George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 in the sole Chinese Grand Prix FP1 session at Shanghai, topping the timesheets ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris in a chaotic but revealing practice hour.
A major technical row is brewing behind the scenes as Ferrari and Mercedes debate the fine print of the F1 2027 engine regulations regarding compression ratios and performance limits.
Max Verstappen’s win in Qatar kept the 2025 F1 title fight alive and turned a strong McLaren weekend into a missed opportunity. Several drivers and teams left Lusail with momentum, while others lost points and confidence at a critical stage of the season.
Red Bull has admitted that comments made during and after the Qatar Grand Prix about Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli were wrong and says it regrets the wave of online abuse that followed. Replay footage confirmed that Antonelli briefly lost control before Lando Norris passed him for fourth, rather than moving aside on purpose.
Mercedes says the two-centimetre jump-start that earned Andrea Kimi Antonelli a five-second penalty in Las Vegas was not caused by driver error. Despite the setback, the 19-year-old recovered from 17th to finish third through precise tyre management and a bold early-stop strategy.
A technical fault on the FIA side caused Mercedes to be investigated for failing to submit mandatory setup documents. The team was cleared once officials confirmed the email had been sent on time.
Lando Norris edged Andrea Kimi Antonelli by under a tenth to take sprint pole at Interlagos, while Yuki Tsunoda’s disrupted preparation led to an SQ1 exit. Ferrari struggled, Aston Martin impressed, and a tight midfield battle defined the session.
BMW has become the first automaker to achieve approval under the groundbreaking UN Regulation No. 171 for Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS). This milestone eliminates fragmented European legal barriers and sets the stage for rapid global deployment of advanced "hands-off" driving technology over the next few years.
