F1 Returns to Germany as McLaren and Mercedes Begin Pirelli Tyre Test at Nürburgring
Formula 1 returns to Germany today for the first time in six years as McLaren and Mercedes arrive at the Nürburgring for a two-day Pirelli dry-tyre test. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri share McLaren’s running across Tuesday and Wednesday, while George Russell and Kimi Antonelli cover Mercedes’ programme. Testing takes place on the standard grand prix circuit layout rather than the full Nordschleife. The session forms part of Pirelli’s in-season development schedule, with the supplier focusing on dry-weather compounds suited to 2026’s revised wheel specifications. A planned pre-season Bahrain test was cancelled due to the Middle East conflict, making this Nürburgring outing critical for Pirelli’s 2026 development timeline.
Tomorrow’s FIA Meetings: The Six Proposals That Could Transform F1 Racing Before Miami
The FIA kicks off two days of structured meetings tomorrow — April 15 for sporting regulations, April 16 for technical — as stakeholders seek consensus on changes to 2026’s energy management rules. ESPN reports proposals include raising the super-clipping power cap from 250kW to 350kW, reducing per-lap energy deployment, and simplifying qualifying limits. A high-level meeting on April 20 will consolidate preferred options, with any approved changes targeting implementation at the Miami Grand Prix on May 1–3. The World Motor Sport Council must ratify any alterations before they take effect. Sky Sports confirmed six areas are under active consideration following the sport’s first working group session on April 9.
Sources: ESPN | PlanetF1 | Sky Sports F1
Red Bull’s Talent Drain: From Horner to Lambiase, F1’s Former Dominant Force Has Changed Beyond Recognition
Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure to McLaren is the most visible symbol of Red Bull’s stunning collapse, but Motorsport Week’s April 13 investigation reveals the true scale of the exodus. Christian Horner was shock-fired as team principal last July; chief designer Craig Skinner, held in high regard by Verstappen, was announced as departing in February; and engineers Michael Manning, David Mart, and Tom Hart are also set to leave. McLaren has now secured three former senior Red Bull figures — Rob Marshall, Will Courtenay, and Lambiase — making the papaya outfit the primary beneficiary of Red Bull’s institutional breakdown. The four-time championship-winning machine has been stripped to its foundations.
Sources: Motorsport Week | ESPN
Ferrari Plans Monza Filming Day to Validate Major Miami Upgrade Package During April Break
Ferrari is pushing hard to narrow the 45-point gap to Mercedes, with a major upgrade package targeted at the Miami Grand Prix on May 1–3. Lewis Hamilton completed 884 kilometres across two days of Pirelli wet-tyre testing at Fiorano earlier this month, accumulating data on the SF-26’s behaviour. A 200km filming day at Monza is now planned to validate the Miami package — a revised floor plus additional aerodynamic components — before the team commits to shipping the parts to America. Power unit improvements are also expected under F1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities mechanism, given an estimated 20bhp deficit to the Mercedes power unit.
Inside the April Break: Nurburgring F1 Test, Verstappen in Endurance Racing, and Teams’ Miami Prep
Formula 1’s enforced five-week break has left teams and drivers filling their schedules in varied ways. Max Verstappen heads to the Nordschleife this weekend for the Nürburgring Endurance Series, combining his passion for endurance racing with a rare free weekend in the calendar. McLaren’s Norris and Piastri are at the same venue for the Pirelli F1 tyre test, while Mercedes have Russell and Antonelli completing the same programme. Sky Sports reports that with factory shutdowns largely avoided, most teams are using the unexpected break to push development and simulator work, with Miami preparation fully under way across the paddock.
Sources: Sky Sports F1 | Sky Sports F1
Autosport’s Key Questions from 2026’s First Three Rounds: Can Anyone Stop Antonelli and Mercedes?
Three races in, 2026’s headline questions are sharpening. Autosport has catalogued the unanswered challenges facing every major team as F1 heads into its Miami break. Can Ferrari close the 45-point gap to Mercedes in the constructors’ standings before the summer? Can Red Bull solve the car’s fundamental problems and stop Verstappen from walking away? With energy management regulations potentially changing by Miami, will the rule adjustments reshuffle the order or cement Mercedes’ advantage? At the front, Kimi Antonelli has made the championship look deceptively straightforward — but with 19 races remaining and rivals closing in on understanding the 2026 package, the season is far from settled.
Sources: Autosport
Experts Warn Verstappen His Retirement Talk Is ‘Working Against Him’ at Red Bull
Max Verstappen’s public retirement comments have drawn a firm response from respected paddock voices, who argue his repeated statements risk undermining his position at Red Bull rather than forcing the team’s hand. F1oversteer reports that insiders warn Verstappen’s talk of quitting has given Red Bull less incentive to compromise, since the team can frame driver morale as separate from the car’s performance problems. Sky Sports examined how realistic a 2026 retirement actually is, noting that while Verstappen’s frustrations with the energy management regulations are genuine, his contract’s performance exit clauses would need specific conditions to be met for a departure to materialise this year.
Sources: F1oversteer | Sky Sports F1
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 Hulkenberg — 0 pts
18. Alexander Albon — 0 pts
19. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
20. Sergio Perez — 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