F1 news: Ferrari’s Monza mess casts long shadow over Madrid GP weekend
Formula 1 arrives in Madrid this weekend (September 11-13) for the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, but the focus remains firmly on the lingering fallout from Ferrari’s disastrous Italian Grand Prix.
At Monza last Sunday (September 6), Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc collided on the opening lap.
The pair ran side-by-side through the first chicane when Leclerc’s defence at the exit of Turn 2 forced Hamilton onto the gravel, dropping the Briton from fourth to tenth.
Leclerc then crashed heavily at the Parabolica on Lap 2 and retired. Hamilton recovered to a frustrated sixth as Mercedes locked out the top two places with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
Hamilton later called it “far too late” for Ferrari to give him priority over Leclerc in the championship fight, having slipped further behind title leader Antonelli.
F1 news: George Russell faces reality check as Kimi Antonelli takes control at Mercedes
As Formula 1 heads to Madrid this weekend (September 11-13) for the first Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring, the Mercedes garage is still dealing with the aftermath of Monza.
Kimi Antonelli’s charge from 19th to victory at the Italian Grand Prix, overtaking team-mate George Russell in the closing stages, has left the Briton 66 points behind in the championship.
Russell started second and looked set for a strong result, but the young Italian’s pace and strategy call sealed another statement win for the title leader.
It was the clearest sign yet that this season belongs to Antonelli.
Lewis Hamilton's 'No Rules' Ferrari remark raises bigger questions after Monza
Lewis Hamilton's blunt assessment of Ferrari after the Italian Grand Prix has raised questions about how the team manages its drivers, but his comments were about more than one incident at Monza.
In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo examines what Hamilton’s comments reveal about Ferrari’s approach to managing the rivalry between their two drivers.
F1 news: Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli admits that historic Italian GP victory at Monza ‘feels like a dream’
Kimi Antonelli made F1 history on Sunday, becoming the first Italian driver to win their home grand prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Luca Salmasi takes a closer look at Antonelli’s victory at Monza and his comments after an astonishing race.
F1 news: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says tough Monza criticism ‘lit a fire’ under Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has suggested that his blunt verdict on Kimi Antonelli’s performance in Monza may have been just what the young driver needed.
After calling the Monza weekend “underwhelming,” Wolff says that the comment may have “lit a fire under the a***” of the rookie.
Lewis Hamilton finds form after Italian GP amid Ferrari challenges
Lewis Hamilton rediscovered some of his best form at Monza, delivering an encouraging performance for Ferrari in front of an electric home crowd.
Here, Sports News Blitz's Noah Ngcobo looks at how the Brit drew strength from the Tifosi and signalled a potential turning point in his season.
2025 Italian GP winners and losers: Max Verstappen’s record-breaking return, McLaren’s controversial driver decisions, Lewis Hamilton’s regained confidence at Ferrari, and more from Monza
Following a dramatic return to action at Zandvoort, the F1 season roared on at the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza for the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, September 7.
A record-breaking weekend for Max Verstappen, more micro-management from McLaren, and the tale of two rookies - the ‘Temple of Speed’ has once again delivered some big talking points.
Sports News Blitz’s F1 writer, Henry Eccles, takes a look at five winners and losers to come out of the 2025 Italian Grand Prix.
Toto Wolff issues McLaren warning after Italian GP: ‘McLaren set a precedent that is very difficult to undo’
Max Verstappen won the 2025 Italian GP, but it wasn’t his return to the top spot that stole the spotlight.
Rather, it was McLaren’s infamous ‘Papaya rules’, controversially coming into play, that made the headlines.
Italian GP: Lewis Hamilton faces Ferrari pressure ahead of emotional Monza weekend
After a long and difficult first half of the season, Lewis Hamilton will go into this weekend’s Italian GP with a heavy weight on his shoulders.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s F1 expert Noah Ngcobo breaks down the pressure the Brit is under heading into his first Italian Grand Prix as a member of the Scuderia.
Toto Wolff backs Kimi Antonelli ahead of home race at the Italian GP - It's ‘just part of learning’
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has backed rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli following a challenging Dutch Grand Prix weekend, just before the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the young Italian's home race.
In this article, Sports News Blitz deputy content editor breaks down Wolff’s comments ahead of this weekend’s Italian GP.
F1 news: Lando Norris backed for title fightback ahead of Italian GP by McLaren and Andrea Stella
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has backed Lando Norris to respond strongly in the Formula 1 title race, insisting the British driver’s best form may still be to come.
Norris lost vital ground in the championship fight after a tough Dutch Grand Prix, where he retired due to an oil leak, but Stella believes the setback could spark an even greater performance from his driver.