Samwise F1 Newsletter
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Guenther Steiner hits out at Lando Norris for F1 Coca-Cola spat
Ex-Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has criticised Lando Norris for unprofessional behaviour after the Briton was caught drinking Coca-Cola in the F1 cooldown room following the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Norris, who finished third, was told off by an official before the podium ceremony and defiantly replied: “I just did a race, so I’m allowed to drink what I would like.” Speaking on The Red Flags podcast, Steiner said: “If you are a professional, you don’t do that. End of story.” Steiner noted the episode ironically benefited Coca-Cola — a rival of F1’s soft drink sponsor Pepsi — through the viral attention it generated.
What caused Martin Brundle and Nico Rosberg’s latest F1 disagreement
Martin Brundle and Nico Rosberg clashed on air for the second time in as many weeks at the Spanish Grand Prix, this time over Fernando Alonso’s future at Aston Martin. Brundle suggested the team should rebuild their driver line-up by signing “a couple of mid 25-year-olds” rather than retaining Alonso, whose contract expires at the end of 2026. Rosberg pushed back, arguing Alonso still outperforms Lance Stroll in every session. He also highlighted Aston Martin’s structural constraint: Stroll’s seat is not under discussion, making it impossible to pair Alonso with a younger driver. Alonso has not yet confirmed his plans for the 2027 season.
Azerbaijan GP 2026: Race moved to Saturday as Remembrance Day reshapes Baku weekend
Formula 1 returns to the Baku City Circuit from September 24–26 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, opening a flyaway triple-header that continues to Malaysia and Singapore. The race falls on a Saturday this year because September 27 is Azerbaijan’s national Remembrance Day, compressing the schedule to Thursday practice, Friday qualifying, and a midday Saturday race. Azerbaijan is three hours ahead of UK time. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku 81 points clear after back-to-back wins at Monza and Madrid, with eight rounds remaining. The 3.7-mile street circuit features F1’s longest straight and its narrowest section at the UNESCO-protected castle chicane.
Sources: Sky Sports F1
Kimi Antonelli admits loyalty factor after opening up on Ferrari move
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has opened up on his F1 future, acknowledging a debt to Mercedes while declining to rule out an eventual Ferrari move. Speaking to automoto.it, the 20-year-old Italian said: “I feel I have a debt to repay them. They believed in me when I was just 12 years old.” On Ferrari he added: “I’m not ruling anything out, but today the goal is to win as many as possible with Mercedes.” Antonelli is out of contract at season end. The path to Ferrari currently looks blocked: Lewis Hamilton holds a seat until approximately 2028, and Charles Leclerc is contracted through 2030.
Ferrari chief Vasseur refuses to give up on 2026 — 80% of development carries to 2027
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has insisted the Scuderia are still pushing hard on their 2026 car despite failing to reach the podium in their last four races. Vasseur confirmed that approximately 80 per cent of this year’s development work will carry directly into the 2027 car. He identified qualifying pace as the team’s top priority: “If I have to put the focus of the team on something today, it would be the evolution of the pace during the qualifying.” Lewis Hamilton sits third in the drivers’ standings on 191 points, 101 behind championship leader Antonelli, with Ferrari third in the constructors’ standings on 358 points.
Why Williams’ FW48 upgrade package in Baku is so crucial
Williams will introduce a major upgrade package for the FW48 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, their most significant development step in a challenging 2026 season. The team’s best result this year is P8 for Alexander Albon at Monaco, with zero points scored since. Albon described a race deficit of “50 seconds behind the midfield.” Carlos Sainz said the upgrade won’t get them “anywhere near where we wanted to be” but should “help get closer to potentially fighting for some points.” Team principal James Vowles noted that simulation technology only came online in November 2025, with focus increasingly shifting toward the 2027 FW50.
Sources: Formula1.com
Isack Hadjar injury reality revealed by F1 champion after missing three races
Nico Rosberg has outlined the serious challenges Isack Hadjar faces as the Red Bull driver misses his third consecutive F1 race with a broken wrist. Liam Lawson has been recalled to Red Bull, with Yuki Tsunoda drafted from Racing Bulls as cover. The 2016 world champion told Sky Sports that wrist injuries are particularly brutal in F1 because drivers must push against the steering wheel to brace themselves under heavy braking: “If your wrist is broken, you can’t do that; you’ll be in too much pain.” Red Bull told GPFans that Hadjar’s recovery “continues to progress positively” and the team look forward to welcoming him back.
Drivers Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Antonelli | 292 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 211 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 191 |
| 4 | L. Norris | 186 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 167 |
Constructors Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 503 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 358 |
| 3 | McLaren | 306 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 230 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 77 |
Every newsletter preserved and searchable
Curated by JD · samwise.agency