Tag: 2026 F1 season

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview: Russell’s Golden Opportunity Amid Expected Interruptions at Baku City Circuit
Key Highlights
- George Russell targets a third victory of the 2026 season as Mercedes performance potential aligns with Baku’s circuit characteristics
- Formula 1 marks ten years of competition at the Baku City Circuit, adding historical significance to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend
- Russell enters the race second in the Drivers’ Championship following a mid-season slump and renewed form since the summer shutdown
Baku’s Decade Milestone Sets Stage for Critical Championship Weekend

Formula 1 arrives at the Baku City Circuit this weekend to commemorate a decade of Grand Prix racing on the Caspian Sea coastline. Since its debut in 2016, the Azerbaijan street circuit has established itself as one of the calendar’s most unpredictable venues, combining high-speed straights with a treacherous castle section that has produced dramatic championship moments. The 2026 edition carries heightened stakes as the championship enters its decisive phase, with the circuit’s unique demands offering opportunities for drivers and teams to alter the title trajectory.

Russell’s Mercedes Resurgence Creates Winning Opportunity

George Russell approaches Baku with what represents a golden opportunity to secure his first victory in seven rounds. Despite the demonstrated performance potential of the Mercedes W16 throughout the 2026 campaign, the British driver has converted that pace into just two wins to date. Russell endured a challenging mid-season period that stalled his championship challenge before an uptick in form coinciding with the return from the summer shutdown. The Mercedes package has historically suited Baku’s blend of power sensitivity and aerodynamic efficiency, and Russell’s current momentum positions him as a leading contender to capitalize on the circuit’s overtaking opportunities and frequent safety car interventions.

Championship Implications Intensify at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Russell’s position as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship adds strategic complexity to his Baku weekend. With the title fight entering its critical closing stages, every point carries amplified significance. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has historically delivered high-attrition races where championship leaders have lost ground, and Russell’s recent form trajectory suggests he possesses the machinery and momentum to exploit any vulnerabilities among his rivals. The convergence of Mercedes’ technical suitability, Russell’s rediscovered rhythm, and Baku’s propensity for race-changing incidents creates a compelling narrative for the sport’s tenth visit to the Azerbaijani capital.

Why This Matters

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix represents a pivotal junction in the championship calendar. As Formula 1 celebrates ten years at Baku, the circuit’s reputation for unpredictability intersects with a title fight that has seen momentum shift repeatedly. Russell’s pursuit of a third victory is not merely a statistical milestone; it would signal Mercedes’ sustained competitiveness and potentially reset the championship dynamics heading into the final flyaway races. For the broader paddock, Baku serves as a litmus test of racecraft under pressure, where strategic acumen and adaptability often outweigh pure pace. The outcome will likely influence development trajectories and driver market perceptions as the season approaches its conclusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wins does George Russell have in the 2026 Formula 1 season?

George Russell has won two races during the 2026 Formula 1 season entering the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

What is George Russell’s current position in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship?

Russell sits second in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship standings ahead of the Baku round.

Why is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix significant for Formula 1?

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix marks the tenth anniversary of Formula 1 racing at the Baku City Circuit, celebrating a decade since the venue joined the calendar in 2016.
09/25/2026
James Hinchcliffe Explains Why Ferrari Is “Happy” With Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc Rivalry
Key Highlights
- James Hinchcliffe asserts Ferrari welcomes the intensifying rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, calling it the expected outcome of signing the seven-time champion.
- Hamilton rebounded in 2026 with his first Ferrari podium in China and maiden victory for the Scuderia in Barcelona, sitting third in the standings with 191 points.
- Hinchcliffe describes the two-driver battle as a “privileged position” that accelerates development, though he acknowledges difficult team-order decisions may loom if Ferrari contends for the title in 2027.
Hinchcliffe: Ferrari’s Hamilton-Leclerc Rivalry Is a Feature, Not a Bug

Former IndyCar race-winner and current F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe has dismissed suggestions that Lewis Hamilton‘s resurgence at Ferrari constitutes a headache for team principal Frédéric Vasseur. Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hinchcliffe argued the Scuderia deliberately engineered a high-stakes intra-squad duel when it recruited the seven-time world champion, and that the current friction is precisely the dynamic the Maranello hierarchy anticipated.

From Struggle to Strength: Hamilton’s 2026 Turnaround

Hamilton’s debut campaign with Ferrari in 2025 yielded scant reward as he grappled with the car and the organization’s operational rhythm. The narrative shifted decisively in 2026. Having acclimated to the squad and the revised technical regulations, the Briton claimed his first podium in red at the Chinese Grand Prix before converting pole position into a breakthrough victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. Those results have propelled him to third in the drivers’ championship on 191 points, albeit 101 adrift of leader Kimi Antonelli. Team-mate Charles Leclerc, long regarded as the franchise cornerstone, sits fifth with 167 points.

“They Didn’t Sign Him to Be Subservient”

Asked whether Hamilton’s newfound pace had created an unforeseen management challenge for Vasseur, Hinchcliffe was unequivocal. “I think they’re happy to have the problem,” he said. “I don’t think Ferrari would sign somebody that they were anticipating to be slower and subservient to Charles, to the ‘Ferrari Golden Boy’.” The pundit emphasized that Vasseur, having managed Hamilton in junior categories, entered the partnership with open eyes regarding the 39-year-old’s ceiling. “Everybody knows exactly what Lewis is capable of, and Fred has seen it from the beginning. So, no, I think they were more surprised last year at the lack of issue they had with this because Lewis wasn’t up to the same pace as Charles, and that this year is really more what they were expecting to have, and frankly, it’s what they want.”

Development Accelerant and the “Privileged Position”

Hinchcliffe framed the internecine competition as a catalyst for engineering progress. “When you have two drivers that can push each other like this, you’re going to help make the team better. Yes, at some point it might bring up some difficult conversations and some difficult decisions, but that’s a privileged position to be in.” He projected that if Ferrari delivers a title-capable chassis in 2027, the dialogue will evolve from managing egos to adjudicating championship strategy. “It’s one that they hope, if they get the car right next year, that we’ll be having similar conversations next year, but talking about the championship implications of who they should back.”

Why This Matters

The Hamilton-Leclerc axis represents Formula 1’s most scrutinized driver pairing: a record-equalling champion chasing an eighth crown versus a homegrown talent anointed as the Scuderia’s future. Hinchcliffe’s assessment reframes the narrative from potential dysfunction to calculated roster construction. Ferrari’s 2026 form — race-winning pace but a substantial deficit to Antonelli in the standings — suggests the team has the raw performance to exploit a two-driver development loop. However, the “difficult conversations” Hinchcliffe anticipates will materialize only if the 2027 regulation set yields a genuine title contender. For now, Vasseur’s challenge is converting the rivalry into constructive data without fracturing garage harmony, a balancing act that will define Ferrari’s trajectory into the next regulatory cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Lewis Hamilton stand in the 2026 drivers’ championship?

Hamilton is third with 191 points, 101 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

What were Hamilton’s key results for Ferrari in 2026?

He scored his first podium for the team at the Chinese Grand Prix and took his maiden Ferrari victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

Does James Hinchcliffe believe Ferrari will face team-order dilemmas?

Yes. He acknowledges “difficult conversations and some difficult decisions” may arise, but characterizes that scenario as a “privileged position” that Ferrari actively sought by signing Hamilton.
09/23/2026
Williams Accepts 2026 F1 Development Compromise, Shifts Focus to 2027
Key Highlights
- Williams Racing has accepted a developmental compromise for the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season, having redirected the majority of its engineering resources toward the 2027 campaign.
- Team principal James Vowles confirmed two new chassis and aerodynamic upgrades will debut at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to address car mass limits, but warned the updates will not be sufficient to consistently score points given the pace of rival development.
- A difficult Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit—where Alex Albon finished 15th and Carlos Sainz retired with floor damage—exposed the extent of Williams’ current performance deficit relative to the midfield.
Vowles Acknowledges Difficult Spanish Grand Prix Reality

Williams team principal James Vowles offered a candid assessment of the squad’s trajectory during his post-race “Vowles Verdict” debrief following a challenging Spanish Grand Prix at the brand-new Madring circuit. The weekend underscored the Grove outfit’s current struggles: Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz qualified 16th and 17th respectively, before Sainz incurred a three-place grid penalty for impeding, dropping him to 20th on the grid. Albon managed only 15th at the finish, while Sainz retired after 43 laps due to floor damage.

“For us, a difficult grand prix. We knew it was going to be difficult going into it,” Vowles explained. “It’s just exaggerating the issues we have at the moment, and we haven’t added performance to the car for far too long and have fallen back relative to teams around us.”

Baku Upgrades Offer Limited Relief

Looking ahead to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Vowles outlined a technical plan aimed at extracting immediate gains. “We have Baku coming up next, and it’s a race we’ve been looking forward to for a while. We’re going to be bringing two new chassis to that event in a bid to get our car mass below the limit. So that should be a strong step up in performance for us. And in addition to that, we’ll have some aerodynamic upgrades that go with it.”

However, the team principal tempered expectations regarding the impact of those updates. “There is a however. The field has moved on so significantly and these upgrades, whilst powerful, simply won’t be what we are looking for in order to consistently score points.”

Strategic Pivot Toward 2027 Season

The fundamental constraint, Vowles revealed, is a resource allocation decision made months ago. “We’ve invested a lot already into next year and beyond, and the resultant behind this is that we accept the compromise to this year, and it stems from what happened over the winter, and we weren’t able to recuperate to the level we wanted. So, a positive step forward but really we need more, and it will come into next year.”

This strategic pivot means Williams has effectively conceded the remainder of the 2026 championship, accepting a period of limited competitiveness to accelerate development for the 2027 regulation cycle.

Why This Matters

Williams’ situation illustrates the brutal resource allocation dilemma facing midfield teams under Formula 1’s cost cap and aerodynamic testing restrictions. With development bandwidth finite, teams must choose between fighting for points in the current season or investing early in the next regulatory cycle—a decision that can define competitiveness for years. For Williams, a historic constructor seeking to return to the front, the 2027 regulation changes represent a potential inflection point. The team’s willingness to endure a barren second half of 2026 signals high internal confidence in their 2027 concept, but also carries reputational and commercial risk if the projected gains fail to materialize. The Baku upgrades will serve as a litmus test for whether the new chassis can at least stabilize the car’s platform before the long pivot to next year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Williams bringing two new chassis to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Williams is introducing two new chassis in Baku to reduce the car’s mass below the regulatory minimum weight limit, which Vowles described as a “strong step up in performance” for the team.

Will the Baku upgrades make Williams competitive enough to score points regularly?

No. Vowles explicitly stated that while the upgrades are “powerful,” the development rate of rival teams means they “simply won’t be what we are looking for in order to consistently score points.”
What caused Williams to accept a compromise for the rest of the 2026 season?

The team shifted the majority of its engineering resources to the 2027 project during the winter, and Vowles acknowledged they “weren’t able to recuperate to the level we wanted” for the current campaign, forcing a strategic acceptance of reduced competitiveness in 2026.
09/19/2026
Nico Rosberg Stunned by Kimi Antonelli’s “Unbelievable” Maturity Amid 2026 F1 Title Fight

Rosberg Astonished by Antonelli’s Maturity as Mercedes Rookie Extends 2026 Title Lead

2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg says he has been left astonished by Kimi Antonelli’s composure during the 2026 season, after the Mercedes rookie secured his eighth victory of the year at the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix held at the Madring circuit.

The win extends Antonelli’s commanding lead atop the Drivers’ Championship to 81 points over teammate George Russell, who sits second in the standings. The Italian entered the season as a title contender alongside the experienced Russell but has rapidly established himself as the class of the field.

Rosberg Draws Parallels to 2016 Title Pressure

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the Madrid race, Rosberg compared Antonelli’s current mindset to the intense psychological burden he carried during his own championship-winning campaign.

“We are all human. He’s not superhuman,” Rosberg said. “I was absolutely terrified that it was hard to drive properly. The nearer I got to the end of the season, it was impossible for me to win races or get pole because my brain capacity had so much fear of losing my dream with a stupid mistake or with something which can easily happen.

“At some point he will have to feel that a little bit. But it’s unbelievable so far how solid and mature he is. Even Toto can’t believe it.”

Rosberg’s reference to fear paralyzing performance late in a title fight underscores the rarity of Antonelli’s consistency. Despite being only 20 years old, the Italian became the youngest driver ever to lead the championship following back-to-back wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, and has only strengthened his grip since.

Wolff: Antonelli is “Cool as a Cucumber”

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff echoed Rosberg’s amazement, describing his young driver’s demeanor as almost preternaturally calm.

“I think he’s cool – sometimes an inch too cool! When he brushes the wall five laps from the end and comes on the radio ‘check the car’, you’re like ‘really, again, white lines, walls’ but maybe that’s how he keeps himself in the zone,” Wolff said.

“Almost his youth helps him a lot because he’s 20. He could stay in this sport for 20 years with so many opportunities. He’s so above all of our expectations and his own. He’s just going with the flow.

“I think there is also a genetic factor. You are born cool as a cucumber or you’re not. You can see this in junior formula or karting – taking pressure easier.

“He’s taken this to another level. We are talking about Formula 1. You see junior drivers crumbling in Formula 2.

“He’s just doing his thing. We told him ‘this is a race where we need to bring it home, need to score points whether it’s P2 or P5, we don’t care, just drive it home’. He does that and goes fast.”

Wolff’s assessment highlights a maturity that defies the typical rookie trajectory. While many questioned when the pressure would finally affect the young Italian, Antonelli continues to deliver race-winning speed alongside the discipline of a veteran.

Championship Momentum Builds for Mercedes Phenom

With eight victories already secured and a substantial points cushion over a proven race-winner in Russell, Antonelli’s maiden title appears increasingly inevitable. The Madrid weekend served as further evidence that the Mercedes driver possesses not only raw pace but the psychological resilience required to close out a championship—a trait that even a former champion like Rosberg finds remarkable.

09/14/2026
Norris claims scintillating pole for Spanish GP
Live Coverage: 2026 Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying in Madrid

Follow live coverage of Saturday’s Formula 1 Qualifying session for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. This session sets the grid for the main race at the Madrid circuit.

Session Overview

The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session takes place on Saturday at the Madrid venue. Drivers will compete across the standard three-part knockout format to determine pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Key Details
- Event: 2026 Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Day: Saturday
- Series: Formula 1 World Championship
Stay tuned for real-time updates, sector times, and grid analysis as the teams prepare for the Spanish round of the 2026 season.
09/12/2026
Live Coverage: Spanish Grand Prix First Practice Session
Live Coverage: 2026 Spanish Grand Prix FP1 in Madrid

Follow live updates from the first practice session (FP1) for the 2026 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Madrid circuit. This session marks the opening on-track action for the weekend.

Session Details
- Event: 2026 Spanish Grand Prix
- Session: Free Practice 1 (FP1)
- Day: Friday
- Location: Madrid, Spain
Stay tuned for real-time lap times, driver commentary, team strategy insights, and track condition updates as the 2026 F1 season continues in the Spanish capital.
09/11/2026
Oscar Piastri’s 2026 F1 Season: The Ugly Statistics Behind a Winless Year

Oscar Piastri’s struggles at McLaren have continued into the 2026 Formula 1 season, with qualifying pace, rear-tyre management and the MCL40’s aerodynamic characteristics limiting his challenge for race wins.

Piastri won the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, extending his lead over McLaren teammate Lando Norris to 34 points. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was 104 points adrift and appeared to be out of contention.

However, Piastri did not win another grand prix during the remainder of the season and eventually dropped to third in the championship. His decline prompted unfounded speculation that McLaren was sabotaging his title bid.

Piastri trails Norris in 2026

Beyond podium finishes at Suzuka and Miami in the spring, Piastri has not seriously challenged for victory during a difficult 2026 campaign. More concerning for the Australian is that Norris has outperformed him, winning at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort, as well as the Miami sprint.

Piastri’s problems have been most apparent in qualifying and have carried into the races. Norris has beaten him 22-7 in qualifying since last season’s Dutch Grand Prix. Piastri has six pole positions, nine fastest laps and nine grand prix victories, but he has not looked likely to add to that total so far this year.

Why the McLaren MCL40 is challenging for Piastri

Part of the problem is linked to the McLaren MCL40’s design concept. Piastri has traditionally struggled on low-grip circuits, where his relatively conventional driving style can create spikes in rear-tyre surface temperatures as the tyres slide.

Norris has shown greater adaptability between the two drivers. By overlapping the brake and throttle while approaching corners on a shallower trajectory, he encourages the front tyres to help rotate the rear of the car as they reach peak lateral grip. That approach requires a strong feel for front-end grip and confidence that the rear axle will respond as expected.

Piastri’s more linear brake and throttle inputs tend to produce greater rear-end movement when grip levels are low. That weakness has been amplified by this year’s cars, which generate less overall downforce.

McLaren has also struggled to produce efficient rear downforce because it chose the shortest wheelbase permitted under the regulations. The decision delivered straightforward weight savings but left the team with less floor area for adding strakes and slots to manage airflow.

Piastri laboured to sixth in Zandvoort as his teammate won.
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Small losses caused by rear-end slides can accumulate throughout a lap, depending on the circuit layout. Piastri then needs to use more electrical energy than Norris to regain speed, which can leave him with a lower state of charge and cost him top speed on the straights.

Rear-tyre degradation remains a concern

Recent upgrades have returned McLaren to race-winning contention after an underwhelming start to the season. Piastri failed even to make the grid in Australia and China because of power-unit problems, but the rear axle’s behaviour remains a concern, particularly during races, when he generally experiences more tyre degradation than Norris.

The issue was visible at the most recent Dutch Grand Prix. Norris defeated championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes in a straight fight, while Piastri was held back by a slow pit stop and rear-tyre problems. He finished sixth, 32 seconds behind his teammate.

“In general I’ve been much happier with the car this weekend, which has been good,” Piastri said in Zandvoort.

“I feel like it’s been back into the normal kind of rhythm of having strengths in some corners, weaknesses in others, rather than just trying to find time everywhere, which has been nice.

“We still probably lack a little bit of downforce compared to some of the others, or at least some balance characteristics. I think we rely a lot on the grip from the new tyres to help our balance.

“Maybe we pay the price a bit more when the tyres get worse, but that’s just a guess.”

08/31/2026
Williams Criticized for ‘overpromising and underdelivering’ Amid 2026 F1 Struggles

Formula 1 broadcaster Will Buxton has criticised Williams for “overpromising and underdelivering” during the 2026 season, while admitting he remains surprised that Carlos Sainz chose the Grove-based team over Audi.

Williams struggles after ambitious 2025 claims

Williams made bold statements throughout 2025, but its campaign has fallen well short of expectations. The team arrived at pre-season testing in Bahrain on the back foot after missing private testing in Barcelona, and it has since battled significant problems with an overweight car.

After 12 rounds, Williams sits ninth in the constructors’ championship with 11 points. Sainz and Alex Albon are 16th and 17th in the drivers’ standings, with six and five points respectively.

The team’s difficult season was compounded at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, where the two Williams drivers collided. Albon was forced to retire, while Sainz received a 10-second penalty.

Buxton compares Williams with Audi

Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Buxton compared Williams with Audi, which joined the Formula 1 grid as a works team in 2026 after taking over Sauber.

Sainz had held talks with Audi after losing his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton, but ultimately chose Williams for the 2025 season.

“There’s an interesting difference in mindset and philosophy between Williams and Audi. When you look at the two places that Carlos could have ended up, you might have expected Audi to turn up with great fanfare, and yet I feel that they’ve been quite understated and have kind of underpromised and overdelivered,” Buxton explained.

“Whereas Williams keep making the big statements of, ‘We’re going to take these steps up; we want to be fighting for X, Y and Z, and this is going to be a great year for us,’ and then it disappoints. So they overpromise and underdeliver.

“I did find it interesting back when Carlos signed for Williams, and he had that option of going to Audi. I found it really interesting that you would turn down a factory seat over the dream that is Williams, and obviously James Vowles sold him a brilliant dream.”

Source: www.motorsport.com

08/31/2026
McLaren Tipped to Become Mercedes’ Main Rival by the End of the 2026 F1 Season

Former Alpine Formula 1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer expects McLaren to emerge as Mercedes’ closest rival by the end of the 2026 season.

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast with broadcaster Jake Humphrey, Szafnauer discussed the changing competitive order at the front of the Formula 1 grid after Lando Norris secured consecutive victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix.

McLaren upgrades could transform the F1 title fight

McLaren has introduced significant upgrades at recent races. With the team’s development package now fully integrated ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Szafnauer believes the Woking-based outfit can overtake Ferrari in the constructors’ championship and mount a stronger challenge to Mercedes.

“Monza will be very important because [McLaren] brought an upgrade that did work in Hungary. I think they continued with that upgrade from what I read in Zandvoort, and now the upgrade’s complete. Let’s see how they go in Monza,” Szafnauer explained.

“I still think they’re going to be Mercedes’ closest competitor at the end of the season. I said that at the beginning, but it seemed like it was Ferrari. And I think it’s ebbing and flowing, the relative performance due to the fact that not all of the upgrades are coming at the same time, and the upgrades are significant.

“In a year where the regulations are new, you find a lot, right? So your learning curve is very steep. So when you bring that upgrade relative to those who haven’t, you make a step. And I think we saw that with Alpine as well. After Racing Bulls had their upgrade, they were significantly quicker than Alpine. It looked like they were going to get them. And now they’re there or thereabouts.”

Lando Norris, McLaren. Photo by Eric Le Galliot.

Mercedes upgrades limited by the cost cap

Szafnauer also addressed why constructors’ championship leader Mercedes has spread its upgrades across the season instead of introducing new components more frequently. He attributed the team’s cautious approach to Formula 1’s cost cap.

“Cost cap. They have upgrades now that they could bring, but once you start making those parts, it costs you, and they’ll go over the cap,” he said. “So what they’re going to do, my guess is, one more upgrade, Malaysia/Singapore timeframe.

“That doesn’t mean the learning stops. The learning continues in the background. You’re still doing CFD work. You’re still doing wind tunnel work. You’re still making wind tunnel parts. All that’s planned.

“It’s just a question of when you stop to actually bring that upgrade package. And that’s where the money is. When you make realised car parts, they cost: new wings, new floors, new bodywork. And I predict they’ll have one more big upgrade as opposed to a lot of little ones because they can’t afford it. They’re at the cap.”

08/30/2026
Audi F1 Power Unit Facility Branded “second to none” by Rob Smedley

Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley has praised Audi’s Formula 1 power unit headquarters, describing the German manufacturer’s engine department as “second to none”.

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast with host Jake Humphrey and former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer, Smedley assessed the progress made across the F1 grid during the first half of the season.

Audi has faced a steep learning curve since taking over the Sauber operation and entering Formula 1 as a works team. However, Smedley highlighted the scale and quality of the manufacturer’s investment in its powertrain programme.

“Sauber, I mean, they were pretty desperate these last two or three years. They were just awful, there’s no other word for it,”

the former engineer said.

Szafnauer argued that Audi already owned the team at that stage, meaning it had strong financial backing and decent infrastructure. Smedley responded by pointing to the company’s facilities in Germany.

“They’ve always had a very good wind tunnel, or have for a long time. But now, if you look at their facility in Germany, the engine facility, the power unit facility, that is second to none, and they’re still building and still going on it.

Nico Hülkenberg, Audi
Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

“So, this is a huge project for them. Hinwil as a Formula 1 facility leaves maybe a little bit to be desired. But they’re expanding that, and there are plans of where they want to go with it. So, this is a really important project for them.”

Audi retained Sauber’s 2025 driver line-up of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. After 12 rounds of the 2026 season, the team is eighth in the constructors’ championship with 16 points.

Bortoleto is 14th in the drivers’ standings with 10 points, while Hulkenberg is 15th with six points.

The 13th round of the season, the Italian Grand Prix, will be held at Monza from 4-6 September.

Source: www.motorsport.com

08/29/2026