Thursday in Formula 1 was marked by important backstage movements, with Lewis Hamilton reacting to rumors about changes at Ferrari, Red Bull approaching decisions for its 2027 grid, and new doubts involving the Middle East calendar. The FIA also canceled the Saudi Arabia stage that would close the 2026 World Rally Championship, citing regional uncertainty and logistical difficulties.
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Hamilton denied having asked Ferrari to replace members of his team. The statement came after Corriere della Sera published that the Briton was pressuring Frederic Vasseur for changes in the operational and strategic structure, as well as pointing to an alleged distancing between the driver and team principal. Hamilton made it clear that he intends to continue working with the professionals who currently accompany him.
At Red Bull, the decisions for 2027 are also approaching. Isack Hadjar appears close to renewing with the main team, while Liam Lawson’s future is linked to Racing Bulls. Nikola Tsolov’s rise in Formula 2 added a new variable to the structure’s decisions, which should be announced in the coming days.
Mercedes, in turn, has already resolved one of its main pending issues. Toto Wolff stated that George Russell has already renewed his contract and that there just hasn’t been a formal announcement. The executive also defended the Briton amid the 81-point lead built by Kimi Antonelli in the championship, stating that Russell remains among the best and can still compete for titles.
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Antonelli also became a topic for another reason. Wolff admitted concern about the extremely aggressive style of the championship leader, who even scraped the wall while controlling the lead in the final laps of the Spanish GP. The Mercedes boss revealed that he has already spoken with Marco Antonelli, the driver’s father, about the risks taken by the Italian.
At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc is still awaiting a decision on the updated power unit used in the serious Monza crash. Engineers continue to assess whether the engine can be recovered and, according to the Monegasque, a possible loss of the component could result in a penalty later in the season. Leclerc also acknowledged that Ferrari mainly needs to improve its qualifying performance.
The future of the last stages of 2026 remains surrounded by uncertainty. The cancellation of the Saudi Arabia Rally increased attention on the Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs, which remain officially on the F1 calendar, while Imola appears among the alternatives considered. At the same time, the category confirmed four events in the Middle East for 2027, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
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