Formula 1 news

02 October 2026 10:48
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has given an insight into what fans of the Maranello outfit should expect from this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The Frenchman explained that the team must focus its set-up entirely on race pace to combat severe tyre degradation.
Following a run of low-degradation street circuits and high-speed tracks, Formula 1's return to the Sepang ...
02 October 2026 10:05
Ferrari Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have completed a track test of the new Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale at Fiorano.
The time on track allowed both drivers the opportunity to share their feedback on the new super GT, which is powered by a front-mid-mounted 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine producing 830 hp.
The 12Cilindri Manuale was unveiled in July 2026 and is ...
02 October 2026 09:59
Fred Vasseur has addressed the speculation surrounding his role as Ferrari team principal following FP1 of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Rumours of his future at the Italian outfit have been building for days and further fuelled by Christian Horner's musing about wanting the role. Today, Vasseur revealed that attacks on his character became "a bit personal."
It's been a weekend of damage ...
02 October 2026 09:51
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has welcomed the public backing of his bosses and called on his team to remain united rather than point fingers and get distracted by outside noise.
While Ferrari has enjoyed an upturn in form under the new 2026 regulations, Vasseur's position returned to the centre of media speculation earlier this week. The cause was an interview in The Times in which former ...
02 October 2026 08:27
Franco Colapinto has claimed that “no one ever talks about” how he also receives lots of social media abuse, following the fallout to his clash at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Alpine driver locked up from deep into Turn 1 at a safety car restart in Baku last weekend, colliding into team-mate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
It caused an angry Norris who, before ...
02 October 2026 08:10
Mercedes went five months without touching the W17 and still built a 160-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors' championship. Six wins in ten races will do that. So when the team finally rolled out a serious upgrade package at Sepang for the Bahrain Grand Prix, the question isn't about whether it will be fast, it's how fast.
This upgrade package is the first serious change Mercedes has ...
02 October 2026 07:43
Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso has revealed that he took his son, Leonard, for a lap in a go-kart at just two months old.
The Aston Martin driver opened up about adapting to fatherhood alongside his ongoing F1 commitments during an interview with Spanish radio sports programme El Larguero. 
Alonso revealed that his son, who is now six months old, has already been introduced to ...
02 October 2026 07:38
Max Verstappen topped opening practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia aboard a highly competitive 2026 Red Bull Formula 1 car in an uninterrupted session at Sepang.
The four-time world champion posted a 1m37.520s to go 0.383s quicker than second-placed George Russell of Mercedes, with Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar completing the top three on a 1m38.303s. 
It came on F1’s ...
02 October 2026 07:23
Press conferences in Formula 1 can come with plenty of rehearsed answers - we all saw Yuki Tsunoda's briefing sheet when he temporarily took Liam Lawson's seat a month ago. These filters can sometimes tame what could be an exciting answer, but it's safe to say Max Verstappen has no such filter as one of his answers on Thursday at Sepang won over fans.
F1 has returned to the legendary track ...
02 October 2026 07:16
Alpine driver Franco Colapinto is set for an additional grid penalty at Formula 1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia after taking a new Mercedes V6 engine.
Colapinto was set for a five-place grid drop at Sepang, which he carried over from last weekend as a punishment for causing a collision with Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris in Baku.
The Argentinian will now be demoted further for taking a fifth ...
02 October 2026 06:12
Mercedes has revealed its updates for Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, introducing a vastly reworked floor and sidepods as it seeks to increase its control in both 2026 championships.
The W17 has been the class of the field so far in 2026, although has faced competition from Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull intermittently throughout the season.
Although none of them has been able to ...
01 October 2026 23:18
Max Verstappen hasn't sat in a GT3 car since leading his class at the Nurburgring 24 Hours back in May, and he's about to jump into one against Valentino Rossi with very little lead time. On October 17, he'll climb into the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the GT World Challenge Europe finale at Portimao, sharing driving duties with Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat.
The seat opened up because ...
01 October 2026 21:40
A 1991 Honda NSX previously owned by three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna will go under the hammer in London on 31 October and is expected to reach between £500,000 and £800,000.
Chassis T000233, which is in Formula Red with a contrasting black roof, was one of three NSX models allocated to the Brazilian driver. The legendary car boasts a six-cylinder three-litre engine producing 271bhp ...
01 October 2026 21:39
Lando Norris has apologised for his Baku outburst twice now, once privately to Franco Colapinto and once publicly on Instagram. By any normal standard, that should have closed the book on what became a messy weekend. But fans of the reigning champion have found an interview between Colapinto and ESPN Argentina, and aren't too fussed with what the driver had to say as they took out their ...
01 October 2026 20:26
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has brushed off concerns that close friendships between Formula 1 drivers could impact their competitive edge on track.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown stated in his book that he prefers drivers not to be friends, explaining that off-track camaraderie can make them reluctant to race each other aggressively.
Several of the current F1 drivers went to the island of ...
01 October 2026 18:34
Formula 1 returns to Sepang this weekend for the first time since 2017, with Malaysia stepping in to host the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Bahrain GP was originally scheduled for April but was cancelled amid the conflict in the Middle East. The replacement event keeps the Bahrain name and instead takes place at the Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur.
Kimi Antonelli arrives ...
01 October 2026 18:15
Aston Martin announced this week that both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would be returning for another season in 2027. Of course, only Alonso's future was in doubt given that Stroll's father owns the team.
Alonso's two main concerns have been the sub-optimal nature of the 2026 technical regulations and the disappointingly uncompetitive AMR26, which remains in the lower reaches of the ...
01 October 2026 18:00
Max Verstappen has finished on the podium in no fewer than six of the last eight Formula 1 weekends, but one thing is still missing: a victory.
Asked whether Red Bull's form is finally starting to look respectable again after a very difficult start to the 2026 season, the Dutchman immediately makes his ambition clear: "It's true that we are scoring quite a few podiums now, but I want to ...
01 October 2026 17:49
2025 Formula 1 champion Lando Norris has firmly ruled out extending his motorsport career into his 40s, stating he has no desire to follow in the footsteps of Fernando Alonso.
Alonso confirmed that he would continue with Aston Martin in 2027 in the days leading up to the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, which is being held in Malaysia. The contract extension will keep the Spaniard in the series at ...
01 October 2026 17:28
Malaysia's Sepang circuit is making a one-off return to the Formula 1 calendar as a proxy host for the Bahrain Grand Prix, bringing challenges both familiar and new.
The hot and humid conditions, along with the daily late-afternoon rain downpour, act as a Proustian madeleine for those with previous experience of this venue. For others – including most of the drivers on the grid – these are ...
01 October 2026 16:52
Formula 1 broadcaster Will Buxton has warned Ferrari it would be "absolutely ludicrous" to replace team principal Fred Vasseur with Christian Horner, following intense paddock speculation regarding the former Red Bull chief's future.
Rumours linking Horner to Maranello accelerated after the Briton told The Times that Ferrari is the only team he would consider joining without an equity ...
01 October 2026 16:14
Reigning Formula 1 champion Lando Norris says he issued a public apology to Franco Colapinto to help calm the waters as his calls for a race ban sparked an online backlash.
Norris slammed Colapinto for causing a pile-up at last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, calling for a race ban for the Argentinian driver.
The McLaren driver soon reached out to apologise to Colapinto for going too far ...
01 October 2026 15:51
Formula 1 is about to race a Bahrain Grand Prix not in Bahrain. Malaysia, the country adopting the previously cancelled race, is offering a hot weekend for your favourite drivers - one that Mercedes ace George Russell says will pose an issue when it comes to keeping tyres at their optimum temperature.
Talking in Thursday's media session, the Briton has warned that the hot temperatures of the ...
01 October 2026 15:14
Formula 1's exclusive United States broadcasting partner, Apple TV, has confirmed that this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia will be available to stream entirely free of charge.
The race weekend will not require a paid subscription, providing unrestricted access to the entire schedule of on-track action at the Sepang International Circuit. This is part of Apple TV's plan to broadcast ...
01 October 2026 15:00
This week the Haas Formula 1 team confirmed what had long been mooted in the paddock: Esteban Ocon will be leaving at the end of the current 2026 season. But the man himself has designs on staying in F1.
“My focus is on Formula 1,” he said in Malaysia. “That is clear, that's where I belong, that's where I want to be. So I'm not going to look elsewhere.
“But you never know what can ...
01 October 2026 14:54
Kimi Antonelli's Azerbaijan Grand Prix started in the worst way when technical issues hampered his practice and a crash in Q1 forced him to start 16th on the grid. Talking ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, the young championship leader revealed the hard call that rescued what was a very difficult weekend on a street circuit where overtaking is difficult.
While a less mature mind would ...
01 October 2026 14:00
After a tumultuous season for Ferrari, the outfit stood up on the last weekend of September to calm the nerves of not only its followers, but also its hard-working employees. Chief communication officer Maria Conti told reporters the team has "confidence - full confidence - in Fred Vasseur and in his team, and we continue to do so." Unsurprisingly, Lewis Hamilton has now answered questions on his ...
01 October 2026 13:17
After the double podium in Baku – a first for Red Bull since China 2024 – a considerable challenge awaits in Malaysia if the team is to repeat that result. Not only can Mercedes count on its long-awaited upgrade for the W17, but Isack Hadjar will also have to serve a grid penalty.
The Frenchman revealed it at Sepang on Thursday, when Motorsport.com asked him whether the Baku race weekend ...
01 October 2026 12:51
Charles Leclerc has revealed he has deleted all social media applications from his phone to block out external "silly rumours" surrounding Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.
Speculation regarding Vasseur's position in the Maranello outfit recently prompted the Frenchman to admit after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix that the team was not operating with its usual "serenity". 
When asked about ...
01 October 2026 12:13
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Fred Vasseur "really is the guy to take this team in the right direction" amid destabilising rumours around his future.
Just over one year on from the last barrage of rumours around his future, which were quelled by signing a new contract, Vasseur's future has been under increased scrutiny again.
A recent interview with former Red Bull chief ...
01 October 2026 11:44
Arvid Lindblad will start from the back of the grid for Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia with a series of power unit penalties set to be applied for the race at Sepang.
The Briton will dip beyond his allocation of power unit components for F1's return to Malaysia, and is set to use a fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and exhaust for this weekend's race.
Lindblad had ...
01 October 2026 11:34
The Audi Formula 1 team has revealed plans for its long-term development, including a new 'campus' near the existing factory in Hinwil, Switzerland.
"Elements of the new Campus on Zurichstrasse became operational in summer 2026, with the full development scheduled for completion in 2030," said the team in a statement.
Peter Sauber founded his eponymous team, using Hinwil as a base, in ...
01 October 2026 11:23
It had been on the cards for a long time, but ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia it was finally officially announced: Fernando Alonso will add another year to his illustrious Formula 1 career, which will make 2027 his 24th season at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Almost everyone in the paddock already knew that Alonso would stay, which also explains why Mike Krack repeatedly said he was ...
01 October 2026 10:36
Red Bull star Max Verstappen will use the brief gap between two Formula 1 triple-headers to contest a GT3 race at Portimao.
The Dutchman will drive a Mercedes-AMG GT3 entered by 2 Seas Motorsport under the Verstappen Racing banner at the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portugal on 16-18 October.
This would mark the four-time F1 champion’s first outing in SRO’s GT World Challenge ...
01 October 2026 10:35
Franco Colapinto appears to have survived the wrath of Alpine Formula 1 boss Flavio Briatore after he triggered a late-race accident in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix - which cost the team a double points finish. Colapinto locked his brakes during a safety car restart and took out both team-mate Pierre Gasly and McLaren's Lando Norris
Briatore's post-race statement triggered speculation that he ...
01 October 2026 09:00
Formula 1 broadcaster Will Buxton believes team principal Laurent Mekies has removed Red Bull's second seat "curse" by replacing the Milton Keynes outfit's historically ruthless environment with a more supportive team culture.
Red Bull has struggled to find a team-mate for four-time champion Max Verstappen for some time. Sergio Perez, who now drives for Cadillac, was replaced in the second ...
01 October 2026 08:04
Valtteri Bottas has offered theories behind his off-colour Azerbaijan Grand Prix performance, suggesting that damper degradation was giving his Cadillac increasingly poor ride characteristics through the race.
The Finn endured a struggle through the weekend at Baku, largely cemented to the bottom of the timesheets. This was magnified by team-mate Sergio Perez enjoying a characteristically ...
01 October 2026 06:26
Esteban Ocon’s Formula 1 options are gradually running out, and Toyota will not provide one in the WEC.
After Haas officially announced this week that it will end its partnership with the 30-year-old Frenchman at the conclusion of the 2026 season, media speculation has been rife over where Ocon’s career might take him next.
With Aston Martin having confirmed that it will continue ...
01 October 2026 05:56
Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe has revealed that Honda actually introduced its second ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) upgrade as early as Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix, with the upgrade focused on the power unit's turbocharger.
Aston Martin and Honda struggled from the start of the season, but their performance slightly improved after a major chassis ...
30 September 2026 23:37
Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has dismissed the possibility of Christian Horner and Fred Vasseur working alongside each other at Ferrari.
Speculation regarding Horner's future intensified after he told The Times he would consider a leadership role at the Maranello outfit. Horner described working with Ferrari as "the dream" and indicated it is the only team at which he ...
30 September 2026 22:20
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has "spooked himself" and must "get out of his head" to avoid crumbling under the pressure of the Formula 1 fight, according to pundit Naomi Schiff.
The Mercedes driver arrived at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a commanding 81-point lead. But that advantage was reduced to 66 points after team-mate George Russell successfully converted pole position to a race ...
30 September 2026 21:56
Mercedes driver George Russell has shared details of a boys' trip to Langkawi, which included a local go-karting race, ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Taking to Instagram, Russell posted photographs of the trip with six other Formula 1 drivers: Oscar Piastri, Alex Albon, Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto and Lando Norris.
The photos show the group ...
30 September 2026 18:04
Formula 1 broadcaster Will Buxton says drivers who fail to publicly condemn toxic online abuse from their supporters are "complicit" in the behaviour.
2025 F1 champion Lando Norris's heat-of-the-moment comments following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix led to a wave of backlash online from Alpine driver Franco Colapinto's passionate Argentine fanbase.
Colapinto locked up and triggered a multi-car ...
30 September 2026 17:49
Formula 1 heads to the middle point of its current triple header this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia serving as round 16 of the 2026 season.
It marks the first time that F1 will race in the country since 2017 as a result of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, which forced Bahrain to cancel its grand prix earlier in the year.
But that is not the only talking point, so here ...
30 September 2026 16:49
With "Schumacher '94 – The Birth of a Legend", streaming provider Netflix is releasing its second "Schumi" documentary on October 2, 2026, following "Schumacher" (2021). We were able to watch the new film ahead of its worldwide release. Here is what Formula 1 fans can expect from "Schumacher '94".
"Spoiler" warning: This article describes certain scenes and content from the documentary ...
30 September 2026 16:16
F1 TV pundit Alex Brundle has questioned whether McLaren's latest Formula 1 upgrade package is already destined for the "bin".
The Woking outfit arrived at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a big upgrade package. But the reigning champion suffered a pointless weekend.
2025 Formula 1 champion Lando Norris crashed in a Turn 1 incident at a safety car restart when Alpine's Franco Colapinto locked ...
30 September 2026 14:58
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 ...
30 September 2026 14:47
Mercedes will have to thread the needle keeping its strategy calls fair to both drivers amid George Russell's title resurgence, team boss Toto Wolff has acknowledged.
After having to adapt his driving style to the new cars for 2026, Russell has been edging back towards his best form in recent races, accentuated by a dominant pole-to-flag victory in Baku.
His win cut team-mate Kimi ...
30 September 2026 13:59
The news is finally out that Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign following a disappointing time with the American outfit.
He joined for 2025 and considering his then eight seasons of experience, including four podiums and a victory in Hungary, Ocon was viewed as a real coup for Haas.
The Frenchman became its first grand prix-winning driver and, lining up ...
30 September 2026 11:43
Cadillac has reduced its front brake temperature by 100C, Valtteri Bottas has revealed, curing one of the nascent Formula 1 team’s Achilles’ heels.
Brake overheating has been a major issue with the MAC-26, forcing Bottas into retirement in Hungary, Monaco and Austria, with the problem also taking Sergio Perez out of the Red Bull Ring race.
On top of this, the overheating meant Cadillac ...