After a thrilling Canadian Grand Prix weekend, everyone was given a week to recuperate before the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23. As a result, it was a relatively quiet news week for Formula One, with much of the headlines revolving around the aftermath of the race in Montreal. There were some rule changes and contract changes to keep us interested and even some on-track action.
The FIA has modified the age requirement for a Super Licence to allow some drivers to be eligible at 17 years old with special permission. The clause has been added to Appendix L of the FIA International Sporting Code, stating that “a driver judged to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition may be granted a Super Licence at the age of 17 years old.” This paves the way for Mercedes hopeful Andrea Kimi Antonelli to make a free-practice debut before his 18th birthday on August 25. Antonelli has been linked to the vacant seat at Mercedes for 2025, but some have also predicted that he will replace Williams driver Logan Sargeant after this year’s summer break.
With the 2026 regulations still yet to be set in stone, some engine manufacturers have warned that it may be too late to make large changes to the power units. Although FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has suggested that manufacturers would be open to tweaks to the engines, the rules now require unanimous agreement from the engine suppliers. Both Mercedes and Renault have said that, unlike the chassis development, the engine development has already progressed too far to make changes. On the contrary, Red Bull insists there’s still time to make “meaningful changes”. It is believed that Ferrari would also side with Mercedes and Renault’s opinion.
Pirelli completed a two-day tyre test this week at the Mugello Circuit with the help of Ferrari. They tested the hardest 2025 tyre compounds, primarily focusing on reduced overheating. Rain on the first day allowed Pirelli to continue work on the intermediate tyres. Charles Leclerc completed 120 laps on day one, with Carlos Sainz adding 135 the following day.
The organizers of the Canadian Grand Prix have blamed many of the hiccups during this year’s weekend on contracts, vowing to have “serious follow-ups” with the companies involved. One of these issues was leaks in facilities during the wet weather, while some fans were also disappointed by the lack of parking available in the muddy conditions. Meanwhile, the organizers also blame the local transport authority Société de Transport de Montréal for incorrectly informing fans that the Friday practice sessions had been cancelled due to weather, claiming that STM did so without them knowing. There have been repeated demands for the race promoter to improve the accommodations at the race.
Alpine team boss Bruno Famin has hit back against Esteban Ocon’s Canadian Grand Prix comments, insisting that Ocon will have equal status to Pierre Gasly. In the closing stages of the Canadian Grand Prix, Ocon allowed teammate Gasly to overtake in a bid to chase down Daniel Ricciardo for P8. According to Ocon, the team had promised that Gasly would return the position if he could not pass Ricciardo. He was unable to pass but did not return the position, causing Ocon to express frustration after the race. Making matters worse, this comes a weekend after it was announced that Ocon would leave the team at the end of the season. Despite this, Famin has continued to guarantee that they will not deliberately hinder Ocon’s performance, saying “I think Esteban can count on all the team to help him to get the best result, because Esteban having the best result is helping the team having the best possible result.”
Sauber has hired former Red Bull and McLaren engineer Stefano Sordo to serve as their Performance Director. He is just one of many high-profile recruitments to the team as it prepares to become an Audi works team in 2026. “We have a strong technical team in Hinwil, and Stefano’s appointment will help us to harness these skills and turn them into performance as we continue in this crucial time for our outfit, with the Audi F1 works team being readied for its debut,” the team explained in a press release announcing the appointment. Sordo has worked in a variety of engineering positions for more than two decades at both Red Bull and McLaren. His latest job was as technical director at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the IndyCar and IMSA series.
Red Bull has booted Kacper Sztuka out of its junior programme after just seven months. He was signed to the programme after winning the Formula Winter Series and Italian F4 Championship titles in 2023, helping him to get a seat with MP Motorsport in the Formula 3 Championship. After just four races, with a highest finish of fifth, Red Bull terminated Sztuka’s contract, although he intends to race with MP Motorsport for the rest of the season. Turning to social media to confirm the news, Sztuka said his progress was “positively assessed by all people working directly with me”.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
