Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has stated that Max Verstappen remains “at the heart of the project,” reaffirming the team’s commitment to the Dutch driver despite early-season struggles. Meanwhile, Aston Martin is reportedly seeing “quite substantial improvements,” though Fernando Alonso and the team continue to endure a challenging stretch that appears to be extending.
Max Verstappen has acknowledged that Red Bull has made significant progress but still lacks the pace to compete at the very front. In other news, Kimi Antonelli dedicated his GP Miami victory to the late Alex Zanardi, while Miami confirmed Antonelli as the new “capo” of Formula 1. French driver Hadjar (Red Bull) was penalized during qualifying for the Miami GP, and the race was moved three hours earlier due to forecast storms. Antonelli secured his third pole position ahead of a stormy Sunday in Miami, while Charles Leclerc admitted he had been “hard” on Antonelli regarding his driving style.
McLaren scored a papaya double in the Miami sprint, with Lando Norris edging out Oscar Piastri. The racing world mourns the passing of Alex Zanardi, an Italian sports icon, Paralympic champion, and former F1 driver. Norris also snatched the mini-pole from Mercedes for the Miami sprint, while Leclerc topped the times in practice, signaling renewed energy at Aston Martin. Lance Stroll remains committed to the Aston Martin project, stating, “I still believe in this project.”
F1 drivers have welcomed recent safety adjustments, and Valtteri Bottas revealed the dangerous diet that made him feel like a “drug addict.” Kimi Antonelli aims for a hat-trick of wins as the season resumes in Miami, while Honda sees engine progress but expects no miracles. Franco Colapinto’s street show in Buenos Aires drew over 500,000 fans, with his car showing extreme wear and a near fire. Sebastian Vettel finished the London Marathon in under three hours, an unexpected triumph.
Fernando Alonso remains calm about his future, saying, “I feel motivated.” The Turkish GP is set to return to the F1 calendar, while Sergio Pérez expresses dissatisfaction with the new regulations, claiming “no one understands them.” McLaren boss Andrea Stella says the team will have “a completely new car” in Miami, and George Russell defends the new rules, highlighting “many positive aspects.” McLaren also alleges financial ties between rival teams, and Norris expects Verstappen to stay in F1 “longer than people say.” After widespread criticism, the new F1 regulations have been adjusted. Toto Wolff warns that Antonelli is not Senna and that there is too much pressure in Italy. Doriane Pin becomes the first woman to drive a Mercedes F1 car, and Red Bull announces “organizational changes” to improve performance. An analysis of the Suzuka circuit follows, while F1 continues to defend its new rules, saying, “It’s what people want to see.” It has been revealed that in 2006, Schumacher cheated Alonso. Red Bull’s poor start has raised doubts about Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri is focused on closing the gap during the unexpected break.