Lando Norris has extended his contract until 2030 as part of a new multi-year deal. The Brit’s previous contract ran until the end of 2027. He has only ever driven with McLaren during his F1 career, which began back in 2019. He will be partnered with Oscar Piastri for at least the next two seasons, as the Australian’s current contract runs until the end of 2028.
Franco Colapinto has signed a new contract for 2027, remaining with Alpine. The Argentinian has been with the team since 2025, when he stepped in to replace Jack Doohan, who was released by the team after just seven races. This new deal cements the Alpine driver lineup, with Pierre Gasly already contracted for 2027.
Haas has completed a Testing of Previous Cars session at Portimao, as it works to explore its options for 2027. While Oliver Bearman appears set to retain his seat for 2027, Esteban Ocon may be on the chopping block for the upcoming year. During the three-day test, the team evaluated three drivers who completed laps in the VF-25. Ryo Hirakawa is the team’s reserve driver and has strong support from Toyota, the team’s title sponsor and technical partner. They also fielded Leonardo Fornaroli, who won the Formula 2 championship last year and is currently a development driver for McLaren. Rafael Camara, a Ferrari junior and current Formula 2 title challenger, also participated in the test.
Pirelli completed a two-day test session at the Mugello circuit to test its 2027 tyres. McLaren and Red Bull assisted on both days, while Audi was only present on the second day. The test focused on the three dry compound tyres. Red Bull was tasked with focusing on long runs while McLaren did short performance stints for much of both days. Audi completed a combination of programmes on the second day. All drivers completed a combined total of 2948 laps during the two days.
Alpine has landed itself in hot water with the FIA after a sponsor criticized Franco Colapinto’s penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix. Colapinto was given a drive-through penalty for overtaking Yuki Tsunoda under the double-waved yellow flags on the first lap of the race. Sean Summers, the chief marketing officer of Colapinto’s sponsor Mercado Libre, questioned the FIA’s decision, saying: “The Stewards are killing the integrity of F1. This season they are proving to be horrible and impacting race results. Incompetence? Dishonesty? Both? Something is seriously broken in that organisation’s culture.” Alpine did some damage control on Monday, releasing a statement saying the team “fully trust the FIA and the stewards” and that although the penalty was “harsh” it was “based on the letter of the law” and was “consistently applied across all competitors.” Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad was handed the same penalty for a similar incident at Zandvoort. The FIA is now reportedly exploring legal options after its FIA stewards with “targeted with online abuse” after the race. The FIA launched its United Against Online Abuse Coalition in 2023 after the stewards were the targets of abuse following the United States Grand Prix.
Netflix has officially renewed its popular Drive to Survive docuseries for a new season. This will mark the ninth installment of the show, which began in 2019. Although it’s sometimes criticized for editing that sometimes exaggerates drama to increase entertainment, the program still does a good job of providing behind-the-scenes access to the sport in a way that was previously unheard of. The series is expected to be released ahead of the 2027 season.
Lando Norris has announced a new three-part documentary series that will be released on Amazon Prime Video in 2027. The docuseries, currently called Lando, will be produced by Box to Box Films, the same company that produces Netflix’s popular Drive to Survive docuseries. In addition to following Norris’ 2026 season, the primary focus of the series will be the Brit’s life away from racing, promising “unprecedented access to a more personal side of his life.”
Ukraine has filed a complaint with the FIA ethics committee against Russia. The Ukrainian Automobile Federation (FAU) alleges that the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) is breaching the FIA rules. It believes that by operating offices in Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, which are considered to be Ukrainian territory by the United Nations, the RAF is breaching Article 3.3 of the FIA Statutes and Article 1.4.1 of the International Sporting Code. Both articles state that only one National Sporting Authority can be recognized per country. The FAU has requested an immediate investigation and that the RAF stop operating those offices. This complaint comes only weeks after the FIA lifted a ban on Russian competitors, which had been put in place following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mercedes has confirmed that Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix. This will be the result of a power unit change for the championship leader, which brings him over his permitted allocation for the season. Teams are permitted to use up to four power units per car per season, but reliability issues earlier in the season forced the team to change the power unit more times than expected. This is an unfortunate turn of events for the 19-year-old at his home grand prix, but Mercedes believes Monza is the ideal circuit to take the hit.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was injured during a celebrity jet ski championship. The event was organized by German TV personality Stefan Raab. Partnered with Raab, the duo crashed at a buoy, where Schumacher dislocated his shoulder. While being treated in hospital, an X-ray revealed an injury to the bone, which will require “a small operation” to fix.
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.
