Wednesday the 11th in Formula 1 was marked by fresh criticisms of Ferrari, praise for Rafael Câmara after his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and news about Liam Lawson’s future with the Racing Bulls. The safety of the closing races of 2026, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, also drew attention, while Gabriel Bortoleto questioned a technical limitation of the cars in wet conditions.
At Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur began facing harsher scrutiny from the Italian press after the performances of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in Interlagos. Journalists such as Giorgio Terruzzi and Pino Allievi questioned the leadership and urged changes within the team. Vasseur also explained that the complete replacement of Hamilton’s power unit in Brazil was a precautionary measure, following issues in TL3, to avoid the risk of further faults and penalties in Las Vegas.
Among Brazilians, Rafael Câmara received praise from Vasseur himself, who highlighted his pace on his Haas debut. The Ferrari chief deemed the young driver’s performance impressive given Interlagos’ challenging conditions, with rain, cold, and different tire compounds. Gabriel Bortoleto, for his part, criticized the electric power limitation of the cars on a wet track, a view shared by Arvid Lindblad. According to the drivers, the reduction from 350 kW to 250 kW complicates overtaking.
In the driver market, Alan Permane acknowledged the pressure to decide Racing Bulls’ 2027 lineup and promised news soon. Liam Lawson remains without a confirmed stay, despite his seventh place at the Brazilian GP, while Arvid Lindblad and Nikola Tsolov also feature in the running for seats. The expectation is that the decision will be announced before the Las Vegas GP, although there is no official deadline yet.
The season’s finale also remained in focus. Derek Chang, Liberty Media’s CEO, was personally in Qatar ahead of the decision to keep the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix on the calendar. Statements from U.S. President Donald Trump raised expectations for a diplomatic solution to the Middle East conflict, but the staging of the races remains conditioned by safety requirements.
In Red Bull, Laurent Mekies revealed that the team considered returning the second place to Isack Hadjar after the Frenchman yielded to Max Verstappen in Interlagos. The swap ultimately did not happen as the drivers pulled away with the rain returning. The decision allowed the Dutchman to keep three additional points in the fight for second place.
The Wednesday also featured discussion about Oscar Piastri’s future, who needs to define his new representation structure after the end of the partnership with Mark and Ann Webber. At Mercedes, George Russell praised Toto Wolff’s leadership during the team’s difficult spells, while winning the 2026 Constructors’ Championship positioned the manufacturer among Formula 1’s greatest champions.
