F1’s worst-kept secret confirmed as former McLaren driver faces exit door – F1 news round-up
Max Verstappen leads the field at the start of the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race
Monday’s fast-paced F1 news roundup contains the sport’s worst-kept secret with the F1 2025 seat prospects of former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen hanging by a thread.
F1 news: Esteban Ocon set to sign for Haas-Ferrari and more
Haas announce Ferrari partnership extension
Haas have announced that they have extended their technical partnership with Ferrari until the end of the F1 2028 season.
The American team have held a close technical partnership with Ferrari since arriving on the grid in 2016, with Haas permitted to run as many Ferrari-built parts as is allowed under F1’s rules.
Recent reports have claimed Haas could join forces with Toyota, but the team have announced an extension to their Ferrari deal.
Read more: Haas confirm plans for F1 2026 and beyond with major Ferrari announcement
Kevin Magnussen facing F1 exit as new Haas signing looms
Kevin Magnussen is likely to be left without a seat for the F1 2025 season, with Esteban Ocon closing in on a deal to become Oliver Bearman’s Haas team-mate.
Reports over the recent British Grand Prix weekend, verified by PlanetF1.com, claimed Ocon has signed a contract to join Haas for next season, with an announcement expected to arrive ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian GP.
Ocon’s arrival would likely signal the end of Magnussen’s F1 career, with the Danish driver scoring just eight points across the last two seasons.
Read more: Next F1 2025 move ‘imminent’ as current driver faces exit – report
Red Bull still hope Sergio Perez comes good
Helmut Marko has said he and Red Bull “still hope” Sergio Perez can show his best form in the next two races before they take stock of his future over the summer break.
Despite signing a new two-year contract last month, Perez finds himself with his seat at risk following a repeat of his 2022/23 mid-season struggles, with Red Bull thought to be seriously considering dropping the Mexican driver.
Marko is still clinging on to the hope that Perez can turn his situation around.
Read more: New ‘hope’ for Sergio Perez emerges in latest Helmut Marko Red Bull assessment
Toto Wolff advises Max Verstappen on Mercedes move
Toto Wolff believes Max Verstappen shouldn’t even consider a move to Mercedes until the team can demonstrate that they can win consistently again in F1.
Red Bull’s recent stumbles, combined with Mercedes’ sudden resurgence, has increased speculation that Verstappen could join the Silver Arrows as soon as next season.
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com, however, Wolff himself claimed it would be unwise to leave Red Bull for Mercedes at this stage.
Read more: Toto Wolff makes latest intriguing claim over Max Verstappen Mercedes move
Mick Schumacher convinced F1 return is ‘within reach’
Mick Schumacher believes his chances of returning to F1 are “pretty good” as a volatile driver market unfolds.
Schumacher is believed to be in contention to replace Ocon at Alpine and recently participated in a test in a two-year-old car at Paul Ricard alongside the Enstone-based team’s reserve driver Jack Doohan.
The 25-year-old, who has also tested for McLaren lately, is convinced that an F1 comeback is “within reach.”
Read more: Mick Schumacher issues ‘within reach’ update on his F1 future
