Can Verstappen still rely on Red Bull to turn its F1 fortunes around?
Just like last year’s Italian Grand Prix in Monza, the Bahrain Formula 1 race weekend turned out to be a low point for Red Bull. Max Verstappen spent large parts of the race battling with Alpine and Haas, although he managed to limit the damage by finishing sixth. That Monza misery served as a wake-up […]
Hamilton unmoved by spotlight focus during Ferrari adaptation
Lewis Hamilton enjoys the spotlight and generally makes the most of it. He amply demonstrated his understanding of the enduring power of the image in his exquisitely curated first week at Maranello, down to his crimson-soled Christian Louboutin shoes. But the combination of Formula 1’s most successful driver and its most historically evocative team has […]
Verstappen responds to Red Bull exit fears
Max Verstappen has responded to fears that he would leave the team, outlaid by the team’s adviser Helmut Marko, who shared his concern that the four-time Formula 1 world champion may depart if Red Bull does not improve. The Milton Keynes-based squad’s RB21 has been characterised as a car that is difficult to drive with […]
Madrid GP eases 2026 F1 concerns by signing construction deal
Organisers of Formula 1’s Madrid Grand Prix have eased concerns over the race’s timeline by awarding a tender for the construction of the hybrid street circuit. On Tuesday, a contract was signed with Spanish construction firm ACCIONA (60%) and France’s Eiffage Construction (40%), who will form a joint venture to construct the 5.47km circuit close […]
Why Lawson needs a reset to stop Red Bull’s loss becoming Racing Bulls’ loss
«Not super fun so far» — either a pithy scrawled note penned by the late Roger Ebert part-way through a tepid, multi-million dollar blockbuster (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, perhaps?) or Liam Lawson’s assessment of his opening four races in 2025. As we’re not Empire Magazine, you know it’s probably the latter point. This […]
Catch-up mechanism «crucial» for 2026 F1 engine rules
Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali says it is «crucial» for the new 2026 power unit regulations to allow manufacturers who are falling behind to catch up. Domenicali, the FIA and F1’s present and future power unit manufacturers gathered in Bahrain last week to discuss possible future engine options for the series, as well as any […]
JA on F1 Podcast: F1’s latest ugly bust-ups
Formula 1 has taken some very interesting turns in the last week.After last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris have all admitted to ongoing struggles while Oscar Piastri put himself firmly in contention for the 2025 title. The FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem also made his first appearance of the season in […]
How an aggressive Haas F1 produced a double-points Bahrain Grand Prix
While the previous week’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka was very much a qualifying race, Bahrain’s high degradation contest offered a better spectacle and with it more opportunities for midfield teams to make something happen. And only just as well, as Haas started on the backfoot with a crash for Esteban Ocon in Q2 which […]
Sauber stumped for answers in Hulkenberg plank DQ case
The Sauber Formula 1 team is still searching for answers over Nico Hulkenberg’s Bahrain Grand Prix disqualification. Hulkenberg crossed the finish line in 13th place after a tough evening trying to contend for points, but was disqualified because his skid plank had been ground down to 8.4mm, below the minimum thickness of 9mm. It is the […]