Hamilton issues apology after FIA take action amid Verstappen status update – roundup
Lewis Hamilton has had a poor start to his Ferrari career
Saturday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton issuing an apology after the FIA took action over an “unacceptable” mistake at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.
Let’s fly through the day’s juiciest headlines at the speed of light…
Lewis Hamilton apologises after ‘unacceptable’ Belgian GP qualifying mistake
Lewis Hamilton says he is “really sorry” to his Ferrari team after he fell in Q1 at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Hamilton saw his last lap of Q1 deleted after breaching track limits at Raidillon, leaving him a distant 16th on the grid for Sunday’s race.
It marked his second Q1 exit in the space of 24 hours after Hamilton was classified 18th out of 20 in Friday’s sprint qualifying session.
Read more: Lewis Hamilton issues apology as FIA take action over ‘unacceptable’ incident
Max Verstappen set to stay with Red Bull for F1 2026 season
Max Verstappen is expected to stay with Red Bull for the F1 2026 season following rumours of a move to Mercedes.
Despite being officially under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, Verstappen has been heavily linked with a move away over recent weeks.
Verstappen is now expected to stay put for next season with Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli expected to be confirmed for F1 2026 in the near future.
Read more: Max Verstappen’s Red Bull decision edges closer as key confirmation expected
Helmut Marko addresses Christian Horner sack
Helmut Marko has revealed that “various factors” played a role in Red Bull’s decision to sack Christian Horner, with the final call made by Red Bull boss Oliver Mintzlaff.
Horner was ‘released’ from his duties by Red Bull following the recent British Grand Prix after more than 20 years in charge.
Marko has confirmed that the responsibilities of Horner’s replacement, Laurent Mekies, will be “significantly reduced” compared to his predecessor.
Read more: Helmut Marko breaks silence over Christian Horner’s Red Bull sacking
Martin Brundle backtracks after ‘Team Max Verstappen’ accusation
Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has conceded that Max Verstappen’s camp was not behind Red Bull’s decision to sack Christian Horner.
Yet he remains convinced that the reigning four-time World Champion had the power to prevent Horner’s dismissal and still “chose not to stop Christian being let go.”
Brundle initially claimed that ‘Team Verstappen’ played a “key role” in the move to part company with Horner.
Read more: Martin Brundle backtracks over Christian Horner sack after ‘Team Verstappen’ accusation
Did Lewis Hamilton get ‘complacent’ after ‘easy’ Mercedes years?
Lewis Hamilton became “complacent” during his “easy” championship-winning years at Mercedes, with his move to Ferrari for F1 2025 bringing a “big shock” to the system.
That is the claim of Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion, who reckons the seven-time World Champion “needs a helping hand to get his mojo back.”
Hamilton remains without a podium in Ferrari colours since his blockbuster move from Mercedes.
Read more: Lewis Hamilton ‘complacency’ under heavy scrutiny after ‘big’ Ferrari ‘shock’
