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Mercedes seeks right of review over George Russell’s Monaco GP penalty
motorsport.com·

Mercedes seeks right of review over George Russell’s Monaco GP penalty

Although the Barcelona Grand Prix has already been completed, the result of the Monaco race is still being contested in the Formula 1 paddock. Pierre Gasly’s double time penalty for speeding in the pitlane has been overturned, but not all teams are happy with that outcome. McLaren and Red Bull lodged an intention to appeal with the FIA, effectively buying themselves 96 hours to decide whether ...Keep reading

“Hybrid cars should not be racing” – Fernando Alonso slams 2026 F1 cars as “the worst ever” in Monaco
motorsport.com·

“Hybrid cars should not be racing” – Fernando Alonso slams 2026 F1 cars as “the worst ever” in Monaco

Fernando Alonso notoriously dislikes Formula 1’s new-for-2026 machinery, and he made this abundantly clear following Friday practice at the Monaco Grand Prix. Alonso has been among the biggest critics of F1’s new rules ever since he first tested Aston Martin’s latest car, lamenting that high-speed corners no longer are a challenge as drivers lift due to energy management ...Keep reading

McLaren seeking 'simpler' papaya rules approach with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
racingnews365.com·

McLaren seeking 'simpler' papaya rules approach with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed to holding ongoing "conversations" with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to ensure racing this season is "simpler". McLaren's implementation of its 'papaya rules' - the way it wants to go racing with its drivers - has naturally been tested at times over the last two years, leading to a degree of frustration. That was certainly evident on Piastri's side of the garage last year as the Australian went toe-to-toe with Norris in pursuit of the F1 drivers' title. Piastri felt there were occasions when Norris was being favoured, such as in Italy and Singapore, in particular, when calls were made that were detrimental to his cause. Following Norris' eventual championship triumph, Stella confirmed that a review would be undertaken of the season. Addressing invited media, including RacingNews365 , for a technical assessment of McLaren's progress on its MCL40, asked what discussions took place during the off-season and the drivers' reaction, Stella was clear. "I can certainly say that, like anything that we approach at McLaren, we go through a thorough process of review, such that we can see where there are opportunities to improve," he said. "This was the same for what we call the racing principles and the way we go racing and internal competition. We got quite a lot of feedback during the season last year. "We had conversations after the season, and we are having conversations pretty much as we speak now. "All of this has led us to reaffirm, fundamentally, that the concepts of fairness, integrity, equal opportunities, sportsmanship, they are all fundamental for the team, for Lando and for Oscar. "So they are reaffirmed, they are confirmed and consolidated, if anything." As to the plans in place for this season, Stella acknowledges tweaks will be made. He added: "At the same time, we all acknowledge that the volume of work required for this, for the team, and to some extent, even for the drivers related to internal competition, was important. "Therefore, any attempt we can make to make going racing together just simpler, to some extent, will be welcome. "It will be, in reality, a matter of fine-tuning, because once we reviewed what we had done, in most of the cases we said that's exactly what we would still do again. "But we have found a few opportunities in which we can streamline the way in which we operate collectively, like I said, reaffirming the fundamental principles that we have adopted in the past."

F1 warned over 'huge variation' ahead of 'dynamic' 2026 F1 season
racingnews365.com·

F1 warned over 'huge variation' ahead of 'dynamic' 2026 F1 season

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu believes "two elements" will contribute to what he feels will be "a huge variation" between the F1 teams as they fight to get to grips with the new regulations for this season. As the days count down towards the start of the new season in Australia in early March, the teams are at present unveiling their cars, albeit predominantly liveries only, as they keep their cards close to their chests regarding the aerodynamics. In tandem with the introduction of a new power unit, comprising a 50-50 split between combustion and electrical power, and run on 100% sustainable fuels, the bodywork of the cars has also undergone a significant overhaul in a bid for closer racing and improved overtaking. The natural early concern, however, is that the PU, in particular, will prove to be a major performance differentiator, as was the case in 2014 when the 1.6-litre turbo-hybrid engines were introduced, and Mercedes went on to dominate. The aero packages will also spark a major development race, and the pecking order could vary greatly from beginning to end, according to Komatsu. "There’s going to be a huge variation between teams because of two elements," said Komatsu, following the unveiling of the VF-26. "First is the PU, with the teams using the same provider presumably bunched up, so Mercedes providing four teams, Ferrari providing three, Red Bull two, Audi and Honda providing one. "Then on the aerodynamic side, it’s completely open, and development will happen fast. A pecking order may get established in the first four races pretty quickly, but I think it’s going to be a very dynamic season. "What you see in race one and race two, I expect will be totally different when we come to the final races of the year." As to where Haas will land in the shake-up remains to be seen. Komatsu simply wants to see progress, with the power unit and how to best utilise the deployment of the energy crucial to that. "Firstly, before we go racing, and even testing, we need to get on top of energy management, that’s the huge one," he said. "I don’t know if we all understand the full extent of the challenge because we don't know what we don't know. "Then, with aero development, we’re reasonably happy with what we've done so far, but as with all new regulations, the question will be, is the target we’ve set good enough? "When we get testing, I'm sure we’re going to see different concepts, and if we’ve missed something, we need to get on it very quickly." As to how his team will fare, Komatsu added: "For the first few races, rather than setting a sporting target, it's more a target for us. "First and foremost, get on top of PU management, then aerodynamic development. If we have to change direction or look at different concepts, again, we've got to do that promptly. "To be able to implement certain things quickly, you've got to work as a team and have clarity on communication. These are things we’ve been doing the last couple of years, and that's going to be tested even more, but I feel like we’re prepared."

36 automobile clubs come out in support of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem
motorsport.com

36 automobile clubs come out in support of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem

Carlos Sainz Sr’s hopes of ousting current FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem have taken an early blow after a hefty number of automobile clubs signed a letter throwing their weight behind the incumbent. While there had been plenty of suggestion Ben Sulayem would run uncontested in the presidential election later this year, Motorsport.com broke the news that two-time world rally champion and ...Keep reading