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F1’s Wheel Rim War
Audi F1’s fulli closed with carbon fiber covers rear rims
In F1, even the wheel rims can become a weapon.
The 2026 regulations gave teams more freedom to design their own rims — and they quickly began exploring ways to use them to control tyre temperatures and gain performance.
Ferrari’s redesigned rear rims reportedly helped Lewis Hamilton win in Barcelona. McLaren, meanwhile, explored solutions to warm the front tyres while keeping the rears cooler.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
If different rim designs offer different advantages, why use the same ones for qualifying and the race? One specification could be optimised for a single flying lap, another for race conditions.
That could have triggered a costly new development war, with teams investing in separate sets of rims to chase every possible tenth.
The FIA has moved to shut that door.
From 2027, teams will have to use a single wheel-rim specification from the start of parc fermé before a Sprint or Grand Prix, keeping the same front and rear designs for qualifying and the race.
In F1, the search for performance never stops. 🏎️
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F1’s Shorter Races Will Last Just One Season
F1 is cutting Grand Prix distances by 15km for 2027 — but the change is already set to last just one season.
The maximum race distance will drop from 305km to 290km before returning to the traditional 305km in 2028. The reason? A technical compromise involving the new power units.
The 2026 engines introduced a near 50-50 split between combustion and electrical power. By 2028, that balance is expected to shift to 60-40 in favour of the combustion engine, allowing drivers to deploy maximum power for longer — but increasing fuel consumption.
That creates a problem for teams planning to carry over their existing chassis into 2027 to save money. With fuel tanks integrated into the chassis, some cars could struggle to carry enough fuel for the full distance at the most demanding circuits.
The FIA’s fix? Shorten the races temporarily, then restore the 305km limit in 2028.
So the shorter distances aren’t a new direction for F1 — just a one-season compromise while teams adapt to the changing regulations.🏎️
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Marko About Horner’s Book: “ Full of Untruths”
Red Bull’s former powerbrokers are at war again over Christian Horner’s upcoming autobiography, Drive.
Helmut Marko has dismissed the book as a “collection of untruths” but has refused to address its claims individually.
So what is Horner accusing him of?
In the book, Horner describes Marko as “cold and ruthless” with junior drivers and alleges he was indiscreet with confidential information. He also claims their relationship was strained by Marko’s influence within Red Bull.
The biggest dispute concerns Max Verstappen.
Horner suggests Marko initially opposed signing Max, citing concerns about his father, Jos. Marko insists he backed the young Dutchman, saying he had to stand his ground against Horner, who considered Max too young and inexperienced for a Red Bull seat.
Horner offers a different account: he says Marko’s interest intensified after Mercedes’ Niki Lauda showed interest in Verstappen.
The fallout comes after both men left Red Bull in 2025, following years of internal power struggles.
There’s also an awkward timing issue: Drive is due out on October 22, the fourth anniversary of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s death. Some within the Austrian company reportedly see the date as a provocation.
Meanwhile, Horner says Red Bull’s owners contacted him after the team’s recent victories to acknowledge his contribution to the powertrain project.
Horner has made the allegations. Marko has rejected the book as untruthful but has not answered them point by point. The battle for Red Bull’s legacy continues. 🏎️
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