Verstappen Exit Clause Triggers as McLaren Talks Accelerate
Max Verstappen’s Red Bull contract exit clause became mathematically certain to activate this week, with the four-time world champion now impossibly far from the championship’s top two. Sitting seventh with 76 points — 103 behind leader Kimi Antonelli — Verstappen cannot reach the top two before the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, the deadline for triggering his departure clause. Reports on Wednesday confirmed that talks between Verstappen and McLaren are progressing rapidly. Verstappen, who crashed out of the British Grand Prix for the second consecutive weekend, has expressed serious dissatisfaction with his 2026 Red Bull, which has suffered rear wing failures at both Spielberg and Silverstone.
FIA Launches Safety Probe Into ‘Macarena’ Rotating Rear Wings
The FIA has initiated a safety investigation into the rotating rear wings used by Red Bull and Ferrari following two crashes involving Max Verstappen at the Austrian and British Grands Prix. The wings — nicknamed “Macarena” for their dramatic rotation — transition between low-drag and high-downforce configurations in under 400 milliseconds. Ferrari's version rotates up to 270 degrees clockwise, while Red Bull's rotates approximately 160 degrees in the opposite direction. Verstappen, who described the Red Bull design as “super dangerous,” suffered failures at both Spielberg and Silverstone, while Ferrari's version has operated without incident. The FIA will determine whether restrictions are needed ahead of Belgium.
Russell Dismisses Paddock Claims of Mercedes Favouritism Toward Antonelli
Mercedes driver George Russell firmly rejected suggestions that the team is giving preferential treatment to championship leader Kimi Antonelli. “I did hear on the grapevine that there is chatter about favouritism — namely that Mercedes are pulling for Antonelli. It doesn't bother me — and nor is it true,” Russell said. Antonelli, 19, leads the drivers' championship by 25 points from Russell with nine of 22 rounds complete. Russell closed the gap at Silverstone last weekend, finishing second as Antonelli fell to 16th following a left-front wheel shield failure that crippled his car in the race's final stages.
Wolff Warns Ferrari and Red Bull Challenge Will Intensify Through 2026
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has acknowledged that Ferrari's victory at Silverstone marks the start of a sustained threat to the team's championship lead. “They said before the weekend they were going to be lacking energy over this track — they haven't. They were a strong competitor, and this is to be expected now for the rest of the season,” Wolff said. Mercedes won the opening six rounds of 2026 under new technical regulations, but Ferrari has taken two victories in the last three races, including Lewis Hamilton's win at Barcelona and Charles Leclerc's triumph at Silverstone.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Domenicali Confirms F1 Working to Recover One Cancelled 2026 Middle East Race
Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali has confirmed the sport is actively working to restore one of the two Middle East races cancelled earlier this year, with a decision required before the summer break. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were removed from April's schedule following regional conflict, reducing the 2026 calendar to 22 races. “If there is a chance, why not?” Domenicali said, adding that F1 remains hopeful of reinstating at least one event. Bahrain is understood to be the preferred candidate. Formula 1 has set the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26 as the latest decision point, with any recovered race expected later in the season.
Sources: Sky Sports Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
F1 Set to Announce Expanded 2027 Calendar Featuring Up to 10 Sprint Weekends
Formula 1 is poised to significantly expand its sprint weekend format for 2027, with nine or ten sprint events expected — up from the six held this season. F1 president Stefano Domenicali said the full 2027 calendar would be revealed “very soon.” The upcoming season is also expected to feature the return of both the Portuguese and Turkish Grands Prix, while the Dutch Grand Prix drops off after 2026. Barcelona moves into rotation with Belgium and is confirmed to return in 2028. A maximum of 12 sprint weekends across the 24-round calendar remains the ceiling under current planning, with the exact 2027 sprint number still to be determined.
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FIA President Backs Horner’s F1 Return, Urges Paddock to ‘Forget’ Past Conduct
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem publicly backed former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner's return to Formula 1, saying the controversial figure would find a way back into the paddock. “He will get back. Where is not for me to say — even if I know. It is for him to say,” Ben Sulayem told reporters. Horner left Red Bull in 2025 and has since been linked with both the prospective BYD Formula 1 entry and a possible role at Aston Martin, where designer Adrian Newey is now based. Ben Sulayem's suggestion that the paddock should “forget” certain past behaviours when evaluating professional success drew immediate reaction from observers.
Ferrari Becomes First Team to Run 2026 Car at Madrid’s New Madring Circuit
Ferrari became the first Formula 1 team to run a 2026-specification car at Madrid's new Madring street circuit, completing an official FIA filming day on Thursday ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. The session marked the debut of current-generation F1 machinery at the venue, which is slated to host a future Spanish Grand Prix as Barcelona transitions out of the calendar. Ferrari's early access gives the Scuderia first-hand data on a circuit that will be new to all teams, potentially providing an early advantage when the Madring eventually joins the world championship calendar. No other team had yet conducted a similar session at the facility.
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Drivers' Championship
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli — 179 pts
2. George Russell — 154 pts
3. Lewis Hamilton — 147 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 108 pts
5. Lando Norris — 97 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 82 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 76 pts
8. Isack Hadjar — 52 pts
9. Pierre Gasly — 42 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 39 pts
11. Arvid Lindblad — 20 pts
12. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
13. Franco Colapinto — 18 pts
14. Gabriel Bortoleto — 6 pts
15. Carlos Sainz Jnr — 6 pts
16. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
17. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
18. Fernando Alonso — 1 pt
19. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
20. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
21. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
After Round 9 of 22
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 333 pts
2. Ferrari — 255 pts
3. McLaren — 179 pts
4. Red Bull — 128 pts
5. Alpine — 60 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 59 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Williams — 11 pts
9. Audi — 6 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pt
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
After Round 9 of 22
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