Newey calls Aston Martin's 2026 campaign 'disastrous' but finds silver lining in Honda partnership
Adrian Newey has described Aston Martin's 2026 Formula 1 season as "disastrous" but says the struggles have produced one benefit: a closer working relationship with Honda. Aston Martin has scored just one championship point from eleven races, with Honda's power unit facing problems on reliability and power output. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, the team introduced 16 upgrades; Fernando Alonso qualified in Q2 for the first time this season, and both he and Lance Stroll finished the race. "After what can only be described as a disastrous start, the positive aspect is that it has fostered a very close working relationship between Honda and Aston Martin," Newey told Marca.
FIA publishes updated 2026 F1 race calendar with new session start times
The FIA has published updated session start times for the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Bahrain Grand Prix, relocated to Sepang Circuit in Malaysia, will run October 2–4 with the race beginning at 3pm local time (8am BST); it is not a sprint weekend. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, September 26, the first Saturday grand prix since the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP. Formula 1 has until mid-September to confirm the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds; contingency venues including Imola, Portimão, and Turkey remain on standby if contracts cannot be agreed.
Audi plans four second-half upgrade packages in push to pass Alpine and Racing Bulls
Audi is planning four further upgrade packages for its Formula 1 car in the second half of 2026, with three described as "big steps" and development continuing as late as the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. In its debut season as both constructor and power unit manufacturer — having absorbed the former Sauber entry — the team sits eighth in the constructors' standings with 12 points. Team principal Jonathan Wheatley left after two race weekends; Mattia Binotto now oversees operations. No power unit upgrades are planned before 2027 due to budget constraints. Audi is targeting Alpine and Racing Bulls in the standings.
F1 summer break: what is banned, when it ends, and where the championship stands
Formula 1 is in its mandatory summer shutdown ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 21–23. Article 3.1 of the operational regulations requires a minimum 14-day break during which no performance-related work is permitted — wind tunnel testing, simulator running, and any performance-focused activity are all barred. Even internal emails are banned except for essential services and maintenance. Teams may schedule the break at any point across July and August. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli heads into the shutdown 50 points clear of Lewis Hamilton, who has been closing the gap across the second half of the season.
Mika Häkkinen says 2026 F1 cars are better than those from his world championship era
Two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Häkkinen believes the 2026-specification cars are superior to those he drove during his championship years. Appearing on the Up to Speed podcast with David Coulthard, Häkkinen cited improved braking stability, more linear torque delivery, and better gearshifts as key advantages. Current cars produce more than 1,000 horsepower, versus approximately 800–900 hp in his era, and the 2026 regulations have produced more overtaking than 2025 at nearly every race. His only reservation is weight: today's cars run at 800–900 kg, against around 600–700 kg during his title-winning seasons.
NASCAR team owner confirms Max Verstappen talks: 'It is definitely on his radar'
Trackhouse Racing co-owner Justin Marks has confirmed that Max Verstappen is in talks about a NASCAR appearance, saying it is "definitely on his radar." Marks made the comments on the SPEED with Harvick and Buxton podcast, adding that discussions had taken place through the Red Bull network and that Verstappen was "eager to try various racing styles." Trackhouse's Project 91 programme has previously placed international drivers including Kimi Räikkönen, Hélio Castroneves, and Kevin Magnussen in Cup Series races. A potential complication is branding: Trackhouse runs Chevrolet machinery, while Verstappen is tied to Ford through Red Bull Powertrains. He is contracted to Red Bull until 2028.
Lewis Hamilton's Denver Broncos stake approaching $10 billion valuation
Lewis Hamilton's minority stake in NFL franchise the Denver Broncos is approaching a $10 billion valuation, according to analysis by GPFans. Hamilton joined Rob Walton's investor group when it purchased the Broncos for a then-record $4.65 billion in 2022. Forbes valued the Broncos at $6.8 billion in 2025. The Seattle Seahawks recently sold for $9.612 billion — a new NFL record — and applying similar metrics to the Broncos puts their current valuation near $10 billion. Hamilton, who invested as a minority owner as part of the Walton group, has roughly doubled his original stake since the 2022 acquisition.
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad refuses to move to Monaco despite earning under $1m
At least 13 of 22 Formula 1 drivers live in or own property in Monaco, drawn by its tax advantages and status as the sport's foremost symbol of wealth. One notable exception is Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad, 18, who has chosen to remain in England. Lindblad, who earns under $1 million as a first-year driver, attributes his decision to his family's immigrant background: his Pakistani and Swedish grandparents lost everything starting over, and his father struggled to have three meals a day when young. Lindblad told Motorsport.com the Monaco lifestyle felt "almost wrong" to him given his family's history.
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. Ollie Bearman — 18 pts
14. Gabriel Bortoleto — 10 pts
15. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
16. Alex Albon — 5 pts
17. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
18. Nico Hülkenberg — 2 pts
19. Fernando Alonso — 1 pts
20. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
21. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 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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