F1 TITLE SHOWDOWN: MCLAREN MAKE BOLD MOVE AGAINST MAX VERSTAPPEN
McLaren CEO Zak Brown admits Max Verstappen is "still very much in the game" for the F1 title. Despite a McLaren 1-2 lead, Verstappen's recent surge has cut the gap, setting up a thrilling finale to the season with six rounds left.
Max Verstappen is still vying for a fifth consecutive F1 drivers' championship, according to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.
According to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Max Verstappen is "still very much in the game" as the race for the F1 drivers' title reaches a climax.
This season, it looked like Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris had an intra-team lock on the championship match, but the Red Bull driver has fought his way back into the picture with two wins and a second-place finish in the last three rounds.
With six rounds—and three sprints—left, including this weekend's United States Grand Prix, the Australian's lead over the four-time F1 drivers' champion has been cut from 104 points to 63 points by that stretch alone.
As much as he would like the McLaren teammates to "solely" be in contention, Brown said ahead of the journey to the Circuit of the Americas that is not the case.
"Max [Verstappen] is still very much in the game, even if we would like it to just be our two players," the American stated.
"The team's continued concentration and humility, in my opinion, have been crucial. Therefore, we will just continue our current course of action."
At the Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren won the F1 constructors' championship for the second time in a row. This is the first time the Woking-based team has won the championship back-to-back since 1991.
Brown, however, insists it will not affect the team's operations or how it handles Piastri and Norris through its increasingly controversial papaya regulations.
The 53-year-old confirmed, "We are going to approach the remaining race weekends in the same way we have handled every one before it. Our strategy is not going to change because we have won the constructors'."
"A lot of possibilities and a lot of risk."
The impending revisions to F1 regulations that will take effect at the end of the current campaign make the championship matchup between Verstappen and the two McLarens much more significant.
For all teams, including those working on power units and chassis, 2026 represents a big leap into the future. It will be considerably "tougher" next season, and Brown knows it.
Do we wish to leave a legacy and establish a McLaren dynasty? "We do, of course," he responded. However, as McLaren team principal Andrea Stella puts it, "You do not compete to leave a legacy; you just turn up every weekend and concentrate on your goals, and the history books and the results will take care of themselves."
"The new rules will make things even more difficult next year. We had the advantage of operating under known regulations this year.
"But with one of the largest regulatory changes in Formula One history, we are now entering a new era—that comes with a lot of danger and a lot of promise."
However, the objective remains unchanged. Gaining victories in races and competitions is our main goal. And we are hungrier than ever," Brown said.
KIM KARDASHIAN AND LEWIS HAMILTON SPOTTED ON ROMANTIC EUROPEAN TOUR TOGETHER
Kim Kardashian and F1 star Lewis Hamilton are turning heads across Europe as insiders reveal Kim's "Russell Wilson" nickname.
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are the latest celebrity duo making waves, and apparently, Kim’s already got a cheeky nickname for him. The two have been spotted out together in the Cotswolds, London, and Paris, just enjoying themselves and turning a few heads in the process.
Word is, Kim’s close friends are spilling a few details about this new romance. One insider claims Lewis isn’t looking to settle down right now, but Kim still has a special name for him—she calls him “her Russell Wilson”. If you know the reference, it’s a nod to NFL star Russell Wilson, who married singer Ciara after her high-profile breakup with rapper Future. Friends say Kim thinks of Lewis as a “sophisticated upgrade” from her ex, Kanye West.
Kim and Kanye—now legally known as Ye—were married from 2014 to 2021 and share four kids. Their co-parenting relationship is famously complicated.
Kim’s reportedly a bit anxious about how Kanye will react to her new thing with Lewis, considering Kanye and Lewis were friends back in the day. One source told the Mail, “They’re both cautious about Kanye’s feelings since he and Lewis go way back. Kim’s living for herself these days, but she doesn’t want to poke the bear. They know this could set Kanye off, so they’re keeping it light and just having fun for now.”
Kim and Lewis first crossed paths years ago at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Awards. Back then, they both showed up with their now-exes—Kim was with Ye, and Lewis was with Nicole Scherzinger.
Kanye even had Lewis over for Easter one year. He talked about it: “Lewis Hamilton’s over at my house, and we’re playing some music in my studio. We’re having Easter brunch—my wife’s family, my friends, everyone’s there. And everybody’s like, ‘What is this music?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Lewis Hamilton’s music.’”
Since splitting from Ye, Kim’s dated Pete Davidson and moved on. Kanye’s remarried, too—this time to Australian architect Bianca Censori.
Those two have been in the headlines a lot, usually for their wild fashion choices. Things got especially wild when Bianca showed up at the Grammy Awards in a see-through gown. She arrived in a black fur coat but ditched it to reveal a sheer dress that left little to the imagination. People at the event were definitely stunned.
FERRARI SF-26 COMPLETES 121 LAPS IN HISTORIC LEWIS HAMILTON-LECLERC BARCELONA DEBUT
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a "productive" 121-lap debut for the Ferrari SF-26 during 2026 testing in Barcelona.
Ferrari kicked off its on-track work for the 2026 Formula One season with a steady first day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split driving duties in the team’s bold new car, and the whole thing felt like the start of a new chapter.
With the 2026 rules shaking up both the chassis and the power unit, Ferrari didn’t chase lap times. They zeroed in on checking systems, making sure their data lined up, and ironing out any reliability kinks. The weather threw a few curveballs—rain, some dry patches—but even so, they got through their plan and stacked up plenty of laps.
Leclerc seemed upbeat after his first taste of the new machine. He said it felt good to get back behind the wheel and start figuring out the car, even if the focus was just on systems and not raw speed. “We came here to understand how everything works,” he said. “With the weather mixed up, today was all about checks. We finished what we set out to do, and the car did what we expected. It’s a solid start and a decent base.”
Hamilton, now officially in Ferrari red, felt the same. For him, it was a busy day—lots of on-track time, plenty of new things to get used to—but he called it productive. “We got good mileage, learnt a lot, and didn’t hit any big issues. That’s what matters with so many changes coming in. This gives us a strong platform for the next few days.”
Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, stressed how important it was just to get through the day cleanly. “Given the conditions, it went well for us,” he said. Rain or not, they racked up the laps and—most importantly—avoided any real reliability problems. That’s the top priority when you’re shaking down a brand-new car and engine.
Performance talk? Still way too early for that. Right now, Ferrari’s just learning how this new car behaves, gathering data, and building up bit by bit as the days go on—keeping their focus squarely on themselves.