Ferrari and McLaren tip Scuderia as clear pole favourite at Monaco
Lando Norris and McLaren principal Andrea Stella have tipped Ferrari as the outright favourite to take pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix, citing the SF-26’s superior low-speed corner performance as a decisive advantage. “Honestly, I think that Ferrari will be on pole next weekend in Monaco,” Norris said after the Canadian Grand Prix. “Their low-speed performance is far better than everyone else.” Stella agreed with his driver, pointing to GPS overlays showing Ferrari’s corner speed advantage. Ferrari has a power deficit on straights, but that weakness will not be exposed on Monaco’s twisty streets. Mercedes has converted all five 2026 pole positions into race wins.
Sources: Crash.net, Sky Sports
McLaren admit 2026 season ‘below expectations’ with 113-point Constructors’ gap
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged the reigning constructors’ champions have endured a “challenging” start to 2026 that has fallen “below our expectations.” Mercedes leads McLaren by 113 points in the Constructors’ Championship after five rounds, with both Norris and Piastri failing to score in Canada for the second time this season. Reliability and strategy failures have dogged McLaren’s campaign: a double DNS in China, a failed tyre gamble and a gearbox failure for Norris in Canada. Stella said McLaren’s new front wing, abandoned in Canada, will return at Monaco or Barcelona. “We don’t think the championship is signed off,” he added.
Sources: Sky Sports
Nico Rosberg: Hamilton ‘not quite there yet’ to win F1 title with Ferrari
Nico Rosberg has all but dismissed Lewis Hamilton’s chances of winning a record eighth Formula 1 world championship with Ferrari this season. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, the 2016 champion said: “To get the championship, the car is not good enough, and his level is not quite there yet.” Hamilton scored his best Ferrari result — second place — at the Canadian Grand Prix in a breakthrough weekend, but Rosberg cautioned he is “up against Charles Leclerc who is at the peak of his ability, and he is one of the greatest drivers of this generation.” Rosberg does predict Hamilton will win at least one race in 2026.
Sources: Crash.net
Audi rules out Verstappen signing as Red Bull exit speculation intensifies
Audi F1 team principal Mattia Binotto has explicitly ruled out signing Max Verstappen, saying the team is not yet ready to provide the platform the four-time world champion requires. “We aren’t ready yet. We need to offer him a proper platform — a setup where he can genuinely compete for wins,” Binotto told reporters. Speculation about Verstappen’s future has intensified following Red Bull’s troubled 2026 campaign, with the Dutchman sitting seventh in the championship with 43 points after five rounds. Verstappen holds a performance-based exit clause in his Red Bull contract and has threatened to quit Formula 1 entirely if proposed 2027 engine rule changes are not confirmed.
Sources: PlanetF1
F1 agrees in principle to shift 2027 engine balance to 60-40 combustion split
Formula 1 chiefs have agreed in principle to shift the 2027 engine power split away from the current near-equal balance between internal combustion and electrical energy, moving towards a roughly 60-40 split in favour of the combustion engine. The changes would see ICE output increase by approximately 50kW alongside a fuel-flow increase, with ERS deployment reduced by 50kW — producing cars that demand less energy management. The proposed shift would make driving more intuitive and address widespread concerns from drivers and teams about the current 50-50 power split. All changes remain subject to formal approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
Sources: RaceFans, Sky Sports
F1 Commission agrees 2027 tweaks: fourth pre-season test day and aero changes
The second F1 Commission meeting of 2026, held in London on June 2, produced minor regulatory changes for the 2027 season. A fourth pre-season test day was approved — up from three days planned — giving teams additional track time as the sport normalises after the sweeping 2026 overhaul. Minor aerodynamic and bodywork changes were also agreed, though specific details were not released. A revised Testing of Previous Cars rule will restrict teams from testing at circuits scheduled to host a race the following year. All changes remain subject to formal approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council before incorporation into the 2027 regulations.
Sources: Crash.net
Monaco Grand Prix opens Formula 1’s European season this Friday
The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix marks the start of an intense European stretch, with the street race opening four grands prix across five weeks. Practice begins at Circuit de Monaco on Friday June 5, qualifying Saturday, the race Sunday June 7. Ferrari and McLaren — stronger than Mercedes in slow-speed corners — are tipped to challenge the Silver Arrows’ perfect record this season. The race is officially the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco from 2026, with Louis Vuitton becoming only the second title sponsor in the event’s history. Barcelona follows June 12–14, Austria June 26–28, and Silverstone July 3–5.
Sources: Sky Sports
FIA bans active aero at Monaco Grand Prix on safety grounds
The FIA has confirmed Formula 1’s active aerodynamics system will not operate at the Monaco Grand Prix, making Monte Carlo the first 2026 round without Straight Mode activation zones. Safety concerns at the Tunnel exit — where reduced drag produces high closing speeds over limited run-off — were the primary reason. The FIA’s minimum three-second requirement for Straight Mode zones also applies, and no Monaco straight meets that threshold. Drivers retain access to Overtake Mode when within one second of the car ahead, activating just before Turns 18 and 19. The mandatory two-stop rule used at the 2025 Monaco GP has also been dropped.
Sources: Sky Sports F1, Crash.net
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 131 pts
2. George Russell — 88 pts
3. Charles Leclerc — 75 pts
4. Lewis Hamilton — 72 pts
5. Lando Norris — 58 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 48 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 43 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 20 pts
9. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 16 pts
11. Franco Colapinto — 15 pts
12. Isack Hadjar — 14 pts
13. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
14. Arvid Lindblad — 5 pts
15. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 1 pts
17. Alexander Albon — 1 pts
18. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
19. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
20. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
21. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
22. Fernando Alonso — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 219 pts
2. Ferrari — 147 pts
3. McLaren — 106 pts
4. Red Bull Racing — 57 pts
5. Alpine — 35 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 21 pts
7. Haas F1 Team — 19 pts
8. Williams — 7 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Cadillac — 0 pts
11. Aston Martin — 0 pts
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