Mercedes boss Toto Wolff rejects suggestions that the team's dominant one-two finishes in the first two races will make the 2026 F1 season boring, citing strong competition from Ferrari and an entertaining midfield. Despite George Russell and Kimi Antonelli's early lead, Wolff believes the championship fight is just beginning.
Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley has left the team abruptly for personal reasons, creating a leadership crisis. Mattia Binotto will take over daily operations temporarily as the team, which is struggling in eighth place, must now reorganize its senior management structure during a critical phase of its development.
Mercedes has begun the 2024 F1 season with a dominant sweep of all races, highlighting a significant performance gap over customer team McLaren. Oscar Piastri and McLaren are grappling with reliability woes and a car that lacks downforce and efficient power unit usage compared to the benchmark Mercedes, forcing a urgent development push to get back in contention.
Oscar Piastri suggests F1's five-week break could benefit McLaren by providing crucial time to analyze data and develop their car after a tough season start. He highlights a current data deficit but says the team has clear ideas for improvement, aiming to return stronger for the Miami Grand Prix.
Haas F1 Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has lauded Esteban Ocon for his instant and unreserved apology after causing a collision with Alpine's Franco Colapinto in Shanghai. Komatsu called the driver's accountability "spot on," a stance that stands in stark contrast to the severe online abuse Ocon received despite the on-track resolution.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli is racing with a supportive wrist brace for a ligament strain from a crash in Australia. The injury hasn't slowed him down, as he followed a P2 finish there by becoming F1's youngest-ever winner in China. He jokes the brace might be lucky as he prepares for Japan, with his historic victory boosting confidence in his and Mercedes' potential.
George Russell states the Japanese GP at Suzuka will be the ultimate proving ground for F1's 2026 rules. He contrasts last year's boring race with fast laps, arguing that if the new regulations can create excitement here, it will confirm they are working as intended to improve the racing spectacle.
At the Japanese GP, Max Verstappen removed a journalist from a press conference. Simultaneously, the FIA moved to ban the controversial qualifying tactic of drivers creating excessively large gaps before their final laps, issuing a new technical directive to curb dangerous impeding.
Amid a difficult start with reliability issues, Lando Norris expresses strong belief that McLaren can replicate its past championship-winning comeback and build the best car again this season, focusing first on returning to the podium.
Max Verstappen halted his Japanese GP media session to eject a Guardian journalist, Giles Richards, from the room, citing unresolved frustration from a questioning incident at the 2025 finale. The champion's direct action underscores his ongoing battle with media narratives he deems unfair.
Max Verstappen forced a journalist to leave a press conference in Japan, refusing to speak until he did, due to a critical question asked months earlier. The move has been criticized as an unnecessary escalation that challenges the media's role in holding figures accountable.
George Russell has criticized rival F1 teams for attempting to curb Mercedes' strong start to the 2026 season, calling it unfair after his team's recent struggles. Mercedes faces FIA-mandated changes following protests over its engine and front wing, despite opening the year with two 1-2 finishes.
