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Tag: Lando Norris

  • Norris Beats Antonelli to Spanish Grand Prix Pole in Close Madrid Qualifying

    Norris Beats Antonelli to Spanish Grand Prix Pole in Close Madrid Qualifying

    Norris Claims Pole for Inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at Madring in Dramatic Finish

    Lando Norris delivered a spectacular final lap to secure pole position for the first-ever Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit, edging out Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and reigning World Champion Max Verstappen in a thrilling Q3 shootout. The McLaren driver stopped the clock at 1m 31.824s to claim the 19th pole of his career, displacing Lewis Hamilton who had set the provisional benchmark on the opening runs.

    Q3: Norris Strikes Late to Deny Hamilton and Antonelli

    The final segment began with high anticipation after a weekend heavily disrupted by red flags. Antonelli set the early pace before Hamilton responded with a blistering 1m 32.079s to bounce back emphatically from his FP3 crash. With the first runs complete, Hamilton led Antonelli, Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and the two McLarens of Norris and Oscar Piastri.

    On the decisive final attempts, Antonelli improved to retake P1, but Hamilton could not find further time. Norris then produced a lap he later described as “one of my best”, crossing the line just 0.011s clear of the Italian. Verstappen also extracted a late gain to lock out the front row in third, ahead of Hamilton, Leclerc, and George Russell in sixth. Piastri settled for seventh, with Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto, and rookie Arvid Lindblad rounding out the top ten.

    Key Quote: Norris on His Pole Lap

    “I’m shocked, I’m a little bit surprised to be here now, but my god it was probably one of the best laps I’ve done ever in my career,” Norris said. “Very, very happy, very proud, very happy for the team. It was just one of those laps where everything came together. I had a good idea of what I wanted to do, but it was whether my brain let me do it on the last lap and everything pretty much worked perfectly. I’m just very happy – one of those laps where you look at the lap time at the end and you’re like, ‘Oh, s*** that was pretty good’.”

    Q2: Audi Miss Out as Verstappen Leads the Way

    After a brief reset, the 16 remaining drivers returned for Q2. Antonelli again set the initial reference (1m 32.603s), but Verstappen immediately undercut him by 0.046s to signal Red Bull’s intent. Lawson kept the sister car in the mix in fourth.

    A late flurry saw Colapinto climb to seventh, but both Audis fell short. Nico Hulkenberg qualified 11th ahead of teammate Gabriel Bortoleto. Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly (who complained of a lack of grip), Yuki Tsunoda, and Alex Albon also failed to progress. Lindblad and Piastri squeezed into Q3 with identical lap times, while Verstappen held onto the provisional pole position heading into the final session.

    Knocked out (Q2): Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Ocon, Gasly, Tsunoda, Albon.

    Q1: Home Heartbreak for Sainz and Alonso

    Qualifying began with 18 cars after Ollie Bearman’s Haas was deemed unrepairable following his FP3 crash, while Lance Stroll sat out with a suspected water pressure issue on his Aston Martin. Antonelli topped the early timesheets on softs (1m 33.566s), with Verstappen close behind on mediums.

    Audi continued their strong weekend form as Bortoleto ran third early on. Lawson eventually set the Q1 benchmark, while Russell survived a brush with the barriers—mirroring Albon’s FP3 incident—to advance comfortably. In the closing minutes, both Spanish drivers fell victim to the tight circuit and traffic. Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were eliminated in Q1 to the dismay of the home crowd. Sainz was also noted by the stewards for allegedly impeding Valtteri Bottas in the Cadillac.

    Sergio Perez and Bottas filled the next positions, ahead of the absent Bearman and Stroll.

    Knocked out (Q1): Sainz, Alonso, Perez, Bottas, Bearman, Stroll.

    What’s Next

    The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 15:00 local time on Sunday. The Madring layout has proven treacherous all weekend, promising a demanding race where track position will be at a premium.

  • F1 Spanish GP: Lando Norris Claims Stunning Pole Position at Madring

    F1 Spanish GP: Lando Norris Claims Stunning Pole Position at Madring

    Lando Norris Claims Pole at Inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at Madring

    Reigning world champion Lando Norris secured his third pole position of the 2025 Formula 1 season at the Spanish Grand Prix, edging out championship leader Kimi Antonelli by a razor-thin 0.011 seconds on F1’s first-ever visit to the Madring circuit near Madrid.

    Norris Strikes in Final Moments at Madring

    The 5.4km Madring layout, a challenging blend of street sections and a high-speed purpose-built loop with minimal runoff areas, hosted its maiden qualifying session without the major incidents or traffic chaos many had predicted. Despite the circuit’s demanding nature, the hour-long session ran smoothly.

    In the decisive Q3 shootout, Lewis Hamilton set the early benchmark for Ferrari with a 1m32.079s lap, leading the Mercedes duo of Antonelli and George Russell, along with teammate Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen had shown strong pace for Red Bull throughout qualifying but slipped up on his first flying lap in Q3, settling for fifth behind the two McLarens.

    Antonelli moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1m31.835s effort on the second runs, a time that seemed destined for pole. However, Norris, heading out first among the frontrunners, delivered a stunning final sector—drifting wide out of the final corner—to snatch the top spot with a 1m31.824s.

    The result hands Mercedes its fourth consecutive qualifying defeat.

    Verstappen Recovers for Third; Ferrari and Mercedes Fill Top Six

    Verstappen recovered to claim third place, a surprisingly competitive result for Red Bull after a difficult start to the weekend. Hamilton and Leclerc locked out the second row for Ferrari in fourth and fifth. Russell could only manage sixth in the second Mercedes, followed by Oscar Piastri in the sister McLaren. Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto, and rookie Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top 10.

    Midfield Battle Sees Lindblad Shine, Gasly Struggles

    Q2 produced a fierce midfield fight. Nico Hulkenberg and Lindblad secured provisional Q3 spots early, putting teammates Gabriel Bortoleto and Yuki Tsunoda under immediate pressure. Both Alpines struggled initially; Pierre Gasly and Colapinto failed to complete clean first runs. Colapinto survived a massive moment through the high-speed Monumental banking but recomposed to qualify eighth. Gasly, lamenting a “radically different car balance compared to FP3,” could only manage 14th.

    Lindblad’s progression to Q3 came at the expense of the two Audi entries. Esteban Ocon qualified 13th for Haas, with Tsunoda and Alex Albon in 15th and 16th respectively.

    Sainz Misses Q2 by 0.005s; Bearman and Stroll Sidelined

    Earlier in Q1, Russell led the way, pipping teammate Antonelli by 0.056s despite a light tap against the wall. Red Bull looked potent, with Lawson third on soft tires and Verstappen fourth on mediums—a strategic move saving a set of softs for later. Ferrari mirrored this strategy with Hamilton and Leclerc.

    At the bottom of the timesheets, Williams’ Albon grabbed the final Q2 spot in 16th, beating teammate and home favorite Carlos Sainz by a mere 0.005s. Albon’s performance was a strong recovery after a wall strike in FP3 forced him to miss most of that session. Fernando Alonso qualified 18th for Aston Martin, while Cadillac’s Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas propped up the field. Bottas was unable to set a clean lap after being impeded by Sainz.

    Qualifying began without Oliver Bearman. A “gutted” Bearman suffered a heavy crash at the end of Saturday’s delayed third practice session, leaving Haas facing an impossible repair timeline. Lance Stroll also did not set a time due to what Aston Martin described as a suspected water pressure issue; the Canadian is already set for a back-of-the-grid penalty for exceeding his Honda power unit allowance.

    Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying Results – Top 10

    1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
    2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
    3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
    4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
    5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
    6. George Russell (Mercedes)
    7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
    8. Liam Lawson (Red Bull)
    9. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
    10. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
  • Norris claims scintillating pole for Spanish GP

    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.

  • McLaren confirms gearbox issue as Lando Norris misses FP2 ahead of Spanish Grand Prix: ‘A big setback’

    McLaren confirms gearbox issue as Lando Norris misses FP2 ahead of Spanish Grand Prix: ‘A big setback’

    McLaren have confirmed a gearbox issue sidelined Lando Norris for the entirety of Free Practice 2 at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Technical Director for Performance Mark Temple describing the lost running as “a big setback” for the reigning World Champion.

    Norris Limited to Two Laps in FP2

    Drivers and teams sampled the new Madring layout for the first time on Friday. The circuit’s hybrid configuration—part street circuit, part purpose-built facility—presented an immediate challenge, making every minute of track time critical for data gathering. Norris completed only two laps in the second session before pulling his MCL39 into the garage with a mechanical problem that the team could not resolve before the checkered flag.

    McLaren Response: Focus on FP3 Recovery

    Speaking after the session, Temple outlined the scale of the deficit and the plan for Saturday’s final practice hour.

    “Gearbox problem for Lando, that’s obviously a big setback for him,” said Mark Temple, McLaren’s Technical Director for Performance, after the session. “Going into FP3 we’ll be trying to do as much as we can to give him back track time.

    “It was as expected, a very technical, tough track for the drivers, trying to find their way and learn the track. Deal with the very hot temperatures on the tyres. For sure track time for Lando will be very important tomorrow.”

    Mixed Friday for McLaren

    The British driver had shown competitive pace earlier in the day, finishing sixth in FP1—just under nine tenths adrift of George Russell’s pace-setting Mercedes. By contrast, team-mate Oscar Piastri completed a full programme, ending the day seventh and eighth across the two sessions as he worked to master the new venue.

    Piastri Highlights Balance and Tyre Management Struggle

    The Australian identified car balance and thermal management as the primary hurdles on a layout that demands a compromised set-up for both straight-line speed and high-speed corners.

    “I felt like we got a bit closer in FP2, which was good, but we’re still lacking a bit of pace it seems,” he said.

    “We’ll try and improve, it’s been an interesting day learning a new circuit. It’s certainly tough to get on top of but it’s been a day full of learning. Hopefully we can find a bit more tomorrow.

    “Trying to extract the performance on a street circuit like this is pretty challenging. That’s the biggest thing for us at the moment. Hopefully tomorrow we can make things a bit easier and find just a bit more consistency and a bit more ability to get that time out of the car.”

    With Norris facing a compressed preparation window in FP3, McLaren’s priority shifts to maximizing his limited running ahead of qualifying, while Piastri’s data will be crucial for refining the baseline set-up on a circuit where tyre temperature and consistency are proving decisive.

  • F1 Drivers Unveil Striking One-Off Helmet Designs for First Madrid Spanish GP

    F1 Drivers Unveil Striking One-Off Helmet Designs for First Madrid Spanish GP

    F1 Drivers Unveil Special Helmets for Inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s Madring Circuit

    Formula 1’s highly anticipated arrival in Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix has inspired multiple drivers to debut one-off helmet designs for the historic first race at the Madring circuit. Set around the IFEMA exhibition centre, the new venue marks a significant shift for the Spanish Grand Prix, and three prominent drivers — home favorites Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso, along with McLaren’s Lando Norris — have revealed bespoke headgear to commemorate the occasion.

    Carlos Sainz Honors Karting Roots with Nostalgic Design

    Madrid native Carlos Sainz, who also serves as an ambassador for the Madring circuit, chose his home race to revive a design tracing back to his karting debut in 2005. The helmet features a clean white base accented by prominent red and yellow details representing the Spanish flag. The original 2005 design drew inspiration from the helmet worn by his father, rallying legend Carlos Sainz Sr.

    “From my first karting race in 2005 to my first F1 race in Madrid. For this helmet, I wanted to go back to where it all started, bring back that first design inspired by my dad’s and give it my own touch today. Can’t wait to race with it at home!”

    Sainz posted the message alongside images of the helmet, connecting his formative years in motorsport with his current Formula 1 homecoming.

    Fernando Alonso Debuts Sleek All-Black BOSS Collaboration

    Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso introduced a stark departure from his typically colorful helmet livery. Collaborating with team partner BOSS, the two-time world champion unveiled a one-off design captioned “Tailored for speed.” Alonso arrived at the Madrid paddock wearing a matching BOSS Performance Suit and carrying the coordinating helmet.

    The new lid adopts an all-black aesthetic with subtle white accents, presenting a minimalist, performance-focused look that aligns with the BOSS brand identity.

    Lando Norris Teams Up with Madrid Artist Be Fernandez for Pop-Art Creation

    McLaren’s Lando Norris also commissioned a unique helmet for his first Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. The British driver partnered with Madrid-based artist, illustrator, and muralist Be Fernandez to create a vibrant pop-art design.

    “For my first race in Madrid I wanted to do something that felt properly connected to the city,”

    Norris explained, emphasizing his desire for authentic local representation.

    “Be knows Madrid and its culture far better than I ever could, so I basically gave her the helmet and told her to do her thing,”

    he continued, describing the collaborative process.

    “I love what she’s come up with – it brings together Madrid, her style and a bit of me as well. It’s fun, different and just a really cool design.”

    The resulting artwork blends Fernandez’s distinctive Madrid-influenced style with elements of Norris’s personal branding, creating a helmet that celebrates the host city through a contemporary artistic lens.

    With three distinct approaches — heritage, brand collaboration, and local artistic partnership — the special helmets underscore the significance of Formula 1’s Madrid debut and the drivers’ engagement with the new venue’s inaugural race weekend.

  • Lando Norris Assesses Title Chances Against Mercedes Duo Ahead of Spanish Grand Prix

    Lando Norris Assesses Title Chances Against Mercedes Duo Ahead of Spanish Grand Prix

    Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris has admitted his McLaren machinery is not currently strong enough to defend his title, tipping Mercedes driver George Russell as the primary challenger to championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

    Norris Concedes Title Defense Unlikely Amid Points Deficit

    Heading into the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit in Madrid, Norris sits 96 points adrift of Antonelli in the Drivers’ Championship standings. Despite securing back-to-back victories in Budapest and Zandvoort, the British driver acknowledged the performance gap following a difficult weekend at Monza, where he and teammate Oscar Piastri finished fourth and fifth respectively.

    Speaking to media on Thursday, Norris highlighted the points reality facing his campaign.

    “[Russell] is 30 points ahead of me,” Norris told media on Thursday in Madrid. “So George, I think, is still the one who has the best chance of trying to take the challenge to Kimi. Hamilton is still many points ahead of me as well.”

    McLaren Pace Inconsistent Across Circuits

    Norris explained that the team’s showing at Monza exposed fundamental limitations with the MCL39 package.

    “We have two wins in a row, so the car is good in some places,” he said. “It’s just, like I said, not as good as it needs to be everywhere. And the only person that has a car that’s the same as Kimi is George. So I wish George the best in trying to fight Kimi.”

    Drivers Face Unknown Challenge at New Madrid Venue

    With Formula 1 making its debut at the Madring street circuit, every driver heads into Friday practice sessions with limited real-world data. Norris compared the layout to Jeddah but emphasized that suitability for the McLaren remains an open question until track running begins.

    “I think the whole track is quite challenging with how the corners are laid out — uphill, downhill, off-camber, camber,” he said. “The whole track looks pretty exciting.”

    Despite the unknowns, Norris expressed optimism about the circuit’s character after simulator preparation.

    “It was okay, it took maybe three, four laps, I think, to know what to do in most places. Of course, then you figure out the smaller details. But I thought it would be harder, so it was actually okay, to be honest.

    “It’s always different when you get on track and actually feel everything. The sense of speed is quite a big difference compared to a simulator.”

    Piastri Warns of High-Stakes Street Circuit Demands

    Teammate Oscar Piastri shared his perspective on the Madrid layout, noting the specific challenges posed by a high-speed street circuit configuration.

    “Obviously there are quite a few high-speed corners, which on a street circuit is always… there are always just massive consequences with that,” he said.

    “The banking as well, I think, will be a big challenge, and then also just the compromise of what you need from the car.

    “I think there are a lot of different types of corners here, a lot of kerbs you seem to need to use. So I think getting the compromise of things as well is going to be tough.”

    As the paddock prepares for the first competitive sessions at Madring, both McLaren drivers face a weekend where maximizing the car’s narrow performance window will be critical to closing the gap to the leading Mercedes and Antonelli’s championship-leading machinery.

  • Race Week: 5 Storylines to Watch Ahead of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix

    Race Week: 5 Storylines to Watch Ahead of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix

    Formula 1 Arrives at Madrid’s New Madring Circuit for Spanish Grand Prix

    The European leg of the Formula 1 season concludes with a historic debut as the championship visits the brand-new Madring circuit in Madrid. Following Kimi Antonelli’s stunning victory at Monza, drivers and teams face a completely different challenge at the 3.365-mile venue located at the IFEMA Exhibition Centre northeast of the city center.

    A Unique Hybrid Circuit Layout

    The Madring combines street-circuit characteristics with permanent facility sections, creating a distinctive test unlike the high-speed temple of Monza. The layout features tight, twisting complexes, flowing high-speed sections, and the heavily banked La Monumental corner where cars turn through more than 180 degrees with fans lining both sides of the track.

    Proximity to walls throughout the circuit means mistakes will be severely punished. The track places a premium on slow-speed corner performance, traction, and a car’s ability to handle bumps and kerbs. Teams face a steep learning curve from the moment Free Practice 1 begins on Friday.

    Antonelli Extends Championship Lead After Monza Masterclass

    Kimi Antonelli arrived at Monza already in a commanding championship position, but his remarkable win from 19th on the grid—while serving a power unit penalty—has dramatically expanded his advantage. The Italian now leads George Russell by 66 points, Lewis Hamilton by 76, and Lando Norris by 96 with ten rounds remaining.

    While Antonelli’s drive was exceptional, the season has demonstrated how quickly reliability issues or race circumstances can swing points totals. Russell has shown more consistent form since the summer break but must extract additional performance to pressure his teammate regularly. The chasing pack will aim for an immediate response in Madrid.

    McLaren Target Return to Winning Ways

    Given recent form, Lando Norris represents the most significant threat over the coming races. The McLaren has proven most competitive on higher-downforce circuits like the Hungaroring and Zandvoort, where Norris secured victories. The Madring layout should suit the MCL38 better than Monza’s low-downforce demands.

    Despite tempered expectations before Italy, both McLaren cars contested podium positions until the closing stages. Oscar Piastri delivered a strong weekend, outqualifying Norris for the first time since Monaco and battling his teammate to the flag. While Mercedes dominated spells at Monza, McLaren anticipates stronger relative performance at this venue type and will target a return to the top step.

    Red Bull and VCARB Driver Situations

    Isack Hadjar continues his recovery from a wrist injury sustained in training after the summer break. The Frenchman missed the Dutch Grand Prix, and Red Bull elected not to rush his return at Monza. Despite positive progress reports, the team confirmed an unchanged lineup for Madrid rather than risk Hadjar’s comeback on a demanding street circuit.

    This grants Liam Lawson another opportunity alongside Max Verstappen after a difficult Monza weekend. Lawson’s power unit penalty relegated him to the back, and damage necessitated an extra pit stop that ended his points hopes. He did score at Zandvoort and will target a repeat in Madrid.

    Yuki Tsunoda has also found form since returning to VCARB, finishing just outside the points at Zandvoort before securing tenth place at Monza to deliver a double-points finish for the Faenza-based squad.

    Formula 3 Title Decider Headlines Support Bill

    While Formula 1 ends its European swing, the entire 2026 Formula 3 championship concludes at the Madring this weekend. The postponement of the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this year created a compressed schedule featuring back-to-back Qualifying sessions on Friday, a Sprint Race Saturday morning, the first Feature Race Saturday evening after F1 Qualifying, and the decisive final round Sunday morning.

    Audi-backed rookie Freddie Slater arrives with a 15-point lead over American Ugo Ugochukwu after a season-long battle. Slater appeared poised to extend his advantage at Monza after starting the Feature Race from pole while Ugochukwu languished at the rear following a grid penalty, but a dramatic reversal saw Slater retire while Ugochukwu recovered to eighth.

    A maximum of 67 points remains available across the weekend—25 for a Feature win, 10 for the Sprint, plus fastest lap points in each race and two points for pole position per Feature. Ernesto Rivera and Theophile Nael remain mathematically eligible but require highly improbable result combinations. The championship will likely be decided between Slater and second-year driver Ugochukwu, with the winner joining Rafael Camara, Oscar Piastri, and Gabriel Bortoleto as Formula 3 champions.

  • Lando Norris: Oscar Piastri Move Complaint Made “in the heat of the moment” at Italian GP

    Lando Norris: Oscar Piastri Move Complaint Made “in the heat of the moment” at Italian GP

    McLaren driver Lando Norris described his intense wheel-to-wheel battle with teammate Oscar Piastri during the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix as “fair” after initially feeling he had been pushed onto the grass at high speed.

    Norris and Piastri Trade Positions in Closing Stages at Monza

    The intra-team fight unfolded over the final laps of the 53-lap race at Monza’s Temple of Speed. Piastri, defending fourth place from Max Verstappen, and Norris, who had passed Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari for fifth, converged on track with the checkered flag approaching.

    Norris made his first move on lap 48, sparking a protracted nip-and-tuck duel characterized by battery-driven overtaking. Piastri reclaimed the position on the following lap. With three laps remaining, Norris attempted a second pass into the second chicane. Piastri covered the inside line, prompting Norris to move into a closing gap on the left. As track limits ran out, the reigning world champion placed two wheels on the grass, suggesting over team radio that Piastri had “pushed me off.”

    Norris Concedes Piastri Drove Fairly After Review

    With the benefit of hindsight and a lower heart rate, Norris quickly conceded after the race that his teammate had done nothing wrong.

    “No, it was okay,” Norris explained. “I still need to review things, but I think it’s just the perception of when you’re in the car, when someone’s kind of opening the gap a bit and then kind of goes straight. You get that perception when you’re going at 200 miles an hour, so that’s all.

    “But I think what he did was fair, so it’s just when you’re in the moment and you’re half on the grass, you realise how quickly things can end pretty badly, so just in the heat of the moment. But no, from that side it was fine and it was a good battle and a good result from a tough race.”

    Team Orders Call for Clean Racing on Final Lap

    The McLaren intra-team battle continued onto the final lap, with both drivers receiving instructions from the pit wall to ensure “clean racing.”

    Norris bided his time for a decisive move, using the slipstream and preserved battery energy from running behind his teammate to make the pass stick into the Variante Ascari. Piastri attempted to retaliate on the run to the finish line but corrected a significant slide exiting the final Parabolica corner, settling for fifth as the two papaya cars crossed the line in formation.

    “It was a good battle,” Piastri reckoned. “It was a lot of back and forth and the last lap, you never really know what to do with the energy. I think we went for different strategies with that and he got past, and I thought I’d have a chance to get back past again but ultimately I just didn’t quite get there.”

    Additional reporting by Stuart Codling and Ronald Vording

  • Pirelli Unveils Unique Trophies for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix

    Pirelli Unveils Unique Trophies for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix

    Pirelli has unveiled the trophies for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, continuing its multi-year collaboration with the Pirelli HangarBicocca Museum of Contemporary Art, now entering its sixth year.

    Designed by Italian artist duo Vedovamazzei, comprising Stella Scala and Simeone Crispino, the trophies are titled “FRAGILE”. They were created using 3D-printed nylon powder and are shaped to resemble an unstable stack of small bowls and cups.

    The artists said the design draws inspiration from the tradition of passing a celebratory glass from one person to another.

    Fans react to Pirelli’s unusual Italian GP trophies

    The unconventional design has prompted a mixed reaction among fans. “I get what they are trying to do but it doesn’t seem appropriate for a trophy. Seems like something that might belong in a modern art museum,” one fan commented on Reddit.

    “Love em. Pretty creative. I know I’m in the minority but I like those artful trophies as long as they still resemble trophies in essence. And these do, they look great,” another fan wrote. A third added: “As a designer, I love them! But maybe cause I’m a designer.”

    Others joked that the fragile-looking trophies could be at risk around Lando Norris, recalling the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix. During the podium celebrations, the McLaren driver accidentally knocked Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s winner’s trophy over, breaking it.

    “I hope Lando wins, but please keep him away from these lol,” one fan wrote. Another commented: “That’s the most Lando-breakable trophy yet… they better be praying that he doesn’t make the podium.”

    Further reactions included: “Better make spares in case Lando gets on the podium,” and “Lando will break at least one.”

    The Italian Grand Prix will be held at Monza from 4-6 September. Home driver Kimi Antonelli enters the weekend 59 points clear of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who are level on points.

  • F1 Q&A: Piastri on Norris Deal, Antonelli’s Italian GP Penalty, Ferrari and Zandvoort

    F1 Q&A: Piastri on Norris Deal, Antonelli’s Italian GP Penalty, Ferrari and Zandvoort

    Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli will look to strengthen his grip on the Formula 1 drivers’ championship at his home race, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, this weekend.

    The 20-year-old faces a growing challenge from resurgent McLaren, particularly Lando Norris, who has won the past two Grands Prix. Monza is also home territory for Ferrari, although the circuit’s long straights may not suit the characteristics of their car.

    BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers the latest questions ahead of round 13 of the 2026 season.

    What does Lando Norris’ contract extension mean for Oscar Piastri?

    There is clearly some tension behind the scenes, and Piastri’s performance and development have dipped this season.

    Oscar Piastri has not started the campaign as strongly as he did last year. In 2025, the Australian appeared on course to challenge for his first world title for much of the season, before his campaign unravelled during the final third.

    This year, team-mate Lando Norris has won two races and should have won a third in Miami. Piastri has looked capable of victory only in Japan, where he was leading before being unlucky with the safety car, and Hungary, where Norris took his first win of the year.

    Piastri took the lead in Hungary after Norris made an error on the opening lap. However, he was delayed while lapping Carlos Sainz’s Williams, allowing Norris to retake the advantage. Piastri acknowledged that it would have been difficult to keep Norris behind even if he had retained the lead because his pace on the hard tyres was poor. The issue ultimately became irrelevant when he retired with a broken gearbox.

    The qualifying head-to-head statistics are uncomfortable for Piastri, with Norris leading 12-4. However, their actual one-lap pace is much closer, with Norris only 0.08 seconds faster on average.

    Norris has nevertheless been the more convincing race performer, which explains the 55-point and three-place gap between the McLaren drivers in the championship.

    Why has Piastri struggled against Norris?

    Several factors may be contributing to the difference between the two drivers.

    Piastri has traditionally been strong through high-speed corners. However, fewer of those corners are grip-limited this year because the engines often use them to charge the battery, reducing one potential area of advantage for the Australian. All the drivers have complained about this change.

    The cars also have less downforce than last season, and Piastri is less comfortable than Norris in low-grip conditions.

    There is also no doubt that Norris consistently raised his performance level during the second half of last season on his way to winning the world title. He has continued to improve this year and is unquestionably one of the drivers of the season so far.

    McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said at the most recent race in the Netherlands: “Last year, we had seen already with Oscar that, from a technical driving point of view, when the car has this low level of grip, like we saw last year for instance in Mexico or in Austin, he needs to adapt the way he drives, the way he thinks, the driving, his expectations.”

    “This requires a bit of mental effort, which gets him to lose a couple of tenths of a second because you sort of have to process rather than drive through pure instinct because what happens is what you expect.”

    “So it’s one of those cases in which you have to adapt your natural driving style to the demand of the car. So it stays in the space of driving and in the space of the technical side of things. I don’t think it has anything to do with any psychological kind of opportunity. This is purely technical.”

    Stella also stressed that the leading three teams are closely matched, meaning, as he put it, “as soon as things are not optimised, then you may have a very significant positional loss – it’s very brutal from this point of view”.

    Could McLaren still pursue Max Verstappen?

    McLaren and Piastri reject suggestions that there is tension in their relationship. However, McLaren did try to sign Max Verstappen this summer, and it is virtually certain that Piastri would have been replaced if the deal had gone through.

    That possibility has receded for now following Verstappen’s new contract with Red Bull. However, the agreement includes performance clauses. If Red Bull continue to struggle next year, McLaren may make another attempt to sign Verstappen.

    For now, Piastri is under contract until at least the end of 2027. His focus will be on returning to the level of performance he knows he can deliver.