George Russell has revealed how he defended his podium position from a late attack by Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton at Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix.
Russell explains how he held off Hamilton
Russell qualified second for the race at Zandvoort but was overtaken by Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap. The Mercedes driver moved back ahead of his young team-mate after the pit stops, although Antonelli was running an alternate strategy with a tyre offset.
Mercedes subsequently asked Russell to give up second place in the closing stages so Antonelli could reclaim the position. That left Russell defending from Hamilton, who was charging through the field and had already passed both Ferrari drivers late in the race.
“It was tough,” Russell said after the race when asked how he kept the seven-time champion at bay.
“I think Kimi’s and my race was kind of the opposite. I had a tough medium stint, he had a very strong medium stint, then I had a strong hard stint, he was struggling. But that VSC gave Lewis the free pitstop, and obviously Kimi pitted as well.
“From there on in, I knew I was going to be under threat, but I was managing enough in the high-speed corners to allow me to be fast in sector three and defending into Turn 1. So, I was pleased with that performance.”
George Russell finished third behind Kimi Antonelli. Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Mercedes faces growing McLaren and Ferrari threat
Russell acknowledged that the podium capped a “challenging couple of weekends” for Mercedes after McLaren won in Hungary and again at Zandvoort following the summer break.
Mercedes continues to lead both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, but McLaren has been improving steadily through successive upgrades. Ferrari is also expected to introduce a new engine at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, leaving Mercedes with little room for complacency.
“I think these coming two or three race weekends will be a challenge for us both [Antonelli and him], purely because we’re out of sync with the upgrades,” Russell added.
“I think we will be slightly more competitive [at Monza]. However, I believe Ferrari have an engine upgrade incoming, and the truth is we just don’t know. But I do believe that these high-degradation circuits [like Zandvoort] really suit McLaren very well, and especially Lando. He’s always been a bit of a specialist in those conditions. We also saw it last year. Monza may be slightly different, but I think they are the team to beat right now.”
Russell is currently second in the drivers’ standings on 183 points, level with Hamilton. Both Mercedes drivers are 59 points behind championship leader Antonelli.
Former Red Bull mechanic and current team ambassador Calum Nicholas has praised Liam Lawson’s “absolutely brilliant” adaptation after the New Zealander stepped into Red Bull’s Formula 1 seat at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Lawson was unexpectedly called up to replace Isack Hadjar, who withdrew from the final F1 event at Zandvoort because of a wrist injury. Despite the short notice, the Racing Bulls driver delivered a strong performance alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
Nicholas praises Lawson’s Red Bull return
“He seems to have just taken everything really calmly under his wing, and he’s had a solid weekend,” Nicholas explained during the Talking Bull podcast.
“For the car that we’ve had underneath us this weekend, he maximised the results that were available with the car he had, and that would be great for him.”
Lawson’s appearance marked his first return to the Red Bull seat since his demotion from the Milton Keynes team in 2025. The 24-year-old replaced Sergio Perez for the 2025 season but was moved back to Racing Bulls after just two races.
“It was really important for him to just have a quiet weekend, but do a really, really good job. And that’s exactly what he did,” Nicholas continued.
“With all the noise about it and obviously what he’d been through before in the car. So to be able to make that hop really quickly at the last minute and do a solid job. Absolutely brilliant for him. I’m really happy for his weekend and for him.”
Laurent Mekies backs Lawson’s performance
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies also acknowledged the difficulty of the task handed to Lawson.
“It’s never easy to step into a different team, a different car for a race like that, and he’s done a good job,” Mekies said. “He was only one tenth away from Max yesterday in qualifying, and today took the points that were available to him pace-wise with seventh place.”
British heavyweight Moses Itauma will face Filip Hrgovic on Saturday for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title.
A victory would make Itauma the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson. The British contender says the “expectations” are there for him to carry the flag for British boxing.
Read more: Itauma v Hrgovic upgraded to IBF world-title bout
The FIA’s ADUO announcement—covering the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities for Formula 1 power units—had been a long time coming. After the results of the first assessment period were shared with teams and manufacturers at the Monaco Grand Prix, the press release was ready in almost exactly its final form. Only the section covering the second period was missing.
The delay was caused by Red Bull’s significant dissatisfaction with the first-period result, which was reportedly raised behind the scenes with the involvement of Oliver Mintzlaff.
Red Bull had limited options to challenge the outcome. Although the ADUO system has clear weaknesses, the teams and manufacturers agreed to its framework last year. Red Bull Ford Powertrains could request only a factual review, and that did not alter the result. FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis said the governing body’s measurements were accurate, despite Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies arguing that there was not a single data point showing Red Bull had the best engine.
Red Bull highlighted its deficit at power-sensitive circuits. According to Mekies, that shortfall was greater than at tracks such as Monaco and the Hungaroring, where power units have less influence. However, the performance picture at energy-starved circuits is also affected by energy management and how effectively each power unit handles that challenge.
Those factors are not included in the FIA’s ADUO calculations, which measure only the power output of the internal combustion engine (ICE). The FIA cannot disclose the precise measurement methods and data publicly because they involve intellectual property and confidential information.
“Due to the confidential nature of this information, no further details on power unit performance index measurements will be communicated,” the FIA statement reads.
As a result, the FIA announcement states only that Mercedes falls into the 2%-4% deficit category. That gives the manufacturer one upgrade opportunity in 2026 and another in 2027. Ferrari, Audi and Honda are all classified in the plus-4% deficit category, granting each two new homologations—and therefore two update opportunities—in the current season, followed by two more next year.
The ADUO system was designed to help manufacturers such as Honda that were significantly behind, but it has become a political battleground in Formula 1.
These manufacturers also receive additional financial headroom under the power unit manufacturers’ cost cap. Mercedes High Performance Powertrains can receive an allowance of up to $3 million, while Ferrari can receive up to $4.65 million.
The FIA has also introduced an additional safety net for manufacturers in serious difficulty, such as Honda. A manufacturer more than 10% behind the best ICE would be eligible for a cost-cap allowance of up to $11 million per ADUO period, plus an additional $8 million for 2026 as a whole. However, Honda was understood not to have fully met those criteria after the first assessment period.
The Japanese manufacturer can nevertheless accept the FIA’s analysis.
“I think the number we received from the FIA looks reasonable. I would say that number is fair. And also, thanks to ADUO, we are now working hard to develop our engine,” chief engineer Shintaro Orihara told Motorsport.com.
Red Bull’s opposition to championship standings may have backfired
The second assessment period produced no additional upgrade opportunities, indicating that the performance picture had not changed significantly.
For Red Bull, that could theoretically mean one of two things: either the newcomer remains at the top of the ICE ranking, or its deficit is below 2%. The latter would also produce no upgrade opportunity.
However, Motorsport.com understands that the ranking and the gaps between manufacturers remain broadly unchanged. Red Bull Ford Powertrains is therefore rated by the FIA as having the best internal combustion engine in Formula 1.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has acknowledged that Mercedes has the best overall power unit. However, ADUO assesses only the ICE, exposing one of the system’s central weaknesses: the measurement applies to just one part of the power unit, while the resulting upgrade opportunities extend further and cover electrical components as well.
Mercedes has the best power unit in F1, as Toto Wolff also acknowledged, but it has nevertheless received an upgrade opportunity.
Red Bull remains behind on the electrical side, but its strong ICE ranking prevents it from addressing that weakness under the current rules. The newcomer is therefore effectively checkmated.
That is a weakness in the system, although the FIA cannot be entirely blamed. Tombazis has told the media that he was open to including more parameters, but the teams and manufacturers pushed to keep the process as simple as possible.
One example is turbocharger size, which Tombazis wanted to include in the assessment. That did not happen, allowing Ferrari to benefit from a deliberate design choice. The Italian manufacturer enjoyed an advantage off the line at the start of the season because of its smaller turbo, but sacrificed some power as a result. ADUO now allows Ferrari to address that trade-off, particularly after it received two upgrade opportunities.
That raises questions about whether it is fair to reward or penalize deliberate design decisions, but it is how the current system operates.
The FIA also intended to factor championship standings into the ADUO calculations. The system was not designed to give the dominant manufacturer even more opportunities to develop, but insiders say Red Bull was among those that opposed including the championship position.
That stance was understandable based on the circumstances at the time, but it has proved counterproductive for Red Bull. When the discussions took place last year, the team could reasonably have thought: As a newcomer, we are probably going to be more than 2% behind, but if the chassis is good, we could still be relatively high up in the championship standings. In that case, it would logically be advantageous if the FIA did not take that aspect into account.
The reality has been the opposite. Red Bull’s ICE is highly competitive, but its chassis was below par at the beginning of the season. As a result, the championship standings are unfavorable from Red Bull’s perspective, and including them in the ADUO system could have provided the team with a lifeline.
Red Bull’s chassis has been below par, meaning that, with hindsight, the team would have benefited if championship standings had been included.
FIA acknowledges ADUO weaknesses as Red Bull faces final opportunity
The ADUO results explain why Red Bull is the only manufacturer prohibited from developing its power unit during the season. There is still one opportunity to change that: the third assessment period, which concludes after the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Red Bull does not control its own fate, however. Its position depends on its rivals. If they do not use their upgrade opportunities on the ICE—Mercedes in particular—and do not suddenly extract more performance from it than they have so far, Red Bull will remain unable to develop its power unit.
The ADUO results have therefore revealed more than Red Bull’s position in the rankings. They have also exposed weaknesses in the system, something the FIA readily acknowledges. Motorsport.com asked Tombazis in Hungary whether ADUO was currently working as intended.
“I think our measurement, in my opinion, has proven to be very accurate,” he replied. “With that said, has everything worked fine? No, because obviously people are not happy and so on. Do we need to think about improvements in the future? Yes, I would say so.”
When announcing the results, Tombazis again indicated that the system could be revised in the coming years:
“This is the first year of ADUO so naturally there are areas which we may evolve over time, in discussion with all the PU manufacturers.”
Behind the scenes, that process remains at an early stage and will need to produce more concrete proposals in the coming months.
The current outcome is perhaps the clearest illustration of ADUO’s weaknesses. The manufacturer with the best overall power unit receives development opportunities based on its ICE deficit, while a manufacturer that is weaker on the electrical side cannot address that problem because of its ADUO classification.
That issue will require consideration over the longer term. For now, however, the teams and manufacturers—including Red Bull—must also accept responsibility, having agreed to the system last year.
It has been another busy week in sport, featuring marathon drama, the Dutch Grand Prix and the return of the Premier League.
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Alex Fitzpatrick quickly discovered how dramatically life can change after winning on the PGA Tour. While celebrating his Zurich Classic pairs victory alongside his older brother, world No. 4 Matt Fitzpatrick, Alex received an unexpected congratulations from basketball legend Michael Jordan at a golf club north of Palm Beach, Florida.
“I look over and it’s Michael Jordan,” Fitzpatrick says. “I’m like ‘wow’, it’s insane.”
“He walks past the table. He’s got a bag full of cigars, t-shirt untucked, he looks like the coolest person ever.”
“He walked past me, saw Gary Woodland, who won the previous week, and was like ‘wow, it’s a room of winners in here’. That was the coolest thing ever.”
“When I started to really love basketball, I watched videos of him. I love his shoes. I loved everything about him. It was surreal having that moment.”
“I’m not someone who gets starstruck but Michael Jordan, having him say stuff to me, it was a different world.”
That world now appears to be one Fitzpatrick is increasingly comfortable inhabiting. Alongside his maiden DP World Tour victory at the Indian Open in March, he has recorded five top-10 finishes in 13 PGA Tour starts.
Some critics questioned whether Fitzpatrick deserved the two-year tour card he received after winning the Zurich Classic in April. His performances in 2026, however, have strengthened his case for competing alongside the world’s best golfers.
Fitzpatrick is so confident in his place among the elite that he has not relied heavily on Matt for advice.
“The truth is, we haven’t spoken that much about a lot of stuff. I’ve picked his brain once this year, maybe twice,” he says.
“I feel comfortable out here and comfortable around the group of people playing on this tour.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time, I’ve been playing golf since I was four.”
“I haven’t asked him a lot of questions about how things work, maybe how to get better with certain things.”
“He’s always someone I can text or call but he’s still my brother and that’s more important than the golf side.”
Isack Hadjar’s decision to withdraw from the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix because of a wrist injury showed confidence rather than weakness, according to former Red Bull mechanic Calum Nicholas.
Hadjar had made an impressive start to the 2026 Formula 1 season alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull. However, he stood down for the Zandvoort race after sustaining the injury, allowing Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson to take his place at short notice.
Lawson finished seventh in a chaotic race after Verstappen’s Red Bull crashed out on the opening lap.
Hadjar’s Dutch Grand Prix absence praised
Speaking on the latest episode of the Talking Bull podcast, Nicholas praised Hadjar for prioritising his fitness and the remainder of the season.
“To take the week out as a precaution to make sure that he was fit for the rest of the season actually shows the confidence that he’s had all year,” Nicholas explained.
“He’s been doing an incredible job. It’s a real sign of the confidence that he’s got to be able to just say, ‘Look, I’m not 100%. I’m going to take this week out as a precaution.’ And yeah, hopefully we see him back in the car in Monza.”
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing. Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
It has not yet been confirmed whether Hadjar will return to the cockpit for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, which takes place from 4 to 6 September. The Red Bull driver was nevertheless present with the team at Zandvoort.
“We also had Isack with us this weekend even though he couldn’t be driving,” team principal Laurent Mekies said. “He was with the team trying to take the learning and trying to make sure we can push all together as strongly as we can next week in Monza.”
In his first season with Red Bull, Hadjar sits eighth in the drivers’ championship with 68 points. Verstappen is sixth with 112 points.
Ferrari has been awarded two upgrade tokens through Formula 1’s Additional Upgrades and Opportunities (ADUO) system to modify the power unit in its SF-26. The team has assembled the two updated engines for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but must still decide whether to introduce them at next week’s Italian Grand Prix.
The final decision is expected at the end of this week, when Ferrari approves the parts being sent to Monza. Although the timing may appear unusual, it reflects the complexities created by the current Formula 1 regulations.
Ferrari’s upgraded engine faces final testing
Formula 1’s mandatory summer shutdown has not worked in Ferrari’s favour. The closure of the Maranello factory extended the testing period for the new engine, designated 067/6. Before it can be used during a race weekend, the power unit must pass an endurance test by completing at least six grands prix on the test bench without reliability problems.
Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva engine department reportedly has 21 cells equipped with advanced test benches. However, cost limits and the aim of maintaining a level playing field mean that only two or three dynamometers are used, with strict time restrictions further extending the process.
If a reliability issue emerges and a minor modification is required, the approval procedure must stop and the entire testing process must begin again. As a result, Ferrari is taking a cautious approach before giving the green light for the ADUO2 engine to be installed in the SF-26 cars that Hamilton and Leclerc will drive at Monza.
The Ferrari cars are also expected to run a special celebratory livery commemorating Michael Schumacher’s time with the Maranello team.
New Ferrari power unit targets Mercedes
The upgraded project is expected to remain a six-cylinder engine while delivering approximately 15 additional horsepower and a revised power curve. Ferrari hopes the changes will reduce its qualifying and race deficit to Mercedes and improve the hybrid system’s charging phase.
The Ferrari cars could feature a new engine and livery in Monza. Photo by Eric Le Galliot.
Ferrari has modified both the Garrett turbochargers and the combustion chamber to make better use of the new Shell fuel approved for Monza. The expected performance gain comes from the combined effect of the higher-calorie fuel and the more advanced combustion system.
Ferrari is not arriving at Monza as the outright favourite. The Temple of Speed’s characteristics do not appear to suit the SF-26 on paper, but the team hopes Hamilton and Leclerc can qualify close to Mercedes, which is expected to lead the field.
Mercedes home driver Kimi Antonelli will also face an engine penalty at his home race and is expected to start at least 20th.
Italian Grand Prix to test 2026 engine hierarchy
The Italian Grand Prix will be an important test of the Formula 1 engine order following the adjustments permitted under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system. Monza will provide a particularly demanding benchmark because its layout makes electrical energy recovery difficult.
According to the FIA’s latest engine assessment, Red Bull remains the benchmark for internal combustion engine performance. Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Audi are all attempting to close the gap after receiving upgrade tokens for use during the 2026 and 2027 Formula 1 seasons.
The FIA has published the latest Additional Upgrades and Opportunities (ADUO) evaluation for Formula 1 power units, with the Red Bull-Ford internal combustion engine still ranked as the benchmark.
The analysis covers every race from the season-opening Australian Grand Prix through the Hungarian Grand Prix. According to the FIA’s findings, Red Bull-Ford currently has the most powerful internal combustion engine in F1.
Mercedes is estimated to be between 2% and 4% behind Red Bull-Ford on power. Audi, Ferrari and Honda are more than 4% adrift. Honda’s updated power unit, introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix, was not included in the latest assessment.
No additional power unit homologations awarded
Following the first quarter of the season, Mercedes was granted one additional homologation for each of 2026 and 2027. Audi, Ferrari and Honda were each awarded two additional homologations for both years. The allowances include extra cost-cap capacity and additional dyno testing, although no official announcement had been made at the time.
While the FIA confirmed the latest ADUO ranking, it did not award any further homologations in this evaluation period.
Mercedes expected to lead F1 power unit rankings
Mercedes had widely been considered to have the strongest power unit in Formula 1, rather than Red Bull-Ford. The ADUO system has faced criticism because it evaluates only the internal combustion engine, which is not the sole performance differentiator in F1’s current hybrid power units.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also acknowledged the strength of the team’s power unit, although his comments were not made specifically in reference to the ADUO system.
“The FIA has undertaken thorough and exhaustive analysis as part of our ADUO review process,” said Nikolas Tombazis, FIA director of single-seater. “With the release of the findings of period two, we are confident that, based on the quality of the data, its analysis is incredibly robust, giving us a high level of confidence in our findings. We also have to respect the confidentiality and intellectual property of the teams and their power unit manufacturers in disseminating any details from the findings.
“This is the first year of ADUO so naturally there are areas which we may evolve over time, in discussion with all the PU manufacturers.”
Red Bull questions ADUO opportunities
Red Bull has been particularly frustrated by the limited opportunities provided by the current ranking system. The team requested a review of the results issued after the Canadian Grand Prix, but that appeal was unsuccessful.
Speaking after the Belgian Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said:
“Toto is right. I also think that they have the most powerful power unit,” team principal Laurent Mekies said following the Belgian GP. “And certainly they had a sizeable advantage on the straight this weekend again.
“But it’s not the first weekend. They have an advantage on the straight most weekends. And this weekend a bit more with the track sensitivity.
“As you said, the second period closing in Budapest in a week’s time. We’ll see what’s happening.”
With Red Bull-Ford still at the top of the ADUO rankings, the system is expected to become a major topic of debate during the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
The future of LIV Golf hinges on player commitments in the coming weeks, with stakeholders emphasizing that without a critical mass of sign-ups, a proposed “LIV 2.0” transaction cannot proceed. League officials and players alike are navigating a period of uncertainty, as athletes weigh career options amid ongoing negotiations.
League Official Stresses Player Importance for Transaction
When asked if a critical mass of players was required before a deal could be finalized, a league representative stated: “The entirety of our focus is to get to this transaction and get through it. Without the players, that becomes very difficult. I have a good level of confidence in my conversation that we’ll have a critical mass of the right players to move this league forward.”
McDowell Describes ‘Subdued’ Mood Among Players
Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, a 2010 U.S. Open champion who joined LIV in 2022, told BBC Sport the atmosphere among the 57 players is “subdued.” He highlighted the diverse circumstances each athlete faces: “There are 57 players out here on LIV and there are 57 different mindsets. Some guys have some exemptions in other tours, some have nowhere to go [if LIV folds].”
McDowell said he plans to take “a step back” to evaluate his future after the Indianapolis event. “If LIV 2.0 goes ahead, we’ll look at the schedule and how it all plays out, and see if that suits me and my lifestyle,” he added. “I have an opportunity to go back to the European Tour and play there as well. Whether the two of those can happen simultaneously, whether I can only do one or the other, there are questions like that we don’t know the answers to. Until I get that, it’s very difficult to make any decisions.”
Smith Expresses Affection for LIV but Awaits Details
Cameron Smith, who joined LIV shortly after winning The Open in 2022, indicated he would need “a little bit of time to think about that once the season is done.” Asked if he would like to remain with LIV, Smith replied: “I really love LIV. It has done wonders for my family, for golf in Australia, my friends, the people that we’ve got to meet around the world. It would be a shame for it to be done, but we’ll see what happens.”
Unnamed Players Share Mixed Sentiments
Several players declined to speak on the record. One senior player described an “emotional” feeling within the group as they await clarity. Another offered a brief, shifting assessment: “it’s been great”, before quickly adding “it is great”.
Jon Rahm, whose future is the subject of considerable speculation, made it clear he would not speak to media beyond his tournament obligations. American Bryson DeChambeau also declined an interview request from BBC Sport.
DeChambeau Calls for Open-Mindedness
After Thursday’s first round, DeChambeau addressed the situation: “We definitely have a lot against us. If it works, it works, awesome. If it doesn’t, we’ll figure things out. Time will move on, and I would say that time heals things. I hope people can see that we actually bring value to the game of golf. My wish is that people give us one more shot and be open minded.”
