After an extremely difficult 2025 season, Alpine is once again fighting for the 'best of the rest' title this year – in other words, to lead Formula 1's midfield behind the four top teams. But the Enstone-based team's ambitions go further than that, and that is certainly true of Flavio Briatore, the flamboyant executive advisor effectively running the outfit.

As is well known, the now 76-year-old Italian can be ruthless in both his decision-making and communication, something Franco Colapinto has experienced first-hand on several occasions. Nevertheless, the Argentine believes that Briatore’s approach is necessary if the team is ultimately to close the gap to the front.

"I believe in his process," said the 23-year-old. "You have to understand him. But I think to succeed in F1 and to achieve the goal that every midfield team has – to catch Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren – you need someone like Flavio."

According to Colapinto, the most telling example came after the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Alpine scored a double points finish at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which would normally be considered a success given the gap to the four top teams. Briatore, however, saw things differently.

"We finished P6 and P8 in Canada, those were amazing points for the team, but after the race Flavio was not happy at all and kept pushing the team. He was almost the most unhappy person within the whole team," Colapinto told Motorsport.com.

"That was because of how far off Ferrari we were compared to Miami. He wanted to understand why that was. Everyone was really happy with the points, but he was like, no no, I want more. I don't like where we are and Racing Bulls is too close to us as well. They are closer than they were in Miami, so why is that happening? I want answers and I want to improve more."

Colapinto describes Briatore as a "competitive animal", whose only goal is to bring Team Enstone back to the top

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Briatore's leadership style can come across as harsh, but according to Colapinto, that is what is needed in F1 to reach the top – particularly for a team trying to make up ground, such as Alpine.

"To put that pressure on the team, even when things go right, it's his way of leading the team. And in my personal view, it's a way of succeeding in F1 and catching the top teams," he said.

"Flavio is a competitive animal. He only came back to Formula 1 to win and I really appreciate that because I'm the same."

It means Alpine's progress this year is still not enough to create a sense of satisfaction within the team. Yes, after the torrid 2025 season, the first half of this year has undoubtedly represented a step forward, but it is still not where the bar has been set.

"I'm very proud of the steps we made, but we are all very competitive and we are not happy just being at the front of the midfield. It's true that the steps have been massive this year, but we're always aiming for more," Colapinto said.

Alpine has been overtaken by Racing Bulls in the last weekends before the summer break, both in terms of pure pace and in the standings

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

Could the Gucci deal help Alpine take the next step?

That applies not only on the sporting front, but on the commercial side as well. Gucci will come on board as the team’s title sponsor next season, and according to Colapinto, Briatore's influence can be seen in that development too.

The 23-year-old views the Gucci announcement in two ways. First, he sees it as confirmation that Alpine is on an upward trajectory again after 2025.

A prestigious brand like Gucci would not want to associate itself with a team running hopelessly at the back, meaning Colapinto sees the deal as a vote of confidence – at the very least, there is belief in the project's potential.

Secondly, Colapinto believes the partnership will help Alpine turn its ambitions of taking the next step into reality. The deal gives the team greater financial flexibility, which is also important in relation to parent company Renault.

After all, if the heaviest financial burdens can be spread across more shoulders, it makes the overall financial picture considerably more attractive.

Colapinto himself does not yet have a contract for 2027, but he believes the Gucci deal could nevertheless usher in the next step for 'Team Enstone' – a step he would very much like to be part of.

"Many good things are happening at the moment," he said, "new partnerships and a lot of things around us. The deal with Gucci is one of those things and an important one. So yes, I think it shows that the direction we are taking now is the correct one."

Franco Colapinto opens up about the toughest moment of his F1 career

Franco Colapinto’s ominous warning on Aston Martin’s upgraded F1 car

Williams team principal James Vowles has revealed that Formula 1's financial cost cap is forcing the Grove outfit to divert resources away from current car development to urgently modernise its outdated facilities.

Following a bruising start to the 2026 campaign, compromised by an overweight and delayed car over the winter, Vowles admitted the team was "very exposed" by underlying infrastructure deficits.

Speaking in The Vowles Verdict following the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Briton explained: "We are in a strange position where we got very exposed this winter. We have many, many years where we haven't been able to build up our facilities to the level it needs to be. And what the cost cap does is it constrains you."

For Williams, the sheer scale of historic underinvestment means immediate performance upgrades have had to take a back seat to long-term operational fixes.

The team chief confirmed that this balancing act is directly impacting the outfit's 2026 results.

"So we are dedicating a lot of resources to making sure we are fixing those problems behind the scenes rather than bringing performance to the car in the current year," Vowles continued.

Alexander Albon, Williams

Photo by: Anni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images

"Clearly, this winter showed that we have a long way to go. There's a lot more that we need to address and fix. And it's not the work of moments. It's not the work of a month or two months. It will take time to get there. Our commitment to you is that we will. We are on this journey to make sure that we keep stepping forward."

This followed a frustrating Hungarian Grand Prix, where Williams struggled for pace. Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz finished 17th and 18th and two laps down. 

After the first half of the 2026 season, Williams sits ninth in the constructors' standings with 11 points.

Otmar Szafnauer has revealed the fascinating origin story behind Formula 1's famous pink livery, sharing that Best Water Technology (BWT) initially approached Mercedes for a sponsorship deal before being turned away by the Brackley outfit's board.

The former team boss, who oversaw the Silverstone-based Force India and, later, Racing Point squads during their vibrant pink era, shed light on the negotiations during an episode of the High Performance Racing podcast.

According to Szafnauer, BWT CEO Andreas Weissenbacher originally chose the striking pink colour scheme after attending a water technology trade show in Frankfurt. Realising that nearly every rival water filtration company used blue branding, Weissenbacher decided that pink was a way to genuinely stand out.

BWT initially knocked on the door of the reigning world champion at the time, Mercedes. "The Mercedes board said, 'We’re the silver arrows, not the pink arrows,'" Szafnauer recounted. "They started talking about making them the pink arrows and Mercedes finally said no."

However, rather than letting a lucrative sponsor walk away from Formula 1 entirely, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff sent BWT Szafnauer's way.

"Toto said, 'Well, instead of you just leaving Formula 1, how about you go talk to Otmar? I’m sure he’ll do it for you,'" Szafnauer revealed.

Andrew Green, Sahara Force India F1 Technical Director, Nikita Mazepin, Sahara Force India F1, Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India F1, Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India and Otmar Szafnauer, Sahara Force India Formula One Team Chief Operating Officer

Photo by: Sahara Force India F1

Szafnauer confirmed that Wolff did not take a financial cut for facilitating the introduction, though he joked that he did buy the Mercedes chief a meal as a thank-you.

He added: "Within two weeks of talking to Andreas, I had to decide. We hadn’t signed the contract yet, he had paid us no money, and I had to decide whether to paint the cars pink for Melbourne or not.

"I rolled the dice, took a gamble on him because I thought to myself, 'If we go there with pink cars and then they don't pay, [team owner] Vijay Mallya is not going to be very happy.' If we got rid of the Indian flag to make the cars pink, and now no money. But Andreas was true to his word, paid, and that’s where all the pink cars started."

Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley has revealed that long-serving Maranello personnel are drawing direct comparisons between seven-time champions Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.

After a difficult maiden campaign with Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton has bounced back under this season's new Formula 1 technical regulations. Having claimed his long-awaited first victory in red at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, along with a string of podium finishes, the 41-year-old currently sits second in the drivers' championship at the summer break. 

According to Smedley, who spent a decade at Ferrari during the Schumacher era and beyond, Hamilton's influence is invigorating the team.

"I'm going to give Lewis a shout-out on this. It also feels like he pushes the team hard, right? And we've talked about this before: when you get a driver of his standing in, the team just feels 1% more capable," Smedley explained on the High Performance Racing podcast.

"They love him. When I talk to the guys, one-on-one or in all the group chats that I'm in, they all absolutely love him because he's delivering, right? 

"And he's a seven-time world champion and they know that he is somebody who can deliver. He can still deliver world championships, but he's pushing them as well. He's pushing them in the right way, and they recognise that."

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images

Smedley argued that Hamilton's approach is bringing back memories of Ferrari's most dominant period. Schumacher joined the historic team in 1996. At that point, Ferrari had not won a drivers' championship since 1979 or a constructors' championship since 1983.

The German went on to help transform the team and secure five of his seven titles in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, and help Ferrari win six constructors' titles.

"The guys who've been there for 20 years or more, they recognise the similarities between him and Michael," Smedley added.

Alpine Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto joined Amelia Dimoldenberg for another episode of her YouTube series, Passenger Princess.

The series, hosted by the British presenter best known for her Chicken Shop Date interviews, features F1 drivers giving Dimoldenberg driving lessons around the championship's circuits as she works towards gaining her driving licence.

Amid the dry and sarcastic humour, the Argentinian driver shared some insight into his early racing career. He described his move from Argentina to Italy alone at 14 years old as "very tough because from Argentina to Italy is quite far away," and discussed some of his closest friends in the paddock.

"I hate them all," he joked. "No, I'm joking. I like Alex [Albon], he was my first team-mate. Gabriel Bortoleto, we are both Latin American, we are quite close, and I like Kimi [Antonelli]."

Before fumbling their way through a parallel-parking manoeuvre, Colapinto encouraged Dimoldenberg to do a bit of 'off-roading' on the gravel. "We need to try the car on every surface," the Alpine driver said, before Dimoldenberg added: "I don't think we're meant to be doing this! It doesn't sound right."

At the time of writing, the episode had received more than 471,000 views and 32,000 likes.

"Argentinian sarcasm + British dry humour = they look like they both thought they were having a genuine conversation LMAO," one fan commented, while another added: "I love how he's just lying throughout this whole video."

"Straight-faced bulls****ing his way through this, that's our Franco right there haha," someone else posted, and another commenter wrote: "Help! He’s so sarcastic, I genuinely believed half of his jokes because he sounded so honest."

Further reactions included: "When the Argentinian is more sarcastic than the Brit," and "I just remembered not everyone speaks Spanish and they have been missing out on Franco's hilarious interviews, so sad."

Williams' full transformation from an underfunded legacy team to a modern powerhouse was always going to be a long-term project. But the Formula 1 squad had made a big song and dance about using the 2026 regulations to make a great step forward, sacrificing much of its 2025 development in the process.

Last year Williams performed better than all odds, leaping from ninth to fifth despite its overt 2026 focus, and it had solidified Carlos Sainz's choice to move to Grove over the likes of Audi, banking two podiums in his first year with the squad.

But while making the jump to the top teams was always going to be too ambitious, gaining foothold at the front of F1's midfield should have been a realistic target, a goal which it has fallen well short of.

The bad

A lot of what was written about Aston Martin also applies to Williams. The wholesale regulation changes stress tested its internal systems to the brink, and the team turned up with a car that was late, missing the Barcelona shakedown altogether.

As was the case with its Silverstone rival, that delayed car build turned out to the canary in the coalmine for an underwhelming launch spec of the FW48, which was significantly overweight and lacked aerodynamic load. 

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

The team started 2026 on the outside of Q3 looking in, and managed to bank points over four of the first six race weekends, coming out of the enforced April break with better performance in Miami, Montreal and Monaco.

But neither Sainz nor Alex Albon have scored since then. Returning to higher speed and higher downforce circuits like Barcelona or Silverstone further underlined just how much Williams' 2026 car is lacking and the team is in survival mode until its last major package for the season gets rolled out around September's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Williams' brutal campaign has inevitably triggered speculation around its frustrated driver pairing, too, with Sainz admitted the team's shocking slump "tested my faith for sure", though boss James Vowles is bullish the squad can deliver on its promises and insists both drivers want to be part of that.

The good

Sitting ninth with 11 points scored isn't pretty, but learning from your mistakes is a big tenet in F1 and the flaws and shortcomings that were so brutally exposed by 2026's regulation changes have at least now been identified and are starting to be addressed.

Over the course of the season Williams shored up its technical team with former McLaren stalwart Piers Thynne and former Mercedes engineers Dan Milner and Claire Simpson.

But given this is F1, there is an inevitable delay in turning a team around, whether its hiring key people, installing updated infrastructure or incorporating new procedures. The 2026 season is likely beyond saving for Williams, even if it's late season upgrade will be an important marker on whether or not the team has what it takes to move forward again. But if all eyes in the factory aren't on 2027 already, they should be soon enough.

Carlos Sainz, Williams, James Vowles, Williams

Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images

What they're saying

James Vowles: "In terms of our direction of travel, we have to, as a business, prove to ourselves that we can do the engineering to the right level of quality and build a car to that level of quality in a season.

"Effectively, the equivalency of flying the plane and rebuilding it at the same time. But we have to prove to ourselves that we have changed from where we were three years ago and have that capability.

"I know what efficient organisations look like. And even today, we are struggling to do a lot of what the others can do at this point, and that is on us to fix. You have to do it at the same time as moving forward in the field."

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F1 2026 mid-season grades: Cadillac gets off to respectable start on its adventure

Red Bull is reportedly preparing to recruit Aston Martin's Tom McCullough as its new head of race engineering, replacing Gianpiero Lambiase, who is set to move to McLaren.

According to a report by German publication BILD, McCullough has been identified as the person to take over the management of Red Bull's trackside engineering operations.

The report states, "McCullough would be responsible for all operational matters at the racetrack and would coordinate the work of the engineers during the grands prix."

The potential move follows recent reports that the British engineer will leave his current position as performance director at Aston Martin at the end of the year.

McCullough has been with the Silverstone-based team for over 10 years, throughout its time as Force India, Racing Point and Aston Martin. During his time at the team, he worked in a number of trackside performance roles before he was moved away from the F1 project.

According to his LinkedIn profile at the time, he became performance director for Aston Martin Performance Technologies.

Tom McCullough, Performance Director, Aston Martin F1 Team, gives an interview

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Prior to his time at the Silverstone outfit, McCullough served as a data engineer at Williams before becoming a race engineer, working with drivers such as Nico Hulkenberg, Rubens Barrichello and Bruno Senna, and had a brief stint at Sauber as head of track engineering.

This comes after Max Verstappen's long-time race engineer Lambiase announced he would be leaving his role at Red Bull. On 9 April 2026, it was confirmed Lambiase had signed with McLaren as its chief racing officer and that he would join the Woking outfit in 2028, if not before.

Lambiase started his F1 career as a data engineer for Jordan in 2005 before becoming a race engineer when the team transitioned to Force India. He joined Red Bull in 2015, initially serving as Daniil Kvyat's race engineer before Verstappen joined in 2016. Lambiase was later promoted to head of racing in October 2024.

IMSA Officials have concluded their post-race review of the late-race collision from last weekend’s six-hour endurance round at Road America, issuing penalties to Porsche Penske Motorsport and driver Kevin Estre for their role in the incident with Jack Aitken in the #31 Whelen Cadillac.

Following a comprehensive review of the incident that took place during the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 2, race officials penalized the #6 Porsche 963 and its driver under the 2026 IMSA Sporting Regulations:

Late-Race Chaos at Turn 1

The controversy erupted during the closing minutes of the Endurance Cup round on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit. With just over 10 minutes remaining, Estre in the #6 Porsche 963 and Aitken in the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R were locked in a fierce duel for second place behind race leader Filipe Albuquerque.

As the GTP field accelerated down the front straight toward Turn 1 on the race's final restart, the two frontrunners leaned into each other battling for positioning. The contact sent both high-profile machines sliding at speed into the outer barriers, instantly ending their days and triggering a race-ending full-course caution.

#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre

Photo by: Brandon Badraoui / Lumen via Getty Images

Result and Championship Implications

The full-course yellow cleared the path for Albuquerque and co-driver Ricky Taylor in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac to cruise to victory under caution.

Estre and Aitken were classified in eighth and ninth place in the GTP class. The five-minute post-race time penalty further cements a costly outing for the #6 Porsche crew as the series enters the final stretch of the 2026 season.

Porsche Motorsport boss reaffirms program stability amid corporate realignment

Laurin Heinrich secures dramatic runner-up at Road America despite 'exploding' door

As IndyCar heads to Portland this weekend, the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet of Caio Collet and the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet of David Malukas have been issued a six-place grid penalty. 

The penalty is due to an unapproved engine change, which the teams had to make after crashes at Nashville. Collet suffered a major crash during the race, while Malukas crashed heavily in practice. The Penske driver was even transported to a local hospital, and is dealing with a sore knee.

IndyCar qualifying is set to take place on Saturday, at 7pm EST with the race to follow at 4pm EST on Sunday. Portland kicks off the final month of racing in the 2026 IndyCar season, with just four races left after this weekend's race.

Malukas enters Portland second in the championship standings, 83 points behind Alex Palou. Kyle Kirkwood is just four points behind Malukas in third.

The No. 12 Penske entry is the defending winner of this race, but that was with Will Power. Malukas is still searching for his first career win as an IndyCar driver after eight podiums. That includes a runner-up result in the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history, losing the 2026 edition of the race to Felix Rosenqvist by a mere 0.023s.

Marcus Ericsson will remain with Andretti for 2027 IndyCar season

How to watch IndyCar 2026 at Portland: Weekend schedule, start time, TV

Silly season’s forgotten man, Callum Ilott pushing for “one more shot” in IndyCar for 2027

Sergio Perez may have returned to Formula 1 with Cadillac, but according to Auto Sport Web, his management is already assessing the opportunities across the grid. A report from the Japanese outlet states that Perez's representatives have already opened discussions with Williams about a potential seat in 2027 - contingent on Carlos Sainz not being there to fill it.

The Spaniard's contract at Grove seems to be on shaky ground, with the driver indicating that his future will be on his mind plenty during the summer break. This doesn't necessarily come as a surprise. After 11 races, Sainz has finished no higher than ninth and sits 15th with just six points, one ahead of his team-mate Alex Albon. Williams sits a disappointing ninth in the constructors' championship with just 11 points.

Williams boss James Vowles has already effectively conceded that 2026 is a lost year. With the Grove outfit now placing a lot of its focus on 2027, this hesitation from Sainz is understandable.

"I've had a very strong first half of the year with these new regulations, adapting very well to the car, the engine, everything, so I'm neither upset nor depressed, because on a personal level I'm driving well, very well in fact, but if the car isn't performing, we have to take a very big step if we want to recover," the Williams driver told Marca following the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz, Williams, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing, Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

He was careful not to confirm his future as he was asked about his plans over the summer shutdown: "The plan is to decide, but yes, we have to look at it calmly."

Why Perez Is an Attractive Fallback for Vowles

Williams is undoubtedly doing its best to persuade its driver to stay, but the former Red Bull driver is an attractive alternative, partly because he brings with him substantial sponsorship value, money that a small team such as Williams certainly wouldn't turn its nose up to.

Perez's contractual position at Cadillac hasn't been officially clarified. While reports from Sky Sports define his contract with the team as a multi-year deal, neither party has confirmed this.

“Right now, it is a point where we start focusing on next year,” Perez said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “It is a bit of a balance, but still I think no one in the team is happy with where we currently are.

“So, I would think that the team will keep pushing for a few more upgrades to come to make sure that we are able to at least show to ourselves that our development process is strong. That will give us a lot of confidence going forward.”

With his strong experience in a championship-winning team, six race wins and strong commercial value, teams won't be overlooking the potential of this driver. Whether this value turns into a Williams seat, however, entirely depends on whether Sainz topples the domino.

Marc Marquez says he can no longer compensate for his weaknesses at Silverstone, as he is now “slower” in corners that were his strong points at last year’s British Grand Prix.

The factory Ducati rider ended up a distant seventh in Practice on Friday, more than seven tenths down on the pace-setting Aprilia of Marco Bezzecchi.

More worryingly, he trailed the VR46 Ducati of Fabio di Giannantonio by over three tenths of a second, while his brother Alex Marquez also looked rapid despite ending up fractionally behind him on the timesheets.

Speaking at the end of the day, Marquez revealed that his riding style leaves him exposed at fast-and-flowing circuits like Silverstone. But while in previous years, he was able to make up for that deficit by capitalising on his strengths, his physical condition no longer allows him to do so in 2026.

Asked why he was following his Gresini-mounted brother Alex, Marc Marquez said: I learned that in some points he's super fast, and when I tried to copy and try to follow him, it was even worse because I over-rode and I was losing even more. 

“So, it's the character of the rider. At 33 years old, I can adapt a bit, but my riding style is my riding style.

“With my riding style, since 2013, I'm strong in the same circuit and I'm strong in the same one. So in those flowing corners is where I'm struggling.

“Last year, I was struggling at the same points [at Silverstone] as this year, but I was able to recover in the change direction or something. This year, no. This year, I'm struggling in the same points, but in the points where I was strong last year, I'm a bit slower because we know the reason [shoulder injury].

“Let's see if we can manage and try to enjoy the weekend. It doesn't matter the position.”

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images

In his chase for a 10th world title, Marquez has devised a clear strategy of pouncing on big opportunities at tracks he is traditionally strong at, while limiting the damage at venues like Assen.

However, the Spaniard admitted that he has his work cut out to even break inside the top five at Silverstone.

“Yesterday, we were talking about how flowing corners are the strongest point of the bike for Aprilia, especially like Assen or here.

“But we are working in a good way, trying to find the best. At the moment, [Ducat] are far from the podium, but closer to the top 5 - but I'm not not inside the top 5. So we need to work to try to be in that top 5.”

He added: “I’m a little bit more potential than Assen. In a similar position. But I feel I'm a bit more optimistic than Assen. 

The 33-year-old stressed that both Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez have the edge on him, but neither is in a position to challenge Aprilia for the top spot.

“Alex and Diggia, they are fast. They are super fast, but Aprilia is a bit faster or a bit more consistent. So, let's see.

“Of course, the bikes have strong points and weak points. We already understand during all this season that Aprilia, where there are flowing corners, they are faster than us, and in stop and go corners, we are faster than them. 

“But as we saw today, we are not the fastest Ducati, so we will try to work."

Johann Zarco gets back on a bike three months after serious Barcelona injury

Marco Bezzecchi reveals “disaster” injury ordeal after smashing Silverstone lap record

Photos from British GP - Friday

Audi Formula 1 boss Mattia Binotto has addressed recent paddock speculation linking Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri to the German manufacturer, insisting he is entirely satisfied with his current driver pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.

Sainz held serious discussions with Audi throughout 2024 as he sought a new seat following Ferrari's signing of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. The Spanish driver ultimately joined Williams in 2025 and secured two podiums in his first season with the Grove outfit, but the team's performance has dipped in 2026.

As Williams is battling against major issues plaguing its 2026 machinery, rumours surrounding Sainz have increased, with some questioning whether he might consider a move to Audi.

More recently, McLaren's Piastri has also been touted as a potential future target for Audi if he decides to walk away from the Woking squad or if he is replaced by four-time champion Max Verstappen.

Despite the rumours, Binotto insists he is entirely satisfied with his current driver line-up of Hulkenberg and Bortoleto. "First, I'm not reading the newspapers myself, or not reading much, so I'm hearing from you," Binotto told RacingNews365, when asked about the links to Sainz and Piastri.

"Carlos is certainly a person whom I know very well, and it's somehow easy and obvious to link him to Audi, but I can only say that I'm very happy with the line-up we have. 

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Clive Rose / Formula 1 via Getty Images

"Often, when discussing Gabriel and Nico, what I hear is that it is a good mix between experience and, on the other side, the young driver. 

"Instead, I would judge them differently. They are two very fast drivers, and I am happy because they are fast drivers, both of them, so we've got a good line-up. 

"The fact that other drivers are linked to our team, I can only be very happy with because it is showing the credibility of our project is improving. 

"It is showing that the perception from the outside that one day we can become competitive is no longer a rumour, but it is a fact."

Almost three months after the brutal accident he suffered in Barcelona on 17 May, Johann Zarco jumped aboard a motorcycle with his sights set firmly on his comeback.

The LCR rider suffered two accidents during the Catalan GP which have sidelined him from action. After Alex Marquez collided with Pedro Acosta's bike in the middle of the race, a piece of the Ducati struck the Frenchman's leg, leaving him dazed.

Despite that, Zarco took the second start after the first red flag, and there he made a mistake at the first corner, taking out Luca Marini and Pecco Bagnaia. Zarco's leg caught in the Ducati and left knee was severely damaged.

Initially, the doctors chose to wait for the swelling in the knee to go down before operating. Then, a burn wound below the affected area advised against surgery. Finally, to everyone's surprise, Zarco announced that he would not undergo surgery and that his return was scheduled for September.

Zarco, who has been working hard in the gym and on the bicycle, is pushing to shorten the timetable for his recovery and, as Motorsport.com has learned, he zipped up his leathers and got on a production bike at a circuit for the first time since the injury.

Specifically, Zarco was able to ride at Circuit Andorra - Pas de la Casa, in Grandvalira, a small track well known to the MotoGP riders who live in the small Pyrenean country.

His first run came a few days ago, before he returned to the track on Friday.

Johann Zarco

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images

MotoGP test

After the long-term injury Jorge Martín suffered at the beginning of last year, Aprilia pushed for MotoGP to change the regulations and allow riders to carry out a test after a long absence through injury.

The requirements to be entitled to this test are a minimum absence of three consecutive Grands Prix or 45 days without competing, which Zarco comfortably meets.

Such test is carried out at a circuit permitted under the manufacturer's concession rules, which for Honda now means every circuit, having dropped back to the lowest concession rank.

The only restriction is that no riding is allowed at a circuit that is due to host a MotoGP Grand Prix within the following eight weeks.

LCR has consulted Honda about the possibility of carrying out this test so that Zarco can regain his feeling on the RC213V, and is awaiting a response from the manufacturer's management.

Zarco's objective would be to make his return at the end of the month, at the Aragon GP, which takes place from 28 to 30 August 28. However, the doctors are asking him to be patient and wait until the San Marino GP, scheduled from 10-13 September 10 at Misano.

'Surgery would have ruined my season completely,' says Johann Zarco

Photos from British GP - Friday

Marco Bezzecchi admitted that he was struggling with pain and mobility despite breaking the all-time circuit record at Silverstone in Practice for the British Grand Prix.

Coming into the weekend, the Italian had conceded his chances of a top result after injuring his collarbone and knee in a crash during Sachsenring practice last month.

But he was immediately up to pace as he jumped aboard a MotoGP bike for the first time in almost a month, posting an impressive time of 1m56.280s to end the day on top.

However, while his one-lap pace suggested that he had rediscovered his form, Bezzecchi was keen to stress that he was still struggling for physical fitness, with both his collarbone and the knee injury weighing him down.

“The day was fantastic. Obviously, I am very happy to make a good lap time, but the balance of the day is a little bit different than this,” he explained.

“In terms of [long-run] pace, I'm struggling a bit more. When I have to put four or five laps in a row, I start to suffer. At the end of the session, I was super tired. 

“I'm forcing myself a bit, especially because of the knee. It's a smaller injury, but it's what is making me crazy. The days at home were a disaster.

“I'm forcing a bit, especially in the change of direction. I can't bend all the legs, so I'm struggling. In this track, there are many changes of direction.”

Asked whether he was struggling with pain or mobility, he replied: “It's both. The pain is still there, because it's like a fracture. I'm missing a small piece of the bone.”

Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing

Photo by: Glyn Kirk / AFP via Getty Images

After having to withdraw from the German GP midway through the weekend, Bezzecchi returned home to recover from injuries. During the summer break, doctors operated on his injured left knee before performing surgery on his broken collarbone.

The rehabilitation process, which isn’t complete yet, was tough, with Bezzecchi unable to ride a production bike until the week before the British GP.

Deep wounds in knee

Recalling his time at home, the 27-year-old said: “The injuries were both tough. The fracture was very bad. So, the surgery was very difficul. And the knee, at the end, was wounded. It’s a very deep wound.

“So, in Germany they closed it to allow me to fly. But I had to re-open and when they re-opened they showed that I also scratched my bone. The surgery in the knee was also complicated.

“At home, it was difficult during this break to switch off. It was impossible because I went to the gym on Monday and I had the surgery on Sunday. So, I did everything I could to try to come back here. And it was not easy.”

Despite his strong start to the weekend, and Aprilia’s impressive form, Bezzecchi played down his chances at Silverstone.

“I hope to be able to finish both races,” he said. “It's true that the sprint has less laps, but the intensity of the laps is….

“We will try everything tonight, this afternoon and tonight, to rest and recover with the physio, with the medical staff from Aprilia to try to wake up tomorrow at least in the same way as now.” 

MotoGP British GP: Returning Marco Bezzecchi tops Friday practice as Aprilia dominates

KTM given green light to fix faulty MotoGP engine

Photos from British GP - Friday

Marco Bezzecchi made a brilliant comeback from a collarbone fracture to lead a 1-2-4-5 finish for Aprilia in practice for the MotoGP British Grand Prix.

Having been unsure about his fitness level following a crash at last month’s German Grand Prix and a patchy run of form prior to that, Bezzecchi smashed the circuit record at Silverstone by almost a second on Friday.

Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura had appeared set to end the day in front after setting the first sub-1m57s lap at Silverstone, but first team-mate Raul Fernandez and then factory rider Bezzecchi were able to go faster in the dying minutes of the session.

Fabio di Giannantonio jumped to third on the VR46 Ducati ahead of championship leader Jorge Martin, with Ogura demoted to fifth amid the late flurry of improvements.

When the hour-long session got underway, Martin was immediately up to pace, lowering Alex Marquez’s benchmark from FP1 with a time of 1m58.692s. Bezzecchi moved up to second shortly afterwards, establishing an early 1-2 for Aprilia behind his team-mate.

But before the first 10 minutes were up, the younger Marquez went even quicker on his Gresini Ducati, finding just under a tenth of a second over his countryman. Bezzecchi tried to respond on his next flying lap, but fell 0.032s short of disposing the Spaniard.

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images

Alex Marquez remained at the top of the timesheets until just before the halfway mark of the session, when Trackhouse riders asserted their position at the front, with Fernandez and then Ogura going fastest in the field.

In the final 15 minutes, the entire field switched to fresh soft tyres, with Pedro Acosta, Alex Marquez and Marc Marquez all enjoying brief stints at the top spot of the timesheets.

However, it didn’t take long for Ogura to reclaim the advantage, the Japanese rider setting a blistering time of 1m56.810s just seconds later. It appeared Ogura had done enough to end the day on top, but Fernandez managed to pull something special out of the bag, demoting his team-mate with just a minute left in the session.

But there was one more surprise left in store, as Bezzecchi posted a 1m56.280s on his final flying lap to snatch the top spot from the Trackhouse rider.

Di Giannantonio denied Aprilia 1-2-3 lockout with third, while Martin jumped from 17th to fourth with two rapid lap times. Ogura was left in fifth place at the end of the session, just ahead of the factory Ducati of Marc Marquez.

Alex Marquez wound up seventh, while Joan Mir finished a solid eighth for Honda. The top 10 was rounded out by Pramac’s Jack Miller and KTM rider Pedro Acosta, the latter crashing at Brooklands with five minutes remaining.

Enea Bastianini (Tech3) and Luca Marini (Honda) just missed out on a direct entry into Q2, while Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) will also be forced into the first part of qualifying after crashing late on and finishing 13th.

Photos from British GP - Friday

When the 2026 Formula 1 rules were introduced, the FIA frequently spoke about the so-called "nimble car concept".

The machinery was supposed to become smaller and lighter, although it has to be said that the changes are still relatively marginal. The wheelbase is 20cm shorter this year, while the new cars are also 10cm narrower.

The minimum weight has been set at 768kg, a reduction of 32kg compared to last season. Together with significantly less downforce – which means drivers once again wrestle the steering wheel more and the cars look less like they are running on rails – the main objectives have been achieved.

However, there has barely been any discussion about that during the first eight months of the year, as everything has been overshadowed by complaints about the power units and energy management.

On the chassis side, however, FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis does believe that the new set of regulations represents a step forward.

"I think probably yes, although one should never assume that the job is finished. But I do think cars follow each other more closely," Tombazis  told select media including Motorsport.

According to the FIA, the effect of dirty air has been reduced to the level seen during the first year under the previous ruleset. Tombazis is confident that this time teams will be less able to throw a spanner in the works with clever solutions that undermine the spirit of the regulations.

"I believe we are similar to where we were at the start of the 2022 championship, but I think it's a bit more robust this year," he continued.

Tombazis emphasises that, on the chassis side, the 2026 machinery still presents a challenge for the drivers

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

"The various aerodynamic solutions they've had, we haven't found something that has broken the concept, whereas in the previous regulations there were a few things that actually did significantly compromise the concept.

"That mainly relates to the front wing endplates in the last generation car, the floor edges and all the furniture on the front wheel. All of those things made the wake characteristics significantly worse. We learned from that and I think hopefully there isn't any equivalent issue."

Aside from following other cars and the impact of dirty air, Tombazis also sees it as a positive that drivers still have their hands full with the new cars.

"They are still quite difficult cars to drive for the drivers, which I think is good, that they're not just cars that anybody can drive," he insisted. "Some of the aerodynamic regulations push towards teams not being able to address every single aspect of a car through a corner, and therefore they do have some challenges.

"I think when we have the 22 best drivers in the world, we should also have cars that are not exactly easy for my grandma to drive."

On top of that, the cars are slightly less physically demanding for the drivers than before, particularly because the ground-effect cars had to be run extremely low and stiff.

"We have also raised the ride heights a bit, which means that they're not quite as brutal as last year," Tombazis added.

F1's ambition for 2031: cars another 80kg lighter

For the next set of regulations, the FIA would like the cars to be a further 80kg lighter, along with simpler power units

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

The overall package on the chassis side leaves Tombazis satisfied, although he stresses that the FIA wants to go further. That won’t be possible during the current cycle, but it is the target for the next set of regulations – which is due to come into force in 2031, or in 2030 if there is sufficient support.

"The cars are a bit lighter and a bit smaller, which the drivers have appreciated," Tombazis said. "Now, is that where I would like us to be? No. I would like us to be another 80 kilos lighter, and maybe still a bit shorter and a bit smaller in the future.

"That's the sort of target, that we do another big step from what was possible to do now. I think this is not a bad step, but it's not like I'm saying, 'Yes, job done, that's the target'. We want to go to another step of lightness in the future, and also the weight, a significant step."

For now, however, Tombazis is counting his blessings, particularly because the long-running trend of F1 cars becoming ever larger and heavier has finally been reversed.

"This is the first time I think Formula 1 cars have become lighter since probably the year 2000, I would say at least, or maybe earlier," he concluded.

FIA opens up on F1's 2026 rule issues – Here's why it couldn't intervene sooner

Should F1 ban power unit algorithms? Here's why the FIA says no

McLaren Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri has launched a new line of personal merchandise, titled the 'World Circuit' collection. 

The Australian driver's official website unveiled the first phase of the new apparel line this morning. Marketed as a tribute to the global nature of the F1 calendar, the line is described as encompassing "a season's worth of destinations, in one collection - burgundy, blue, off-white and green, start to finish."

The initial drop features an off-white T-shirt for £34.99, a burgundy quarter-zip for £64.99, a rugby shirt for £64.99, a cropped T-shirt for £29.99, a blue and white layered T-shirt for £44.99, a retro-style race jacket for £124.99, a tote bag for £19.99 and a bag charm for £14.99.

Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the new merchandise line, with many applauding the 25-year-old for the pricing.

"It's actually not bad pricing at all," one fan commented on Reddit, while another responded: "This is actually very general pricing for most clothing stores in Australia. I expected everything to be over 200."

Another fan added: "The prices are good. Genuinely the designs are kinda unique and it's pretty clearly Piastri merch too - so it's not like just a generic plain tee with OP81. Man of the people?"

"I like subtle branding on clothing, especially if it’s stylish or cute, so I quite like this (and his other) collection. Maybe it’s because I’ll probably never be able to go to a race, so I want to be able to wear it on an everyday basis. Merch that is too bold has never quite appealed to me, so I quite like this collection," someone else posted.

Further reactions included: "Very late ‘90s/early ‘00s coded," and "This style is actually quite trendy right now. Especially I can imagine it worn a bit oversize with low-waist baggy jeans. The rugby shirt and layered T-shirt in particular are styles I see a lot nowadays."

Formula 2 title contender Rafael Camara insists he is blocking out rumours linking him to a 2027 Haas Formula 1 seat to focus entirely on his current championship campaign with Invicta Racing.

As the calendar pauses for the August summer break, teams and drivers are actively beginning to finalise their plans for next season.

Camara's strong form in F2 has positioned the Brazilian driver as a leading candidate to step up to F1, with growing speculation that he could achieve his dream of securing a full-time drive next year.

While Camara says the F1 links are encouraging, he stressed that failing to deliver the required results in F2 will render any paddock speculation meaningless.

"It's good to see," he said of the rumours during an interview with F2. "You don't really know at the moment, but it's nice to have this, and to see that the dream is close.

"But at the same time, you don't want to get too much into that because I’m still in a very important championship, and if you do well, most likely you're going to get a chance. So, on my side, I’m just really focusing on this year.

Rafael Camara, Invicta Racing

Photo by: Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images

"Not many people get this opportunity, especially being in a team that's one of the best in Formula 2 and having the chance to fight for the championship. So I would just want to make the most of it and make sure that I enjoy every moment."

As a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Camara has been linked to Haas F1 due to the American team's close technical partnership with Ferrari and its history of accommodating the Maranello outfit's junior drivers.

Recent speculation suggests that Ferrari could leverage this influence to place the 21-year-old in a Haas seat for 2027 as a potential replacement for Esteban Ocon.

A unique Formula 1 helmet, produced in collaboration with Disney and signed by 20 drivers from the 2026 grid, has shattered auction records after raising £151,000 for Make-A-Wish International.

The bespoke helmet, dubbed "Fuel the Magic", was sold via the F1 Authentics platform, operated by Memento Exclusives. The final winning bid of £151,000 (approximately $201,000) officially establishes a new benchmark as the highest publicly recorded sale for an unworn replica F1 helmet at auction.

In addition to this, the sale has broken the record for a single charitable item sold through F1 Authentics. The previous record was held by Max Verstappen's race-worn overalls from the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, which sold for £112,000.

The proceeds from the "Fuel the Magic" helmet will directly aid Make-A-Wish International in granting life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses.

The helmet was designed by Bret Iwan, who is the official voice of Mickey Mouse, alongside Disney's global creative director Bobby Kim. Set against a sleek matt black base, the design incorporates red and yellow accents and Mickey Mouse artwork.

Race start

Photo by: Max Slovencik / Getty Images

"We are very happy to have achieved these significant funds for Make-A-Wish," Memento Exclusives CEO Barry Gough explained.

"Being entrusted by Disney and F1 with a cause as important as auctioning the Fuel the Magic helmet is something we are incredibly proud of.

"We are delighted that this captured the imagination of bidders worldwide and that the winner has not only secured an iconic piece of memorabilia but has made a huge impact on an incredibly worthy cause."

Fans who missed out on the auction can still see the design up close, as a second identical helmet is scheduled to go on public display at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California, from 14-16 August.

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has questioned Valtteri Bottas's motivation and future at Cadillac, suggesting the Finnish driver has "given up a little bit" amid a challenging 2026 campaign for the American outfit.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast during the summer break, Steiner graded the 2026 grid and offered a blunt assessment of Cadillac's current driver pairing. 

Cadillac joined the F1 grid in 2026 with the experienced driver line-up of former Mercedes driver Bottas and former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.

The pair find themselves at the bottom of the drivers' standings, with neither having scored a single championship point in the opening 11 races of the season. 

But despite their equal points tally, Perez has outperformed his team-mate over a single lap. The Mexican driver currently boasts a 9-6 overall qualifying advantage over Bottas, including grand prix and sprint qualifying.

Steiner awarded Perez a C grade for his 2026 performance so far, praising his relentless effort in uncompetitive and often unreliable machinery. "He's doing better than his team-mate," Steiner said. 

"It's a C, and he's putting an effort in, but if the car doesn't break, it is slow. What can he do about it? You judge them on the effort they put in because it is so easy to get frustrated that you're not doing anything anymore."

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

He added: "Fair play to Checo, and Valtteri a little bit, they keep on pushing with whatever they have got, and that's not easy to do."

In contrast, Steiner relegated Bottas to a D grade, arguing that the 10-time grand prix winner lacked motivation.

"I think we have to put him in a D. Perez is just better than him at the moment," Steiner noted. "What Perez tries to do, I think Valtteri has given up a little bit, it looks like."

When questioned whether Cadillac should look to replace Bottas, Steiner stated that the team's primary focus must be on developing the car. But he admitted that if management decided a driver change was necessary, the 36-year-old would be the obvious one to replace.

"If they need to change one driver, obviously I think they're going to change Valtteri," Steiner concluded.

"His results are not as good. I think Valtteri expected something different, but not this. Now it's like, 'Hell yeah, I'm driving a Formula 1 car, but I had a good job at Mercedes being the reserve driver. I was last as the reserve driver because I didn't participate, and now I need to make all this effort to be last'."