Motorsport News — Smoko News Sport

Max Verstappen pinpoints Red Bull's "big priority" for second half of F1 2026

During Formula 1's summer break, Max Verstappen finds himself no fewer than 110 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.Last season, the four-time world champion launched a spectacular comeback from Zandvoort onwards and finished on the podium in every grand prix during the second half of…

Formula 152d ago

George Russell still carries scars from 2020 Mercedes F1 call-up

Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell has revealed he still carries scars on his hips from squeezing into seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton's race seat during his appearance for the Brackley outfit at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.Russell, who was driving for Williams at the time, was called up to…

Formula 153d ago

King Willem-Alexander to present F1 Dutch GP winner's trophy at Zandvoort

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will present the winner's trophy at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. It will be his first 'official' visit to a sporting event in the Netherlands to present a prize.While King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima have attended the Dutch Grand Prix regularly…

Formula 153d ago

F1 2026 mid-season grades: McLaren starts on back foot but makes rapid progress

McLaren faced the challenge over following up its back-to-back world titles across an entirely different set of regulations. On paper, it felt like the Woking-based squad was well equipped to do so, but a combination of its 2025 title race hangover and its challenges exploiting Mercedes' power unit…

Formula 153d ago

Why Mercedes finds other F1 teams' upgrades "scary" with its out-of-phase plan

Mercedes technical director James Allison says the team's decision to keep developing its 2026 Formula 1 car late has put it "out of phase" with the other teams around it, causing a leapfrog effect as in-season updates produce large performance gains.The W17 has been the class of the field so far…

Formula 153d ago

How F1 drivers were "drooling over" Formula E's Gen4 car

Formula E boss Jeff Dodds beamed with pride when several Formula 1 drivers attended the Monaco E-Prix, labelling their comments about Gen4 as his highlight of the 2025-26 season.Reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris and several others attended Formula E’s Monaco weekend in May, which was rounds…

Formula 153d ago

Max Verstappen unveils special helmet for final F1 Dutch Grand Prix

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has unveiled a special-edition helmet design ahead of what will be his final home race at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix.The Dutchman's home race helmet design abandons his standard 2026 design for a white and blue colourway inspired by the traditional Dutch…

Formula 153d ago

What exactly was behind Franco Colapinto's Miami breakthrough at Alpine?

According to Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, Alpine was overtaken by Racing Bulls in the final weeks before Formula 1's summer break.Both drivers say it is simply a matter of car development – Red Bull's sister team has introduced more upgrades, and more effective ones, than the Enstone squad –…

Formula 153d ago

FIA lifts sanctions on Russian, Belarusian drivers

The FIA has revised its emergency measures to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian drivers and no longer binds them to a commitment of 'neutrality', walking back on the measures placed on them following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the FIA…

Formula 153d ago

Interview - The life and racing lessons Allan McNish learned from Ayrton Senna and Audi

For long-time Audi stalwart and Le Mans winner Allan McNish, becoming Audi's first racing director in Formula 1 feels like the natural progression of his storied career on both sides of the pitwall.After climbing the UK single-seater ladder in the late '80s and early '90s, McNish's road to the top…

Formula 154d ago

Arvid Lindblad admits F1 rookie season has exceeded expectations

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad says his maiden Formula 1 campaign is proving to be a "dream" as he evaluates an impressive first half of the 2026 season.The 19-year-old started the year off strongly by reaching Q3 at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and ultimately secured an…

Formula 154d ago

Lance Stroll spotted driving ultra-rare £3million Aston Martin in Monaco

Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll has been spotted around the streets of Monaco in an ultra-rare Aston Martin DBR22 speedster.The Canadian was seen at the wheel of the open-cockpit V12 during the F1 summer break. Introduced in 2022 to celebrate a decade of the bespoke 'Q by Aston Martin'…

Formula 154d ago

Guenther Steiner sets condition for potential F1 return

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has admitted that he would be open to making a return to the championship, provided the opportunity is a genuine "project".Steiner, who quickly became a fan-favourite personality through Netflix's Drive to Survive, was replaced as Haas team…

Formula 154d ago

Isack Hadjar identifies key area he must improve compared to Max Verstappen

Halfway through the 2026 Formula 1 season, there is still talk about a Red Bull seat, but not the position that has come under the most pressure in recent years. And that is perhaps the biggest compliment Isack Hadjar could receive following his promotion to Red Bull.Since Daniel Ricciardo's…

Formula 154d ago

Charles Leclerc and wife Alexandra appear to address pregnancy rumours with holiday photos

Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc and his wife, Alexandra Leclerc, who married in a private Monaco ceremony earlier this year, are currently holidaying in Sardinia.Recent photographs from their luxury yacht getaway have fuelled rumours that the couple are expecting their first child, with…

Formula 154d ago

Valtteri Bottas sees clear Cadillac progress amid challenging first F1 season

Cadillac Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas has already seen progress with the newly formed team in the first half of its maiden season in the championship.Cadillac joined F1 in 2026 as its 11th team with the experienced driver line-up of former Mercedes driver Bottas and former Red Bull driver…

Formula 154d ago

F1 2026 mid-season grades: Red Bull stumbles but summer rally shows glimmer of progress

Red Bull made an admirable start to life as a bona fide power unit manufacturer, but on the chassis side the team has been lagging behind its top rivals since day one. A late push towards the summer is salvaging a C- grade rather than a less satisfactory score.The badRed Bull started 2026 as F1's…

Formula 154d ago

Rob Smedley casts doubt on Haas's chances of becoming F1 frontrunners

Former Ferrari Formula 1 race engineer Rob Smedley has argued that the structure of Haas will prevent it from becoming a frontrunning team in the championship.The American outfit joined the F1 grid in 2016, relying heavily on a technical partnership with Ferrari. While the approach allowed Haas to…

Formula 154d ago

Mika Hakkinen reveals why McLaren rivalry with David Coulthard never boiled over

Two-time Formula 1 champion Mika Hakkinen has opened up about working alongside David Coulthard at McLaren, explaining that a shared belief in the Woking outfit's future success prevented on-track collisions from affecting their working relationship.Coulthard and Hakkinen reflected on their long…

Formula 154d ago

Cadillac claims Rafael Camara 2027 rumour is “unsubstantiated”, yet admits “things can change”

Cadillac Formula 1 team CEO Dan Towriss has refuted reports that the team is looking at Formula 2 frontrunner Rafael Camara for 2027, albeit admitting that “things can always change”.Motorsport revealed at the Hungarian Grand Prix that the Ferrari-powered outfit was tracking Camara with a view to…

Formula 154d ago

What’s behind Cadillac’s shock F1 team principal change – and why it happened now

More than a week before the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, the Formula 1 world was abruptly awakened from its summer break.At 3pm UK time, Cadillac decided the time was right to make a shock announcement: Graeme Lowdon had been replaced as team principal with immediate effect by Marcin…

Formula 155d ago

Cadillac F1 team "not distracted" by Sergio Perez to Williams rumours

New Cadillac Formula 1 team boss Marcin Budkowski has praised Sergio Perez for his role in the 2026 campaign - denying any rumours linking him away from the debutant squad.The 36-year-old joined the American outfit for its F1 debut in 2026 and although he is yet to score a point due to inferior…

Formula 155d ago

Marcin Budkowski spoke to 'over half' the F1 grid before choosing Cadillac

New Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski confirmed he’d held negotiations with “more than half” of the Formula 1 grid as he explained why he opted for the debutant outfit.On Wednesday Cadillac made a shock announcement that Graeme Lowdon had been replaced by Budkowski as team principal during…

Formula 155d ago

Graeme Lowdon's shock Cadillac exit wasn't a "mutual decision" - Dan Towriss

The Cadillac Formula 1 outfit has confirmed that Graeme Lowdon’s dismissal as its team principal “wasn’t a mutual decision” - adding he was only told on the morning.Cadillac made a shock announcement on Wednesday that Lowdon had been replaced by ex-Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski for the…

Formula 155d ago

Cadillac hires new F1 team boss, Graeme Lowdon leaves

The Cadillac Formula 1 outfit has hired a new team principal, appointing Marcin Budkowski to the position instead of Graeme Lowdon.Budkowski, 49, has held a myriad of roles in the world championship over the past 25 years, working as an aerodynamicist at Prost, Ferrari and McLaren before heading…

Formula 155d ago

Why McLaren feels the best drivers can still make a difference under F1 2026 rules

The complaints have been rumbling since before the start of the Formula 1 season. Periodically they intensify, especially at so-called ‘energy-starved’ circuits where the ratio of corners to straights, and the type of corners, mitigate against the new-generation cars being able to recharge their…

Formula 155d ago

F1 2026 mid-season grades: Racing Bulls stuns midfield pack

Racing Bulls equalled its best-ever result of sixth place in 2025, but started the new campaign with plenty of question marks. As one of F1's smaller teams, the huge regulation change was a big stress test and its closely-fought battle for sixth saw it start its 2026 car development later than…

Formula 155d ago

Jessica Hawkins dismisses F1 strength concerns but flags junior series barrier for female drivers

Aston Martin Formula 1 driver ambassador Jessica Hawkins insists women have the physical strength required to race in F1, but suggests changes may be needed in junior categories such as Formula 2 and Formula 3 to ensure female and male drivers can compete on equal terms.Speaking on the Road to…

Formula 155d ago

Does F1's ADUO system need a rethink? FIA admits to "weaknesses"

Few topics in the Formula 1 paddock have generated as much political debate during the first half of the season as ADUO, the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities.The system was introduced as a safety net for a manufacturer that falls behind, partly in response to Honda's situation under…

Supercars55d ago

Supercars, Triple Eight own up to “significant” error that has made Will Brown slower

Triple Eight has pointed the finger at Supercars over the recent lack of speed of the Ford Mustang driven by Will Brown, and Supercars has admitted that a part it supplied to the team was undersized.On Wednesday afternoon Triple Eight team principal and co-owner Jamie Whincup issued a statement in…

Formula 156d ago

Maturity, experience, self-belief – The keys to Kimi Antonelli’s new F1 level

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord has given several reasons behind Kimi Antonelli’s rise into a Formula 1 title contender this season.Antonelli endured a tough rookie campaign last year as F1’s third-youngest driver in history, having bypassed F3 to spend just one year in F2 before…

Formula 156d ago

F1 2026 mid-season grades: Alpine makes great strides but struggles to maintain momentum

From all the teams that wrote off 2025 or shifted focus to 2026 much earlier, Alpine is actually the squad that saw the biggest benefits from that approach. Powered by Mercedes engines, the squad enjoyed a strong start to the season. But Alpine's first half of the year has been slightly downgraded…

Formula 156d ago

McLaren trying to understand Ferrari's 'inspirational' upgrade volume

McLaren says Ferrari's vast number of Formula1 car upgrades over the first half of the 2026 season is an "inspiration" as it aims to keep rolling out updates of its own.The dawn of a new era of regulations triggered a huge development war over the first half of the 2026 campaign, with Ferrari and…

Formula 156d ago

What to expect from Honda's long-awaited F1 power unit upgrade at Zandvoort

While Aston Martin introduced its first major upgrade package for the AMR26 in Hungary, Honda will bring its first update of the 2026 Formula 1 season to Zandvoort.With Adrian Newey’s first upgrade package of the year, the deficit on the chassis side has been reduced considerably. Aston Martin is…

Formula 157d ago

Alex Albon leaves fans in stitches with Red Bull joke in F1 "Grill The Grid" video

Formula 1's official Grill The Grid series returned for its 10th anniversary, challenging the current drivers to identify racers based on their career progression charts.The challenge proved remarkably tricky for the current grid, with multiple drivers getting stuck on four-time champion Max…

Formula 157d ago

Cadillac gives update on its under-construction F1 factories

Cadillac Formula 1 team principal Graeme Lowdon has given an update on the outfit’s current infrastructure, which is still being developed.F1’s newest squad operates from several locations, mainly its Silverstone hub in the United Kingdom, while it makes the most of General Motors facilities in…

Formula 157d ago

F1 2026 mid-season grades: Haas gets left behind after strong start

Thanks to a strong start by Oliver Bearman, Haas enters the summer shutdown in seventh place in the constructors' standings. The team scored 21 points, which leaves it well adrift of Racing Bulls and Alpine, but ahead of Audi and Williams. However, a worrying decline in performance as Formula 1's…

Formula 157d ago

Jessica Hawkins predicts female F1 driver within "few years"

Aston Martin driver ambassador and former W Series racer Jessica Hawkins believes a woman will race in Formula 1 within a "few years", backing the F1 Academy to develop talent capable of fighting for seats on the grand prix grid.Hawkins, who became the first woman in nearly five years to test…

Formula 157d ago

McLaren "disappointed" not to pick up rotating rear wing as quickly as Ferrari

McLaren Formula 1 tech director Neil Houldey admits the squad was "disappointed" not to pick up on the upside down rear wing concept as quickly as pioneering Ferrari, as the team continues developing its own version for adoption after the summer break.Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes, as F1…

Formula 157d ago

Why McLaren won't turn off its 2026 F1 car development just yet

Having started the 2026 season on the back foot, McLaren is showing signs of what made this iteration of the storied team so successful in the first place over the past two years.True to its successful strike rate with in-season upgrades in 2024 and 2025, McLaren's latest upgrade package in…