Pirelli Warm-up After a Stop
Tyre warm-up is one of the key performance differentiators in F1 2026. The whole grid is chasing the same thing: getting the tyres up to speed quickly without paying the price in excessive degradation.
The table below shows the average performance gap to the model after a stop, across Pirelliās three compounds.
Compound | First flying lap | Second lap |
|---|---|---|
Soft | +0.23s | +0.23s |
Medium | +0.09s | +0.03s |
Hard | ā0.07s | ā0.07s |
The hard tyre was already 0.07s quicker than the model on the first flying lap after the out-lap. The soft, by contrast, remained 0.23s off the model on both laps. The medium improved from +0.09s to +0.03s.
The pattern is striking: soft and hard show identical gaps across the first two flying laps, while the medium continues to improve slightly.
Remember Hamiltonās unexpected tyre-related struggles in Singapore. Finding the sweet spot is one of the toughest challenges facing drivers and engineers ā because having the fastest tyre means little if you canāt get it working in the right window. šļø
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Can Verstappen and Red Bull Keep Winning?
Max Verstappen has won the last two Grands Prix and the Singapore Sprint, coming within seven points of a perfect triple-header. Suddenly, Red Bull looks dangerous on a variety of circuits.
The significance goes beyond the wins. Verstappen was also second in Baku, and his recent results have come on tracks with very different characteristics ā including circuits where he had never won before.
Kimi Antonelli has admitted that Verstappen getting closer in the standings would be a āvery, very scaryā prospect.
But thereās a catch: Verstappen is fourth in the Driversā Championship, 119 points behind the leader. His title hopes are extremely slim, and he needs Antonelli to stop extending his advantage. To keep his mathematical chances alive, Max must avoid losing six or more points to Antonelli at the next race.
So the immediate question isnāt whether Verstappen can still win the championship. Itās whether Red Bull can sustain this form and fight for victory at every remaining Grand Prix.
The title may be slipping away, but Max could still have plenty to say about who wins the races. šļø
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Ferrariās Biggest Upgrade of 2026: One Last Gamble
Ferrari has one major upgrade left to rescue more performance from the SF-26 ā and itās betting on evolution, not revolution.
Austin will see the teamās fourth and most significant aerodynamic package of the season. But while Mercedes and McLaren have experimented with radical sidepod concepts, Ferrari is sticking with its existing architecture, targeting lower drag and more performance without risking a fundamental redesign.
The real focus: the floor.
Ferrari studied Red Bullās distinctive āwaterslideā sidepod concept but decided that adapting it would demand too much development work for too little guaranteed return.
Instead, the Austin package centres on a comprehensive floor revision, from the front section to the diffuser. Ferrari wants more downforce, better aerodynamic balance and a wider operating window ā areas where Red Bull has made progress.
The previous floor update at Zandvoort provided the foundation for this next step. Now Ferrari is looking for a more substantial gain.
One final push. Then 2027.
Austin is expected to be Ferrariās last major aerodynamic upgrade of the season. After that, attention shifts towards next yearās car, with development focused mainly on circuit-specific adjustments.
Ferrari is betting that refining what it has will deliver more than reinventing the car. Austin will show whether that gamble pays off. šļø
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