Red Bull's Ben Hodgkinson criticizes F1's new engine upgrade system, advocating for a freer development fight. He argues long manufacturing and testing cycles make in-season catch-ups extremely difficult, even with rules meant to level the playing field.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri says he has learned crucial lessons from his late-2025 championship collapse, where a large points lead evaporated. He vows to use that self-awareness to strengthen his title bid for the 2026 season, which will feature a major technical regulation overhaul.
Lewis Hamilton has called for focus at Ferrari after a fast Barcelona test, while Alpine faces sponsorship questions over Franco Colapinto. Fernando Alonso is impressed by Adrian Newey's early impact at Aston Martin, as drivers caution against reading too much into early lap times ahead of the crucial Bahrain test.
1996 F1 champion Damon Hill speculates that Lewis Hamilton may leave Ferrari before the end of the 2026 season if motivation wanes after another tough year, citing Hamilton's struggles against teammate Charles Leclerc in his first Ferrari season.
Mika Hakkinen revisits the pivotal 1998 team order, framing it as a personal promise from David Coulthard that highlights a crucial difference between driver agreements and team commands. As the duo tours Australia, Hakkinen reflects on the intense trust and rivalry that defined their 99-race partnership at McLaren.
McLaren will continue its 'papaya' team regulations for 2026, ensuring equal treatment for both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Team boss Andrea Stella confirmed the principles of fairness and integrity were reaffirmed after a season review, giving Piastri an unambiguous equal shot at the title despite Norris's champion status.
Ralf Schumacher has slammed Ferrari for criticizing a suspected Mercedes engine loophole for 2026, telling the Scuderia to 'shut their mouth' in light of its own 2019 engine settlement with the FIA. He and Ross Brawn argue that exploiting regulatory grey areas is a standard and legitimate part of F1 competition.
Cadillac's F1 team completed a reliability-focused shakedown in Barcelona and will now target performance at the Bahrain test. Team boss Graeme Lowdon says the initial goal was building a stable platform, with the focus shifting to unlocking speed ahead of the new season.
Mercedes and Ferrari logged the most laps in F1's Barcelona test, signaling strong early reliability for 2026. McLaren and Red Bull showed flashes of hidden speed, while new entrants Audi and Cadillac focused on learning their complex new power units, setting the stage for a revealing season opener in Bahrain.
Christian Horner breaks his post-Red Bull silence, defending his fierce rivalry with Toto Wolff as vital for F1's excitement. He expresses respect for Wolff but insists being "nicey-nicey" would be detrimental to the sport. Horner also hints at a possible F1 return, citing "unfinished business."
Lando Norris says he's ignoring early comparisons after McLaren's 2026 car completed fewer laps and was slower than Mercedes and Ferrari in Barcelona. The champion driver stressed the shakedown was for reliability and understanding the new car, not for judging performance, with the real test coming in Bahrain later this month.
Aston Martin boss Mike Krack admits the team's new works partnership with Honda requires time to gel, drawing comparisons to the Japanese manufacturer's past failed collaboration with McLaren and its successful one with Red Bull. The team's future competitiveness hinges on which model this crucial relationship will follow.
