Piastri and Norris race to the flag
Revitalised after the summer break, 10 races remain between this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix and the finale in Abu Dhabi in December – and it will be Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris going head to head for the title.
Only nine points separate the McLaren duo, who are in a two-horse race for the team’s first drivers’ championship since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2008. The advantage has swung between them, at times from one race to the next, in the first part of the season, often with little to choose between the two. Neither driver has been able to definitively claim the upper hand entering the championship run-in. It looks set to remain a nip-and-tuck fight to the wire.
Piastri came out on top in the early phases, his consistency and calm control edging out Norris, who made errors as he pushed a car that is not quite to his liking. McLaren have been admirably determined to give both drivers an equal shot, insisting they will not employ team orders, a policy which can be expected to continue until (and if) one of their drivers claims an unassailable advantage.
Unusually for teammates in a title fight, Piastri’s and Norris’s relationship has remained friendly, with some hard but fair racing and only one coming together in Canada, for which Norris held up his hands. However, as the stakes rise, it should be an enthralling affair.
Onwards and upwards: Hamilton and Ferrari
Before the summer break, Lewis Hamilton cut an unusually disconsolate figure as the struggle of his debut season at Ferrari was writ large. The seven-time champion, perhaps like no other driver, needed a holiday. He qualified in 12th in Budapest, describing the performance as “absolutely useless” and stating that Ferrari should perhaps find another driver. He was similarly unimpressed with taking 12th in the race, after which he even cast doubt on his future in the sport.
“There is a lot going on in the background that is not great.” he said. When asked if he would return after the break, he gave a strangely equivocal response. “Hopefully I will be back, yeah.”
Clearly it has been a long slog for Hamilton as he adjusts to his new team: a run of 16 races without a podium, including his last two for Mercedes, represents the longest streak of his career. That stat will not matter a jot to the British driver who is focused on the big picture at Ferrari. Realistically, there was no doubt Hamilton would be back: he is a fighter, and not one to throw in the towel with a whimper. He posted “no days off” on social media during the break, which suggests he is energised once more.
The key for him and Ferrari over the final 10 races is to build confidence, bond better with his engineers, find a groove with the team and, crucially, cultivate a sense they are moving forward with everyone in sync. The car will not radically improve now with all focus on the 2026 model but Hamilton and Ferrari can at least build a rhythm and momentum that will be vital if they are to compete next season.
New-look Red Bull must convince Verstappen
Max Verstappen finally committed to staying with Red Bull just before the summer break in Hungary, ending a season-long debate about his future. It came shortly after the team had sacked their team principal Christian Horner after the British Grand Prix. That was the end of an almost two-year power struggle at Red Bull, in favour of the Verstappen camp.
Nonetheless, while the defending world champion will surely lose his title, the remaining races are still important. Stability and performance have been the Dutchman’s demands all season, especially given the turmoil at Red Bull and a car that has been hard to handle. He will expect improvements under his new boss Laurent Mekies looking ahead to the regulations of 2026, which will be key given that his role in 2027 remains undecided.
after newsletter promotion
The outlook for 2026 is, as yet, unknown, especially with Red Bull building their own engines for the first time and, for Verstappen, it will be a chance to observe how rival teams fare. Red Bull need to demonstrate that the new era will be a success and how Mekies helms his period in charge will be crucial.
How Verstappen handles it will be fascinating, the team having taken a bold gamble in sacking Horner, not least given the same figures who ensured his removal might be a tad nervous given the images of Verstappen aboard the Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff’s yacht during the summer break.
Every point counts in fight to finale
McLaren have a car which is the class of the field this season and will not be caught, with 11 wins from 14 meetings, but behind them the convergence in form has led to a fine competition.
Ferrari, whose recent upgrades were a good step, and Mercedes are in a tight battle for second place. With the Scuderia just 24 points ahead, and after Charles Leclerc’s pole in Hungary, they believe they might yet grab a win, while George Russell already has one for Mercedes. Both teams can expect to battle it out to the end, while behind them Red Bull, 42 points down on Mercedes, will seek another victory in Verstappen’s hands, with two already this year.
However, the midfield represents an even more fascinating prospect. Williams are fifth-placed as the best of the rest, a testament to the remarkable turnaround under their team principal James Vowles. They have not finished fifth since 2017 and to see off the likes of Aston Martin and Alpine, who have far greater resources, would be a coup.
Every place in the championship comes with more prize money, so every race is vital. Just 35 points cover Williams to Haas in ninth place, a relatively small margin that could turn over several meetings. The contest will be every bit as fiercely fought and unforgiving as the race for the title.
