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Domenicali indicates an increase in sprint races - as well as reverse grids.
"The drivers are convinced they need them"

Stefano Domenicali has provided the clearest indication yet that Formula 1 may broaden its sprint race format and even test reverse grids. In an interview with Italian media prior to this weekend’s Monza event, the F1 CEO noted that there is increasing demand from all quarters for shorter Saturday races and sprint qualifying to substitute traditional practice sessions.

"We need to discuss the formats for the upcoming years," he stated. "Everyone desires more sprint races instead of the free practice on Fridays, including promoters and fans. The drivers are convinced they need them—18 are in favor, and perhaps two are opposed. Even Max (Verstappen) is starting to come around, and things are shifting in that direction.
Domenicali acknowledges that fans are bewildered as the upcoming V8 era approaches.
"Many new Formula 1 fans are not acquainted with this realm."

Formula 1 faces pressure to convince skeptical fans of its groundbreaking 2026 engine regulations, even as discussions about the subsequent set of rules have already begun. The 2026 power units will see a significant increase in electric power, accompanied by complex energy management systems. Some individuals in the paddock worry that the overall excitement may decline, particularly as new fans find it challenging to grasp the technology.

"We must be practical, effective in our communication, and simplify," stated F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to Italian media prior to the Monza event. "Many new Formula 1 fans are unfamiliar with this world. And yes, the drivers will need to relearn their driving techniques.
Marko suggests that even a podium finish for Verstappen at Monza seems improbable.
"You need to be realistic."

Dr. Helmut Marko has cautioned that Red Bull may find it challenging to even secure a podium finish at Monza this weekend, despite the track layout appearing more advantageous compared to Zandvoort. Max Verstappen managed to finish second at his home Grand Prix, but both he and Marko now agree that the championship battle is effectively concluded.

"Up front, (Oscar) Piastri will simply breeze through the next race - now that the championship seems settled for him," Marko told Osterreich newspaper. "You need to be realistic," the 82-year-old emphasized. "McLaren feels like they're from another planet. When they accelerate, they’re nearly three-quarters of a second faster per lap than us.
Marko suggests Hadjar for a position at Red Bull alongside Verstappen.
"The speed was always present."

Isack Hadjar appears increasingly likely to join Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026. The 20-year-old French rookie impressed everyone with his podium finish at Zandvoort in the junior Racing Bulls car, making him the youngest driver from France to reach a Formula 1 podium while Yuki Tsunoda continues to face challenges with the senior team. Dr. Helmut Marko, who has consistently praised Hadjar, stated that the result was expected.

"Not really surprising," he commented to Osterreich newspaper, "if you’ve followed Hadjar’s journey into Formula 1 and how well he’s done." Marko then challenged his interviewer for previously praising 19-year-old Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. "You echoed Toto Wolff, who said what a great driver Kimi Antonelli is," Marko retorted.
Thai GP plans face new political challenges.
The situation is becoming unstable for Thailand's aspiration to join the Formula 1 calendar.

Earlier this year, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali praised Thailand’s ambitions as "impressive" during high-level discussions in Bangkok, as the nation swiftly progressed from a Memorandum of Understanding to cabinet approval for a five-year, $1-2 billion initiative to establish an F1 street circuit in the capital. However, the situation now appears less certain.

Former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who led the March delegation alongside Domenicali, was recently removed from her position by Thailand’s Constitutional Court, which reportedly cited an ethics violation.

In her absence, seasoned politician Phumtham Wechayachai has assumed the role of acting prime minister. This leadership change raises concerns about the ongoing support for the Bangkok race from Formula 1.
© Editorial Board of F1News.Ru 1997–2025. Mass media registration certificate El No. FS77-29173. Registered with the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media.

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Piero Ferrari remembers Niki Lauda.
When Niki Lauda won his first title with Ferrari in 1975, Piero Ferrari, the son of the Scuderia's founder, was only four years older than the Austrian driver. He witnessed how Lauda's collaboration with the Ferrari team developed, and his memories of that time are the subject of an interview the Italian company's vice-president gave to the team's press office.

Question: This year at the Italian Grand Prix Ferrari will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first title Niki Lauda won with the team. What convinced your father to choose Niki, the young Austrian who in 1974 was still little known?
Piero Ferrari: It was a combination of two factors: intuition and trust. Clay Regazzoni told my father that Niki was an exceptional talent and felt the car much better than the average driver.
Formula 1 wants to radically change the weekend format.
On the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali shared long-term plans regarding what changes await the race weekend format. In particular, Formula 1 is considering doing away with Friday practice sessions, shortening race distances and using a reverse starting grid.

“We are discussing the weekend format that will be used in the coming years, and first and foremost we’re talking about sprint weekends,” Stefano Domenicali said via videolink at a press conference in Brianza ahead of the Monza round. “We need to understand whether we should increase the number of sprint rounds, how to do that, and whether to use other formats. We will have several discussions with the teams to choose the way forward.

I must say that, apart from some old, loyal fans, everyone wants sprint weekends.
Paul Aron will replace Colapinto in the first practice in Monza.
Estonian driver Paul Aron will return to the Formula 1 cockpit in the first practice session of the Italian Grand Prix. Alpine's reserve driver will replace Franco Colapinto for one hour, with Colapinto set to take over in the second practice.

Paul Aron: "I'm looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the A525 in my first Grand Prix with the team in Monza. I have known everyone at Alpine well since I joined them at the end of last year as a test and reserve driver. I appreciate the team's trust in letting me drive in the first Friday practice.

I want to do my job as well as possible and help set up the car so the team can fight at a competitive level this weekend. Personally, it's useful for me to build on the experience gained on the simulator and in testing.
Aizek Hadjar last Sunday reached the podium for the first time in his career, which gives everyone at Racing Bulls extra strength and energy. But the team from Faenza understands that performing equally well at their home track in Monza will not be easy.

Aizek Hadjar: “It’s very good that we’ll be back on the racetrack just a few days after the excellent result shown last week. The race in Monza is one of our home Grands Prix, and we’re looking forward to a special weekend.
The team is in a very confident mood, but we remember that we must temper our expectations and stay composed. It’s possible that we’ll have a rough time, since the Italian circuit has many long straights, but to try to succeed again it’s important to stay in the game and keep fighting.”

Liam Lawson: “I’m set to compete in the second race of the season that the team considers its home round, and that makes me very happy. Last weekend, when Aizek reached the podium, we achieved a huge success.
It’s great that recently our car is capable of very strong speeds, and I intend to make full use of that. We all raced at Monza in junior categories; it has a very rich history, and I’m looking forward to returning to that circuit.”

Tim Goss, chief engineer: “Round 16 of the season is the Italian Grand Prix, which will take place at the historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza, set in a park. The circuit is characterized by high speed, and although over the years there have been numerous attempts to change its layout to reduce speed into some corners, it is still considered one of the fastest on the calendar.
It’s no surprise that at Monza parameters such as top speed, power unit output and aerodynamic efficiency are important. But it is even more important to ensure the car copes well with the slow chicanes and allows the drivers to attack the kerbs, because that is key to a proper exit from the corners onto the straights.
Therefore, the key to success is finding the right compromises in setup work. It’s reassuring that the car performed excellently in the Netherlands, but we do not harbour any illusions, as this weekend will bring very different tests.
That said, we are ready for them and will be fully focused on achieving the best possible results across all three days of the Italian weekend.”
Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are optimistic about the Italian Grand Prix. Williams believes that the characteristics of the Monza circuit should suit the FW47.

Carlos Sainz: "This week we head to Monza, which holds many pleasant memories for me from my years in Formula 1. I hope to make new ones with Williams behind the wheel of the FW47 on this incredibly fast circuit. I'm quite confident we'll bounce back after the last weekend. I'm looking forward to a successful outing at this stunning track!"

Alex Albon: "I'm looking forward to returning to Monza this weekend, which will conclude the double-header. At the last round I finished a solid fifth, and now we're heading to another circuit that should suit our car. Besides, it's just an interesting place to drive. Qualifying at Monza always kicks off tactical games, so we have to give it our all and execute without mistakes to stay ahead of our rivals. We'll make every effort to do that."
Verstappen: It's important to get the tyres working effectively.
Last weekend not only Max Verstappen but also Yuki Tsunoda scored points for Red Bull Racing, and now both drivers are determined to perform well at the Italian Grand Prix. Both have their own reasons for confidence ahead of the weekend in Monza, but the team has a number of difficult tasks to address.

Max Verstappen: "Second place in Zandvoort was a decent result for us, and it was great to celebrate it in front of the Dutch fans and feel their support. Now we're heading to Monza, which is a very fast circuit with a rich history, and the fans there are very passionate too. Our team has a lot to do because we need improvements in various areas, including working more effectively with the tyres.
On the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, the FIA outlined changes to the circuit and confirmed the locations of the two DRS zones. Compared with last year, new gates have been installed on the pit wall opposite pit box 32. There remain two DRS zones at Monza. The detection point before the first is located 95 metres before Turn 7, and the activation point is 170 metres after Turn 7. The detection point before the second DRS zone is located 20 metres after Turn 11, and the activation point is 12 metres after the finish line.
Derek Warwick, who raced in Formula 1 in the 1980s and early 1990s and who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1992, has again been entrusted to serve as the third steward, this time in Monza.
Alongside him, contentious incidents during the Italian Grand Prix will be examined by the German specialist, DTM steward Felix Holter, as well as by Belgian Mathieu Remmery, who works as a steward at Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula E races.
In 2025 the guest stewards were: Enrique Bernoldi in Australia, Saudi Arabia and Canada; Pedro Lamy in China, Japan and the Netherlands; Vitantonio Liuzzi in Bahrain, Imola, Monaco, Barcelona, Silverstone and Spa; and Derek Warwick in Miami, Austria and Hungary.
The woman at the center of the scandalous "Horner case" has returned to F1.
BBC Sport reports that a former Red Bull Racing employee who once accused Christian Horner of "inappropriate behaviour", sparking a major scandal in the winter of 2024, is back working in Formula 1.

Her name and position have not been disclosed — she and her current employers declined to comment. It is noted that she was suspended from her role at Red Bull in March last year.

In early July, following the British Grand Prix, Red Bull somewhat unexpectedly announced a decision to discontinue its collaboration with Horner, who had led Red Bull Racing for two decades. The Austrian company did not give reasons for the decision.
Cadillac signed a contract with Colton Herta.
Cadillac has announced the signing of Colton Herta. The nine-time IndyCar race winner has been appointed as a test driver and will help the team prepare for its Formula 1 debut in 2026.
Cadillac said it will publish Herta’s detailed 2026 racing program later. There had been earlier rumours that Colton might move to Formula 2 to earn the necessary points for a super licence.
Colton Herta: “I’m incredibly excited to join the Cadillac team in Formula 1 as a test driver. For me, this is an opportunity to realize a dream I’ve worked toward for a long time. Being part of Cadillac at such an important moment—I couldn’t pass up the chance.
I’ve always dreamed of racing in Formula 1, and signing this contract is a huge step forward in that direction. Right now I’m fully focused on giving my all in the interests of Cadillac and helping to build a competitive team.
McLaren's value has increased sixfold over five years.
The company that owns the McLaren team is valued at around £3.5 billion — its market value has increased more than sixfold over the past five years.

Such an impressive rise was made possible by changes in the ownership structure of McLaren Group. In 2020, American MSP Capital acquired 33% of its shares, paying £185 million for them, but that investment group has now been bought out by Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, and CYVN Holdings of Abu Dhabi. And whereas five years ago McLaren Racing was valued at £560 million, it is now worth the aforementioned £3.5 billion.

Mumtalakat held the controlling stake in McLaren until last year, but in December 2024 the fund sold all 100% of those shares to the CYVN holding.

“This is a wonderful day for McLaren Racing,” BBC Sport quotes Zak Brown as saying.
At their home Italian Grand Prix, the Ferrari team will race cars in a special livery dedicated to Niki Lauda and the 50th anniversary of his first title with the Scuderia.

Lewis Hamilton will also pay tribute to the Austrian champion — the British driver unveiled the helmet design he will use in Monza. Lewis's traditional yellow colors are tempered with white accents, and Lauda's name is on the helmet itself.

Lewis Hamilton has already raced in a helmet bearing Niki Lauda's name. This happened at the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix — the first race after Lauda's death. On that occasion Lewis started from pole and won the race, dedicating the victory to Niki's memory.
The Italian weekend will not be as hot as it was a year ago, when daytime temperatures sometimes exceeded 30°C.
On Friday and Saturday daytime temperatures will be 27–28°C, with light cloud cover, a light southeast wind and a 25% chance of precipitation.
On Sunday daytime temperatures will be 28°C, and the chance of precipitation will fall to 10%.
Last year all sessions of the Italian Grand Prix were run on a dry track.
Italian Grand Prix: Bookmakers' Odds
Bookmakers have published the odds for victory in the Italian Grand Prix.
They consider McLaren driver Oscar Piastri the favorite for the upcoming race. The chances of his teammate Lando Norris are assessed as not much, but lower. In third place in the ranking is Max Verstappen. Of the two Ferrari drivers, the chances of winning the team's home race are higher for Charles Leclerc.

Bookmakers' odds: Victory in the Italian Grand Prix

Piastri
2.10

Norris
2.50

Verstappen
8.00

Leclerc
13.00

Russell
17.00

Hamilton
41.00

Alonso, Antonelli, Hadjar
101.00

Albon
201.00

Lawson, Sainz, Stroll, Tsunoda
251.00

Bortoleto, Hulkenberg
501.00

Bearman, Gasly, Ocon
751.00

Colapinto
2001.00

After the Dutch Grand Prix Oscar Piastri's advantage over Lando Norris grew to thirty-four points.
© Editorial Board of F1News.Ru 1997–2025. Mass media registration certificate El No. FS77-29173. Registered with the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media.

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