FIA Reveals Manufacturers Blocked Earlier 2026 Rule Changes
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has acknowledged that the governing body attempted to modify the 2026 regulations before the season but was blocked by manufacturer disagreement. Under F1’s governance structure, rule changes required approval from four of the five power unit manufacturers, and four failed to agree. Tombazis, quoted by The Race, said: “We did try to make some adjustments. But we failed with the governance that was in place.” He added the 60/40 ICE/ERS roadmap announced in May could have been implemented years earlier. The admission follows months of public criticism of the 2026 rules from drivers including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
Ferrari Poaches Senior Chassis Engineer from Mercedes in Double Summer Signing
Ferrari poached Luciano Nicomede, a Senior Chassis Composite Designer, from Mercedes during the F1 summer break, simultaneously acquiring Carlos Sanchez Martinez from Aston Martin. The double signing targets two of Ferrari’s closest championship rivals and is described by GPFans as ramping up the Italian team’s title fight. Ferrari are second in the 2026 Constructors’ Championship behind Mercedes with 307 points to 379. Lewis Hamilton leads Ferrari’s Drivers’ Championship challenge with 169 points, with Charles Leclerc fourth on 138, behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes on 219. Both signings were confirmed during the current summer shutdown.
Brundle: McLaren’s Hungarian Victory Blew 2026 F1 Title Wide Open
Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle has identified Lando Norris’s Hungarian Grand Prix victory as the moment that blew the 2026 title race wide open. Writing for Sky Sports F1, Brundle noted that Norris secured his first win as defending champion after ten rounds without a victory. “If McLaren have made a decent upgrade step which translates well to other circuits, this was the team’s 14th Hungaroring victory, and with the top four ever closer, this championship is far from over,” Brundle wrote. He added that 291 points remain available, including the reinstated Bahrain Grand Prix now scheduled for October at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit.
Brookes Predicts Verstappen to Leave Red Bull for Mercedes in 2027
Former Sky Sports F1 reporter Rachel Brookes has predicted that Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull to join Mercedes for the 2027 season. Speaking on the Essential F1 podcast in her first public appearance since leaving Sky, Brookes said: “I still think Max is looking for an exit. He doesn’t want to have to show that he can take a car that should be 10th up to second. He wants to win races again.” Brookes predicted Verstappen would join championship leader Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, with the 2027 Ferrari lineup remaining Hamilton and Leclerc, Red Bull running Hadjar and Piastri, and McLaren fielding an all-British pairing of Norris and Russell.
Bahrain Grand Prix Rescheduled at Malaysia’s Sepang in October Triple Header
The cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix has been rescheduled, with F1 confirming it will be hosted at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia between October 2 and 4. Originally scrapped due to international conflict in the Middle East, the race creates a triple header alongside the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Singapore Grand Prix. Sepang CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif confirmed the race will not be a night race, stating: “The race will be held in the afternoon, not at night.” The FIA has confirmed a 3pm local time start. Drivers will face significant sleep disruption switching between the Malaysia time zone and the Singapore night race the following weekend.
Hamilton’s Denver Broncos Investment Approaches $10 Billion Valuation
Lewis Hamilton has gained substantially from his investment in the Denver Broncos NFL franchise, with GPFans reporting the franchise is now approaching a $10 billion valuation. Hamilton was part of an investor group that purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion in 2022, with the Ferrari driver holding a minority ownership stake. The four-year rise from a $4.65 billion purchase to near-$10 billion represents a significant return for Hamilton. He currently leads Ferrari’s Drivers’ Championship challenge with 169 points, sitting second overall behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli on 219 going into the summer break.
Bottas Faces Singapore GP Conflict After Qualifying for Cycling World Championships
Cadillac F1 driver Valtteri Bottas faces a scheduling conflict after qualifying for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships in Australia, which clash directly with the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. Bottas finished fifth in his group at the UCI Gravel World Series, earning a spot at the world championships taking place on October 10 and 11 — the same weekend as the Singapore GP sprint race weekend. The Cadillac team has scored no championship points since joining the grid in March. Bottas’s partner, Tiffany Cromwell, is also a professional road and gravel cyclist who has competed at the Olympics.
Lindblad Explains Why He Refuses to Live in Monaco Despite F1’s Tax Haven Culture
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad has explained why he chooses not to live in Monaco, despite at least 13 of the current 22 F1 drivers holding a seat living or owning property there. Speaking to Motorsport.com, the 18-year-old cited his family background as the reason. “My grandparents had nothing. There were periods when my dad struggled to even eat three meals a day,” Lindblad said, explaining that Monaco — which he described as “the ultimate symbol of wealth” — would feel “almost wrong” to him. Lindblad, the only 2026 grid rookie, currently lives in England and says he wants “somewhere quiet, where nobody recognises me.”
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 219 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton — 169 pts
3. George Russell — 160 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 138 pts
5. Lando Norris — 128 pts
6. Max Verstappen — 109 pts
7. Oscar Piastri — 92 pts
8. Isack Hadjar — 68 pts
9. Liam Lawson — 43 pts
10. Pierre Gasly — 42 pts
11. Arvid Lindblad — 23 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 19 pts
13. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
14. Gabriel Bortoleto — 10 pts
15. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
16. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
17. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
18. Nico Hülkenberg — 2 pts
19. Fernando Alonso — 1 pts
20. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
21. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 379 pts
2. Ferrari — 307 pts
3. McLaren — 220 pts
4. Red Bull — 177 pts
5. Racing Bulls — 66 pts
6. Alpine — 61 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Audi Revolut — 12 pts
9. Williams — 11 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pts
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
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