Samwise F1 Newsletter
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Verstappen Charges From 24th to Ninth on GT World Challenge Debut at Portimao
Max Verstappen finished ninth on his GT World Challenge Europe debut at Portimao on Saturday, sharing the No.3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car with Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham. Barnicoat started 14th and ran second on track before his first stop. Lulham was handed a drive-through penalty after contact with the No.11 Mercedes, dropping the car to 16th. Verstappen took over with 45 minutes remaining and rejoined in 24th. A safety car for the No.46 BMW in the gravel left him 19th with 23 minutes to go, before he climbed to ninth at the flag. The No.17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed won the three-hour race.
Mercedes Says Upgraded W17 Adds Downforce but Needs Work After Singapore Split Test
Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta says the upgraded W17 has produced more downforce, but perhaps not “the same level of downforce in every single operating point of the car on the track.” Mercedes split its specifications at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Kimi Antonelli running the new package and George Russell the old. Resta said the upgrade gave a “stronger front, even perhaps a bit more than we expected.” Deputy team principal Bradley Lord pointed to Antonelli’s progress through the weekend as evidence of “higher peak performance.” Russell told Sky Sports that, with Red Bull “very much the best”, the goal is to “get on top of these updates.”
F2 Chief Says Tsolov Is Ready for F1 as Racing Bulls Weighs 2027 Line-Up
Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel believes Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov is ready for Formula 1, as Racing Bulls weighs its 2027 line-up. “The answer is yes. I think he’s ready,” Michel told PlanetF1.com, while stressing that does not mean Tsolov will race in F1 next year. Racing Bulls must choose between keeping Liam Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad, who have lifted the team to fifth in the Constructors’ standings, or promoting Tsolov. Lawson finished fifth in the Singapore Sprint and seventh in the Grand Prix. Michel said the decision rests with the team’s leadership. “It will be a difficult choice, and I’m very glad it’s not mine,” he said.
Verstappen Plays Down Austin Chances and Warns of Bumpy COTA Surface
Max Verstappen has played down his chances ahead of the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, while joking about the track’s bumps. “I don’t want to say now that I will be in the fight in Austin, but yeah, the last few weekends have been great,” he said. Referring to what he saw in the World Endurance Championship, he called the track “incredibly bumpy,” adding: “I probably need to order a new spine after the weekend, or become like Robocop.” Verstappen also looked ahead to the Mexico City Grand Prix, where at high altitude “everything will run super hot.”
Horner Set to Take Fan Questions on UK Speaking Tour Ahead of Memoir Release
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was scheduled to begin a five-city UK speaking tour at York’s Barbican on Saturday night, promoting his memoir “Drive,” which is released to the public on Thursday, October 22. The tour continues in Glasgow on October 18, Nottingham on October 19 and Bath on October 20, before closing in London on October 26. Organisers said Horner will take questions from the audience in a live Q&A after the conversation. Horner was dismissed in July 2025 after 20 years leading Red Bull. He has said he would only consider a role bigger than team principal, with equity in the team.
Round 17 of 23 — After the Singapore Grand Prix
Drivers’ Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. K. Antonelli | 340 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 238 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 229 |
| 4 | M. Verstappen | 221 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 215 |
| 6 | L. Norris | 201 |
| 7 | O. Piastri | 138 |
| 8 | I. Hadjar | 97 |
| 9 | L. Lawson | 75 |
| 10 | P. Gasly | 41 |
| 11 | A. Lindblad | 38 |
| 12 | F. Colapinto | 27 |
| 13 | O. Bearman | 23 |
| 14 | N. Hulkenberg | 13 |
| 15 | G. Bortoleto | 10 |
| 16 | E. Ocon | 7 |
| 17 | F. Alonso | 7 |
| 18 | C. Sainz | 7 |
| 19 | A. Albon | 5 |
| 20 | Y. Tsunoda | 1 |
| 21 | L. Stroll | 0 |
| 22 | V. Bottas | 0 |
| 23 | S. Perez | 0 |
Constructors’ Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 578 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 444 |
| 3 | McLaren | 339 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 332 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 100 |
| 6 | Alpine | 68 |
| 7 | Haas | 30 |
| 8 | Audi | 23 |
| 9 | Williams | 12 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 7 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency