WHICH MOTOGP TEAM IS LEWIS HAMILTON BUYING? THE LATEST ON THE 2026 RUMORS
Lewis Hamilton praises Valentino Rossi and eyes MotoGP team investment as F1 and MotoGP worlds merge under Liberty Media in 2026.
Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi—two giants, both with seven world titles—really stand out as all-time legends in their sports.
Hamilton’s numbers in Formula 1 are unmatched. Most wins, most podiums, most poles. Seven championships, tying Michael Schumacher for the top spot. He grabbed his first title with McLaren back in 2008, then switched to Mercedes in 2013 and racked up six more between 2014 and 2020. He’s firmly among the sport’s best. But things could’ve gone another way.
Chatting with Rossi on Sky Sports, Hamilton admitted he actually wanted to race motocross bikes, but his dad shut that dream down. Still, he’s always admired MotoGP—and Rossi especially.
Rossi joined the top class in 2000 after bagging the 125cc and 250cc titles. He went on a tear, winning five straight championships from 2001 to 2005 with Honda and Yamaha. In 2008 and 2009, he won back-to-back titles with Yamaha again, cementing his place as one of MotoGP’s all-time greats. Like every career, though, his eventually wrapped up—he called it quits in 2021.
Hamilton felt the loss. After Rossi’s rocky stint at Ducati, he returned to Yamaha and went toe-to-toe with Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo for more championships, finishing runner-up three times and third once before he retired at the end of 2021.
Not long before that, Hamilton and Rossi actually swapped machines—Hamilton tried Rossi’s Yamaha MotoGP bike, and Rossi got behind the wheel of Hamilton’s Mercedes F1 car. At the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton spoke about Rossi’s retirement:
“It’s sad to see him stop, but his drive, his approach, just everything he’s done has been incredible,” Hamilton said. “The passion he’s shown all these years really stands out. He’s such a legend—maybe the greatest ever. It’ll be strange not watching him race and doing his thing, but it’s a great moment for him, too, with his family starting to grow. I’m grateful I got to share that amazing day with him on track. I’ll never forget it.”
Hamilton’s love for MotoGP hasn’t faded. He’s even been linked to buying a team. Rumour had it he was interested in the Ducati satellite team Gresini, but they turned him down. There was talk about KTM, too, as they searched for investors for the 2025 season.
With Liberty Media buying MotoGP from Dorna, it’s no wonder more F1 names are sniffing around the paddock. Max Verstappen’s name has come up, and Guenther Steiner already runs KTM Tech3. The worlds of F1 and MotoGP keep getting closer.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
