Racing Avenue

Wolff Fires Back At Mercedes Critics

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the team’s strong form in Barcelona testing doesn’t tell the full story. The W17 logged the most laps and kilometers, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli behind the wheel, but Wolff insists no one’s seen Red Bull, McLaren, or Ferrari reveal their true pace just yet.

“I’m really happy with how it went for us — the interaction between the power unit and chassis has been great,” Wolff said. “That said, we had three solid days to build from, but we don’t yet have a clear performance picture.”

And when pressed about Mercedes’ supposed “trick” with the new power unit, Wolff didn’t hold back. “It’s very clear what the regulations say… so just get your s**t together,” he told rivals, shutting down speculation with trademark directness.

📸: Red Bull 📰: GP Blog
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5 hours ago | [YT] | 23

Racing Avenue

Max Verstappen Rules Out F1 Return

Max Verstappen has shut down any talk of a return to Formula 1 once his driving career wraps up. The Red Bull star, a four-time world champion currently under contract until 2028, says he has no interest in stepping into a team management position.

Instead, he’s turning his attention toward endurance racing and supporting simulator drivers transitioning into real-world motorsport. “One of my goals is to bring a simulated driver into the real world,” Verstappen explained, noting that the initiative has already found success this year.

Verstappen emphasized that he enjoys growing the project naturally and sees it as a meaningful way to help talented youngsters who don’t have the financial means to compete. “I like being in F1 as a driver, but I don’t think I would ever come back to F1 in a management role... more like endurance racing.”

📸: Red Bull 📰: RacingNews365
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5 hours ago | [YT] | 34

Racing Avenue

Aston Martin’s Four-Month 2026 F1 Delay

Aston Martin’s 2026 Formula 1 project hit a major delay — and Adrian Newey has confirmed it. The team only began wind tunnel testing for the AMR26 in April 2025, four months after most competitors.

Newey explained that “2026 is probably the first time in history that power unit and chassis regulations have changed together,” describing the challenge as unique — and tougher for Aston Martin.

He added that the team’s new facilities weren’t fully up to speed and his late arrival in March 2025 meant starting from behind. “It’s been an extremely busy ten months,” he said.

Despite the delay, Newey emphasized the AMR26’s long-term development focus: “We tried to build something with significant development potential,” aiming for flexibility rather than rushed perfection.

He also stressed leadership and culture within the team: “It’s about making everyone grow… so we get the best out of each other.”

The first version of the AMR26, seen at the Barcelona shakedown, will look very different from the car racing in Melbourne — and even more so by the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

📸: Aston Martin F1 📰: Motorsport, Formula Passion
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5 hours ago | [YT] | 39

Racing Avenue

Hamilton Loses Allies As Ferrari Raids Red Bull

Lewis Hamilton’s second season at Ferrari is already coming with major changes off track, as key figures from his entourage and the team’s communications structure move aside just weeks before the 2026 campaign.

Marc Hynes, a long-time ally who oversaw much of Hamilton’s logistical and management workload and previously served as CEO of Project 44, has left the seven-time world champion’s camp to join new entrants Cadillac F1 full-time. Their latest collaboration at Ferrari ends on reportedly amicable terms, with Hynes’ switch linked to his wider ties to Cadillac and his ongoing management of Zhou Guanyu.

At the same time, Hamilton’s trackside press officer at Ferrari, Gabriela Kwaku Yeboah – widely known to fans as “Ella” – is understood to have departed her role after becoming a familiar paddock presence alongside him in 2025. This follows the earlier reshuffle which saw Riccardo Adami moved away from race engineer duties, leaving Hamilton’s engineer for 2026 still unconfirmed, and Ferrari’s F1 head of PR Silvia Hoffer Frangipane transitioning into a corporate communications position.

While some supporters view these exits as a worrying sign around Hamilton’s immediate environment at Maranello, Ferrari has moved aggressively on the technical side by bringing in Guillaume Dezoteux from the Red Bull family as Head of Performance Operations. Dezoteux arrives with nearly two decades of experience in Faenza across Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri and Racing Bulls, plus a stint at Michelin, and is expected to strengthen Ferrari’s performance group as the sport enters the new 2026 regulations.

Hamilton, meanwhile, has spoken positively about the new, lighter 2026-spec cars after early testing, describing them as more enjoyable to drive even as Ferrari works through its wider organisational changes. The combination of a refreshed performance department, adjusted communications structure and changes to the driver’s close-knit circle sets the stage for a pivotal season.​

📸: Scuderia Ferrari 📰: GPBlog
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5 hours ago | [YT] | 7

Racing Avenue

Christian Horner’s “Unfinished Business” Warning To F1

Christian Horner has broken his silence about his future and made it very clear that his story in Formula 1 is not over yet. Speaking at the European Motor Show in Dublin, the former Red Bull team boss said he feels he has “unfinished business in Formula 1” and admitted the way his time at Red Bull ended is not how he wanted to leave the sport.

Horner reflected on a 21-year run in F1 in which he “won a lot of races, championships and worked with some amazing drivers, engineers and partners,” but stressed he is not interested in returning just for the sake of it. He explained that he doesn’t “need to go back” and would only return for “the right opportunity to work with great people” in an environment where “people want to win” and share that same desire. He also made it clear he would want to be a partner rather than “just a hired hand.”

Those comments land at the same time as growing speculation linking him with Alpine. Horner is part of a group reported to be interested in acquiring a stake in the team, and multiple outlets have detailed talks around a potential investment as Otro Capital looks to sell its shareholding. Alpine figures have acknowledged that various groups are circling, while also stressing that formal approaches go through the existing shareholders.

Despite being on a speaking tour in Australia ahead of the 2026 season opener, Horner has already ruled out a casual appearance in the Australian Grand Prix paddock. He repeated that he does not “want to go back into the paddock unless [he has] something to do,” underlining that any return will only be on his terms. He added that he misses “the sport,” “the people,” and “the team that [he] built,” but is currently “peaceful” with his time away and will only “have a good look” if the right opportunity appears.

📸: Red Bull 📰: Motorsport / PlanetF1

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5 hours ago | [YT] | 9

Racing Avenue

Hamilton’s 2026 Pressure Cooker

Ex-IndyCar racer James Hinchcliffe believes Lewis Hamilton’s second year at Ferrari will define his legacy. Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Hinchcliffe called Hamilton’s 2025 season “a bit of a shocker,” adding that Ferrari as a whole “has to rebound from the year they had.”

He noted that team boss Fred Vasseur was “dodging bullets left, right and centre,” while the leadership dynamic inside Maranello showed signs of strain. Hinchcliffe also questioned whether Hamilton’s driving style, rooted in race craft and intuition, will fit the new 2026 regulations — which demand deeper technical control from behind the wheel.

With Ferrari desperate to return to the front and Hamilton facing doubts over his performance and future, all eyes are on how both bounce back when the lights go out in 2026.

📸: Scuderia Ferrari 📰: PlanetF1
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2 days ago | [YT] | 361

Racing Avenue

Norris’s 2026 Challenge: Beating History

Lando Norris heads into 2026 with more than just rivals to beat — he’s up against decades of Formula 1 history. No British driver has ever successfully defended their first world championship the following season. Lewis Hamilton, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart all needed years between their title wins before achieving back-to-back dominance.

McLaren’s history with regulation changes adds another layer of risk. The team struggled in 2009 when new technical rules sent them tumbling from the top, and again in 2010 when Jenson Button joined amid more changes and inconsistent form. The question is whether McLaren can adapt faster this time around.

Mika Häkkinen was the last McLaren driver to claim consecutive titles in 1998 and 1999. Red Bull, by contrast, turned their first title with Sebastian Vettel into a four-year dynasty. Norris will need to rewrite that story — and prove that this generation’s McLaren can thrive where past champions stumbled.

📸: McLaren F1 📰: Planet F1
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2 days ago | [YT] | 63

Racing Avenue

Hamilton’s Fashion Has A Hidden Message

Lewis Hamilton says his paddock looks aren’t just about style — they’re about purpose. Speaking ahead of the 2025 season, Hamilton revealed he uses fashion to spotlight emerging designers and raise awareness for important causes.

“I do like to be really intentional and thoughtful with what I wear,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity with your on-duty style to kind of elevate up-and-coming talent.”

At the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his outfits formed a visual narrative — white on Friday, red-and-white on Saturday, and full Ferrari red on Sunday — symbolizing his move from Mercedes to Ferrari.

Hamilton’s collaborations range from high-end names like Prada and Dior to his Met Gala partnership with Grace Wales Bonner, where he served as co-chair alongside Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour. For Hamilton, fashion isn’t a sideshow — it’s storytelling with intent.

📸: Scuderia Ferrari 📰: Motorsport
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2 days ago | [YT] | 199

Racing Avenue

Toto Wolff Tells Rivals To “Get Your Act Together”

Toto Wolff has taken a firm stance in the escalating row over Formula 1’s 2026 engine regulations, pushing back against accusations that Mercedes and Red Bull are exploiting a loophole in the new rules. Ferrari, Audi, and Honda have complained to the FIA that their rivals have found an advantage in how the internal combustion engine’s compression ratio is applied, focusing on the relationship between maximum and minimum cylinder volumes in the new power unit era.

The regulations specify a 16:1 compression ratio measured at ambient temperature with the car stationary, but it is believed that Mercedes and Red Bull are using thermal expansion on track to creep closer to the previous 18:1 standard, a gain that could be worth up to 0.3 seconds per lap. Those concerns have prompted formal requests for the FIA to strictly enforce the 16:1 limit, with further discussions expected even though no immediate rule changes appear likely.

Speaking at the launch of Mercedes’ 2026 car, Wolff made it clear he is unimpressed with the noise from rival manufacturers. He said he does not understand why some teams are “focus[ing] more on others” and continuing to argue a case he believes is “clear and transparent,” adding that Mercedes’ communication with the FIA has been “very constructive” not only on compression ratio but “various issues” around the new rules.

Wolff’s message was direct: “So just get your act together,” as he criticized “clandestine meetings and correspondence” and attempts to “concoct testing methods that do not exist.” He emphasized that Mercedes is trying to reduce distractions and concentrate on its own performance instead of competitors’ concerns. Referencing comments from Red Bull engine chief and former Mercedes employee Ben Hodgkinson, who said he was confused by the dispute, Wolff echoed the sentiment and suggested that “maybe some prefer to seek excuses before the competition even begins.”

Despite the political tension, expectations remain high for Mercedes when the new rules arrive, especially after the team’s dominance during the last major engine regulation shift in 2014 that led to eight straight constructors’ titles. George Russell heads into the new season among the favorites for the championship, with Wolff praising him as “among the best” but warning that it will still take the strongest overall package of car and driver to win. Additional pre-season tests in Bahrain and the season-opening race in Melbourne will start to reveal whether Mercedes’ confidence in its 2026 project is justified.

📸: Mercedes F1📰: The Independent
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2 days ago | [YT] | 56

Racing Avenue

Mercedes Engine Row Ignites As Ralf Schumacher Hits Ferrari

The fight over Mercedes’ 2026 engine has burst into the open, and the FIA is now racing to keep it from turning into a full-blown protest saga at the start of the season.

At the heart of the dispute is Mercedes’ power unit and its compression ratio. Rivals believe the engine sits at the legal 16:1 limit when measured cold, but climbs towards 18:1 once it’s running at full temperature, potentially delivering an efficiency and power edge that the current testing procedure can’t properly capture. The regulations specify ambient-temperature checks, and that wording is exactly what some manufacturers fear has opened the door to a clever design solution rather than a clear-cut breach.

To calm the situation, the FIA has scheduled two crucial meetings: one with technical staff to map out how hot-engine compression measurements could work in practice, and another session with the F1 Power Unit Advisory Committee to seek consensus among all power unit suppliers. While no immediate rule rewrite is planned, the governing body is pushing for agreement on a new measurement approach to head off formal protests at the Australian Grand Prix.

Politically, the grid is split. Reports suggest Ferrari, Honda, and Audi are pushing together for tighter enforcement, while Mercedes stands accused of exploiting the current wording, and Red Bull’s stance could prove decisive if it moves away from neutrality. Any shift in how compression ratios are checked could directly affect Mercedes’ competitiveness once the 2026 rules come into force.

Into this mix stepped Ralf Schumacher on Sky Deutschland’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast. He backed Mercedes by insisting “the Mercedes trick is not unfair,” arguing that so-called gray areas “have always characterized F1,” with a handful of FIA engineers trying to hold back thousands of team staff searching the rulebook for performance. Schumacher also pointed a finger at Ferrari’s past, bringing up the 2019 fuel-flow controversy and their confidential settlement with the FIA, and said that Ferrari, of all teams, “should just shut up.”

For Schumacher, if the rules are written in a way that leaves room for interpretation and a team is intelligent enough to exploit that opening, it is something to respect, not condemn, and he said he will “take [his] hat off” to those who do.

📸: Mercedes F1 📰: FormulaPassion
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2 days ago | [YT] | 91