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Formula One news from Autosport, RaceFans, and BBC Sport.
Formula 1 could hold a single replacement race at Imola if it abandons plans for Qatar and Abu Dhabi, after cancelling its April rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Drivers said a December event in northern Italy would likely bring cold weather and earlier darkness, but Max Verstappen said neither conditions nor taxes should pose a problem.
Audi plans a new campus near its existing Formula 1 factory in Hinwil, Switzerland, with some facilities operating from summer 2026 and the full development scheduled for completion in 2030. The team says the project will support its long-term ambitions and help attract and retain staff.
Oliver Bearman says inconsistent car performance has compromised both Haas drivers this season, though the problem has eased since the team introduced an upgrade at Monza. With Esteban Ocon leaving after this year and no replacement announced, Bearman expects to take on a leadership role in 2027.
BBC Sport’s Formula One correspondent Andrew Benson is holding his weekly Q&A again in 2026. Readers can submit questions, with selected ones to be put to him after the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Max Verstappen says he is getting closer to a victory as Red Bull’s results improve, but he believes the team’s strong showing in Baku was partly due to the circuit. The remaining races will also help Red Bull decide what it needs for next year’s car.
Max Verstappen will drive a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimao on Oct. 16-18, amid a seven-race run between Formula 1 grands prix. The late change to the World Endurance Championship calendar has left two regular Verstappen Racing drivers unavailable for the event.
Franco Colapinto says Alpine continues to support him after his safety car restart collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix cost the team a double points finish. The Argentine driver travelled from Baku to the UK for factory simulator work before heading to Malaysia for the next round.
Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe said the manufacturer used both of its permitted ADUO opportunities, with a turbocharger update installed in Lance Stroll’s car at the Spanish Grand Prix. Honda says it has met its targets for the season’s hardware development and will focus on using the current power unit’s performance.
Michael Schumacher won the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai 20 years ago, earning his 91st and final Formula 1 victory. The result drew him level with Fernando Alonso at the top of the championship standings with two races left.
BBC Sport asks whether Kimi Antonelli can recover from his Baku setback and whether George Russell remains in the Formula One title fight.
The Federation Automobile d’Ukraine wants the FIA General Assembly to consider alleged breaches of governing rules by Russia’s automobile federation. The Ukrainian club says its appeal to the FIA Ethics Committee went unanswered and cites provisions on national territory and motorsport authority.
Haas says it will part ways with Esteban Ocon at the end of the year, leaving the French driver without an obvious seat for 2027. Ocon says he remains motivated and focused on finishing the season strongly.
Fernando Alonso will race for Aston Martin in a 24th Formula 1 season in 2027. A RaceFans reader said the decision suggests confidence in the team’s plans, including its work on the drivetrain.
Gordon Johncock, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 1976 USAC National Championship champion, has died aged 90. His 1982 victory over Rick Mears by 0.16 seconds remains one of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s iconic moments.
Haas confirmed Esteban Ocon will leave at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with no successor announced. The 30-year-old said he remains focused on the remaining races and that his departure is not the end of his F1 career.
Mercedes has revealed a one-off design for this weekend’s race at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. The event is the first Formula 1 race in Malaysia since 2017.
Mika Hakkinen won the 2001 Indianapolis Grand Prix despite a grid penalty for a pre-race pit lane infringement. The race also ended in a disqualification for Jordan’s Jarno Trulli, later overturned, and marked Murray Walker’s final regular commentary appearance.
Max Verstappen said the Azerbaijan Grand Prix circuit gave Red Bull its most favourable opportunity to win in 2026, even as the team’s race pace offered hope of further chances. Team principal Laurent Mekies said the remaining rounds will also help Red Bull prepare a car capable of fighting at the front in 2027.
Fernando Alonso has signed a new Aston Martin contract to race in Formula 1 in 2027, ending months of uncertainty about his future. Team-mate Lance Stroll will also continue with the team, which says it is focused on improving performance and building towards long-term success.
Williams scored its first points since Monaco at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where an upgraded car helped Carlos Sainz reach Q3 for the first time in 2026. Team leaders called the package a step in the expected direction, while warning that Malaysia and Singapore will provide a more demanding test.
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