Saturday brought important news both on and off the Formula 1 tracks. Lando Norris renewed with McLaren until at least 2030, Haas ended the tests of its candidates for 2027 without pointing to a favorite, and new information placed Lewis Hamilton with the possibility of staying at Ferrari until 2028.
Read more F1: Montoya criticizes Leclerc for ignoring Ferrari’s order
McLaren started the day by confirming the extension of Norris’s contract, who will remain with the team until the end of 2030. The Briton highlighted that he considers Woking his “home” and stated that, after helping the team return to the top and win championships, the goal now is to keep winning. The renewal comes just days after Max Verstappen also secured his stay at Red Bull until 2030.
In the driver market, Rafael Câmara remained in the spotlight. According to GPblog, Haas finished the test held in Portimão without a clearly leading name among the Brazilian, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Ryo Hirakawa. The publication pointed out that the evaluated drivers showed very close performance, while Câmara left a positive impression, keeping the competition open for the possible seat currently occupied by Esteban Ocon.
At Ferrari, Hamilton’s future gained a new chapter. Information from GPblog indicates that the seven-time world champion’s contract guarantees his stay until 2027 and foresees the possibility of extension for one more season. Ferrari has not yet confirmed the Briton for 2028, but the continuation could lead him to stay with the team until he is 43 years old.
Hamilton was also at the center of discussions sparked by the Dutch GP. Juan Pablo Montoya criticized Charles Leclerc for not immediately obeying a Ferrari order during the race and stated that the Monegasque’s attitude could create a bad environment within the team. The former driver believes that Ferrari should have managed the pace difference between the two cars differently at that moment.
Read more F1: Hamilton could stay at Ferrari until 2028, says site
Another important topic came from Red Bull. Although the FIA has again pointed to Red Bull Powertrains-Ford as the reference in combustion engine performance, the on-track results tell a different story: cars equipped with Mercedes power units led 605 of the 745 laps contested in the first 12 rounds, or 81.2% of the total. Red Bull itself continues to face difficulties in turning the performance of its power unit into consistent pace with the RB22.
The calendar also came into focus. Imola is already moving to eventually host the final stage of the season if uncertainties involving the Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs lead to changes in the schedule. Local authorities state that dialogue with Formula 1 remains active and they are working to ensure structure and resources for a possible new race.
With the next round scheduled for Monza between September 4 and 6, F1 arrives at the Italian GP week with long-term contracts gaining definition, the fight for 2027 seats still open, and different teams trying to find answers for the second half of the season.
Read more F1: Steiner asks Ferrari to prioritize Hamilton in the title fight
