Jenson Button has admitted he still has no clear indication over whether Fernando Alonso will continue in Formula 1 beyond the current season.
Alonso has hinted he could retire at the end of 2026 depending on the performance of the Aston Martin team, which has fallen well below expectations this year.
Button’s uncertainty reflects the broader confusion surrounding one of the sport’s biggest remaining silly season questions, with Alonso one of the last major dominos yet to fall.
Meanwhile, the brand new Madring circuit has been hit by a theft of electrical cables just days before it hosts its first ever Formula 1 race.
Spanish outlet ABC first reported that police are investigating the theft of some 300 meters of cabling from the circuit, with the exact function of the stolen cables not yet confirmed.
The cables could have been linked to timing equipment, broadcast feeds, or track signal lights, adding significant uncertainty to the circuit’s final preparations.
Security at the venue has since been ramped up as officials work to address the situation ahead of what promises to be a landmark event in the Formula 1 calendar.
Elsewhere, Toto Wolff has opened up on the crash that effectively ended his professional racing career when he was in his early 20s.
Notably, the decisive incident was not one Wolff himself was involved in, but rather the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix crash that put his fellow Austrian Karl Wendlinger into a weeks-long coma.
Ferrari, meanwhile, are preparing a set of specific technical tweaks aimed at powering Lewis Hamilton to victory at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza this weekend.
The team from Maranello have been fine-tuning their cars for the unique demands of Monza, which represents a significant departure from the technical, lower speed circuits in the Netherlands and Hungary where the previous two races were held.
Williams are also facing a difficult stretch ahead, with team principal James Vowles confirming the team is dealing with a shortage of spare parts following the Dutch Grand Prix, complicating their preparations for the Italian and Spanish Grands Prix.