Shovlin on Overtake Mode making it hard to break away
Mercedes head of trackside operations Andrew Shovlin said Formula 1’s new Overtake Mode made it hard for cars to break away from each other during battles at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Shovlin said: "The regulations make it quite hard to break away because the car behind can harvest a bit more energy. In Montreal, because it was really cold and there's low speed corners, the cars actually followed really well. The two cars get a little bit locked together in a battle. The energy does help the one behind keep up. It's just quite hard for [the leader] to break away."
Overtake Mode helped ‘lock cars together' in battle at Canadian GP
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Brown on McLaren's 1000th grand prix recognition in Monaco
Zak Brown says racing McLaren’s 1000th grand prix in Monaco is “a perfect opportunity” to recognise the team’s motorsport history, after McLaren unveiled a special livery for the Monaco and Barcelona grands prix. Brown said: "Lining up on the grid to race McLaren's 1000th grand prix in Monaco this year provides a perfect opportunity to recognise our rich history in motorsport. We're only the second team to reach this incredible milestone, so what better moment to reflect on our past, our present and our future."
McLaren celebrates 1000th F1 GP in Monaco with special livery
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Antonelli on Mercedes not yet seeing full upgrade benefit
Kimi Antonelli says Mercedes has not yet seen the “full benefit” of the upgrade package it introduced at the Canadian Grand Prix, because conditions in Montréal made tyre management unusually important, and he expects a clearer read at Monaco and Barcelona. Antonelli said: "This weekend is a bit unique, because tyres are so important to get them in the right window, so I think we're not seeing the full benefit of this new package. I think when we go to Monaco and Barcelona, we will see much better the benefits of this package, because here is just such a weird condition that just by having the tyres in the right window, it makes a big difference."
Ominous Mercedes upgrade warning with ‘full benefit' imminent
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Antonelli on Ferrari as Monaco favourite
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli says Ferrari will be the team to beat at the Monaco Grand Prix because its rear winglet is giving the car “a lot of downforce at low speed”. Antonelli said: "Yeah, I think Ferrari is going to be the team to beat in Monaco. It's going to be very interesting [to see] how we do there, but for sure Ferrari is the favourite, because also with that winglet they have in the back, it's giving them a lot of downforce at low speed."
Ferrari labelled 'team to beat' in Monaco for key reason
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Binotto on Sainz choosing Williams over Sauber
Audi F1 boss Mattia Binotto says Carlos Sainz’s decision to sign for Williams in 2024 was his own, rather than following his father’s preference for him to join Sauber ahead of Audi’s takeover for its 2026 entry. Binotto said: "Because honestly, I think he made his own choice and that was important. I would even say that he made his own choice, and not his dad's choice, which is great for him."
Mattia Binotto lifts lid on Carlos Sainz negotiations after Audi F1 2024 snub
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Stella on Piastri's McLaren future amid Red Bull links
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has dismissed rumours about Oscar Piastri’s future, saying the Australian is not set to leave the team despite links with Red Bull and a contract that runs until the end of 2028. Stella said: "You mentioned the silly season, and I think we are already fully in this silly season. When we think about Oscar, we couldn't be happier. I think we are seeing the best Oscar in the cockpit and also a happy Oscar, and the best version of himself outside the cockpit. So definitely it's very clear, the direction for maximum stability at McLaren."
McLaren address Oscar Piastri departure rumours
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Verstappen's penalty points expire
Max Verstappen heads into the Monaco Grand Prix with a clean FIA super licence after the penalty points from his 2025 Spanish Grand Prix clash with George Russell expired. Verstappen had been given three points for the Barcelona incident, when the stewards ruled he caused the collision after the safety-car restart, and that took him to 11 points within a 12-month period - one short of an automatic one-race ban. With those points, and other earlier infringements, now outside the 12-month window, he no longer carries any active penalty points.
Max Verstappen heads to Monaco GP with clean F1 slate after moment of madness
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Alonso on Aston Martin's fundamental problem and upgrade timeline
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s “fundamental problem” and a three-second gap to the front will not be fixed until later in the season, with bigger gains needing more engine power and an improved aerodynamic package. Fernando Alonso said: "But the fundamental problem and the three seconds off the pace will have to come from the power of the engine and from the aero package and that will only come in the second part of the year."
‘Fundamental problem' – Fernando Alonso sets timeline for Aston Martin fix
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Raikkonen on Antonelli's mental strength in title fight
Kimi Raikkonen says Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has the mental strength to handle a Formula 1 title fight, as the Italian leads the 2026 standings. Raikkonen said: "He'll have to avoid imitating Piastri in 2025. At one point, the Australian McLaren driver seemed to have the title in his pocket, but he couldn't handle the pressure. The Italian won't fall into the same trap."
Kimi on Kimi: Raikkonen backs Antonelli to win F1 title
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Stella on commitment to McLaren amid Ferrari links
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says he is fully committed to staying with the team amid reports linking him with a move to Ferrari. Stella said: "When it comes to myself, I'm definitely fully committed to McLaren. And for me the mission is very clear: we need to fill that new area of the cabinet for the years to come at McLaren."
McLaren boss delivers robust statement over wild exit rumour
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Vowles on Williams prioritising Monaco spare parts
Williams team principal James Vowles says the team is prioritising the production of spare parts for the Monaco Grand Prix after a punishing Canadian GP weekend left it short on inventory, including from Alex Albon’s heavy Friday crash and his race collision with Oscar Piastri. Vowles said: "Now, what we've had to do as an impact of all of that is to make sure we prioritise and have sufficient stock levels for Monaco because whatever happens, we're about to go into probably the hardest track in terms of attrition and you simply can't get away with having the cars built up with no spares around you. That's where we need to put ourselves in a strong position for Monaco."
Williams prioritises Monaco spare parts after costly Alex Albon Canadian GP crash
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Hamilton on not using Ferrari's simulator to prepare for races
Lewis Hamilton says he will probably not use Ferrari’s simulator to prepare for races because there are “too many risks”, after finishing second at last month’s Canadian Grand Prix. Hamilton said: "Now whether or not I use it to prepare for another race? Probably not. There are just too many risks. If you look at the two best races I've had, I didn't use a simulator and that's honestly how it was. Pretty much all the championships before, except for probably 2008, I didn't use the sim, so it's not a necessity."
‘Too many risks' – Next Lewis Hamilton step after Ferrari experiment confirms suspicions
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Mekies on Red Bull supporting further steps for team independence
Laurent Mekies says Red Bull would support further steps to ensure sporting independence between Formula 1’s 11 teams, despite its parent company also owning Racing Bulls. Mekies said: "If any stakeholders, let it be another team or anyone else, would feel that more steps are needed to ensure 11 teams racing independently, we would support. We are completely supportive to take any further step to ensure that, regardless of our strategic partnership or regardless of our ownership structure, that we race independently on track. We feel that is the case today."
Red Bull make surprising concession despite apparent conflict of interest
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Antonelli on racing Russell freely without repeating Hamilton-Rosberg tension
Kimi Antonelli says Mercedes is letting him and team-mate George Russell race freely, but insists they are determined to avoid an intra-team situation like Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had. Antonelli said: "We don't want to recreate a scenery like Lewis [Hamilton] and [Nico] Rosberg, where internally in the team was not the best. Of course, we're going to race each other hard, but we'll try to be as fair as possible, avoiding any crashes or contacts because we want the best as well for the team. We want Mercedes to win, as well. We're gonna go at each other, for sure, but in a fair manner."
Kimi Antonelli makes Lewis Hamilton-Nico Rosberg vow amid George Russell F1 fight
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Croft on Perez frustration at fledgling Cadillac team
Sky Sports Formula 1 lead commentator David Croft says Sergio Perez is likely to become frustrated at Cadillac as the team learns on the job in its debut 2026 season. Croft said: "I think, though, Sergio's going to get a bit frustrated. There's more pace in that Cadillac car, and there's probably more they can do, but they're just being held back a bit because they're such a new, fledgling team. For instance, they have both drivers on intermediate tyres. They should have double-stacked to get rid of them. They didn't because they're just not at that stage yet where they can start double-stacking."
Sergio Perez frustration warning issued as Cadillac F1 faces "fledgling team" issues
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FIA closes compression ratio loophole
The FIA’s revised engine rule took effect on 1 June, so the Monaco Grand Prix will be the first race run under the new measurement for power unit compression ratio. Pre-season reports said Mercedes HPP had found a way to run as high as 18:1 despite the regulations setting a 16:1 limit, because the original wording only measured the ratio at ambient temperatures with the car in the pit lane; from Monaco onwards it will instead be checked with the engine ambient temperature at 130 degrees, closing that loophole.
Mercedes F1 trick now illegal as new FIA rule officially in effect
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Months-long investigation into Russell retirement
Mercedes says it may be several months before it can complete a full investigation into George Russell’s Canadian Grand Prix retirement, after the failed battery module had to go through special safety procedures and be shipped back to the UK. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord said: "It will therefore be several months before the hardware gets back and we need to really dig through the data to understand exactly what went wrong and then work out how we try and prevent a repeat on any of the other modules in the future."
Mercedes complications emerge as George Russell DNF investigation faces delay
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