Red Bull shareholders are set to decide Sergio Perez’s future after the end of the season. Perez, who is now 251 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen, has been having an extremely difficult season. This is not the first time the Mexican’s seat at Red Bull has been in jeopardy. Earlier in the season, it was unclear if he would get a contract extension, although he proved everyone wrong by signing a new contract until 2026. But things have changed. With the competition on the grid so narrow, Perez’s lack of performance has cost Red Bull the World Constructors’ Championship. “It’s clear that the constructors’ title is no longer possible…” team advisor Helmut Marko told the press. “So if Sergio was anywhere near [Lewis] Hamilton and [George] Russell or Ferrari or even McLaren, then we would be well ahead again.”
The FIA issued a technical directive ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix to clamp down on a loophole being abused by some teams. The issue revolves around ride height, which is no surprise since teams have been trying to extract maximum performance in the ground-effect cars by running the car lower to the ground. The FIA measures the wear on a floor plank under the car to ensure that the cars are not running too low to the ground. Teams have previously been allowed to install metal skids in areas where they expect the most wear, although the regulation did not specify the permitted thickness. Ferrari, among other teams, where using skids that were too thick. The issue was flagged by Red Bull and the FIA agreed, revoking the ability for teams to add supportive skids to the floor.
Formula One has officially announced the Canadian Grand Prix will be rescheduled from 2026 onward. Previously, the race was held in June between Monaco and Spain, requiring teams to make a one-off trip to the country. Starting in 2026, the event will be moved to May after the Miami Grand Prix to “rationalise” the calendar. This news was expected, with the Monaco Grand Prix set to move to early June instead of being held on the same weekend as the Indianapolis 500.
The first free practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Thursday evening was dominated by Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton leading his teammate to a Mercedes 1-2 ahead of Lando Norris. The session was relatively orderly, although there were some slips and slides as the drivers found the limits on the cold track surface. Max Verstappen rounded out the top five behind Charles Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton remained on top for the second free practice session of the day, which was again fairly quiet. The session did see the red flag briefly around the halfway point when Alex Albon’s Williams came to a halt at the side of the track with a technical problem. Lando Norris was only just behind Hamilton, setting a time only 0.011s slower than the leading Mercedes. George Russell, Carlos Sainz, and Charles Leclerc made up the top five and were the only other drivers to come within 0.5s of Hamilton’s time.
Another Mercedes topped the final free practice session on Friday afternoon, but it was George Russell at the wheel this time. The teams scrambled to make setup adjustments ahead of qualifying. Max Verstappen was unhappy with the direction his car was headed, although he would still manage to claim a top-five position. Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, and Lando Norris filled the gap to Russell. Attempts to set the fastest time were thwarted by a late red flag when Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin lost power.
George Russell managed to keep up the momentum in qualifying, earning pole position ahead of Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly. Sergio Perez was the surprise exit in Q1, failing to better his time before the end of the session and having to settle for a P16 starting position. Q2 saw a dramatic end when Franco Colapinto slammed into the barriers at turn 16 while trying to make it into the top ten. The rookie clipped the inside barrier which caused him to make a heavy impact with the outside wall, adding to Williams’ ever-growing repair bill this season. This caused a slight delay to the start of Q3 while marshals worked to clear debris from the circuit. Russell topped Q3 while teammate Lewis Hamilton had to settle for P10 after suffering a massive slide on his final attempt. Crucially, Max Verstappen earned P5 ahead of championship rival Lando Norris, who was looking to keep his championship hopes alive this weekend.
Mercedes, which had seemed like the team to beat all weekend, proved dominant in the race, earning their first 1-2 finish since 2022. George Russell got away well from pole position, able to fend off early pressure from Charles Leclerc, who had gained two positions in the first corner. Pierre Gasly dropped through the field down to P5 before suffering an engine failure during the first pit window. During the second round of pit stops, Carlos Sainz was going to make a pit stop but bailed at the last second because his Ferrari mechanics weren’t ready for him. He pitted a lap later, having lost some time from his earlier attempt. Lewis Hamilton charged through the field to recover to P2 in a race where he felt he could have earned pole position. Max Verstappen fell below the two Ferraris before the end of the race, but his performance was enough to secure him his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship title. Click here to read a full summary of the race.
The end of the season is creeping ever closer, with only two rounds of the championship remaining. Next up is the Qatar Grand Prix for the final sprint weekend of the season. The sprint will be held on November 30 with the main event set for December 1.
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.
