Samwise F1 Newsletter
Monday, August 31, 2026
Norris Closes to 83 Points of Antonelli with Back-to-Back Wins to Revive Title Fight
Lando Norris has closed the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship gap to Kimi Antonelli to 83 points after consecutive Grand Prix victories at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort. Norris, the reigning world champion, sits fourth in the standings on 159 points, with Antonelli leading on 242 and team-mates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton tied in second on 183. With 11 Grands Prix remaining, McLaren now looks capable of regularly challenging Mercedes. Former Grand Prix winner Riccardo Patrese said Norris is a “much better driver this year” who is “more relaxed and more confident,” though Patrese still considers Antonelli the “strongest candidate” for the championship.
Sources: GrandPrix247
Antonelli Faces 10-Place Grid Penalty at Home Race in Monza Despite 59-Point Title Lead
Kimi Antonelli heads to his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza holding a 59-point championship lead over team-mates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, but faces a 10-place grid penalty after Mercedes fitted a new power unit. The 19-year-old has won six grands prix in 2026, including five consecutive races from China through Monaco and a further victory in Belgium, but says the title job is “far from done” with 11 races remaining. Antonelli acknowledged his approach to Monza has changed significantly from a year ago, when he endured a difficult debut appearance at his home grand prix.
Norris Commits to McLaren Until at Least 2030 in New Deal Announced After Dutch GP Win
Lando Norris has signed a contract extension with McLaren keeping him with the team until at least 2030, announced on the Friday following his Dutch Grand Prix victory. The 26-year-old Briton’s previous deal was understood to run through the end of 2027. The new agreement includes a multi-year option beyond 2030 and Norris will receive his 2025 championship-winning MCL39 chassis as part of the deal. The announcement was made at McLaren’s annual factory open day for family and friends. Norris disclosed that rival teams had attempted to sign him ahead of the new agreement, but he chose to remain at McLaren.
Alpine Confirms Colapinto to Stay Alongside Gasly for 2027 Season
Alpine has confirmed Franco Colapinto will remain with the team for the 2027 Formula 1 season, retaining the Argentine driver alongside Pierre Gasly, who is already signed to a long-term deal. After a difficult debut season with Alpine in 2025, Colapinto has scored points six times in 12 races during 2026, with a seventh place in Miami and sixth in Montreal among his best results. Executive consultant Flavio Briatore said Colapinto “has truly grown and matured into a great driver this year,” adding that the Miami and Montreal results confirmed he “belongs in Formula 1 and he belongs at this team.”
Antonelli Reveals Mercedes Told Him of F1 Seat Before Hamilton Ferrari Move Went Public
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Kimi Antonelli he would be promoted to Formula 1 before Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was publicly announced, the Italian has revealed. Wolff met Antonelli at Silverstone in February 2024 and informed him that Hamilton was leaving for Ferrari and that Mercedes was planning to place Antonelli in the seat for the following season. Hamilton’s departure was announced publicly shortly thereafter. Antonelli, now 19, leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship with 242 points, having known his path to Formula 1 before the broader driver market reshuffle became public knowledge.
Red Bull Prodigy Tsolov Makes F1 Test Debut with Racing Bulls at Imola
Nikola Tsolov completed his first Formula 1 test with Racing Bulls at Imola on Wednesday, covering 690 kilometres in the team’s 2025 car as part of a testing of previous cars programme. The Red Bull junior driver could become the first Bulgarian to race in Formula 1. Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said Tsolov “adapted quickly” and showed “the composure you want to see from a driver taking on an F1 car for the first time.” Tsolov holds 25 FIA Super Licence points and would need a top-five finish in the current Formula 2 season to earn the additional points required for a race seat.
FIA Completes Second ADUO Review with No Power Unit Changes Granted to Any Manufacturer
The FIA has completed its second power unit performance review of the 2026 Formula 1 season and determined no additional development opportunities will be granted to any manufacturer. The Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities framework allows the governing body to issue extra development tokens when a significant performance gap is detected between competing engines. The second review found no such imbalance warranting intervention. All power unit suppliers continue under current development allocations, meaning the competitive order reflects each manufacturer’s existing engine specification as the championship enters its final 11 races, beginning at Monza next weekend.
Drivers Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Antonelli | 242 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 183 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 183 |
| 4 | L. Norris | 159 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 155 |
| 6 | M. Verstappen | 112 |
| 7 | O. Piastri | 104 |
| 8 | I. Hadjar | 68 |
| 9 | L. Lawson | 49 |
| 10 | P. Gasly | 44 |
| 11 | A. Lindblad | 23 |
| 12 | F. Colapinto | 19 |
| 13 | O. Bearman | 18 |
| 14 | G. Bortoleto | 10 |
| 15 | N. Hulkenberg | 6 |
| 16 | C. Sainz | 6 |
| 17 | A. Albon | 5 |
| 18 | E. Ocon | 3 |
| 19 | F. Alonso | 3 |
| 20 | Y. Tsunoda | 0 |
| 21 | L. Stroll | 0 |
| 22 | V. Bottas | 0 |
| 23 | S. Perez | 0 |
Constructors Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 425 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 338 |
| 3 | McLaren | 263 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 186 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 66 |
| 6 | Alpine | 63 |
| 7 | Haas | 21 |
| 8 | Audi | 16 |
| 9 | Williams | 11 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency