Max Verstappen is back in a Red Bull car at Silverstone three days after his Nordschleife run, as the team uses a 200 km filming day to test new parts ahead of next week’s Miami Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel praised the FIA’s new technical rules – a lower 7MJ energy cap and higher 350kW super‑clipping limit – hoping they’ll make drivers happier and keep F1’s racing DNA alive.
Ralf Schumacher confirmed he’s spoken with Jos Verstappen after the latter called his remarks about Red Bull’s loss of Helmut Marko “bullshit.” Schumacher says there’s no hard feelings, underscoring the tense yet familiar dynamics within the Verstappen‑Red Bull circle.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is actively tempering the intense hype around Kimi Antonelli, calling early comparisons to Ayrton Senna unhelpful. While pleased with the 19-year-old's development and championship-leading start, Wolff stresses the importance of managing pressure and expectations to ensure his long-term success.
Retired F1 champion Sebastian Vettel sides with Verstappen and Norris, stating current car regulations make racing less fun and warning it's critical not to lose the sport's fundamental DNA of pure competition.
Four‑time champion Jos Verstappen admits he sometimes turns the TV off, echoing Max’s view that the 2026 power‑unit package turns F1 into “Formula E on steroids.” Their criticism highlights growing driver unrest over the new rules and its impact on the sport’s identity.
The 2026 F1 regulations have made it exceptionally difficult to judge driver skill, as car performance is increasingly dictated by autonomous energy systems rather than driver input. This shift diminishes the 'gladiatorial' human element central to the sport's appeal, frustrating drivers and flattening competitive differences. While mid-season fixes are coming, the dilemma highlights a crucial lesson for future rule-making.
F1 drivers face a dual threat of a retroactive Italian tax investigation and renewed speculation about Max Verstappen's future at Red Bull, following a prediction he may leave before his race engineer. These off-track dramas coincide with technical rule changes and ongoing performance struggles for Aston Martin's Honda engine.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli calls the newly banned engine‑deployment trick unsafe after FIA’s directive, while the sport’s 2026 rule overhaul, praised as sensible, heads to Miami.
Driver Liam Lawson backs the FIA’s new 2026 rule tweaks, set to debut at Miami, that cut energy regeneration, boost peak power and cap boost‑mode output to improve safety and simplify qualifying.
F1 and Le Mans legend Jacky Ickx cuts through the debate on modern regulations, stating that rising TV audiences and fan engagement are the only true measures of success. He argues that nostalgic comparisons are futile and that thrilling on-track battles, however engineered, are what keep the sport in the global spotlight.
F1 veteran Jolyon Palmer says Max Verstappen's next move will set the tone for the 2026 driver market. A switch could spark a paddock frenzy; staying at Red Bull would likely keep the market calm.
