Formula 1 had a Monday marked by internal discussions at Ferrari, explanations from Red Bull about the RB22’s behavior, and new statements from Lando Norris after McLaren’s first victory in 2026. Fernando Alonso’s future and Cadillac’s plans were also among the day’s main topics.
At Ferrari, the team’s communications again fueled the debate over the priority between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Fred Vasseur also addressed the team’s focus in the championship fight, while Leclerc highlighted an extra challenge imposed by the cars developed under the sport’s new technical regulations.
Red Bull explained the issue that hurt the confidence of its drivers in the RB22 during the first half of the season. Isack Hadjar, for his part, pointed to a decisive advantage for Max Verstappen within the team, while Alan Permane stated that a potential departure of the four-time champion would not have a direct impact on Racing Bulls, since the selection of drivers for the main operation is up to Red Bull itself.
Norris also returned to the center of attention by admitting that he did not expect to win with McLaren so early in 2026. The Briton won the Hungarian Grand Prix after the team delivered a major improvement at the Hungaroring, a result that interrupted Mercedes and Ferrari’s dominance at the top step of the podium this season.
In Aston Martin, Adrian Newey commented on Alonso’s future, while David Coulthard projected that the team could claim wins through 2028. The Silverstone outfit is undergoing a recovery process after bringing 16 updates to the Hungarian GP and preparing new developments for the remainder of the season.
The driver market highlighted Monday’s headlines. Colton Herta’s Formula 2 season began to raise questions about Cadillac’s plans, while Oliver Bearman reaffirmed his desire to defend Ferrari in the future. Flavio Briatore also defended holding Sprint races at all 24 rounds of the F1 calendar.
