Fernando Alonso notoriously dislikes Formula 1’s new-for-2026 machinery, and he made this abundantly clear following Friday practice at the Monaco Grand Prix.Alonso has been among the biggest critics of F1’s new rules ever since he first tested Aston Martin’s latest car, lamenting that high-speed corners no longer are a challenge as drivers lift due to energy management …Keep reading
Lewis Hamilton capped off a perfect Friday at the Monaco Grand Prix for Ferrari by leading another 1-2 in second practice, while Lando Norris suffered an early exit.The seven-time world champion set a 1m13.026s which was 0.111s quicker than team-mate Charles Leclerc, who led Hamilton in a 1-2 for Ferrari during first practice at the principality. It means the Italian outfit is the team …Keep reading
Charles Leclerc was quickest in opening practice for the Monaco Grand Prix as Ferrari went 1-2 to back up its pre-weekend hype, while Isack Hadjar crashed for Red Bull.Leclerc set a 1m13.978s at his home circuit, 0.226s faster than team-mate Lewis Hamilton after many had picked Ferrari as its Monaco favourite due to the SF-26’s strength in slow-speed corners. It was also the talk of …Keep reading
Although 2026 only marks the first season under the new Formula 1 technical regulations, extensive discussions are already taking place behind the scenes about the next regulatory cycle – formally scheduled to begin in 2031, but one that could be brought forward if sufficient support exists.Both FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali have spoken positively about the …Keep reading
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin needs to get its Formula 1 powertrain under control, as he raises concerns “random downshifts” could trigger crashes at the Monaco Grand Prix.Alonso was noticeably hampered by the problem in qualifying at Miami, ending up 1.2s down on the Q2 cutoff time, as this long-lasting problem became more prominent.The issue is gearbox-related but occurs within the …Keep reading
It’s unusual for Formula 1 drivers to be summoned by the FIA stewards to explain themselves before even turning a wheel on track, but this is the fate which has befallen Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc in Monaco.Both drivers must report to the stewards on Friday after arriving late for the official FIA press conference on Thursday. This may seem trivial but it still constitutes a breach of …Keep reading
The removal of straight mode for Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix has led to an interesting approach from a handful of teams – which have used the opportunity to replace their rear wing actuators with a cluster of tiny winglets.All bodywork must fit into the defined legality boxes defined by the FIA’s technical regulations. There is a small rectangular box on top of the rear wing for the wing …Keep reading
Adrian Newey’s authorial hand has steered the design of cars which have won 14 Formula 1 drivers’ championships, and many more which came tantalisingly close to doing so.Last year he added the role of team principal to his portfolio at Aston Martin, just a handful of months after joining the team as ‘managing technical partner’ – a position which gave him equity in …Keep reading
On Wednesday morning, Ferrari announced it had agreed a “multi-year” contract extension with long-time Scuderia driver Charles Leclerc, extending his Ferrari tenure for what is thought to be at least three more seasons in Formula 1 beyond 2026.With Leclerc’s previous deal not running out until the end of 2027, has the Monegasque taken a risk or is his pledge of loyalty to Maranello something …Keep reading
Charles Leclerc has agreed a contract extension to stay at Ferrari, taking himself off Formula 1’s market for the foreseeable future.No contract length was specified, although the statement that “[Leclerc] continue to wear the team’s colours for the coming seasons” suggests that the two have agreed another multi-year deal.The deal was announced ahead of his home grand prix in Monaco …Keep reading