The Monaco Grand Prix’s two-stop rule has been removed for 2026 after failing to achieve the results intended last year. The narrow streets of Monaco don’t provide many overtaking opportunities, leading the sport to introduce a Monaco-specific rule last season that forced teams to run three different tyre compounds. This essentially forced teams to make two pitstops instead of the usual one stop. The hope was that this would introduce a more interesting tyre strategy to make up for the general lack of on-track action. In reality, the rule change greatly benefited teams that had both their cars running close together, as it allowed one driver to back up the field to create a pit window for the other.
The FIA will introduce stricter engine compression ratio testing mid-season after support from engine manufacturers. Engine compression ratio has been a talking point so far this season, with teams like Mercedes suspected of exploiting the rule. The engine compression ratio is the total space in the cylinder when the piston is in the bottom position. Essentially, a larger compression ratio can allow the engine to be more efficient and powerful. For 2026, the ratio was reduced from 18:1 to 16:1, but there is believed to be a flaw in how this is tested. The current regulations test his ratio at ambient temperatures, significantly lower than the typical temperature at which the engine would be operating. Some teams, like Mercedes, are believed to be abusing this loophole by using materials that expand when heated, creating a larger engine compression ratio. Starting in June, all engines will be tested at both ambient and 130°C. The ambient testing will be dropped for 2027.
Formula One will be using a new AI system to help monitor track limits violations. The new system, dubbed “Every Car All Turns” (ECAT), is intended to help provide a more transparent and consistent enforcement of track limits. The system can detect when drivers may have exceeded track limits. Video footage of the violation can be sent to teams, preventing arguments with the team. Although the system can help detect potential violations, human review will still be required for violations that will count as a strike or result in a penalty.
Pirelli’s head of motorsport, Mario Isola, will be leaving the company to take a new motorsport role in the summer. Isola, who has been in his role at Pirelli since 2017, will remain with the company until July 1 to help his successor, Dario Marrafuschi, transition into the role. Marrafuschi has been with Pirelli since 2008, working on F1 research and development, before leading the development of the company’s road tyres. Isola will become general director for the Automobile Club d’Italia.
Mercedes has recruited two new drivers to its Junior Programme for 2026. The first is 11-year-old Niccolò Perico from Italy, a rising talent in karting. He was crowned the 2024 Italian ACI Karting Champion in Mini U10 and won both the ROK Superfinal and the Champions of the Future Academy Trophy last year. The second is 11-year-old Devin Titz from Germany, another promising karting talent. Much of his karting success comes from 2022, when he was ROK Mini Rookie Champion, ADAC Kart Bundesendlauf winner, and vice-champion in the North German Kart Cup. These two drivers join a roster of nine other Mercedes drivers as the team’s Junior Programme celebrates ten years.
Damon Hill has joined Williams as its ambassador, taking over for Jenson Button. This marks Hill’s return to the team with which he won the World Drivers’ Championship title 30 years ago. He will help support the team’s commercial activities alongside co-ambassadors Jacques Villeneuve and Jamie Chadwick.
British actor Damson Idris has become Formula One’s global brand ambassador. Best known for starring in the American crime drama Snowfall, Idris has become known by F1 fans for playing the role of Joshua Pearce in Apple’s F1 film. In his role as ambassador, Idris will “act as a bridge between the world of Formula 1 and the wider cultural and entertainment landscape” and participate in promotional activities for the sport.
ESPN has renewed its contract to broadcast Formula One in 18 countries across Latin America, despite losing its American rights to Apple. The new contract extension will run until the end of 2028, seeing all practice, qualifying, and races broadcast alongside the Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy, and Porsche Super Cup support series. The deal includes 18 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, but does not include Mexico or Brazil.
Apple reached a partnership with Netflix, giving fans access to the latest season of the Drive to Survive docuseries. Subscribers to Apple TV, which took over American F1 broadcasting rights from ESPN for this year, will be able to view season eight of the popular Netflix show. In exchange, Netflix will broadcast all weekend sessions of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix in May.
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.
