Formula 1 | About everything
10 subscribers
6.51K photos
2.92K links
Download Telegram
At Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, after which he stated that he feels the Ferrari SF-25 car better. According to Jérôme d'Ambrosio, deputy team principal of the Italian team, this is related to the fact that the seven-time world champion has followed Charles Leclerc's example in setup approach.
Back in April, around the time of the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc tried to set up the car with a tendency towards oversteering, which allowed him to achieve higher results – after Suzuki, he had podium finishes in four of the eight races.
Unlike his teammate, Hamilton found it more difficult to adapt to the car, and this season he has not yet reached the podium, but starting from the Austrian race, he decided to apply settings similar to those preferred by Leclerc, although this leads to more intense rear tire wear.
d'Ambrosio confirmed that in the near future, Lewis will continue to set up the car in this way: "I would say that this is the current decision. To get the maximum out of the car, a certain approach to balance is needed, and Charles has been configuring his car with a more noticeable oversteering tilt for several races.
In his case, it worked quite well, and Lewis has also adjusted his approach in the same way, which has helped him too. Ultimately, I believe this is related to the specifics of the current regulations, where the car behaves quite nervously at the entry to corners, and drivers need to manage this."
Laurent Mécis: I'm incredibly lucky!
Laurent Mekies was appointed head of Red Bull Racing just a few days ago, and Red Bull decided to give him the opportunity to tell a little about himself — here are excerpts from a video released today on the team's official YouTube page.
Laurent Mekies: "I am married, I have three children, all boys, and they keep me grounded. My main specialty, according to my diploma from the University of Paris, is mechanical engineering. The department I studied in trains professionals for both the automotive industry and the aerospace field.
Later, to stay as close to motorsport as possible, I continued my education in the UK... I've liked cars and motorsport since childhood, and I've been incredibly lucky: I've spent my entire life involved in racing.
Ralf Schumacher: Lance, you can't do that!
At the British Grand Prix, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll finished 7th, earning points for the first time since the Miami round in May. On one hand, the result is not bad, but immediately after the finish, the Canadian responded very sharply and in an unprintable manner about the team's car.
Ralf Schumacher, a former Formula 1 driver and now an expert for the German channel Sky Deutschland, stated during the Backstage Pit Lane podcast that Lance's behavior crosses all boundaries.
"We are often criticized for being too harsh with him, and perhaps at times this is true," said Ralf. "At Silverstone, we saw that the drivers had to pilot the cars in very difficult conditions, and Lance managed that.
How good or bad he is, it’s hard to say, but his teammate, Fernando Alonso, despite being of a certain age, still drives excellently.
Jack Crawford, competing in Formula 2, plans to debut in Formula 1 in 2026. The American driver hopes to attract Cadillac's attention.
Jack Crawford: "I am very hopeful for an option with Cadillac in 2026. My manager is closely monitoring the situation, and I have to do my job in Formula 2 – show results, win races, and win the title. But a contract with Cadillac is an option I am considering, and I am doing everything to make it possible.
Anyway, this season in Formula 2 will be my last. I have already spent three years in this series, and even in 2024, I said I wouldn't stay longer; this will be my final season.
I've long dreamed of Formula 1 and am striving for that goal. I want to achieve it, but, of course, there is also Formula E, with agreements close to completion if I don’t manage to sign a contract in Formula 1."
Carlos Sainz recalls his debut year at Toro Rosso
Carlos Sainz made his Formula 1 debut ten years ago, partnering Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso, who also began his path to fame with this team in 2015.
Currently called Racing Bulls, its main purpose remains the same – it is a kind of racing talent factory for Red Bull Racing.
Participating in another episode of the High Performance Podcast, the Spanish Williams driver shared memories of how this “factory” is organized and what was happening behind the scenes at that time…
Carlos Sainz: “It was the year when you had to prove yourself and only think about yourself. Try to beat Max, who was trying to get ahead of me. You had to figure out who was better. The one who wins might move to Red Bull Racing.
If you don’t win but manage to stand out, then you stay in Toro Rosso, stay in Formula 1, and continue your career.
WEC: Cadillac's Winning Double in São Paulo
Cadillac Team Jota won the “6 Hours of São Paulo,” and not just won, but achieved a victory double, marking the team’s first such success in the World Endurance Championship.
The Cadillac V-Series.R hypercar with car number 12, driven by Will Stevens, Alex Lynn, and Norman Nato, was the first to cross the finish line at the Interlagos race track, followed about a minute later by the crew of car number 38, consisting of Earl Bamber, Sébastien Bourdais, and Jenson Button, racing on the same model.
In all previous rounds of the season, Ferrari hypercar drivers had taken the wins, but twice—the races at Le Mans and São Paulo—the number 12 crew had secured pole position, and now the American team confirmed their speed in the race, which ended late Sunday evening.
Horner was informed about his dismissal at the London hotel.
Last week, the racing world was shaken by the news of Christian Horner's dismissal from his position as head of Red Bull Racing. Over time, more and more details emerged in the press about what contributed to this decision.
German Bild, citing its sources, wrote that Red Bull Group's CEO Oliver Mintzlaff and the company's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko informed Horner of his dismissal on Tuesday after the British Grand Prix at a London hotel.
The publication also reports that early talks about changing the head of Red Bull Racing began during the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, at a meeting between Mintzlaff and Red Bull's main shareholders Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yuvadi. The final decision was made a few days later during a Zoom call.
Mansell: Cadillac needs drivers who know how to cooperate.
Last weekend, Nigel Mansell participated in the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he met with other Formula 1 heroes from past years, and old friends and rivals reminisced about race battles and enjoyed catching up. During the ceremonial unveiling on the balcony of the famous estate in Goodwood, seven world champions from different years, including Mansell, who won his only title in 1992, simultaneously raised their trophies. All of them held a total of 14 titles. Of course, during the weekend, they all interacted with the press in one way or another, and here is what Mansell said when asked about the new Cadillac team, set to debut in 2026, and about his views on its future lineup. "The problem is that they can't afford to invite me!" he said humorously.
IndyCar: Robert Shwartzman finished 9th but is disappointed
Last weekend at the Iowa Speedway oval in the American state of Iowa, a double IndyCar race took place, and Robert Shwartzman, racing for Prema Racing, achieved his best result of the season.
He demonstrated speed, bravery, and skill back in May by sensationally winning the qualifying for the Indy 500, but so far he has been unable to confirm this in the races—due to various reasons. Partly due to lack of experience, sometimes technical issues, and sometimes just bad luck.
This time, Robert finished ninth—his best result so far and the best for the Italian team in its debut season in IndyCar.
In qualifying for the Sunday short-track race with a lap length of less than one and a half kilometers, Shwartzman and his teammate Callum Ilott posted 11th and 13th times respectively.
Kvyat and Bedrin participated in Formula E tests.
On Monday, rookie tests for Formula E were held in Berlin, with Daniil Kvyat and Nikita Bedrin participating as part of the DS Penske team. The best time of the day was shown by Formula 2 driver and Alpine Youth Academy member Gabrielle Mini. His best lap, 57.248 seconds, was faster than the best lap achieved by the main Formula E drivers during the Berlin round. Notably, Mini was piloting the Nissan of Oliver Rowland, who secured the championship title prematurely last Sunday. DTM driver Eshan Güven, behind the wheel of a Porsche, posted the second fastest time, just two-tenths of a second behind the leader. The top three was completed by another Formula 2 driver, Kush Maini, who finished ahead of Callum Voisin and McLaren youth program participant Alex Danna.
Newey describes the radical 2026 regulations as "highly stimulating."
Adrian Newey expresses that he finds the task of designing a car under the new, radical Formula 1 regulations to be "incredibly motivating." More than a year prior to Christian Horner losing his position at Red Bull, the 66-year-old Newey made the decision to leave the team mid-last season to join Aston Martin. He is currently focused on developing the 2026 car.

"When we ask him a question about this year or how to make improvements, he just goes off to another office," Fernando Alonso remarked with a smile at Silverstone. "He’s already in 2026 mode."

Regarded as one of the greatest F1 designers ever, Newey currently holds the title of the highest-paid designer.
New Red Bull Racing leader Laurent Mekies is impressed with how well Isaac Hadjar debuted in Formula 1 and completed the first half of the season in front of his eyes.
Laurent Mekies: “Isaac joined us in January, without having worked a single day at F1 tests before. Then rain hampered testing, and then we went to Bahrain, followed by Melbourne.
If you assess his natural speed, how quickly he got acquainted with the engineers, the team, all the surroundings of Formula 1, and the associated pressure – none of us expected this. I consider Isaac’s debut to be sensational, no less. He surprised us greatly.
But this is only the beginning of the story. We expect him to continue to grow and develop. Our task is to create the right environment for him so he can progress even more confidently and become as strong as possible.”
Gina Haas is tired of the inquiries about selling the team.
Since his Formula 1 debut in 2016, Haas has periodically been listed as a team that could be sold. However, now the team principal Ayumu Komaotsu has revealed that owner Gene Haas has no intention of selling Haas, and he is tired of potential buyers' inquiries.

Ayumu Komaotsu: "I don’t know all the details, but over the past 18 months, Gene has received many offers to buy the team. He really enjoys being a Formula 1 team owner. Currently, there are ten teams, and next year there will be eleven – it’s a huge privilege.

Gene entered Formula 1 when the championship was different from what it is now. He stayed with us through the difficult COVID period, and now he takes pleasure in our performances. Right now, Gene is very involved in the team’s affairs and understands all the details well.
Ferrari team deputy leader Jérôme D'Ambrosio discussed the team's objectives for further SF-25 updates following a positive step in Austria.
Jérôme D'Ambrosio: "Our goal is to achieve greater stability from the car, better correlation with the aerodynamic tunnel and CFD computers.
We aim to improve balance to assist the drivers; this also impacts results, although it's not always possible to predict how they will turn out on the track.
There are different aspects of balance, including driver preferences, driving style, and feel behind the wheel—all of which need to be considered to make the car more effective overall.
We have objective metrics and clear goals regarding how to enhance the car's efficiency."
Isaac Hajjar doesn't know if he could perform better than Yuki Tsunoda if he were now in his place at Red Bull Racing. At the same time, the young French driver wouldn't refuse the opportunity to become Max Verstappen's teammate and compare himself to him.
Isaac Hajjar: "I don't know what's going on with Yuki in the team. The only thing I can say is that Yuki is a very fast driver.
When I signed the contract with Red Bull four years ago, my goal was to get into Red Bull Racing. Nothing has changed since then. I would definitely be interested in trying my skills behind the wheel of their car. Primarily out of curiosity to assess myself."
Earlier, Helmut Marko said that Red Bull Racing does not plan to change Yuki Tsunoda until the end of the season.
Alex Dunn: My goal is Formula 1
McLaren Youth Program participant and Formula 2 leader Alex Damm may continue his career in Formula E, but he dreams of Formula 1, where there are currently no vacancies for him...
Alex Damm: "My goal remains the same. I want to race in Formula 1, I want to be a Formula 1 driver.
Formula E has proven multiple times that it is a strong championship with strong drivers. This year, I had the opportunity to become a reserve driver for McLaren in Formula E, and I am satisfied with that, but my main goal and primary focus are solely on Formula 1.
In Austria, I was surprised by how quickly I adapted to the Formula 1 car during Friday's practice. Doing so proved to be easier than getting back behind the wheel of a Formula 2 car afterward.
Of course, the approach to driving is a bit different; Formula 1 has excellent grip with the track.
Red Bull management plans to extend Liam Lawson's contract for the next season, during which he will compete for Racing Bulls. This is reported by the New Zealand newspaper Herald, citing information from the driver's circle.
The article states that Lawson, thanks to his experience and good knowledge of the team, is perfectly suited to lead the Faenza crew during a season of major regulation changes. However, the question remains open regarding Lawson's teammate in 2026.
It is expected that the Red Bull leadership's decision will depend on Yuki Tsunoda's results. If the Japanese driver does not show sufficient progress in the remaining races of the season, it is highly likely that he will be replaced by Iza Hojjar in 2026. In that case, the vacant position at Racing Bulls will go to Arvid Lindblad, who is highly praised by Helmut Marko.
Cadillac is expected to secure a driver "before the summer break."
The "silly season" for driver changes in the 2026 Formula 1 season is picking up pace. Some view Christian Horner's surprising dismissal as a desperate attempt by Red Bull to keep Max Verstappen, though reports of him meeting Toto Wolff in Sardinia this week have turned out to be inaccurate. Still, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes the four-time world champion might actually make the switch.

"We're hearing that Mercedes management is very interested in Verstappen," he told Sport1. "If they show him that they will do everything to bring him on board, he will likely make the move because he really wants to win and needs something new to achieve that. The challenge is that he’s with a team that has done everything for him, and it’s not easy to give that up," Schumacher added.
Report: Horner states that Audi is 'not an option'
"Horner has recently rejected two proposals from Ferrari."

A short rumor about a new opportunity for the recently dismissed Christian Horner has been dismissed. While the Formula 1 community is still reeling from Red Bull's mid-season decision, Germany's Bild newspaper provides insight into how the 51-year-old discovered his fate. "Horner’s Red Bull career concluded in a luxurious hotel in London," the report states, with shareholders Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya conveying the news alongside Dr. Helmut Marko and Oliver Mintzlaff. Mintzlaff, the new CEO of Red Bull, was the "strategist" behind the operation and "deliberated on the decision for weeks."

This situation, however, had its roots long before, dating back to the passing of Mateschitz’s father and Red Bull co-founder Dietrich in October 2022.
Prost acknowledges that Piastri is "somewhat similar to me."
"I have a strong familiarity with Oscar."

Formula 1 legend Alain Prost has expressed his admiration for the current championship leader, Oscar Piastri. Following Max Verstappen's four consecutive titles, F1 appears poised to welcome a new world champion in 2025, likely one of McLaren's drivers, either Piastri or British GP winner Lando Norris. Prost believes that the competition will not escalate into a contentious situation like his own past rivalry with the legendary Ayrton Senna at McLaren.

"We honestly didn’t pay much attention to the other drivers or teams," Prost, 70, stated during an interview with Italy’s Autosprint at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. "I don’t think they’ll experience the same issues we faced," the four-time world champion added.