F1 Pickings

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur claimed that the 2026 Formula 1 regulations are “less artificial” than DRS amid widespread criticism of the new ruleset. This year, F1 is debuting its latest regulation overhaul with changes to both the chassis and engine, the latter being a contentious point due to its increased reliance on electric power. The change has given a key role to battery management ... Keep reading

As the clock ticked down during the second phase of qualifying for the Miami GP sprint race, Formula 1's world TV feed briefly cut to the incongruous spectacle of Liam Lawson sitting in his car in the Racing Bulls garage. Lawson had been eliminated in the first phase of sprint qualifying but his team was hoping he would be allowed to return to the track. The belief was that Alex Albon's ... Keep reading

As the clock ticked down during the second phase of qualifying for the Miami GP sprint race, Formula 1's world TV feed briefly cut to the incongruous spectacle of Liam Lawson sitting in his car in the Racing Bulls garage. Lawson had been eliminated in the first phase of sprint qualifying but his team was hoping he would be allowed to return to the track. The belief was that Alex Albon's ... Keep reading

Reigning world champion Lando Norris' Formula 1 title defence may not be up and running just yet, but a first batch of McLaren car upgrades helped deliver his first sprint pole of the season and a chance to reconnect with his the confidence he enjoyed late in 2025. Norris was the first driver to bump a Mercedes off pole this season, putting two tenths on championship leader Kimi Antonelli in ... Keep reading

A wide smile, dimples on his cheeks, and those slightly squinting eyes. If we close our eyes, that’s how Alex Zanardi comes to mind. And of course, wearing a racing suit – whether it was a Formula 1 suit, a Ganassi one, or the Italian handbike suit didn’t really matter. Whether he had four wheels or three beneath him mattered even less. Because people like him – paraphrasing a famous ... Keep reading

A wide smile, dimples on his cheeks, and those slightly squinting eyes. If we close our eyes, that’s how Alex Zanardi comes to mind. And of course, wearing a racing suit – whether it was a Formula 1 suit, a Ganassi one, or the Italian handbike suit didn’t really matter. Whether he had four wheels or three beneath him mattered even less. Because people like him – paraphrasing a famous ... Keep reading

We'll come back fighting tomorrow and see what more we can do.

Overall, it has been a very good day and a positive start but we won't stop there, we will look to build on that overnight.

Alex Albon will start the Sprint from 19th after exceeding track limits in SQ1.

First Practice and Sprint Qualifying today didn't go entirely to plan today for us; we came away feeling we could have achieved more.

We were losing a couple of tenths in a straight line today, but that's not just down to the engine or to the chassis, it's down to the whole package.

Both cars reached SQ3 today which is a real positive, especially with other teams bringing significant upgrades to their cars.

We brought a substantial aero upgrade package this weekend, which has translated to more load through the corners and ultimately more laptime on track.

It is interesting to note that in Sprint Qualifying there is only a 1.4-second gap compared to last year's best time.

It's always important to hit the ground running on a Sprint weekend and we unfortunately didn't manage that today.

To come away with a Pole and third on tomorrow's Sprint grid, given where we were in the first few races, is a strong step forward.

Formula 1’s 2026 regulations have prompted serious questions for Max Verstappen, who has been one of the biggest critics of this new ruleset. The four-time world champion first caused a stir during pre-season when he labelled it as “anti-racing” and like “Formula E on steroids”, due to how the power units are now more reliant on electrical energy. The change resulted in battery ... Keep reading

FIA has contingency plan in place should the predicted storm hit Miami on Sunday.

As the 2026 F1 season restarts in Miami, our F1 writers revisit the pre-season predictions they made at the conclusion of winter testing in Bahrain. Who's still on track and who's looking silly already? Constructors: This is how we voted Standings after 3 races Ronald Vording Jake Boxall-Legge Filip Cleeren 1 ... Keep reading

2025 world champion, Lando Norris admits to being baffled by drivers who favour the new cars.

During media day for the Miami Grand Prix, two topics dominated discussions with all drivers: the tweaks to the Formula 1 technical regulations and the weather forecast for Sunday. Although several teams have already tested their 2026 cars in the rain, the race in Florida could become the first collective on-track action in wet conditions under the new ruleset. If that happens, the first ... Keep reading

"We don't have a seat at the table," says seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, as he calls for driver involvement when deciding F1's regulations.

The Cadillac Formula 1 team has unveiled its special livery for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, but it has left fans calling for more.  As the American outfit prepares for its first home grand prix at the Hard Rock Stadium circuit, it revealed a new stars and stripes livery. The design is an evolution of its full-season black-and-white theme, with the stars and stripes of the United States flag ... Keep reading

The Miami Grand Prix marks the return of Formula 1 this weekend as the American event will host round four of the 2026 campaign. This comes five weeks after round three in Japan as a result of the Middle Eastern conflict, which forced the cancellations of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain grands prix - initially scheduled for April. F1 will also return with a sprint weekend, while various ... Keep reading

The Williams driver is ready to race again this weekend after the unexpected five-week break.

Rain is threatening the 2026 Miami F1 Grand Prix, and according to forecasting site AccuWeather, which many teams rely on, there is currently an 88% chance of rain on Sunday and a 53% chance of thunderstorms. It is precisely that last figure that has teams and drivers on alert. Unlike in other countries, US law requires major outdoor public events – such as Formula 1 grands prix – to be ... Keep reading

Racing Bulls are bringing a new shade of summer to the grid, unveiling a striking "summer-sun yellow" Summer Edition livery ahead of this weekend's Miami Grand Prix.

We have analysed all data from the opening rounds in detail and focused on the areas that can make a difference.

We built strong momentum during the first three rounds of the season. And building on this, we will be introducing multiple upgrades this weekend.

Effectively, Miami will be a reboot for the season.

Laurent Mekies claims that the ongoing raft of personnel departures is not affecting Max Verstappen or influencing his future.

Before the start of the Formula 1 season, ambitions were high at Aston Martin and the goal was clear: to dare to dream. But even before hitting the track, those dreams had to face a harsh reality, marked by Honda’s shortcomings and, soon after, the need to intervene on the chassis side as well. The situation has been made even more complicated by the fact that the AMR26 has logged very little ... Keep reading

Before the start of the Formula 1 season, ambitions were high at Aston Martin and the goal was clear: to dare to dream. But even before hitting the track, those dreams had to face a harsh reality, marked by Honda’s shortcomings and, soon after, the need to intervene on the chassis side as well. The situation has been made even more complicated by the fact that the AMR26 has logged very little ... Keep reading

Along with other "refinements", the start procedure has been revised, as the FIA's single-seaters director explains.

1992 world champion, Nigel Mansell backs Lando Norris in criticising yo-yo overtakes, while expressing fears over safety.

On 29 April 2001, Mika Hakkinen retired from the lead of Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix on the very last lap. The two-time world champion was having a tough time in what would transpire to be his last season in F1. Hakkinen crashed out of the Australian GP due to a suspension failure when running second, finished a lowly sixth in a mixed-weather Sepang race and stalled on the Interlagos grid ... Keep reading

On 29 April 2001, Mika Hakkinen retired from the lead of Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix on the very last lap. The two-time world champion was having a tough time in what would transpire to be his last season in F1. Hakkinen crashed out of the Australian GP due to a suspension failure when running second, finished a lowly sixth in a mixed-weather Sepang race and stalled on the Interlagos grid ... Keep reading

We have had a competitive start with points scored at each round and that continues to be our intention at every event.

As the 2026 season prepares to resume with the Miami Grand Prix, see how much you know about F1 in the US.

McLaren boss Zak Brown reckons it would be “very foolish” to discount Red Bull after a poor start to the 2026 Formula 1 campaign because the competitive order will only converge. The Austrian outfit has slipped into the midfield this year as it is sixth after three rounds with only 16 points, causing Max Verstappen, who is yet to score a podium, to be incredibly frustrated. This comes at ... Keep reading

Max Verstappen's decision on his future will not be affected by the impending departure of Gianpiero Lambiase, says the Red Bull team boss.

As the debate surrounding the controversial 2026 Formula 1 regulations rumbles on, the man tasked with implementing them has spoken out. FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis did not propose the near 50/50 split of electrical power to internal combustion engine output which lies at the heart of the latest regulations, but it was his team which had to turn the concept into a raceable ... Keep reading

As the debate surrounding the controversial 2026 F1 regulations rumbles on, the man tasked with implementing them has spoken out. FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis did not propose the near 50/50 split of electrical power to internal combustion engine output which lies at the heart of the latest regulations, but it was his team which had to turn the concept into a raceable ... Keep reading

"The political landscape has changed," says the FIA's single-seaters director.

Over the past five decades, only one driver has become a Formula 1 race winner within the first five grands prix of his career. This was Jacques Villeneuve, on 28 April 1996. Soon to be 25 at the time, Villeneuve joined F1 as the reining IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner, with his late father Gilles’ aura weighing on his shoulders. The Canadian was snapped up by 1995 constructors’ ... Keep reading

BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before the Miami Grand Prix.

McLaren reckons F1's first pass of power unit rule changes for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix should eliminate the need for drivers to lift and coast in qualifying. F1 stakeholders used the series' April break to refine the divisive 2026 power unit regulations, which heavily compromised qualifying and raised safety concerns due to the elevated closing speeds between cars. Drivers had been ... Keep reading

Mercedes Formula 1 deputy team principal Bradley Lord believes that Kimi Antonelli had three years' worth of learning in his rookie season. The Italian driver joined the Brackley outfit in 2025, taking the seat left by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Thrown straight into the limelight of a top team, Antonelli managed the pressure of his new role, finishing seventh in the drivers' standings ... Keep reading

In modern Formula 1, continuity is considered the ultimate virtue. Drivers like Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen define an era with a single team over years, sometimes over a decade. But behind the glamour of these long-term marriages hides a completely different species of racing driver: the nomads. Drivers whose careers read like an prologued journey through the paddock and whose mailing ... Keep reading

We believe there's more to unlock and we had some good momentum going before the break - which has been anything but a break in reality.

"I don't feel it is that time yet," says two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso.

In modern Formula 1, continuity is considered the ultimate virtue. Drivers like Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen define an era with a single team over years, sometimes over a decade. But behind the glamour of these long-term marriages hides a completely different species of racing driver: the nomads. Drivers whose careers read like an prologued journey through the paddock and whose mailing ... Keep reading

All the key BBC coverage details for the Miami Grand Prix, the second sprint event of the season, which takes place from 1-3 May.

Argentina has been absent from the Formula 1 calendar for almost 30 years, yet on Sunday Buenos Aires drew a bigger crowd in a single day than is typically seen at many grands prix, all eager to watch Franco Colapinto in action. The 22-year-old has become a national sensation since making his F1 debut with Williams in mid-2024 before moving to Alpine in 2025, and he took to the streets in the ... Keep reading

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso says he hopes 2026 will not be his final season in Formula 1.

McLaren's promotional poster for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, designed by illustrator Matt Taylor, has left fans excited for a potential special livery for the upcoming Florida race. Some eagle-eyed fans believe that the design hints at a retro, Sega-inspired livery paying tribute to Ayrton Senna's legendary 1993 win at Donington Park. Within the design, which features the MCL40, Sonic ... Keep reading

Former Ferrari team chief Jean Todt has opened up on how he convinced Michael Schumacher to join the Maranello outfit in 1996.  The German driver had already secured back-to-back drivers' championships with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, but Todt revealed that he was motivated by a challenge. At that time, Ferrari had not won a drivers' title since 1979 or a constructors' title since ... Keep reading

With Formula 1 forced to cancel two rounds shortly after the start of the new season, our reporters attempt to assess how those races might have played out — taking into account the opening rounds, the characteristics of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian circuits, and the developing trends in the pecking order. What would qualifying and racing look like at the tracks with the new cars? Jake ... Keep reading

Mercedes Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has reflected on his maiden grand prix win at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, describing it as the best day of his life and revealing the home reaction he received in Italy. The 19-year-old driver converted his first grand prix pole position into his first win at the Shanghai International Circuit on 15 March. His win ended a 20-year drought for Italy, with ... Keep reading

2025 F1 Academy champion Doriane Pin has shed light on her maiden Formula 1 test with Mercedes at Silverstone. The French driver opened up about the differences between the F1 machinery and other cars she has previously driven, such as the F1 Academy cars, which are equivalent to Formula 4, and the Ferrari 488 GTE from Ferrari Challenge Europe. Pin became the first champion of the ... Keep reading