25 September 2026 21:58
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has detailed a bizarre off-track encounter with American television host Jimmy Fallon, who interrupted his business dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant by sending a takeaway pizza to his table.
Domenicali made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and the pair reflected on Fallon's first experience of F1 ...
25 September 2026 21:31
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the championship is closing in on 1 billion global fans, driven by a younger audience, an increase in female viewership and more access to driver personalities.
Speaking during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Domenicali discussed F1's ongoing expansion and its success in growing in the United States.
"We are almost at 1 billion ...
25 September 2026 20:36
Williams’ 2026 car had infamously been overweight after Formula 1 switched to a new technical ruleset, but a brand-new chassis introduced at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has provided substantial performance.
Carlos Sainz was consistently quick in Baku, finishing 11th in Q1, then ninth in the next two segments of qualifying. Williams had never done so well this year – its best results had been ...
25 September 2026 19:04
Esteban Ocon has blamed his Q2 exit at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on yellow flags – and rued “all the s**t” he’s been dealing with across a tough 2026 Formula 1 campaign at Haas.
Ocon has infamously been plagued by inconsistency in the way car parts perform – an issue that has been acknowledged by the American team – in 10 out of 15 rounds so far, according to him.
This hasn’t ...
25 September 2026 18:24
A technical problem caused a lack of top speed on Lando Norris’ McLaren Formula 1 car in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying, with the reigning world champion down in fifth.
Despite having outqualified team-mate Oscar Piastri 9-1 in the 10 previous sessions, Norris found himself three tenths’ adrift in Q3 – his worst deficit of the season. A lock-up in Q3 didn’t help, but as it happens ...
25 September 2026 18:07
Williams driver Carlos Sainz has been handed a five-place grid drop for Saturday's Azerbaijan GP in Baku as a punishment for speeding under yellow flags in qualifying.
At the end of Q3, Sainz was the last of three cars to be hindered by a yellow flag in Turn 3 for Lando Norris, who had gone off into the escape road. As Sainz approached the braking zone, Norris had already returned to the ...
25 September 2026 17:37
After setting the fastest time in final practice and feeling good about the upgrades, Verstappen hoped to pull off a surprise in Baku, but an engine problem threw a spanner in the works.
Initially, it appeared to be related to deployment issues and therefore problems on the electrical side of the power unit, but speaking to the (very small) group of Dutch media in the Baku paddock, Verstappen ...
25 September 2026 17:22
Formula 1 heads into Saturday in Baku with George Russell on pole and a major opportunity to cut into Kimi Antonelli championship lead after his Mercedes team-mate crashed out of qualifying.
Russell dominated the final part of qualifying to take his fifth pole of the season, beating Charles Leclerc by more than eight tenths. Oscar Piastri starts third for McLaren, ahead of the returning Isack ...
25 September 2026 16:52
Having qualified on pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, George Russell tipped Max Verstappen as his most immediate danger in the race – but joked about his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli's remarkable Monza comeback.
Such a scenario could be on the cards again since Antonelli hit the wall on his second flying lap in Q1, damaging his front suspension and steering as well as the ...
25 September 2026 16:41
Lewis Hamilton has rued Ferrari’s qualifying strategy at Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, explaining it left him without a slipstream.
Hamilton’s performance worsened throughout qualifying on Friday in Baku, as he outpaced team-mate Charles Leclerc by exactly one tenth in Q1 before ending up 0.257s and 0.495s adrift in the following two segments respectively. As a consequence, he was ...
25 September 2026 16:36
Isack Hadjar qualified fourth in Baku with a strong performance in qualifying - but believes there was more on the table for him and Red Bull on Friday in Azerbaijan. Had he not missed the last three weekends, he's adamant, he would have been second.
“Nothing outstanding," he said of his session to the media, including Motorsport.com. "I just feel like I just need more laps in the car to ...
25 September 2026 16:23
*The Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have been sent to the back of the grid after multiple power unit component changes
*Carlos Sainz got a five-place grid penalty for a yellow-flag infringement
2
Charles Leclerc(Ferrari)
1
George ...
25 September 2026 16:13
F1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli says he needs to "do a much better job" after an "unnecessary" qualifying incident in Baku left him 16th on the grid.
Antonelli made an unforced error in Q1 when he tagged the inside wall in Turn 1 left-hander to start his second flying lap, sustaining terminal suspension damage that forced him to park his Mercedes W17.
Antonelli's first lap had already ...
25 September 2026 16:02
Sky Sports Formula 1 pundit Jamie Chadwick has claimed that Kimi Antonelli's crash during qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a return to old habits, branding his Q1 shunt an unnecessary risk given Mercedes' pace.
Antonelli, who currently leads the drivers' championship by 81 points over his team-mate George Russell, prematurely ended his qualifying session after clipping the wall on ...
25 September 2026 15:14
Mercedes driver George Russell has beaten Charles Leclerc to take a dominant pole at F1's Azerbaijan GP, while team-mate and title favourite Kimi Antonelli crashed out of Q1.
At the 6km Baku City Circuit, Antonelli tagged the barriers on the inside of the Turn 1 left-hander during Q1, unable to limp back home in his Mercedes W17 with terminal front-left suspension damage. Antonelli had already ...
25 September 2026 11:37
Red Bull's Max Verstappen surprisingly took the fastest time in third and final practice for F1's Azerbaijan GP, pipping Mercedes driver George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton on Baku's tricky street circuit.
Verstappen took command at the very end of the one-hour session as teams switched to qualifying runs, defying Mercedes' favourite status in Baku by catching a big slipstream to go ...
25 September 2026 11:11
Formula 1 should overhaul its sprint race points system and reassess aerodynamic testing restrictions to accommodate an expanding sprint calendar, according to presenter Will Buxton.
The 2027 F1 calendar includes 10 sprint race weekends in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Canada, Monaco, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
During an appearance on the Up To Speed podcast, Buxton ...
25 September 2026 10:37
Lewis Hamilton was reprimanded for impeding Liam Lawson during Thursday's second practice in FP2 but this wasn't the end of the matter.
Even before a single car had turned a wheel on the Baku City Circuit, concerns had been raised about how cars running slowly to harvest or conserve electrical energy through the final corners could represent a hazard to those on a push lap.
In previous ...
25 September 2026 10:15
Red Bull has introduced its final significant upgrade package for the RB22 in Baku. After the opening practice sessions, technical director Waché concluded that the correlation is good and that the package – which includes a new floor and revised sidepods – is doing what was expected of it.
Behind the scenes, the focus has already been on the 2027 challenger for some time, partly because ...
24 September 2026 19:10
Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has warned that "heads will roll" if Williams's upgraded FW48 fails to deliver an immediate step forward in performance.
The Grove outfit has struggled all season with an overweight car. After 14 rounds, it sits ninth in the constructors' championship with 11 points: six points from Carlos Sainz and five points from Alex Albon.
But it has now ...
24 September 2026 19:07
Mercedes made a very strong statement during Thursday’s practice sessions at the Baku City Circuit. George Russell topped the times in both sessions, with the first non-Mercedes car almost a second adrift at the end of the day (Max Verstappen at 0.827s).Mercedes will introduce its long-awaited upgrade package for the W17 in Malaysia, but even without new parts on the car, rivals have been ...
24 September 2026 18:31
Formula 1 heads into Friday in Baku with Mercedes firmly on top after George Russell led championship leader Kimi Antonelli in second practice for the Azerbaijan GP.
Russell topped FP2 by more than half a second from his team-mate, with Max Verstappen third for Red Bull. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton followed in fourth and fifth, while Lando Norris was the leading McLaren in sixth after ...
24 September 2026 18:16
1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve says the lack of female drivers on the current grid is fundamentally a numbers game.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 in Azerbaijan alongside three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, who became the first woman in over a decade to test a Williams F1 car this week, Villeneuve pointed to the small talent pool as a major issue for women in ...
24 September 2026 17:36
Lando Norris has described McLaren’s lack of performance at Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix as “a little knife in the heart”.
Norris took a lowly 14th in the opening practice session on Thursday, 1.6s slower than George Russell’s benchmark – although team-mate Oscar Piastri was just one second down. His deficit was 1.5s as he drove to sixth in FP2, with Red Bull and Ferrari ...
24 September 2026 17:32
As Formula 1 enters the final phase of the season, with three triple-headers on paper, the question remains where the 2026 season will end. In theory, the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are still scheduled to take place, and F1 strongly emphasises that, as things stand, this also remains plan A.
At the same time, F1 has to be prepared for a scenario in which those races have to be cancelled ...
24 September 2026 17:12
The Cadillac F1 team has snapped up engineering trio Craig Skinner, Eric Blandin and Tim Lean as it aims to accelerate its development.
Former Red Bull chief designer Skinner, the architect of Red Bull's championship winning RB19, joins as Cadillac's chief development engineer. Motorsport.com understands Skinner was close to a move to Alpine, but is instead taking up the US-owned team's ...
24 September 2026 16:49
Jamie Chadwick described her maiden Formula 1 test with Williams as "surreal" as she reflected on the experience, revealing her appreciation for the championship has now "gone through the roof".
The 28-year-old Briton, who became the first woman in over a decade to test a Williams F1 car, took to the track at Portimao in the Grove outfit's 2025 challenger and completed 32 laps as part of F1's ...
24 September 2026 15:45
Lewis Hamilton has been reprimanded by the Formula 1 stewards after allegedly impeding Liam Lawson during second practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Ferrari driver was caught harvesting energy through the final sector in Baku on Friday, whereas Lawson was on a hot lap aboard his Racing Bulls.
It meant the Kiwi closed quickly and was forced into avoidant action at the penultimate ...
24 September 2026 15:41
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will start from the back of the grid at F1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after receiving grid penalties for fitting new Honda power unit components.
Alonso and Stroll had already suffered grid drops earlier this year as Honda's reliability woes meant neither driver had any hope of sticking to the season's allowance of four engines.
Aston Martin and ...
24 September 2026 15:09
Former IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe says Williams finally hitting Formula 1's minimum weight limit will provide the Grove outfit with "free lap time" at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Williams has introduced a heavily updated FW48 in Baku after struggling with an overweight car since the start of the season.
During the F1 Nation podcast, Hinchcliffe discussed the impact ...
24 September 2026 15:08
Jamie Chadwick became the latest female to drive a Formula 1 car after completing a Testing of Previous Cars programme for Williams at Portimao.
The 28-year-old completed 32 laps in Portugal on Monday aboard the FW47 from last year, as part of her development driver duties for the British outfit.
It meant she became the second female to drive an F1 car this year after Doriane Pin completed a ...
24 September 2026 15:06
Mercedes driver George Russell ended Thursday's practice running at F1's Azerbaijan GP on top after comfortably leading FP2.
Russell held off Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli as the Silver Arrows enjoyed a comfortable cushion through the fast streets in Baku.
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Formula 1George Russell tops Azerbaijan FP1 as Kimi Antonelli suffers Mercedes ...
24 September 2026 14:23
Red Bull is one of the teams bringing a major upgrade package to the Baku City Circuit. At Williams, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix had already been circled in red for a long time, while McLaren has arrived with significantly revised sidepods, among other changes.
The FIA’s technical document also shows five upgrades for Red Bull. The most significant of these is a new floor “with subtle ...
24 September 2026 13:50
Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies confirmed that Isack Hadjar does have a ‘long-term contract’ with the team despite confusion from his driver.
On Wednesday it was announced that Hadjar has been retained by Red Bull for 2027, meaning he will start a second season as team-mate to four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
It comes after Hadjar completed his rookie campaign at sister squad Racing ...
24 September 2026 13:50
The details in a Formula 1 driver contract is highly-guarded information, but often the length of the deal is released to the wider world.
Here is how long each F1 driver contract is believed to be and therefore what moves could be possible and when in the future.
McLaren
Lando Norris – 2030
The reigning F1 world champion recently announced a new four-year contract with McLaren which ...
24 September 2026 13:18
Valtteri Bottas has unveiled a special one-off helmet design for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to raise awareness and funds for the Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary.
The Cadillac Formula 1 driver revealed the design on social media during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. The helmet, designed by his partner Tiffany Cromwell, features an African sunset theme.
The helmet supports Care For Wild, the ...
24 September 2026 13:15
At just 20, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli is of an age where many people feel they have nothing to learn from those more experienced than them. Having won eight grands prix this year, including five consecutive rounds from China to Monaco, he could almost be forgiven for taking that view.
Antonelli currently leads team-mate George Russell by 292 points to 211. Max Verstappen, sixth in the ...
24 September 2026 12:40
Three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick has warned current Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli that the title pressure will eventually take its toll.
Antonelli won his eighth grand prix of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix and extended his lead in the standings to 81 points over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who sits second.
As the 20-year-old driver continues to ...
24 September 2026 12:21
Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has predicted another clash between Ferrari team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, warning that the Monegasque needs to "earn that respect back".
The intra-team dynamics at the Maranello outfit have been a big talking point this season. While Hamilton struggled to adapt to the team in 2025, the Briton has bounced back in 2026, earning his first ...
24 September 2026 11:36
Mercedes driver George Russell led Max Verstappen in the first free practice at F1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli hit trouble.
Russell's 1m45.387s lap, set with 20 minutes to go in the one-hour session, was comfortably enough to hold off the competition as his Mercedes team-mate disappeared from the session early, with Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc rounding out the ...
24 September 2026 10:14
Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard believes the addition of a sprint race could improve the entertainment of the new Madring circuit after it was announced that the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix weekend would host a sprint for the first time.
F1 recently confirmed the 2027 racing calendar, which includes 10 sprint races in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Canada, Monaco, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil ...
24 September 2026 09:28
Williams is bringing a major update package to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, one that team boss James Vowles promised earlier in the season would result in an "almost completely new" car.
What remains to be seen, at this late stage, is how useful it will be – both in terms of immediate performance uplift and the direction of 2027 development.
Alex Albon has described it as a "big step" but ...
24 September 2026 09:17
Lewis Hamilton has disagreed with the decision to shorten Formula 1 grands prix from the 2027 campaign, arguing “longer races” is what the championship needs.
On Monday it was announced that the length of a standard grand prix will go from 305km to 290km to reduce the cost of chassis changes fitting the reworked power units from next year.
The 2027 season will see an increase in the ...
23 September 2026 18:33
Formula 1 heads to Baku this week for an unusually early Azerbaijan GP weekend, with all of the on-track action shifted forward by a day.
Free practice begins on Thursday, qualifying takes place on Friday and the grand prix itself will be held on Saturday. The change was requested because Azerbaijan marks Remembrance Day on Sunday, September 27.
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku firmly in ...
23 September 2026 18:00
Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer has suggested that McLaren's Oscar Piastri may need a winter reset after a difficult 2026 campaign.
Piastri heads into this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix following an eighth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, while his team-mate Lando Norris claimed pole position and built a decent lead before an ill-timed virtual safety car derailed his ...
23 September 2026 17:18
George Russell is being forced to "rewire his brain" as he struggles to consistently match his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli, according to former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard.
Russell was considered one of the favourites for the 2026 title heading into the season, but after winning the Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese sprint race, he watched on as his teenage team-mate took the ...
23 September 2026 16:39
The Formula 1 calendar presented for 2027 looks logical when it comes to the sequence of grands prix, but some of the choices for the sprint races have caused surprise.
F1 has not only decided to increase the number to 10 – which was commercially inevitable – but the chosen locations are interesting as well. The opening weekend in Bahrain and the season finale in Abu Dhabi, for example ...
23 September 2026 16:00
Former IndyCar Series driver and F1 TV pundit James Hinchcliffe has argued that Ferrari is "happy" to manage the escalating intra-team rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, insisting it is exactly what the Maranello outfit wanted when it signed the seven-time champion.
After struggling in his first season with Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton bounced back in 2026, having adjusted to the ...
23 September 2026 15:54
Lando Norris driving McLaren’s new Hypercar may seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of Formula 1 things, but the reigning world champion would disagree.
Norris took the wheel of the MCL-HY at Algarve last week, completing just 38 laps – enough to get a feel for the World Endurance Championship’s top machinery and provide feedback to McLaren ahead of the brand’s 2027 debut.
The ...
23 September 2026 15:47
Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar will return to the Formula 1 grid at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, sporting the special helmet design originally commissioned for the Dutch Grand Prix.
The delayed debut of the helmet follows a three-race absence for the French-Algerian driver after he sustained a wrist injury during the summer break.
Having now recovered, he will step into the cockpit ...
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