New season, new regs, new champion, new thread! Thanks @flazio for the prompt!
I think its safe to say Verstappen will leave at the end of the 2026 season. I see his race engineer Gianpiero "GP" Lambiase is leaving for McLaren at the end if the 2027 season.
Just saw that headline too about GP. I'm surprised seeing as he just got a promotion recently.
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-race-engineer-shock-mclaren-switch/
If Max is to leave also then I hope he jumps ship to Merc and replaces George.
If Max leaves Red Bull, he won't be staying in F1.
Yeah possibly, I guess he's in no rush to decide anything. He can wait and see if there'll be any meaningful changes in the new regs for next year and beyond.
GP To McLaren confirmed (well, all but officially)
Max Verstappen's Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to join McLaren - BBC Sport
I expect GP will be gone at the end of 2026 to serve "Gardening Leave" before joining McLaren.
I think Max will leave too, wording it more as an Hiatus from F1 so to leave a door open for what regs are put in place for 2031.
Stella to Ferrari for 2028 seems to be the consensus too so that's why McLaren snapped him up.
Stella will still be the Team Principle, GP will be Chief Racing Officer.
As for what this does for Verstappen, McLaren are rumoured to be sniffing around for him as well.
He can join Hakkinen on sabbatical :D
Leaving the team in 2028 is what red bull have said and he’ll continue to work in his role. Maybe his contract is up then but seems crazy or do they want some money
I'd imagine that's when his contract is up, but they'll try to negotiate something sooner than that.
This will keep me busy:
So, here are the fixes aimed at helping the racing, specifically qualy.
Qualifying - promoting performance
Race - improved safety and consistency of performance
Race starts - enhanced safety mechanisms
Wet conditions – improving safety and visibility
Time will tell, but I do hope there are bigger changes made for 2027.
Some more slow F1 week articles.
His PR should have handled that much better. But I agree with not asking Lando a question about Max retiring is "essential" just after Lando was given the Laureus award.
https://www.racefans.net/2026/04/21/norris-told-not-to-answer-questions-on-rules-verstappen-or-russell-journalist/
Lando Norris was forbidden from answering questions about Formula 1’s trouble with its 2026 regulations in a recent interview.
Questions relating to his rivals Max Verstappen and George Russell were also deemed off-limits by the world champion’s management team.
Norris was one of the first drivers to warn over the potentially dangerous consequences of F1’s new power unit regulations before the season began. “Depending on what drivers do, you can have closing speeds of 30, 40, 50kph, and when someone hits another driver at that speed, you are going to fly and go over the fence and do a lot of damage to yourself and maybe to others and that is a pretty horrible thing to think about,” said Norris.
His warning proved prophetic as the scenario he described almost played out in the Japanese Grand Prix. Oliver Bearman had to swerve onto the grass at 308kph to avoid hitting Franco Colapinto as the speed difference between the pair approached 50kph. Bearman managed to avoid hitting the Alpine but spun into a barrier at high speed.
The incident prompted fresh warnings from drivers and led to discussions over changes to F1’s rules which were announced yesterday.
However Norris was forbidden from discussing his concerns over the regulations in a recent interview. Donald McRae of The Guardian said the edict came from the 26-year-old’s management team.
“With 10 minutes left of the interview I ask about the regulations,” reported McRae. “Norris’s manager is not with us in person but a phone has been placed on the table. His disembodied voice suddenly crackles from it and stresses that there can be no questions about this subject; his sole interjection during the interview.
“I turn to Norris and underline the importance of the issue. A young representative of the management team in the room with us steps closer to say: ‘We’re done with time.'”
McRae noted he had been told shortly before the interview that questions relating to the rules, Verstappen and Russell were off-limits. Norris reportedly said he was “happy to answer that question” but the interview was halted by his management team.
The driver’s McLaren team regularly make Norris available to journalists as well as broadcasters during grand prix weekends. No F1 races are taking place in April due to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix.
Another journalist from the same publication was involved in a clash with Max Verstappen earlier this year. The Red Bull driver threw Giles Richards out of a press conference at Suzuka over a question the journalist asked him three months earlier, at the end of last season.
I hope so too. We need big changes.
There is no way I can watch this drivel till 2030 in its current state.
I am hoping there is a bigger split for next year, something like a 70/30 would be ideal
weren't they moving towards getting rid of tyre blankets?? now making them more effective?
That plan was scrapped due to safety concerns.
Anyone else feel like this break due to the race cancellations is dragging on.
I think Max is loving it. Gets to do the races he actually wants to do instead of the races he has to do.
I think he's the only one enjoying the break and honestly not surprised. I've been watching a few of his races and he's been killing it.
Round 4 Race thread now open.
Stroll done some GT racing too
I presume he just crashed out of that as well
Bernie Collins is on the Indo Sport Podcast today (the one with Joe Molloy). Haven't listened to it yet, but she's usually excellent.
being utterly lazy here, but what did he compete in and how did he do in the races?
thanks
Istanbul is officially back on the calendar for 2027
Surprisingly he kept it out of the wall, did get a few penalties alright
That's great news.
yep, super news
