F1 2026

[thestaggy]

Why would Charles be desperate?
They have teamed him with 2 multiple world champions and he beat both. He probably gets the biggest salary for a non world champion driver. He is Mr Ferrari for many years. The data shows his the fastest current Ferrari driver.
Why would he be desperate?

Because there is a reality setting in that he may never be a champion himself. He is tied to Ferrari and Ferrari are clueless at the best of the times, while rival teams have their #1 drivers; Merc with Kim, Red Bull with Max and McLaren with Norris.

He turns 30 next year and he has been equaled or surpassed in race wins by Norris, Piastri and Antonelli, drivers who entered the sport after him. Norris and Antonelli being younger champions as well.

And regardless of the ''data'' you speak off, he is behind Hamilton in the standings. Things are not going his way. And on top of this he has a documented history of attacking the other red car like his life depends on it. He done it to Seb, he done it to Sainz, and now he does it with Lewis.

He isn't Ferraris hot young prospect anymore and may soon be feeling heat in the shape of Ollie Bearman and Rafael Camara. There are rumours that Bearman's management team has already told Ferrari that they want to talk about 2028.

 

[quovadis]

As opposed to Charles?

Everyone knows Charles is desperate for that 10th win.

 

[handyman007]

Ferrari should have tried to sign Max this year when he was undecided.

 

[quovadis]

LOL everything you say is exactly applicable for Hamilton at Monza. Only difference is Hamilton was the aggressor on his teammate and you all did not find a problem with it.

You think Hamilton was the aggressor at Monza for trying a move from P4? Then Leclerc shoved him into the gravel, got zero penalty and later admitted he went too far. Mexico was the race leader and pole sitter getting dive-bombed at T4, Leclerc cutting the corner for the lead, eating a 5-second penalty and gift-wrapping the win to Verstappen. Same only if you ignore who actually got penalized and who actually cost the team a victory.

 

[Binary_Bark]

A possible new driver in future at F1A

Bedfordview racing driver Gianna Pascoal has added a South African karting championship title to her achievements and made her European single-seater debut in Britain’s GB4 Winter Series.

The 16-year-old competed for British team Pace Performance at Snetterton on October 24 and 25. She finished 11th in the fourth and final race of the weekend, reports Bedfordview Edenvale News.

Driver rises through national ranks
Gianna began karting in 2021, aged 11, and has since progressed through national and international competitions. She finished runner-up in both the ROK and Rotax National Series before being selected for the More Than Equal Driver Development Programme, one of only six drivers chosen internationally.

“Being able to call myself South African champion is an incredible feeling,” said Gianna.

“When I started karting, I was racing against drivers who already had years of experience.

“I had so much catching up to do, and I chose to give up competitive diving to put everything into racing. So, this title means a huge amount to me.”

Bedfordview teen takes SA karting title to European racing | Network News

A national karting title caps a Gauteng teenager’s rise into European single-seater racing as she pursues her Formula 1 ambition.

www.citizen.co.za

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Because there is a reality setting in that he may never be a champion himself. He is tied to Ferrari and Ferrari are clueless at the best of the times, while rival teams have their #1 drivers; Merc with Kim, Red Bull with Max and McLaren with Norris.

He turns 30 next year and he has been equaled or surpassed in race wins by Norris, Piastri and Antonelli, drivers who entered the sport after him.

Again, he is Mr Ferrari, he lives in Monaco and drives Ferraris with everyone envying him. He is living the live. If he really wanted to be champion so desperate he would be looking at other teams. Yes I have hoped for that many times as I know he is the second best driver on the grid.

And regardless of the ''data'' you speak off, he is behind Hamilton in the standings. Things are not going his way. And on top of this he has a documented history of attacking the other red car like his life depends on it. He done it to Seb, he done it to Sainz, and now he does it with Lewis.

He just had a bad patch of 5 races and 3 dnf's where he struggled with the brakes otherwise he would be miles ahead of Hamilton again

He isn't Ferraris hot young prospect anymore and may soon be feeling heat in the shape of Ollie Bearman and Rafael Camara. There are rumours that Bearman's management team has already told Ferrari that they want to talk about 2028.

LOL so? Hamilton is an embarresment for Ferrari. They will let him go if they need a spot for Bearman.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

You think Hamilton was the aggressor at Monza for trying a move from P4? Then Leclerc shoved him into the gravel, got zero penalty and later admitted he went too far. Mexico was the race leader and pole sitter getting dive-bombed at T4, Leclerc cutting the corner for the lead, eating a 5-second penalty and gift-wrapping the win to Verstappen. Same only if you ignore who actually got penalized and who actually cost the team a victory.

Please man I humbly ask to stop quoting me, like I have done many times before. I don't argue clown.
Case in point.
Dive bombed on the outside. LOL

 

[Speedster]

Everything is perspective.
If you're a Ferrari fan or boss, Le Clerc was doing what Le Clerc does best - race for himself and not the team. Should he have done what he did? Sure, why not, it's exciting racing. Did it let the team down? Absolutely.

As a Le Clerc fan, he did what anyone would want a racing driver to do, except he doesn't seem to have the smarts to pull it off and make it work. That's where he fails.

He's just desperate to avoid being behind Lewis at all costs and keeps failing with that as his focus. He'd probably be alot better off understanding and accepting the Ferrari's limits.

You still haven't explained how being overly aggressive on the outside line causes the driver on the inside to go off track?

 

[Craig_]

Ferrari should have tried to sign Max this year when he was undecided.

Lewis is a brilliant driver, but Max is very much a lot smarter than him. Max would doing anything as dumb as joining Ferrari.

 

[thestaggy]

Again, he is Mr Ferrari, he lives in Monaco and driver Ferraris with everyone envying him. He is living the live. If he really wanted to be champion to desperate he would be looking at other teams. Yes I have hoped for that many times as I know he is the second best driver on the grid.

Maybe the money and fame is enough, maybe it isn't. But why would any other championship-contending team want him? As pointed out, they have their #1 drivers and they are not going to offer him a monster salary in their second seats.

He just had a bad patch of 5 races and 3 dnf's where he struggled with the brakes otherwise he would be miles ahead of Hamilton again

Coulda, shoulda, woulda. He is behind Hamilton in the standings.

LOL so? Hamilton is an embarresment for Ferrari. They will let him go if they need a spot for Bearman.

It is not just Bearman he has to worry about. Camara has torn the junior categories to pieces and will be driving for Haas next year.

This is likely as good as it gets for him career-wise. His next contract won't be anywhere near as big if he doesn't win anything and there is a very good chance that he is going to come under pressure for his seat.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Maybe the money and fame is enough, maybe it isn't. But why would any other championship-contending team want him? As pointed out, they have their #1 drivers and they are not going to offer him a monster salary in their second seats.

Mclaren does not have a top driver. They only have a champion who won(just) with by far the fastest car. Now their drivers struggle.
Merc also only have a champion with the fastest car. Whether Kimi can keep it up when the other catch up, we will have to see. Cracks appear already the last race or two.

It is not just Bearman he has to worry about. Camara has torn the junior categories to pieces and will be driving for Haas next year.

This is likely as good as it gets for him career-wise. His next contract won't be anywhere near as big if he doesn't win anything and there is a very good chance that he is going to come under pressure for his seat.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda

 

[MuterOfWorlds]

Maybe the money and fame is enough, maybe it isn't. But why would any other championship-contending team want him? As pointed out, they have their #1 drivers and they are not going to offer him a monster salary in their second seats.



Coulda, shoulda, woulda. He is behind Hamilton in the standings.



It is not just Bearman he has to worry about. Camara has torn the junior categories to pieces and will be driving for Haas next year.

This is likely as good as it gets for him career-wise. His next contract won't be anywhere near as big if he doesn't win anything and there is a very good chance that he is going to come under pressure for his seat.

The way LeClerc driving, could be mistaken to think it already is and his antics would only be making it worse. Vettel, Sainz and Hamilton now, all claiming issues. Not really sure how much rope he has left at this point.

 

[thestaggy]

You still haven't explained how being overly aggressive on the outside line causes the driver on the inside to go off track?

I mean, it is quite straight forward.

Leclerc attacked him from the start. He fended him off into the first chicane and then had to do it again into the second. In doing so he braked too late, running wide. Leclerc wasn't making that corner either because he himself tried to brake as late as he could.

Even Max came to the same conclusion in real time. Made absolutely no sense for Leclerc to be attacking his teammate that way and it handed the race to Max.

 

[Speedster]

I mean, it is quite straight forward.

Leclerc attacked him from the start. He fended him off into the first chicane and then had to do it again into the second. In doing so he braked too late, running wide. Leclerc wasn't making that corner either because he himself tried to brake as late as he could.

Even Max came to the same conclusion in real time. Made absolutely no sense for Leclerc to be attacking his teammate that way and it handed the race to Max.

I don't see how you say Max came to the same conclusion? Max clearly saw Charles gain advantage by going off track, I'm not aware that he said anything about is causing Lewis to run wide. What's more likely is that Lewis was willing to go kamikaze and opened the steering to force Charles wide, when all he needed to do was make the corner and he would've been a shoe in for the win.

Also, are we seriously complaining that a F1 driver tried to take the lead of a GP? Is it Lewis' view/expectation that his teammate isn't allowed beating him?

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

The way LeClerc driving, could be mistaken to think it already is and his antics would only be making it worse. Vettel, Sainz and Hamilton now, all claiming issues. Not really sure how much rope he has left at this point.

Oh man this is funny.
So other drivers don't say bad things about their teammates?
Hamilton and Alonso/Rosberg never complained about the other?

Vettel was made by Redbull and quickly was exposed when he left them. Obvious he started complaining about Leclerc when he made a fool of him.
Do yourself a favour and go look at Vettel vs Stroll stats at AM before you want to take anything he says seriously.
Sainz is a big cry baby. He does the same everywhere he go.

 

[thestaggy]

Mclaren does not have a top driver. They only have a champion who won(just) with by far the fastest car. Now their drivers struggle.
Merc also only have a champion with the fastest car. Whether Kimi can keep it up when the other catch up, we will have to see. Cracks appear already the last race or two.

Stupid take.

Max hasn't won a title for two years now. Is he washed?

Norris is hugely underrated. You brought up H2H? Revert back to my post on the previous page; Norris has the 4th best H2H among active drivers. He is good and is the clear McLaren #1. Why would they want Leclerc when they already have a younger champion?

As I said, this is as good as it gets for Leclerc. His next deal, no matter who it is with, is going to be a lot smaller and he won't be a #1 driver.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda

I mean, it is reality. Bearman and Camara are much younger Ferrari Academy drivers and hugely talented. If both continue to show promise, they are not going to wait at Haas.

And Leclerc was in the exact same position when he joined Sauber. A Ferrari junior waiting for his chance.

 

[quovadis]

Please man I humbly ask to stop quoting me, like I have done many times before. I don't argue clown.
Case in point.
Dive bombed on the outside. LOL

The “outside divebomb” is informal and it’s being used more and more to describe a driver braking way too late on the exterior line hoping the inner car will either slow down or anchor them into the apex but overshoots the corner entirely. You should watch more sim racing.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Anyone notice that none of the Lewis BLM Hamilton supporters mention anything about him flat spotting his tyre on the formation lap.
It seems they don't calculate that in his lack of braking the first few corners. Almost as if they don't know how racing works.

 

[thestaggy]

I don't see how you say Max came to the same conclusion? Max clearly saw Charles gain advantage by going off track, I'm not aware that he said anything about is causing Lewis to run wide. What's more likely is that Lewis was willing to go kamikaze and opened the steering to force Charles wide, when all he needed to do was make the corner and he would've been a shoe in for the win.

"They are two No 1 drivers, so they always go for it, but I [Max] think today it cost them the win."

"I [Max] do think they made it a little bit difficult for themselves, fighting each other, and that's why I could capitalise on that."

Leclerc was not making that corner, he was carrying too much speed/braked too late trying to get ahead of Hamilton and Hamilton being forced on the defensive (defensive line, brake later) compromised himself.

Hamilton was immediately on the radio with the team and mentioned a pre-race briefing, likely alluding to a discussion about how they would race each other, and screwing each other over was probably not the agreement.

Also, are we seriously complaining that a F1 driver tried to take the lead of a GP? Is it Lewis' view/expectation that his teammate isn't allowed beating him?

If you are going to screw your team in the process of attacking your teammate, then maybe have a look at yourself.

As repeatedly pointed out, there is a pattern here with how he goes after his teammates.

He screwed Ferrari in Monza, trashing Hamilton's race and then crashing himself out because he completely lost his mind, and now he ruins another race for them.

He triggered two incidents with Vettel that knocked both cars out and nearly caused a third. As with Hamilton, Vettel also brought up that they had spoken about how they will race each other and maybe they should crash again (after the first two incidents) so he (Leclerc) gets the message.

There were heated exchanges with Sainz as well.

 

[Ecco]

Anybody else with a windows machine noticed their lock screen changed to a pic of kimi in his car.

Microsoft is a sponsor of the Mercedes f1 team