Monday in Formula 1 was marked by the fallout from the Spanish Grand Prix and by the increasingly favorable outlook for Kimi Antonelli in the title fight. After the Madrid victory, the Italian opened an 81-point gap over George Russell and, depending on a potential calendar change, could secure the championship as early as the Mexico City Grand Prix.
The calendar’s future also gained momentum. Although FOM officially keeps the Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs, teams have already been informed that Imola could host the final round of 2026. According to GPblog, hotels in the Italian region have already been booked, while the delay in confirmation is also linked to financial issues involving the fees paid by the promoters of the races in the Middle East.
In the sporting analysis of the Spanish Grand Prix, the result concealed a warning for Mercedes. Antonelli won by taking advantage of the favorable moment under the Virtual Safety Car, but Lando Norris had built a 4.7-second lead by lap 7 and seemed to control the race before the neutralization. It was another weekend in which McLaren demonstrated the capacity to challenge the German team directly for the victory.
O Madring, por outro lado, voltou ao centro das críticas. A primeira corrida no circuito teve apenas quatro ultrapassagens, o menor número das 14 etapas disputadas em 2026 e seis a menos que Mônaco. Antes de Madri, a média da temporada era de 61 manobras por corrida, reforçando o contraste com a estreia espanhola.
Na Ferrari, a equipe ainda tenta entender a falha de freios que provocou o abandono de Lewis Hamilton. Fred Vasseur confirmou que a causa exata ainda não foi identificada e será investigada, depois de o britânico relatar que o pedal ficou longo e perdeu eficiência repetidamente durante as primeiras voltas. O abandono encerrou a sequência de Hamilton pontuando em todas as corridas do ano.
Outside the track, McLaren is also moving the sidelines. The team is trying to speed up the arrival of Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s engineer at Red Bull, currently scheduled for 2028. The two teams have been discussing the matter, but a report from De Telegraaf indicates that Lambiase will remain at Red Bull at least until the end of this season.
