Samwise F1 Newsletter
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Ocon confirms Haas exit at end of 2026 as Camara emerges as likely replacement
Esteban Ocon will leave the Haas Formula 1 team at the end of the 2026 season, the Frenchman confirmed on Wednesday ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The Race reports that Ferrari’s F2 points leader Rafael Camara is highly likely to replace him. Ocon signed a two-year deal with Haas in 2025 after five seasons with Renault and Alpine. He insisted the move is “absolutely not the end” of his F1 career. Team boss Ayao Komatsu thanked him for his contribution. Ocon sits 16th in the standings, and The Race says he will most likely seek a reserve role for 2027.
Antonelli and Norris predict tyre wear, rain and chaotic racing on F1’s Sepang return
Drivers expect an unpredictable Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as Formula 1 returns to Sepang for the first time since 2017. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, whose lead over Mercedes team-mate George Russell was cut to 66 points in Azerbaijan, said heavy tyre degradation could mean two or three pit stops, and that forecast rain brings many unknowns. Reigning world champion Lando Norris predicted chaotic racing with a vibe similar to Monza, but said running out of battery will flatten two high-speed corners. Only ten of this season’s drivers raced at Sepang in 2017. Sunday’s race is scheduled for 56 laps.
Sources: Sky Sports
FIA declares Heat Hazard for Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang
The FIA has declared a Heat Hazard for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after the Official Weather Service forecast a Heat Index above 31.0°C at some point during the race at Sepang. Under Article B1.5.10 of the F1 regulations, teams must fit Driver Cooling System components, and the minimum car weight rises to accommodate the equipment. Drivers may opt not to wear the cooling vest, but must then carry 0.5kg of ballast in the cockpit. The rule was introduced in 2025 after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Heavy rain greeted teams arriving on Tuesday, with temperatures expected to rise as rain eases.
Lindblad to start from back of grid in Malaysia after power unit change
Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad will start the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia from the back of the grid. His team announced on Thursday at Sepang that he will take multiple fresh power unit components this weekend, triggering the penalty. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto also faces a grid penalty, serving a five-place drop for causing a collision with team-mate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris in Baku. Colapinto was initially handed a 10-second time penalty, but because he was out of the race and unable to serve it, it was converted into a grid drop. Lindblad’s own Turn 1 contact with Liam Lawson drew no further action.
Alpine takes no further action against Colapinto after Baku crash
Franco Colapinto will face no further sanctions from Alpine over the Azerbaijan Grand Prix collision that eliminated team-mate Pierre Gasly, The Race reports. Colapinto said Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore was angry after the lock-up at the first safety car restart. Colapinto flew from Baku to the Enstone factory for a 5am simulator session, which Alpine had long planned to help him adjust to Malaysia’s time zone. He then met Briatore, managing director Steve Nielsen and racing director Dave Greenwood. Post-race data showed he pressed the brake pedal just 2-3% harder than needed. He still serves a five-place grid penalty this weekend.
FIA confirms four Straight Mode zones for Sepang
The FIA has confirmed four Straight Mode zones for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, the first time active aero will be used at Sepang. Straight Mode, which partially replaced DRS under the 2026 regulations, lets drivers open their rear wings to cut drag on the straights. The first zone runs down the start/finish straight, the second from the exit of Turn 3 to Turn 4, the third between Turns 8 and 9, and the fourth down the back straight into the Turn 15 hairpin. Baku had two zones. Formula 1 last raced at Sepang in 2017, when Max Verstappen won.
Verstappen to race Mercedes GT3 at Portimao on October 18
Max Verstappen will race a Mercedes GT3 car at Portimao in the final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe series on October 18, the only non-F1 weekend in October. Verstappen confirmed the outing on Thursday at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. He has not competed in a GT race since a mechanical failure denied his Verstappen Racing team victory on debut at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May. Regular drivers Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon are unavailable because the round clashes with the World Endurance Championship at Barcelona. His team-mate for the three-hour race has not been announced.
New Cape Town circuit proposal targets South African Grand Prix return in 2031
A privately funded group, Blue Mountain Racing, has stated its intention to build a new circuit outside Cape Town that it hopes will host F1 and MotoGP races from 2031. The bid is headed by businessman Neal Froneman, with former Kyalami promoter Bobby Hartslief as chief executive. The roughly 4.8-kilometre track would sit on a 600-hectare site in the Swartland area north of the city, with a full-throttle straight of at least 1km and capacity for about 125,000 spectators per day. Construction would start in 2029 if there is enough interest. F1 last raced in South Africa in 1993.
Round 15 of 23 — After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Drivers’ Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | 302 |
| 2 | George Russell | 236 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | 199 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | 186 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 179 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | 163 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | 120 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | 86 |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | 59 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | 41 |
| 11 | Arvid Lindblad | 37 |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | 27 |
| 13 | Oliver Bearman | 20 |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoleto | 10 |
| 15 | Nico Hulkenberg | 7 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | 7 |
| 17 | Carlos Sainz | 7 |
| 18 | Alexander Albon | 5 |
| 19 | Fernando Alonso | 3 |
| 20 | Yuki Tsunoda | 1 |
| 21 | Lance Stroll | 0 |
| 22 | Valtteri Bottas | 0 |
| 23 | Sergio Perez | 0 |
Constructors’ Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 538 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 378 |
| 3 | McLaren | 306 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 263 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 83 |
| 6 | Alpine | 68 |
| 7 | Haas F1 Team | 27 |
| 8 | Audi | 17 |
| 9 | Williams | 12 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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