Hamilton: "Perfect" braking breakthrough behind strong start at F1 Azerbaijan GP

The post-qualifying fuel weights ahead of the European Grand Prix this weekend suggest that Sebastian Vettel should be worried, that Rubens Barrichello is arguably in the box seat - and that Jenson Button could just be about to get his faltering championship challenge back on-track under the Spanish sun.

It's that time of year again. The F1 circus is off sunning itself on its mid-summer break, drivers and teams alike are taking a much-needed and well-deserved breather from the frenetic nature of one grand prix after another - and everybody seems to be talking about who will be driving where in 2010. Here at Crash.net there is no exception, so we have put together a list of likely options and moves between this season and next, who is in favour and who is likely heading out of the door. The drivers have been listed in order of present championship position.

Global music superstars Beyonce, The Black Eyed Peas, Simple Minds, ZZ Top and N.E.R.D have all been lined up by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to rock the weekend of the Singapore Grand Prix next month - though ticket sales for the island city-state's second race are still struggling to get off the starting grid.

BMW has dropped hints that it may be willing to follow fellow German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz in supplying 'customer' versions of its engines to other F1 teams - with suggestions the Bavarian marque has Red Bull Racing as its prime target.

Flying in the face of the opinions expressed by both Ferrari and BMW over the past week, Ross Brawn has thrown his support behind the FIA's new optional ?40 million budget cap in Formula 1, warning that without it the top flight risks 'turning [engineers] into Swiss watchmakers' - but equally underlining that it will only be workable if it is embraced by all.

After going through Friday data from Baku, it appears the grid could be shaken up this weekend. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the afternoon for Ferrari, while teammate Charles Leclerc was less than a tenth of a second behind. Championship favourites McLaren, on the other hand, were hardly visible: Lando Norris was already nine tenths down on his best lap, but he had to abandon his ...Keep reading

After going through Friday data from Baku, it appears the grid could be shaken up this weekend. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the afternoon for Ferrari, while teammate Charles Leclerc was less than a tenth of a second behind. Championship favourites McLaren, on the other hand, were hardly visible: Lando Norris was already nine tenths down on his best lap, but he had to abandon his ...Keep reading

After going through Friday data from Baku, it appears the grid could be shaken up this weekend. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the afternoon for Ferrari, while teammate Charles Leclerc was less than a tenth of a second behind. Championship favourites McLaren, on the other hand, were hardly visible: Lando Norris was already nine tenths down on his best lap, but he had to abandon his ...Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton put his Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP2 headline result down to changes in his braking set-up, as he feels that Ferrari's progress over 2025's Formula 1 season is starting to become apparent.While Leclerc was leading the times in FP2 ahead of the final flurry of higher-fuel long runs, Hamilton benefitted from his team-mate's assistance with a tow to move to the top of the order on his ...Keep reading

The rare FIA U-turn on Carlos Sainz's penalty in Zandvoort's Dutch Grand Prix has been applauded by several Formula 1 team principals as it reignited discussion around the series' right of review procedure.Sainz was handed a 10-second penalty and two penalty points on his licence for his share in a collision with Liam Lawson in Zandvoort's Turn 1, with Sainz trying to overtake the Racing Bulls ...Keep reading

The rare FIA U-turn on Carlos Sainz's penalty in Zandvoort's Dutch Grand Prix has been applauded by several Formula 1 team principals as it reignited discussion around the series' right of review procedure.Sainz was handed a 10-second penalty and two penalty points on his licence for his share in a collision with Liam Lawson in Zandvoort's Turn 1, with Sainz trying to overtake the Racing Bulls ...Keep reading

Brad Binder backs former team-mate Miguel Oliveira: "When this guy is on fire, he's insane."

Charles Leclerc named in report that claims he is among top athletes who may have their brain data stolen.

An important moment for Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari F1 career?

There is a fascinating comparison to be had between the current furore over stage management in Formula 1 and two notorious examples from the past.Why? Because Andrea Stella is a common denominator in all three. The McLaren team principal was Fernando Alonso’s race engineer in 2010 when Alonso’s Ferrari team-mate, Felipe Massa, was told “Fernando is faster than you”, a (lightly) coded ...Keep reading

Marc Marquez believes Mandalika and Sepang will be his toughest MotoGP flyaway rounds, as he heads to Japan with a 182-point lead.

There is a fascinating comparison to be had between the current furore over stage management in Formula 1 and two notorious examples from the past.Why? Because Andrea Stella is a common denominator in all three. The McLaren team principal was Fernando Alonso’s race engineer in 2010 when Alonso’s Ferrari team-mate, Felipe Massa, was told “Fernando is faster than you”, a (lightly) coded ...Keep reading

Lando Norris reckons he is now on the backfoot for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after making a “costly” error during the second Formula 1 practice session.The McLaren driver topped FP1, but finished 10th in FP2 after clattering the outside wall on the exit of Turn 4, which ripped out the left-rear track rod in his MCL39 and brought an early end to his session. Norris was left rueing the ...Keep reading