VERSTAPPEN AND FERNANDO ALONSO RETIRE EARLY FROM CHINESE GP AMID DRAMATIC RED BULL AND ASTON MARTIN FAILURES
Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso suffer shock DNFs in Shanghai as Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli secures a dominant win.
This past weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix was a tough one for both Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, who ended up retiring early amid disappointing performances from Red Bull and Aston Martin. Verstappen started from eighth but quickly fell down the order at the Shanghai International Circuit, wrestling with an RB22 that just isn’t launching well. Meanwhile, Alonso was forced to pull out due to pain from persistent vibrations in the AMR26.
Both drivers had anticipated a strong start to this new era. Verstappen, the 28-year-old Dutchman, was aiming to maintain his dominant position upfront, and Alonso, at 46, was hoping to build on the momentum he found in 2023. Last year, Alonso notched eight podiums and was locked in a fierce battle with Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez for second place in the championship, while Verstappen cruised to a record 19 wins from 22 races.
Fast forward to this latest race in East Asia, and the gap between their hopes and reality couldn’t be starker. Neither could make a dent in Mercedes’ lead, with Kimi Antonelli edging out George Russell for the victory, leaving Red Bull and Aston Martin fading well behind. Alonso’s issues came to a head on lap 32 when the vibrations overwhelmed him; footage shows him lifting his hands off the wheel, shaking them in search of relief.
Alonso didn’t hold back after the race, pointing out the spectacle’s shortcomings. “Four cars didn’t take the start,” he told Spanish reporters. “That’s probably the worst show you can put on. When every car has a full battery at the start, things go smoothly. But then it becomes a battery championship, and that’s where we fall short.”
Verstappen had a rough ride as well. After qualifying eighth, he bogged down off the line and even ran wide on the first lap, forcing a scramble back to tenth just to get into serious points contention. His car finally gave up on lap 46 while he was pursuing Oliver Bearman’s Haas for fifth place. Throughout the race, Verstappen found himself battling midfield teams like Haas, Alpine, and Racing Bulls, far from the dominance he’s shown in recent years.
His frustration was clear, and he didn’t hesitate to criticise both the new Formula 1 rules and the fans who seemed to enjoy watching him struggle. “It’s a joke,” he said, according to Erik van Haren. “I’d say the same even if I won. If anyone finds this funny, they don’t understand what racing is really about.”
That didn’t sit well with many fans, who took to social media, now known as X.com, to express their reactions. Some accused Verstappen of being a sore loser, with one user saying, “He’s just mad because he’s losing. Once they tweak the regulations to reduce clipping, these’ll be the best rules we’ve had since 2012.” Another fan enjoyed the fresh overtaking and even the sight of Verstappen failing to finish, commenting, “I’ve seen some great passes lately. Love seeing him not make it to the end.”
Others poked fun at his complaints, joking about battling midfield teams or comparing his attitude unfavourably to Lewis Hamilton, who has had his own struggles. One user wrote, “And people call Hamilton a crybaby? Look at this guy.” Another brought up Hamilton’s issues with porpoising in the 2022 Azerbaijan GP that caused him a back injury, arguing that Verstappen wasn’t complaining when he was winning.
All in all, both Verstappen and Alonso are feeling the sting of a changing Formula 1 landscape, one that’s forcing even the sport’s biggest names to rethink their approach and adapt to new regulations and challenges. Whether they embrace this shift or continue to resist remains to be seen, but for now, Mercedes holds a strong grip on the field.
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.
