Key Highlights Max Verstappen dominated a weather-impacted race to take victory after recovering from a slow start and executing decisive overtakes. A premature gamble on slick tyres dropped Lewis Hamilton to the rear of the field, while Mercedes teammates Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell initially led the opening stages. Late safety-car disruptions triggered late ...
Key Highlights: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the season after prevailing over Mercedes in a rain-affected, disrupted race. Technical problems severely impacted the event: pre-race software glitches forced an extended delay, while George Russell suffered a late retirement due to mechanical failure. Lewis Hamilton charged through the order to finish third ...
Key Highlights: Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing secured their first victory of 2026 at Sepang, officially preventing what would have been the team’s first winless season since 2015. George Russell’s Formula 1 championship aspirations suffered a critical blow following a late engine failure, leaving Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli with an 84-point lead. Pre-race ...
Key Highlights: The debate regarding Formula 1 driver cooling vests has resurfaced during the race weekend in Malaysia. George Russell advocated for an FIA budget cap allowance to develop cooling equipment, citing extreme cockpit heat. Max Verstappen rejected the proposal, maintaining that heat resilience is down to driver fitness and physical conditioning. The contentious debate ...
Key Highlights: George Russell advocated for FIA intervention to mandate cooling systems or supply standardized driver gear after Mercedes prioritized car performance over bespoke cooling vest development. Formula 1 regulations already permit up to $125,000 in cumulative cost cap exemptions for teams developing effective, comfortable driver cooling systems during declared heat hazards. Rather than neglecting ...
Key Highlights: Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth with a 1:35.631 and will start from third following a grid penalty for Isack Hadjar. George Russell endured a difficult session, placing eighth with a 1:35.871 before being promoted to seventh on the grid. Mercedes leadership labeled qualifying their toughest Saturday of the season, pointing to aggressive track tarmac, ...
Key Highlights: George Russell qualified eighth in Sepang but will start the race from seventh on the grid due to a grid penalty for Isack Hadjar. Despite Mercedes introducing a significant upgrade package, Russell struggled for speed while teammate Kimi Antonelli qualified third behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen. Russell anticipates that extreme tyre degradation and multi-stop ...
Key Highlights: Mercedes committed to an extensive aerodynamic and cooling overhaul on both W17 cars, preventing direct back-to-back testing against their previous specification. Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth and George Russell took eighth at Sepang, with both gaining one grid spot due to an engine penalty for Isack Hadjar. The team struggled with uncharacteristic understeer, excessive ...
Key Highlights: Mercedes faced unexpected qualifying struggles at Sepang despite introducing a substantial upgrade package for the W17. Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth and George Russell took eighth, though both gain a position due to Isack Hadjar’s grid penalty. Team principal Toto Wolff expressed deep concern over straight-line speed deficits to Max Verstappen and heavy low-speed ...
Key Highlights: The FIA declared a heat hazard for the relocated race weekend at Sepang in Malaysia, where track temperatures reached the low 60s Celsius. George Russell confirmed Mercedes chose not to develop a cockpit cooling vest system, prioritizing financial resources on car performance under the $215 million budget cap. Russell is urging the FIA ...
Key Highlights: Formula 1 has returned to Sepang International Circuit for the first time in nine years. Local supporters from ‘Team GR63, Malaysia’ presented Mercedes driver George Russell with a massive handmade scrapbook filled with fan messages, drawings, and photos. The emotional gesture gave Russell a morale boost amid Mercedes’ struggles with tyre degradation and ...
Key Highlights Mercedes introduced its latest upgrade package during Friday practice in Malaysia. George Russell finished second in FP1 but dropped to seventh in FP2, while Kimi Antonelli was eighth. Mercedes identified tyre overheating, degradation and setup as key areas to address before qualifying. Mercedes upgrade package faces early test in Malaysia Mercedesâ new Formula ...