Changes to the 2027 regulations were approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. Among the changes, the council approved the plan to change to a 58-42 split between combustion and electrical power, with the goal of getting to 60-40 by 2028. To help make these changes possible without major changes to the power units, the race distance at certain circuits may be slightly reduced. The teams have also been granted an additional day of pre-season testing, increasing to four days. Finally, the drivers will now be allowed to use Boost Mode in wet conditions for the remainder of the 2026 season. This was previously banned due to safety concerns. However, the system will only be used to charge the batteries and cannot increase the power output in those conditions, preserving safety.
Red Bull’s chief engineer of car engineering, Paul Monaghan, is set to leave the squad for a new role at Cadillac. According to sources, the move is finalized, although Monaghan has yet to officially resign from Red Bull and neither party has announced the move. Starting his motorsport career with McLaren in the ’90s, Monaghan has been with Red Bull since the end of 2005, playing an important role in the team’s success. It is unclear when Monaghan could join Cadillac, as he will likely need to serve a gardening leave after departing Red Bull.
Longtime Sky Sports F1 broadcaster Rachel Brookes has left the company. She joined Sky Sports in 2009, working on Sky Sports F1 since Sky took over F1 broadcasting rights for the United Kingdom in 2012. No official reason was given for her sudden departure, citing “exciting new ventures” in a social media post. She went on to hint that she would return to the sport at the British Grand Prix.
The FIA voted to remove presidential term limits, in a motion that received overwhelming support. Previously, the FIA only allowed FIA presidents to serve three terms during their career. This change will allow presidents to lead indefinitely unless they are voted out or reach the maximum age of 70. Although sitting president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is believed to be the force behind the change, the new rules do not impact him. Currently in his second term, he would have already been eligible to run for a third term in 2029 and already cannot run for a fourth term because he will exceed the age limit. Another change to presidential candidacy now requires potential candidates to have experience within the FIA, making it more difficult for new candidates to enter. Ben Sulayem ran unopposed in 2025 after his rivals were unable to secure the required vice presidents for their leadership team. The new changes will be another hurdle for anyone interested in leading the FIA.
Kimi Antonelli was fastest in the opening free practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, narrowly outpacing his teammate by 0.040s. Max Verstappen had a difficult start to the weekend, having issues with the car going into anti-stall. He became stuck at the end of the pit lane, having to be wheeled back to the garage. He returned to the circuit 20 minutes later, still managing to set the fourth fastest time behind Oscar Piastri. Verstappen was not the only one to be plagued by technical issues. Isack Hadjar also missed much of the session, only participating in the latter half of the session. Lando Norris had similar bad luck due to a hydraulic leak. The session ended under a red flag when Sergio Perez’s Cadillac came to a stop on the circuit with a mechanical issue. There were six rookies in the field, of which Dino Beganovic was the quickest in Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Kimi Antonelli retained the top spot in the second free practice session of the weekend, beating the two McLaren drivers. It was a difficult session for Cadillac, which had brought a big upgrade package to the weekend. Sergio Perez’s mechanical issues from FP1 continued, and Valtteri Bottas limped back to the pits after reporting smoke. Max Verstappen was again fourth fastest in the session behind the McLaren duo led by Oscar Piastri, although he could not get within 0.5s of the pace set by Antonelli. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.
George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 in the final practice session of the weekend, although it was again close margins between the two. Only 0.038s separated the two drivers, who led Lewis Hamilton. It was a relatively quiet session, with the teams all trying to log mileage ahead of qualifying. The two McLaren drivers completed the top five, with Oscar Piastri again proving to be the fastest of the two.
George Russell earned pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix, although it was not without controversy. Kimi Antonelli had led Q1 and Q2, while Max Verstappen barely managed to advance to Q3. The Dutchman was pushing hard in qualifying when he suffered a crash at turn nine. He lost rear grip, spinning through the gravel and into the barrier. The yellow flag was thrown, prompting Antonelli to abandon his final flying lap. Russell continued his lap, making sure to lift off in the yellow zone, earning pole position. Critically, his lap time would have been deleted had the double yellow flags been used, but the stewards opted to only use the single yellow flag. After a brief look by the stewards, Russell was cleared of any wrongdoing, securing pole. Although not on for pole position, Antonelli’s mistake meant he only qualified fourth behind the two Charles Leclerc-led Ferraris. Despite the crash, Verstappen had managed to set a time worthy of P5.
George Russell managed to convert his pole position to a race victory, his second of the season, in Austria. It was a relatively even start at the front, although Kimi Antonelli struggled to keep his car on the circuit for the first few corners. Charles Leclerc, who had started on the front row, dropped behind Lewis Hamilton and Antonelli in the opening laps. Max Verstappen found himself in a position to challenge Hamilton for P2 in the race, and the duo fought hard until Hamilton dove into the pits on lap 12. A virtual safety car for Carlos Sainz’s powerless Williams prompted Hamilton to make a second stop some laps later, but the gamble on the three-stop strategy wouldn’t pan out, and he would finish P5. This was better than Leclerc, who had dropped to P8 by the end of the race, dropping him to P6 in the World Drivers’ Championship standings. Verstappen attempted to chase down Antonelli, applying pressure in the closing laps, but had to settle for P3 in the end. Click here to read a full summary of the Austrian Grand Prix.
Next up, Formula One will head to Silverstone for what will surely be a thrilling British Grand Prix sprint weekend. This means two races in only a week’s time, with the sprint being held on July 4 and the grand prix on July 5.
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.
