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via newsonf1.comMekies admits ‘car degradation’ problem will lingerLaurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has acknowledged that the team is struggling to fully comprehend the 'car degradation' issues that Max Verstappen has been experiencing. This problem, which affects the performance of the RB22 during races and practice sessions, is expected to continue into the 2027 season, despite some progress made in recent races.
Verstappen has expressed his frustration with the situation, indicating that he does not foresee a comeback in the championship standings. Mekies has refrained from disclosing the specific causes of the degradation but recognizes its complexity, suggesting that it will remain a challenge for the team in the near future.
via lightsoutblog.com2026 Spanish Grand Prix: Race Statistics, Facts and TriviaKimi Antonelli secured victory at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the first winner at the new MADRING circuit and achieving his eighth win of the season. This victory allowed him to surpass teammate George Russell on the all-time wins list, while Max Verstappen maintained his record of finishing on the podium at every circuit on the current calendar.
In addition to Antonelli's success, Charles Leclerc reached a milestone by leading 1,000 laps in his career. The race saw several retirements, including Lewis Hamilton, who faced braking issues, and Lance Stroll, who had a third consecutive DNF. The results highlighted the competitive nature of the season, with notable performances from drivers like Lando Norris and Liam Lawson.
via grandprix.comMcLaren tries to bring Lambiase move forwardMcLaren is reportedly in discussions with Red Bull to expedite Gianpiero Lambiase's move to their team, originally scheduled for 2028, to as early as 2027. This comes as Max Verstappen prepares to race without Lambiase for three weekends, during which Tom Hart is set to take over as his race engineer. The negotiations hinge on Red Bull's willingness to release Lambiase and any potential gardening leave he may need to serve.
Lambiase has been a key figure in Verstappen's career since 2016, and his departure will lead to a restructuring of responsibilities within Red Bull. Tom McCullough is expected to step in as Head of Racing. The situation gained traction after Lambiase was spotted conversing with McLaren's CEO, Zak Brown, indicating potential collaboration. The effectiveness of the new arrangement will be tested during the upcoming races in Austin, Sao Paulo, and Las Vegas.
via RacingNews365Hamilton Discusses Ferrari Retirement During Spanish Grand PrixLewis Hamilton experienced his first retirement of the 2026 season during the Spanish Grand Prix. Max Verstappen found humor in Hamilton's explanation regarding the circumstances of the Ferrari retirement.
Sun 13 Sep · 20:00 UTC
via Motorsport WeekMax Verstappen Criticizes Racing Decisions After Spanish GP IncidentMax Verstappen expressed frustration over a racing decision during the Spanish Grand Prix. He was particularly upset about being instructed to relinquish positions gained after a first-lap clash with Lewis Hamilton.
Sun 13 Sep · 18:28 UTC
via Sky Sports F1'There's no stopping Antonelli' - Hamilton says 2026 F1 title bid is overLewis Hamilton faced a setback in his 2026 title bid after retiring early from the Spanish Grand Prix due to a brake-pedal issue. This retirement allowed Kimi Antonelli to secure his eighth victory of the season, further extending his lead in the championship standings over his Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Despite his significant lead, Antonelli remains focused on a race-by-race approach rather than contemplating the championship. Hamilton's early retirement has left him 101 points behind Antonelli, while Lando Norris trails Hamilton by five points in the standings.
Sun 13 Sep · 18:06 UTC
via f1oversteer.comLiam Lawson disagrees with Laurent Mekies’ verdict on his Spanish Grand Prix performanceLiam Lawson achieved his best finish as a Red Bull driver by placing sixth in the Spanish Grand Prix, aided by Lewis Hamilton's retirement. This performance marked an improvement from his previous race at Zandvoort, where he finished seventh. Lawson's strategy involved extending his hard tires until lap 44, and he engaged in a notable battle with McLaren's Oscar Piastri during the race.
Despite his strong finish, Lawson disagreed with team principal Laurent Mekies, who stated that he had extracted everything from the car. Lawson indicated that he believed there was more performance to be found and mentioned issues he faced earlier in the race. As he awaits confirmation for his next race in Azerbaijan, Red Bull has not provided updates on the injury timeline of his teammate.
Sun 13 Sep · 18:00 UTC
via racer.comFerrari mulls what might have been as Hamilton concedes title hopes are overIn the recent Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that his chances for the championship are over after losing 25 points to Kimi Antonelli, who secured his second consecutive victory and eighth of the season. Hamilton faced early retirement due to brake issues, while his teammate Charles Leclerc managed to finish fourth despite the challenges faced during the race.
Leclerc expressed satisfaction with the car's performance but highlighted concerns regarding Ferrari's qualifying pace, which affects their ability to compete effectively in races. He noted that while the car showed strong pace on hard tires, starting further back on the grid complicates their race strategy.
Sun 13 Sep · 17:45 UTC
via RacingNews365Max Verstappen issues comical response to successful Lando Norris defenceMax Verstappen achieved a surprising second-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, having started from third. His race included an early incident where he passed both Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli but was instructed by Red Bull to give those positions back. After Hamilton's retirement, Verstappen regained third place and eventually moved up to second when Lando Norris was unable to pit during a virtual safety car period.
In the final laps, Norris closed in on Verstappen but could not overtake due to the track's layout, which Verstappen criticized for lacking overtaking opportunities. Verstappen humorously explained his defense strategy, emphasizing the importance of positioning his car effectively to maintain grip and fend off Norris's advances.Sun 13 Sep · 15:20 UTCWikimedia Commons · Steffen Prößdorf, crop by Cerebral726 · CC BY-SA 4.0Charles LECLERC leads the Race at MadringCharles LECLERC takes the lead from Lando NORRIS — live from Madring, Spain.
via CrashSpanish GP brake failure ends impressive Lewis Hamilton F1 2026 streakLewis Hamilton had to retire from the Spanish Grand Prix due to a brake failure, which occurred on lap seven of the race. He started in fourth position and managed to climb to third before reporting that he had 'no brakes' on his Ferrari, leading to his eventual retirement after struggling to control the car.
This incident marks the end of Hamilton's impressive record of completing every lap in the 2026 season and significantly impacts his championship hopes, as he is now 76 points behind the leader, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, before the race even began.
Sun 13 Sep · 13:24 UTC
via f1oversteer.comToto Wolff gives his opinion on Max Verstappen’s upbringing now that his own son is racingToto Wolff has shared insights on Max Verstappen's upbringing, highlighting the intense training and guidance provided by his father, Jos Verstappen. Despite some regrets expressed by Jos, Max acknowledges the necessity of this tough love, which has contributed to their strong relationship and Max's success in Formula 1.
Wolff, who has a son racing in karting, is interested in how his own parenting approach will compare to that of the Verstappens. He admires the dynamic between Max and Jos and has expressed a desire to have Max join Mercedes in the future, although they currently remain fierce competitors.Sun 13 Sep · 12:00 UTC
via Motorsport.comVerstappen seeks overtaking strategies for Spanish GPMax Verstappen acknowledges the difficulty of overtaking at the Spanish Grand Prix. After qualifying third, he emphasizes the need to identify potential overtaking spots to compete with Lando Norris for the win.
+ 1 moreSun 13 Sep · 10:32 UTC
via gpfans.comLewis Hamilton in Ferrari engine change at F1 Spanish Grand Prix - Ted KravitzLewis Hamilton has opted to change his engine at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix, reverting from the new ADUO2 power unit to the previous specification. This decision aligns him with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who had already made a similar switch to avoid a grid penalty. Hamilton had initially planned to use the new engine but changed course after Friday's practice sessions.
This engine change does not incur a grid penalty for Hamilton, as he is still within the allowed number of engine components for the season. Both drivers are now on equal footing regarding engine performance, which could impact their competitiveness during the race.
Sun 13 Sep · 10:30 UTC
via CrashTwist in Madrid Ferrari power deficit between Lewis Hamilton and Charles LeclercDuring the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were initially set to use different power units, with Leclerc on the older ADUO 1 due to a crash in the previous race. However, Hamilton reverted to the same ADUO 1 unit before Saturday's qualifying, eliminating any power deficit between the two drivers.
Hamilton qualified fourth, narrowly beating Leclerc by just 0.006 seconds. Leclerc expressed concerns that using the older engine affected his performance, particularly in the first sector of the track. Ferrari is still assessing the condition of Leclerc's ADUO 2 power unit for future use.Sun 13 Sep · 09:33 UTC
via PlanetF1FIA confirms Charles Leclerc decision after Spanish Grand Prix investigationThe FIA has confirmed that Charles Leclerc will not face punishment following an investigation into his performance during qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix. The stewards determined that Ferrari was solely responsible for the delta time discrepancies, which led to Leclerc's failure to meet the required time limits between Safety Car lines. As a result, Ferrari received a reprimand, while Leclerc was deemed not at fault for the incident.
In qualifying, Leclerc secured the fifth-fastest time but expressed concerns that using an older power unit specification may have hindered his performance. He noted that he lost significant time in the first sector of his lap, which he plans to analyze further. Despite the challenges, Leclerc maintained that his lap was clean overall.
Sun 13 Sep · 06:44 UTC
via RacingNews365Lewis Hamilton explains loss of pole at Spanish Grand PrixLewis Hamilton acknowledged that a mistake on his part cost him the opportunity to secure pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix. After initially leading in the qualifying session, he ultimately finished fourth.+ 1 moreSun 13 Sep · 06:00 UTC
via f1oversteer.comFernando Alonso thinks Aston Martin’s press officer could be ‘faster’ than Max Verstappen at MadringFernando Alonso has voiced his discontent with the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, suggesting that they diminish the role of driver skill in racing. He made a comparison between Aston Martin's press officer and Max Verstappen, claiming that the press officer could potentially outperform Verstappen due to the current car dynamics and battery power management.
Alonso's performance at the Spanish Grand Prix was disappointing, as he qualified in P18, significantly behind the pole position time. He emphasized that the new regulations have made it so that driver bravery and skill are less impactful, particularly at challenging corners like La Monumental, which he believes should allow skilled drivers to stand out.Sun 13 Sep · 06:00 UTC
via PlanetF1Anthony Davidson criticises Lewis Hamilton's actionsSky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson has criticised Lewis Hamilton for his conduct during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. Davidson advised young drivers to learn from Hamilton's mistake, stating, "You just don't do that."+ 1 moreSun 13 Sep · 05:32 UTCvia newsonf1.comVerstappen says Alonso must decide F1 future himselfSep.13 (GMM) Max Verstappen says Fernando Alonso should not be persuaded into extending his Formula 1 career, as the Spaniard continues to blame the current regulations for making him consider walking away. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has openly said he wants to convince the 45-year-old to stay, but Verstappen believes the decision belongs entirely…Page 27 of 65