Can Red Bull Be Challenged For Championship?

🌎 Around Formula 1

🏎 Wolff Tells FIA No Time for 2026 Engine Tweaks - Warns the FIA it's too late for changes to the 2026 F1 engine regulations, as manufacturers have advanced their development. Despite calls for tweaks to enhance performance, Wolff insists the process is too far along, echoing Alpine's Bruno Famin. Horner, however, believes adjustments could still be beneficial. Read

☄️ Who’s Behind F1’s Meteoric Rise? - Liberty Media, an American media company, took over Formula 1 in 2017, boosting the sport's popularity through social media and Netflix's "Drive to Survive." They also own stakes in Sirius XM, Live Nation, and soon Dorna Sports, merging F1 and MotoGP under one media giant. Read

🔎 F1’s Pay Driver 2.0 Era: Perez and Zhou Under Scrutiny - Checo's new Red Bull contract highlights the resurgence of "pay drivers" in F1, where financial backing influences seat decisions. Perez brings significant sponsorship and marketing value from Mexico, which bolsters his appeal despite inconsistent performance. Similarly, Guanyu Zhou's potential move to Alpine is buoyed by his $30-35 million sponsorship, making financial contributions a crucial factor in driver selections once again. While talent remains important, financial backing often gives drivers an edge in securing coveted F1 seats. Read

🛞 Drivers

📢 Mercedes to Announce Kimi Antonelli as Hamilton's Replacement for 2025 -The 17-year-old Italian, who has been part of Mercedes' junior program since 2019, has impressed with his rise through the ranks, winning multiple karting and junior series titles. Despite his young age, Antonelli has shown promising performance in F2 with Prema Racing this season​. Mercedes conducted a private test at Silverstone where Antonelli, Mick Schumacher, and George Russell were evaluated. Antonelli's performance, particularly in qualifying and race pace, matched or exceeded expectations, leading to a unanimous decision by the Mercedes board to promote him to F1 for 2025. Read

👀 Haas Eyes Ocon for 2025 Seat - Team principal Ayao Komatsu confirmed Esteban Ocon is a strong contender for a 2025 seat after Ocon's Alpine exit. Ocon, with his extensive experience and youthful vigor at 27, fits Haas' strategy of combining seasoned talent with young prospects like Ferrari protégé Ollie Bearman. Read

🤬 Villeneuve Criticizes Ricciardo's 'Childish' Reaction to Criticism - He called out Danny for his "childish" response to criticism about his F1 performance. After qualifying fifth and finishing eighth in Canada, Ricciardo retorted to Villeneuve's comments with a quip. Villeneuve insists that Ricciardo's inconsistency and lack of results don't warrant his protection by fans and media, urging Ricciardo to handle criticism more professionally. Read

🏎 Teams

🛫 Red Bull Leads Rear Wing Innovations - Their latest rear wing advancements, showcased in Canada, highlight their continued dominance. By adding a small vane to the top corner of the mainplane and endplate juncture, Red Bull optimizes airflow, enhancing efficiency. This development follows the trend initiated by Aston Martin and Alpine, with all teams adopting semi-detached rear wing tips to balance downforce and drag. As rivals catch up, Red Bull's innovations keep them ahead in the aerodynamic race. Pictures

🏆 Piastri Believes McLaren in Championship Fight - Asserts McLaren is a real contender for the world title this season. Currently third in the Constructors' standings, McLaren's consistent performance, with six podiums including Norris’ win in Miami, puts them in the mix. Red Bull's Helmut Marko has been praising McLaren's driver pairing. Read

💪 Wolff Optimistic After Strong Montreal Performance - Is optimistic after a strong Canadian GP, where Russell secured pole position and a podium, and Hamilton’s fourth. Wolff noted recent improvements with the W15 car, aided by new upgrades like the front wing introduced in Monaco. Mercedes plans further upgrades for Spain, aiming to continue their positive momentum while emphasizing the need to confirm progress in upcoming races​. Read

💨 Fast Laps

6 Winners and 5 Losers from Montreal – Who capitalized on the chaos in Canada? Read

Helmut Marko: “Strange” Lewis Hamilton received no penalty at 2020 British GP. Read

‘My dream is to be on the grid’ – Doohan adamant he is ready for F1 as he eyes vacant Alpine seat. Read

Formula 1 and Formula E under one roof. Read

Five Formula 1 champions who also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Read

Sainz suggests that some media outlets should be punished for false reporting. Read

📊 Standings

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