Tag: 2026 F1 regulations

Alpine Hires Former Mercedes F1 Tech Chief Mike Elliott as CTO
Key Highlights
- Alpine F1 appoints former Mercedes CTO Mike Elliott as Chief Technical Officer in a newly created role at the Enstone factory.
- Elliott returns to Enstone after previous tenure as principal aerodynamicist during the Renault and Lotus eras, bringing eight Constructors’ and eight Drivers’ championship pedigree.
- The appointment comes as Alpine fights Racing Bulls for fifth in the 2025 Constructors’ Championship ahead of its 2026 transition to Mercedes power units.
Alpine Bolsters Technical Leadership with Mike Elliott Appointment

The BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team has confirmed the appointment of Mike Elliott as Chief Technical Officer, a newly created position designed to oversee the technical and engineering functions at the team’s factory at Enstone. The announcement, made on Thursday, signals a significant reinforcement of the squad’s technical hierarchy as the outfit targets a return to the front of the grid. Elliott, a 52-year-old British engineer, assumes immediate responsibility for the entire technical area, with current Executive Technical Director David Sanchez now reporting directly into him.

A Proven Championship Pedigree Returns to Enstone

The hiring represents a notable homecoming for Elliott, who previously served as the team’s principal aerodynamicist during its Renault and Lotus iterations. His career trajectory since departing Enstone has been defined by sustained success at Mercedes. He joined the Brackley-based squad as Head of Aerodynamics, playing a pivotal role in the team’s early dominance of the 2014 hybrid regulations. Elliott subsequently rose through the ranks to serve as Technical Director and ultimately Chief Technical Officer, a tenure that saw him trade positions with James Allison before his departure from Mercedes in 2023.

Alpine Highlights Championship CV and Strategic Fit

In its official statement, Alpine emphasized the depth of Elliott’s winning experience. “He has a proven track record in the sport, having contributed to an impressive eight constructors’ and eight drivers’ championships,” the team stated. Alpine further contextualized the strategic rationale behind the hire, noting that “Elliott’s arrival at Enstone strengthens the team’s technical capabilities as the team looks to build on the improved performances on track and close the gap to the top four teams.” This mandate aligns directly with the team’s current trajectory, having sacrificed development on the 2024 car to prioritize the 2025 and 2026 projects.

Why This Matters

The appointment of Mike Elliott is a definitive statement of intent from Alpine and its parent company, Renault Group. After a difficult start to the current regulatory cycle, the team has shown signs of recovery in 2025, currently battling Visa Cash App Racing Bulls for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Crucially, 2026 marks a seismic shift for the Enstone operation: it will be the first season Alpine competes as a customer team for Mercedes power units, ending its factory engine program. Elliott’s intimate knowledge of Mercedes’ power unit installation requirements, cooling architectures, and aero-philosophy—gained during his decade-long stint at Brackley—provides a unique bridge between the chassis team and their new engine partner. His elevation above David Sanchez also clarifies a technical reporting structure that has seen frequent reorganization in recent years, placing a single, highly experienced figure at the apex of technical decision-making ahead of the all-new 2026 regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mike Elliott’s specific mandate at Alpine?

Elliott has been appointed Chief Technical Officer, a newly created role in which he will “oversee the technical and engineering functions at the team’s factory at Enstone.” He sits atop the technical hierarchy, with Executive Technical Director David Sanchez now reporting to him.

Why is his Mercedes background significant for Alpine’s 2026 season?

Alpine will switch to Mercedes customer power units in 2026. Elliott spent over a decade at Mercedes, rising to CTO, giving him unparalleled insight into the power unit’s integration requirements, which is critical for designing the all-new 2026 chassis regulations.

How has Alpine performed recently to warrant this structural change?

After a deliberate strategy of sacrificing 2024 development to focus on future regulations, Alpine has made a strong start to the 2025 season, currently fighting Racing Bulls for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
09/17/2026
“I f***ed up quite a lot”: How Yuki Tsunoda Discovered F1 2026 Complexity at Monza

Tsunoda Faces Steep Learning Curve With 2026 F1 Machinery at Spanish Grand Prix

Yuki Tsunoda returns to Racing Bulls for a third Formula 1 appearance this season at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, continuing his stand-in role for Liam Lawson. Lawson has moved to Red Bull Racing to replace the injured Isack Hadjar, giving Tsunoda another opportunity to adapt to the radically different 2026 regulations.

Mixed Results in First Two Outings

Tsunoda’s baptism with the new generation of cars began at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he finished just outside the points but ahead of teammate Arvid Lindblad. However, the Italian Grand Prix proved far more challenging. He struggled for pace relative to Lindblad throughout practice and qualifying, then lined up in the wrong grid slot during the race restart. A 10th-place finish remains provisional pending a protest from Audi, which argues Tsunoda should have been penalised for forcing an additional formation lap.

Complex Energy Management Demands Precision

The 2026 cars present a steep operational challenge. With a near 50:50 power split between the electrical motor and internal combustion engine, drivers must adopt an often counter-intuitive style that does not always prioritise maximum cornering speed. Active aerodynamics and machine-learning algorithms governing electrical deployment require precise throttle application rather than improvisation.

Monza compounded these difficulties. Its layout offers minimal energy harvesting opportunities, meaning a competitive lap demanded both a slipstream and mastery of limited electrical power deployment.

Tsunoda Details Operational Struggles

Speaking in Madrid, Tsunoda outlined the specific difficulties he encountered at Monza.

“I tended to forget quite a lot SM [Straightline Mode] last week, especially the Turn 8 to Turn 10,” he explained in Madrid.

“There’s been more activation points than last year. And also, it’s a lot of work I have to do in the out lap, not to use the energy.

“But obviously, if you don’t use the energy, the tyres are going to be cold, so you want to be sometimes aggressive in order where you [need] to be.

“You want to start the lap with 100% battery, but this sacrifice in places, where to do it, where to not, was very complicated – and something that I fucked up quite a lot in qualifying. And the consequence was huge.”

He also highlighted the increased reliance on steering wheel displays and throttle sensitivity.

“It’s like you have to [look] on the steering monitor more,” said Tsunoda.

“Somehow, you have to also be slightly more sensitive on throttle, especially in the out-lap. It is weird, especially in the out-lap, also in qualifying, but I think this is part of the regulation or sport, F1 right now, and you’ve got to deal with it.

“Somehow, I was underestimating the amount of damage or penalty you’ll get if you don’t do everything right, and I definitely experienced it in qualifying.”

Verstappen Critique Dismissed

Max Verstappen recently suggested that the ability of drivers like Lawson and Tsunoda to step into the new cars and be immediately competitive indicates fundamental flaws in the regulations, stating the cars are “numb to your driver inputs.” Tsunoda declined to engage with the assessment.

“It’s because these cars are numb to your driver inputs,” he said.

“I’m not really taking anything from his comments,” responded Tsunoda when this was put to him.

“And, you know, compare to my results, what I showed in two races, it’s a very individual thing.

“I think I’ve done a good job. And that’s it.”

As the Madrid weekend unfolds, Tsunoda will aim to translate his growing understanding of the 2026 machinery into a cleaner, more competitive showing on a circuit that offers more conventional energy management cycles than Monza.

09/11/2026
Monza Introduces Oval-Like Slipstream Racing to F1

The 2026 Formula 1 regulations have fundamentally altered race dynamics across the calendar, but the Italian Grand Prix at Monza delivered the most dramatic evidence yet. A new phenomenon, dubbed “yo-yo racing”, defined the 53-lap contest. Cars could easily complete overtakes using the extra grunt from battery deployment, yet struggled to break away or hold position once that energy depleted.

Slipstream and Energy Management Create Pack Racing

Monza’s long straights amplified the tow effect, which further boosted the effectiveness of the electric overtake mode. This allowed intrinsically slower cars to keep pace with the leaders, resulting in tight packs where drivers hounded each other without being able to pull clear. The dynamic was most obvious with Max Verstappen. Despite lacking the power unit performance to genuinely challenge the Mercedes cars for the win, the huge slipstream effect combined with 2026’s energy deployment needs meant he stayed glued to George Russell. The Briton was unable to break away, only to become a sitting duck whenever the Dutchman found a way past.

“To be honest, [I didn’t enjoy it] a lot when people just drive by you like you’re a turtle,” Verstappen said. “With the overtake mode, it looked quite promising, but as soon as I got in the lead, it was very hard to defend. Even when we had the VSC, we boxed, had better tyres, I’m overtaking cars, but as soon as they can hang in that overtake mode, it’s just too powerful for us to actually defend against that.”

Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton, who had lost touch with the lead pair before the mid-race virtual safety car, formed a secondary pocket, as did Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly. On an oval, veterans might trade the lead deliberately for maximum efficiency; on an F1 road course, that cooperation is far harder. The time Russell and Verstappen cost each other battling at the front opened the door for Kimi Antonelli to mount a spectacular comeback through the field.

Team Principals Highlight Regulatory Impact

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella explained the core dilemma facing quicker cars starting behind slower ones.

“Somehow with these Formula 1 [regulations], it’s not easy to get an overtake completed and move on,” McLaren team boss Andrea Stella explained. “If you see how much it took for Lando to pass Gasly and then start to close the gap to the cars ahead.
“We see that there’s certainly been quite a lot of entertainment, but to some extent there were also some issues for a quicker car to be able to compete if you don’t start at the front of the grid.”

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur echoed the frustration regarding energy management.

“The race pace was probably okay-ish. The main issue was top speed and overtaking. It was quite impossible for us to attack or to defend. When we were attacking someone, we were draining the battery, and next straight line we were losing the position.”

Monza 2026: A Benchmark for New Regulations

Stella described the Italian GP weekend as one of the busiest of the year for his crew, as engineers and drivers grappled with optimizing strategy and set-up for this energy-hungry style of racing.

“Very, very busy for everyone, drivers and engineers, with managing the power unit and the battery on a circuit like Monza,” he added. “This becomes the dominating element of racing. We see that jointly with the slipstream a faster car actually can struggle then to pull away from a slower car.
“This could make a [difference per lap] of as much as half a second, the combination of the slipstream and the fact that you have a car behind that you start to use the boost to defend [against] and then you lose a lot of pace.
“Monza 2026, I think, will be remembered as the most relevant race with the new regulations. It required a high quality from an execution point of view. I think we did, but overall we were not in contention for the victory because Mercedes had a step advantage on everyone else.”

Antonelli Defies the Trend with Masterclass Drive

Eventual winner Kimi Antonelli was the only driver to buck the pack-racing trend. Starting 19th on the grid, he marched up the order, running as high as sixth after the Lap 6 restart. While Mercedes’ superior energy deployment played a role, the fact that Antonelli moved through groups while teammate Russell remained stuck behind Verstappen at the front underscores the driver’s own credit. The 20-year-old Italian showcased aggressive yet meticulous overtaking skills and precise car placement.

“The differentiator today was the ability going through the traffic,” said Antonelli’s team boss Toto Wolff. “And we’ve seen it with other great ones in the past. Lewis, who did it at some of the races, and that’s what Kimi has shown today. There’s just no stopping [him]. When a driver and a car are one, then there’s nothing that can stop them.”

09/07/2026
What Lando Norris’ Contract Extension Means for McLaren and Oscar Piastri

McLaren has secured Lando Norris on a long-term contract that will keep the reigning Formula 1 world champion with the Woking-based team until 2030, with options for multiple additional years. The deal is expected to reflect Norris’ status as one of F1’s leading drivers and takes him into his 30s with McLaren.

The 26-year-old’s contract removes one of the biggest names from the Formula 1 driver market for years to come, making Norris a bona fide franchise driver for McLaren. The idea of seeing him in a different-coloured race suit has always seemed difficult to imagine, and this agreement makes that prospect even less likely.

Norris joined McLaren’s driver programme a decade ago after being recruited by Zak Brown. He progressed through the junior single-seater ranks with Carlin before replacing Stoffel Vandoorne as McLaren’s grand prix driver in 2019, joining a new generation of British-born talent that included George Russell and Alex Albon.

After developing from a fast but raw and insecure prospect into a championship-winning star, Norris enjoyed a defining 2025 season. He overcame driving-style difficulties, mechanical failures and the challenge posed by team-mate Oscar Piastri to claim his first Formula 1 world championship.

That achievement appeared to transform Norris’ outlook. Having once hoped he could fulfil his ambitions, he gained the confidence that he could actually achieve them.

“Lando is driving and operating at the level of a world champion,” team boss Andrea Stella said after Norris’ Zandvoort win. “What I like the most about his journey in Formula 1 is that he keeps improving. And I think especially after the start of the 2025 season, something clicked, which is not only a single click, but is a way of working with Lando and that we are adopting also on Oscar’s side now in particular. And I think this approach has led Lando to continuous improvements.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lando Norris and McLaren
Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

McLaren prioritises stability ahead of the 2027 F1 season

McLaren’s decision to commit to Norris reflects its desire for stability as Formula 1 teams contend with the complexity of the 2026 power unit regulations. The team has agreed to pay an undisclosed but reportedly substantial sum to retain its most successful driver since Lewis Hamilton.

At 26, Norris is entering the prime years of his career. Keeping him under contract gives McLaren continuity as it works to overcome a relatively slow start to the 2026 season. His two victories either side of the summer break suggest the team is beginning to make progress.

The quiet driver market further underlines the value teams are placing on stability. With resources stretched by the demands of the 2026 regulations, teams are keen to eliminate as many uncertainties as possible, provided their drivers are delivering strong performances.

When Max Verstappen, the dominant figure in the F1 silly season, chose to remain with Red Bull, the 2027 grid was always likely to resemble this year’s line-up. Charles Leclerc has also reaffirmed his commitment to Ferrari, while Mercedes is expected to seek similar long-term continuity with its drivers, particularly Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur explained the value of Leclerc’s long-term relationship with Maranello: “Having this kind of continuity is always positive. For me it’s also much easier to work with drivers that I have known for ages. Sometimes you don’t need to discuss [something] when you have known someone for 10, 15 or 20 years, when the first feeling is the good one, and you know what he’s thinking.”

The relationship between Norris and McLaren is built on a similar level of mutual trust and understanding, benefiting both the driver and the team.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Pauline Ballet / LAT Images via Getty Images

What does Lando Norris’ deal mean for Oscar Piastri?

Norris’ high-profile contract is likely to prompt close attention from Oscar Piastri and his management team. The Australian extended his McLaren contract to 2028 at the start of the 2025 championship and appeared to be in control of the title fight until a combination of declining performance, driver errors, team mistakes and bad luck left him behind both Norris and Verstappen.

The outcome was a major setback for Piastri. Concerns about team orders and McLaren’s rules of engagement during the 2025 campaign may also influence how he views Norris’ long-term agreement. Controversial incidents included a position swap at the Italian Grand Prix and contact between the two team-mates in Singapore and Austin.

Those who believe McLaren is, and always will be, Norris’ team are likely to view the extension as confirmation of that perception. Piastri, however, has more immediate concerns.

After an exceptionally strong first half of the 2025 season, the 25-year-old has endured an extended dip in performance with the 2026-generation cars. His struggles appear similar to the driving-style problems he experienced last year on low-grip circuits such as Austin and Mexico.

Team principal Stella said Piastri’s issues are “purely technical” rather than mental, whether they are connected to the end of 2025 or the start of 2026. Piastri is set to reach a full calendar year without a grand prix victory on Monday.

McLaren is working with Piastri behind the scenes on changes to both the car and his driving style, following an approach similar to the one that helped Norris last year. If those efforts succeed, McLaren could have both of its leading drivers back at their best for a closely contested second half of 2026 and a potential title challenge in 2027.

McLaren’s long-term objective remains to have both drivers competing against each other for race wins and championships. That could lead to Piastri following a similar path towards a contract extension, although his management team must decide whether remaining with McLaren is in his best interests or whether it is time to consider alternatives.

Piastri’s current contract runs until the end of 2028, giving him and McLaren time to assess their options. In the meantime, McLaren has its reigning world champion secured for the entire current rules cycle—one fewer uncertainty as the Woking team seeks to retain and strengthen its title-winning line-up.

08/29/2026
Andrea Stella Challenges Mercedes’ Claim It Can’t Afford F1 Upgrades: “I actually don’t believe you”

McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella has dismissed Toto Wolff’s claim that Mercedes lacks the budget to accelerate its car development programme.

Ferrari and McLaren have made major gains with their 2026 cars in recent weeks. Both teams have taken two victories, increasing the pressure on Mercedes after its earlier dominance.

Mercedes delays major F1 upgrade package

Mercedes has introduced only a limited number of aerodynamic upgrades compared with its rivals. The team is instead planning to bring a larger package to the October Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The delay could leave Mercedes vulnerable during the next three September races in Italy, Spain and Azerbaijan. Asked by Motosport.com after the Dutch Grand Prix whether the development strategy was becoming more difficult to justify amid McLaren’s rapid progress, Wolff said Mercedes was constrained by how its Brackley operation had allocated its $215m cost-cap allowance.

“We haven’t got the money to put developments on the car. I said before that we are trying to evenly split that through the season based on our calculations of when we can bring the biggest updates and optimising the championship points. But we just can’t do what we can’t do,” the Austrian said.

“You will see towards the end of the season whether they are going to be able to deploy as much stuff onto the car as they do now.

“Someone might have a different strategy in spending more at the beginning and the middle of the year than towards the end.”

When asked about Wolff’s comments, McLaren chief Stella expressed strong doubts about Mercedes’ financial explanation.

“I would like to believe you, but I actually don’t believe you.”

Andrea Stella cast doubt on Mercedes’ claims

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

McLaren points to additional 2026 cost-cap allowance

Stella’s scepticism relates partly to changes in the 2027 power-unit regulations. The rules will move Formula 1 towards a 57-43 split between combustion power and electrical energy, while also affecting specific areas of car design.

Teams have been granted an additional $3m cost-cap allowance that can be used in their 2026 or 2027 reporting to prepare for those changes. Stella said Mercedes could use that allowance to manufacture upgraded car components if it chose to do so.

“All teams will have an allowance in their reporting for the cost cap,” Stella said. “And if I’m not wrong, it’s like three million that you can use in the 2026 reporting for cost cap calculations. And I’m sure that Mercedes, having seen that their rivals are kind of elevating the game, I’m sure they will now cash in on their development that surely is happening in the ground.

“I’m sure the car in the wind tunnel is quite a bit faster than the car they have on track and they will want to now convert some of this potential into upgrades that make it to the real car. So, I’m just pretty sure that they will have upgrades. Obviously, it would be good if not, but I don’t even want to think about it…”

08/26/2026
Netflix Renews “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” for Season 9

Netflix Confirms Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 9 for 2026 Championship

Netflix has officially announced that its hit behind-the-scenes docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive will return for a ninth season, documenting the ongoing 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. Since its debut on the streaming platform in 2019, the series has provided viewers with unprecedented paddock access and a window into the drivers’ lives away from the circuit.

Producers Promise Deeper Access in New Season

Box to Box Films, the production company behind the show, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming installment. Executive producers James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin said in a joint statement: “We’re so excited to be making Season 9 of this iconic show,” James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin, executive producers at Box to Box, which produces the show, said. “This year we’re going to go deeper than ever before into the hidden spaces of this fantastic sport.”

Series Credited with Transforming F1’s Global Audience

While the docuseries has faced criticism for its creative editing—often compared to reality television dramatics—its impact on the sport’s popularity is undeniable. Drive to Survive has been instrumental in expanding Formula 1’s fanbase in the United States and attracting a younger, more gender-diverse audience.

Reflecting on that impact during a 2023 interview with F1.com, Gay-Rees said: “Genuinely, we are enormously proud to be a part of it. There’s also a lot of satisfaction at being first with these things, and I think that it kind of does feel like the first main access show – certainly out of the UK anyway – that has had this profound effect.

He continued: “We’ve all had the statistics about the changing, younger demographic, and it’s tough out there for anybody, for any big organisation, to hold its ground given the amount of choices that are out there for the consumer. Bringing such a big new audience to a sport – which obviously was deserved, it just needed somebody to open it up – is massively satisfying.

Gay-Rees added: “The fact that it wasn’t a fluke, the fact that it’s grown [with every season]… It’s a real honour and we love it. It’s a very difficult show to make, but we love the process, we love the world. Long may it continue!”

Season 9 to Focus on 2026 Regulation Era

The ninth season will centre on the 2026 F1 season, which introduces sweeping new technical regulations including revised power-unit rules and active aerodynamics. The new campaign is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2027.

Fan Reaction Builds Anticipation

Following the announcement on the official Netflix UK Instagram account, fans shared their excitement. One commenter wrote: “The Aston Martin episode will be Absolute Television,” while another posted: “Looking forward to the DTS marathon,” and a third added: “OK I can’t wait for DTS. I actually like it.”

08/24/2026