Max Verstappen has spoken about Oscar Piastri’s incident. He said, “I don’t know what happened to him but I can only mention that it hit him where he didn’t expect it.” Verstappen also addressed his own qualifying crash, saying it was “a combination of a few things that came together, basically that are complex to explain on TV.”
Cadillac Pleased With Debut
Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon shared his thoughts on the team’s first grand prix. “It’s a real testament to everyone involved in the whole team,” he said. Lowdon added, “It’s fantastic to be here on the grid for our first ever grand prix. Sport is meant to have emotion, it’s a highly technical sport, but it’s the greatest team game in the world.”
Cadillac’s arrival marks the grid’s growth to 11 teams. Lowdon stated, “For me, it’s just a real honour to be part of such a fantastic team.”
Other Team Performances and Expectations
Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are starting towards the rear. Bottas admitted, “We’re lacking performance but it’s a work in progress, which will come.” Perez echoed this sentiment: “While it was a challenging session, I was happy with the balance, happy with the lap.”
Audi, who have taken over Sauber, saw Gabriel Bortoleto book a place in the top 10 shootout. An issue with the car prevented him from competing for a better spot. The team anticipates the issue won’t carry over. Audi are starting 10th for Bortoleto and 11th for Nico Hulkenberg.
Anticipated Race Strategy and Uncertainties
The race is expected to be a one-stop strategy. Medium and hard-compound tyres will likely be used. Pit stops are expected to cost about 19.5 seconds under green-flag conditions and about 14.5 seconds under a safety car.
Uncertainty surrounds the new regulations and their impact on racing. The energy-starved nature of the cars could lead to “weird” situations. Reliability could also be a factor, potentially leading to safety cars.
Ferrari are looking to improve after a disappointing 2025 season. Lewis Hamilton is starting seventh. He believes the team had the potential to push for third on Saturday, saying, “The whole weekend was looking good up until Q2. Q1 on the medium tyre was feeling solid, then we went into Q2 and had some problem”
The shape of F1 2026 will take time to form amid the clouds of uncertainty.