McLaren was able to bring a pretty extensive kit to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix opening day practice but ultimately admitted the team was “miles off” the pace. Norris was also sixth in the second session (1.484 seconds behind GEORGE RUSSELL) as Mercedes dominated both sessions. But McLaren has come to Azerbaijan to see if the racecar’s latest aerodynamic advances will enable him to narrow the gap with his competitors. Norris is having a nice hot streak out of the get-go, with a podium finish in three of four starts and two victories. The first day in Baku was quite a different situation however. The car wasn’t going well on Friday, as Norris was very dissatisfied with the results.“Yes we are in the pool,” Norris added. “Relatively, on the pace we think we should be on, but we’re 1.5secs slower, pretty pants.” Looking back at our success, he commented that he was “disappointed that we are not even there [as the leader] overnight, and we will have to work hard to “figure out where we went. It was even worse as McLaren had announced a big change to the Baku weekend. Changes are featured around the main sidepod air inlets, engine cover, floor and diffuser with the goal of enhancing the car’s aerodynamics. The early result data from the car indicated it was acting like it should, based on the simulations the team had done, says Chief Technical Officer Rob Marshall. But he said the team was only beginning to get the most out of the upgrading. However, Mercedes had a very successful day. Russell was the leader of both his practice and took 0.552 seconds to win FP2 ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. This caused Antonelli to have a more difficult day due to a hydraulic issue in FP1. This caused him to sit out for a chunk of duration of the track time and Mercedes worked on his car making an assortment of repairs during the initial phase of FP2. Also, this was the time when Antonelli went straight into performance running on the soft tyre when he returned to the track instead of a change in engines. Antonelli “Never called it in doubt” as he completed just about a half of the running of Russell, but always had faith in his prospects going into qualifying. He said the team has done the best it could in the restricted time for running and was “comfortable in the car,” but there were other things that had to be attended to. First session’s challenger was Max Verstappen, who was also Mercedes’ third fastest in FP2. But, in the second session, the Red Bull guy was 0.827 seconds behind Russell. Ferrari, too, had previous to differentiate them from Mercedes. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were in tow behind the pack leaders but both were over 2 seconds back. Hamilton conceded that Ferrari weren’t particularly fast but team principal Frederic Vasseur was critical of the weighting of the car. But McLaren’s rivals weren’t throwing in the towel just because of the practice times. The official of Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache said that the McLaren seemed to be just a bit quicker than Red Bull or about equal. Another criticism Ferrari boss Vasseur made of McLaren was that he had not finished his laps in the same style as some of the competitors. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord said there could be some shortcomings in the gaps either. This means there’s a lot for McLaren to research before qualification. The team’s upgrades seem to be going according to their original data so now the challenge faced is to find the combination to make the most of the unique street circuit in Baku. There were problems at other times on the grid as well. For the second race weekend in a row, Racing Bulls rider Arvid Lindblad crashed at the casted chicane before the castle section of the race track. Also, there was a huge change in the car with the main thrust being on weight reduction in the car with Williams. Spanish team-mates Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz were involved in a collision with former teammates Jenson Button and Mark Webber, but managed to avoid any extreme measures. After experiencing trouble with his brakes, Sainz told a pro-timer he felt his performance improve as it was a day he expected improvement from it, but added that it was “scrappy.” The car “felt better in overall” but Williams’ appearance was a little more towards midfield than we would like to see,” he added. McClarens stated that he’s now thinking about the football interview. Before they are qualified they must analyse their data and understand why the pace does not match that which they had expected from their team and what improvements they must make to be qualified. Norris is one of the better performers that’s come along in the past few races but on the opening day of Baku he proved that his past records don’t relate to pace at a new track in the immediate term. Have a long way to go to the weekend’s pivotal moments if Mercedes are to be considered the benchmark and you won’t find the likes of Red Bull or Ferrari doing anything too wrong to make gains. For Zeroto30s distribution: Zeroto30s on Instagram Zeroto30s on Facebook Zeroto30s on X Zeroto30s on YouTube

Now it’s time for Kimi Antonelli to laugh at Max Verstappen in his second consecutive year of a breakthrough season in Formula One. After missing another battle in Madrid and emerging as a hero there, Antonelli boasted his newfound power and joked that he’s “definitely not having a comeback” as the conflict for the 2026 championship goes headt to head. Assuming that the final race weekends in the Middle East are planned as usual, Kimi Antonelli is well ahead of the pack after eight or nine points remain to be won. In addition, the Mercedes winner has been given a great chance of becoming the youngest in Formula 1 history with his win too, after he upped Seb Vettel. George Russell, the Mercedes teammate of Antonelli has already admitted that he has found it difficult to be in the championship situation. If Russell wins all of the remaining races then Antonelli can still be considered as having a degree of control over the title. Antonelli should be under no pressure at this juncture due to that. The 20-year-old Italian, however, isn’t about to get over-excited. Several times he has downplayed interest in the championship and has always been at the helm of seeing each race weekend as it occurs. The same strategy should be followed, that’s what Verstappen thinks Antonelli must do. Then when Verstappen and Lando Norris were asked for some tips to the young Mercedes driver, it became a bit of a joke – a possible comeback. Call him or her back is requested by Mercedes driver Antonelli ahead of Verstappen’s ‘me too’ response that there would be a ‘Hope for a comeback in the future’ from the competitors. “NO, I’m not coming back!” Verstappen replied. The gaffe was a nod to the status Verstappen is in as a champion. The four-time world champion is very familiar with significant comebacks, but this season shall be quite a struggle altogether. But now, it’s not the points part of the title battle that’s a realistic prospect for Verstappen – but winning races. Last season, Verstappen proved that a championship gap could be filled up speedily. He packed up in the summer and remained on the podium for all the grand prizes and ended up changing format in the standings. Yet, this time he is aware that circumstances aren’t the same. Antonelli has received clear directions from Verstappen, wanting to be told to ‘not rock the boat’. “All Kimi has to do is what he’s doing.” The “wow” is here, it’s there and really working well, I mean,” Verstappen said. The Red Bull rider also said the champion shouldn’t unnecessarily hound himself with constant thoughts of the current standings. He believes that the youngster from Mercedes should have gained the maturity and dependability that got him here and just keep going with that. Verstappen said that isn’t the case as he does not complicate things just because he’s not doing that. That’s one of Antonelli’s highlights of a season that has been one of his best. Although he’s in the beginning of his Formula 1 career, he has played consistently, and therefore accumulated a significant advantage in the championship. There have, naturally, been goofs and rough patches but the overall performance is strong and he has been able to keep his level up with a much more experienced teammate and the known names seeking him out. Norris was not only impressed with the Mercedes driver, but impressed. The McLaren star said a lot – much of which centred on the fact Antonelli is beating a very seasoned teammate in Russell and is up 80 points on that account. Norris also indicated that he didn’t particularly have anything to offer the inexperienced and capable Sicilian. “He’s doing a scarily good job – and he just turned 20. “This is pretty spacebrawl,” said Norris. The comments show how much Antonelli has progressed to become one of the Formula 1’s top drivers so quickly. He does not look like a lad just learning his trade for his second season, he’s been a regular competitor and has eliminated the allowable possibility of his opponents catching him up on the mistakes he’s made. But the championship situation is one huge opportunity for Mercedes, as well. It’s essentially becoming a supporting act as the team has two drivers who can race at the front of the pack, but Antonelli’s current lead is making it more and more of a challenge. Meanwhile, though much work remains to be done. With eight or nine race weekends in tow, a significant shift could occur, especially the points that go to the winners and top finishers. Antonelli has thus endured a plethora of in-fighting spirit leaks and is now tasked with continuing on his path to success without giving way to the prospect of a first-time world title. Finally, Verstappen’s statement brings to light the meteoric shift in power. An inexperienced 20-year-old driver is no longer being looked over as just another contender for the top spot, and is joining established world champions and top contenders on the list of title threats. Norris thinks the contest may still be with us for a long time, with a field of giants to come, whilst meanwhile Verstappen is filing his poker face with humor about swapping tracks with him. The easiest strategy for Antonelli is the one he has been using this season: Get focused, don’t beat yourself up about the championship and keep on shoving their six. As long as he continues in this form he will keep on keeping the pressure up on those who have to go and catch up. Social Media Channels: Zeroto30s on Instagram Zeroto30s on Facebook Zeroto30s on X Zeroto30s on YouTube

Potential changes to the regulations from the Madrid F1 track may be in the near future following a strong message from drivers during the inaugural Spanish Spanish World Cup at the new Madring circuit. The track showcased some fun to see in the qualifying session, but was even more undromantical with relatively few wave lengths in the race, frustrating a group of riders. Almost from the start the problem was obvious. In several areas cars could follow one another, it was really hard to get around. Running cars in a vulnerable position might make them vulnerable to attacks from opposing drivers and some corners didn’t provide much space for the cars to be side by side. Prior to the race, top race organising official, Max Verstappen, predicted the issue. After taking the time to review the plan, the Red Bull driver reported there was no true opportunity for him to overtake. His remarks came true as the race became a challenging afternoon for drivers seeking to catch up. After the race Gabriel Bortoleto declared that he nearly dozed while behind the helm. Roughly the amount of activity that could be seen on the road was not much. Race winner Kimi Antonelli also had a better lap over the course than he did during his race at the Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver explained that the track wasn’t aggressively set up for attacking as trying to dig a hole into another car meant they could easily mix it up. Antonelli (to the second chicane) was an example. He said that, had he taken the corner at the same time as Lando Norris, “the two cars could get in touch and they could have ended up in the wall. He sees the circuit requiring improvements that will offer more competition for drivers, rather than just that improvement.He doesn’t want just an improvement in the circuit, more opportunities that will allow drivers to run against one another. But the worries were not limited to the drivers who came home first. Problems with the layout had been voiced by Oliver Bearman early in the third practice session before the race as he engaged in a serious collision. Bearman noted it was an interesting circuit to drive on, but was not long enough for racing. He cited the long combined exits as where one sees people not being able to put power down onto the track but also corners where they aren’t giving the attacking car the right space to get around. In fact, the FIA had heard the drivers concerns on the weekend before, and the Haas driver said it was recommended that the circuit should be looked at prior to the next edition. Albon also feels that it is possible to change the Madring but not make a complete change to it. The Williams driver stated only a few crucial modifications will be necessary to enhance the racing. The major recommendation he has is to change the section from Turns 3 to 5. Albon felt that the track might have benefited from some straightening of just the braking areas and offers the option of pulling the chicane. He feels that the section will be a complaint of the race goers, but not the drivers. He also called for banking at Turn 13. The banking is not only impressive, but the corner could be made slower and more of a braking area, Albon thinks. That might provide another opportunity to attack for drivers. Bortoleto had other apprehensions with Turn 5. Over the whole race this bump resulted in discomfort of the driver in that area. As the cars went around and around the area was becoming tiresome and causing headaches. Perhaps the most significant change was by Lando Norris. The McLaren driver feels that these two corners should be dropped in favor of a longer straight-away and a much slower hairpin on Turns 18 and 19. Norris likened the concept to the Circuit of the Americas with wide braking lanes that provide drivers with more opportunity to mount an attack. There could be better opportunities for overtaking (and larger slipstreaming effects) if those straights were extended and included a large hairpin turn. The drivers are also considering the use of a shorter pit lane. It may make more teams dive back to try more pitstops as well as adding more strategy to the race. The availability of more pit stop options could result in more approaches as well as providing a new fuel action. No this is not to imply the Madring is a poor circuit in general, but merely that certain pieces were criticised. Several drivers have commented, “It’s fun to drive – especially qualifying. Fast sections, the technical corners and difficult layout may result in a good test over one lap. There is a problem, though, since the attributes that make for a good competitor in the arena are not what make for a good competitor on the wheel. Last but not least, the message from the drivers is clear: The Madrid F1 circuit was never thinking of discarding the entirety of the track and requiring a complete overhaul, but specific parts of the circuit should be rethought in advance of 2027. Modifications to the braking areas, the chicanes and sector three may make all the difference now. The Spanish GP has thus provided the circuit designers with much food for thought. With the suggested changes to the Madring the strong qualifying qualities could remain intact but the Madring could be much more of a thrilling race than it currently is. That will be vital for Formula 1, if the Spanish capital is going to be a successful, sustained fixture in the calendar. 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Isack Hadjar will miss his third straight Formula 1 race as he continues to recover from a wrist injury, with Red Bull confirming that the young French driver will not return for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Liam Lawson will once again drive alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda will remain with Racing Bulls. The decision means Hadjar’s return to Formula 1 action will have to wait a little longer. While his recovery is progressing well, Red Bull does not want to take any unnecessary risks with his fitness. Hadjar suffered a wrist fracture during the summer break while taking part in a boxing session. Boxing has been part of his regular training routine, but the injury came at an unfortunate time, just before the Dutch Grand Prix. The injury forced Hadjar to miss the race at Zandvoort. Red Bull then made changes to its driver line-up, moving Lawson back into the main Red Bull team alongside Verstappen. Tsunoda was also given an opportunity to return to the Racing Bulls seat. That arrangement continued at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza last weekend. Now, with the Spanish race coming so quickly after Monza, Red Bull has decided that Hadjar needs more time before getting back behind the wheel. Red Bull confirmed that Hadjar’s recovery is moving in the right direction, but he is still not ready to drive a Formula 1 car. The team also confirmed that Hadjar will travel to Madrid and support the team from the garage. That will allow him to remain involved with the team while continuing his recovery. The decision is understandable because the Madrid race will take place at the new Madring circuit. A new track can be physically demanding for any driver, particularly one returning from an injury. Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies had already warned that a return for Hadjar in Madrid could be difficult because of the short gap between the races. Now, Red Bull has chosen the safer option. For Lawson, this means another chance to prove himself in the Red Bull car. His latest return has been much calmer than his difficult two-race spell at the beginning of 2025. Lawson finished seventh at the Dutch Grand Prix, giving him a strong result during his return to the senior Red Bull team. However, his Italian Grand Prix was more difficult after an engine penalty made it almost impossible for him to fight for points. Still, Lawson has shown enough pace to remain a useful option for Red Bull while Hadjar is unavailable. Tsunoda has also made the most of his opportunity at Racing Bulls. The Japanese driver scored his first point of the season at Monza by finishing 10th. It was an important result after a difficult start to the campaign. However, the Monza result is still under discussion. Audi is considering an appeal against the stewards’ decision not to punish Tsunoda for an incident that caused an additional formation lap. For now, though, Tsunoda remains in the Racing Bulls seat for Madrid. The situation gives both Lawson and Tsunoda another important weekend to show what they can do. Lawson will once again have the chance to compete directly alongside Verstappen, while Tsunoda will look to build on his first point of the season. For Hadjar, the priority is much simpler: recovery. The French driver has already shown strong potential during his young Formula 1 career, and Red Bull clearly believes there is no reason to rush him back. Missing three races is frustrating, especially during a busy part of the season, but returning too early could create a bigger problem. The Spanish Grand Prix will therefore be another weekend where Hadjar watches from the sidelines while Lawson and Tsunoda carry the responsibility for Red Bull’s wider driver programme. Finally, the decision shows that Red Bull is willing to be patient with Hadjar rather than risk his long-term fitness. His return may take a little longer, but the team will want him back only when he is fully ready to race. Until then, Lawson and Tsunoda have another opportunity to make their mark, while Hadjar will continue his recovery and support the team from Madrid. Follow the Social Media Channels : Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s

Kimi Antonelli had one of the most impressive performances of his young Formula 1 career with a difficult situation turning into a memorable one at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Mercedes driver made a incredible comeback in a large Italian audience of people and all things fell apart for Ferrari in its own country and for George Russell on his campaign. It was to be a celebratory weekend for Ferrari, its supporters and fans, the tifosi. The supporters in the stands, however, had to cheer a new Italian hero. Antonelli has really impressed the audience, and as the first Italian driver to win his country’s home Grand Prix in such many years, will be talked about for years to come at the famous Temple of Speed. The match-up could also prove to be an important match-up in the 2026 event for the title. Antonelli’s race was a very entertaining one right from the start. The Mercedes driver found himself in a poor position to begin with and yet managed a steady start and consolidation. He did not take the wrong turns plied by some of his competitors and went on to pick up new victories as the race unfolded. Now it was the big moment. Antonelli placed himself in a position to compete for success and demonstrated the nerve of a man who knows he’s in the forefront. He got the best from the package around the high-speed Monza circuit, alongside managing tyres and the level of control. His emotions were unmistakeable when he came to the finish line. The Milanese fans had come expecting to see Ferrari at the front. Instead, they witnessed an incredible home win of one of their own. itinerate Ferraristas wearing Italian flags with Antonelli’s name on them were spotted, demonstrating just how fast the young driver was making the crowd fond of him. This was a big Formula One win for Antonelli. It was a statement. Weather, however, did not make it a pleasant day for George Russell. The Mercedes racer had been one of the most consistent qualifiers and would have looked good to start in front of the grid, had the latter not given him a run for his money at the start. The race proved to be a big challenge for Russell, though, as younger team-mate. While there were no big mistakes by Russell, it was the job done by Antonelli that made the difference. The young Italian had to be faster when it really mattered and that could have an impact on the big match-up. Russell said after the race himself that he was being honest about his odds. He’s come to terms with the fact that Antonelli may have merit for being at the top – and that narrowing the gap might be all but impossible. The race is still to be decided and there are lots of races left. But Antonelli’s win at Monza could have served him as a crucial mental boost. Another driver that came out of Italian Grand Prix with plenty of credit himself was Max Verstappen. Of course, the Red Bull driver was not a driver with the strongest car of the weekend, certainly when compared to the Mercedes cars! Despite this though, Verstappen did not give up and still pulled himself onto the chelipodium. Plus, his Red Bull wasn’t doing particularly well around the back axle either, giving it that much more of an advantage. Verstappen at SCKA in the box, ready to give the struggle, but he fought well due to experience and race craft, yet still finished in third place despite the more looking-for-performance-appeal cars. On Monza, at least, the battery battery-intensive technology aspects of Formula 1 weren’t an issue, as Verstappen gave them plenty to hustle about. The rain-ravaged track, however, will be disappointing for Ferrari. The team came into the race with another power unit boost and some aerobic improvements at Monza. Good things were spotted during Friday practice, and Qualifying seemed to indicate that Ferrari was making advance strides. But early it became a depressing weekend again. On lap two Charles Leclerc was involved in a fierce battle with the Ferrari before losing control outside of Parabolica and sending his car hurtling into the barriers. It followed a lengthy clash with Lewis Hamilton in the early stages of the race.It followed a long battle with Lewis Hamilton early in the race. The two front competitors, the Ferrari team-mates, fought hard in the early corners, with Leclerc manoeuvring to chase a corner that was as compact as possible at Turn 2. Hamilton was forced wide and dropped down the order. This was then followed by the accident of Leclerc, who put an end to Ferrari’s dreams of a tough home performance. Hamilton eventually came to a standstill but that still wasn’t enough for the tifosi. Ferrari has again upgraded its car, but Monza has proven that the team still has work to do if they are to be a regular threat to Mercedes and Red Bull. The weekend for Antonelli can’t have been much sweeter. He scored a victory at home, beat team-mate in key championship title duel and proved that he has the stamina to compete on a big Formula 1 weekend. There will be plenty of more races to come and anything can happen in Formula 1. However, if Antonelli can keep up with his current form, he has a difficult hurdle to overcome if he is to be a leader in 2026. It wasn’t only an Italian driver’s fine day at Monza. It could have been the day when Antonelli emerged as a real contender to be fresh.It could be the day when Antonelli claimed that which was a real contender to be fresh. Follow the Social Media Channels : Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s

F1 Dutch GP had everything go crazy, an exciting start, tackling pit reduction at the right moment, some daring changes and a home hero then snapping out in the middle of the opening lap. Lando Norris was the clear cut winner as he bounced back from a protest restart issue to take his second consecutive win in the lightweight fight and Kimi Antonelli was still looking good for the lead as he finished 2nd, moving forward into his race to take the title of the best rider under their current rules. But, there was much more to the race than that as fortunes differed greatly through the grid. Max Verstappen’s home bowing down ceremony was marred by a lackluster finish, Ferrari simply left some questions about their race fight and a racing debut for Liam Lawson went off perfectly. Fernando Alonso and Yuki Tsunoda were also not left in a hole with just part of the picture, as they both had new things to cheer about. But the drama began before the lights went out. The race was judged to be under rather wet conditions as rain fell some 1 hour before the race, while the race cars were on wet tyres. The rain came to a sudden end, yet the muddy roads continued to be troublesome and hazardous on lap one. Verstappen was the worst of it with the Hanssens third corner off the pace and into the outside wall which stopped the German’s race.But the worst of the lot was Anderias Hanssens’ Hans Verstappen, who lost his steering at the corner of Luyendyk and crashed into the outside wall which halted his race. To the detriment of Verstappen it was an especially sad finish to the Grand Prix of the Netherlands. Tired from needing to conquer the 190-lap Belgian racetrack back in 2021, after its return to the Formula 1 calendar, last lap was eagerly awaited to be another classic. Rather, he had some kind of error at a wet area on track – and that put an end to his afternoon before he had a chance to become established as a racer. Verstappen’s wipe-out was compounded by the fact that he had recently signed a new contract with Red Bull up until 2030. While he avoided injury in the accident, it was a sobering occasion for everyone that even the most competent drivers can be outsmarted when things take a sharp turn. On the other side of the coin, Norris had a tough weekend, which he made into a huge triumph. It would be fair to say that McLaren didn’t look anything like himself in Saturday’s sprint, despite George Russell’s victory from the front and the Mercedes having looked improved over race distance. Those questions were answered on Sunday by Norris. Any problems were overcome after the restart, as Kimi Antonelli fanned out into the way, revealing that Norris could keep the pace on the hard tyre as soon as he was able. Eventually he got to the Big Four Door bends of Antonelli and left enough space and that was 11.5 seconds ahead of the Mercedes driver at the finish! Winning his second consecutive Grand Prix in Hungary and his second of the year, it was Norris’ second consecutive win that was meant for this driver. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said Norris had a good idea that his reigning champion “was able to get some bit extra out of the tyre in the challenging but difficult conditions. That’s a show they might need to watch as the race unfolds because Norris is not far away from the leaders. Another big bonanza was the win by Antonelli. George Russel took third place and the Mercedes lad closed the gap to 59 points for second place in the championship. Leadership went for another wack in Mercedes too when they relaxed their thinking and allowed Russell to take the drivers’ seat with Antonelli’s wheel later in the race. Russell did as he was told, giving his team-mate the best chance of winning and then defending and defending his third-place finish for the rest of the race. But the weekend once more served as a reminder of a familiar issue for Ferrari. The team was good enough to fight it out at the front but its execution did not match the pace of the car with regularity. Both Charles Leclerc (P5) and Lewis Hamilton (P4) had good finishes for Ferrari but were unable to challenge for third place. It was another of the more impressive weekend displays from Lawson, however. He had to get used to replacing the injured Isack Hadjar and nervously make his way back into the car that’s notably different from the machines he was used to driving for Red Bull. Las Vegas, his drive was calm he didn’t seem overwhelmed by the circumstances to get to seventh. Red Bull would be the fourth fastest team on the course, making it difficult to expect ground-breaking thing to happen. Fernando Alonso had to be given a round of applause as well. Aston Martin’s weekend had been bumpy until Friday morning when some problems with the Honda’s new engine had an impact on the car’s driveability. Then, it was back to balance and, more dramatically, the team combined the two in a bold package to secure useful points in finishing in ninth position. Not to mention, the return of Yuki Tsunoda to an F1 race weekend came as a surprise. The Japanese had been on the sidelines as a team mate of Arvid Lindblad, but was thrust into the lineup for the Dutch weekend and remained near Racing Bulls side man in the last 20 races. For Williams, however, there wasn’t much to be happy about. Late in the race, Carlos Sainz and teammate Alex Albon jostled for 15th place, making for a miserable weekend. The event was sparked by the lock-up on old hard tyres of ‘Sainz’ and turned out to be uninteresting as neither of

These are other rare opportunities for Liam Lawson to prove himself at Red Bull, but it can’t be a more symbolic time. The New Zealand group member will be returning from the injury of Isack Hadjar to the Dutch Grand Prix on Zandvoort where his one and a half year stint in Formula 1 ended in failure. Red Bull announced the absence of Hadjar on August 19, citing the injury to his wrist, which means that Lawson will receive a surprise back, given his status as the top team. Lawson considers this just a fleeting seat, however. A tribute to the efforts he has already made this year during one of his hardest seasons in young baseball. The first time he was promoted to Red Bull in 2025 only got him so far, as he was transferred back to Racing Bulls after two races. The 24-year-old has since regained his confidence and developed into a much more rounded driver, with greater consistency. The reference to Zandvoort makes the narrative even more interesting. The five races in 2023 came in a place of Daniel Ricciardo and assisted its way to a full-time seat in future, as Lawson did his first five appearances in F1 the same year. Well, three years down the road, another injury has come out of the woodwork from within the Red Bull family. But wages were all too often subjected to a second chance after a terrible setback. After making a successful stint with the junior half team, Lawson’s first move to Red Bull was not to be a better one than joining alongside Max Verstappen. He had more than a few obstacles to overcome early, settling for a last place finish in both the Sprint qualifying session and Grand Prix last weekend in China. However, Red Bull soon made the decision to switch the stance back and bring him back to Racing Bulls. This was a difficult one to make given that Lawson had very little time to adapt. With two races that wasn’t a degree of doubt enough for his future career with Red Bull, but he sure did demonstrate what he could do in a very unstable chassis! Lawson could have been shaped by this one-time experience. Rather he returned to his employment. The drafting and support the Race Club provided to Lawson have enabled him to rebuild into a competitive rider again. First, the biggest change has been in Lawson’s approach. Team principal Alan Permane has already publically admitted his team’s altercation post-Red Bull. On and off the track, Lawson worked extensively in the simulator to regain his confidence and knowledge of the car, Permane said. This work is beginning to pay off in his grades. Thanks to a maturation of his game, Lawson is now a more reliable performer and has been paired with newcomer team-mate Arvid Lindblad for much of 2026. Lawson has been leading their duel, according to Motorsport.com from earlier recently with a 43-23 points lead. There was nothing numbers couldn’t be the same but it reinforces an important point: Lawson is no longer the pulsating monster from early 2025. He appears more open and more confident and has been better prepared. Smoothing out the returns of Red Bull comes with less pressure. But Lawson’s second stint with Red Bull is quite different from the first. Emphasis is placed on the fact that this time he isn’t expected to get a permanent seat immediately but rather as soon as it is available. His job is as easy as replacing Hadjar as the Frenchman recovers from his wrist injury. That should give Lawson a different attitude to the weekend. Hadjar will be back when expected and Lawson will return to Racing Bulls. Less uncertainty about what his next step on the road may be and that might help make him better. Meanwhile, with a solid weekend, his name will be right back in the mix. Timing is always a key part of Formula 1 and it isn’t too much to say that Lawson has proven that things can go fast in that sport. Here is an opportunity to shift the focus of the discussion. Lastly, this Dutch Grand Prix event presents Lawson with an opportunity not he could’ve ever envisioned being on when Racing Bulls sent him back; another chance in a Red Bull car. The result is not going to shape his future, but might impact on the wider paddock perception of him. A solid performance in the opening races, clear sign that the lessons learnt in 2025 have sunk in and competitive pace with Verstappen would give credence to that. The self-appointed role of Lawson, as “new” at the front doesn’t require him to demonstrate that he belongs there. What he really has to demonstrate is that he might have gotten bigger. It could actually be the more key element to this comeback. He’s proven himself as a giant in his field of studies, perseverance leading to opportunity. His first album of 2023 has become his launch pad, the tough Red Bull promotion has been a hurdle, and his rebuilding efforts with Racing Bulls have carved out another opportunity. With the next time around in the ring, it’s open whether it’s to be a one-off or a foray into a new project for Lawson, but let’s not think too hard about how he’s earned the right to take what opportunity he gets seriously. The wheels have rolled out of his hands very quickly for a driver and placing him back under a new organisation, quite differently is a reminder that there are no straight, simple Formula 1 careers. It is also at Zandvoort that Liam Lawson will get a second chance to write a seedy page in his history so he can create a fresh start. Social Media Channels Instagram: Zeroto30s Instagram Facebook: Zeroto30s Facebook Twitter: Zeroto30s Twitter YouTube: Zeroto30s YouTube

The Formula 1 title battle hinges firmly on Mercedes upgrades and team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that the Silver Arrows are close to deciding upon their plans for their remaining performance packages for the second half of the 2026 season. Rivals Ferrari and McLaren have been proactively working on their vehicles all year, but the Mercedes approach of a slow burn may prove more fruitful than haste and a fast turnaround on new parts every race weekend. The first part of a new regulation F1 belonged to Mercedes. But between the first six Grands Prix the Brackley outfit won it all and took to the lead early on as the team to beat. But as time went on the curve began to bend. Ferrari’s and McLaren’s came back with big upgrade packages which closed the performance divide and enabled them to go head to head with Mercedes on their stronger days over the next races. Whereas its competitors are going the full nine yards, Mercedes has instead gone the careful 9 yards. The only great improvement pack for the team came at the Canadian Grand Prix and subsequent upgrades were then more in the form of fine tuning than full blown aerodynamics overhauls. It has allowed the team to maintain its position comfortably within Formula 1’s $215 million cost cap but also has also safeguarded valuable development time during the critical weeks in the season. After the Hungarian Grand Prix, Wolff made this point about upgrades, when he said that it was no longer a matter of bringing new parts to every circuit. Rather, the team is taking the time to work through what races will give them the competitive boost they require before putting resources into them. Wolff says Formula 1 needs wiser planning these days. Each upgrade package is a large expenditure under the budget constraint; teams must decide if they believe they will see an increase in their budget more quickly than at another circuit that will be more impactful. There’s a bigger package that needs to be introduced at the right time that could make the car a little more competitive for a while, then it will be back in the development race again. In addition the Austrian also admitted that there had been an ‘intentional programme’ for Mercedes around the second half of the campaign. Instead of playing hard early in a season the team has engineered flexibility and financing to be able to capitalize when the match becomes the most telling of the playoffs. In a bid to keep its head still on top of both Ferrari and McLaren, Mercedes will rely on its “calculative policy” to keep developing its line ahead of the remaining 12 races. The team’s finances still look okay, but another difficulty is sure to keep growing louder. As Mercedes nears the cap on the number of power units it can use in Formula 1 with both drivers, there is a risk that there will be penalties earned on the grid before the end of the season. Antonelli’s outfit made its fourth use of an engine this year and Russell’s team has the third one on its list. As per the rule governing Formula 1, adding a fifth engine will incur a 10-point moving down penalty. It’s unlikely Mercedes will escape those penalties, considering their reliability hiccups during the first half of the season. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord accepted the team is already getting ready for that eventuality too. Mercedes’ Brixworth power unit plant engineers are considering when the best time is to fit new engines in the calendar without causing undue disruption to both drivers’ championship bids and race strategy department. When reliability compels them, Mercedes doesn’t want to be forced into fighting, instead they want to be in the environment of selecting a circuit where it would really be possible to catch up through the pack. The balance may well be a key feature of the rest of the title battle. If applying improvements appropriately, and balancing the inevitable engine penalties, proves just as crucial as outright speed, then bringing them in at the right time is just as vital to success. As the gap between Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren gets ever smaller, even the smallest of behind-the-things moves have potential for title implications. Mercedes is playing the game of time, discipline and wise resource use to ensure that the Silver Arrows stay ahead of the pack in the remaining 12 Formula 1 races. Follow Zeroto30s for the latest Formula 1 updates and motorsport news: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/zeroto30s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s

F1 season finale is expected to be back in Europe in the event of an ongoing war in the Middle East disrupting the championship’s season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.But if the war in the Middle East continues to disrupt, then F1 race season is likely to continue in Europe with the final races planned in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Both remain on the agenda for now, but the sport has a contingency in mind in case security isn’t enhanced by mid-September, F1 President Stefano Domenicali has confirmed. The announcement is the most definitive yet to show Formula 1 is closely tracking the developments, and it’s striving to finish the championship with a full calendar. The Middle East leg would also not go ahead leaving Italy’s Imola circuit as the number one alternative. Speaking at a media call, Domenicali emphasized that Qatar and of course Abu Dhabi, are still officially confirmed in spite of the uncertainty. The popularity of Formula 1 was demonstrated by the fast sell out of both the red and green race cards, as geopolitical tensions have overshadowed the end of a season which has rarely seen it used for racing competitions. He emphasized that the championship shouldn’t be taking any unnecessary risks however. If the conflict is not resolved by mid-September, Formula 1 will be looking elsewhere to find a new series venue overseas, instead of turning its gaze to Europe. Domenicali was reluctant to make the announcement of a new circuit, though so far, Imola looks to be the clear favourite for the last race. The uncertainty comes on top of an already thrown off schedule 2026. Previously this season Formula 1 was forced to cancel the Grands Prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the fighting. Malaysia has subsequently taken over for the home race in September, and the new races have the racing objective as the commercial aim set in the initial schedule of 21 races, remaining unchanged. In spite of that tweak, Domenicali is adamant on extending the calendar with a new event following Las Vegas Grand Prix (21 November). There was also a plan to run a second race in Vegas originally for Formula 1, but that plan wasn’t meant to stick. Domenicali stated that to double up at the venue would make one of the more popular on-site events doubly exclusive at best of this championship. Yet another worry is television time during an NFL season, when American television owners are in shadow boxing mode. It’s better to keep the Las Vegas Grand Prix valuable, so Formula 1 thinks, than decrease viewership. Focus is already shifting to 2027 calendar too. Bahrain should be hosting the opening race with the past two year’s schedulers having taken place in Australia because of the time off during Ramadan. In case that situation in the Middle East doesn’t get better next season, Formula 1 has alternative plans on which to rely, as Domenicali affirmed. The governing body will to make quick changes if needed, and aims to present its standard schedule later this year. Domenicali was also staking the defence of the new 2026 rules for Formula 1. Some of the top performers such as Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso have criticized the shift to more energy-saving, which means that drivers are being taken off the throttle in high-speed corners and onto a hot seat since they have to care for their battery and Thermal Management Systems. In fact, some parts of the track were even referred to as “charging stations” due to the necessity of electrical energy regeneration. However, Domenicali grudgingly accepted both concerns but still gave credit to the basic drama and excitement of racing that has been kept intact. He said most of the riders think of the on-track action not technology such as what goes in to deploying batteries or clipping energy. He added he was pleased with improvements that will have less impact on energy recovery during the upcoming two seasons while also fostering discussion of issues behind the scenes instead of on the open Web. In the future, Formula 1 is already preparing its engine rules for next generation in 2030 or 2031. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of FIA, has been campaigning for a switch back to naturally aspirated V8 engines, but a few manufacturers, such as Mercedes and Audi, are keen to continue using the turbocharged hybrid technology. Domenicali feels the conversations are going good, and hopes to have an outline agreement before the end of this year. Its aim is to develop lighter cars using more sustainable fuels, with meaningful electrification and give the racers more freedom to blast their cars down the track. It is one of the largest scheduling difficulties in many years that Formula 1 is facing. It’s anyone’s guess whether the championship will end in the Adhirons lights, or whether it heads to a more familiar European circuit from now on.Regardless of the outcome, it must still be a safe, competitive and full F1 season finale with respect to the integrity of the world championship. Follow Zeroto30s for more motorsport updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/zeroto30s/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s

In an event full of strong performances, F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Winners and Losers dominated the show, bringing about a fresh chapter in the campaign until the summer break. With a breakthrough win, Lando Norris secured a victory whilst both Max Verstappen and Ferrari pulled out another brilliant effort from Budapest, only for a promising weekend to be lost. There was a cruel stain on Oscar Piastri’s victory, despite the leadership, but Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli maintained his string of good fortunes. The Hungarian Grand Prix didn’t just pay tribute to the teams that improved most, it also revealed those that were having trouble keeping up in Formula 1’s ongoing development arms race. After that, Lando Norris came out on top of the weekend to propel his raw pace into a pivotal win. He had allowed the lead to slip away early after a misjudging move at Turn 2 but it never slipped further from Norris’ grasp. Instead, he dogged his teammate Oscar Piastri around every lap, always managing to beat him, doing it at the right pace while also making sure not to be too aggressive, too much. His doggedness finally got him after he was held up by Carlos Sainz at pit stop, giving Norris time to pull off the overcut he rarely does in Hungary. It certainly seemed to work for Norris, as he didn’t seem to need the restraining hand on him when McLaren put his nose into the grid, confident to race ferociously the whole length of the way and remind the grid all over him that he is still fully in the championship race. But for Oscar Piastir, there was yet another sad episode to his Hungarian Grand Prix. The Australian had so acutely exploited his chance to secure the race lead from Norris while he was having trouble early on with that, admittedly, and then it seemed to go all the way downhill. McLaren then played the traditional game of sending their top driver first, but that was penalised with a delay after the contact between Piastri and Carlos Sainz in the backmarkers’ blue-flag zone. That was the missing time that made the difference and Norris run past the clock. Worse still than that, a gearbox failure was to end Piastri’s afternoon with no value added championship points. Undoubtedly frustrated about the team radio the Australian later said, “I couldn’t help being emotional. As one of its best weekends of the season, sadly Ferrari’s result in Budapest was among the most disappointing. With the pace of the race expected to be healthy on Friday, expectations were high for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to compete for much of the weekend with McLaren and Mercedes, but they weren’t able to because of strategic decisions and blunders. They were handicapped from the start with soft tyres, and Hamilton’s daring approach did not pay off. It was not enough of a blessing for Ferrari given the points imposed on the last day for slow driving on the pit lane and the Team Principal Frederic Vasseur conceding too many mistakes on Sunday. It was a major disappointment to a championship-hungry team to fall to competitors from McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull. Not going into too much detail about the RB22 and its isolated moments of instability – very big issue for max but he showed, again, why he qualifies to be one of the drivers who should be the standard bearers of Formula 1. The second less than gameful qualifying period merely reinforced the Red Bull’s poor handling qualities and meant that little was expected at race day. In the end, though, Verstappen put on a great performance to recover, making the most of his tyre selection and fearless overtaking. His daring pass of Lewis Hamilton at Turn 1 was one of the race highlights and Red Bull’s choice to run the final stint on soft tyres was a smart choice. Even the best drivers can make a difference without the fastest vehicles, as Verstappen admits the car is still very hard to drive, but had won. Mercedes saw another mixed weekend which further divided fortunes of its two drivers. There was a lot of bad luck and inconsistent running at several points during the season, but the beginning of George Russell’s race was particularly unlucky. Russell really was a Mercedes favourite for his race heirship, but he will now go into the summer break in position to be challenged by teammate, Kimi Antonelli, and Lewis Hamilton in the points table. Antonelli, by contrast, delighted in apparently superachievable consistency, beyond his years. Despite the fact that Mercedes didn’t manage to pull it off at a perfect pace, the 19-year-old player managed to avoid unnecessary risks, go into every opportunity and take another platform. The steady demeanor has proved to be one of the big stories of the season, and continues to be praised by the competition, including Norris. Aston Martin had a few positive notes to play off the front, but they come in the grey background. Though it did not find a level of success at first glance, its B-spec package, with significant changes, proved to be encouraging for both cars compared to the previous weeks. The Silverstone team now seems to have laid a solid base upon which Honda can build its next power pack. It’s still a long-term plan but for now, Hungary tried to signal that there’s a possibility for Aston Martin to move away from the small steps and to get back on track for 2027. Several midfield rivals, however, didn’t look so bright in the picture. Persistent aero issues held back both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, leaving Williams with yet another sore afternoon. Albon has conceded he didn’t get the performance out of the car he could just as had Piastri’s collision with Sainz in blue flags only made it an even more forgettable race. Cadillac saw an early repeat of problems with their brakes, which saw both

George Russell suffered through the second consecutive weekend as his title bid in Formula 1 lost his hopes when finishing on the wrong side of the podium at the Belgian GP. Spa-Francorchamps was once a rising star but became another frustrating season in the short span of time. On lap one the Mercedes driver pulled off at the end of the race after hitting Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in what followed a shocking loss of power after a battery deployment issue. Hamilton ended up with a penalty for the contact, while teammate Kimi Antelliello won the race for the sixth time in 10, taking his lead even further. Again it’s reliability, not necessarily pace, which has plagued Russell in his bid for the world crown. The first thing is that Russell’s race never got going before it fell apart. The Briton got on well in the opening corner and had a fine save in the early two points from behind Max Verstappen. But the energy recovery system had a big problem with the placement of batteries that inhibited its ability to perform effectively. He eventually ran out of electricity at Eau Rouge, his turbo also failed to produce the boost he sought out and ultimately his battery died all together. When he suddenly fell back several other competitors moved in and he was left without support on the long Kemmel Straight. It didn’t take long before contact with Hamilton put an early end to his race. Russell maintained that the wrecking was just the inevitable result of the technical malfunction which put him in the position he found himself.Russell said that he believed the mishmash happened because Hamilton was in a difficult position and, therefore, caused the wreck. This is the latest one in an even bigger story, however. George Russell, however, has suffered from misfortune and problems with his car on a number of occasions this season in Formula 1. Many technical issues in qualifying in China, poor Safety Car in Japan, retirement in the king of the pit drivers led race in Canada and the Monaco ‘after’ penalties cost lots of points. But, following Silverstone, Russell felt both Mercedes team members had endured a balanced portion of bad luck and felt the championship rise looked balanced. A feeling of confidence vanished almost immediately at Spa, however, where Antonelli won his bid to take a double victory. That disappointment is “almost normal now,” Russell said, adding that he now feels “numb to the disappointment.” Later, Mercedes claimed that Russell’s issues began at “a good bit earlier” in the weekend. In fact, he on Friday at practice looked far slower than Antonelli and engineers said that the performance gap could have been due to driving style. The loading changes on the final sector caused by the additional steering changes around the corners reduced momentum, which left the battery system to consume additional electrical energy to reach the final sector. However, qualifying data showed another unusual power fluctuation in the engines that couldn’t solely be attributed to driver performance. Days later, the same problems were said to be occurring in other Mercedes-powered vehicles, such as McLaren cars, stressing the difficulty in which the hybrid power unit lives in this season. But the deployment mission was different on Sunday; Mercedes engineers are looking for new solutions in preparation for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, however, George Russell had no means of consolation as Kimi Antonelli continued with his superb driving. The young Italian’s problem with the batteries started at the race but was soon admirably brushed aside as he took control of the Belgian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc took the lead again briefly when Ferrari made a precise lap stop, but Antonelli was able to catch up with the Ferrari driver before taking the lead from him yet again. He proved his sense of calm in the race once again, making him a benchmark for this season’s Mercedes race. Team principal Toto Wolff was euphoric about the way Antonelli had driven, but also admitted that a large part of the difference in performance between the two drivers over the weekend could have been down to Russell’s technical problems. Finally, Mercedes are determined to put a bit back into Russell’s stocks before Formula 1 travels to Budapest and before summer break. Toto Wolff acknowledged that everyone inside Mercedes is “completely dedicated” to overcoming the often problematic reliability problem, while adding it understands how frustrating it’s been for Russell. He emphasized that it is not just the driver whose responsibility the responsibility was and he pointed out, especially that of the team, is the loss of points awarded to the constructors, a step that is as costly as the one received under the driver itself. But Wolff thinks it will take a little while to get everything working again—Russell will make a comeback. With Formula 1 facing yet another pivotal match point, George Russell is confident the pace is there. Now the biggest question is about the reliability of Mercedes to keep his flagging title hopes alive. Follow Zeroto30s for the latest Formula 1 news, race analysis and motorsport updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s

Belgian Grand Prix 2026 produced another shock in the new formula for success with this time it being demonstrated that it is not just about the pace. For the first time, Spa-Francorchamps singled out teams that learned how to deploy batteries along with teams yet to find consistency and reliability. Kimi Antonelli consolidated his title status with an elegant winner, Ferrari stealthily enhanced its title hopes and Red Bull’s recent improvements kept its car moving up toward the front. But George Russell and Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin were leaving Belgium with many questions unanswered all the while as the championship duel progresses towards Hungary. ⭐ Winner: Kimi Antonelli Before Spa, doubts about the championship credentials of Kimi Antonelli were eradicated. The Mercedes youngster was briefly phased for Ford’s Max Verstappen who went through the confidence of attacking for a fantastic open lap overtake of the season down Eau Rouge. Instead, Antonelli was patient, deployed his batteries effectively and regained his lead from an enemy with coolness and incisiveness to take control of the rest of the race. Antonelli’s one thing, though, is his outstanding sophistication. He’s just 19 and already has the power to run, yet the skills to choose wisely, attributes that are coveted by many veteran racers. His sixth win of the season was due to consistency, not any knee-jerk reaction, making him the standard-bearer of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Each race weekend appears to give a new impression that Mercedes has discovered their new long-term world champion. ❌ Loser: George Russell Antonelli had another win and George Russell had one of his worst weekends of the year. The problems seldom occurred during qualifying when Mercedes’ deployment software meant that Russell could not keep up with pace of teammate Lawrence.Those first salient issues were ones of power unit deployment software as Russell simply could not match his teammate’s qualifying pace. The Brit unfortunately was left with more technical issues during the race as his car was unable to regenerate sufficient battery energy that was leaving turn 1. This loss of power also left Russell exposed on Kemmel Straight as Lewis made contact to effectively give him no chance to score on the straight. Russell obviously wasn’t going for the finger-pointing finger, but this is on Mercedes’ agenda, as they’ve been plagued with reliability problems. Russell is still making points and his championship challenge is slowly getting further off over the weeks with Antonelli hitting a ton of points, although his pace is quite competitive when he’s running at his stock. ⭐ Winner: Ferrari Spa was perhaps one of the biggest winners of the Biennale, if Ferrari did not secure victory. Charles Leclerc did another measured drive to come through for second place while Lewis Hamilton improved after picking up first-time contact with Russell, front wing damage and a challenging 1.7-second pit stop. The second and fourth place would have been a superb team effort on what is usually a circuit that shows the vulnerabilities of Ferrari in using hybrid technology. Ferrari Performance Snapshot Driver Result Weekend Verdict Charles Leclerc P2 Maximised strategy and race pace to secure another podium. Lewis Hamilton P4 Outstanding recovery after damage and pit-stop issues.   The thread within Ferrari starts and stays strong. If Mercedes is just a little bit faster over a lap then every other week or so Ferrari will dominate yet. The degree of this reliability may mean it can make all the difference as the contest heads into the second half when they put their technical problems to the test, should any others continue to turn wheels. ❌ Loser: Oscar Piastri After spending the weekend frustrated again, Oscar Piastri’s poor run. His preparation was cut short by hydraulic troubles on Friday and the problem made him unable to get into any battle close to the front. Teams fans may feel that it was another race that Lando Norris had slightly more pace all weekend long as teammate, but it was a job for good damage limitation done in fifth place. Despite being one of Formula 1’s quickest young talents, a downtrend has become evident at recent races for Piastri. He’s slowed down his momentum as a contender for the championship with a few minor problems, some tarnished qualifying starts and some rough weekends. That still has a pretty competitive package but it’s relatively safe to say that unless Piastri can regain his confidence when it comes to qualifying it’s going to be a little harder for him to keep up with Norris and the No 1s. ⭐ Winner: Gabriel Bortoleto Engine performance is so important at Spa, that not many would have imagined that Audi was going to leave with a point score. But Gabriel Bortoleto was the same youngster again, proving his capacity to be one of Formula 1’s most exciting young talents. The Brazilian easily siloed his way to Q3 before putting in a points-worthy execution of that routine, despite the slow start. Gabriel Bortoleto Performance Category Performance Qualifying Reached Q3 Race Result Finished in the points Weekend Verdict One of his strongest performances of 2026 Championship Impact Helped Audi close the gap in the Constructors’ standings   Strategy wasn’t the only element of Bortoleto’s game. He was racing at a level throughout the day and his confidence was building in high pressure situations on every stint. Audi’s power unit is still one of the least powerful on the grid and another victory at Spa on the points table is all the more impressive. It would be no surprise if the German outfit follows their progress and becomes a middle class contender with normal outpouring before the end of this season. ❌ Loser: Aston Martin Spa showed how far work there was still to be undertaken by Aston Martin. Both Alonso and Stroll were engaged in a battle just to follow rally music in the midfield throughout the weekend, which saw the AMR26 not pay attention to the pace of the other cars on

Ollie Bearman has received one of the biggest highs of his career at such a young age, driving Ayrton Senna’s iconic Lotus 97T at Silverstone. In the historic black and gold car that started Senna’s first F1 win during the Portuguese Grand Prix in 1985, he was visibly moved as he finished with some demonstration laps. The gesture started as a tremendous honor to one of the greatest legends in motorsport, but it soon became a hostile gesture for the 21-year-old, whose cry of “Mom!” touched like a dagger into a man’s soul for millions of fans worldwide. The video of Bearman’s emotional drive was aired on social media and he was met with huge amounts respect and admiration into one of Formula 1’s most beloved drivers’ cars. Event Details Driver Ollie Bearman Car Lotus 97T Original Driver Ayrton Senna Venue Silverstone Circuit Occasion Demonstration Run Companion Driver Karun Chandhok   First off, it was no mere demonstration run when they walked sideways over the cockpit of the Lotus 97T. As Ayrton Senna’s first Grand Prix win was her memorable achievement in 1985, the old beast will be a big star in the country’s major motorsports section. It’s a very special car for any modern Formula 1 racer to get to race in. Not seeing the magic first-hand, Bearman’s exposure to Senna was highly cathartic. He said that it was one of the most “meaningful times in the early section of my career” to feel as if he was getting back in the time capsule. Their relationship of an hour, however, would prove to be poignant when Bearman made his laps around Silverstone. This experience involved him cruising around Britain’s most iconic race track, the legendary Lotus, and this was a part of Formula 1 history that he connected with. IOW, as he came back along the ramp to the pit area, all the feelings were becoming too apparent. Bearman wiped away the tears and said the experience was very emotional for him and will ask the boys why they fell in love with motorsport in the first place. The sentiment of the driver and the iconic cars involved in prestigious racing is still very strong, as the man’s honest response has pointed out, despite his current workplace primarily using modern technology, data and engineering in Formula 1. Karen Bearman’s presence was made even more memorable by respected broadcaster and former Formula 1 racer, Karun Chandhok who joined him during the demonstration. With his love for Formula 1, Chandhok is always ready to showcase the heritage of the sport and is expected to be an important figure in the event for all the right reasons. In the process they were able to pay tribute to one of the most iconic names in the sport’s history and give the new generation to Formula 1 a chance to experience the familiar sounds and appearance of the Lotus 97T at the place where Formula 1 memories are still happening. In the meantime, Bearman’s expressive reaction was soon getting the attention of the automotive community around the world. Representatives of the record labels, the film industry, and the public all expressed their respect for his driving skills and his modesty and gratitude during the event. Tears quickly flowed on social media as he was hailed as one of the nicest young drivers currently racing in Formula 1. What many supporters appreciated was a driver who was born years after Senna’s tragic demise could feel such strong attachment to Senna’s legacy. Some added that Bearman’s response was born of how much racing appeals to him, rather than any competition being that dear to his heart. Some of the fans had some deeply felt reactions of their own. Others said Bearman’s palpable sadness had reminded them of watching Senna’s races when they were young. Others have claimed that his tears indicated that he was showing complete respect to one of the greatest drivers of all time in F1. Most of the motoring fraternity agreed that Bearman sounded genuine rather than recorded – enabling his reputation to build as one of the sport’s most creditable and genuine race-writers of the document. Why the Moment Was Special Impact Driving Senna’s Lotus 97T Connected a modern F1 driver with a legendary era Silverstone Demonstration Celebrated Formula 1 history at Britain’s iconic circuit Emotional Reaction Earned admiration from fans worldwide Social Media Response   Above all, the demonstration conveyed the message that Formula 1 is more than just about speed and technology, but about emotion, history and inspiration. Moments such as this highlight everything racing has to offer besides a racing helmet; passion from every rider. His emotional sobriety of driving Ayrton Senna’s Lotus 97T was more than just a few laps. It was a cross between generations, and celebrated one of the best legends in Formula 1, and explained to the fans why the sport continues to remain a phenomenous sport for millions all over the world. It was an invaluable experience for Bearman. It was a moving tribute for Formula 1 fans and a crackerjack representation of the everlasting memories of Ayrton Senna. Follow Zeroto30s for more Formula 1 coverage: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s/

At the Dutch GP, Honda F1 Power Unit is getting a welcome shot in the arm as Honda and Aston Martin are seeking to turn 2026 into a much better year in Formula 1. A new power unit will return to race at Zandvoort after the summer as the Japanese Engineer has confirmed.The Japanese supplier has officially said an updated power unit will be making its race debut after the summer break, helping Astons to a much needed performance boost. Having the Silvertone based team through one of the most challenging seasons in recent history, the engine package offered a key chance to see some performance gains and help the team collect data to develop the team for future. First of all, Honda’s message is coming from track-side GM-Chief engineer Shintaro Orihara who announced that the revamped power unit will “come two race weekends later.” Orihara preemptively clarified that Honda plans to “reflect on its current engine specification and learn more prior to the introduction of its new package”, ahead of the event that will be held on the Belgian Grand Prix. The team is keen to get to the best of the technology used when providing energy solutions and managing power, especially at high speed circuits where efficiency has a major impact. That experience will be useful if later in the season it will be necessary to use power in the Dutch Grand Prix at venues like Monza. The deadline for the upgrade is strongly tied to the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) of Formula 1. Current regulations allow for more “room to maneuver” to catch up to competitors by manufacturers whose equipment performs less well than its competitors. Undoubtedly, Hondas power unit was considered the least competitive by Honda, allowing them to fall within the framework of the ADUO system. Instead of waiting until the end of the campaign, Honda has decided to take advantage of those post-campaign opportunities, aiming to take down that performance gap with the new engine package ahead of the end of the season. But the problems that Aston Martin are having are not just to do with the engine. This has been the AMR26’s low period of the season with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll always fighting in the back presumably for third place. Few thought the team would have to fight for a seat in the competition, just against Formula 1 debutant Cadillac. Alonso’s only championship point came in an out-of-the-ordinary race at the Monaco Grand Prix, where the strategy and race incidents got him into the top ten in the main part of the day. That figure hasn’t helped to cover up the fact that Aston Martin is struggling with serious performance issues. Those struggles have become evident yet again in recent qualifying sessions. Both Aston Martin Team drivers were on the back row of the grid at Silverstone, behind much of the front tier grid as well as underperforming away from home, with several midfield competitors, by a significant margin. The amount of time the cars needed to pass cadillac was larger than one second, and the time they needed to pass for the second qualifying session was greater than two seconds. Those figures highlight the challenge Aston remain short of competing for second-place outright pace in the midfield. In the meantime, Honda anticipates that Spa-Francorchamps will provide a further test for its current power unit. Orihara said the Belgian circuit is the one accentuating energy deployment since there are not many places to harvest energy and have long sections of full throttle. The efficient working of the MGU-K system will then be key to Aston Martin’s performance throughout the lap if they are to keep pace. Reliability is also a big issue, with consistent, high-speed running involving increased stresses on each and every component of the powertain. Weathered conditions may also prove even greater problems in getting ready for race day; the changeable track could require engineers to continually refine deployment plans as race day approaches. The Hungarian Grand Prix is also highly improbable to make up for the lack of upgrade before the new engine comes. The Aston Martin are again beset with trouble on Saturday as they are continuing to juggle between short-term development and their long-term goals. The team has already admitted that most of its engineering efforts have been on the all-new 2027 Formula 1 regulations. With limited aerodynamic testing and restrictions on budgets, it now becomes even more difficult to get important ground back in this season and that’s why Aston Martin are looking at increasing their competitiveness in the future rather than spending money on a car that didn’t get the pace from the first race. Lastly, the Dutch Grand Prix is one of the pivotal points that are left in Aston Martin’s season. The power unit will get an upgrade which will give the team its best chance of enhancing their all-round efficiency, energy deployment and straight line performance this weekend. The update alone is probably not going to catapult Aston Martin into the lead, but it could yield some positive improvements which will help to narrow the differenced down the middle. Most important of all, the new package will provide Honda and Aston Martin with valuable development information as both teams turn to a much more competitive future under F1’s new set of regulations. 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Team principal Toto Wolff says Mercedes Reliability is the only major hurdle now standing in the way of Mercedes perfect Formula 1 campaign. But the Silver Arrows who have seen many successes also have gone through many failures, including defeats after building arguably the fastest car on the grid. While admitting the time is now for Mercedes to move beyond the engineering problems that have cost the drivers points, Wolff has made it abundantly clear that reliability sacrifices for outright performance will be ignored. That Mercedes were dominant in qualifying shows the team’s competitiveness over the 2026 season, it’s true. Over the first nine laps this season the Brackley team has succeeded in locking up every grand-prize pole. A handful of Sprint Qualifying sessions would throw a wrench in that run of form for both McLaren and Ferrari but it was Mercedes who was on point near the most significant of times. But getting those runs into wins is not always been an easy thing to convert. While that’s neither the standard of any team nor is it the most impressive by a long way, the fact that the team has won seven of its nine grands, in the face of consistency problems, is the greatest possible thanks to reliability, says Wolff. The Austrian team manager explained quite clearly the doctrine at Mercedes, saying that it was a trade-off between speed and durability. So, Wolff says Mercedes isn’t interested in an economical “safe bet” driver package, but is determined to get the best out of the chassis and power unit. He said that a fast car with at times dubious reliability is always preferable to a slower car that relies and is consistent. For him it was “of course” it would not be fair to Mercedes’ competitive edge to approach a tradeoff between maximum performance and mechanical safety. Its purpose, however, is to keep the pace up, not improve it, and to address the reliability concerns that have emerged at multiple important races. But reliability issues aren’t free of costs for the industry. George Russell was due to win the Canadian Grand Prix before his retirement due to an electrical problem when he led with a large margin.In the Canadian Grand Prix George Russell was on course to win before the electrics went wrong and he had to put his head in the ring. Rookie Kimi Antonelli had a similar problem in Spain where he was up to second position when it ended. Antonelli’s race suffered most recently this past weekend at the British Grand Prix, when a wheel shield failure left the driver unable to show Charles Leclerc (FIA) any sort of competition in his pursuit of the Italian’s victory. Losing key components under the race conditions has highlighted just how much of a Mercedes it takes just to keep going. Wolff didn’t shrug off those losses but said he is sure Mercedes has produced the best overall package on the Formula 1 grid. Winners told him that the combo is 7 out of 9 but he replied nine from nine. That summons is a fitting description of the expectations within Mercedes this season. There is no such thing as a half-won race these days—especially given a car that regularly starts on the grid and has “race-winning” speed from one track to another. The statistics also highlight the overall competitiveness of Mercedes. This season, the team has raced a total of 5,215 kilometres in grands prix which is more than any other team apart from Ferrari. However the figures indicate reliability issues, albeit serious, and not universal. Even though Mercedes continues to be one of the most reliable teams on the circuit, their depressing failures have added to their effect and took place at points where they should have been in with victory. In the meantime, this makes it look even more difficult than the ongoing Formula 1 season is. Seven kilometres short of Aston Martin’s target for a 1000 kilometer expedition and with only eight out of a possible eighteen race finishes to his name, Aston Martin is at the bottom of the mileage table. Thankfully for the Silverstone outfit things have been improving since the break in April and the team has finished 7 out of the last 12 races. Despite that, it is up against significant ongoing challenges at the Honda power unit interface are showing just how difficult it is to achieve high performance and long term longevity in Formula 1 today. Lastly, Mercedes will have to a crucial period in the championship. The team has the quickest package in the pack, still leads in qualifying the heat and looks best over a race distance with everything running smoothly. There is just one thing missing it’s flawless reliability. Without sacrificing race-ready performance, Mercedes engineers may remove mechanical gremlins, leaving them virtually unstoppable for the rest of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Wolff’s faith in his philosophy has not wavered and now he has to make sure his team has the pace he needs to win races and the reliability that enables them to do so this weekend, and every weekend. Follow Zeroto30s for more motorsport coverage: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s/

Now over the new generation of cars, Fernando Alonso of course has complained about the new F1 regulations (2026) again, due to the new rules of the game are more about “energy management”, than anything else about driver ability. Two time Formula 1 World Champion, after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, gave another pithy comment on the most recent Formula 1 technical era, stating that ‘overtaking’ is now based much more on battery deployment. His latest comments come in the middle of an ongoing debate concerning the FIA’s sweeping change of regulations and what it is kicking horse racing to the curb and leaving for the Reborn. “It’s already been a change and regulation of course for overtaking in the changes I’ve noticed,” Alonso said. The sport of F1 has undergone a big makeover for the 2026 season, with a complete redesign of the chassis and power unit. The most significant news has been the power splitting capability, as the power unit now splits power output 49.5% with electricity and the traditional internal combustion engine. Introduced for efficiency and sustainability, the changes have made a decidedly different style of racing. The one huge effect has been the rise in significance of managing the battery. In each lap, the driver will have to choose from where to use the electricity, which they have described “yo-yo racing”. The available energy can give a tremendously boosted speed when the straight is taken, then drops as the bike exhausts its battery later in the lap. The pattern and pace has created more pronounced moments to overtake but there are conflicting views amongst drivers and supporters. Alonso thinks that this way a lot of skill was taken from one-wheel driving another. Coming back to the Silverstone Sprint Race, he stated that there were a lot of overtakes, not because of bravery or better driving, but just because ‘one of the drivers had more electrical energy’. Today’s Formula 1 should be “lenient” with drivers who take risks, cut off the speed at later lap stages, or make aggressive lapside pass outs of the pack at corners, Alonso said. Rather, he proposed the existing one could be modified so car drivers are simply press a “deployment button” when they have extra battery power than their vehicle in front. A move from the racing style which would spanned most of his career to his debut in the 2001 season is a big jump for a driver who has raced in various eras of F1 from the start of the decade. That criticism is nothing new, though, from Alonso. He has been driving the 2026 car around the streets of Monaco earlier this season, and described it as one of the least enjoyable Formula 1 cars he had recently driven. His views haven’t changed since Silverstone and come across as further concern for several drivers regarding the effect of the new regulations on racing. It’s been even harder for Aston Martin. The British outfit has been languishing all season, and recently finished the race together with new Formula 1 entrant Cadillac, fighting a battle against the back of the grid. But Racing Point did not go well for the Spaniard who found himself unknowingly dismissed before the Race had begun following his AMR26’s misbehaviour on the formation lap. The team recovered to begin the race but in the end, Alonso said it was “more of the same weekend. Aston Martin are looking for further improvements in performance plus looking to adapt to one of the most significant technical changes in Formula 1’s history. For the future Alonso anticipates having to contend with similar problems in Belgium. The iconic road of Spa-Francorchamps will also have long straight lines and sections of high-speed racing where the deployment of batteries will again be crucial. Drivers will have to use their judgment when it comes to when to use electrical power, as it’s possible aggressive use early in the lap could leave them without backup when it matters most later during critical overtaking areas. If he spent too much energy on the first part of the track up to turn 5 at Spa there would not be much energy to do the Kemmel straight then the run towards the chicane at the Bus Stop. This will make for very hard decisions to be made on a lap by lap basis and not give the same driver the ability to consistently drive flat out. He also pointed out another issue he has with the existing rules. With engine-only power fit, the internal combustion engine is producing much lower power than previous Formula 1 cars, even with the help of battery deployment. Alonso even went so far as to suggest that the power output of the cars is less at that time than the contemporary Formula 2 class machinery, thus providing an “unusual experience” for drivers who are used to the performance of Formula 1 cars. Even as he criticized the rules, Alonso reiterated that fitting in to the rules is one of the things that’s still a challenge for each of the teams and drivers. But, will the new regulations have made racing better? Formula 1 has always moved forward with pilot technology and will probably be left with this argument for the remainder of the season. As the season continues to Belgium, it will be interesting to watch the mechanics of the competition, as well as the debate around the future of Formula 1. Either fans hate this new age, or they agree with Alonso’s objections, but it seems clear that the debate over driver skill versus technology is far from over, and Fernando Alonso is once again joining the chorus on the subject. 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Safety Car drama once again became the biggest talking point in Formula 1 as a thrilling British Grand Prix ended behind the Safety Car, handing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc a memorable victory at Silverstone. While Leclerc drove faultlessly to secure his second win in three races, the chaotic closing laps sparked fresh debate over race control procedures, software errors and championship implications. The decision to keep the Safety Car on track denied fans a dramatic final-lap showdown between Leclerc, Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton, but this time Formula 1 officials chose to follow the regulations rather than create a last-minute spectacle. For many inside the paddock, the ending inevitably revived memories of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton lost what would have been his eighth world championship following race control decisions that later proved to be incorrect. At Silverstone however, the FIA remained committed to applying the rulebook, even if it meant finishing one of the season’s most entertaining races under caution. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, who was one of the strongest critics of the Abu Dhabi controversy, admitted that while fans may have preferred a racing finish, following the regulations was the correct outcome. His reaction highlighted how Formula 1 has evolved since one of the sport’s most debated moments. The confusion began just before the field completed the penultimate lap. Timing screens briefly displayed a message indicating that the Safety Car would return to the pits, suggesting the race would restart for one final lap. Seconds later, that information was withdrawn and replaced with confirmation that the Safety Car would remain on circuit until the chequered flag. The sudden change left teams, drivers and viewers puzzled as anticipation turned into uncertainty. The FIA later explained that a software malfunction triggered the incorrect message, adding that the issue would be investigated to prevent similar incidents in future races. Before the late interruption, Leclerc had built an impressive advantage after controlling the race from pole position. Ferrari’s strategy and pace allowed the Monegasque driver to establish a lead of around 20 seconds before Max Verstappen’s high-speed accident forced race control to deploy the Safety Car. The neutralisation instantly wiped away Leclerc’s comfortable margin and brought Russell and Hamilton directly into contention. Leclerc and Hamilton had fresh soft tyres available for a potential restart, while Russell stayed on older medium compounds. The stage appeared perfectly set for a thrilling sprint to the finish, but the race never returned to green-flag conditions. The Safety Car was only part of a dramatic afternoon that significantly reshaped the championship battle. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli looked destined to challenge Leclerc for victory after extending his opening stint and using fresher tyres to rapidly close the gap. His pace suggested that victory was within reach until he suddenly reported steering problems over team radio. Mercedes quickly identified a loose wheel shield and brought him into the pits twice in rapid succession to remove the damaged component. Although Antonelli returned to the track, the handling problems persisted and he later received a penalty for exceeding track limits while struggling with the compromised car. Instead of fighting for victory, the championship leader finished outside the points in one of the biggest turning points of the season. Antonelli’s misfortune dramatically tightened the title race. Russell’s second-place finish reduced the championship gap considerably, while Hamilton’s podium ensured Ferrari continued its recent resurgence. What had been a comfortable advantage for Antonelli entering the weekend suddenly became a much closer contest, with multiple drivers now firmly back in championship contention. Russell admitted that both his performances and Mercedes’ overall execution still need improvement, but recognised that the title fight has become far more competitive following Silverstone. Ferrari, meanwhile, left the British Grand Prix with renewed confidence. The Italian team arrived expecting to trail Mercedes by a significant margin but instead delivered one of its strongest performances of the season. Recent engine upgrades, combined with an already impressive package through high-speed corners, allowed Ferrari to compete at the front throughout the weekend. Hamilton praised the team’s unexpected pace, while Leclerc admitted the result exceeded every expectation after simulations earlier in the week suggested Ferrari would struggle to match Mercedes. Team Principal Frederic Vasseur also urged caution, insisting the team must analyse why its performance improved so dramatically before expecting similar results at every circuit. The British Grand Prix delivered everything Formula 1 fans could ask for—strategy battles, reliability drama, championship twists and intense competition at the front. Although the Safety Car denied spectators a dramatic final-lap fight, the FIA’s decision to follow the regulations ensured consistency remained the priority over entertainment. As the championship heads into its next phase, Ferrari’s resurgence, Mercedes’ internal battle and Antonelli’s determination to bounce back promise an exciting second half of the season. Silverstone may ultimately be remembered less for how it finished and more for how one Safety Car changed the direction of the 2026 Formula 1 title race. 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The Audi F1 engine upgrade that quietly appeared in the Barcelona paddock has sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 community and the more you dig into the details, the more remarkable the story becomes. While most of the grid was still digesting the outcome of the FIA’s first Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities review, Audi had already moved. New internal combustion engines and turbochargers were fitted to both of their cars at the Catalan race, and almost nobody noticed until after the fact. This is the story of one of the most carefully timed moves the F1 paddock has seen in recent memory.To understand why this matters so much, you first need to understand what the ADUO mechanism actually is. Introduced to level the competitive playing field among engine manufacturers, ADUO allows power unit suppliers who fall below an established performance benchmark to introduce additional upgrades during the season upgrades that would otherwise be restricted under the sport’s tight development regulations. The first ADUO review period closed following the Canadian Grand Prix, with the FIA subsequently releasing performance classifications to all manufacturers after assessing each power unit’s level. Red Bull Powertrains was identified as the benchmark for internal combustion engine performance, making it the yardstick against which every other supplier was measured.However, the process did not pass without controversy. Red Bull Powertrains raised concerns about how the benchmarking had been conducted, prompting the FIA to review its methodology. Crucially, though, the results of that first assessment remained valid while the federation carried out its additional checks. That window that brief period of regulatory clarity was all Audi needed. Behind the scenes in Ingolstadt and Hinwil, work had clearly been progressing at pace for some time. The revised power units were not scrambled together in a hurry. They were ready, waiting, sitting in storage for the moment the green light arrived. The Barcelona Grand Prix provided exactly that moment.What caught the paddock most off-guard was the sheer speed of execution. First, nobody seriously expected any ADUO-eligible manufacturer to have upgrades physically prepared and ready to deploy at the very next race after the verdict came through. The logistics alone engine development, sign-off, transportation, installation typically take weeks of coordinated effort. Y et the FIA’s official document listing new power unit components at Barcelona clearly showed both Audi cars receiving new ICEs and turbochargers on the Friday of race weekend. It was there in black and white, and it still went largely unnoticed in the chaos of a Grand Prix weekend.Motorsport insiders have since confirmed that the upgrades themselves were not dramatic in terms of outright power gain. The primary focus of this first package was improving driveability making the power unit more consistent, more predictable, and easier for the drivers to manage across a race stint. That is a telling detail. It suggests Audi’s engineers are building methodically, fixing the foundations before chasing peak performance numbers. This upgrade, by all accounts, is only the opening chapter of a much broader development arc that the team intends to roll out across the remainder of the 2026 campaign. Finally, what this episode really tells you is that Audi is far more prepared for the rigours of Formula 1 than their current results might suggest. The infrastructure, the planning, and the engineering pipeline are clearly functioning at a serious level. The Barcelona surprise was not an accident — it was a statement. Whether their rivals were paying attention is another question entirely, but they certainly should be now. Stay across every F1 development with Zeroto30s: 📸 instagram.com/zeroto30s | 📘 facebook.com/zeroto30s | 🐦 twitter.com/zeroto30s | ▶️ youtube.com/@Zeroto30s

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Win was the greatest show-stopper of the F1 Barcelona Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion finally won his first race away from the track after an amazing tactical display. Hamilton stifled the obvious frustrations of the late-race drama and the twists and tactics in what had been a slow start to the day and found the victory their coveted winner in the process. The win was all the more impressive given a heartbreaking late retirement of championship contender Kimi Antonelli whose power loss, further to the car-toppling mistake earlier in the field, set the table for Ferrari’s big moment of the 2026 season to become a reality. The victory marked the end of months of teasing by Hamilton about his move to Ferrari. The Brit was almost in the lead two times but finally turned good pace into victory in the end. In the meantime, Ferrari will bask in the glory of its first victory during a race since Carlos Sainz won the 2024 Mexican GP, which means now it has the ability to be a challenge to the front. First of all, the race started to look like it would be a Mercedes horse race. George Russell took pole and scored points right off the gun for the start of it. The medium tyres resulted in Russell establishing a lead back over three seconds early in the race, as Hamilton continued to race with softer compounds. But soon tyre strategy had become the important factor. Hamilton and Ferrari were working out another attack, while Russell was feeling at ease on the front course. Tyre management was in critical hands as the weather was warm and Barcelona was under tremendous pressure for decisions to come in before schedule. Meanwhile, Kimi R. Antonelli was too close to win the championship. The youngster from Mercedes did keep the second race of his career open and maintained the challenge on both Russel and Hamilton. The race did not start out fast enough for the three cars because of strategy and not necessarily pace so it was a tactical battle early on. Ferrari’s strategy is a success once more. But it was the late afternoon’s call of the race engineers at Ferrari which set the difference. This was the beginning of Hamilton’s shift toward medium tyres and his “tour de arsan” with a strong emphasis on three stops – both moves seemed risky at the time. But the fresh rubber enabled him to give it a good hard push and soon close the gap on the leaders from the Mercedes macaronna. The Ferrari driver was able to outclimb their competitors with no superfluous effort! Antonelli and Russell were squabbling amongst themselves and Hamilton’s speed differential was getting more pronounced. He was getting closer and closer to the front of the pack with each lap and it was not long before a maiden Ferrari win seemed possible. Things hit a turning point when Fernando Alonso retired, which caused a virtual safety car. It was an instant response from Ferrari who summoned Hamilton at the right moment to get a fresh set of hard tyres. With the tackling attempt blocked, he was able to clear himself of the tackles before Russell could. This was a strategy call to which Hamilton immediately caught onto the importance and seconds after getting to his team on the radio, he complimented his crew. Antonelli’s Bad Luck Flips the Pedestal. Meanwhile Antonelli continued to be one of the quickest on track and looked set to again be occupying a podium position. The Mercedes novice looked the type to come back into the race following the pressure he gave Russell in much of the competition, and challenge for second. This was far from his first strong showing of the season; he has been consistently impressive throughout and Barcelona looked poised to prove just as impressive. But with three laps to go, misfortune struck. Before Antonelli retired again from the race due to engine failure, it had been another impressive performance. Not only did it deprive him of valuable championship points, it also affected the final standings. George Russell took over second place, and McLaren’s Lando Norris, stepped up in third. Antonelli’s bad luck would form a pivotal moment of the race and a chance for Mercedes to end their pursuit of Ferrari. Hamilton Delivers Under Pressure Lastly, when Hamilton took the lead there was hardly any chance of the result being disputed. The Ferrari driver showed great composure in the final part of the race. His driving was watertight, the tyre handling was right on the money and no answer came from Mercedes at the attraction level of speed generated from Ferrari’s strategy. With lap after lap Hamilton led the way, leaving Russell to cross the finish line by more than 20 seconds. The win will make his 106th F1 win and first since his triumph at the Belgian Grand Prix (GR) back in 2024. It was also a potent reminder of Hamilton’s knack for finding opportunity to do his best when he has it. The partnership finally produced the fruits they had been waiting for after many months of adaptation at Ferrari. Max Verstappen behind the top three might have come in 4th for Red Bull and Oscar Piastri in 5th. Alpine secured both Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto in the top eight and Isack Hadjar finished in impressive sixth place. Ferrari sends a Championship message. The win in one race isn’t the only measure of its importance. The way Ferrari was executing at the Barcelona Grand Prix really showed a lack of fear or any misjudging in these actions that happen on a pretty regular basis in his strategy this season, but that’s never been executed consistently or with this level of confidence before. All major decisions were made with perfection from the tyres chosen to the attempt of signaling at the pit-stop. Hamilton’s win will give him a huge ‘booster jet’ as the season goes

Monaco Grand Prix Winners and Losers was one of the hottest subjects that took the opportunity to discuss. Through spectacular displays, legs that paved the way for the future, expensive buckups and heart-stopping failures, the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix had it all. Several big names from the principality were left wondering what they could have done, but Kimi Antonelli certainly looked a strong contender for the championship challenge. Safety cars were introduced, a red flag was thrown, strategies were gambled and incidents that were major enough to turn the entire race around. As the championship battle moves to Barcelona, there are some drivers who’re in good form coming from Monaco and others who are scouring for answers. Kimi Antonelli Continues Championship Masterclass As for the start of the conversation, Monaco Grand Prix Winners and Losers wouldn’t start anywhere else but Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes teenager again put on a hat trick of a performance, making him the quintitude of the chase in 2026. Antonelli had a spectacular qualifying lap to win pole for Max Verstappen on one of the toughest of all tracks in the sport. What was even more staggering is that the Mercedes didn’t think they could pole ahead of the session. The hardest part was qualification, however. Monaco is a place where it counts, but it is a place where they don’t make mistakes and Antonelli had to deal with several interruptions, a few safety cars, and a red flag at the end of the race. Despite all of this he kept calm and controlled all weekend. It’s the last step in winning a championship title and further solidifies the notion that the next superstar is in the F1 Family. In his Race of Kings, Lewis Hamilton demonstrates that he’s far from done.Lewis Hamilton proves he’s far from done in his Race of Kings. Lewis Hamilton meanwhile continued on a remarkable resurgence, delivering yet another stellar stint. After winning a World Championship seven times, the Gold Medallist claimed second and again acted 100% at ease in the Ferrari kit. Hamilton had struggled during this season thoughtfully questioning his future but now consistently battling it in the front. He’ve been running well all weekend, and he was able to convert into yet another podium finish at Monaco. Of crucial importance, too, was the fact that the results were significant. Teaming up with several younger rivals, Hamilton wrapped up victory ahead of them and proved to be a force that experience wins. His 41 years old is a reminder to the world why he is still one of the top drivers of all time. Isack Hadjar and Racing Bulls made for a great team, and their combination was a surprise success. Isack Hadjar was another big hitter this weekend. Multiple technical issues on the track with the Red Bull rider, they still had a great finish and a memorable race on the podium. Hadjar’s race was not the easy ride for her. There were continued reports on power distribution and driveability problems with team radio communications. None the less he was cool and calm when it counted and executed one of his finest F1 runs of a career marred by incident. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls had a breakthrough weekend. Liam Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad were able to make the most of the race conditions, but both riders also made for impressive shows in putting themselves in a game of cutting to the chase. It’s quite a commendation to cross the finish line without making a single error on a weekend in Monaco, particularly for Lindblad, a Rod Laird-bred racer making his debut.The job of being a rookie in Monaco without a single error is a coup for Lindblad in particular. George Russell and Charles Leclerc are left disheartened.George Russell and Charles Leclerc are left frustrated. But it was not for everyone that the trip led to a smile. George Russell’s sixth weekend proved to be another difficult one to get through for him in this season. Temperature teammate Antonelli for pole position and victory, Russell failed to find any comparable pace and managed just a sixth-place finish. It was worse in the race! The memory loss communication cost and pit lane speed limit violation ensured a drive-through penalty that rendered any true shot-out time count unimportant. Charles Leclerc had a disappointing home race as well. The Ferrari driver had some speed but lost confidence with the brakes this weekend. His challenging qualifying run was dismal upon hitting barriers and race day left him with a less-than-excellent finish. Consistent problem issues with braking led to another accident and the end of his goal of an interesting performance in his own country. After qualifying Monaco cars out, both drivers are wondering: what could have been?Verdict: what could have been? for Verstappen and Gasly as they stepped out of the car leaving the Principality. Last, but not least, were Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly who were the worst of the losers but who had great potential as drivers. However, after a superb qualifying, Verstappen seemed capable of going for the win. Unfortunately, a power unit problem had him trigger the “stall in start” as the race just began and this caused him to miss the race. Gasly’s backlash could only have been that much greater. The Alpine had taken to the grid in style and style looking after a fantastic qualifying performance, appearing to be in with a stunning podium finish. But after a quick error in the construction of a pit-lane turn fell him back into the pack, turning it down into one of the highlights he could have had this season. Ultimately the Monaco Grand Prix Winners and Losers story was that of Kimi Antonelli, who is shaping up a championship challenge. But Monaco also serves as a stark reminder of the harsh reality of Formula 1, where one accident, a technical fault and/or a penalty can turn a dream weekend into a nightmare. The victors will look to