Gasly Reinstated to Monaco Grand Prix Podium After FIA Upholds Alpine's Right of Review
Pierre Gasly was reinstated to third place in the revised Monaco Grand Prix final classification on Friday after FIA stewards upheld Alpine's right of review request. Both of Gasly's five-second time penalties were rescinded after Formula One Management confirmed the distance data used to calculate his speed while passing a red flag zone was inaccurate and had overestimated his pace. The revised result moves Gasly to eighth in the Drivers' Championship with 35 points. Isack Hadjar drops to fourth and Oscar Piastri to fifth in the revised Monaco order, each losing a position they had provisionally held since the original post-race classification.
Sources: formula1.com, Sky Sports F1
McLaren and Red Bull Lodge Formal Appeals Against Gasly's Monaco Podium Reinstatement
McLaren and Red Bull Racing both lodged formal appeals against the stewards' decision to restore Pierre Gasly's third-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix, it was confirmed on Friday. The two teams had benefited from Gasly's original exclusion, with Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar each promoted one position in the initial classification. The appeal will be heard by the FIA International Court of Appeal, leaving the Monaco standings provisional pending a final ruling. The dispute adds legal uncertainty to the 2026 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings, with points for Gasly, Hadjar, and Piastri all subject to revision depending on the appeal outcome.
Sources: RaceFans
Norris Edges Russell by 0.009s to Head Barcelona Second Practice as McLaren Signal Intentions
Lando Norris placed McLaren at the summit of second practice at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday, beating Mercedes' George Russell by just nine thousandths of a second. Norris set a benchmark lap of 1m15.426s, with Russell 0.009s adrift and McLaren's Oscar Piastri a further 0.048s back in third. Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari as championship leader Kimi Antonelli, returning from his mandatory FP1 absence, finished fifth. Max Verstappen was sixth for Red Bull with a 0.895-second deficit, while Lewis Hamilton placed ninth for Ferrari 1.205 seconds off the pace. The result underlines McLaren's intent to challenge Mercedes' six-from-six pole record in 2026.
Sources: formula1.com, RACER
Russell Leads Barcelona FP1 as Seven Regulars Step Aside for Mandatory Rookie Session
George Russell set the fastest time in first practice at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as mandatory regulations required seven full-season drivers to cede their seats to young talent. Russell's lap beat McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton were among those replaced. Ferrari nominated Formula 2 frontrunner Dino Beganovic — currently sixth in the F2 standings — to drive the SF-26 in Hamilton's place, giving the Swedish prospect his most recent close-up evaluation of the 2026 car. Each team is required to field a non-regular driver twice per car during the season, accounting for the seven debutants appearing in Friday morning's running.
Sources: formula1.com, Sky Sports F1
F1 Agrees Phased Engine Power Rebalancing for 2027 and 2028 to Address Energy Management Concerns
Formula 1 teams, the FIA, and Formula One Management have agreed a phased rebalancing of the 2026 engine regulations for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The package shifts the power split from the current 50-50 ratio between internal combustion engine and energy recovery system, raising combustion output from 400kW to 420kW in 2027 and to 450kW in 2028, restoring a 60-40 combustion advantage. Fuel flow rates rise five percent in 2027 and thirteen percent in 2028. The changes address concerns that the energy management framework has restricted full-throttle qualifying laps. Formal ratification from the FIA World Motor Sport Council is scheduled for its Macau meeting on June 23.
Sources: formula1.com, Sky Sports F1, motorsport.com
Red Bull Powertrains Named FIA ADUO Benchmark Engine, Granting Rivals Additional Development Rights
The FIA's first assessment under the new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities framework has classified Red Bull Powertrains as the benchmark internal combustion engine for 2026, meaning rivals Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi, and Honda-powered teams are each eligible for additional development opportunities. The finding surprised Max Verstappen, who acknowledged Red Bull's power unit being ranked highest was unexpected given the team's competitive difficulties through the opening rounds of the season. ADUO was introduced alongside the 2026 regulations to prevent any single manufacturer establishing an overwhelming advantage, with the benchmark classification limiting the top-ranked supplier's development while granting others additional upgrade opportunities to close the gap.
Sources: PlanetF1, motorsport.com, Crash.net
Alonso Concedes Barcelona 2026 Is 'Probably' His Final Formula 1 Race at the Circuit
Fernando Alonso indicated that this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will in all probability be the final Formula 1 race of his career at the venue. The two-time world champion's contract with Aston Martin expires at the end of 2026 and his future in the sport remains undecided. Barcelona will not feature on the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 as it rotates with Spa-Francorchamps, returning in 2028, meaning retiring this winter would rule Alonso out until at least that year. The 44-year-old acknowledged treating every 2026 circuit as a potential farewell, but said the Barcelona scheduling situation makes the feeling particularly acute.
Sources: formula1.com, motorsport.com
Red Bull Faces Barcelona 'Reality Check' as RB22's High-Speed Handling Problems Resurface
Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished sixth in second practice at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, 0.895 seconds behind pacesetter Lando Norris, as familiar handling weaknesses returned to trouble the RB22. The team acknowledged that Barcelona had produced a 'reality check' for the car, which struggled to generate consistent grip through the circuit's demanding high-speed corners. Verstappen attempted a run on the harder compound tyre before asking engineers to switch back to soft tyres after finding the harder rubber unmanageable. Red Bull had shown improved performance at Monaco's twisty street circuit, but the open, fast-flowing layout of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has exposed the car's aerodynamic limitations once again.
Sources: autosport.com
Hamilton Reports Persistent Rear Grip Deficit as Ferrari Seeks Setup Solutions in Barcelona
Lewis Hamilton was troubled by a lack of rear grip through both Friday practice sessions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, finishing the second session ninth with a deficit of 1.205 seconds to Lando Norris's best time. The seven-time world champion, in his debut campaign with Ferrari, said the SF-26 lacked confidence at the rear through Barcelona's fast corners. Team-mate Charles Leclerc managed fourth in second practice on the same machinery, a performance split that highlights significant variation between the two Ferrari drivers in how they are extracting pace from the current setup at this circuit. Ferrari will analyse overnight data from both sessions before Saturday qualifying.
Sources: formula1.com, autosport.com
F1 Team Principals Endorse ADUO Engine Fairness System Despite Shock Red Bull Benchmark Finding
Formula 1 team principals have expressed broad support for the FIA's Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities mechanism despite the surprise result naming Red Bull Powertrains as the benchmark combustion engine. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended the process, stating the ADUO data was measured and collected without political interference. Ferrari's Mattia Binotto also backed the system, noting the additional development freedom granted to non-benchmark manufacturers creates a genuine pathway to close the performance gap. ADUO operates throughout the 2026-to-2030 power unit era, with the FIA conducting periodic internal combustion engine performance assessments to determine which suppliers qualify for extra upgrade opportunities in each cycle.
Sources: grandprix247.com, Speedcafe
Drivers' Championship
After Round 6 (Monaco GP) — Provisional
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli — 156 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton — 90 pts
3. George Russell — 88 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 75 pts
5. Oscar Piastri — 58 pts
6. Lando Norris — 58 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 43 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 35 pts
9. Isack Hadjar — 26 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 24 pts
11. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 15 pts
13. Arvid Lindblad — 11 pts
14. Carlos Sainz Jnr — 6 pts
15. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
17. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
18. Fernando Alonso — 1 pts
19. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
20. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
21. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 244 pts
2. Ferrari — 165 pts
3. McLaren — 116 pts
4. Red Bull — 69 pts
5. Alpine — 50 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 35 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Williams — 11 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pts
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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