Red Bull’s Helmut Marko admits Max Verstappen “lost interest” in F1 during a difficult season, but a key car update and GT racing win have re-energized the defending champion’s title bid.
Charles Leclerc lamented Ferrari’s performance after a painful 10th in Austin sprint qualifying, saying the team is “so far behind now” and not expecting a miracle turnaround.
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari has “a mountain to climb” after taking eighth in US Grand Prix sprint qualifying—customer team Stake and Nico Hulkenberg outpace the works squad.
Oscar Piastri says his time deficit to Lando Norris in Austin’s sprint qualifying was the result of a “scruffy lap,” but remains confident in his car and targets a stronger race result.
Red Bull principal Laurent Mekies apologized to Yuki Tsunoda after a strategic error in Austin’s sprint qualifying left him unable to start a final lap—placing him 18th on the grid.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem will stand unopposed for re-election after main challenger Tim Mayer withdrew, citing election rules and lack of nominee support, leaving no path for rivals.
McLaren has held Lando Norris accountable for his near-collision with Oscar Piastri in Singapore, with Norris confirming “consequences” for the incident—though the team isn’t revealing what they are.
With Audi and Honda joining the grid and Renault stepping out, F1 enters its most diverse power unit era yet in 2026. The FIA’s new “ADUO” system promises to prevent major performance gaps by giving underperforming manufacturers extra development opportunities.
