Lando Norris found unexpected pace to beat his rivals and the weather to take pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix on Saturday (August 22, 2026) after George Russell took a sprint race win on Formula 1’s return from its mid-season break.

As rain started to fall on the Zandvoort track, McLaren’s Norris made the most of his final run to reclaim pole by 0.102 of a second from Russell, whose Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli — the standings leader — was third.

“A little surprised, honestly, but a decent lap,” said Norris, who’d been critical of his car in the earlier sprint race and credited McLaren with making the right changes.

“We had to try something because what we had before wasn’t going to be enough,” he said, adding the changes were small but “enough to give me some confidence.” Norris won the last race in Hungary on July 26 but was deflated after the sprint, saying McLaren wasn’t competitive at all in slower corners.

Russell is rebuilding his title challenge after losing ground to Antonelli last month and said it was “a real joy” to drive in qualifying. The plan now is to “get in my groove again and try to fight with them tomorrow,” he added.

Lewis Hamilton lost ground to Antonelli in the standings in the sprint race. His difficult day continued with fifth in qualifying.

Russell takes sprint victoryThe sprint race was a display of domination from Russell, who started from pole position, quickly built a gap to Norris in second and managed the pace from there, taking his first win since the Austrian Grand Prix in June.

“Obviously a great start to the weekend,” he said.

Charles Leclerc snatched second off Norris with a daring pass into the inside of the first corner with six laps to go, but couldn’t get close enough to try passing Russell.

Norris held off a late charge from Antonelli to stay third as the Italian pulled out of a potential overtaking move on the final lap.

“We just don’t have the pace in general, especially in the slow-speed corners,” Norris said.

Fourth-place Antonelli, starting fifth after car damage in qualifying, still managed to extend his standings lead by three more points to 53 because Hamilton could only manage seventh for Ferrari.

Long-awaited rain arrives seconds too late to shake up sprintF1 still hasn’t had a wet race this year but came tantalizingly close as rain fell as the drivers were heading back to the pits, seconds after the sprint finished.

“If there was one more lap it would have been a very, potentially, different end to the race so I’m glad the rain came when it did,” Russell said.

While it stayed dry, overtaking was difficult, even in a year where the cars’ electrical power has made back-and-forth passes common. The overtakes by Leclerc and Antonelli were the only changes of position anywhere in the top 11 finishers. (AP) PDS

Max Verstappen signed a contract extension with ​Red Bull to the end of 2030 on Thursday (August 20, 2026), ⁠ending speculation about the four-time world champion’s near-term Formula One future.

The 28-year-old already had a contract to the end of 2028, but with break clauses offering ‌a potential way out should the team fail to meet his expectations and provide a winning car.

Such performance-related clauses ‌were believed to have been triggered this season, according to ‌Dutch ⁠media reports.

Red Bull lie fourth overall this season, and ⁠Verstappen sixth, 110 points behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, after 11 races and ahead of his home grand prix this weekend.

Linked to Mercedes and McLaren

The Dutch driver had ​been linked in media reports ‌to both McLaren, who have signed his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase from 2028 at the latest, and championship leaders Mercedes.

“I am really pleased with the contract extension,” Verstappen, who joined Red Bull’s ‌junior programme in 2014 and has won all his titles ​with the team, said in a team statement.

“We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together ⁠with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and ‌will continue to pursue.”

“I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home… to continue this journey with the same Team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do.”

Team boss Laurent Mekies said very few ‌partnerships in sport had achieved what Verstappen and Red Bull had, and the ​extension was rooted in trust.

“Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: ⁠uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention,” said the ⁠Frenchman.

“His impact on our team and on Red Bull’s motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to ‌everything we have accomplished together.

“But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and ​more history to write.”

Even as there is a renewed push to bring Formula One back to India, FMSCI president Arindam Ghosh said the federation is also pursuing opportunities to bring the World Rally Championship (WRC) to the country.

“F1 won’t happen before 2029, but I am pushing for WRC before that. You don’t need huge infrastructure for that. What we need is road sanitisation and government administration support. The government is supportive of it,” said Arindam on the sidelines of the launch of the Chennai Turbo Riders-JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship 2026 here on Wednesday.

“I won’t be shocked if, instead of BIC, we are having a street circuit as we don’t have a maintenance issue right through the year,” he added.

The logo of the new National championship was launched by A. Srinath, Minister of Fisheries & Fisherman Welfare, Govt. of TN.

“I would like to express my gratitude to CTR and JK Tyre for their support and commitment to promoting motorsport in the country, and creating a road safety awareness,” said Srinath.

Akbar Ebrahim, Member, FIA World Motor Sport Council and President, FIA International Karting Commission, said: “Indian motorsport is being keenly viewed and watched by the FIA as it is a very important country at the global level.”

The first two rounds of the four-round season will be held at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore (Sept. 11-13 and Oct. 23-25).

The third round will be run at BREN Raceway in Bengaluru (Nov. 13-15) while the final round will be at the Madras International Circuit (Dec. 11-13).

There will be seven categories in the National championship: Indian Super Touring Cars, Indian Touring Cars, Indian Junior Touring Cars, Super Stock, Levitas Cup, Formula LGB F4 and Formula 1300.

Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari its 250th Grand Prix victory when he won a gripping British GP at Silverstone, which ended under a safety car on Sunday. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli missed out on a top-10 finish.

Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate and championship rival George Russell came through to take second place while Lewis Hamilton, in the other Ferrari, crossed the line in third.

The nine-time Silverstone winner, however, was under investigation for a yellow flag infringement, having already served a five-second penalty for a false start.

Antonelli, who won the sprint on Saturday, leads the title race with 179 points, 25 ahead of Russell with Hamilton a further seven points back in third.

It was Leclerc’s ninth GP victory and first since he won the United States GP in Austin in October 2024, and puts him fourth in the championship with 108 points.

“Finally, this one feels particularly good,” said Leclerc over the radio after taking the chequered flag.

Antonelli began on pole but was overtaken by both Ferraris at the start before battling back to make it a dogfight with Leclerc.

On lap 42 of 52 the 19-year-old Italian reported a problem and was forced into the pits.

When he came out he limped on before returning to the pits where the mechanics removed a brake cooling inlet. It didn’t help him and, combined with a five-second penalty, he could only finish 16th.

The results (52/52 laps): 1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari); 2. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.427s; 3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 0.772; 4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1.149; 5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 1.598; 6. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 2.023; 7. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) 2.214; 8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) 2.413; 9. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) 3.229; 10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 3.445; 11. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 4.014; 12. Carlos Sainz (Williams) 4.391; 13. Oliver Bearman (Haas) 5.245; 14. Esteban Ocon (Haas) 5.512; 15. Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) 7.403; 16. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 8.005; 17. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) 8.162; +1 lap: 18. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin); 19. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).

DNF: Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Alexander Albon (Williams), Nico Hulkenberg (Audi).

Standings: Drivers’: 1. Antonelli 179; 2. Russell 154; 3. Hamilton 147; 4. Leclerc 108; 5. Norris 97.

Constructors’: 1. Mercedes 333; 2. Ferrari 255; 3. McLaren 179; 4. Red Bull 128; 5. Alpine 60.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen heads into his Red Bull team’s home Austrian Grand Prix this weekend boosted by a major upgrade package and seeking his first win of the season and a record-extending fifth win at the event.

Without a victory since the season-ending Abu Dhabi race last year, the Dutchman is keen not only to re-establish his credentials as a title contender but also to see Red Bull overcome performance problems that have hit them this term.

Success in both ventures might also persuade him to confirm his long-term future with the team by signing a new contract.

Verstappen won the Austrian race in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023 and also triumphed in the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix, held at the Red Bull Ring track, during the pandemic. No other driver has more than one Austrian win.

“Austria is a home race for the team and it’s been great for me in the past,” said Verstappen.

“We have good memories there. It’s an interesting challenge. All the corners are quite different so balance is really important.

“You need both high-speed and low-speed performance, good traction and to be on top of the car’s energy and power. We have a new package this weekend so I’m hoping we can be closer to where we want to be.”

The short, fast and scenic track, owned by Red Bull, in the Styrian Alps encourages close racing and could see another change of winner after Ferrari’s seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton ended Mercedes’ six-race streak of success with his first win for the scarlet Scuderia in Spain.

Five of those Mercedes’ victories came consecutively from Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli who sits atop the drivers’ championship with a 41-point advantage ahead of Hamilton.

Hamilton confirmed his resurgent form with a commanding drive in Catalunya to claim his record 106th career victory and, with four races in five weeks, has an opportunity to build a bid for his record eighth drivers’ title.

Antonelli suffered his first retirement in Spain and will be keen to overcome the expected tropical-heatwave conditions and his rivals to extend his lead.

Like Red Bull and Ferrari – who are bringing an important engine upgrade to bid for an historic 250th win in F1, Mercedes are also bringing an upgrade package to a track where George Russell won in 2024.

McLaren will also be a serious threat. Defending champion Lando Norris won from pole last year as the team claimed a record seventh win at the venue and they will be testing an experimental rear wing in Friday practice.

str/bsp

FERRARI N.V.

Mercedes-Benz Group

Lewis Hamilton won his first race since joining Ferrari two years ago while Formula 1 leader Kimi Antonelli broke down at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Sunday (June 14, 2026).

Hamilton increased his record win haul to 106 career victories with his first since the Belgian GP in July 2024 while he was still with Mercedes.

“They are all special in their own way, but this one is something else,” Hamilton said about the importance of a victory that ended a run of 40 races without a win.

“I watched Ferrari have all this success when I was younger and wondered what it would be like to win in this car. And now it has come true.” The seven-time world champion took advantage of fresher tires and a superior pitstop strategy by Ferrari to overtake the pole-sitting George Russell, who finished second in his Mercedes.

Antonelli had passed his Mercedes teammate when his car came to a stop on the track with just four laps to go. He had won five races in a row.

Hamilton broke Mercedes’ grip on the top spot of the podium this season, which had lasted six races.

“Thank you so much to help me achieve this dream,” Hamilton said on team radio after crossing the finish line more than 19 seconds ahead of Russell. “Thank you for everyone pushing so hard at home, thanks to my family, and to my fans who continue to remind me who I am. I couldn’t have done this without you.” He then stood on his car, pumped his fist and sprinted to leap into the arms of his thrilled engineers and pit crew members.

It is Hamilton’s seventh win at this track, a record at Montmelo but his first here since 2021.

The 41-year-old Hamilton had been on the rebound with Ferrari this season after a miserable 2025 with the Italian squad, when he didn’t finish on the podium and only celebrated a sprint race win.

He was building toward this long-awaited victory with runner-up finishes at Canada and Monaco. He said he had set the “foundation” with Ferrari before he qualified second ahead of Antonelli for the Barcelona race.

Ferrari opted for a three-stop strategy to give Hamilton fresher tires on a track that is known to be hard on rubber, especially with track temperatures at 50 Celsius (122 F). The quicker wheels had him slip ahead of Russell, who, like Antonelli, was on a two-stop plan, when a bit of luck sealed it for Hamilton.

A stoppage by Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin brought out a virtual safety car, and Ferrari called in Hamilton for his final stop while his rivals couldn’t push the pace, and he emerged in the lead with a fresh set of tires.

Seeing Hamilton slip away, Russell was left to protect his position from Antonelli. They had jousted earlier in the race, before Antonelli swept past with four laps to go.

Moments later, it all unraveled for the 19-year-old when his car stalled and his shot at 18 points vanished.

Antonelli still leads with 156 points, but Hamilton has closed the gap and now has 115 with Russell on 106.

Defending F1 champion Lando Norris was third in his McLaren, ahead of Max Verstappen for Red Bull in fourth. Oscar Piastri, who won here last year, was fifth in the other McLaren.

An upgraded car and a “painful” reminder not to lose sight of the Formula One fundamentals could be George Russell’s path back to the front of the field at the Canadian GP.

Russell’s fourth-place finish at the last race in Miami handed his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli a 20-point lead in the drivers’ standings after four outings. The 19-year-old Italian is currently on a three-race winning streak.

Russell admitted that he lost ground partly because he focused too much on the standout features of the 2026 cars and neglected the basics. “Dealing with the tires, dealing with the set-up, just fundamentals of racing… they have kind of been put on the back-burner because we are so focused on energy management,” the Briton said.

“As painful as it was, it was very much needed because I think it is going to prove very beneficial,” added the 28-year-old.

Antonelli’s lead grew in Miami after McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull brought upgrades that helped them fight for the podium places. Now it is Mercedes’ turn to elevate the level of the car that has won all four races so far this campaign.

It is too early to talk about the title in just the fifth round but a fourth win in a row would put Antonelli in an exclusive club. Every driver who has won four or more consecutive GPs has been an F1 champion at some point in his career.

History, though, offers some encouragement to Russell. The one time that a driver won four consecutive races in a season but not the title came in 2016 when Lewis Hamilton was beaten by his then Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.

Meanwhile, the extra engine power agreed for 2027, with electrical power turned down and less need to recharge batteries, got a cautious welcome from Max Verstappen.

Alex Zanardi, the Italian auto racing champion-turned-Paralympic gold medalist whose career was marked by two life-altering accidents, has died. He was 59. Zanardi’s family announced his death on Saturday (May 2, 2026), saying that he passed away on Friday (May 1) night.

“Alex died peacefully, surrounded by the affection of those closest to him,” the family said in a statement without providing a cause of death.

In 2020, Zanardi was seriously injured in a handbike accident after crashing into an oncoming truck during a relay event in Tuscany. Zanardi suffered serious facial and cranial trauma in the crash and was put in a medically induced coma.

Nearly 20 years earlier, Zanardi lost both of his legs in an auto racing crash.

PM Meloni’s tribute

“Italy loses a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every challenge of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said on X.

“Alex Zanardi knew how to bounce back every time, facing even the toughest challenges with determination, clarity, and a strength of spirit that was truly exceptional,” Meloni added.

“With his sporting achievements, with his example, and with his humanity, he gave all of us much more than a victory: he gave hope, pride, and the strength to never give up. On behalf of myself and the government, I extend my heartfelt thoughts and the sincerest closeness to his family and to all those who loved him. Thank you for everything, Alex.”

Accident and Paralympics success

Zanardi won two championships in CART In the United States before a brief move to Formula One. He returned to America and was racing in Germany in a CART event in 2001 when both of his legs were severed in a horrific accident the weekend after the September 11 terrorist attacks. CART raced only because the series was already in Germany at the time of the attacks and could not return to the U.S.

During his recovery, Zanardi designed his own prosthetics — he joked that he made himself taller — and learned to walk again. He then turned his attention to hand cycling and developed into one of the most accomplished athletes in the world. He won four gold medals and two silvers at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, competed in the New York City Marathon and set an Ironman record.

His spirit, will, and determination gave the beloved Italian a larger than life persona. When he returned to the U.S. in 2019 to compete for BMW at the Rolex 24 of Daytona without his prosthetics, he was the most revered driver in a field that included F1 champion Fernando Alonso.

Drivers from around the world sought out Zanardi for photographs and were transfixed as he told elaborate tales of his adventures in the nearly two decades since many had seen him.

Praise from Pope Francis

Noted for his infectious smile and fanciful storytelling, Zanardi was praised by Pope Francis after his 2020 crash as an example of strength amid adversity. Francis penned a handwritten letter of encouragement assuring Zanardi and his family of his prayers.

Zanardi’s family added that it “thanks everyone who is sharing their support right now and asks for respect during this time of mourning.”

Funeral details were still to be announced, the family said.

Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been cancelled as the West Asia war engulfs the region, motorsport’s governing body the FIA announced on Saturday (March 14, 2026).

“It has been confirmed today that, after careful evaluations, due to the ongoing situation in the West Asia region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April,” the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement.

Iran-Israel war updates on March 14, 2026

“While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.

“The decision has been taken in full consultation with Formula One Group, local promoters and our member clubs in the region.”

Bahrain had been scheduled as the fourth Grand Prix this season to take place on April 10-12, with the Saudi race a week later.

The Gulf has been battered by two weeks of Iranian drone and missile attacks after the United States and Israel started their war on Iran.

Tiny Bahrain, a short hop over the Gulf sea from Iran, has been targeted with frequent attacks that have hit buildings and a refinery, as well as its large US military base.

Saudi Arabia has also weathered scores of strikes, some of them targeting the oil infrastructure that is crucial for the world’s biggest exporter of crude.

“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.

“After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.

“We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.

“Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow.

“My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”

Kimi Antonelli took pole position for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton and was asked by AFP in Shanghai about the possible cancellation of the West Asia races.

“My thoughts, and I think it’s the same for Lewis and George, are with the ones that are suffering from this situation,” said the 19-year-old Mercedes driver.

“Formula One and the FIA, they will handle the situation the best way possible in order to guarantee everyone’s safety.”

The Japanese Grand Prix will take place on March 27-29 with the following Formula One race now slated for the Miami Grand Prix on May 1-3.

Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy rounds will also not take place during their scheduled slots in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Neighbouring Qatar has also been targeted, with the first round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) scheduled for March 26-28 now postponed until October.

Kimi Antonelli stepped up on Saturday (March 14, 2026) when his Mercedes teammate George Russell hit trouble in qualifying to become the youngest-ever driver on pole position for a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

After holding off a challenge from Ferrari to win the sprint race earlier in the day, Russell seemed near-unbeatable. Then he stopped on track in qualifying and limped back to the pits with technical problems.

Russell’s team got the car going again with seconds to spare for him to set a time. It was only good enough for second on the grid, 0.222 of a second off Antonelli, who kept up Mercedes’ run of qualifying dominance after F1’s sweeping changes to the cars for 2026.

The Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will start third and fourth. Their fast starts could threaten Mercedes off the line, as they did last week in Australia and in Saturday’s sprint race.

The 19-year-old Antonelli becomes the youngest driver to take pole position for a full Grand Prix race, though he was also on pole aged 18 for a sprint race last year in Miami.

“It’s just the beginning, so obviously there’s a lot more to come,” Antonelli said. “Really looking forward to tomorrow. Car is feeling really good, car is strong, so a lot to play for tomorrow. But just super happy with today.” Russell said a damaged front wing and gear-change issues made for a “crazy” qualifying session. “As soon as I went out on the track, I could tell something wasn’t right,” he said. He then had to set a last-chance time with a depleted battery and cold tires.

Russell holds off Ferraris in sprint

Russell won the first race of the season in Australia last weekend, and he followed up taking the 19-lap sprint in China.

As last week in Australia, the Ferraris were fast off the line and Russell and Lewis Hamilton swapped the lead several times on the first few laps. But Russell began to pull away after the early laps with Hamilton fading as the constant battles took a toll on his tires. Charles Leclerc was second with his teammate Hamilton third.

“Lewis did an amazing job in the in the early laps,” Russell said. “He caught me off guard — 20 years of experience. So I’ve still got a bit to learn.” “It was pretty fun in the end,” Russell added. “A lot of strategy in play and overtakes. It’s not easy. I hope it was fun race to watch. Usually the sprint races are pretty boring.” Hamilton received loud applause from the Shanghai crowd when he began his on-track interview by saying “Ni hao” — hello in Chinese.

“That speed (of Mercedes) on the straight is just a little bit too much at the moment,” said Hamilton, who won last year’s sprint in China for his only victory since joining Ferrari. “I think I put up a good fight.” Hamilton and Leclerc couldn’t renew their challenge late in the race after a safety car period for Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg stopping on track.

Lando Norris was fourth for McLaren and Antonelli fifth after serving a penalty for an early collision with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar.

Adapting to F1’s changes

Formula 1 has made massive engine and chassis changes for this season — the most radical in over a decade — that feature a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric power.

Russell is one of the new era’s biggest cheerleaders and said Saturday’s sprint battle felt “like go-kart racing in the past … I don’t ever remember Formula 1 being like that, where you can have three or four cars all fighting for the same position truly on track.” Drivers have struggled to handle the trade-off between using power and conserving it, and some have struggled with extra power coming in unexpectedly.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen is no fan of the changes and finished ninth in the sprint race.

“Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong,” Verstappen said. “We just need to get our stuff together.”