FIA blames manufacturers for blocking 2026 engine regulation changes
The FIA has defended itself against escalating criticism of F1’s 2026 power unit regulations, with single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis revealing that manufacturers blocked earlier attempts at change. Any adjustment required the agreement of at least four of five power unit makers — a threshold that was never reached. “Quite simply, four of them did not agree during the years when we discussed adjustments,” Tombazis said. Lewis Hamilton added pressure by agreeing with Carlos Sainz that “whoever made the decision, they’ve still got their job.” The FIA has now published a roadmap to shift the power split from 50/50 to 60/40 in favour of combustion by 2028.
Newey backs Alonso to remain at Aston Martin beyond 2026 season
Adrian Newey has backed Fernando Alonso to remain part of the Aston Martin project beyond 2026, saying he is “pretty confident” the team will “continue with our relationship.” Alonso, who has scored just one point this season with the Honda-powered outfit, is out of contract at year’s end and will decide his future during the summer break. The two-time world champion has left open the possibility of moving into Aston’s WEC sportscar programme rather than returning to the F1 grid, while insisting his commitment to the team’s long-term championship ambitions remains unchanged regardless of his cockpit status.
Mercedes planning sizeable W16 upgrade package for post-summer stretch
Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta says the team is planning a “sizeable” upgrade package for its W16 during the second half of the season after months of incremental development steps. Resta also welcomed the presence of former Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton — now challenging for the title at Ferrari — saying his fight with Kimi Antonelli “makes the sport better.” A major step came with the Canadian Grand Prix upgrade; a second significant push is now planned for the post-summer stretch. Antonelli currently leads the Drivers’ Championship ahead of team-mate George Russell.
Hadjar: I was doing the easy stuff really wrong in early Red Bull races
Isack Hadjar has reflected candidly on his first season at Red Bull, admitting he was “doing the easy stuff really wrong” in the early rounds. The French rookie — promoted from Racing Bulls after impressing in 2025 — only scored points once in the opening four races, struggling with starts, ERS deployment and early spins. Since Canada, however, he has finished in the top six at every race. “I’ve found some consistency,” Hadjar said at Hungary, adding that he is targeting a genuine podium before the season ends. He acknowledges Max Verstappen’s racecraft on Sundays remains on “a different level.”
Governance rules that bound new entrants left FIA unable to fix 2026 engines early
Binding obligations imposed on new entrants such as Audi explain why F1’s governing bodies were powerless to amend the 2026 power unit regulations before the season began. Because any manufacturer joining the rules framework had to be bound by the same financial and operational constraints, they also retained the right to block changes — requiring four of five power unit makers to agree before any amendment could pass. “Quite simply, four of them did not agree during the years when we discussed adjustments,” FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis confirmed. The contentious 50/50 combustion-to-battery power split will be revised to 60/40 by 2028.
Gasly says 2026 F1 regulations have fundamentally changed the art of driving
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly says the 2026 rules have fundamentally changed the art of driving an F1 car. The need to manage energy budgets means drivers can no longer attack every corner flat-out — something Gasly says he has done since starting karting at age six. “You’ve got to be driving efficiently, which doesn’t mean necessarily going as fast as you can through all the corners,” he told Autocar. While careful not to openly criticise the regulations, Gasly said the balance between combustion and battery power has gone “a bit too far.” He noted that high-speed corners still deliver extraordinary 5G loads at circuits like Silverstone.
BILD exit clause report fires up Verstappen saga as Jos hits back
The Max Verstappen contract saga intensified during the summer break as German outlet BILD reported Red Bull had offered a 2029 extension that would remove his performance-based exit clause. Verstappen currently sits sixth in the standings — outside the top-two threshold that would trigger his ability to leave the team. His father Jos Verstappen swiftly rejected the reports on social media, writing “You know absolutely nothing” in response to a post about the rumours. F1 pundit Robert Doornbos had predicted an announcement at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort (August 21–23). The saga continues to dominate the silly season.
Bearman admits Hamilton’s Ferrari success is not ideal for his Scuderia ambitions
Ferrari academy graduate Ollie Bearman has admitted that Lewis Hamilton’s impressive title challenge at Maranello is “not ideal” for his own long-term ambitions to join the Scuderia. Speaking on the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast, the Haas driver said watching Hamilton on the top step in Barcelona was “something pretty special” — but that it pushes back his Ferrari timeline. Bearman insists he is not rushing, pointing to Haas as a team on an upward trajectory where he still has plenty to achieve. Hamilton currently sits second in the championship, 50 points behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari eyeing a title comeback.
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 219 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton — 169 pts
3. George Russell — 160 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 138 pts
5. Lando Norris — 128 pts
6. Max Verstappen — 109 pts
7. Oscar Piastri — 92 pts
8. Isack Hadjar — 68 pts
9. Liam Lawson — 43 pts
10. Pierre Gasly — 42 pts
11. Arvid Lindblad — 23 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 19 pts
13. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
14. Gabriel Bortoleto — 10 pts
15. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
16. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
17. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
18. Nico Hülkenberg — 2 pts
19. Fernando Alonso — 1 pts
20. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
21. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
22. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 379 pts
2. Ferrari — 307 pts
3. McLaren — 220 pts
4. Red Bull — 177 pts
5. Racing Bulls — 66 pts
6. Alpine — 61 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Audi — 12 pts
9. Williams — 11 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pts
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
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