F1 had a Sunday without a race, but with the focus already shifted toward the Austrian Grand Prix and the technical behind-the-scenes of the 2026 season. Kimi Antonelli, Ferrari, Verstappen and Audi were among the day’s main topics.
Antonelli arrives at the Red Bull Ring as the championship leader, winner of five of the eight races contested and the standout name of the season so far. The Italian lands in Austria amid expectations of confirming his status as the favorite in a more balanced Formula 1, with Verstappen, Hamilton, Norris and Piastri still posing real threats.
Ferrari also drew attention for its consistency. Even with Charles Leclerc’s retirement in Barcelona, the Italian team remains the one with the most laps completed in the championship, with 854 in total. Mercedes sits in second place, with 828, while Aston Martin occupies the last position in this tally, with only 562 laps completed.
Beyond the statistics, Verstappen praised the stance of the FIA and Formula 1 in discussions about power-unit regulations. The four-time world champion noted that the bodies listened to the drivers and implemented changes considered important, including plans to increase the share of the internal combustion engine in the coming years.
A Audi também entrou no debate técnico. Mattia Binotto sugeriu que o sistema ADUO, criado para permitir desenvolvimento extra a fabricantes de unidades de potência em desvantagem, poderia seguir um modelo parecido com o dos chassis, usando resultados das temporadas anteriores para distribuir oportunidades de evolução.
Nos testes, Ugo Ugochukwu sofreu um pequeno acidente em Monza ao guiar um carro da Alpine em uma atividade com modelo de temporadas anteriores. O líder da Fórmula 3 pilotava um F1 pela primeira vez e bateu na barreira de proteção, fazendo o carro retornar aos mecânicos para reparos.
