Samwise F1 Newsletter
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Ferrari Confirms Second ADUO Engine Upgrade for Italian Grand Prix
Ferrari has confirmed it will deploy its second ADUO engine token at the Italian Grand Prix, introducing a revised 067/7 power unit with a reworked combustion chamber and upgraded turbocharger. The Scuderia expects around 15 horsepower of additional output, which team figures suggest would halve their deficit to Mercedes. A new Shell-developed fuel blend contributes further gains. Ferrari will also run its Macarena rear wing variant and a revised blown exhaust configuration. With championship leader Kimi Antonelli committed to a back-of-grid penalty, Ferrari sees the Italian Grand Prix as a key opportunity to close the gap to Mercedes.
Ferrari Unveils Michael Schumacher Tribute Race Suits for Monza
Ferrari has unveiled special race suits that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will wear at the Italian Grand Prix as a tribute to Michael Schumacher, marking the 30th anniversary of his first season with the team and 20 years since his retirement announcement at the 2006 Italian GP. The suits feature a red-and-white design adorned with seven stars representing Schumacher’s seven world championships, plus the Schumacher family logo on the hip. Ferrari has also indicated a special car livery is planned for Monza. The tribute underscores the emotional significance of the Italian Grand Prix as Ferrari’s most important race of the season.
Mercedes Reveals Pre-Race Meeting Behind Dutch GP Team Orders
Mercedes has revealed that a pre-race strategy meeting held on Sunday morning at Zandvoort established the framework for the team orders that played out during the Dutch Grand Prix. Sporting director Bradley Lord explained that drivers were briefed before the race that the championship standings were too close to risk internal fighting. When Kimi Antonelli took a free Virtual Safety Car stop and gained track position, the team’s pre-agreed position provided the basis for instructing George Russell to hold station. Lord stated: ‘That discussion provided the basis for the decision.’ The revelation adds context to what appeared from the outside as a real-time call.
Williams Accepts Responsibility for Sainz and Albon Dutch GP Collision
Williams team principal James Vowles has accepted team responsibility for the first-corner collision between teammates Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon at the Dutch Grand Prix. Sainz locked up at Turn 1 while defending from Albon, causing contact that retired Albon and earned Sainz a ten-second time penalty. Vowles said the team bore culpability as a Virtual Safety Car strategy call had unnecessarily placed both cars in direct competition with each other. Albon downplayed the severity of the clash, describing it as less serious than some other well-known teammate incidents, but confirmed his car sustained enough damage to force retirement.
Mercedes Confirms Russell Engine Penalty Planned Before Season End
Mercedes has confirmed that George Russell will serve a power unit change penalty at some point before the end of the 2026 season, but the team has not yet decided at which race to take it. Russell has already exhausted his power unit allocation following failures at the Canadian Grand Prix and during qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The team has ruled out the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with Baku reported as one potential venue for the change. Mercedes is managing the timing carefully to avoid both championship contenders, Russell and Kimi Antonelli, serving back-to-back grid penalties at consecutive race weekends.
F1 Team Bosses Oppose FIA Plan to Reintroduce In-Race Refuelling
Three Formula 1 team principals have pushed back against FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s proposal to reintroduce in-race refuelling. Racing Bulls boss Peter Bayer, drawing on research from his time as the FIA’s secretary general, said historical data showed refuelling shifted overtaking from the track into the pit lane without improving the spectacle. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said refuelling made races harder for fans to follow as spectators. Williams’ James Vowles argued that refuelling would make pit stop strategy entirely predictable, since cars would always run to the end of their fuel load, removing the current tactical intrigue from race strategy.
FIA Finds No Changes Needed in Second ADUO Engine Analysis
The FIA has confirmed no additional engine development opportunities following its second ADUO (Additional Development Upgrade Opportunity) analysis, completed after the Hungarian Grand Prix and summer break. The governing body found no basis to extend upgrade allocations beyond those issued in the first analysis, under which all manufacturers except Red Bull-Ford received development tokens. FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis called the process ‘incredibly robust’ and noted that as the first year of ADUO, there may be areas to evolve over time. The third measurement period now runs from the Dutch Grand Prix through November’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Drivers Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Antonelli | 242 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 183 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 183 |
| 4 | L. Norris | 159 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 155 |
| 6 | M. Verstappen | 112 |
| 7 | O. Piastri | 104 |
| 8 | I. Hadjar | 68 |
| 9 | L. Lawson | 49 |
| 10 | P. Gasly | 44 |
| 11 | A. Lindblad | 23 |
| 12 | F. Colapinto | 19 |
| 13 | O. Bearman | 18 |
| 14 | G. Bortoleto | 10 |
| 15 | N. Hulkenberg | 6 |
| 16 | C. Sainz | 6 |
| 17 | A. Albon | 5 |
| 18 | E. Ocon | 3 |
| 19 | F. Alonso | 3 |
| 20 | Y. Tsunoda | 0 |
| 21 | L. Stroll | 0 |
| 22 | V. Bottas | 0 |
| 23 | S. Perez | 0 |
Constructors Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 425 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 338 |
| 3 | McLaren | 263 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 186 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 66 |
| 6 | Alpine | 63 |
| 7 | Haas | 21 |
| 8 | Audi | 16 |
| 9 | Williams | 11 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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