year-old Brazilian a leading candidate, although others have also been linked with Ocon's endangered seat.
Camara, a Ferrari academy member since 2022, has taken four poles and two feature-race victories during his rookie Formula 2 season.
"It's good to see," he told F2's official website when asked (…)

Red Bull paid Marko 8m euros to stay silent - report

GMM — 2026-08-06T07:45:00Z

Red Bull reportedly paid Dr Helmut Marko 8 million euros to remain silent after forcing the long-time adviser into retirement.
Writing for f1-insider.com, German journalist Ralf Bach claims Marko's termination agreement prevented him from giving interviews until the end of 2026.
"The new Red Bull bosses, led by Oliver Mintzlaff, reportedly paid 8 million euros to ensure that even the last vestiges of Mateschitz's philosophy of free speech disappeared," Bach wrote.
"A confidentiality (…)

Ferrari wins came from Mercedes failures - Wolff

GMM — 2026-08-06T07:22:00Z

Toto Wolff has played down Ferrari's two victories this season, arguing that Mercedes lost both races through circumstance and reliability rather than outright performance.
Ferrari has reduced Mercedes' constructors' championship lead to 72 points after winning in Barcelona and Silverstone, while McLaren has also moved forward with recent upgrades.
"Ferrari's two victories came because we lost them," Wolff is quoted as saying by Eurosport Italia.
"We were unlucky in Barcelona with the (…)

Cadillac veterans split Dutch F1 experts

GMM — 2026-08-06T06:41:00Z

Cadillac's decision to build its new Formula 1 project around experienced drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez has divided former Dutch racers Renger van der Zande and Jan Lammers.
Perez has performed strongly on his return and rates his own season close to 10 out of 10, although he has also questioned Cadillac's rate of development.
Bottas, meanwhile, suffered the new team's latest fiery brake failure in Hungary and had to use a barrier to stop the car.
"These new front ducts were (…)

Newey says Honda bond stronger after 'disastrous' start

GMM — 2026-08-06T06:04:00Z

Adrian Newey has joined Honda in declaring that their strained relationship has improved significantly after a disastrous start to 2026.
Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe and Aston ambassador Pedro de la Rosa recently said cooperation between the two organisations had become much stronger as reliability and performance also began to improve.
"I think what has really progressed is precisely the relationship," Newey said.
"After what can only be described as a disastrous (…)

Barcelona on standby as 2027 F1 calendar delayed

GMM — 2026-08-05T09:49:00Z

Formula 1's Middle East uncertainty is now disrupting plans for 2027, with Barcelona emerging as the likely replacement for Bahrain's traditional pre-season test.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran has already forced Bahrain's 2026 race to move to Malaysia and left Jeddah without a rescheduled date, and Qatar and Abu Dhabi under threat later this season.
Formula 1 is now also delaying publication of the 2027 calendar until autumn while preparing alternative plans for both testing and (…)

Tsolov confident F1 chance will come

GMM — 2026-08-05T09:12:00Z

Formula 2 leader Nikola Tsolov says he remains confident of earning a Formula 1 opportunity, despite Racing Bulls' existing drivers making the 2027 decision difficult.
Team principal Alan Permane recently described the 19-year-old Red Bull junior as "next in line", but Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad have both strengthened their positions with impressive performances.
"Nothing yet, unfortunately," Tsolov said in Hungary when asked what he could say about his future.
"But it's still (…)

Audi saves major ADUO upgrade for 2027

GMM — 2026-08-05T07:40:19Z

Audi will not exploit every available ADUO development opportunity this season, after making a stronger-than-expected start to its Formula 1 project.
Race director Allan McNish says the next major power unit upgrade will wait until 2027, with Audi instead preserving resources under the budget regulations.
"We used ADUO to implement small improvements in Barcelona right away," said the former Toyota driver.
"It worked well and helped us move forward. A bigger update will likely be for (…)

Schumacher wants to stay in IndyCar for 2027

GMM — 2026-08-04T11:56:00Z

Mick Schumacher says he now wants to remain in IndyCar next season, despite beginning his 2026 campaign with hopes of eventually returning to Formula 1.
The former Haas driver scored his first top-ten finish of the season at Nashville and says talks are already taking place over a 2027 seat.
"I really like these cars and I'm here to stay," Schumacher told Conor Daly's SpeedStreet podcast.
"It would be a lie if I claimed we hadn't had any talks at all. It's important to explore all (…)

Honda says strained Aston relationship 'better and better'

GMM — 2026-08-04T09:33:00Z

Honda says its relationship with Aston Martin, perceived early in 2026 as strained, has improved sharply as both sides prepare to combine the team's new chassis with an upgraded power unit at Zandvoort.
The partnership endured a disastrous start to 2026, including severe engine vibrations, reliability failures and reported tension over how the Adrian Newey-led team and Honda should address the car's weaknesses.
However, Aston Martin gained more than a second per lap with its heavily (…)

Alonso, Sainz could trigger 2027 driver-market chain

GMM — 2026-08-04T08:45:00Z

Formula 1's summer break could trigger a major midfield driver-market reshuffle involving Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz and Franco Colapinto.
Liam Lawson says his own future at Racing Bulls should also become clearer during the shutdown. "I actually have no idea about my future," the New Zealander, who could be replaced by Bulgarian and F2 leader Nikola Tsolov, said in Hungary.
"I think those kinds of conversations normally take place around the summer break. So I am sure it will be (…)

Ferrari vows to keep aggressive upgrade pace

GMM — 2026-08-04T08:06:00Z

Ferrari will continue bringing frequent smaller upgrades after the summer break rather than copying McLaren's strategy of introducing fewer but larger packages.
McLaren made a major step in Hungary, where reigning champion Lando Norris won after the team's difficult start to 2026.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur says the two teams simply follow different development philosophies.
"McLaren makes a huge step forward with every major update," he said.
"We have a different philosophy. We (…)

Norris says fame leaves him feeling 'violated'

GMM — 2026-08-04T06:50:00Z

Lando Norris says Formula 1 fame has begun to make him feel "violated" after paparazzi followed him through London for 40 minutes.
The reigning world champion says he now wants to spend more time outside his home rather than avoiding attention.
"I am getting a bit older, and I want to be able to go out," the McLaren driver told The Independent.
"That doesn't mean go out and party - that just means have dinners and get out of the house."
"Last year, I would just game and feel like a (…)

Prince sells Zandvoort stake before final Dutch GP

GMM — 2026-07-31T14:26:00Z

Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau has sold his stake in Circuit Zandvoort just weeks before the final Dutch GP.
The prince and business partner Menno de Jong acquired the circuit in 2016 and helped bring Formula 1 back to the Netherlands in 2021 after a 36-year absence.
The return coincided with Max Verstappen's rise and the huge growth of Formula 1's popularity in the Netherlands.
Prince Bernhard is now transferring his circuit interests, along with stakes in other businesses and (…)

Hamilton opens first trading-card flagship

GMM — 2026-07-31T10:29:00Z

Lewis Hamilton has opened the first flagship store for his new trading-card business in Frankfurt.
'Card Culture by Lewis Hamilton' is a joint venture between the seven-time world champion's investment company and Dave and Adam's Card World, with further stores planned across Europe, Australia, the Middle East and Asia.
"Through Card Culture, I believe we have a significant opportunity to tap into the culture around trading cards in a way no one has been able to before," Hamilton said. (…)

Bearman open to leaving Ferrari for title chance

GMM — 2026-07-31T09:34:00Z

Oliver Bearman has left the door open to leaving Ferrari's driver program if another team can offer him a faster route towards race wins and world championships.
Haas is believed to be determined to retain the 21-year-old, who has impressed despite the team's difficult season, amid speculation that Esteban Ocon could be replaced by F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli or Ferrari junior Rafael Camara.
However, Bearman has also been linked with Aston Martin because Fernando Alonso has not yet (…)

Verstappen tipped to confirm Red Bull stay at Zandvoort

GMM — 2026-07-31T07:52:00Z

Max Verstappen could finally confirm at Zandvoort that he will remain with Red Bull through 2028, according to former Formula 1 driver Robert Doornbos.
Verstappen was again photographed holidaying with Toto Wolff and their respective partners in Sardinia, around the yachts both regularly use in the area.
However, Mercedes has not pursued the Dutchman as aggressively this year, while recent links with McLaren would require Verstappen to leave his long-time Red Bull environment to join Zak (…)

Hockenheim, Domenicali, open door to German GP return

GMM — 2026-07-31T06:16:00Z

Formula 1 has offered Germany a rare sign of hope after years without a grand prix, confirming that initial talks have begun with Hockenheim about a possible long-term return.
Germany has disappeared from the calendar despite its enormous Formula 1 history, as political resistance to cars, rising hosting fees and the absence of public financial support have made races commercially impossible.
The country last hosted Formula 1 at the Nurburgring in 2020 as an emergency pandemic (…)

Las Vegas GP settles lawsuit over 2023 drain-cover chaos

GMM — 2026-07-30T12:31:00Z

Formula 1's Las Vegas GP and parent company Liberty Media have agreed to pay more than $3 million to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from the chaotic opening night of the inaugural 2023 race.
A loose water-valve cover damaged multiple cars during first practice and caused a delay of around two and a half hours, before spectators were ordered to leave and missed the resumed session.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, fans holding either one-day practice tickets or three-day (…)

Honda's new engine runs cleanly in Hungary test

GMM — 2026-07-30T10:54:00Z

Honda's upgraded power unit completed its first track running without apparent problems at the Hungaroring on Wednesday, raising hopes that Aston Martin's chassis breakthrough will soon be matched by a major engine step.
Jak Crawford drove the AMR26 during the permitted 200-kilometre filming day, using the new specification that is scheduled to make its race debut at Zandvoort after the summer break.
The upgrade is rumoured to deliver approximately 40 horsepower more than the previous (…)

Antonelli lawsuit 'about respect and principles'

GMM — 2026-07-30T08:38:00Z

The lawyer representing Kimi Antonelli's former manager says the lawsuit against the championship leader is not merely about money, but recognition for years spent developing his career.
Giovanni Minardi, the son of former Formula 1 team owner Gian Carlo Minardi, filed the civil action in Bologna after Antonelli and his family terminated their management agreement before his Formula 1 debut.
The case concerns alleged unpaid remuneration and compensation for the unilateral termination of (…)

Domenicali doubts Verstappen will quit F1

GMM — 2026-07-30T07:50:00Z

Stefano Domenicali doubts Max Verstappen will walk away from Formula 1, but insists the sport would continue to thrive without him.
The comments come as Verstappen and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff have again been photographed holidaying in Sardinia, where both regularly spend time aboard their yachts during the summer break.
A similar encounter last year was dismissed as coincidental, and neither side has commented on the latest images.
Despite the continuing speculation about Verstappen's (…)