Formula 1 had a Wednesday marked by technical updates, criticisms of the 2026 cars, and behind-the-scenes moves within the teams. McLaren confirmed further updates after their victory in Hungary, while Honda explained why its new power unit started the season below expectations.
McLaren is already preparing minor evolutions for the opening rounds after the break and is studying a more substantial package for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The performance of the MCL40 at the Hungaroring, where Lando Norris secured the team’s first win and its first pole position in 2026, confirmed the effectiveness of the latest parts, but the squad still regards the car as difficult to drive and is seeking to ease the extraction of performance.
In Aston Martin, Honda revealed that it only realized in January the true scale of its performance and reliability problems. Battery issues during testing limited data collection, while the manufacturer had to prioritise the durability of the package and sacrifice power. An update primarily targeted at the internal combustion engine was tested at the Hungaroring and will be used at the Dutch Grand Prix.
The current cars also returned to the center of the discussion. Max Verstappen agreed with Gabriel Bortoleto in stating that drivers must continually adapt their driving style to the demands of the equipment, especially in energy management. Pierre Gasly was more critical and said that the regulations have taken management too far, reducing the ability to attack every corner to the limit.
Off the track, Alpine began to be evaluated by Renault at US$ 3.5 billion during negotiations for the sale of 24% of Otro Capital. Christian Horner had already submitted an offer for the stake, but the French manufacturer retains approval power and reaffirmed that it intends to keep control of the team.
The Brazilian public also received a new opportunity to watch the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos. The final ticket sale will open on August 27 at noon, exclusively for Porto Bank cardholders, as the other circuit sectors are already sold out.
