Why Red Bull has «zero concerns» about Verstappen losing interest in F1
Of all 22 drivers on the grid, Max Verstappen has so far been most outspoken about the new technical regulations. The four-time world champion described it as “Formula E on steroids” and added during a Dutch media session that there was a period last year when he preferred not to test the 2026 car in […]
Why Mercedes’ praise of Red Bull’s F1 engine may not tell the full story
Formula 1’s 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix currently looks like a race nobody wants to win. Of course, that’s not the case, but it jokingly underlines that, at this stage of the pre-season, everyone is keen to avoid the role of clear favourite. Although that has always been the game during F1 testing, this year […]
“Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren are faster”
During winter testing in Bahrain, no one appears keen to take on the role of favourite for the 2026 Formula 1 season. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has labelled Red Bull Racing as “the benchmark”, but the Milton Keynes outfit does not agree. On Thursday, Max Verstappen hinted that he suspects extreme sandbagging at Mercedes: […]
Mercedes suffer «reality check» in Bahrain F1 test with Red Bull ahead
Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell says his squad is now on the back foot as Red Bull is the «team to beat» at the start of 2026. Mercedes was put on the pedestal before the start of pre-season testing amid rumours over its powerful new engine, and its reliable running in Barcelona’s shakedown did […]
How Red Bull plans to overcome Verstappen’s anger at F1 2026 ruleset
Just under a year ago the first rumours emerged that Max Verstappen was actively trying to extract himself from Red Bull, and perhaps Formula 1 entirely. The team’s general pattern of underperformance in the first half of the 2024 season left the way open for Verstappen to trigger a performance clause in his contract – […]
Verstappen slams «anti-racing» and «not fun» F1 2026 cars
Max Verstappen has slammed Formula 1’s new generation of cars after sampling the new Red Bull in Bahrain testing, saying they are «not fun to drive» and «Formula E on steroids». On day two of the first three-day Bahrain test, Verstappen hosted his first proper press conference of 2026, having completed 136 laps on Wednesday […]
Norris leads from Verstappen on opening day
McLaren’s Lando Norris opened the book on the first day of official Formula 1 pre-season testing by going 0.129s faster than Max Verstappen, although the Red Bull driver completed more laps than McLaren managed all day. Oscar Piastri set a best time of 1m35.602s over 54 laps in the morning, before Norris took over the […]
Russell eager for F1 2026 title battle against Verstappen
George Russell is eager to contest a Formula 1 title battle against Max Verstappen in 2026 with the Mercedes driver heading into the campaign as the world championship favourite. F1 will introduce a new set of regulations this year meaning the car is completely new and with such wholesale changes, the pecking order is currently […]
What caused Hadjar’s Red Bull crash at Barcelona F1 shakedown
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar has explained what caused his crash on Tuesday at the Barcelona Formula 1 shakedown. The new Red Bull driver suffered the only major accident of the shakedown week at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as he went off at the final corner late on Tuesday in wet conditions. Hadjar’s Red Bull car reportedly […]