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ALL SMILES AGAIN, VERSTAPPEN & NORRIS DEFUSE TAPE-GATE TENSION

Tensions flare in F1 as Red Bull is fined for removing a McLaren pitwall marker. The incident sparks a sportsmanship debate, while Lando Norris and Max Verstappen battle for the championship lead.

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F1 Stars Verstappen, Norris Cool the Heat After Tape-Gate - COURTESY/PHOTO

After one of Red Bull's mechanics disregarded marshals and tore off a piece of tape McLaren had affixed to the pit wall to indicate Lando Norris' grid position, the company was punished. Since then, paddock conversation has mostly focused on issues related to sportsmanship.

Verstappen advised anyone in need of such tape to utilise it. I do not require it.

Carlos Sainz of Williams, who was formerly a member of the Red Bull family, was less understanding. The Spaniard stated, "Clearly, someone perceived a competitive edge and tried to take that away from him."

I will not make headlines here, but I am aware of sports ideals and what I would do if it were me and my team.

On his side, Norris maintains that he only noticed the humour.

"Watching them try and fail to remove it was very funny," he said to Bild. We hung it on the wall as a precaution, even though I did not need it.

The McLaren driver disclosed that they have attempted to remove it previously. That is why we built it so durably, akin to the permanent Formula 1 parking stickers that you can put on your windscreen.

Verstappen's late-season breakthrough in the championship is far more urgent for McLaren. Oscar Piastri revealed that internal repercussions for Norris have been lifted following arguments and finger-pointing in Austin and Singapore.

Piastri stated, "I believe I have some responsibility in the (Austin) sprint." This weekend is a fresh start for us both; we are just going out and competing to see who can win.

Both McLaren drivers are now within striking distance of Verstappen, who maintains that he is handling the run-in calmly.

"We are not very anxious about it," he remarked. All we want to do is have fun and make the most of it till the very end. Fantastic if it works. Even if it doesn't, we can still take great pride in the improvement in our performance.

Additionally, he dismissed Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko's assertion that Verstappen alone has gained two tenths of his speed due to the excitement of the chase.

"No," Verstappen answered, "I disagree with that." Attending race weekends like these is more enjoyable than knowing you have little chance of winning. However, while I am in the automobile, I always strive to make the most of everything.

Verstappen dismissed Marko's additional suggestion that he might be putting his new GT3 racing project on hold to concentrate on Formula One.

He said that it had been arranged long ago. It was only the first chance. My approach to racing weekends has not really altered in terms of professionalism.

Verstappen's title odds are now as high as 40% according to bookmakers, but Laurent Mekies, the manager of the Red Bull team, is not interested in statistics. "These types of computations are not what we do," he stated. It really is that easy.

Fernando Alonso disputes Mercedes manager Toto Wolff's assertion that Verstappen has the psychological edge as the hunter. The Spaniard told reporters, "I do not think so."

"In a second, the championship might alter drastically. Max would not be able to compete for the title again if Lando won a race by 30 seconds.

Without a doubt, Max is driving incredibly well, but in the end, the car will determine the world champion.

RED BULL STAY CALM, COOL, AND CONFIDENT DESPITE MCLAREN MOMENTUM

Red Bull's Laurent Mekies denies their 2025 car focus is due to 2026 PU concerns, calling it a strategic choice to improve development tools. As Lando Norris retakes the title lead, the F1 championship battle intensifies.

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Red Bull Unfazed by McLaren Rise - COURTESY/PHOTO

In Mexico, McLaren CEO Andrea Stella implied that Red Bull's choice to continue working on its 2025 vehicle was a reflection of a lack of clarity surrounding the upcoming Red Bull-Ford power unit.

However, that notion has been rejected by team manager Laurent Mekies and Dr. Helmut Marko.

Mekies stated it has nothing to do with 2026.

"We would have too many unanswered questions going into 2026 if we did not get the most out of this car by the end of the season. We made the decision to spend more money on this vehicle in order to fix its shortcomings and increase its speed.

It greatly increases our confidence in our 2026 tools, strategies, and techniques. Yes, the new project will require less time and effort, but it was a deliberate choice. Performance has nothing to do with it.

According to the Frenchman, the team's strategy is centered on comprehension rather than risk. "We think there will be a net benefit, so we are doing this. We can apply our methods to 2026 and are now verifying them. If it led to difficulties, we would not do it.

Yes, there is a cost, but we think it is worthwhile.

Red Bull's momentum was halted by Mexico as Norris resumed his winning ways, despite Verstappen's recent race surge. Despite replacing an unproductive Oscar Piastri as the championship leader, Verstappen actually cut his overall lead to 36 points.

Norris' resounding win was a welcome change for Stella. Verstappen is still a competitor, but we have the advantage in the next races, he stated.

We have demonstrated that we have a car that can win races and, in some situations, dominate, which has boosted confidence in the championship.

This is the most crucial element that permits Lando and Oscar to compete for the Drivers' Championship, the Italian engineer continued. It has to do with competitiveness, not mathematics. Although the previous races in Austin, Baku, Singapore, and Monza were challenging, we have now once again proven our strength.

In Mexico, Piastri's decline worsened, but Stella stayed positive. Oscar claimed that despite losing some points to Verstappen, he gained a lot of knowledge this past weekend. To make sure you are competitive in every situation during the last stretch, you make that kind of investment. We are stronger and more hopeful when we leave Mexico.

Marko of Red Bull concurred that the battle is still open. "It is no longer assured that one team dominates at a circuit, and there are still 116 points available," he remarked.

We still have a shot. Since Max is the center of attention, I hope the two McLarens stick to their fair play policy.

Verstappen's pace in Mexico, according to Marko, was more powerful than it seemed. In race trim, we knew we would perform better. Max compared himself to a hunting hound, saying that once he scents anything, all else vanishes and he attacks.

But at McLaren, the focus is already shifting from gearboxes to mentalities. Now at the top of the rankings, Norris is under increased scrutiny after the Mexican fans jeered him.

"The question now is whether Norris can take use of his second chance as title leader - or if things will turn unstable again," former Formula One driver Timo Glock told Sky Deutschland. Has he comprehended why the pressure was too severe for him earlier, why he couldn't drive freely back then?

The odds are on his side if he has and has figured out how to deal with it, Glock continued. It is easier said than done, though. It is a completely different picture once the helmet is on and the pressure increases.

JANNIK SINNER BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE DAVIS CUP REVERSAL

Jannik Sinner is standing firm on his decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup, showing frustration at repeated questions. The Italian star prioritises his off-season and 2026 Australian Open preparation over defending the title.

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Jannik Sinner Addresses Buzz Around His Davis Cup Future - PHOTO: EPA

When Jannik Sinner's decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup Finals next month was brought up again, he appeared a little miffed.

Top players commit to competing in the finals because of its scheduling, which runs from November 18 to November 23. They would only have a little more than a month off until 2026 starts if they played until late November.

During Team Italy's championship runs in 2023 and 2024, Sinner was their lucky charm. The nation's remarkable recent supremacy in the sport was established by the women's victories in the Billie Jean King Cup in 2024 and 2025.

Even if the 2025 finals will be placed in Bologna, Italy's chances of winning the Davis Cup for a third time in a row appear to be slim after Sinner declared he would not participate.

The four-time Grand Slam champion said he had previously won two Davis Cups with his Italian colleagues and that he planned to use the additional week to get ready for the Australian Open in 2026.

Nicola Pietrangeli, a fellow Italian legend and two-time French Open champion, was not pleased with Sinner's choice or his justification for it. He believes that modern players are more concerned with money than with patriotism and that it was disrespectful to their nation.

Sinner stated that while people have the right to their opinions, he did not wish to contribute anything further in reaction to the criticism. It is possible that the ATP world No. 2 assumed the topic would be abandoned at that point.

Rather, a reporter at the 2025 Paris Masters questioned Sinner about the possibility of changing his mind. It is still mathematically conceivable to finish as the year-end No. 1 because Sinner had stated that it would be impossible before Alcaraz's surprise defeat by Cameron Norrie in Paris.

Compared to his response to Pietrangeli's and others' criticism, Sinner's response was even more succinct and direct. The 24-year-old reiterated that he had nothing else to say and indicated the choice had been made.

"No, the choice has been made. However, I covered everything a few days ago.

Sinner's frustration with the inquiries surrounding his Davis Cup selection was evident. Even though it makes some sense, missing a home team event is an unavoidable consequence of being a top player.

Recently, Sinner criticised the four Grand Slams.


Sinner was irritated with the four Grand Slams in a different interview for not doing more to address concerns about prize money and other advantages, including healthcare and pensions, that were brought up by elite players earlier this year.

The Wimbledon champion this year expressed frustration that the major events wanted to address some other concerns before fully interacting with players and said that initially, encouraging conversations had not resulted in any follow-up steps.

Twenty elite athletes, 10 from the ATP and 10 from the WTA, wrote to the Grand Slams earlier this season to request a larger share of the money made to be distributed as prize money and other benefits.

It will be interesting to watch if the Grand Slams address those issues and make adjustments in 2026.

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