Overview

• McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have won seven of the first nine races and built a nearly 200-point lead in the constructors’ standings.
• Max Verstappen received a 10-second time penalty for ramming George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix restart, compounding Red Bull’s performance woes.
• Verstappen’s contract includes an exit clause that could lapse if he remains in the top four of the driver standings after the Austrian Grand Prix.
• Lewis Hamilton has expressed doubts about Ferrari’s development upgrades and urged the team to redirect resources toward the 2026 regulation overhaul.
• Off the track, Hamilton is broadening his pursuits through his Dawn Apollo Films production company, with several new movie projects in early development.