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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.

Red Bull Stay Calm, Cool, and Confident Despite McLaren Momentum
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.

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.

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Kim and Lewis Hamilton spark a fly in London and Paris sightings

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.

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Lewis Hamilton delivers first verdict on Ferrari SF-26 after "challenging" rain

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.

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