Samwise F1 Newsletter
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
F1 Commission shortens 2027 race distances to 290km
Formula One will shorten grands prix from 305 kilometres to 290 kilometres beginning in 2027, following a vote at Monday’s FIA Commission meeting in London. The change, estimated to reduce each race by two to three laps, was approved under the co-chairmanship of F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA single-seat director Nikolas Tombazis. Alongside the distance reduction, the commission approved the removal of gearbox homologation requirements for 2027 and the introduction of a hard time-stop rule for rain-affected races. Both measures still require ratification by the FIA World Motor Sport Council before taking effect. The changes form part of Formula One’s broader overhaul of its 2027 sporting regulations.
Baku race moves to Saturday due to Azerbaijan Remembrance Day
The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, 26 September, after organisers moved the race to avoid a clash with Azerbaijan Remembrance Day, which falls on Sunday. The revised schedule places free practice sessions FP1 and FP2 on Thursday, 24 September, with FP3 and qualifying following on Friday, 25 September. The 51-lap race starts at 15:00 local Baku time, equivalent to 12:00 UK time. Weather forecasts call for dry, sunny conditions with temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius on race day, though strong winds are expected during Friday’s qualifying session, which could significantly influence grid positions on the long Baku straights.
McLaren brings H-Wing to Baku and predicts four-way battle
McLaren Mastercard will return to Baku equipped with its H-Wing aerodynamic package, first debuted at Monza before being left behind in Madrid, as the team targets a strong result at one of Formula One’s most distinctive circuits. Chief technical officer Rob Marshall has predicted an open contest among the leading four teams, stating that any of McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull are capable of winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Lando Norris, who claimed three poles and two victories from his last four starts prior to the Madrid weekend, arrives with strong momentum despite narrowly missing victory at the Madring circuit through the timing of the virtual safety car.
Sources: Sky Sports F1
Red Bull admits Verstappen RB22 degradation issue cannot be fixed before 2027
Red Bull has acknowledged that a performance degradation problem affecting Max Verstappen’s RB22 is unlikely to be resolved before the 2027 season. Team principal Laurent Mekies conceded after the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid that the issue is genuine and complex, confirming that small steps have been made but expecting the problem to persist. Verstappen has repeatedly raised the complaint throughout 2026, describing his car as being made of paper during Monza qualifying and attributing a spin in Hungary qualifying to the same phenomenon. With nine rounds remaining and Verstappen sixth in the championship with 145 points, the fix is now firmly a 2027 engineering priority.
Ferrari targets floor upgrade at US Grand Prix to revive Hamilton title bid
Ferrari is targeting a significant floor upgrade for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on 23–25 October, as the team looks to revive Lewis Hamilton’s fading title challenge. The upgrade is described as a more substantial evolution of the Barcelona developments introduced earlier this season and is expected to deliver meaningful performance gains. Hamilton sits 101 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli with nine rounds remaining. The deficit has deepened sharply in recent races, with Antonelli scoring 73 points across the last three rounds compared to Hamilton’s 22, leaving Ferrari under mounting pressure to produce a significant step forward in the remaining rounds.
Rosberg warns Antonelli his mind is biggest F1 title obstacle now
Nico Rosberg has warned Kimi Antonelli that the greatest obstacle to a first Formula One world title is now psychological rather than on-track. Speaking on Sky Sports’ The F1 Show, the 2016 champion drew on personal experience, recalling that in the final four races of that season his mental capacity to drive effectively dropped to around 70 per cent as fear of making a costly mistake consumed the rest. Antonelli holds an 81-point lead over Mercedes team-mate George Russell, with Lewis Hamilton 101 points adrift and Lando Norris 106 behind, with nine races remaining. “It’s really him against his mind now,” Rosberg said.
Vasseur labelled Napoleon with allergy to Maranello in Ferrari leadership critique
A sharp Italian media critique has labelled Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur as a Napoleon figure who suffers from an allergy to Maranello, intensifying scrutiny of his management approach as Lewis Hamilton’s championship challenge rapidly deteriorates. The analysis coincides with reports suggesting Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is being monitored as a potential future appointment at the Scuderia, as speculation about Ferrari’s leadership direction grows. Critics argue Vasseur has been reluctant to grant Hamilton the sporting priority his points deficit demands, with the Briton now 101 points adrift of championship leader Kimi Antonelli and just nine rounds remaining in the 2026 season.
Alonso F1 future in doubt as rival teams decline to sign him
Fernando Alonso’s Formula One future is under increasing pressure after F1 analyst Marc Surer revealed that rival teams have shown no interest in signing the two-time world champion beyond his current deal with Aston Martin. Former grand prix driver and broadcaster Martin Brundle has separately called for Aston Martin to drop Alonso from their 2027 lineup, citing a deeply disappointing 2026 campaign. Alonso has accumulated just three championship points this season, matching the team’s entire constructors’ haul as Aston Martin languishes near the bottom of the drivers’ standings. The 45-year-old Spaniard has not publicly confirmed his future plans with the Silverstone-based outfit.
FIA penalty points update: Hamilton and Antonelli clear for Azerbaijan GP
The FIA’s latest penalty points update, published ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, confirms that championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton both carry zero licence penalty points and face no suspension risk at Baku. The tally covers a rolling 12-month window, with any driver accumulating 12 points within that period triggering a mandatory race ban for the following event. Antonelli holds a 101-point championship advantage over Hamilton with nine rounds of the 2026 season remaining. Neither driver has attracted heavy penalties during recent grands prix, meaning both will contest the Baku weekend without the additional complication of suspension risk.
Mercedes delays W17 upgrade package until Bahrain GP at Sepang
Mercedes will deploy a significant W17 upgrade package from the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, scheduled for 2–4 October, and will not bring the development to Baku this weekend. The announcement confirms the upgrade timeline first discussed internally at the team and serves as a pointed warning to rivals Ferrari and McLaren that a substantial performance step is imminent. Mercedes leads the constructors’ championship by 145 points, while Kimi Antonelli holds a 292-point total in the drivers’ standings, 81 clear of team-mate George Russell. The team has indicated the Sepang package targets further consolidation of their championship lead with nine rounds remaining.
Round 15 of 24 — After the Spanish Grand Prix
Drivers' Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Antonelli | 292 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 211 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 191 |
| 4 | L. Norris | 186 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 167 |
| 6 | M. Verstappen | 145 |
| 7 | O. Piastri | 120 |
| 8 | I. Hadjar | 71 |
| 9 | L. Lawson | 59 |
| 10 | P. Gasly | 41 |
| 11 | C. Sainz | — |
| 12 | F. Colapinto | — |
| 13 | A. Albon | — |
| 14 | G. Bortoleto | 10 |
| 15 | N. Hülkenberg | 7 |
| 16 | O. Lindblad | — |
| 17–18 | Haas drivers | — |
| 19 | F. Alonso | 3 |
| 20 | L. Stroll | 0 |
| 21 | V. Bottas | 0 |
| 22 | S. Pérez | 0 |
Constructors' Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 503 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 358 |
| 3 | McLaren | 306 |
| 4 | Red Bull (Ford) | 216 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | — |
| 6 | Alpine | — |
| 7 | Williams | — |
| 8 | Audi | 17 |
| 9 | Haas | — |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency