Formula 1 has refocused its attention on the Spanish Grand Prix, the next round of the 2026 season, and this Tuesday was marked by announcements involving young drivers and by the final repercussions of the eventful Monaco Grand Prix. Teams used the week between races to confirm participation in free practice sessions and to project the challenges awaiting Barcelona.
The FIA also came into prominence by scheduling for Thursday a hearing to analyze Alpine’s request to overturn the penalties applied to Pierre Gasly in Monaco. The French driver lost a podium after receiving two penalties for speeding in the pit lane, but the team believes it has new elements to try to reverse the decision.
Among the rookies, Cadillac confirmed that Colton Herta will participate in TL1 in Barcelona in Sergio Perez’s car. The American team arrives energized after showing progress in Monte Carlo and plans to use the Spanish track to measure the project’s progress. At Williams, Luke Browning was also confirmed for two TL1 sessions later this month, expanding the British team’s young driver development program.
Another update came from McLaren. Leonardo Fornaroli will make his official debut on a Formula 1 weekend during the Barcelona Grand Prix, reinforcing the trend of teams using the mandatory sessions for rookies as an opportunity to evaluate promising talents.
On the Brazilian side, Gabriel Bortoleto expressed confidence for the next race. The Audi driver highlighted the progress shown by the team in the latest events and believes that the Barcelona track could provide another opportunity to confirm the growth seen in Monaco, where he finished close to the points.
Off the track, Globo announced changes to its broadcasting team during the World Cup period. The changes will affect the coverage of the upcoming Formula 1 rounds on free-to-air TV, as the network adjusts its schedule to accommodate both sporting events.
