Verstappen Reveals Personal Lambiase Admission as Red Bull Battles McLaren for Engineer
Max Verstappen expressed support for race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase's decision to leave Red Bull, acknowledging he could not demand his long-time ally stay given the engineer's personal career ambitions. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies is contesting the move, insisting Lambiase must see out his current contract before joining McLaren. The dispute puts the two teams on a collision course, with Lambiase having worked alongside Verstappen for all four of his world championships. Verstappen separately confirmed that his potential F1 exit extends beyond frustration with the 2026 regulations, with team performance factors also weighing heavily on his thinking as the season resumes in Miami.
Red Bull Chief Tells McLaren He Will Fight to Keep Lambiase as Saga Enters Critical Phase
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies stated his team intends to retain Gianpiero Lambiase for the remainder of his current contract, pushing back against McLaren's desire to bring the engineer across ahead of schedule. Lambiase, Verstappen's race engineer throughout his four world championships, confirmed his intention to join McLaren following his planned Red Bull departure. The dispute is the latest chapter in a saga that has unsettled both teams as they prepare for the Miami Grand Prix, with Verstappen having described the loss of Lambiase as a significant personal and professional blow. Red Bull arrives in Florida with an aerodynamic upgrade package for the RB22.
Sources: GPFans
FIA Closes MGU-K Energy Deployment Loophole Ahead of Miami Grand Prix
The FIA has introduced a technical regulation change ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, closing an inadvertent loophole in the 2026 power unit energy deployment rules. The adjustment targets the so-called power limited phase of MGU-K operation: drivers must now hold the throttle at more than 98 per cent for at least one full second before the system activates. The change follows complaints from multiple teams that cars were inadvertently wasting recovered kinetic energy following minor steering corrections, disrupting deployment consistency. The modification forms part of a broader package of regulatory refinements agreed between the FIA, team principals, and power unit manufacturers ahead of the Miami weekend.
Sources: GPFans
FIA Start Detection Trial at Miami Poses Threat to Ferrari's Race-Launch Advantage
The FIA will trial a low power start detection system at the Miami Grand Prix that could reduce Ferrari's advantage at race starts. The safety mechanism monitors acceleration immediately after clutch release; if abnormally low thrust is detected, the MGU-K automatically deploys limited power to ensure a minimum acceleration threshold. Ferrari's optimised launch procedure has been among the team's most effective tools in the first three rounds, enabling Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to gain multiple positions at the start. A wider rollout could neutralise this competitive edge in future races. The FIA confirmed the trial is driven by safety concerns over slow-starting cars on the formation lap.
Sources: GPFans
Wolff Warns Antonelli and Russell: Mercedes Bigger Than Any Driver Ahead of Title Battle
Toto Wolff issued a firm message to championship leader Kimi Antonelli and team-mate George Russell ahead of Miami, warning that neither driver's interests will ever be placed above those of Mercedes as a team. Wolff stated he would consider running a single car rather than permit any driver to believe the team operates in service of them personally. Antonelli leads Russell by nine points after three races, having taken back-to-back victories in China and Japan. Both drivers will be free to race in Miami, Wolff confirmed, but added that avoiding contact between the team's cars is an absolute condition. Any breach of that understanding would invite team intervention.
Sources: Sky Sports F1
Hamilton and Ferrari Targeting Season Relaunch With Power Unit Software Upgrade at Miami
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari arrive at the Miami Grand Prix targeting a season relaunch after three rounds in which the team has consistently finished second to Mercedes on pace. Hamilton sits fourth in the Drivers' Championship with 41 points, 31 behind leader Kimi Antonelli. Ferrari is bringing a revised power unit software package to Miami that focuses on improving electrical energy management, aiming to reduce the drag-inducing effects of the super clipping limitation on straights. The team tested the updated software at Monza during the April break. Ferrari's race-start speed has been a competitive bright spot, regularly lifting Hamilton and Leclerc into contention despite qualifying deficits.
Sources: Sky Sports F1
Miami Sprint Weekend Brings Major Upgrades as Rivals Target Mercedes' Perfect Season Start
The Miami Grand Prix Sprint weekend arrives as the first major examination of whether the five-week April break has allowed rivals to close on Mercedes, who won all three opening races of 2026. McLaren's Andrea Stella has described the MCL40 as a substantially new car compared to the Japanese Grand Prix specification, with aerodynamic surfaces extensively revised. Ferrari and Red Bull also arrive in Florida with significant upgrade packages. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli holds a nine-point advantage over team-mate George Russell, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri the nearest non-Mercedes challengers at 47 and 51 points adrift. Max Verstappen sits ninth with 12 points.
Sources: Sky Sports F1
Cadillac Reveals Stars and Stripes Special Livery to Mark First F1 Home Race in Miami
Cadillac F1 has unveiled a special one-off livery for the Miami Grand Prix, the American constructor's first Formula 1 race on home soil since joining the grid this season as the sport's 11th team. The design integrates American national imagery into the team's base black-and-white colour scheme, with USA lettered across the rear wing in red, white, and blue, and 50 stars representing each US state applied to the front wing. Drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are yet to score championship points from the season's opening three rounds. Team principal Graeme Lowdon expressed hope the home crowd in Florida would provide extra motivation for a breakthrough result.
Sources: RaceFans
Drivers' Championship
1. Andrea 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 Jnr — 2 pts
15. Esteban Ocon — 1 pts
16. Franco Colapinto — 1 pts
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
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 135 pts
2. Ferrari — 90 pts
3. McLaren — 46 pts
4. Haas — 18 pts
5. Alpine — 16 pts
6. Red Bull — 16 pts
7. Racing Bulls — 14 pts
8. Audi — 2 pts
9. Williams — 2 pts
10. Cadillac — 0 pts
11. Aston Martin — 0 pts