Lewis Hamilton is shaking things up before the fourth race of the season. Formula One photographer Kym Illman just let slip some big news about Hamilton’s Miami Grand Prix plans.

Since the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix got cancelled because of the conflict in the Middle East, Miami is now the next stop on the 2026 F1 calendar. The race kicks off Friday, May 1, which gives teams a solid five-week break after Japan. That’s plenty of time for folks to make changes and get ready for the rest of the year.

And honestly, everyone’s expecting teams to roll out some serious upgrades in Miami. Ferrari’s boss, Fred Vasseur, even said after the Japanese Grand Prix that things might feel totally different once those upgrades drop.

But it’s not just the cars changing. According to Illman, Hamilton’s probably getting a new race engineer in Miami. Illman posted on Instagram that Cedric Michel-Grosjean will step in to work with Hamilton. The switch isn’t officially confirmed yet, but Illman had heard about it all the way back in Australia and even chatted with Cedric during the race weekend. Turns out, Ferrari crew members were pretty secretive about it, asking Illman not to spill the beans.

Now, there are reports everywhere about Cedric’s new role, so a formal announcement from Ferrari seems likely before the Miami race. Hamilton has had a tough time with race engineers since joining Ferrari for the 2025 season. He and Riccardo Adami had a heated partnership last year, which led to Adami's departure before 2026. Carlo Santi took over, but no one was sure if he’d stick around. That’s why rumours about Cedric stepping in have picked up.

Cedric’s got experience; he used to work at McLaren as Lead Trackside Performance Engineer and as Oscar Piastri’s Performance Engineer. He left McLaren at the end of last year, and things seemed pretty up in the air for him. Looks like working alongside Hamilton is his next chapter, and some reports say he’s already settling into Ferrari before taking on the full-time role.

Mercedes has spent years watching Red Bull’s driver lineup, hoping to scout Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. Now, the tables could soon turn.

Johnny Herbert thinks Kimi Antonelli has what it takes to step in for Max Verstappen if Verstappen decides he’s done with Formula 1.

During the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen was pretty open about his doubts. He’s not thrilled about the direction F1’s heading, especially with the new battery-focused racing. He didn’t hide his feelings. “I don’t get upset about it,” he said. “I don’t get disappointed or frustrated anymore. You know how I feel; I don’t need to say it again. There’s a lot I need to figure out for myself.”

He said even more the next day, “I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock. Is it worth it? Or do I actually enjoy being home with my family and friends more, since I’m not enjoying the sport so much?”

But the funny thing is, you can say whatever you want in the end, your actions say more. Just a day after the Japanese GP, Verstappen was back to doing what he loves: racing. While his teammates were testing tyres at Suzuka, he was tearing up the Nürburgring in a Mercedes GT3 car and absolutely loving it.

So, if Verstappen leaves, where does that leave Red Bull?

Technically, Verstappen’s contracted through 2028, but let’s be real, if he wants out, Red Bull isn’t going to force him to stay. They already have a solid backup: Isack Hadjar, who’s been impressive in his first season, but honestly, he’s not Max. There’s also Arvid Lindblad, who shows promise for the future. Still, Red Bull needs more than unproven talent; they need a star.

This is where Johnny Herbert suggests they look to Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Right now, Antonelli is racing against George Russell for a shot at leading Mercedes. But at Red Bull, Antonelli would get the top spot all to himself.

“There’s always another one coming up. Right now, it’s Kimi,” Herbert told RN365. “He’s the next generation. Will he be better than Max? Maybe.”

Herbert sees a pattern: Ayrton Senna set the bar, then Lewis Hamilton arrived and achieved what Schumacher did, and then Verstappen raised it again. The sport’s best drivers keep taking things to the next level. He thinks Antonelli could be the next replacement, the new “wow” driver.

Even so, Herbert would rather see Verstappen keep racing with Red Bull. “Yes, he’d be missed, absolutely,” Herbert said. “I hope he stays put. I don’t want him to leave. I love watching him. He’s got that ‘wow factor.’ There are times I just think, ‘wow, I couldn’t do that.’”