2026 Chinese Grand Prix: Sprint format and Mercedes-Ferrari battle headline Shanghai
F1 returns to Shanghai this weekend for the Chinese Grand Prix, and the 2026 edition could be one of the most unpredictable races of the season.
With the sprint format compressing the schedule and limiting practice time, teams face a high-pressure weekend where small mistakes could have major consequences.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Ella Magyar breaks down the key storylines ahead of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s Australian GP: Five key takeaways from a weekend of mixed fortunes
Scuderia Ferrari’s season kicked off at Albert Park in Melbourne, and the action provided plenty of talking points.
Whilst the weekend didn’t entirely go to plan, it gave indications of a potentially wide-open title race and glimpses of how successful the team could be this season.
Australian GP takeaways: Mercedes set the benchmark, Ferrari close behind and Arvid Lindblad shines
The opening race weekend of the new F1 season saw George Russell win the season opener, converting pole position into a race-winning Mercedes one-two with Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Despite the pressure from Ferrari on the Silver Arrows, the first race of the season showed the potential of the Prancing Horse and a promising rookie debut.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu discusses the takeaways from the Australian Grand Prix.
Barcelona to remain on F1 calendar until 2032 in rotation with Belgian Grand Prix
Formula 1 has confirmed that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will remain on the F1 calendar until at least 2032, under a new agreement that sees the race alternate with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
F1 news: Max Verstappen tops opening morning of first 2026 Bahrain pre-season test
Max Verstappen set the pace on the opening morning of Formula 1’s first 2026 pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit on Wednesday, February 11.
The Red Bull driver finished first on the timesheets during the four-hour morning session, giving his team an early benchmark as all 11 teams shared the track for the first time this week.
Testing in Bahrain begins: Where to watch F1 pre-season testing?
Pre-season testing in Bahrain has begun in preparation for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The testing in Bahrain comes after a private shakedown in Barcelona in January, as well as after all 11 teams have unveiled their 2026 liveries.
Cadillac make statement with Super Bowl F1 livery reveal and early Bahrain testing
Cadillac have made a bold entrance into Formula 1 ahead of their debut season in 2026.
The American team revealed the first livery for their maiden F1 car in a high-profile advert during Super Bowl LX, using one of the biggest sporting events in the world to announce their arrival in the sport.
Lewis Hamilton feels ‘winning mentality’ at Ferrari ahead of new F1 season
Lewis Hamilton says he can feel a strong winning mentality at Ferrari as the team builds towards the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The seven-time world champion was speaking after a positive week of running at the Barcelona Shakedown, where Ferrari worked through its programme with few problems.
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton signals optimism after first Ferrari run of 2026
Lewis Hamilton’s first taste of Ferrari machinery for the 2026 Formula One season delivered more reassurance than concern, even if the conditions in Barcelona were far from ideal.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo breaks down the key takeaways from Hamilton’s opening Ferrari outing and what it could mean heading into the new era.
F1 news: Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner linked with potential Alpine investment
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is being linked with a possible return to Formula 1 as an investor in the Alpine team, after a turbulent end to his long run at Red Bull.
Ferrari’s planning missteps threaten Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 F1 start
In modern Formula 1, identifying a problem is rarely the challenge. Finding a solution is where teams often stumble.
Ferrari seem to be caught in precisely this trap with Lewis Hamilton as the 2026 season approaches.
Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo explores the risk Ferrari run by delaying decisive action, and how poor planning around Hamilton could compromise his start to the 2026 Formula 1 season.
F1 news: Why Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26 seat fit could define 2026
Ferrari’s leap into the 2026 Formula 1 era comes with sweeping regulation changes and even bigger questions after a bruising season exposed fundamental weaknesses.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo examines why Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26 seat fit could become one of the most important early indicators of whether Ferrari’s reset is finally heading in the right direction.
Oscar Piastri says Lando Norris’ title win won’t change McLaren dynamics - ‘He’s not become Superman’
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has made it clear that the relationship with his team-mate Lando Norris will stay the same, despite Norris winning the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
Piastri insists that Norris hasn’t suddenly become unbeatable or “Superman” after securing the sport’s biggest prize.
F1 news: Stefano Domenicali backs Fred Vasseur as Ferrari eye comeback in 2026
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has publicly backed Fred Vasseur as the right man to lead Scuderia Ferrari’s bid to return to the top of the sport next season.
Domenicali, speaking about Ferrari’s plans for 2026, stressed his confidence in Vasseur’s leadership and the team’s ability to improve after a challenging 2025 campaign.
Ferrari endured a difficult 2025 season, finishing fourth in the Constructors’ Championship - their lowest position in years - and managing only a handful of podiums.
Ferrari news: Lewis Hamilton brings Christmas spirit to Maranello
Lewis Hamilton may have ended 2025 drained and frustrated, but the seven-time world champion found a different kind of victory as the year closed - one rooted in gratitude, connection, and Christmas cheer at Maranello.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo looks at how Hamilton’s unexpected festive gesture brought warmth back into the heart of Ferrari after a difficult debut season in red.
F1 2026 car launches: When will teams present their 2026 challengers?
The 2025 Formula 1 season saw Lando Norris crowned world champion for the first time in his career, but the focus is already shifting to 2026 as teams begin confirming the launch dates for their new cars.
F1 news: Maurizio Arrivabene says ‘It’s over’ for Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari future
Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was meant to represent one final, defining challenge, but his debut season provided little hope.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo examines Arrivabene’s blunt assessment and the deeper implications it carries for Hamilton’s future in red.
F1 news: What’s next for Lewis Hamilton after a difficult first season at Ferrari?
Lewis Hamilton’s first year in red was supposed to be the beginning of his long-awaited resurgence, but it instead became one of the toughest campaigns of his career.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo breaks down where the seven-time champion goes from here after a season defined by disappointment, doubt, and determination.
F1 news: Ferrari under pressure as 2026 regulations usher in a new era
With Lando Norris claiming the World Championship, the 2025 Formula 1 season has drawn to a thrilling close.
But developments for next year are already well underway.
New regulations and a reimagining of car design mean that the teams face a reset, reshaping the competitive order of the grid.
Sports News Blitz’s Ellie Man explores the new F1 regulations to be introduced in 2026, as well as Ferrari’s prospects after a disappointing season.
Abu Dhabi GP: Debriefing the 2025 F1 season - Lando Norris a worthy champion, Max Verstappen’s statement victory, a look towards 2026, and more
On Sunday, December 7, the 2025 F1 season came to an end with McLaren’s Lando Norris delivering a professional P3 finish to secure his first-ever World Drivers’ Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Beating Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to the title, the Brit brought the curtain down on what has been another thrilling year of action. And with just under 90 days until the circus gets going again in Melbourne, there is a lot to unpack in the build-up to a new era of F1.
Sports News Blitz’s F1 writer, Henry Eccles, analyses the major talking points to come out of the season finale at Abu Dhabi.