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FERRARI TURMOIL: HAMILTON IN; WILL CHARLES LECLERC LEAVE THE SCUDERIA

As Lewis Hamilton pushes his Ferrari blueprint for a title revival, Ralf Schumacher warns Charles Leclerc to have a Plan B. With three races left, can Hamilton's cultural reset mirror the Schumacher era and lead Ferrari back to the top?

Ferrari Turmoil: Hamilton In; Will Charles Leclerc Leave The Scuderia
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Hamilton's plan for Ferrari and a throwback to the Schumacher era


The purpose of Lewis Hamilton's visit to Maranello was not to play tourist. To pull Ferrari out of its title famine and chase number eight, he crossed the aisle. A growing chorus within the squad is demanding that Ferrari allow him to take the lead.

Former Ferrari mainstay Francesco Cigarini, who was part of the team during the Schumacher era, believes Hamilton can initiate a similar cultural revolution, but only if the Scuderia fully supports his path. To put it another way, pay attention, adjust, and design the vehicle and the crew to meet his needs. The extra kicker? If the team's vision is combined rather than divided between two driving philosophies, Charles Leclerc might also gain from that strategy. Because everyone in the organisation was singing from the same sheet, the Schumacher playbook was successful. A new one is what Hamilton is attempting to write.


Leclerc advised having a trapdoor on standby.


Ralf Schumacher has also thrown a grenade from the sidelines, saying that Leclerc needs to come up with a backup plan. This follows John Elkann, the chairman of Ferrari, publicly advising his drivers to "speak less." Schumacher believes Leclerc needs leverage, or at the very least, an escape hatch, if the competitive arc does not bend quickly enough. It is the kind of message that lands differently when results are not flowing.

At Maranello, Leclerc is ensnared, committed, and loved. Contracts, however, do not alter physics. The rumours about other options will not cease if Ferrari fails to perfect the latter stages of development. That is the situation close to the 2025 sharp edge of Formula One.

Zak Brown prods the bear once again.


Zak Brown has never shied away from a headline at McLaren. His most recent? Hamilton had previously been the target of Max Verstappen's "too aggressive" behaviour in Brazil. Where to draw the line between reckless risk-taking and elbow-out genius is a well-known argument. Reputations are not the only factor; stewards, optics, and how drivers adjust when tripleheaders and title pressure intersect are also important considerations.

For Vegas, Williams goes noir.


Williams is turning black under the neon, which is on the lighter side (or darker, literally). The Grove team is obviously embracing the showmanship of the U.S. swing, as seen by the fact that this is their third special livery in four races and their second one-off in a row. A mostly black automobile should appear mean under the lights of Las Vegas. Another question is if it is quick down the Strip.

Sauber's "last lap" acknowledgement before the Audi era


In addition, Sauber is getting ready for Vegas by revealing a "last lap" livery with chequered flag motifs as the team approaches its 2026 conversion to the Audi works project. It is a prelude to the rebranding and a clever, nostalgic touch. Do not expect the farewell race just yet; call it a farewell tour.

With just three races left, where does that leave us? Ferrari must decide whether to fully implement Hamilton's template, which includes the driver-first setup philosophy, data-led development, and precise demands, or to keep balancing two ideas and hope that skill will make the difference. It is about picking a clear path and taking both drivers along with it, not about picking Hamilton over Leclerc. Dynasties are established in this manner.

The math is easier for Leclerc. If the package shows up, he is faithful and quick enough to win large in red. Just because he has a backup plan does not ensure he will employ it. It indicates that he is listening.

Additionally, the stakes for Vegas, the penultimate stop, and the finale are rising as McLaren and Red Bull continue to circle each other with chilly compliments and warmer insults. The margin is one overtake, one penalty, and one safety car.

Three races. Old grudges, new liveries, and a championship photo that yet defies neatness. This run-in has teeth, so buckle up.

LANDO NORRIS SINGLE: F1 CHAMPION CONFIRMS SPLIT FROM MAGUI CORCEIRO IN LEAKED VIDEO

F1 heartbreak: Analyse Lando Norris's split from Magui Corceiro, the "single man" leak, and their on-off relationship history.

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TikTok video captures Lando Norris confirming his breakup in Bahrain

Looks like Formula One world champion Lando Norris and his supermodel girlfriend, Magui Corceiro, have split up. The two started dating in 2023 and had a pretty on-and-off thing. She was right there with him when he won the title in Abu Dhabi – definitely an emotional night for both of them.

But now, it seems like it’s over. According to the Sun, a TikTok video caught Norris telling Carlos Sainz Jr that he’s “a single man". The audio’s not great, but you can hear Sainz asking if he and Magui are okay, and Lando just says, “No,” then adds that he’s single. This happened during pre-season testing in Bahrain while the drivers were getting their photos taken.

Magui, who’s also an actress from Portugal, used to date footballer Joao Felix before Lando. She and Norris broke up in 2024 and got back together, but it looks like they’ve called it quits again. People close to them say there’ve been signs for a while; things changed after Lando’s big championship win. The most obvious clue? Magui wasn’t at Lando’s big thank-you party in Bahrain, even though everyone else was there. Naturally, that got people talking.

Back in December, Magui broke down in tears after Norris won the world championship. She gave an interview to TV Guia, saying how happy they both were and how, in that moment, she forgot about the cameras. It all seemed pretty solid then.

Magui’s got a huge social following – around 800,000 fans on TikTok – and she’s done everything from acting in Portuguese dramas to modelling for brands like Intimissimi and Alo Yoga. She was even on Portugal’s Dancing with the Stars in 2020 and co-founded the eco swimwear brand Missus. She’s graced Vogue Portugal, too.

Norris himself talked about Magui in Vogue, saying they met a few years ago but only got together more recently. He called her “down to earth” and said he can just be himself around her. Apparently, he kept trying to get her into golf, but she hated it.

Neither of them has officially announced the breakup, but at this point, it looks like they’ve gone their separate ways.

DISASTER WARNING: OSCAR PIASTRI FEARS 2026 RACE STARTS COULD LEAD TO MULTI-CAR GRID ACCIDENTS

Oscar Piastri warns of chaos at the 2026 start! Discover why the new rules are a "recipe for disaster" and how McLaren found "warp speed."

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Piastri warns that clean launches now depend more on chance than skill

Oscar Piastri thinks there’s a lot of luck involved in getting a good start these days. Pre-season testing in Bahrain really made it clear that these new 2026 F1 rules have turned race starts into a much bigger headache.

He’s spoken up about this before, especially since so many teams and drivers are running into fresh problems under the new regs. The big one? F1 dropped the MGU-H from the engine formula, and suddenly, starts just aren’t as smooth. It’s a mess.

After last week’s first official test in Bahrain, Piastri didn’t sugarcoat it. He called the 2026 start a “recipe for disaster” because of how wildly different every driver’s launch is. Even the FIA and F1 noticed, so they decided to test out a longer starting procedure during the second test.

Here’s what they did: during the second test, they delayed the starting lights, giving drivers more time to spool up their turbos. Ferrari’s 2026 engine features a smaller turbo, allowing its drivers to maintain lower revs for longer periods. Others? They’re sitting there for up to ten seconds, just waiting.

Piastri says the new procedures and the extra week of testing in Bahrain helped a bit; things aren’t quite as all over the place now. But he’s honest: there’s still a ton of luck involved if you want to get a clean launch and avoid turbo lag or wheelspin.

Holding high revs to prime the turbo, now that the MGU-H is gone, is just one of the traps drivers can fall into. Piastri figures it’s going to take a while before all 22 drivers on the grid are nailing their starts every time.

He summed it up at the press conference in Bahrain: “Mine yesterday wasn’t so bad. I was last, but I also overtook four cars. There’s still a lot of luck involved, and we’re learning what makes a good start and what makes a bad one.

“There are a few pitfalls you can run into that cause problems. Managing the energy and the whole procedure – that’s one thing.

“The way we start is just totally different from last year. It’s trickier across the board. Some drivers are handling it; some just aren’t.”

On the other hand, McLaren looked like they were getting the hang of it by the last day of testing. Jolyon Palmer, watching from the sidelines, was impressed by Piastri’s practice start but even more blown away by Lando Norris.

Palmer thought McLaren had cracked the code. On Friday, Piastri shot off the line in the morning, but Norris outdid everyone in the final session. Palmer joked that Norris hit “warp speed".

He said on the F1 broadcast, “Warp speed, see you mate! That’s a brilliant start from Lando. McLaren is there. I’ve seen it all day. Oscar got a great start. In the pit lane, it looks good.

“I’d love to see that next to the Ferrari, honestly, because it’s really impressive. Their start is much better than Red Bull’s. I’d say it’s even better than Mercedes.”

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