F1 2026: winter transition, development and pre season events

Toad wrote

My prediction for 2026 is that when you look up the winner of the 2025 championship you will still see the name "Lando Norris"

Just barely, it was a Papaya Rules gift and he knows it. Oscar was duped and foolishly drank the cool aid. Doubt that will happen again.

I have no problem with teams picking a #1 driver. But man up and don’t hide behind a gimmick.

///M Power-Belgium wrote

MAX - Charlie - Alonso at Le Mans in a Ferrari.
Damn (!) Who can beat that ?!?!

Honestly ...I would pray on my knees to see it happen (!)

The reigning King of LeMans, Robert Kubica.
Kube's victory was voted Moment of the Year by MotorSport.

The works Ferrari team will have a piece of work with KUB entered next year, cool hand Kube

Killed by Death wrote

Just barely, it was a Papaya Rules gift and he knows it. Oscar was duped and foolishly drank the cool aid. Doubt that will happen again.

I have no problem with teams picking a #1 driver. But man up and don’t hide behind a gimmick.

Wasn't gifted. The only item you could potentially claim was a "gift" is the slow pitstop order shuffle, but to the contrary, Lando gave Piastri the gift so he didn't get undercut by Charles in return for a promise that he wouldn't also be undercut. Piastri couldn't make the move on track, he didn't deserve the place. Lando actually gave Piastri a gift in not being undercut by Charles...

Lando learned his lesson. He stopped giving priority pit stop to Piastri when he was in the lead, regardless of how it would affect Piastri's race.

I actually think Piastri's hissy fit after the pit stop swap screwed over the teams approach in Qatar. Since they couldn't do something "fair" to both drivers, they both lost places on track. Piastri is the only one to ask for a position swap mid-race. Not Norris.

Honestly, this whole spat created by the lando haters has made me dislike Piastri.

dfox wrote

Wasn't gifted. The only item you could potentially claim was a "gift" is the slow pitstop order shuffle, but to the contrary, Lando gave Piastri the gift so he didn't get undercut by Charles in return for a promise that he wouldn't also be undercut. Piastri couldn't make the move on track, he didn't deserve the place. Lando actually gave Piastri a gift in not being undercut by Charles...

Lando learned his lesson. He stopped giving priority pit stop to Piastri when he was in the lead, regardless of how it would affect Piastri's race.

I actually think Piastri's hissy fit after the pit stop swap screwed over the teams approach in Qatar. Since they couldn't do something "fair" to both drivers, they both lost places on track. Piastri is the only one to ask for a position swap mid-race. Not Norris.

Honestly, this whole spat created by the lando haters has made me dislike Piastri.

The Austrian GP (June-29)

The McLaren MCL39 got a new upgraded pull rod front suspension which made the car 0.2 sec./lap faster in the corners.
Lando's adaptation with the new upgraded pull rod front suspension was great and that made him faster.

Oscar s@cked with the new upgraded pull rod front suspension, lost his self-confidence and decided to continue driving with the old spec.
That's why Lando was suddeny faster than Oscar and that's why Lando is the 2025 WDC.

M5Rick wrote

Smoke screen from MAX while drip drip from Lando

3

^^ yep that is correct. Can't have 4 cuz, well you know why. 5 we will have to wait and see about that.

M5Rick wrote

Outspoken F1 expert Peter Windsor spells it out to the ones still in doubt.

Bernie Ecclestone : MAX is the GOAT (!)

///M Power-Belgium wrote

3

Good choice by MAX, don't think anyone wants #2 but Lando will enjoy #1 while he can

///M Power-Belgium wrote

Bernie Ecclestone : MAX is the GOAT (!)

Bernie and Peter Windsor are the ones who know best.

///M Power-Belgium wrote

The Austrian GP (June-29)

The McLaren MCL39 got a new upgraded pull rod front suspension which made the car 0.2 sec./lap faster in the corners.
Lando's adaptation with the new upgraded pull rod front suspension was great and that made him faster.

Oscar s@cked with the new upgraded pull rod front suspension, lost his self-confidence and decided to continue driving with the old spec.
That's why Lando was suddeny faster than Oscar and that's why Lando is the 2025 WDC.

Well now we know that Minnie mouse Horner lost MAX the championship.

///M Power-Belgium wrote

The Austrian GP (June-29)

The McLaren MCL39 got a new upgraded pull rod front suspension which made the car 0.2 sec./lap faster in the corners.
Lando's adaptation with the new upgraded pull rod front suspension was great and that made him faster.

Oscar s@cked with the new upgraded pull rod front suspension, lost his self-confidence and decided to continue driving with the old spec.
That's why Lando was suddeny faster than Oscar and that's why Lando is the 2025 WDC.

So... Lando is the better driver then, since he was able to pull more performance and be more confident with the same car?

dfox wrote

So... Lando is the better driver then, since he was able to pull more performance and be more confident with the same car?

We can say that regarding Lando's MCL39 adaptation skills.
But we can say that from Oscar as well , when both McLarens still ran with the old suspension spec.
Let us not forget , Oscar was faster than Lando in the first 6 months with the old suspension spec.

On the other hand : MAX situation was much worse (!)
MAX had to drive for more than 6 months in a car with a major fundamental design failure.
His RB21 tractor got upgrades to improve the cars balance but it was always like driving backwards.
But somehow MAX still managed to push his unpredictable RB21 tractor on the podiums (!)
And the reason why MAX lost the 2025 WDC with 2 WDC points is the French idiot Pierre Waché.

Yep, it's the car. It's why Verstappen wasn't favored to win the WDC in 2025 and it's why he's not favored to win it in 2026.

///M Power-Belgium wrote

We can say that regarding Lando's MCL39 adaptation skills.
But we can say that from Oscar as well , when both McLarens still ran with the old suspension spec.
Let us not forget , Oscar was faster than Lando in the first 6 months with the old suspension spec.

On the other hand : MAX situation was much worse (!)
MAX had to drive for more than 6 months in a car with a major fundamental design failure.
His RB21 tractor got upgrades to improve the cars balance but it was always like driving backwards.
But somehow MAX still managed to push his unpredictable RB21 tractor on the podiums (!)
And the reason why MAX lost the 2025 WDC with 2 WDC points is the French idiot Pierre Waché.

With Mekies overseeing things now Wache should spearhead MAX to get that magic 5th championship with the RB26, or whatever they will call the espresso machine sounding car.

///M Power-Belgium wrote

Very

Max looks plenty healthy to have attended the F1 gala in person ....
... if he had the CLASS to show up!

Rono63 wrote

Is Max having health problems?

Neah, just an excuse not to show up and be reminded that he lost.

3798j wrote

It was reported elsewhere that the day after the awards banquet Verstappen and his girlfriend were seen lunching at Cipriani's...obviously he's a fast healer.

Bingo!
Max - great driver, but sour puss of a person.


a

afadeev wrote

Max looks plenty healthy to have attended the F1 gala in person ....
... if he had the CLASS to show up!



Neah, just an excuse not to show up and be reminded that he lost.



Bingo!
Max - great driver, but sour puss of a person.


a

Your post is BS (as usual)!

If MAX had planned not to be present, he wouldn't have sent a video message either (!)

From your post I understand that you would spread your own flu virus infection all over the world.
A Pithecanthropus would definitely do that too...

Max, no class and a sour puss?

Not as bad as Sir Lewis Hamilton no showing for no other reason than being a sore loser!!!

Max is actually good friends with Norris and many other drivers on the grid. I’m sure he would have been there if he could.

Hammy doesn’t seem to have a friend on the entire grid. Hanging with $hitass celebrities is his only move.

M5Rick wrote

With Mekies overseeing things now Wache should spearhead MAX to get that magic 5th championship with the RB26, or whatever they will call the espresso machine sounding car.

MAX pushing a Red Bull Benz with number '33 at Estoril

The Mercedes Benz 2026 power unit...sounds powerful.

///M Power-Belgium wrote

MAX pushing a Red Bull Benz with number '33 at Estoril

He is getting kinda cozy with MB lately. Can’t blame him as Ford might suck.

Killed by Death wrote

He is getting kinda cozy with MB lately. Can’t blame him as Ford might suck.

Yeah . But with Ferrari too.
As we know how MAX nailed it in a Ferrari at the Green Hell...

BTW : Ford is responsible for the built of the electric power unit from the new 2026 Red Bull PU.
The new Red Bull combustion engine has been built by Japanese and ex-Benz engineers.

Ford will be just a sticker on the car ..