Overview

• The new scheme requires the FIA to measure the average output of each engine supplier every six grands prix and unlock bespoke development support for those below a set benchmark.
• Regulators cited lessons from Mercedes’s prolonged hybrid-era advantage and warned of entry-level risks for newcomers like Audi under simplified 2026 technical rules.
• On track, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are separated by fewer than ten points after 14 races, keeping their 2025 title fight tightly poised through the summer break.
• Driver markets remain unsettled with eight open seats for 2026 and Cadillac’s factory entry expanding the grid to 22 slots, limiting promotion opportunities for many Formula 2 prospects.
• Team pressures include Red Bull’s leadership overhaul and resultant lineup uncertainty, Alpine’s low position and performance woes, and questions over Lewis Hamilton’s future at Ferrari.