Samwise F1 Newsletter
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Mercedes to Run New Front Wing on Both Cars in Austin
Mercedes will run its upgraded W17 package on both cars at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, including a new front wing. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord confirmed Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will be back in equal-spec machinery in Austin. The wing got only one hour of practice in Singapore, on Antonelli’s car. Lord said the team had only one example, rushed through production, and running it in qualifying or the race risked a pit lane start if it was damaged. Deputy technical director Simone Resta said the team was never planning to race it there but wanted data to compare it with the old wing.
Wolff Pushes Back Against Vowles Cost Cap Proposal
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has pushed back against a cost cap proposal from Williams boss James Vowles, who wants teams finishing lower in the championship to have more money to spend. According to GPFans, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes appear to be against the idea, and any change would require a majority of six or more teams. Wolff said he has “super sympathy” with Williams but warned against “undoing something that we actually consciously changed a year or two ago.” He said he does not like adjustments based on championship position, adding that Balance of Performance “for me is like a red mist.”
Horner Says Lawson Should Never Have Been Promoted to Red Bull
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed in his autobiography, Drive, that he opposed Liam Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull for the 2025 season. Horner wrote that Helmut Marko championed the move but that he “felt uncomfortable,” as Lawson had only 11 Formula 1 races to his name. Lawson lasted two races before being sent back to Racing Bulls, and Horner wrote that he “really shouldn’t have been promoted in the first place.” Lawson, ninth in the standings with 75 points, subbed for the injured Isack Hadjar this year and said “pretty much everything” differs between the two cars. His 2027 seat remains unconfirmed.
Camara Says Haas Seat Is Reward for a Lifetime of Work
Rafael Camara says reaching Formula 1 is a moment he has worked for his whole life after Haas named the Brazilian as Esteban Ocon’s replacement for 2027. The 21-year-old Formula 2 championship leader will drive alongside Oliver Bearman. “It’s just really crazy to achieve this,” Camara said, describing the two-day shootout test as intense. He faced Jack Doohan, Leonardo Fornaroli and Haas reserve Ryo Hirakawa for the seat. Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu said Camara “didn’t panic at all” as conditions worsened during the test, adding that the decision was close. Camara still has to secure the Formula 2 title.
Sources: GRANDPRIX247
McLaren Adds Reserve Fornaroli to 2027 Hypercar Line-Up
McLaren Racing has confirmed that Leonardo Fornaroli will join its Hypercar program for the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while keeping his role as the Formula 1 team’s reserve driver. The 21-year-old Italian, who won consecutive Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles in 2024 and 2025, will race the McLaren MCL-HY in a line-up that already includes Mikkel Jensen, Alex Lynn and Laurens Vanthoor. “To represent McLaren in the FIA World Endurance Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a huge honor,” Fornaroli said. McLaren Hypercar Team Principal James Barclay called him “an exceptional talent.”
Sources: GRANDPRIX247
Brown Says Piastri Is Feeling More Confident at McLaren
McLaren CEO Zak Brown says Oscar Piastri has returned to the level he expects after a shaky start to the 2026 season. Speaking at the Singapore Grand Prix, where Piastri finished fifth, Brown said: “He’s feeling more confident and on top of things.” Piastri crashed on the reconnaissance lap in Melbourne before taking podiums in Japan and Miami, but has struggled to match teammate Lando Norris, who leads their qualifying head-to-head 17 to 11. Brown said the new cars have “mixed up the field a little bit,” noting that some drivers have adapted a little quicker than others to the complex machinery.
Sources: GRANDPRIX247
Haas Unveils Second Godzilla Livery for United States Grand Prix
Haas has unveiled a Godzilla-themed livery for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, the second time this season the team has used the movie monster in its colours. The design, created to promote the film Godzilla Minus Zero, features a large Godzilla illustration across the sidepods and blue graphics on the VF-26 cars of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon. It continues a season-long collaboration with Japanese entertainment company TOHO, which produced a first special livery at Suzuka. Haas arrives in Austin seventh in the constructors’ championship on 30 points, having scored at just one of the past 11 rounds.
McLaren Puts Five Historic F1 Cars Up for Sale
McLaren is selling five fully functioning Formula 1 cars from its own collection through luxury car dealer Tom Hartley Jr, with each expected to fetch between £5 million and £10 million. The cars span 32 years, including two 1991 MP4/6A chassis raced by Gerhard Berger and tested by Ayrton Senna, a 2012 MP4/27A raced by Jenson Button and tested by Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris’s 2021 and 2023 cars. The 2023 car was driven by Brad Pitt in a private test at Austin. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said leaving the cars in storage “is a disservice to what they represent.”
Sources: GRANDPRIX247
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