Wharton is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most promising young motorsport talents and competes in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, a key pathway to Formula One. Several current Formula One drivers progressed through the junior formula ranks before reaching the top tier of the sport, including Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Lando Norris.

The partnership places the Hejaz brand in front of a global audience through Wharton’s racing helmet and Formula 3 assets, creating visibility throughout the season and during major race weekends such as the British Grand Prix.

Hakan Ozyon, Founder and CEO of Hejaz, said the partnership reflected shared values between the company and elite motorsport.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with James,” Ozyon said. “At Hejaz, we believe meaningful success is built over time through discipline, perseverance, and a commitment to long-term goals.

“Those values are reflected in everything we do as a business, and they are qualities we see in James as he continues to develop his career on the international stage.”

Hejaz is best known for providing Sharia-compliant investments, auto finance, home finance, and superannuation services in Australia. The sponsorship reflects a broader commitment to supporting ambition, discipline, and long-term success.

The British Grand Prix provides a significant platform for that message. Held at the historic Silverstone Circuit in England, the venue hosted the first Formula One World Championship race in 1950 and remains one of the most prestigious events on the global motorsport calendar.

Recent British Grand Prix weekends have attracted close to half a million spectators, while Formula One’s global fanbase now exceeds 800 million people worldwide. The sport continues to grow across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America, creating opportunities for brands to connect with increasingly international audiences.

Ozyon said motorsport offered Hejaz a way to support Australian talent while engaging with global audiences.

“Motorsport offers a unique platform that brings together innovation, ambition, and global engagement,” he said.

“The British Grand Prix is one of the most recognised events in world sport, making it an exciting opportunity to support Australian talent while introducing the Hejaz brand to new audiences.”

The partnership also highlights the growing visibility of Islamic finance beyond traditional financial services environments. As the sector continues to expand internationally, partnerships in mainstream sport help introduce new audiences to organisations operating within Islamic finance.

Ozyon said Hejaz saw value in backing emerging talent with long-term potential.

“There is tremendous value in supporting people who are striving to achieve something extraordinary,” he said.

“James is an outstanding example of what can be achieved through dedication and hard work. We are proud to be part of his career and look forward to seeing what he accomplishes in the years ahead.”

Formula 3 continues to serve as a launching pad for the next generation of racing stars. Hejaz’s support of James Wharton reflects a belief in backing talent, investing in long-term potential, and supporting individuals striving to achieve success at the highest level.

With Silverstone providing one of the sport’s most visible stages, the partnership offers both Wharton and Hejaz an opportunity to showcase their ambitions to a global audience.

The post Hejaz Renews Partnership with Formula 3 Driver James Wharton Ahead of British Grand Prix Weekend appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Fans at the Red Bull Ring, widely considered something of a second home race for Verstappen, began singing “Toto, sign Max” directly at the Mercedes team principal.

Wolff responded to the chants by turning around and waving to the fans gathered near the pit lane garages.

The video of the incident has since gone viral across social media, reigniting widespread debate about Verstappen’s long-term future in Formula 1.

Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull officially runs until the end of the 2028 season, but his manager Raymond Vermeulen has confirmed the existence of exit clauses within that deal.

It has been widely reported that the exit clause is performance-related, allowing Verstappen to leave if he is not within the top two of the drivers’ championship by a certain date.

The Hungarian Grand Prix in July has been most frequently cited as the key deadline for that clause, with Verstappen currently sitting seventh in the championship standings.

Red Bull’s struggles in 2026 have been well documented, with the team sitting fourth in the constructors’ championship and yet to claim a grand prix victory this season.

Wolff has made no secret of his admiration for Verstappen, having publicly pursued the Dutchman’s services during each of the last two seasons.

However, both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have performed strongly in 2026, with Antonelli already claiming five grand prix victories, making a move for Verstappen significantly less straightforward.

Russell has already confirmed his place at Mercedes for the 2027 season, with Antonelli also highly likely to remain at the team going forward.

Verstappen himself has not indicated any desire to trigger the clause and leave Red Bull, despite this being the third successive season in which links to a potential departure have surfaced.

The reigning champion has been openly critical of the 2026 regulations, stating that the new cars are “not fun” to drive.

Earlier in the year, reports emerged that Verstappen was “seriously considering” retiring from the sport at the age of just 28, though that scenario now appears unlikely to materialise.

The post Mercedes Fans Mob Toto Wolff At Austrian GP With Chants To Sign Max Verstappen appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Lewis Hamilton won in Barcelona to raise expectations around Ferrari’s competitiveness, but the seven-time world champion is cautious about what lies ahead at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps.

Hamilton has described the Mercedes power unit as “phenomenal,” acknowledging that Ferrari still trails significantly despite introducing its first ADUO upgrade of the season in Austria.

At the Red Bull Ring, Hamilton estimated Ferrari was losing around four tenths of a second per lap in straight-line speed alone, a gap he described as extremely difficult to recover through the corners.

“I think we’ve got a great car fundamentally, it’s just we’ve just got to continue to work to maximise what we can, score as many points as we can until we can close that deficit,” Hamilton said.

The Mercedes advantage extends beyond raw power, with Hamilton highlighting energy management as another area where Ferrari is currently being outperformed by its rivals.

Silverstone’s long straights and limited braking zones for battery regeneration make the circuit particularly punishing for cars that struggle with MGU-K deployment across a full lap.

“There’s only a few corners to charge the engine, so the MGU-K will be switched off for a large portion of the lap and that’s where we will struggle probably the most,” Hamilton said. “The deficit could be twice as big.”

Charles Leclerc echoed his team-mate’s concerns, admitting he lacked race pace in Austria and warning that the next two rounds will present even greater difficulties for the Scuderia.

“It’s also fair to say that the next two races will be, I think, very tough for the team,” Leclerc said. “But the best thing I can do is to keep my head down and keep pushing no matter where we are fighting.”

Leclerc said Ferrari had identified specific issues that hurt his performance on race day in Austria, and the team will look to address those heading into the British Grand Prix weekend.

Hamilton also pointed to Red Bull’s recent step forward as further evidence of how rapidly the competitive order can shift throughout the 2026 season.

“You’ve seen now also Red Bull have really taken a step. They made a massive step in the last race,” Hamilton said, suggesting Max Verstappen now has the power to match Mercedes.

Despite the challenges, Hamilton remains focused on identifying circuits where Ferrari can strike back, with the Hungaroring standing out as a potentially more favourable venue due to its lack of long straights.

“I would imagine Budapest might be a little bit of a closer battle because it’s not got long straights,” Hamilton said. “We need more of those sorts of circuits, to be honest.”

When asked about closing the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton laughed off the suggestion while admitting the points deficit remains significant after the Austrian Grand Prix.

“Kimi is far ahead. That is still a lot of points ahead, and he pulled some more points ahead in the last race,” Hamilton said, describing it as a “good reality check” for the team.

Ferrari’s strategy for the coming weeks appears to be one of damage limitation at power-sensitive circuits while targeting maximum points wherever the SF-26 can genuinely compete at the front.

The post Hamilton Warns Ferrari Power Deficit Could Double At Silverstone And Spa appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Wet weather has historically played a major role at the British GP, with both the 2024 and 2025 races seeing disruption from rain at the Northamptonshire circuit.

This year, forecasters are predicting a remarkably dry and warm weekend, which will be a welcome relief for the hundreds of thousands of fans in attendance.

Silverstone marks the ninth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, a campaign that has already delivered significant drama and excitement across the grid.

Lewis Hamilton heads into his home race hoping to claim an unprecedented 10th grand prix victory at the circuit where he already holds the record for wins.

Hamilton has enjoyed a strong resurgent 2026 season so far, having claimed one grand prix victory and three further podiums heading into the British round.

His championship rival George Russell will also be looking to make history of his own, chasing what would be his first ever home race victory at Silverstone.

Friday practice begins at 12:30pm BST with temperatures of 21 degrees Celsius, zero per cent chance of rain, and wind speeds of around 10mph expected throughout the day.

Sprint qualifying follows at 4:30pm on Friday, with temperatures rising to 24 degrees Celsius and humidity sitting at a comfortable 38 per cent, again with no rain forecast.

Saturday’s sprint race at 12pm BST will see 23 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of 14mph, before main race qualifying at 4pm brings temperatures up to a real-feel of 28 degrees.

Sunday’s British Grand Prix, with lights out at 3pm, is forecast to see 25 degrees Celsius, zero per cent chance of rain, and 13mph winds blowing in from the Northamptonshire hills.

Humidity on race day will sit at 47 per cent, which could play a small role in tyre management decisions throughout the 52-lap grand prix.

The dry forecast is particularly notable given Hamilton’s comments heading into the weekend, with the Ferrari driver joking that it “could snow” at a British summer race.

Fans positioned along the Hamilton Straight or in the Landostand at Silverstone can expect a warm and sunny weekend across all three days of action.

The post Dry And Warm Conditions Forecast For 2026 British Grand Prix Sprint Weekend At Silverstone appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The poll covers multiple motorsport categories, including Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, MotoGP, and Sportscars, with four nominees in each section.

Voters can also select their favourite moment of the month from across all the major disciplines covered throughout the year.

Lewis Hamilton’s first win with Ferrari leads the Moment of the Month nominees, representing one of the most emotionally charged results in recent Formula 1 history.

Marc Marquez’s comeback win in MotoGP is also nominated for moment of the month, alongside Toyota’s victory at Le Mans in the Sportscars category.

NASCAR earns a nomination for its first-ever race weekend held on an active military base, a genuinely historic milestone for the American series.

In the Formula 1 Driver of the Month category, Hamilton faces competition from Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, and reigning champion Max Verstappen.

The NASCAR driver of the month shortlist includes Denny Hamlin, Corey Heim, Shane van Gisbergen, and Christopher Bell, reflecting a competitive month across the discipline.

Marc Marquez headlines the MotoGP nominees alongside Fabio di Giannantonio, Raul Fernandez, and Ai Ogura, with his comeback win making him a strong favourite.

The IndyCar category features Christian Lundgaard, Josef Newgarden, David Malukas, and Kyle Kirkwood as the four drivers in contention for the monthly honour.

In Sportscars, Kamui Kobayashi, Will Stevens, Jack Aitken, and Nick Yelloly make up the shortlist following a month highlighted by Toyota’s triumph at Le Mans.

Fans can cast their votes directly through the Autosport poll and view live results showing which drivers and moments are currently leading the standings.

The Best of the Month series is set to run on a recurring basis, giving motorsport fans across all disciplines a regular opportunity to celebrate the sport’s top performers.

The post Fans Vote For The Best Drivers And Moments From June 2026 In Monthly Poll appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The four-time world champion has found himself battling midfield drivers rather than the title contenders he was used to fighting in previous seasons.

Verstappen has regularly found himself scrapping with the likes of Pierre Gasly and Oliver Bearman, rather than trading blows with Ferrari or Mercedes drivers at the front.

Red Bull currently sit fourth in the constructors’ championship, a dramatic fall from the dominant heights the team scaled in recent years.

Despite the difficult season, Verstappen has retained his sense of humour, making a light-hearted suggestion about where upgrade funding could come from under the sport’s budget cap.

Speaking to media following Austrian Grand Prix qualifying, Verstappen joked: “Is that possible with the budget cap? Yes, of course. Then we’ll just have to spend a little less on catering!”

The budget cap in Formula 1 covers a wide range of operational costs, meaning teams must make careful decisions about where to allocate resources throughout the season.

Red Bull did bring upgrades to the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, though the results did not quite match what the team would have hoped for from the development package.

One positive for Verstappen is that the FIA’s recent ADUO ruling confirmed he is driving the car with the best power unit on the grid, which offers some encouragement for the months ahead.

However, questions over Verstappen’s long-term future at the Milton Keynes-based outfit continue to grow, with reports confirming he holds exit clauses in his contract tied to performance metrics.

Verstappen’s manager has confirmed those clauses exist, meaning Red Bull could lose their star driver if the team fails to demonstrate sufficient improvement going forward.

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies faces an enormous challenge to convince Verstappen that the team can return to championship-contending form in time to retain his services beyond 2026.

The post Verstappen Jokes Red Bull Must Cut Catering Budget To Fund Upgrades appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Earlier in the season, the main concern was whether Verstappen would continue in Formula 1 at all, given his dissatisfaction with the technical regulations introduced for 2026.

Step-by-step adjustments toward a 60-40 regulation split in 2028 have largely neutralised that threat, shifting the conversation toward which team the four-time world champion will actually race for.

After the Daily Mail reported on informal talks between Verstappen and McLaren, the Dutchman was quizzed on his future during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend in Spielberg.

“They know, but I don’t need to talk too much about it,” Verstappen said after qualifying, referring to Red Bull’s awareness of what is needed to retain him beyond the current contract.

People representing McLaren in the paddock have not denied that informal conversations have taken place, though they point out such discussions are entirely normal at this level.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown addressed the situation diplomatically, telling Sky Sports F1: “I would be very surprised if Lando or Oscar went elsewhere because they are very happy.”

Brown added: “If for some strange reason, someone slipped on a banana peel getting out of the tub, then of course Max is a four-time world champion,” stopping short of ruling anything out.

Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that the intention remains to stay at Red Bull, but stressed that Verstappen “wasn’t born to race in the midfield.”

Verstappen’s average qualifying position of 7.4 this season technically qualifies as midfield, though Red Bull’s progress in Austria offered some encouragement for the camp moving forward.

With just three race weekends before the summer break, Verstappen could realistically activate an exit clause related to his championship position in August if he falls outside the top positions in the standings.

Mercedes appears to have closed its door for 2027, with Toto Wolff stating the team does not want to change its line-up and George Russell confirming he will “100%” drive for the Silver Arrows next year.

Ferrari also looks settled, with Charles Leclerc having signed a new contract before the Monaco Grand Prix that keeps him at the Scuderia into the 2030s.

Aston Martin, another team previously linked with Verstappen, has emerged as a significant underperformer under the new regulations, narrowing the list of credible destinations considerably.

Former Red Bull figures Rob Marshall, Will Courtenay, and Gianpiero Lambiase either already work at McLaren or, in Lambiase’s case, are set to join the team in 2028, strengthening any potential connection.

Some paddock sources suggest a stake in Red Bull itself cannot be ruled out as part of any future arrangement, which would be unprecedented for an active driver in the modern era.

Verstappen’s freedom to pursue activities outside Formula 1, including GT3 programmes and sim racing projects, is also a major consideration in any decision he makes about his future team.

Red Bull has two clear priorities if it wants to keep Verstappen: continue productive dialogue behind the scenes and keep developing the RB22 into a genuine championship-contending machine.

The upgrade packages introduced in Miami and Spielberg have reduced a deficit that was once a full second per lap down to just a few tenths, though Verstappen insists more progress is needed.

With time still on his side and leverage available on multiple fronts, Verstappen appears in no rush to show his hand publicly any time soon.

The post Verstappen To McLaren Rumours Intensify As Red Bull Fights To Keep Its Star Driver appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Russell secured pole at the Red Bull Ring under contentious circumstances after Max Verstappen crashed heavily at Turn 9 during the closing moments of qualifying.

Following Verstappen’s impact with the wall, the session continued briefly under single yellow flag conditions rather than being immediately red flagged or double-waved yellow.

Russell took advantage of those single yellow conditions, lifting only where required, and managed to beat Charles Leclerc’s time to claim pole position before double-waved yellows were issued around 15 seconds later.

Teenage Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli abandoned his own lap during the incident, believing that double-waved yellows had already been issued, leaving him confused by the situation.

Russell went on to win Sunday’s race and moved back up to second in the drivers’ championship, making Saturday’s yellow flag controversy all the more significant in terms of its impact on the weekend.

Windsor, speaking in a YouTube video following the Austrian GP, argued that Russell should use his position within the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association to call for immediate rule changes.

Windsor said: “I’d have a lot more respect for George if he come out this morning and said, ‘Look, I’m president of the GPDA, I do care about safety.”

Windsor suggested Russell should publicly acknowledge the dangers of the situation, stating the Mercedes driver should say: “I was clever, and I got away with it. And I do think that Austria showed that we have got to rewrite these rules, and we’ve got to make them much clearer, because I went through on the basis it was a single yellow. All I needed to do was lift, and I went through, and I got the pole, and that’s wrong, quite clearly, because I know everybody out there knows that it could have been much worse than it was.”

While figures such as Sky F1’s Anthony Davidson praised Russell for his quick thinking, Windsor was firmly opposed, stating Russell’s decision to push for pole was “completely wrong.”

Windsor questioned how Russell could have known the situation ahead was clear, asking: “How does he know some marshal wouldn’t have been jumping over the fence to get to the beloved Max Verstappen?”

The former team manager also raised the risk of unpredictable hazards on track, saying: “How does he know there wasn’t some animal roaming around the track? How does he know these things?”

Windsor argued that Russell, as a GPDA director alongside fellow drivers including Carlos Sainz, has both the platform and the responsibility to push for clearer regulations on yellow flag procedures.

He added: “That’s what George should be saying, and guess what, he’d be hero, I think, if he said that, but I don’t believe he will, but that’s what I think he should be doing.”

The post Peter Windsor Calls Out George Russell Over Austrian GP Yellow Flag Controversy appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The Mercedes driver converted his pole position into a race win at the Red Bull Ring, closing the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 40 points heading into the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Russell’s victory was far from comfortable, with Max Verstappen applying consistent pressure throughout the race while Antonelli also appeared to hold a slight edge on raw pace.

The win followed a difficult run of results for Russell, including a power unit failure while leading in Canada, making the Austrian triumph feel particularly significant to the 28-year-old.

“The tough races definitely test you psychologically, and these last two weekends for me have been vitally important to remind myself I can do it,” he said.

Russell acknowledged the mental challenge of competing alongside his highly impressive team-mate, who has delivered consistently strong performances throughout the new regulations era.

“I’ve got a really incredible team-mate next to me, who week in, week out is delivering some pretty spectacular performances,” he said, reflecting on the pressure of racing alongside Antonelli.

He added: “So, to get the last two poles, to get the win here this weekend, especially on a track which I don’t think is so suited to me, I’m really proud.”

Despite the victory, Russell conceded he is still not fully comfortable with the 2026 Mercedes and is actively rebuilding his understanding of how to manage tyres across different conditions.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself, knowing I can do it. I have less confidence in being able to get everything aligned with the car, the set-up and the tyres, because it’s just been so up and down for me,” he said.

Russell explained that Mercedes identified clear problems within his previous approach and used historical data to understand what was going wrong with the new car package.

“The team has done a really incredible job to put some real answers down as to why the performances were not good,” he explained, crediting the work done between both sides heading into Austria.

He revealed that adjusting his race approach entirely was what ultimately unlocked the result on a hot afternoon at the Red Bull Ring during the gruelling grand prix.

“Coming into this race weekend maybe my previous approach would have really hurt me on a track like this. And I drove the race very differently and quite abnormally, to be honest, to manage the tyres, and it worked quite well,” he said.

Russell’s honesty about his current limitations with the 2026 car underlines how significant the regulation changes have been for drivers trying to extract maximum performance.

“Last year, I really knew how to handle the tyres on hot tracks, cold tracks, smooth surfaces, rough surfaces. And this year, I don’t, to be honest. So, I’m rebuilding that,” he concluded.

The post Russell Reveals “Abnormal” Tyre Strategy Was Key To Austrian Grand Prix Victory appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The British driver made the comments following his victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, his second win of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Russell’s win in Austria helped reduce his championship deficit to team-mate Kimi Antonelli, bringing the gap down to 40 points.

Antonelli, the young Italian, has taken five victories this season in the same car, making Russell’s two wins look comparatively modest in the context of their internal battle.

“I’ll be racing here next year, 100 per cent,” Russell told media after the race, delivering one of the more direct and unambiguous statements of the silly season so far.

He went further, explaining the topic had not even come up in conversations at the team, saying: “It hasn’t even been discussed [with Wolff]. We don’t need to discuss it. It’s not even a question mark.”

Russell added: “I don’t want to go into any more detail, but I will be here next year and that’s the fact of it.”

The admission is notable given that Russell’s contract, signed last year, was understood to cover only the 2026 season, leaving his future beyond that point officially unconfirmed.

Speculation about his seat has grown throughout the year, fuelled in part by Wolff’s well-documented admiration for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, whose own long-term future has remained uncertain.

Russell’s form dipped significantly during the middle portion of the season, with a pointless Monaco Grand Prix leaving him 68 points behind Antonelli at one stage, after the young Italian had strung together five consecutive victories.

However, the championship picture has since shifted, with Antonelli suffering a retirement from second place at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and then managing only third in Austria after a qualifying mistake.

With the summer break approaching, Antonelli will need to protect his 40-point lead carefully, or risk the momentum in the title fight continuing to swing back toward his experienced team-mate.

The post George Russell Confirms 2027 Mercedes Stay Without Ever Discussing It With Toto Wolff appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The four-time world champion says Silverstone’s fast and flowing layout creates unique energy management difficulties that other recent circuits have largely avoided.

Monaco was described as the most natural experience so far, with slow corners and heavy braking zones allowing drivers to push flat out throughout qualifying without major battery concerns.

The Red Bull Ring also proved relatively manageable, as the Styrian circuit features several heavy braking zones where drivers can recover energy effectively during a lap.

Silverstone, however, lacks those recovery opportunities entirely, and Verstappen made that discovery in dramatic fashion during simulator runs at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory.

“Silverstone, I love the track, but I did a few laps on the simulator and I just started laughing,” Verstappen said after claiming his second podium finish of the season in Spielberg. “It felt like a different track, to be honest.”

The high-speed nature of Silverstone means drivers will spend most of the lap flat out, with sequences like Copse, Maggots, and Becketts offering absolutely no chance to charge the battery.

“You barely have battery around the lap. It’s just constantly flat,” Verstappen added. “So yes, it’s going to feel very different compared to what we are used to around Silverstone, because of the layout of the track.”

Suzuka offered a preview of what Silverstone may deliver, with drivers losing around 50km/h through the famous 130R corner due to energy limitations under the 2026 regulations.

Austria, by contrast, provided long straights and large braking zones that gave drivers genuine opportunities to recover energy before deploying it on the next straight.

“Here in Austria you have long straights and big braking zones, so you can charge the battery,” Verstappen explained. “There, you have long straights but then a fast corner, for example, so you can’t really charge the batteries, and then the next straight you don’t have a lot to spend. It’s going to be a tough one.”

Verstappen had already acknowledged during Thursday’s media day in Spielberg that the 2026 cars feel less natural to drive overall, even setting aside energy management concerns entirely.

The previous ground-effect cars had to be run extremely stiff and low, meaning the new regulations do represent progress from a pure chassis perspective for the drivers.

At circuits like Silverstone, however, those chassis improvements are still overshadowed by the constant demands of energy deployment and recovery throughout a lap.

“I think this is less natural, but it goes hand-in-hand with the energy management, right? Because half of the time you cannot use the gears that are natural,” he said. “So, this is less natural than what it used to be, or what real racing used to be.”

Despite his frustrations, Verstappen expressed satisfaction that Formula 1 and the FIA have responded to driver feedback by introducing regulation changes for 2027 and 2028.

The internal combustion engine will become more prominent in two stages, moving to a 58-42 split next year before reaching the intended 60-40 ratio in 2028.

Those future changes appear sufficient to keep Verstappen committed to Formula 1 beyond the current era, though he remains candid about how difficult this season has been overall.

“Everything has been incredibly complicated this year with so many different things. You leave the pits and the car stops, things like that. Most of the time I just have to count to 10, or in fact to 100,” he said.

The post Verstappen Laughs Off Silverstone Simulator Shock As Energy Crisis Looms For British GP appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The seven-time world champion had entered the weekend with genuine momentum, having taken victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix just two weeks prior.

That Barcelona win had put Hamilton firmly in the hunt for a record eighth world championship, and an ADUO-inspired power unit upgrade was expected to strengthen Ferrari’s position further.

McLaren’s Lando Norris had even declared before the Austrian race that a better power unit would see Ferrari “embarrass” their rivals, praising the SF-26 chassis as the “class of the field.”

Despite those encouraging words, the anticipated upgrade failed to deliver immediate performance gains at the Red Bull Ring, leaving Ferrari in a difficult position throughout the race weekend.

Hamilton had qualified in third place, with teammate Charles Leclerc directly ahead in second, suggesting the car had genuine one-lap pace heading into Sunday’s race.

However, both drivers struggled enormously with tyre degradation during the grand prix itself, eventually finishing fifth and eighth respectively, with Hamilton the higher of the two.

The result pushed Hamilton further back in the championship standings, now 46 points adrift of leader Kimi Antonelli and dropping to third behind George Russell as well.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Hamilton said: “The cars didn’t agree with any of the tyres today. It was a very, very hard race, a really tough race. Being extremely hot.”

He went on to describe his troubled race in detail, adding: “My start wasn’t very good, a poor getaway. I was on the attack and it wasn’t looking too bad the first few laps, then my rear just dropped off.”

Hamilton acknowledged the team’s efforts despite the disappointing outcome, saying: “Grip-wise, we just couldn’t keep up with everyone. But I am grateful for the points. The team did a great job with strategy and pitstops.”

Looking beyond Austria, Hamilton made his desire for further development absolutely clear, stating: “We are going to have to push very hard to see when we can get the next power upgrade. That won’t come for a while.”

The British driver is nonetheless hopeful that circumstances will improve in the near term, concluding: “Hopefully the car will be in a better place at Silverstone.”

With the British Grand Prix at Silverstone fast approaching, Hamilton will be desperate to arrest the championship slide on home soil and cut into Antonelli’s growing lead.

The post Hamilton Calls On Ferrari To Deliver Engine Upgrade After Austrian Grand Prix Disappointment appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The Red Bull driver started fifth on the grid and quickly emerged as the primary threat to race winner George Russell throughout the afternoon.

Verstappen ultimately crossed the line just over 1.6 seconds behind Russell, securing a podium but leaving the Red Bull camp wondering what might have been.

Red Bull arrived in Austria with a significant upgrade package designed to close the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari, the two teams who had appeared strongest in recent rounds.

The upgrades clearly delivered meaningful performance gains, yet Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes the biggest factor in Red Bull’s competitiveness was Verstappen himself rather than the new parts.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Wolff said when asked whether he was surprised to see Red Bull emerge as the main challenger ahead of Ferrari.

“Red Bull is one thing, but it was Max Verstappen. For me, how it feels is like Max won every single race here that he’s ever participated in, in whatever car. Spielberg is one of his strong places.”

Wolff also noted the curious absence of Ferrari from the leading battle, adding: “The car seems to have been going well and the Ferraris, I don’t know what happened to them.”

Verstappen’s affinity for the Red Bull Ring is well established, having won five Formula 1 races at the Austrian venue, including both the Styrian and Austrian Grands Prix in 2021.

Despite the impressive display, Wolff was reluctant to frame Verstappen as a genuine championship contender following a single strong weekend performance.

When asked whether Verstappen should now be considered a factor in the title fight, Wolff deflected with characteristic wit, suggesting it was an “over-complication” and joking that it sounded like “a George Russell thought.”

He was, however, quick to acknowledge Verstappen’s unique ability to extract the absolute maximum from any machinery he drives.

“Max is always good for playing a role in the championship,” Wolff said, before elaborating on precisely what makes the Dutchman so dangerous.

“That [Red Bull] car performed well this weekend. I think the biggest factor this weekend was Max, to be honest. He’s able to bring out everything that is in that car. You can see that with his team-mates.”

Wolff concluded his assessment with a stark warning to any title contender tempted to write off the three-time champion, saying: “That’s why you can never discount or underestimate the Verstappen factor for a championship.”

In the standings, it is Kimi Antonelli who continues to lead the drivers’ championship after the Italian finished third in Austria.

Antonelli now holds a 40-point advantage over Russell, with Lewis Hamilton sitting third, a further six points adrift of his Mercedes colleague.

Verstappen, collecting only his second podium of the season, remains seventh in the standings and 98 points behind Antonelli with a long fight ahead.

The post Wolff Credits Verstappen Himself As The Real Force Behind Red Bull’s Austrian GP Threat appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Russell crossed the finish line marginally ahead of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who pushed hard until the very end of the 71-lap race at the Red Bull Ring.

Verstappen had started from fifth on the grid and drove an impressive recovery race at his team’s home circuit, but ultimately fell 1.611 seconds short of taking the win.

Completing a remarkable one-two for Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli finished third, just 1.986 seconds behind Russell as the Silver Arrows dominated proceedings in Austria.

The top three were separated by fewer than two seconds at the chequered flag, underlining just how tightly contested the closing stages of the race were.

Oscar Piastri brought his McLaren home in fourth place, finishing over 21 seconds behind the leading trio, with Lewis Hamilton taking fifth for Ferrari some five seconds further back.

Isack Hadjar delivered a solid sixth-place finish for Red Bull, while his team’s struggles were highlighted by Verstappen’s podium representing the best result the team could manage on the day.

Lando Norris crossed the line in seventh for McLaren, with Charles Leclerc rounding out the points-paying positions for Ferrari in eighth place.

Fernando Alonso received a five-second penalty during the race for speeding in the pitlane, a punishment that ultimately contributed to the Aston Martin driver finishing in 18th place, three laps down on the race winner.

The fastest lap of the race went to Antonelli, who set a time of 1:10.374 on lap 59, adding another individual highlight to an already impressive day for the young Mercedes driver.

Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez, and Valtteri Bottas all failed to see the chequered flag, each registering a DNF in the final results, making for a difficult afternoon for their respective teams.

Russell’s victory marks his first win since the opening round of the season, providing a significant boost to the Mercedes camp as the championship battle continues to develop.

The Formula 1 calendar now shifts focus quickly to Silverstone, where the British Grand Prix sprint weekend runs from Friday July 3 through to Sunday July 5, with the main race scheduled for 3pm local time.

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The Mercedes driver crossed the finish line 1.6 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, with Russell’s team-mate Kimi Antonelli completing the podium in third.

It marked Russell’s first victory since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, ending a difficult run that had seen Antonelli dominate with five wins and build a commanding championship lead.

Antonelli’s retirement in Barcelona the previous round, which was won by Lewis Hamilton, had already begun to shift the momentum before the Austrian weekend even began.

Russell then capitalised fully by snatching pole position from Charles Leclerc at the Red Bull Ring following a late crash from Verstappen, with Hamilton and Antonelli lining up on the second row.

All four frontrunners started on medium tyres, and the opening lap was chaotic, with Antonelli going wide at Turns 1 and 3 while Hamilton overtook Leclerc at Turn 5.

Verstappen, who had started fifth, wasted little time making progress, overtaking Antonelli and then Leclerc before closing in on Hamilton for second position.

An aggressive battle between the two former title rivals followed, with Verstappen and Hamilton trading positions across multiple laps before the Dutchman finally secured second on lap 22 with a decisive move at Turn 6.

Hamilton made a second pitstop moving from hards to softs after Carlos Sainz suddenly lost power and stopped beside the pitwall, triggering a virtual safety car that shuffled the order.

With Verstappen having closed to within two seconds of Russell before the second pit window, Red Bull elected to keep their driver out five laps longer than the Mercedes, ultimately proving to be the wrong call.

Verstappen rejoined the circuit 10 seconds behind Russell, facing too large a deficit to recover over the remaining stint, leaving Red Bull to rue the strategic miscalculation.

Antonelli finished just 0.375 seconds behind Verstappen at the flag, only narrowly missing out on second, while Oscar Piastri took fourth a further 19.8 seconds back.

Hamilton rounded out the top five for Ferrari, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and McLaren’s Lando Norris both making late moves on Leclerc to claim sixth and seventh respectively.

Leclerc settled for eighth, while Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten to score points for their team.

In the championship standings, Antonelli remains on top with 171 points, while Russell has now moved into second on 131 points, 40 behind the young Italian.

Hamilton drops to third in the standings on 125 points, meaning Russell has now edged ahead of his Ferrari rival following a crucial weekend for the title fight.

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Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was caught venting his frustrations at George Russell during on-track proceedings at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Red Bull have struggled to get back into genuine contention for the win at their home race, leaving Verstappen visibly frustrated throughout the weekend.

Mercedes claimed pole position for Sunday’s main race, but the Silver Arrows were not without their own problems heading into race day.

The team were pulled up for an official breach of FIA regulations during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, casting a shadow over their otherwise impressive qualifying performance.

George Russell set the fastest lap of the Q3 session to claim pole, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, sparking wild celebrations from the British driver and his Mercedes crew.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff moved to explain how Russell’s pole position was upheld following some confusion surrounding the qualifying results at the Red Bull Ring.

Saturday’s qualifying session ended in chaotic circumstances after a late crash involving Verstappen at the Red Bull Ring, with Red Bull subsequently apologising to their driver for the issue that caused the incident.

The crash ruined the pole hopes of championship leader Kimi Antonelli and very nearly handed Ferrari a front-row lockout as Leclerc and Hamilton roared into contention.

George Russell was confirmed as one of nine drivers to have laps deleted by the FIA during qualifying, adding to the drama of an already turbulent Saturday in Austria.

Former Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko addressed the much-discussed escape clause in Verstappen’s contract, pointing to the one factor that will ultimately decide the four-time champion’s future.

Marko urged calm ahead of the home race, even acknowledging that Verstappen might choose to activate the clause during the upcoming summer break.

Sky Sports F1 also made headlines during their Saturday broadcast, confirming they would not be showing footage described as graphic, involving a Haas mechanic during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.

Haas rookie Ryo Hirakawa had taken part in Friday’s opening practice session as the team worked to fulfil their rookie driver quota for the 2026 season.

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Red Bull found rear aerodynamic damage on the RB22 that caused a sudden and complete loss of rear downforce as Verstappen turned into Turn 9 at the Red Bull Ring.

“The dynamic of the incident was quite unusual. We lost aero performance on the rear of the car and it gave Max no chance to survive,” Mekies said.

The Red Bull team principal went further, offering a direct apology to his driver, saying: “As a team we take full responsibility for it and apologise to him.”

Verstappen himself had already sensed something was wrong earlier in the lap, reporting a significant snap through the complex three corners before the crash occurred.

Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was immediately on the radio after the impact, telling Verstappen: “I will check the rear wing, maybe a delay on the rear wing.”

The incident happened just after an SM zone where the active aerodynamics are deployed, with photographs showing the rear wing had closed again by the time the car made contact with the barriers.

Verstappen described the moment in stark terms, saying: “In T9 there was a big loss of rear end grip and the car spun out at high speed. I had an uncontrollable spin and the wheel fully locked.”

The four-time world champion elaborated further, confirming: “We lost aero performance due to some damage on the rear of the car, which caused the issue. The car spun off and the situation was out of my hands unfortunately.”

Despite the dramatic crash, Verstappen confirmed the damage to the RB22 is limited, meaning there should be no significant impact on his race on Sunday.

The Dutchman also acknowledged that, even without the crash, he would not have been fighting for pole position and believes he would have finished third behind both Mercedes drivers.

Red Bull has faced a number of challenges throughout the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, with both drivers reporting a power unit issue in Turn 3 on Friday, specifically a loss of RPM at the apex.

Verstappen confirmed that particular problem has since been resolved, though the team also struggled with car balance on Friday before making improvements ahead of qualifying.

Mekies acknowledged Red Bull is still working to fully understand its latest upgrade package brought to Austria, cautioning that significant upgrades require time to optimise.

“With any significant upgrade, it is never simply a case of plug-and-play. The real challenge is to understand the package, identify its optimum operating window and maximise its potential over the course of the weekend,” Mekies said.

The team principal remained cautiously optimistic about the direction of the package, adding: “We are still learning but today was an encouraging first step. The improved pace we had demonstrated the progress we have made with the package we have brought to Austria.”

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Ferrari has confirmed that junior driver Dino Beganovic will replace Charles Leclerc for the opening free practice session at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

The announcement continues a pattern of FP1 appearances for the 22-year-old Swede, who has been steadily building his track time with the Scuderia. Beganovic last took to the wheel in Barcelona, where he stepped into Lewis Hamilton’s car ahead of a race that would go on to make history for the seven-time world champion.

The Formula 2 racer finished eighth in that Barcelona practice session, finishing around 0.9 seconds behind Leclerc, who had placed third. Hamilton, despite giving up his car on Friday, went on to claim a landmark win on race day — his 106th career victory and his first since July 2024. The result also ended Ferrari’s own drought, marking the team’s first race win since Carlos Sainz triumphed at the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix.

Beganovic’s return to action in Austria is not simply a coaching exercise. Formula 1 regulations require all constructors to run a rookie driver — defined as someone who has started no more than two grands prix — in at least four practice sessions per season, with a minimum of two appearances in each car on the grid. His stint in Leclerc’s SF-25 on Friday ticks off one of those mandatory slots, meaning both Leclerc and Hamilton will each need to give up their car in one further session across the remaining 14 rounds of the 2026 campaign.

This is not Beganovic’s first visit to the Red Bull Ring in a Ferrari. He also deputised for Leclerc there during the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix weekend, as well as at the season opener in Bahrain that same year.

Ferrari are not alone in fielding rookies during FP1 in Austria. Jak Crawford will take over Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, Luke Browning will run in place of Carlos Sainz at Williams, and Paul Aron steps into Gabriel Bortoleto’s seat at Audi.

The session comes at a difficult moment in Leclerc’s season. After opening the 2026 campaign with podiums in Australia and Japan, the Monegasque has hit a rough patch. He retired from his home race in Monaco after the circuit surface began to break apart under race conditions, then compounded his troubles with a qualifying accident in Barcelona. His weekend there was further complicated by an experiment with Carbone Industrie brake discs — a departure from Ferrari’s long-standing supplier Brembo — with the mixed brake material setup thought to be closely tied to the improvement in Hamilton’s recent pace and performance.

Despite the on-track difficulties, Leclerc’s long-term future at the team has been secured. He signed a new Ferrari contract ahead of Monaco, with reports indicating the deal runs beyond 2030 — making him the first driver on the current grid to commit to his existing team past the end of the decade.

With Hamilton now carrying momentum from his Barcelona win and Leclerc seeking to rediscover his early-season form, the dynamics within the Ferrari garage will be under close scrutiny throughout the Austrian weekend. Beganovic’s Friday morning stint will reduce Leclerc’s available preparation time, though as Barcelona demonstrated, Hamilton showed that losing FP1 track time does not necessarily translate into a compromised result come Sunday.

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The incident occurred during Friday practice at the Red Bull Ring, when Haas rookie driver Ryo Hirakawa took part in FP1 as part of the team’s rookie driver quota obligations for the season.

Hirakawa had stepped in for regular Haas driver Esteban Ocon at the Austrian Grand Prix, representing a significant opportunity for the Japanese racer to impress.

Towards the end of the session, Hirakawa came into the pits and struggled to stop his car in his designated pit box, making light contact with one of the Haas mechanics.

The mechanic stumbled from the contact but was able to get back to his feet, with other team members quickly rushing over to check on him and confirm he was unharmed.

Despite the relatively light nature of the contact, Sky Sports F1 decided to withhold the full footage from their broadcast, pausing the clip at the critical moment rather than showing it at full speed.

Presenter Natalie Pinkham addressed the incident live on air, explaining to viewers why the broadcast team had made the decision to stop the footage short of showing the full sequence of events.

“There was an incident in the pitlane yesterday (Friday), with Ryo Hirakawa who was sitting in for Esteban Ocon,” Pinkham said live on Sky Sports F1. “We’ve paused it here as when we run it at full speed – it is kind of graphic. But we’re delighted and relieved to say that the mechanic was totally okay.”

Hirakawa himself spoke to Sky Sports F1 and explained the button error that caused the terrifying moment in the pit lane for the Haas team.

“You know I’m very new to the car,” he told Sky Sports F1. “I thought I pressed the neutral button but I pressed the wrong button so the car went into anti-stall. The car just couldn’t stop. I just went to the guy after that and he was fine so that’s the most important thing.”

The incident highlighted the very real dangers that pit lane personnel face during race weekends, even during practice sessions when the on-track pace is typically lower than in qualifying or the race itself.

Hirakawa’s error was understandable given his limited experience with the Haas machinery, and his immediate concern for the welfare of the mechanic he had struck reflected well on the young driver’s character.

The Austrian Grand Prix weekend itself had already been eventful, with various incidents on and off track drawing attention throughout the proceedings at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

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The 83-year-old Austrian, who retired from daily F1 duties late last year, remains a close confidant of the four-time world champion and stays in regular contact with him.

Speaking to Krone Zeitung in the build-up to the race weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Marko was clear about what drives Verstappen’s thinking.

“For him, competitiveness always comes first,” Marko said, offering a direct insight into what could ultimately trigger an exit from the team.

Verstappen currently sits seventh in the championship standings, reflecting a difficult season for both him and the wider Red Bull operation.

Red Bull Racing has struggled to match the pace of the frontrunners this year, with much of the blame attributed to persistent issues with their new Red Bull-Ford power units.

Speculation over a potential Verstappen departure has intensified following a string of disappointing results, with the escape clause in his contract becoming a central talking point in the paddock.

Marko acknowledged the sensitivity of the situation, confirming that discussions are already in motion: “All top drivers have performance-based clauses in their contracts.”

“Negotiations are likely underway at the moment, and it would be best if an agreement is reached quickly,” he added, outlining the urgency surrounding the talks.

Internal disagreement within the Red Bull parent company has complicated matters further, with Thai shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya reportedly wanting to buy out the clause, while German managing director Oliver Mintzlaff considers the financial move unnecessary.

Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen recently addressed the situation in Sport Bild, stating clearly where the preference lies for the driver’s future.

“We’ve always been loyal and intend to stay loyal. We want to continue our journey with Red Bull and have Max finish his career here,” Vermeulen said.

However, Vermeulen added a firm condition to that loyalty: “But we must have a realistic chance of winning.”

With Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris among the title contenders putting pressure on further down the standings, the challenge for Red Bull to demonstrate competitiveness is significant.

Four race weekends remain on the calendar before the summer break, including this weekend in Austria, followed by Silverstone, the Hungaroring, and Spa-Francorchamps.

The summer pause is set to begin at the end of July, with drivers returning on August 21 for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, the weekend that could prove pivotal for Verstappen’s decision.

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