Houldey on drivers still making the difference under current rules
McLaren technical director for engineering Neil Houldey says the best drivers will still come out on top under the current rules, even with performance swings caused by different energy deployment and self-learning software. Houldey said: "Actually the drivers who understand what they need to do, the ones who are switched on, the ones who are the best F1 drivers in the world are the ones who are still going to be the fastest. My answer really would be that it all evens out in the end... I still think you see the best drivers come out in the best place at the end of the season."
Why McLaren feels the best drivers can still make a difference under F1 2026 rules
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Perez on patience during Cadillac's first-season problems
Sergio Perez says “not giving up and patience” has been integral to the start of his time at Formula 1’s newest team, Cadillac, as it works through issues in its first season. Perez said: "I think not giving up and patience. Never give up and patience. I need a lot of that in here, because there are times where you're working really hard together with your team, and then you have all these problems, it can be very frustrating at times. But at the same time, it's very encouraging to see the team pushing so hard."
Interview: Exclusive: Sergio Perez reveals key past lesson integral to Cadillac F1 rise
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Towriss on Lowdon's dismissal and Budkowski appointment
Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss said Graeme Lowdon’s dismissal as team principal was not a mutual decision, and that Lowdon was only told on the morning he was replaced by Marcin Budkowski for the rest of the 2026 season and beyond. Towriss said: "It wasn't a mutual decision. The process started a few months ago: really thinking about what the next phase for Cadillac Formula 1 looks like, what's the right timing, how would that look, and then the capabilities of the various folks out there. We were delighted in the conversation with Marcin and how that relationship evolved. So Graeme and I spoke this morning, so I think it is a very recent conversation from that perspective."
Graeme Lowdon's shock Cadillac exit wasn't a "mutual decision" - Dan Towriss
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Towriss on Perez staying at Cadillac despite Williams rumours
Cadillac chief executive Dan Towriss says Sergio Perez will stay with the team and that it is “not distracted” by rumours linking the Mexican to Williams. Towriss said: "I would underline all the things that Marcin said. Checo's been a tremendous asset to the team. He's driven very well and certainly has pushed quite hard. I'm very confident that Checo is going to remain with Cadillac and we're not distracted by the Williams rumours for a second. We're very confident in the relationship here and that you're going to see him piloting the Cadillac F1 car."
Cadillac F1 team "not distracted" by Sergio Perez to Williams rumours
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Lawson on Racing Bulls' deep dive into difficult weekends
Liam Lawson says Racing Bulls have done a “deep dive” into the weekends that went wrong for him this season, with the New Zealander admitting those races stand out more than the team’s best results. Lawson said: "The standout ones are probably the ones that didn't go so well, which is more of a good thing to have less of those, like we've had. But they're the ones that obviously we need to learn the most from. They're the ones that you sort of do a deep dive into and try and understand more."
Liam Lawson reflects on Racing Bulls 'deep dive'
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Budkowski on talks with F1 teams before Cadillac return
Marcin Budkowski says he held talks with “more than half” of the Formula 1 grid before deciding to return in a leadership role with Cadillac, after replacing Graeme Lowdon as team principal during the summer shutdown. Budkowski said: "I've had discussions in the past years with more than half of the teams on the grid - some of them more advanced and some less advanced. But for me, it was important, if I come back to this kind of leadership role, to be in a project that I believe in. This project is very ambitious, it's backed by TWG Group which is extremely involved in motorsport, General Motors is one of the biggest car companies in the world with a lot of ambition, with funding which wasn't always the case in my previous ventures."
Marcin Budkowski spoke to 'over half' the F1 grid before choosing Cadillac
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Mekies on McLaren's Hungarian upgrade package
Laurent Mekies said McLaren’s upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix gave the team “a big jump”, but he wants to see whether it works as well at different circuits. Mekies said: "Yeah, I think the package they brought has certainly given them a big jump. So it is certainly impressive, and let's see how it performs on a different track."
Red Bull raise critical McLaren question mark after 'big jump'
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Lord on Antonelli's consistency and maturity in 2026 title lead
Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord says it is “incredibly impressive” to see Kimi Antonelli performing with such consistency and “calm maturity” in only his second Formula 1 season, with the Italian heading into the 2026 summer break leading the world championship. Lord said: "I've been asked a few times if I'd been surprised. And I guess no and yes is the answer. We signed Kimi and we took the decision to bring Kimi into the team because we believed in his potential. But it's also undeniable to see a driver in just his second season in Formula 1 performing with so much consistency and with a real, calm maturity is incredibly impressive."
From rookie pain to title reign: Mercedes lifts lid on Antonelli's rise
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Leclerc on Ferrari needing aggressive upgrades in 2026
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari need to be “aggressive” with upgrades because he believes each development step is having a bigger impact in 2026 than in previous seasons, speaking in Hungary. Leclerc said: "It's a championship that every upgrade is so much more significant than in the past because it makes us do such a big step forward. We've seen it with McLaren this weekend, so it's going to be important that we stay on top of it, and that we keep being aggressive, as aggressive as we've been with the development program, and we'll see how it goes in time."
Charles Leclerc makes ‘aggressive' Ferrari request in F1 title race
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F1 2027 driver market: How the F2 stars fit in
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