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Kimi Raikkonen goes viral with blunt two-word response to throwback F1 post
motorsport.com·

Kimi Raikkonen goes viral with blunt two-word response to throwback F1 post

Kimi Raikkonen has always been renowned for his blunt, no-nonsense demeanour, famously earning the nickname 'The Iceman'. Now, the 2007 Formula 1 champion has gone viral on social media with his two-word response to a post shared by the official F1 account.  Earlier this week, the official F1 Instagram account shared a throwback clip from the dramatic 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. The video showed ...Keep reading

Ferrari anticipate 'very intense' period after Barcelona shakedown findings
racingnews365.com·

Ferrari anticipate 'very intense' period after Barcelona shakedown findings

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is expecting his squad to endure a “very intense” period as it pores over the data collected from the Barcelona shakedown. The Italian outfit completed three days of running at the event earlier this week, taking to the track on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. It tallied up 435 laps across the shakedown, trailing only Mercedes for the most mileage at the event. Lewis Hamilton walked away with the fastest lap of the week - a morale booster for Ferrari, despite lap times being largely irrelevant at this stage. Outlining what's upcoming on Ferrari's agenda, Vasseur said: “Next week, we'll be back at home. “It will be very intense to have a look at what we collected the last couple of days, all the data, all the improvements that we have to do.” The Ferrari car will return to the track in Bahrain in just over one week's time for the first of two pre-season tests at the location. There, teams are likely to turn up the wick on their cars, which could create a clearer picture of the pecking order. As Ferrari prepares for the test, Vasseur asserted there are many items the Maranello-based squad will seek to get through. “We have tons of open topics for Bahrain,” he said. “In Bahrain, you have two times three [test] days. “As usual, it will be very intense because it is just before race one, then we'll fly to Melbourne. “It will  probably be much more representative in Bahrain than it was this week.”

Sergio Perez ready for Cadillac discovery as F1 'exploration' awaits
racingnews365.com·

Sergio Perez ready for Cadillac discovery as F1 'exploration' awaits

Sergio Perez has stated Cadillac has begun to “explore” its car as it prepares to make its debut at the Australian Grand Prix next month. Cadillac was present in Barcelona earlier this week, where the American squad fielded its new car with Perez and Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel. Cadillac is expanding the grid to beyond 10 teams for the first time since 2016 this year, joining at the start of a new regulation cycle. It logged 164 laps at the shakedown - the second fewest, trailing only Aston Martin. Nevertheless, Perez asserted it was a positive week for Cadillac. “We had a productive time in Barcelona completing a good amount of running across the three days with valuable information gathered,” Perez said. “As a team, we’re starting to explore the car, set-ups and the directions we want to be taking.  “The point of this shakedown is to get more mileage to identify areas to improve that we can address before we go racing.” Cadillac will return to the track in Bahrain in just over one week for the second pre-season test of the year. Perez is expecting it to be a busy period for the team as it looks to put itself in the best shape possible for a successful F1 debut. “There is a lot of work ahead of us, especially being a new team, but it’s an exciting time.  “I’m really enjoying being back in a team, there’s a great spirit here to move forward.”

George Russell delcared F1 title 'favourite' as key Mercedes advantage highlighted
racingnews365.com·

George Russell delcared F1 title 'favourite' as key Mercedes advantage highlighted

George Russell has been declared the championship favourite for the upcoming F1 season by former driver Karun Chandhok. Mercedes enjoyed a highly successful shakedown event in Barcelona earlier this week, tallying 502 laps across the event - the most of any team. As early as last year, rumblings of the strength of Mercedes' new power unit emerged as many picked the Brackley-based squad to commence the sport's new era on top, as they did in 2014 when the engines last went through a significant change. Chandhok highlighted Mercedes' status as a works team will serve it well at the start of a new era, leading the Indian to select Russell as his early pick for the title. “He [Russell] is my championship favourite,” Chandhok told Sky F1 . “What we're hearing from a lot of the drivers is the word 'systems'. “This year, having a team from a chassis and power unit side as an integrated operation - which really, it's Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari [and Red Bull] - there are now four. “Two of them have the excuse of being newbies, Audi and Red Bull. “For Ferrari and Mercedes, there are no real excuses, because they are the works teams.” Mercedes will also supply power units to McLaren, Williams and Alpine. McLaren has enjoyed significant success over the last two years despite being a customer team, winning back-to-back constructors' titles and the drivers' championship with Lando Norris last season. However, with such a major change coming to the engines this year, Chandhok stated the integrated Mercedes workforce across both sites will give the German manufacturer an advantage. “And although, in terms of hardware, by regulation, McLaren and the other customers have to get the same power units as the works Mercedes team, I just think having both sides talking to each other so much more in an integrated way has to be an advantage in the early stage of this power unit regulation,” he said. “For me, that puts George as the favourite for the season.”

Cadillac drop Super Bowl livery teaser involving US president
racingnews365.com·

Cadillac drop Super Bowl livery teaser involving US president

Cadillac has dropped a major teaser ahead of its livery reveal during Super Bowl this week, including a former US president.  During the half-time show of the Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots on Sunday, the livery of the as-yet-unnamed machine to be driven by Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will be revealed.  Cadillac completed 146 laps during the Barcelona shakedown test earlier this week with its Ferrari power unit. To whet the appetite ahead of the unveiling, Cadillac has dropped a teaser on social media, including a snippet of President John F Kennedy's speech at Rice University in September 1962 in which he declared that "we choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard," in defence of setting the goal of man landing on the moon in May of 1961. Super Bowl Sunday also coincides with the possible launch of NASA's Artemis II lunar mission in which four astronauts will be launched to flyby the Moon, in the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972.  Check it out below! 2017977349375988043 All eyes on Sunday, February 8. pic.twitter.com/4Fys9LLXXy — Cadillac Formula 1 Team (@Cadillac_F1) February 1, 2026

F1 fans deliver damning Williams verdict after shakedown no-show
racingnews365.com·

F1 fans deliver damning Williams verdict after shakedown no-show

A majority of F1 fans believe Williams is on the back foot after missing the shakedown event at Barcelona. The Grove-based squad is now the only team who is yet to turn a lap with its 2026 car. It faced difficulties in the build-up to the new season with the crash test, however team principal James Vowles confirmed earlier this week that it has since passed all FIA requirements. It opted to skip the Barcelona shakedown as work continued on the car. The team has asserted it will be present at the Bahrain pre-season test in just one week, where it will get its season up and running. But it may be forced to play catch-up as some rival teams already have several hundred laps under their belt. Williams' situation prompted RacingNews365 to ask you, the fans, if you thought Williams is now facing an uphill battle. Over 63 per cent of fans who voted declared that the team is now at a major disadvantage after clocking zero laps in Barcelona. Only 10 per cent of fans think missing the test will not impact Williams at the start of the year. See the full poll results below! Is Williams facing major F1 disadvantage after missing Barcelona test?

Where will Aston Martin place in the F1 pecking order this year?
racingnews365.com·

Where will Aston Martin place in the F1 pecking order this year?

Aston Martin stole much of the focus on the final days of the Barcelona shakedown earlier this week following its late on-track debut. The AMR26 design has been spearheaded by renowned car designer Adrian Newey, who has also progressed to the role of team principal this year. Honda has returned to the sport as a power unit supplier and is issuing engines to the Silverstone-based squad. With Newey spending the entire 2025 season focusing on the design of the current car, Aston Martin's position in the pecking order this year is a major topic of conversation. Will it be able to offer Fernando Alonso another chance at winning a third F1 title, 20 years on from his last championship triumph? Or will the team be resigned to face another season competing in the midfield?  Have your say below!

McLaren suffer day-ending problem as Aston Martin finally hit the track – RacingNews365 Review
racingnews365.com·

McLaren suffer day-ending problem as Aston Martin finally hit the track – RacingNews365 Review

Oscar Piastri was allowed to put McLaren's 2026 F1 challenger through its paces on Thursday after champion Lando Norris had the honour of driving the MCL40 for the first time a day earlier. After a reasonably productive morning with 48 laps at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, the Australian failed to make it out on track in the afternoon. READ MORE: McLaren confirm problem for Oscar Piastri Radical Aston Martin breaks cover as revolutionary design unveiled The anticipation surrounding Aston Martin's AMR26 reached its crescendo in Barcelona this afternoon as Lance Stroll finally brought the eagerly-awaited machine to life on circuit, with Fernando Alonso scheduled to take over driving duties tomorrow.  The extended wait has proven thoroughly worthwhile. READ MORE: Radical Aston Martin breaks cover as revolutionary design unveiled Red Bull receives spare parts in major Max Verstappen boost Red Bull has received the spare parts it needs to repair the RB22 for Max Verstappen to drive on Friday, RacingNews365 can confirm. The Milton Keynes-based outfit’s participation on the final day of the Barcelona test had been in doubt following Isack Hadjar’s heavy crash at the final corner on Tuesday afternoon. READ MORE: Red Bull receives spare parts in major Max Verstappen boost Mercedes avoid 'major issues' as George Russell hails shakedown test George Russell has hailed the progress made by Mercedes across the Barcelona shakedown test, confirming that no "major issues" were experienced. Thursday marked the end of Mercedes’ running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, having also run on Monday and Wednesday. READ MORE: Mercedes avoid 'major issues' as George Russell hails shakedown test Lewis Hamilton details first Ferrari dry running after 'miserable' F1 testing start Lewis Hamilton has detailed his first dry running in Ferrari's 2026 F1 car, following a "miserable" start in the wet on Tuesday. Hamilton's first track action at the five-day Barcelona test came on Tuesday afternoon in wet conditions, before finally getting to drive the SF-26 in the dry on Thursday morning. READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton details first Ferrari dry running after 'miserable' F1 testing start 2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 4 results George Russell underlined Mercedes' superiority in pre-season testing in Barcelona by posting the quickest time of the week so far. Team-mate Kimi Antonelli set the benchmark in the morning session, with a lap of 1:17.081s proving to be the best of the 90 he clocked as Mercedes also again racked up the laps. READ MORE: 2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 4 results