Lewis Hamilton believes there is even more performance to unlock after ending a 16-month podium drought to claim his first top-three finish for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion finished third in Shanghai behind the leading Mercedes duo.

That encouraging result followed a solid fourth-place finish at the season-opening race in Melbourne.

It marks the British veteran’s strongest start to a Formula 1 campaign since his thrilling 2021 title battle.

Intense winter reset

The 2025 season was statistically the worst of the renowned driver’s illustrious career.

He endured a turbulent first year with the Scuderia and frequently struggled to match the pace of team-mate Charles Leclerc.

However, a gruelling off-season training regime has yielded immediate dividends for the iconic Italian outfit.

The legendary racer completely unplugged from the sport over the winter break to rebuild his mental focus.

Back to peak form

The rejuvenated star now approaches this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix with significant momentum.

He is confident of helping his team close the gap to early constructors’ championship leaders Mercedes.

I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically.

Despite the breakthrough result in China, the record-breaking race winner remains hungry for further technical improvements.

I think I can still eke out more performance from this car.

He acknowledged that mastering the technical complexities of his new machinery remains an ongoing process.

I’m still learning about it as I go, particularly with energy deployment, but I do think there’s more to come.

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and his Mercedes-AMG teammates have been disqualified from Saturday’s Nurburgring Nordschleife race victory after exceeding their tyre allocation.

The Dutchman had partnered with Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon to secure a dominant victory in the second round of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie.

Driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3, the trio crossed the finish line more than a minute ahead of the chasing pack.

However, post-race inspections revealed the team had used seven sets of tyres across qualifying and the race, breaching the mandated six-set limit.

Rowe Racing inherit victory following rules breach

Following the retrospective disqualification, the race win was subsequently awarded to the Rowe Racing duo of Don Harper and Jordan Pepper.

Verstappen Racing released a measured response on social media acknowledging the setback while focusing on future events.

“Tough outcome, but we keep moving,” the statement read.
“A lot to take from the weekend and plenty to look forward to.”

Mercedes acknowledge behind-the-scenes error

The operational error was managed by Winward Racing, who were fielding this specific performance car line-up for the first time in the endurance series.

Stefan Wendl, head of Mercedes-AMG customer racing, admitted the logistical mistake severely dampened an otherwise extraordinary day on the track.

“The disappointment was all the greater when we realised that we had made a mistake behind the scenes that morning and the race organisers were forced to disqualify the winning car,” Wendl explained.
“It shows once again that you can only win on the Nordschleife if everything comes together.”

Potential early return to the Green Hell

The Red Bull driver is expected to return to the famously unforgiving German circuit for the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in May.

However, the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix owing to conflict in the Middle East has created an unexpected gap in the reigning world champion’s primary racing schedule.

This calendar opening has raised the possibility of the prolific racer competing in the next round of the endurance series next month.

“We’re looking into it,” he responded when questioned about a swift comeback.
“It depends if it is feasible, but I’m always happy to race here.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has warned of potential “political knives” as his team looks to extend their perfect start to the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Silver Arrows have dominated the opening rounds of the new regulatory era.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have secured a victory apiece to deliver consecutive one-two finishes in Australia and China.

These early results have established a commanding lead for the Brackley-based squad in the Constructors’ Championship.

However, Wolff anticipates off-track challenges as rival teams look to close the performance gap.

“Let’s see what kind of political knives are going to come out in the next few weeks and months,” Wolff said.
“But at the moment it’s a car that is capable of winning.”

Leclerc concedes Mercedes are ‘big favourites’

The Monegasque racer admitted the Italian outfit faces a significant challenge to catch their rivals.

“Mercedes are very strong in general,” Leclerc noted.
“I said it multiple times that this year will all be about development, but the Mercedes is extremely strong.”
“They are, for sure, the big favourites. If we manage to turn that situation around, it will be very impressive.”

Development race and engine regulations

Rival manufacturers could receive a lifeline through Formula 1’s new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.

Teams possessing an internal combustion engine deemed to be at least two per cent behind the class leader will be granted extra development time.

The first evaluation point is scheduled to follow the Monaco Grand Prix in June.

The paddock is also fiercely debating the impact of the 2026 power units, which feature an equal split between electric and combustion power.

This heavier reliance on electrical deployment has led to a divisive, yoyo-style pattern of overtaking on track.

Protecting F1’s newest race winner

Alongside managing paddock politics, Wolff remains focused on nurturing his 19-year-old sensation.

Antonelli made history in China by becoming the youngest pole-sitter in the sport’s history before converting it into a maiden victory.

Despite this remarkable triumph in only his second top-flight campaign, the Austrian team boss insists the teenager still requires protection from the intense media spotlight.

Tyler Reddick overcame extreme cockpit temperatures and a malfunctioning battery to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway on Sunday for his fourth victory of the season.

The 23XI Racing driver started from pole position but immediately faced electrical problems on the opening lap.

An alternator failure caused a dangerous voltage drop, forcing him to disable his cooling fans and water-circulation suit in sweltering South Carolina heat.

Battling extreme heat and ‘The Lady in Black’

Despite sweating heavily in the punishing conditions, the championship contender managed the crisis masterfully over 293 laps.

“The battery wasn’t charging at all,” Reddick said. “All day long just not running fans and sweating my tail off inside the race car.”

The Californian found himself trailing Brad Keselowski by seven seconds after the final round of pit stops.

However, making the most of fresher tyres, he hunted down his rival to make the decisive, race-winning pass on lap 266.

Jordan praises the resilience of his driver

He ultimately crossed the finish line with a commanding 5.8-second advantage over the field.

Ryan Blaney took third place, with Carson Hocevar and Austin Cindric rounding out the top five at the notoriously difficult 1.366-mile oval.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan, who co-owns the winning team alongside Denny Hamlin, praised his driver’s remarkable mental fortitude.

“I think the key to him winning was just keeping his head,” Jordan stated. “I just wanted everything to be good, because once he gets back out there, then I feel like his competitive juices are going to carry him all the way to the end.”

Keselowski concedes defeat to ‘rocket’ car

Keselowski led a race-high 142 laps but admitted he was powerless to hold off the charging Toyota Camry in the closing stages.

“We didn’t have the best car today, not compared to Tyler,” Keselowski conceded. “Tyler drove a hell of a race, and he’s driving a rocket.”

The triumph marks a long-awaited breakthrough at Darlington for the former dirt racer, who had previously finished as runner-up at the circuit on three separate occasions.

Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi has taken the lead in the championship standings after winning a heat-shortened Brazil MotoGP ahead of Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.

The 27-year-old followed up his season-opening victory in Thailand to secure another top-of-the-podium finish at the Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiania.

Defending champion Marc Marquez could only manage fourth place behind Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio, who had started the race on pole position.

The highly anticipated event marked the premier motorcycle racing class’s first return to the South American nation in more than two decades.

Extreme temperatures force late adjustments

Organisers were forced to slash the race distance from 31 to 23 laps shortly before the start due to severe weather conditions.

Unprecedented track heat caused significant tyre degradation during the earlier sessions, prompting immediate safety concerns for the competitors.

The eventual race winner admitted his garage had to dig incredibly deep after struggling during a frustrating, rain-hit practice on Friday.

“It was a tough weekend, it was super tough on Friday, we started in a bad way and it was difficult to keep the motivation super high.”

“But the guys did a wonderful job and I pushed myself over the limit to try to compensate everything I could and at the end we found the way to make the bike in a fantastic way.”

Championship standings shake-up

The Italian rider adjusted his approach during the morning warm-ups before deciding he was ready to fight for the win.

“I adjusted some details on my riding and from this morning I felt better, so I said, ‘OK, maybe I can try to fight.’ It was an amazing race, I’m super happy.”

This crucial victory elevates the Aprilia star to the summit of the championship table with 56 points after just two rounds.

Previous leader Pedro Acosta has dropped down the rankings after the KTM rider crossed the finish line in a disappointing seventh place.

The premier class paddock will now travel to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, which takes place between 27 and 29 March.

Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley has emerged as the front-runner to take over from Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, leaving former Red Bull boss Christian Horner out of the running.

The Silverstone-based outfit are actively searching for a new leader to allow Newey to step back and focus entirely on designing the team’s Formula 1 car.

The legendary designer has reportedly recommended his former Red Bull colleague to owner Lawrence Stroll to take charge of the garage.

Horner, who remains out of the sport six months after his official departure following a 20-year tenure, is not considered a candidate for the vacancy.

A potential Silverstone reunion

Newey and Wheatley spent nearly two decades working together at Red Bull during a period of sustained championship dominance.

Wheatley eventually departed his role as sporting director to join Sauber, the predecessor to the new Audi works team.

Personal reasons are now reputed to be a driving factor in tempting the British executive to return from Switzerland.

If an agreement is reached, the Audi boss would likely need to serve a significant period of gardening leave before switching teams.

Alternative options and past praise

Former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl is also credited with an interest in the Aston Martin role.

Meanwhile, Horner must continue his wait for another motorsport opportunity to crop up.

Despite missing out on the current vacancy, the 50-year-old previously spoke highly of his former sporting director when their professional paths diverged.

Jonathan’s done a great job as initially team manager and then sporting director for us.
He’s been part of the journey over the last 19 years or in our 20th season. We’re very grateful for what he’s done and the effort that he’s put in during that time.
An opportunity like this to become a team principal has come along. So we certainly didn’t look to hold him back in any way, and we wish him the very best of luck for the future.

Nelson Piquet Jr claims Max Verstappen would not be criticising the new Formula 1 regulations if the reigning world champion was driving for Mercedes.

The Red Bull driver has been highly vocal about the sport’s latest hybrid rules following a frustrating start to the season.

Verstappen managed only a sixth-place finish in Australia before retiring with an Energy Recovery System failure in China last week.

This sluggish start has left the Dutchman trailing a dominant Mercedes team, currently spearheaded by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

Mercedes dominance changes perspective

Piquet, brother-in-law to the four-time world champion, believes the driver’s frustration stems purely from a lack of competitiveness.

Speaking on the Pelas Pistas podcast, the former F1 driver suggested that having a winning car changes everything.

“He wants to have the best car,” Piquet explained.
“It is natural for him to complain in this situation, but if he were driving the Mercedes, he would be very quiet and would not be saying anything at all.”

‘Mario Kart’ regulations

The controversial new technical regulations require nearly half of a car’s power to be generated by its electrical battery pack.

This system allows drivers to deploy a substantial power boost on demand during races.

However, the defending champion remains entirely unconvinced by the new racing dynamic.

“It’s still terrible,” Verstappen previously stated regarding the changes.
“It’s playing Mario Kart. This is not racing.”

The Red Bull talisman also dismissed suggestions that there is a genuine championship battle developing between Mercedes and Ferrari.

“It’s just Kimi or George that is winning, right? They’re miles ahead of the field,” he added.

Future transfer speculation

Verstappen has repeatedly been linked with a sensational switch to Mercedes in recent seasons.

Despite his current frustrations, the stellar early-season form of Russell and Antonelli makes a blockbuster 2027 move highly uncertain.

For now, the Red Bull star insists his criticism is rooted purely in the quality of the on-track product rather than his own position in the standings.

Formula 1 could cancel three further races during the 2026 season, including the Azerbaijan, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, due to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The sport’s organisers are bracing for prolonged disruption following the recent axing of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian events.

Those two April fixtures were removed from the calendar after careful evaluation of the ongoing regional conflict.

Azerbaijan fixture under scrutiny

Attention has now shifted to the street circuit in Baku, which is currently scheduled for September.

While the city has not been directly impacted by drone strikes, its shared border with Iran has raised significant security concerns.

Journalist Julianne Cerasoli noted the geographical proximity is the primary factor complicating preparations for the event.

The main thing that’s shaking things up for the Azerbaijan GP, which is in September, is that Azerbaijan borders Iran.

Two-week intervals on either side of the Baku race provide logistical flexibility, but staff safety remains the ultimate priority.

Qatar and Abu Dhabi races in jeopardy

Decision-makers are adopting a more measured approach regarding the season-closing events in Lusail and Yas Marina.

Because these rounds take place later in the year, motorsport executives believe time is on their side before making a final call.

However, an overarching strategy to abandon all Middle Eastern stops entirely remains a distinct possibility if the crisis escalates.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasised that the governing body will not compromise on welfare.

The FIA will always place the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.

Echoes of the 2020 campaign

If all five regional races are officially abandoned, the 2026 calendar would shrink to just 17 rounds.

Such a reduction would make it the shortest championship since the heavily disrupted 2020 pandemic season.

Formula 2, Formula 3, and the all-female F1 Academy series will also skip their corresponding support slots in the affected nations.