Racing Avenue

Wolff Reveals How Close Verstappen Came To Mercedes

Toto Wolff has revealed fresh details about Mercedes’ attempts to sign Max Verstappen during a tense 2025 season, with the story now playing out on the latest Drive to Survive episodes.

The Mercedes boss admits he entered talks with Verstappen and his camp once it looked like the four-time world champion might be prised away from Red Bull, saying: “Yes. Certainly, when a four-time world champion appears to be available, that is a conversation I need to have. There is always a chance”.​

Those discussions unfolded as rumours swirled about George Russell’s future and the shape of Mercedes’ post-Hamilton driver lineup, with the situation coming to a head over the summer break before Russell ultimately agreed a new contract. Verstappen, meanwhile, shut down the transfer chatter by confirming his commitment to Red Bull, keeping his title-winning partnership with the team intact.

Despite missing out, Wolff openly praised Red Bull as the benchmark heading into the new season, pointing to the RB22’s speed in Verstappen’s hands and the strength of the Red Bull Ford power unit’s energy deployment. Verstappen returned the compliment, saying he expects “the Brackley team fighting at the front of the grid” when the year gets underway in Australia, hinting that Mercedes could be back in the mix at the sharp end.

📸: Mercedes F1 | Red Bull 📰: GPBlog / Netflix Drive to Survive
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1 day ago | [YT] | 391

Racing Avenue

Johnny Herbert Bets On Russell For 2026

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert believes George Russell is ready to take his first World Championship in 2026, placing him ahead of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in his predictions.

Herbert told media he expects “a close fight” between Russell, Verstappen, and Piastri, comparing it to last season’s McLaren battle. He praised Oscar’s determination, saying “motivation can be a very powerful thing,” and stressed that confidence in the car plays a crucial role in performance.

On Verstappen, Herbert noted the Dutchman’s “seventh sense” for driving and adaptability, but added that even he must stay in tune with the machinery beneath him.

📸: Mercedes F1 📰: FormulaPassion
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1 day ago | [YT] | 35

Racing Avenue

Ecclestone Fears F1 2026 Will Lose Its Soul

Bernie Ecclestone has delivered one of the sharpest takes yet on Formula 1’s 2026 regulation overhaul, warning that the new era risks confusing fans and changing the core identity of the sport.

The former F1 supremo argues that the radical rules will create “chaos and confusion” at the start of the season, with everyone effectively having to learn Formula 1 all over again as teams juggle a near 50–50 combustion-to-battery power split, aggressive energy management and active aerodynamics.

Ecclestone believes these changes move F1 away from pure racing and towards tighter restrictions on drivers, insisting that the essence of the championship is that it should belong to drivers rather than engineers. He even draws a direct comparison to Formula E, warning that modern F1 is now competing with the electric series and that there is a real danger of losing fans if the direction does not resonate with traditional supporters.

On the competitive side, Ecclestone tips Mercedes to benefit from the new rules, pointing to their history of mastering engine regulations and suggesting they “have the advantage,” while expecting George Russell to prove his killer instinct over a full season. He also highlights Ferrari as a potential title factor and says it would be good for Formula 1 if the Scuderia could fight for – and even win – the world championship again.

Looking beyond the usual giants, Ecclestone is optimistic about Audi’s first year under the new rules and praises rookie Gabriel Bortoleto as a serious threat to Nico Hulkenberg, describing the young Brazilian as very fast and capable of becoming a future world champion.

📸: F1 📰: Motorsport, PlanetF1, Sport.de
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1 day ago | [YT] | 475

Racing Avenue

Ferrari’s 2026 SF-26 Shows The Future of F1 Design

Ferrari is shaking up F1’s technical landscape for 2026. During pre-season testing in Bahrain, the SF-26 ran with two radical innovations — a fully pivoting rear-wing flap and a Flick Tail Mode (FTM) system integrated into the power unit and exhaust flow.

The pivoting flap is designed to reduce drag while inducing diffuser stall, adding up to an 8 km/h speed gain on straights. Meanwhile, FTM manipulates exhaust pressure and engine modes for dynamic aero balance.

These aren’t plug-and-play features. Ferrari engineers spent nearly six months integrating FTM into their aerodynamic concept, a process that rivals might struggle to replicate in time for 2026. The challenge isn’t just copying the hardware — it’s embedding it into the car’s core design philosophy.

Ferrari’s technical confidence heading into this new regulation era could mean an early-season advantage too big to ignore.

📸: Scuderia Ferrari 📰: RacingNews365
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1 day ago | [YT] | 96

Racing Avenue

Melbourne Set To Expose F1’s New Weak Spot

Melbourne’s Albert Park will be the first major test of Formula 1’s new regulations when it hosts the 2026 season opener, and teams are already bracing for trouble. After smoother experiences in Barcelona and Bahrain, several figures in the paddock have pointed to Albert Park’s long flat‑out sections and lack of heavy braking zones as a worst‑case scenario for the current hybrid energy limits.​

Max Verstappen has openly warned that while energy management in Bahrain “is not too bad,” Melbourne is where fans will really notice cars running out of deployment on the straights. Local hero Oscar Piastri has echoed those concerns from his simulator prep, noting that without aggressive lift‑and‑coast and careful management, drivers will “very quickly run out of energy” around the lap.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has started labelling circuits as either “harvest‑rich” or “harvest‑poor,” with Albert Park clearly in the latter category thanks to its revised, high‑speed layout. That means less opportunity to recharge batteries under braking, more super‑clipping, and a real risk of drivers hitting an energy ceiling long before the start‑finish line.​

FIA single‑seater chief Nikolas Tombazis has already admitted the governing body is prepared to consider adjustments if racing suffers, but he also wants to gather real‑world data from early races like Melbourne and Jeddah before pulling the trigger on any Plan B. With two fast, flowing venues opening the campaign, the early flyaways are set to reveal whether this rule set can cope with modern high‑speed circuits or whether intervention becomes unavoidable.​

📸: Red Bull 📰: Autosport​
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1 day ago | [YT] | 174

Racing Avenue

Russell's Verstappen Conspiracy Theory

George Russell dropped a conspiracy theory on Drive to Survive that's got the F1 world talking. The Mercedes driver believes Max and Jos Verstappen played a long game to force Christian Horner out of Red Bull.

"For whatever reason, they don't like Horner and they are trying to get Horner out," Russell said on the show. He went further, suggesting the entire Verstappen-to-Mercedes saga was manufactured pressure. "I wonder if all of this, the Verstappen to Mercedes talk, is a bit of a play and a stir, trying to put pressure on Red Bull that he'll only continue there if Christian is gone."

While Horner battled inappropriate behavior allegations and internal power struggles, Max Verstappen's camp was publicly entertaining Mercedes advances. Toto Wolff openly discussed signing the four-time champion, creating maximum leverage.

Interestingly, Russell himself was caught in the middle, facing an uncertain contract situation while Wolff courted Verstappen as either his teammate or replacement.

Christian Horner has denied the Verstappens played any role, instead blaming Helmut Marko and Oliver Mintzlaff for his exit.

📸: Mercedes F1 | Red Bull 📰: The Telegraph / The Times
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3 days ago | [YT] | 284

Racing Avenue

Horner Points Finger at Marko

Christian Horner has finally spoken about who was behind his shock departure from Red Bull. In the new season of Drive to Survive, the former team principal doesn't blame the Verstappen family despite Jos Verstappen's public criticism of him over the years.

Instead, Horner points directly at Helmut Marko and Oliver Mintzlaff. "Jos Verstappen has never been my biggest fan. He's been outspoken about me. But I don't believe the Verstappens were responsible in any way. I think this was a decision made by Oliver Mintzlaff, with Helmut Marko advising from the sidelines," Horner revealed.

The former boss suggests his downfall began after Dietrich Mateschitz passed away. "I think, ultimately, things changed within the business and within the group. The founder died, and after Dietrich Mateschitz's death, I was probably deemed to have maybe too much control."

Horner also claimed he wasn't consulted on driver decisions toward the end, including the controversial choice to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races. He says Marko consistently pushed for Red Bull junior programme drivers, limiting his authority.

📸: Red Bull 📰: The Telegraph
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3 days ago | [YT] | 111

Racing Avenue

McLaren Back Their Drivers

Andrea Stella says McLaren are “committed to giving Lando and Oscar the tools to extract maximum performance” from the new MCL40 as 2026 begins. After signing off all key test items, Stella praised the car’s reliability and growth through every session, highlighting “the extensiveness of learning achieved with every lap completed.”

He admitted this year’s regulations make the driver’s role more demanding, particularly in managing complex power unit settings, but says McLaren will continue to work closely with Mercedes HPP to “build further understanding and tools” to push performance even higher.

Both Norris and Piastri have earned confidence from the team — and Stella’s tone makes it clear McLaren see their young duo as central to its long-term vision.

📸: McLaren F1 📰: RacingNews365
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3 days ago | [YT] | 90

Racing Avenue

Jos Verstappen Praises Red Bull Power Unit

Jos Verstappen has shared confidence in Red Bull’s new engine as testing continues ahead of the 2026 F1 season. Speaking with media, he said, “You never really know what’s behind the tests, but I have to say that I’m satisfied. Especially on the engine side. It’s working well and it’s reliable… We are happy, there were some small problems but for now it works perfectly. It’s promising.”

Jos also spoke highly of the team’s current spirit, crediting new faces and leaders for restoring balance: “There are so many new faces and the atmosphere is excellent. The calm has returned, and this has a positive effect on the whole team. Mekies? He has excellent interpersonal skills and knows how to understand people well.”

On his son Max, he was clear: “He says what he thinks and knows what he wants. He has more fuel than blood in his veins, but he’s always himself in everything he does.”

📸: Red Bull 📰: Formulapassion
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3 days ago | [YT] | 388

Racing Avenue

Verstappen Blasts Mercedes Engine Complaints

Max Verstappen fired back at drivers complaining about dangerous starts under F1’s updated start procedure. His sharp comment was a clear jab at Lando Norris and George Russell, both of whom have voiced concerns about throttle lag in Mercedes-powered cars.

Lando had previously hit back jokingly, saying, “He can always retire,” while George Russell acknowledged safety worries about the turbo’s response time at lights out.
Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas disagreed with the criticism, saying the procedure isn’t dangerous.

Mercedes and its customer teams, including McLaren, raised technical concerns over turbo lag potentially affecting start performance, but the F1 Commission decided against any rule change for the 2026 season.

📸: Red Bull 📰: FormulaPassion
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3 days ago | [YT] | 262