Renault's decision to turn Alpine into a customer engine team has shocked its motorsport operations and Viry-Châtillon factory. Despite major investments, the sudden end of their F1 engine project for 2026 has caused anger and disbelief among employees. Union representative Karine Dubreucq called it a "stab in the back," and the factory now faces an uncertain future. Bruno Famin mentioned how hard it was to tell the workers and the challenge of keeping skilled engineers for other projects.
Click here to read the full article by Phillip van Osten (f1i.com)
Jonathan Wheatley is leaving Red Bull Racing for Audi, and there are rumors that Gianpiero Lambiase might replace him as Sporting Director. Red Bull is planning a "new team structure" with potential promotions and reassignment, and Lambiase, Verstappen's current race engineer, is a leading candidate. Lambiase's career includes stints at Jordan, Midland, Spyker, Force India, and Red Bull, where he has built a strong relationship with Verstappen. To keep Lambiase's crucial role intact, Red Bull might distribute Wheatley's responsibilities among other team members.
Click here to read the full article by Lydia Mee (si.com)
Aston Martin's team principal, Mike Krack, says there's a lot of pressure to improve the team's Formula 1 results, but owner Lawrence Stroll knows it will take time. The team hasn't matched last season's success this year and is now behind Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren. The Imola upgrades didn't work as hoped, which caused even more pressure. Stroll is patient with long-term plans but understands the need to fix problems quickly, especially with changes coming in the team's management.
Click here to read the full article by Alex Kalinauckas (motorsport.com)
Since 2023, Williams' Team Principal, James Vowles, is set on restoring the team's former glory. His career began at British American Racing and saw significant achievements at Honda, Brawn GP, and Mercedes, where he played a crucial role in their dominant era. Vowles' strategic expertise and experience contributed to multiple championship victories with top drivers. With Carlos Sainz joining Williams for 2025, Vowles is clearly committed to leading the team back to success.
Click here to read the full article by Emma Fisher (lastwordonsports.com)
It's time to take a tour of Mercedes' F1 Engineering Truck, also known as the Treehouse. George Russell walks us through one of the most important facilities at the race track, showing where they store their tires and spare parts, where the engineers work, and more. Interestingly, Hamilton's tires are marked red and kept separately from Russell's, which are marked blue.
