Daniel RicciardoIsack HadjarMax Verstappen 
via gpfans.comF1 star admits hiding major injury after 'stupid' punchIsack Hadjar, the 22-year-old French driver for Red Bull Racing, has disclosed that he sustained a broken wrist while training, which led to him missing three races in his debut season. He revealed that the injury occurred during a boxing workout when he struck the bag without proper hand protection, describing the incident as a 'stupid' mistake.
After the injury, Hadjar returned to competition at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he achieved a commendable third-place finish behind George Russell and Max Verstappen. He admitted to initially keeping the injury a secret for a day as he contemplated his options before eventually informing his team principal, Laurent Mekies.
gpfans.comWed 30 Sep · 17:45 UTC
via f1oversteer.comLaurent Mekies relieved that furious Max Verstappen radio wasn’t broadcast at Azerbaijan GPLaurent Mekies, Red Bull's team principal, revealed that Max Verstappen was not pleased during qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he qualified eighth, his lowest position since Japan. Mekies shared data showing Verstappen lost significant time on the straights due to an engine issue, which contributed to his frustration expressed over team radio, although this communication was not broadcasted during the event.
In the race, Verstappen managed to finish second, just a tenth of a second behind George Russell, who had a strong performance. Despite the challenges faced in qualifying, Verstappen's driving earned him the driver of the day award, highlighting his capability to perform under pressure. With eight races remaining in the season, he aims to extend his streak of winning at least one race each year with Red Bull.
f1oversteer.comWed 30 Sep · 15:30 UTC
via f1oversteer.comMax Verstappen clarifies his comments about F1 becoming ‘easier’ after Liam Lawson disagreedMax Verstappen expressed his views on the 2026 Formula 1 cars, stating they are 'numb' to driver inputs, which he believes makes it easier for drivers to find their limits. This comment came after Liam Lawson, who recently replaced Isack Hadjar, performed impressively in qualifying, being only 0.115 seconds slower than Verstappen. Verstappen's remarks have sparked debate, particularly as Lawson disagreed, arguing that adapting to the new car was not straightforward due to the complexities introduced by new energy management protocols.
Verstappen further elaborated that the current cars favour a cautious driving style, allowing many drivers to achieve similar lap times. He noted that the small gaps in qualifying times this year, with seven out of eleven driver pairings within two-tenths of a second, support his theory that the cars do not reward the fastest drivers as much as before. This marks a significant change from the previous year, where the average gap between teammates was larger.f1oversteer.comTue 29 Sep · 19:30 UTC
