F1 Roundup: Sky Extends Deal to 2034, Newey's Health, and More

Sky F1 has secured a long-term extension to broadcast Formula 1 in the UK and Ireland until 2034, ensuring continued coverage. Meanwhile, Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey is working from home after a recent illness required hospital treatment. In the paddock, James Hinchcliffe criticized Ferrari's upgrade strategy, Juan Pablo Montoya called for Max Verstappen to face consequences for his 2026 rules criticism, and Lewis Hamilton revealed he will avoid Ferrari's simulator due to correlation issues.

Why it matters:

The Sky deal provides stability for F1's UK viewership, while the other stories reflect ongoing challenges: Newey's absence from the track, Ferrari's aggressive development, Verstappen's outspokenness, and Hamilton's simulator trust issues.

The details:

• Sky F1 to 2034: The broadcaster will remain the exclusive home of live F1 in the UK and Ireland. Highlights and the British GP stay free-to-air, continuing a model that began in 2012.
• Adrian Newey update: The veteran designer has been "mostly working from home" after being hospitalized for an illness. He hasn't attended a race since the Australian Grand Prix in March.
• Ferrari's "number one rule" broken: James Hinchcliffe noted that Ferrari brought 11 new parts to Miami, calling it a violation of engineering principles. He argued the volume of upgrades made it hard to assess performance.
• Montoya wants Verstappen penalized: The former driver believes Verstappen's repeated criticism of the 2026 regulations warrants penalty points, potentially triggering a race ban. Verstappen had compared the new rules to "Formula E on steroids."
• Hamilton skips Ferrari simulator: After a poor correlation between real-world results and the simulator, Hamilton says he will avoid using it before Canada. He also did not use it ahead of his Chinese GP podium.

What's next:

The F1 circus heads to Canada for the next round. All eyes will be on how Ferrari's upgrades perform, whether Verstappen moderates his criticism, and how Hamilton adapts without simulator support.