Breaking from the paddock
The latest Formula 1 news as it breaks: team announcements, driver updates, FIA decisions and everything moving in the paddock, updated daily.
Fernando Alonso argues that driver quality in the lower third of the F1 grid is very low following a collision with Alex Albon at the United States Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen faces engineering changes as Gianpiero Lambiase prepares to join McLaren.
Kimi Antonelli holds a 123-point lead over George Russell heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix. The 20-year-old Italian needs only a top nine finish to clinch the championship and break Sebastian Vettel's record as the youngest driver to win a title.
Lewis Hamilton aims to extend his career into the 2030s to participate in the African Grand Prix in Rwanda. The Ferrari driver currently sits third in the championship standings, just one point behind George Russell, as he focuses on helping his team secure second in the constructors' standings.
Fernando Alonso slammed the quality of drivers in the lower third of the Formula 1 grid following a first-lap collision with Alex Albon in Austin. Albon defended the current field, arguing that the absence of pay drivers has made the grid one of the strongest in recent years.
Kimi Antonelli will miss media duties at the Mexico City Grand Prix due to a viral illness as he nears his first world title. Valtteri Bottas also missed media sessions due to being unwell, while Cadillac considers Colton Herta for a future seat alongside Sergio Perez.
Laurent Mekies faces questioning in Mexico City after Red Bull failed to disclose details regarding Max Verstappen's soft-tyre strategy in Austin. Verstappen seeks a sixth victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez despite facing engine cooling challenges at high altitude.
Carlos Sainz warns that expanding the Formula 1 calendar beyond 25 races could reduce fan engagement and negatively impact team staff.
Daniel Ricciardo seeks a career-ending Le Mans outing alongside Max Verstappen, though a Mercedes-AMG commitment currently prevents Verstappen from joining Ford's Le Mans Hypercar program until 2028 at the earliest.
Formula 1 social impact initiatives reached over 500,000 young people across 71 countries during the 2025 season. The report highlights 29,000 schools participating in STEM Racing and a renewed £2.4 million engineering scholarship programme.
Sergio Perez has signed a contract extension with Cadillac Formula 1 Team that keeps him with the outfit until at least 2029. The deal provides stability for the fledgling team as Perez prepares to make his 300th career Grand Prix start in Mexico City.
Audi will appoint Thomas Fuhr as CEO of Audi Formula Racing GmbH on November 1, 2026, to lead the division developing the Formula 1 drivetrain. Fuhr brings over 30 years of engineering experience, including a former role as managing director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains.
Lewis Hamilton is providing technical feedback to Ferrari engineers to optimize the 2027 chassis and aerodynamic package. While working on future performance, Hamilton finished fourth at the United States Grand Prix after struggling with understeer issues.
Formula 1 teams have booked hotels in Italy expecting the season to conclude at Imola instead of Qatar or Abu Dhabi. While FOM maintains the current schedule, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated the organization is prepared for a possible calendar change.