Leclerc Rejects Aston Martin Contract Offer to Stay at Ferrari
Charles Leclerc has reportedly received and rejected a substantial contract offer from Aston Martin, according to veteran journalist Joe Saward. The 28-year-old Monegasque remains committed to Ferrari, where he is in his eighth season, despite the team's continued struggles for race-winning pace. Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton finished eighth and sixth respectively at the Miami Grand Prix, with tyre management again cited as a key weakness against Red Bull and McLaren. Ferrari sit second in the constructors' standings with 110 points, trailing Mercedes by 70. The reported rejection underscores Leclerc's long-standing loyalty to Maranello even as Aston Martin made a serious approach.
Sources: GPFans
Mercedes Deliver Challenge to Russell as Antonelli Championship Lead Grows
George Russell faces mounting pressure at Mercedes ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix after championship leader Kimi Antonelli extended his advantage to 20 points with a third consecutive victory in Miami. Russell opened the season strongly with a win in Australia but has been outpaced by his 19-year-old team-mate in each subsequent round. Broadcaster Will Buxton reported that Mercedes have effectively challenged the 28-year-old Briton to deliver at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on May 22–24, or risk Antonelli becoming the team's undisputed championship focus. Russell holds 80 points to Antonelli's 100 after four races.
Sources: GPFans
Antonelli Targets Nurburgring Debut as Verstappen Begins 24-Hour Race This Week
Kimi Antonelli has confirmed plans to obtain his Nordschleife licence before the end of 2026, setting the stage for a potential future clash with Max Verstappen at the Nurburgring 24 Hours. The championship leader told Verstappen's team-mate Jules Gounon at the Imola WEC round that he intends to get licensed “at the end of the year.” Verstappen begins his 24-hour debut this Thursday, May 14, co-driving the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 alongside Lucas Auer, Dani Juncadella, and Gounon in a 161-car field. The event has sold out for the first time in its history, widely credited to the Verstappen effect attracting new audiences to endurance racing.
Sources: GPFans
Rosberg Says Hamilton Is Back to His Best After Difficult Ferrari First Season
Former Mercedes champion Nico Rosberg has praised Lewis Hamilton's resurgence at Ferrari, declaring the seven-time world champion finally back to his best after a difficult debut season in red. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rosberg said he is happy to see Hamilton racing with joy again after a 2025 campaign in which the 41-year-old failed to reach a single grand prix podium. Hamilton collected a podium at the Chinese Grand Prix in March and now sits joint-fourth in the standings with 51 points alongside reigning champion Lando Norris. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, host of the next round, is one of Hamilton's strongest tracks with seven career victories.
Sources: GPFans
Piastri Warned Against Red Bull Switch by Former F1 Race Engineer
Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley has cautioned Oscar Piastri against entertaining a move to Red Bull, telling the High Performance Racing Podcast he has never seen a driver benefit from leaving a front-running team for a lesser one purely to secure a number one status. The remarks come amid speculation linking Piastri to Red Bull following confirmation that Verstappen's long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren as chief racing officer by 2028. Piastri finished third at Miami and sits sixth in the championship with 43 points. Smedley drew on his own paddock experience with Ferrari and Felipe Massa to argue the move would be counterproductive.
Sources: GPFans
Newey's Aston Martin Concept Faces Potential Redesign After FIA Agrees 2027 Engine Rules
Adrian Newey's radical Aston Martin concept could require a major redesign following the FIA's agreement in principle to alter the 2026 power unit framework for 2027. The changes include a nominal 50kW increase in internal combustion engine output, a 50kW reduction in ERS deployment power, and a higher fuel-flow allowance. Broadcaster Will Buxton warned that larger fuel tanks and additional cooling will directly penalise the extreme tight-rear, narrow-sidepod philosophy Newey used on the 2026 Aston Martin. The FIA stated the proposals must still pass a World Motor Sport Council e-vote and manufacturer approval before being formally ratified for the 2027 season.
Sources: GPFans
Hulkenberg: Fans Who Dislike 2026 Rules Do Not Have to Watch
Nico Hulkenberg has defended the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, stating bluntly that fans who dislike the new rules simply do not have to watch. The Audi driver made the comments in remarks published Wednesday by RaceFans, insisting the season has produced entertaining and action-packed racing. His position contrasts sharply with four-time champion Max Verstappen, who has described the energy management system as “terrible” and comparable to Formula E. The FIA and teams are already working on evolutionary changes to the ruleset for 2027. The 2026 regulations, which introduced active aerodynamics and a heavily revised hybrid power unit, have generated significant debate since the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Sources: RaceFans
Wolff Issues Ferrari Warning as Italy Rallies Behind Championship Leader Antonelli
Mercedes principal Toto Wolff has issued a pointed observation about the challenge facing Ferrari as Italy rallies behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli. The 19-year-old's three consecutive victories have made him the youngest driver ever to lead the Formula 1 world championship, and Wolff noted that for the first time in living memory, Italy has a driver with both the talent and machinery capable of challenging for a world title, creating an unprecedented level of national passion. Antonelli tops the standings with 100 points, with Mercedes leading the constructors' championship on 180. Ferrari hold second with 110 points, 70 adrift of the Silver Arrows after four rounds.
Sources: GPFans
Drivers' Championship
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli — 100 pts
2. George Russell — 80 pts
3. Charles Leclerc — 59 pts
4. Lando Norris — 51 pts
5. Lewis Hamilton — 51 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 43 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 26 pts
8. Oliver Bearman — 17 pts
9. Pierre Gasly — 16 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 10 pts
11. Franco Colapinto — 7 pts
12. Arvid Lindblad — 4 pts
13. Isack Hadjar — 4 pts
14. Carlos Sainz — 4 pts
15. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 1 pt
17. Alex Albon — 1 pt
18. Nico Hulkenberg — 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 — 180 pts
2. Ferrari — 110 pts
3. McLaren — 94 pts
4. Red Bull Racing — 30 pts
5. Alpine — 23 pts
6. Haas — 18 pts
7. Racing Bulls — 14 pts
8. Williams — 5 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Cadillac — 0 pts
11. Aston Martin — 0 pts
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