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GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.
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For the first time since 2016, Formula 1 will feature 11 teams and 22 cars on the grid. Cadillac is entering the sport with Bottas and Pérez behind the wheel. But as a brand-new outfit starting completely from scratch, they face some serious challenges. In this GPFans Special, we break down why their debut might not be as smooth as it seems.
The FIA have scheduled two more meetings this week to tackle the much-discussed engine trick found by Mercedes surrounding their power unit’s compression ratio. The FIA will meet with all eleven teams, and Thursday, the Power Unit Advisory Committee will come together as well to discuss the matter. Meanwhile, Christian Horner has made his first public appearance since being let go as Red Bull’s team principal back in July, and the Brit claims he still has unfinished business in Formula 1.
Williams team principal James Vowles has refuted the fact that a weight problem and failed crash tests are the reason why the team is not able to run this week in Barcelona. Vowles claims it’s impossible to know whether or not the car is overweight or not, but has confirmed they’ll be ready in time for the two upcoming tests in Bahrain in February.
The first real test week of the Formula 1 season has begun. Already, several striking developments are emerging, and in this GPFans Special we take a closer look at some of those clever innovations.
Winter testing has officially begun in Barcelona, albeit behind closed doors, and one notably absent team was Aston Martin. News broke last week that Williams will miss the test altogether, but Aston have run into some delays as well, as seven of the eleven teams ran their cars on Monday.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed that McLaren will not participate in the first day of the Barcelona winter test. The test next week, that will take place behind closed doors, is the first of three separate testing opportunities for the 11 F1 teams to shake down their new challengers.
Jack Doohan could be back in Formula 1 next year. The Aussie is on the verge of becoming Haas’s reserve driver this season, with the intention of getting a full-time drive for next year.
Multiple teams could miss out on the first day of testing in Barcelona at the end of the month. Red Bull Racing and Alpine, with the testing week behind closed doors starting on January 26th.
Three teams have gone to the FIA to declare the new Mercedes engine illegal, according to the usually well-informed Corriere dello Sport. Mercedes have reportedly found a way to circumvent the new compression ratio and generate more power, which is why other manufacturers have rung the alarm bell.
Sergio Perez has hit out at Christian Horner over the way he was shown the door at Red Bull Racing. Perez claims he was merely a distraction for Horner’s off-track controversy during that year, as he was ultimately replaced at the end of 2024. Meanwhile Formula 1 have decided to slightly tweak the qualifying format for 2026 as an 11th team and two more cars have been added to the grid.
Christian Horner’s return to the F1-paddock could be delayed to at least September because of a clause in one of Alpine’s contracts. Horner is reportedly on the brink of buying a stake in Alpine and becoming the on-grid leader of the team, but this could throw a real spanner in the works.
Honda have spare time to work on their 2026 power unit if necessary. The Japanese manufacturer did not use all of their allocated development time in 2023 and 2024, and plan to use this time if they appear to have a deficit to the rest of the grid in 2026.
Red Bull Racing team advisor Dr Helmut Marko believes Max Verstappen can still mount a comeback in the championship. Marko thinks the RB21 is just as fast as the McLaren when it’s in the right window.
Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has been in talks with both Aston Martin and Williams, according to The Race.com and Motorsport. Lambiase has been with Verstappen since moving to the team in 2016, but was offered a senior position at Aston Martin, where his old colleague Adrian Newey is now team principal.
Max Verstappen believes that if all twenty F1 cars would be checked after a Grand Prix for skid block wear, like McLaren were in Las Vegas, that half of the cars would not be legal. Like many others, Verstappen is not a fan of the random checks the FIA conducts, but concedes checking all cars after every race is also not possible.
The FIA have closed another potential loophole in the new F1 engine rules for the upcoming season, and this time, it’s regarding fuel flow. Previously, there were suspicions Red Bull and Mercedes had found a way around the new compression ratio limit, but this is a new fuel-related loophole that the FIA have had to deal with.
Helmut Marko has come out and made some serious accusation against Red Bull's former team principal, Christian Horner. Marko says that Horner was "lying about everything" and says that Horner wanted to take over the Milton Keynes-based outfit after the passing of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022. Meanwhile Verstappen has shut down talks about potentially becoming a F1 team principal, saying that the job would involve too much, more than being a F1 driver.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as president of F1’s governing body the FIA. But despite being the only candidate on the list due to a quirk in the rules, he did not get all the votes. Meanwhile at tonight’s FIA Prize Giving Ceremony where Lando Norris will be officially crowned champion. Max Verstappen will not be attending the event.
Charles Leclerc has warned Ferrari for 2026, saying that next season will be "now or never" to make a comeback back to the top as the monegasque driver is both running out of time and patience.
Lando Norris' father, Adam Norris, has caused a bit of a stir in the media with his comments about Max Verstappen finishing second in the F1 drivers' championship.
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