Formula 1
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F1 Belgian GP: Verstappen tops wet FP3 as Stroll crashes
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen topped a rain-hit FP3 session at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix, where Lance Stroll crashed and the officials suspended running due to the deluge.Oscar Piastri and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly slotted into second and third ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren before the first disruption occurred with Stroll’s accident, with minimal action taking place...Keep reading -
Mercedes abandons new floor after Spa practice struggles
Mercedes has abandoned its new floor for the remainder of Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix weekend following doubts over its performance during Friday practice.The Brackley-based squad had a disappointing opening day of running at Spa-Francorchamps with both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton not feeling totally comfortable with how their W15 felt as they ended the day more than one second adrift...Keep reading -
Alpine's F1 upheaval continues with major changes on track
The major changes Alpine is going through off track have been mirrored with some extensive revisions on it, as some big updates appeared on its Formula 1 car in Belgium.The new development package starts with the front wing, as the designers have rebalanced the flap profiles to improve the range that the team has at its disposal for the lower downforce venues.This obviously needs to be matched at...Keep reading -
The downforce dilemma facing teams ahead of Spa F1 qualifying
A variable forecast over the remainder of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with rain expected for qualifying ahead of a dry race, will cause Formula 1 teams a set-up dilemma.In dry conditions, the Spa-Francorchamps circuit requires an aerodynamic set-up that prioritises efficiency. Downforce is an important factor as drivers need to carry speed through the variety of medium-to-high speed corners...Keep reading -
Verstappen and Lambiase clear air over Hungarian GP radio outburst
Max Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase have cleared the air over their Hungarian Grand Prix radio exchange, following talks with Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner in Belgium.The reigning world champion's behaviour over the course of last weekend's race at the Hungaroring came under the spotlight after increasingly aggressive radio messages to the pit wall.As Verstappen grew...Keep reading -
Ben Hunt: The questions lingering as Famin becomes Alpine's latest F1 fall guy
There is one lasting image I have of Alpine's departing team principal, Bruno Famin, that sums up his short tenure with the struggling Formula 1 team. It came, of all places, at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in the hours after the Canadian Grand Prix where Alpine finished in ninth and tenth place.As he shuffled through the terminal wearing full-team kit, he looked a stooped figure and...Keep reading -
McLaren set for summer decision over making Norris drivers’ title shot a priority
Zak Brown says McLaren will hold discussions over the summer as to whether it will make Lando Norris’ shot at the F1 drivers' championship title a priority.It comes after McLaren ordered Norris to swap places with his team-mate in the Hungarian Grand Prix - much to Norris' frustration - after he undercut Piastri in the final round of pit stops. Piastri's victory, and Norris's second place...Keep reading -
What we learned from Friday practice at the 2024 Belgian GP
The last Friday practice sessions prior to Formula 1's summer break came to a close with Max Verstappen headlining FP1 at the Belgian Grand Prix, before Lando Norris slotted in the fastest time of FP2.Verstappen is guaranteed qualify without a chance of starting on pole thanks to a 10-place engine penalty for taking new power unit components for the Spa-Francorchamps weekend - as he has done in...Keep reading -
Audi F1 Team: Everything to know about its entry for 2026
Preparations are well underway for Audi to make its Formula 1 debut in 2026, which will mark a new era for the world championship as the regulations are being overhauled.The 2026 F1 season will have smaller and lighter cars with active aerodynamics. Electrical power will contribute half of the total power output in the redesigned power units that will run on 100 percent sustainable fuels.It will...Keep reading -
Mercedes losing nearly a full second on Spa straights
Mercedes thinks its “pretty bad day” of practice at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix was the result of losing 0.9 seconds on the straights against McLaren.Neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton made much of an impression on the opening day of running at Spa-Francorchamps, as McLaren ended FP2 1-2 on the timesheets.Having run with too little wing in the morning and consequently struggling in...Keep reading -
F1 Belgian GP qualifying - Start time, how to watch & more
The British driver led a McLaren 1-2 in second practice at Spa-Francorchamps, just days after being the second part of a McLaren 1-2 at the Hungarian GP following team order controversy.Max Verstappen, who was quickest in opening practice by over half a second, took third place in FP2 just 0.002s slower than Oscar Piastri in second.The Red Bull driver heads into qualifying in the knowledge that he...Keep reading -
What we have learned about Renault’s F1 engine plans
Despite no official confirmation about the end of Renault’s engine efforts in Formula 1, it has been clear for several weeks where things are heading.Talks taking place behind the scenes with rival manufacturers about potential customer deals, and a preliminary agreement with Mercedes believed to now be in place, told their own story about Alpine F1's shift from a manufacturer to customer team...Keep reading -
F1 Belgian GP: Norris heads McLaren 1-2 in FP2
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri gave McLaren a 1-2 in FP2 for Formula 1’s 2024 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen, while in the other Red Bull Sergio Perez was again massively adrift.The result provided a significant twist in the weekend’s early narrative after Verstappen had crushed the field in FP1, while the pressure on Perez increased given his gap to his team-mate with Red Bull set...Keep reading -
Binotto brought in to "change speed" of Audi F1 programme
Mattia Binotto's sole leadership of Audi's Formula 1 effort should "change the speed" of its Sauber takeover, says team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi.Earlier this week, Audi announced team CEO Andrea Seidl and chairman Oliver Hoffmann had left the team, with former Ferrari F1 chief Binotto joining on 1 August to replace both.Audi announced its F1 entry two years ago, but despite...Keep reading -
Famin to stand down as Alpine team principal after F1 summer break
Bruno Famin has announced that he will stand down as Alpine Formula 1 team principal at the end of August, with Hitech F2 and F3 boss Oliver Oakes expected as his replacement.Famin was originally hired by Alpine to oversee its engine division in early 2022 before he stepped up to become its motorsport vice president in mid-2023 and then its interim team principal when former squad boss Otmar...Keep reading -
How F1 teams have adapted their wings for the demands of Spa
Several Formula 1 teams have new front and rear wing specifications at their disposal this weekend, as they look for ways to overcome the challenges posed by the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.The changes are aimed at depowering the wings, compared to those used elsewhere, in a bid to help reduce downforce and drag – which are useful for the first and third sectors around the track.However, teams...Keep reading -
Tsunoda on Red Bull seat claim: 'What more could I do?'
Yuki Tsunoda doesn't know what else he should have done to claim a Red Bull seat as the team's summer decision looms over its driver line-ups.Following a string of disappointing performances and results, Red Bull is considering whether or not to replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's team-mate at its main team, with its other drivers Daniel Ricciardo, Tsunoda and Liam Lawson all staking a claim...Keep reading -
F1 Belgian GP: Verstappen fastest in FP1 from Piastri
Max Verstappen dominated FP1 at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and well clear of his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.On what is a high-pressure weekend for Perez given Red Bull’s intention to assess his position going forward towards 2025 over the summer break, he ended up nearly a full second down on Verstappen.Elsewhere, Alex Albon showed...Keep reading -
The top 10 reasons to attend the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort
Attending an F1 race weekend has become a must in recent years amid the championship’s popularity boom - and the Dutch GP is no different.The 2024 Dutch GP is set to take place on the 23-25 August, where fans will no doubt be treated to a uniquely vibrant atmosphere which will leave them wanting to return.This is of course helped by the brilliant racing which usually takes place, as 2023 saw a...Keep reading -
McLaren, Mercedes demonstrate low-drag Spa F1 updates
The low-drag-specific upgrades brought to the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix have been revealed, with both McLaren and Mercedes bringing new beam wings alongside their circuit-specific front and rear wings.Both UK-based teams are continuing upon their quest to close in on Red Bull in the championship standings, and have thus attempted to scale up their performance around the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps...Keep reading -
Hamilton will speak to FIA officials over Verstappen crash partial blame
Lewis Hamilton wants to speak with FIA officials after Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix stewards declared he "could have done more to avoid" the Budapest crash with Max Verstappen.The stewards for last weekend’s event in Budapest deemed the late-race incident between the pair to be worthy of no further action after Verstappen was launched skywards and lost a place to Ferrari’s Charles...Keep reading -
Tsunoda to start Belgian GP from back of the grid after penalty
Yuki Tsunoda will start the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix from the rear of the field after RB chose to give him an all-new engine for this weekend’s race at Spa.Autosport understands that Tsunoda – who was on the limit of his allocation allowed in the rules for all engine parts except exhausts – has been given the fresh Honda power unit as part of the common practice of taking penalties at...Keep reading -
Norris: Too early to make me number one to boost F1 title hopes
Lando Norris sees no reason for McLaren to make him the team’s number one driver so it can boost his chances of beating Max Verstappen to the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.The Briton is currently second in the standings, 76 points behind his Red Bull rival, with McLaren widely considered to have the most consistently fast car in F1 right now.But the team orders controversy from the Hungarian...Keep reading -
How Binotto's Sauber arrival changes F1's 2025 driver market
Valtteri Bottas reckons Mattia Binotto becoming Sauber boss will “reset” talks over the team’s remaining 2025 Formula 1 seat, but it’s also set to impact driver market discussions for others.One of Binotto’s first tasks when he starts at Sauber – reporting directly to the Audi board ahead of the marque rebranding the long-time customer F1 entrant – on 1 August will be to decide who...Keep reading -
Revealed: First images of F1’s new flexi-wing checks
The first images of new flexi-wing checks that are being conducted by the FIA have appeared ahead of Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix.As exclusively revealed by Autosport, the FIA has begun an analysis process to help it better understand the dynamics at play with how teams are flexing their front wings.From this weekend’s event at Spa-Francorchamps, the FIA has requested that selected teams fit...Keep reading -
Why Verstappen won’t change his tone after radio rant criticism
Max Verstappen is defiant and will not tone down how he speaks to his Red Bull team following his aggressive radio rants during the Hungarian Grand Prix.Verstappen engaged in a frank discussion with his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, and at one point said: "No mate, don't give me that bulls*** now. You guys gave me this f****** strategy, okay? I'm trying to rescue what's left. F*** sake".His...Keep reading -
Hamilton: Verstappen needs "to act like a world champion" after radio outbursts
Lewis Hamilton has suggested Max Verstappen should change his behaviour after ranting at his own Red Bull team during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.Verstappen, who finished fifth in Hungary following a clash with Hamilton, repeatedly lashed out towards his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, with aggressive radio messages during the race.The reigning world champion appears to have grown...Keep reading -
Alpine set for new F1 team boss with Oakes tipped to replace Famin
Alpine is poised for a further shake-up of its Formula 1 operation, with Hitech F2 and F3 boss Oliver Oakes expected to become its new team principal.With the French manufacturer squad undergoing huge change amid a push by new F1 advisor Flavio Briatore, it appears that no stone is being left unturned in its bid to get back to the front.
Watch: F1 Belgian Grand Prix - News from Spa's...Keep reading -
Verstappen 'not banned' from late-night sim racing
Max Verstappen says he will continue to take part in sim races on grand prix weekends after laughing away suggestions that his hobby somehow affected his Formula 1 performances.Verstappen finished fifth in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, in which the Dutchman appeared to be particularly irritable and frustrated with his strategy, and his Red Bull survived a collision with Mercedes' Lewis...Keep reading -
Piastri denies maiden F1 win was "given" to him
Oscar Piastri is adamant he fully deserved his maiden Formula 1 victory and has rejected suggestions it was handed to him on a plate by his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.The Australian had been leading for much of last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix before Norris was shaken out in front after the final pitstop, with McLaren then ordering the Brit to allow Piastri to pass into the lead.A...Keep reading -
"It would've been tempting" – F1 drivers weigh in on McLaren team order row
The team order facing Lando Norris regarding his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and potential victory in the Hungarian GP is one every ultra-competitive Formula 1 driver would dread, but they are not always heeded.Famously, back in the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel defied a Red Bull team order in attacking Mark Webber – now Piastri's manager – when the pair had initially been...Keep reading -
Norris not “too proud” Hungary antics overshadowed McLaren 1-2
Lando Norris has admitted he is not “too proud” of how his antics in the Hungarian Grand Prix overshadowed team-mate Oscar Piastri’s maiden Formula 1 win.The Briton felt that his decision to delay in following through on a team order to let Piastri through to take the lead, having been moved to the front through a strategic call around pitstop timings, had needlessly stirred up drama.While...Keep reading -
Sainz: Binotto Audi arrival doesn't influence F1 future decision
Carlos Sainz says his former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto taking charge of Audi's Formula 1 programme doesn't influence his future team choice.The Spaniard is known to have had an offer from Audi on the table for several months as it prepares its 2026 works entry following its takeover of Sauber.Sainz has been keen to keep his options open though, also entertaining a bid from Williams and an...Keep reading -
Sargeant hits back at Ericsson rumour on not speaking to Williams boss Vowles
Under-pressure Logan Sargeant has hit back at comments from former Sauber and Caterham driver Marcus Ericsson, who claimed that he no longer speaks to his Williams boss James Vowles.Sergeant is becoming noticeably more agitated as he faces uncertainty about his future in F1.The growing speculation has spread to the US where Ericsson, who is now racing in IndyCar, says the American is struggling...Keep reading -
Albon: Verstappen and Hamilton both "aggressive" in Hungary F1 collision
Alex Albon thinks Formula 1 champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were as aggressive as each other in their Hungarian Grand Prix crash.The Williams driver had the perfect view of the incident that took place at Turn 1 on lap 63 of last weekend’s race at the Hungaroring.The long-time rivals had both swooped past the Thai driver to lap him on the run down the start-finish straight, as they...Keep reading -
Hulkenberg in "a bit of a shock" about Audi's F1 management shake-up
Nico Hulkenberg is in "a bit of a shock" after Audi's decision to oust Andreas Seidl from its Formula 1 entry project and replace him with ex-Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto.Audi's decision to axe former Porsche LMP1 and McLaren F1 squad chief Seidl, as well as former Sauber board chairman Oliver Hoffmann, sent a shockwave through F1 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend on the eve of the...Keep reading -
Antonelli set for Mercedes post-Belgian GP F1 test
Mercedes will get another chance to run the rule over Andrea Kimi Antonelli by handing the 17-year-old a test in the team's 2022 car following the Formula 1 Belgian GP.Mercedes is weighing up whether the Italian F2 driver is a suitable replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who is joining Ferrari next season.The Brackley-based team is short of options after turning its back on Carlos Sainz and not...Keep reading -
Why Red Bull takes a risk with Verstappen's Spa engine penalty
Red Bull faces a riskier outcome regarding Max Verstappen’s expected grid penalty for exceeding his 2024 Formula 1 engine allocation at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, compared to similar situations in 2022 and 2023.While Red Bull has not yet confirmed if Verstappen is indeed set to take another ICE at the upcoming race at Spa – and is unlikely to do so before this is required by the...Keep reading -
Ocon joins Haas for 2025 on multi-year F1 deal
Esteban Ocon will race for Haas on a multi-year deal starting in the 2025 Formula 1 season, the American team announced on Thursday.Ocon, the soon-to-be former Alpine driver and winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, will partner Ferrari Academy driver and regular Haas rookie practice driver Oliver Bearman in an all-new line-up that replaces the Sauber-bound Nico Hulkenberg and the exiting Kevin...Keep reading -
Ben Hunt: Why Ocon will be a good fit for Haas
In any walk of life, unwelcome reputations are tricky to shift. In Formula 1, they can be especially brutal. Look at Romain Grosjean being branded a "first-lap nutcase" by Mark Webber at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2012 after they made contact.Grosjean's former team-mate at Lotus Pastor Maldonado was dubbed "Crashdonaldo" for his habit of crashing. During his 96 grands prix, there were 29...Keep reading -
Leclerc: Ferrari bouncing issue to be "most visible" in Spa
Charles Leclerc thinks this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix could be the race where Ferrari's bouncing issues are the "most visible" as it readies the latest batch of fixes.Ferrari's Barcelona upgrade package came with a new floor that induced bouncing in high-speed corners, an issue which contributed to it drifting away from Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes on higher speed circuits.The Scuderia...Keep reading -
Everything you need to know about the 2025 F1 season: Driver line-up and calendar
The 2024 F1 season is hotting up, with seven different winners in the first 13 races of the year and four in the last four races. Max Verstappen currently leads the championship with 265 points, ahead of Lando Norris in second with 189 points.Over half of the grid’s contracts are set to expire at the end of the year and it looks likely that the summer break will be packed full of negotiations...Keep reading -
Arrow McLaren IndyCar signing Lundgaard has “zero interest” in F1
Recent Arrow McLaren IndyCar signing for 2025, Christian Lundgaard, says he has “zero interest” in getting an opportunity with the team’s Formula 1 squad.In tandem with his European open-wheel career, Lundgaard signed to the Renault Sport Academy in 2017 and tested its F1 car at the Hungaroring and Jerez.He later drove a 2018-spec F1 car at Silverstone and Bahrain and was promoted to...Keep reading -
Alpine to race with Deadpool & Wolverine livery in latest F1 movie tie-up
Alpine is the latest Formula 1 team to land a movie deal as it promotes the release of Hollywood film Deadpool & Wolverine with a one-off livery for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.Alpine's A524 cars will race in a red, black and yellow livery showcasing main characters Deadpool and Wolverine for the Marvel movie which is set for a global release over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.The team's...Keep reading -
Why Red Bull’s latest upgrades will not run at the Belgian GP
Red Bull is set to revert the RB20 to its more standard engine cover specification for the Belgian Grand Prix, but not because its latest upgrade disappointed in Hungary.The Milton Keynes-based team fast tracked a major revision to the sidepods and engine cover last weekend, ditching its characteristic Mercedes-style gulleys.The new direction was about maximising downforce because, although it is...Keep reading -
Mastercard returns to F1 with McLaren tie-up
Global payment card provider Mastercard has returned to Formula 1 sponsorship by inking a deal with McLaren.Mastercard had been known to be exploring an F1 return for some time, and has ultimately decided to join McLaren and become a "major sponsor" of the papaya squad in what has been described as a "multi-year" deal.Mastercard branding will appear on the McLaren team's cars and equipment later...Keep reading -
Ferrari to unveil revamped technical structure after F1 summer break
Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur says the squad will announce a revamped technical organisation after the summer break, but insists technical director Enrico Cardile leaving for Aston Martin is "not a drama".After weeks of speculation, it was announced earlier this month that Cardile, who was responsible for Ferrari's F1 chassis programme, would leave the Scuderia to join Aston Martin...Keep reading -
Would F1 wildcards be welcomed? Our F1 writers have their say
After the idea of a Formula 1 wildcard system was floated by teams and series bosses, it is a prospect that has sparked debate.From providing rookies with a golden chance to impress, to adding an extra competition dimension to F1, the pitch was put forward for evaluation at an F1 Commission meeting in London earlier this week.Here, our writers give their take on the idea and what could happen.A...Keep reading -
Verstappen set for Belgian GP grid penalty for engine change
Max Verstappen is set for a 10-place grid penalty at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix for exceeding his engine allowance, Autosport has learned.Verstappen had been on the cusp of a grid penalty for a while after losing a power unit in practice for June's Canadian Grand Prix.That meant Red Bull had to introduce the Dutchman's fourth Honda power unit in Spain, the maximum number allowed per year...Keep reading -
Hamilton against F1 cars being fitted with aircon units
Lewis Hamilton is dismissive of FIA's plan to test a simplified air conditioning system in Formula 1 car cockpits to aid drivers in extreme heat, as he feels training alone should suffice.Autosport exclusively revealed over the Hungarian Grand Prix how the governing body is set to trial the device it has developed in response to drivers suffering last season’s Qatar race held in sweltering...Keep reading
