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Qualifying closer to the limit and fewer opportunistic overtakes: How F1 will change from Miami
motorsport.com·

Qualifying closer to the limit and fewer opportunistic overtakes: How F1 will change from Miami

After a month-long hiatus, Formula 1 returns to the track in Miami for a unique weekend, marked by the debut of the changes made to the 2026 technical rules. These changes, introduced based on insights gathered during the opening three grands prix, have two clear objectives: enabling drivers to push to the limit once again in qualifying and reducing speed differentials during wheel-to-wheel duels ...Keep reading

McLaren explain concern which forced team to 'strip car down'
racingnews365.com·

McLaren explain concern which forced team to 'strip car down'

McLaren has offered an insight into the issues it faced on Thursday in Barcelona which limited its on-track running. Oscar Piastri jumped behind the wheel of the MCL40 for the first time, as reigning champion Lando Norris gave the car its debut on Wednesday. Piastri completed 48 laps in the morning session but did not make an appearance in the afternoon due to a car issue. McLaren technical director for performance, Mark Temple, revealed that it was related to the fuel system. “We've got a good understanding of where the car is from a baseline point of view,” he said. “But obviously we've had some issues. We've not been able to do all the running that we would like.  “We discovered a fuel system problem.  “The car is very complex, so we decided to bring it back into the garage, strip it down, and fully understand where the problem is coming from.” McLaren has already outlined that it is treating the week like a true shakedown and none of its running is aimed at extracting performance. With Piastri getting his first experience with the car built under a fresh set of regulations, Temple stated the Australian is now more tuned in to the new systems. “The most important thing for the drivers this year is to understand how the new car operates, how the power unit interacts, the energy management, all of those things,” he said.  “He's got some good references for that. He's also got a feel for how the chassis behaves.  “We haven't really got into test items and those kind of things. It's more understanding the basics and the really big impact of the change from 2025 to 2026.”

Mercedes logs onto new F1 era with new trillion-dollar company partnership
racingnews365.com·

Mercedes logs onto new F1 era with new trillion-dollar company partnership

Mercedes has announced a brand-new F1 partnership with technical behemoth Microsoft ahead of the 2026 season.  As the team prepares to launch its W17 machine later on Thursday, it was announced that the company founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen would be joining forces with the eight-time constructors' champions ahead of the new era. Explaining the deal, Mercedes said that it was "partnering with Microsoft to harness the power of its trusted cloud and enterprise AI technologies across the business from the factory to the racetrack." According to a report from Sky News, the deal could be worth up to as much as $60 million per year, making it one of the largest F1 sponsor deals on the grid.    "Our sport is driven by those who lead through innovation," explained Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.  "We are delighted to partner with Microsoft, one of the world's foremost technology leaders, whose name is synonymous with groundbreaking innovation. "This partnership also reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of performance and progress. By putting Microsoft's technology at the centre of how we operate as a team, we will create faster insights, smarter collaboration and new ways of working as we look ahead to the next generation in F1." Microsoft's CEO of commercial business , Judson Althoff, explained that the "cloud and enterprise AI technologies" would be "at the heart of racing performance where milliseconds matter and data determines outcomes." In July 2025, Microsoft passed a market cap of $4 billion USD for the first time.  The striking new livery for the 2026 W17 was unveiled, with a full photo gallery available by clicking on the link.