Stroll Makes GT3 Debut at Paul Ricard, Clocks Competitive Qualifying Times
Lance Stroll made his GT racing debut this weekend at Paul Ricard for the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe, sharing a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with ex-F1 driver Roberto Merhi and Aston Martin Academy prospect Mari Boya. Stroll posted a 1:54.472 in qualifying — just five thousandths slower than teammate Merhi — while Boya set the team’s best time at 1:53.676. Stroll revealed he had spoken with Max Verstappen before accepting the drive, with Verstappen reportedly supportive of the decision. Sunday’s race at Paul Ricard offers Stroll his first genuine shot at a race win during a difficult period for the Aston Martin F1 squad.
Sources: Formula1.com | PlanetF1 | RacingNews365
Verstappen Skips NLS3, Focuses Nurburgring Efforts on 24-Hour Qualifiers
Despite widespread expectation, Max Verstappen is not competing in this weekend’s NLS3 Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie race. His team, running under the Mercedes-AMG Winward Racing banner, has confirmed their focus is on the Nurburgring 24-Hour qualifiers scheduled for April 18–19, where Verstappen will share the Red Bull-liveried Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lucas Auer across two four-hour races. Verstappen previously led NLS2 before his team’s disqualification over a tyre allocation breach. With Red Bull’s RB22 described as “incredibly tough to drive” in 2026, the four-time champion is using the April break to sharpen his racecraft before F1 resumes at Miami in May.
Sources: Crash.net | Motorsport.com
FIA Sets April 20 Deadline for 2026 Rule Tweaks Ahead of Miami Grand Prix
The FIA has confirmed that any changes to F1’s 2026 technical and sporting regulations must be finalised by April 20 to take effect at the Miami Grand Prix. Following the first technical summit on April 9 — described by the FIA as a “constructive dialogue” — further sessions are scheduled for April 15 and 16, with a high-level stakeholder meeting on April 20. Discussions centre on six targeted modifications: raising super-clipping power, reducing per-lap energy allocation, and simplifying deployment rules. The FIA has emphasised these are precision refinements to address safety and performance concerns raised since the start of 2026, not a wholesale rewrite of the new regulations.
Sources: Sky Sports F1 | Motorsport.com | GPFans
Red Bull Targets Miami ‘Second Season Launch’ but Mekies Warns Against Expecting Miracles
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has labelled the Miami Grand Prix a “second season launch,” predicting that every car on the grid will arrive in Florida dramatically transformed after the unplanned five-week break. Mekies confirmed Red Bull has been running round-the-clock shifts at Milton Keynes targeting a significant aerodynamic step for the RB22. However, Mekies tempered expectations by warning that Red Bull should not anticipate “miracles,” with the team currently around a second per lap behind championship leaders Mercedes. Max Verstappen has been pressing the team for answers all season, and the Miami weekend carries particular urgency after just 12 points from the first three races.
Sources: PlanetF1 | Sky Sports F1 | Crash.net
Ferrari Reveals Revised Floor and Aerodynamic Package for Miami Grand Prix
Ferrari has confirmed its primary upgrade package for Miami, centred on a revised floor originally developed for the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix. Testing of the revised aero is underway at Fiorano this month, with additional components targeting further aerodynamic gains and weight reduction also set for the Miami package. Team principal Fred Vasseur echoed rival chiefs in predicting a “new championship” beginning in Miami, with teams pushing upgrades through at maximum pace during the extended break. Ferrari currently sit second in the constructors’ standings with 90 points behind Mercedes on 135, and a strong Miami performance could meaningfully shift the early-season picture ahead of the European rounds.
Aston Martin in Crisis: Newey Wind Tunnel Delay, Honda Battery Overhaul, Wheatley Gone
Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign has stalled badly, with designer Adrian Newey revealing the team’s new CoreWeave wind tunnel was not operational until mid-April — roughly four months behind rivals. Newey’s late arrival at the team also prompted a wholesale redesign of the Honda battery architecture, placing Honda under severe time pressure. Honda president Koji Watanabe tried to defuse tensions over Newey’s public comments about the power unit team’s inexperience, calling it a “misunderstanding.” Meanwhile, team principal Jonathan Wheatley has officially departed, with Aston Martin stating the former Red Bull sporting director will not be joining them “for the time being.”
Sources: Sky Sports F1 | Autosport | PlanetF1
Hulkenberg Calls Audi ‘Fun and Frustrating’ as Energy Weakness Resists Quick Fix
Nico Hülkenberg has described driving the 2026 Audi as “interesting and fun, but at the same time weird and frustrating,” citing persistent struggles with energy management under the new regulations. Audi are battling a fundamental efficiency gap — their power unit harvests energy less effectively than rivals, costing performance in both qualifying and race trim. The problem cannot be resolved quickly; hardware changes of this nature require months of development. Audi have compounded their difficulties with poor race starts at every round. With just two constructors’ points from three grands prix, patience at the Hinwil operation is under growing strain ahead of Miami.
Sources: GrandPrix247 | Crash.net
Drivers’ Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 72 pts
2. George Russell — 63 pts
3. Charles Leclerc — 49 pts
4. Lewis Hamilton — 41 pts
5. Lando Norris — 25 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 21 pts
7. Oliver Bearman — 17 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 15 pts
9. Max Verstappen — 12 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 10 pts
11. Arvid Lindblad — 4 pts
12. Isack Hadjar — 4 pts
13. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
14. Carlos Sainz — 2 pts
15. Esteban Ocon — 1 pt
16. Franco Colapinto — 1 pt
17. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
18. Alexander Albon — 0 pts
19. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
20. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
21. Fernando Alonso — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
Constructors’ Championship
1. Mercedes — 135 pts
2. Ferrari — 90 pts
3. McLaren — 46 pts
4. Haas F1 Team — 18 pts
5. Alpine — 16 pts
6. Red Bull Racing — 16 pts
7. Racing Bulls — 14 pts
8. Audi — 2 pts
9. Williams — 2 pts
10. Cadillac — 0 pts
11. Aston Martin — 0 pts