The FIA has confirmed agreed regulation tweaks from Miami:
- Reduction in recharge limit from 8MJ to 7MJ, plus increase in superclip power to 350kW, both designed to mean less time harvesting and encouraging more flat-out qualifying laps
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#F1
Last Friday, Kimi Antonelli said expectations around what he can achieve in Formula 1 this year have "definitely" risen as a result of his strong start to the season 🥇
This morning, I asked Toto Wolff if that extends to Mercedes' internal expectations of the teenager 🗣
This morning, Toto Wolff spoke for seven minutes straight about the talks about F1's rules, imploring rivals to stop "badmouthing" the sport in public and not to use any rule tweaks for their own personal gain.
His entire 817-word monologue in the story below 👇
That second sentence is in line with what George was saying yesterday, really. He knows Kimi is quick (though he'd definitely not say quicker than himself!) but backs his experience and consistency over a long season. We'll see if Kimi surprises him, and all of us, over the next seven months or so!
Haha, no race, sadly! Mercedes invited some media to sessions with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. I was also on another media call with Haas head of car engineering Hoagy Nidd, but haven’t got round to writing up yet.
More next week: Toto Wolff on Monday and then the McLaren drivers on the 22nd
Tomorrow's print copy with quotes from George Russell and Kimi Antonelli after today's sessions.
Message from both was similar – little, if any, focus on the championship. It's race by race for now.
Russell says bad luck is the only reason why he's behind. He backs his consistency over the season.
Colton Herta will get four free practice runs in a Cadillac Formula 1 car this year, the first of which will be in Barcelona. The other three venues are yet to be confirmed.
Also understand it's not yet been decided whose car he will drive in Barcelona.
Another line from George Russell's call with reporters today – said he feels he's maximised his results and it's only through bad luck that he's not leading the championship. Russell also said he's confident he can produce the consistency required to win a championship over the course of the season.
It was a 20-minute media session. There was lots more talked about and there will be more lines to come from it over the next day or two, not just this.
Also, just because you're not interested in a particular topic, it doesn't mean other people aren't. Some people are very much interested in this.
In the last half-an-hour, George Russell told myself and select F1 media on a video call that he believes the sport will be just fine without Max Verstappen if the Dutchman does choose to walk away this year – but added that drivers "wouldn't want to lose Max" as they like competing against him 🗣
Latest podcast is live, with all the aspects of Gianpiero Lambiase's switch from Red Bull to McLaren and the impact that might have of Max Verstappen's future covered. Plus, please no half-and-half scarves in F1.
Just about got through the record while battling an annoyingly persistent cough.
I swear if these two bring half-and-half scarves to F1…
More meetings to come on April 16 & 20, where “a consensus will be sought on the way forward”.
Comes after Ollie Bearman’s Suzuka crash pit safety at the forefront of the conversation in terms of the new F1 regs.
After the first meeting today to discuss the 2026 #F1 regulations, the FIA said it was “generally agreed that although the events to date have provided exciting racing, there was a commitment to making tweaks to some aspects of the regulations in the area of energy management”.
Story is here, anyway, with Red Bull and McLaren statements included and also what Max Verstappen has previously said he would do if he were faced with the prospect of racing in F1 without GP by his side 🗣
Interesting difference in the Red Bull and McLaren announcements regarding Gianpiero Lambiase, in terms of his start date.
Red Bull said GP "will leave in 2028, when his current contract expires", while McLaren suggest some room for negotiation, saying he'll start "no later than 2028".
Statement from Red Bull Racing: “Gianpiero Lambiase will leave the Team in 2028, when his current contract expires.”
GP will continue to serve as Max Verstappen’s race engineer until he leaves.
Now confirmed that Gianpiero Lambiase will leave Red Bull Racing upon the expiry of his contract.
Where did I claim that I broke the story? This is an analysis piece… we also first reported the initial story hours ago.
And, actually, it was Jacky Martens who broke it in De Limburger, a Dutch newspaper. Kym is a photographer, not a journalist.
Max Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase's impending exit, having agreed a deal to join McLaren upon the expiry of his Red Bull contract, makes him the 14th high-profile departure in the last two years.
For Verstappen, considering leaving F1, will Red Bull truly feel like home anymore?
If Max Verstappen does walk away from Formula 1, Red Bull will be left with the mother of all driver decisions.
So I've assembled some of my colleagues to each give their take on who they should target as the four-time world champion's replacement for 2027, if one is needed.
The world we live in right now, sadly!
I thought that much was obvious? Clearly the (again, small section of) Colapinto fans who think it's okay to threaten to cut off people's limbs and send death threats to anyone who is perceived to have even remotely slighted their favourite driver.
This line from the statement caught my eye: "This isn't about one particular fanbase."
I understand why Alpine felt the need to put that in, but... not sure anyone believes it.
And to be clear, it's obviously not the whole fanbase, but there's one section of it which is an absolute cancer on F1.
Quite the statement from Alpine. Every word in the story below.
The team addressed abuse being sent not only to Franco Colapinto but also by a section of his supporters to Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman after incidents in China and Japan.
Alpine also insist both their drivers have equal machinery.
Been back in the studio after the Japanese Grand Prix 🎙
👀 Max Verstappen's bombshell admission about his future.
💥 Ollie Bearman's crash and the rule changes F1 needs to protect drivers.
🟠 McLaren's strong early progress.
➕ Much more on the latest episode of Pit Lane Torque.
Yes that was interesting, especially as Ayao disagreed with that as well, having watched it back.
Eloquent stuff from the always-well-spoken Ayao Komatsu, who was careful not to make any knee-jerk comments but made it clear he wants to see positive changes made between now and Miami, amid fears that the next crash like the one Oliver Bearman suffered today might cause a much more serious injury.
Grande Kimi Antonelli – the youngest ever F1 driver to lead the world championship and the first teenager to do so, aged 19.
It's also a milestone moment for Mercedes who secure their 125th Grand Prix win since returning in 2010.
Haas now confirm that Bearman has been cleared by the medical centre.
He won't be appearing in the media pen, though, after receiving special dispensation from the FIA. Haas will put out a quote from Bearman themselves later.