From F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali opening the door to a German GP return on the iconic Hockenheim, to Lewis Hamilton’s warning to Ferrari’s rivals over a stronger second half of the 2026 season for the Scuderia – listed below are at this time’s foremost tales!
F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali has revealed that contact has been re-established with Hockenheim as a part of long-term discussions over the potential return of the German Grand Prix.
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Germany has been absent from the F1 calendar since 2021, when the Eifel Grand Prix was held on the Nürburgring in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic as a one-off occasion, with Lewis Hamilton taking victory for Mercedes. The final race to be held at Hockenheim passed off in 2019 and was gained by Max Verstappen.
Chatting with GPblog, amongst others, Domenicali additionally highlighted a cope with German broadcaster RTL, and an expectation of a number of bidders for the subsequent German media rights tender, as constructive indicators of the game’s rising recognition within the nation.
Domenicali stated: “For the primary time, we’re reconnected with the opportunity of having contact with the Hockenheim folks to see if, sooner or later, long run, not quick time period, they’ll have a race again.
“Now, with the deal we’re having with RTL, you understand, the numbers getting completely different. And within the new tender on the German market, we can have for the primary time multiple operator that’s to be a part of this tender. So it is one other signal that, in Europe, that’s our essential market, the eye is getting even greater.”
Picture: Race Footage
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Elsewhere, Hamilton has warned Ferrari’s rivals that the Scuderia can have a stronger second half of the 2026 season, because the Italian crew eye an aggressive improve timeline that may characteristic updates to their energy unit.
Missing in straight line velocity to the Silver Arrows, Ferrari sit P2 within the standings on the season’s midway level, trailing Mercedes by 72 factors following a considerably anticlimactic P4 and P5 end for Charles Leclerc and Hamilton, respectively, on the Hungaroring final trip.
Reflecting on an total constructive begin to the season, nevertheless, Hamilton instructed GPblog and others: “It has been an incredible first half, given we have been most likely three or 4 tenths down on the straights based mostly on energy for the primary half of the season. I do know the fellows are pushing arduous to deliver upgrades for that.”
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Focusing extra on Ferrari’s aggressive improve technique up to now, Hamilton anticipates a good stronger second half of the season, not just for the crew, however his personal private performances. He added: “We have been bringing upgrades weekend in, weekend out.
“We have got hopefully extra to return within the second half and we simply carry on pushing. I believe the second half will likely be stronger. Often the second half is a stronger interval for me. So I am going to actually take this time to reset and attempt to come again stronger, fitter and higher mentally ready.”
Hamilton’s crew principal Fred Vasseur has equally expressed a have to “preserve the tempo” when it comes to improvement, telling GPblog and different media: “We all know that we now have to enhance on the engine aspect. We are going to do it, even when the inertia on the engine is far increased than the chassis. An important factor can be to have the ability to preserve the tempo into the event.”
Picture: Race Footage
