Every session, every upgrade, every rumour checked.
Racing Bulls has not confirmed Liam Lawson for next season despite his ninth-place finish with 89 points. CEO Laurent Mekies deflects responsibility to shareholders, while team principal Alan Permane admits the delay causes driver frustration.
Breaking from the paddock
F1 confirmed that Qatar and Abu Dhabi will host their races, ending the season as planned after Imola halted preparations. All 11 teams support the schedule, and F1 avoided a $10 to 15 million cost by not activating the Italian back-up.
Practice, qualifying, race
2026 World Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 390 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | 279 |
| 3 | George Russell | 262 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | 261 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 251 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | 246 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | 152 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | 122 |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | 87 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | 42 |
| Pos | Team | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | 652 |
| 2 | Scuderia Ferrari | 512 |
| 3 | Red Bull Racing | 415 |
| 4 | McLaren Racing | 398 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 112 |
| 6 | Alpine F1 Team | 69 |
| 7 | Haas F1 Team | 31 |
| 8 | Audi Revolut F1 Team | 28 |
| 9 | Williams F1 Team | 12 |
| 10 | Aston Martin F1 Team | 7 |
Beyond the lap times
Max Verstappen gained 14 positions in five laps to finish second at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, a recovery Red Bull principal Laurent Mekies says no simulator could predict. The result secures his second place in the Drivers' Championship with 279 points, trailing Kimi Antonelli by 111 points.
Aero, power units, rules
Pirelli is finalising new wet-weather tyres for 2027 to fix severe grip and warm-up problems exposed at Interlagos. Drivers reported the current compounds are too stiff due to 2026 regulations, prompting a redesign with final homologation scheduled for December.
In their own words
