Formula 1: Races, Driver Market and 2026 Rules — 2026-09-27
The season title race swung dramatically in Baku: George Russell dominated the Azerbaijan Grand Prix (run unusually on Saturday, Sep 26) while championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified poorly and had to recover. Off-track, ex-Red Bull boss Christian Horner has publicly floated himself for Ferrari, and teams were told a final decision on Qatar and Abu Dhabi as season-enders will come by mid-October. Cadillac strengthened its organization with hires from Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Formula 1: Races, Driver Market and 2026 Rules — 2026-09-27
Top developments
Russell takes dominant Baku win, closing on Antonelli
George Russell charged to pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a "monstrous" lap, beating Charles Leclerc by 0.837s in qualifying on Friday, Sep 25. In Saturday's race Russell dominated, with Verstappen second, Leclerc fourth, Hamilton sixth and Antonelli fifth after recovering 11 positions from 16th. Antonelli, who led the championship by 81 points before Baku, called his Q1 crash "stupid and useless". Russell took 15 points off Antonelli's championship lead.
Horner openly campaigns for the Ferrari job
Christian Horner told The Times that leading Ferrari is his "dream job," describing the Scuderia as "the sleeping giant of F1" and saying Ferrari is the only team for which he would accept a role without an equity stake. He also claimed Adrian Newey had once wanted to move to Maranello. Ferrari has gone five races without a podium after Baku, where Leclerc finished fourth and Hamilton sixth.
2026 season end in Qatar/Abu Dhabi still undecided
Teams have been told to expect a final call by mid-October on whether Qatar and Abu Dhabi go ahead as the closing rounds of the 2026 season, with principals Ayao Komatsu (Haas) and Mattia Binotto (Audi) confirming the timeline given to teams earlier this week.
Cadillac signs technical leaders from Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes
Cadillac revealed three high-profile technical appointments with experience from Formula 1's top teams as part of its long-term development, and Sergio Perez said the team's focus has already shifted to 2027, limiting further 2026 gains.
2027 driver market looms
With the 2026 regulation era producing uncertainty, attention is turning to 2027 seats for Verstappen, Hamilton and others out of contract.
Local view
Italian media framed Baku around Antonelli's redemption story: his Q1 crash-selfie — fans saw Leclerc和 Russell — Tuttosport billed the race as "Ferrari can dream," noting Leclerc started second and Antonelli needed "another comeback" from the back. Rainews highlighted Antonelli recovering 11 positions to keep the championship lead while Ferrari went podium-less for a fifth straight race. In Spain, Marca reported Russell taking 15 points off Antonelli in Baku, with Alonso again retiring and Sainz scoring points.
Context & numbers
- Antonelli led the championship entering Baku with 292 points and 8 wins, 81 clear of Russell; Mercedes led the Constructors' Championship with 503 points before the race. Post-Baku, Mercedes lead on 538 points, 160 clear of Ferrari, with 8 rounds in the calendar stage noted before Baku — the 2026 season runs 15th-15th races with Azerbaijan as round 15.
- Grid: Russell pole, Leclerc 2nd, Piastri 3rd, Hadjar 4th, Norris 5th, Hamilton 6th, Verstappen 8th, Antonelli 16th.
- Season attendance through mid-year: 3.7 million fans at race weekends, +6% year on year vs 3.4 million in 2025 (published July 2026).
On the radar
- Mid-October: F1's final decision on whether Qatar and Abu Dhabi close out the 2026 season.
- Sinews of the 2027 silly season: Verstappen's and Hamilton's futures and the out-of-contract list.
- The Horner-to-Ferrari push remains speculation for now; watch Ferrari's response under team principal Vasseur.
- Cadillac's integration of Red Bull/Ferrari/Mercedes alumni into its 2027 development push.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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