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F1 Hungarian GP: Lando Norris pips Lewis Hamilton to nail biting pole position
motorsport.com·

F1 Hungarian GP: Lando Norris pips Lewis Hamilton to nail biting pole position

Reigning world champion Lando Norris claimed his first pole of the 2026 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, beating Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes suffered its first Formula 1 grand prix qualifying loss of the year. Norris romped to a 1m17.207s lap in the final moments of qualifying to overcome Hamilton and take his first pole since last year's Las Vegas Grand Prix. As track temperatures ...Keep reading

Mercedes announces new role for F1-backed champion driver
racingnews365.com·

Mercedes announces new role for F1-backed champion driver

Mercedes' junior driver Doriane Pin is to step up to a development driver role in 2026 after her F1 Academy title success. French racer Pin claimed the all-female racing championship title in 2025, defeating Ferrari's Maya Weug in Las Vegas. Pin, 22, will join the roster of drivers, including Frederik Vesti, to form the roster who complete simulator and development work for the eight-time constructors' champions, both trackside and at the Brackley factory. Pin will also attend several grands prix in her new role as well as mentoring the team's to be announced F1 Academy driver for the 2026 season.  Her racing programme for the 2026 season will be announced shortly. "’m very proud and grateful to take on the role of Development Driver with Mercedes," she explained. "My two years as part of the Junior Programme have helped me grow as a driver, and this is a fantastic next step in my career. I’m excited to keep working with everyone at Brackley and Brixworth, and progressing toward future opportunities, both on and off track. "I also want to say a big thank you to everyone at F1 Academy in helping me reach this position. "The series provides a brilliant platform for female drivers, and I am honoured to be collecting the championship trophy this evening. As I continue my own journey in motorsport, I know there will be more incredible women following in my wheel tracks, and I wish them all the very best of luck for the season ahead." Team representative Bradley Lord added that Pin had showed skills "vital to progress up the motorsport ladder." "We are delighted to announce that Doriane will step up to the role of Development Driver in 2026," he said. "In her two years within our F1 Academy team, she combined dedication, speed, and race-craft with strong technical feedback and engineering knowledge - culminating in her championship success last season. "These skills are vital to progress up the motorsport ladder, and this new role will help Doriane continue to grow and develop as a driver on her motorsport journey.  "Her success in F1 Academy, and the opportunity the series presents, has prepared her well for this next step and we're excited to see her tackle it alongside a soon-to-be-announced racing programme."

A year on since Lewis Hamilton broke the internet
racingnews365.com·

A year on since Lewis Hamilton broke the internet

Exactly one year ago today, Lewis Hamilton stood outside Enzo Ferrari's house in Modena, dressed immaculately in a Ferragamo three-piece suit, posing beside an F40.  The image, posted on 20 January 2025, became the most liked Instagram post in Formula 1 history, amassing 5.7 million likes and reaching 25 million views on X. It was a moment of pure theatre, capturing the weight of expectation placed upon Hamilton to restore Ferrari's glory after 17 years without a constructors' championship.  The seven-time world champion's carefully curated appearance, complete with reports of him speaking Italian, signalled his total commitment to the Scuderia. What followed, however, was anything but glorious. Article continues below the Instagram post... https://www.instagram.com/p/DFC5g6WsxQW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton) Hamilton's nightmare 2025 in red Hamilton's 2025 campaign became the worst of his career. For the first time since joining F1 in 2007, he completed an entire season without a single grand prix podium.  His only appearance on the top step of a rostrum came in the China Sprint last March, an anomaly that only highlighted how dire his Sundays became. The numbers tell a brutal story. Hamilton finished sixth in the championship with 156 points, 86 behind teammate Charles Leclerc's 242.  He averaged four positions below Leclerc in qualifying and suffered a historic collapse at the season's end, becoming the first full-time Ferrari driver since 2009 to qualify last.  Three consecutive Q1 eliminations from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi capped a nightmare he openly described as such. The SF-25 was fundamentally flawed. A backfiring suspension change, an extremely narrow operating window, and braking instability plagued the car.  After both Ferraris were disqualified in China for plank wear and weight violations, the team was forced into conservative setups that sacrificed performance.  Hamilton, adapting to machinery built without his input after 12 Mercedes years, never found comfort with the driving style required. Article continues below... Hamilton's 2026 reset Ferrari made a calculated decision in April 2025, stopping major development after determining the SF-25's concept carried irreparable limitations. Everything pivoted to 2026, where sweeping regulation changes offer a clean slate for all teams. The new rules introduce lighter, more agile cars with active aerodynamics, redesigned hybrid power units with an even split between combustion and electric power, and a manual override system replacing DRS. It represents the most significant overhaul in F1 history. For Hamilton, 2026 is critical. Reports suggest Ferrari are developing a split strategy to suit both him and Leclerc, with a third sidepod concept planned for the Australian season opener in March. Three separate pre-season testing sessions, starting in Barcelona on 26 January, provide crucial preparation time. That viral photograph from a year ago promised a fairytale ending to Hamilton's career. Instead, 2025 delivered pain.  Now, the 41-year-old faces his last great challenge: proving the dream is merely delayed, not dead.