Next F1: United States GP
Date: Sunday, 19 October 2025
Track: Circuit of the Americas
📍 If you think the F1 paddock’s recent whispers are mere background noise, buckle up — there’s enough combustible chatter to light your way through the season finale.
◼︎ Oscar Piastri is said to be fielding secret calls from Red Bull if Verstappen departs.
◼︎ Horner allegedly demands equity in any team if he returns to F1 — no mere ‘boss-for-hire’ role.
◼︎ Alpine is eyeing Paul Aron to replace Franco Colapinto in 2026, according to MD Steve Nielsen.
◼︎ The FIA’s candidate list makes Ben Sulayem likely to run unopposed in December’s presidential vote.
◼︎ In the London court, McLaren’s Zak Brown denied making false promises to Alex Palou over an F1 seat.
◼︎ Horner’s scandal deepens: the accuser allegedly received £3 million to drop claims and exit Red Bull.
◼︎ Palou countersues McLaren for claims he was misled about F1 prospects; Brown says he was just a contingency.
◼︎ Tensions in McLaren rising: Piastri fumes over team radio decisions and perceived favouritism for Norris.
◼︎ Cadillac aligns with Ferrari engineering for its 2026 F1 entry—an early co-development deal confirmed.
◼︎ Rumour: Mercedes may stall Russell’s contract renewal to keep 2026 seat options open.
◼︎ Red Bull continues developing upgrades to maintain pace ahead of the 2026 regulation shift.
◼︎ Horner is reportedly interested in joining Ferrari, but only under a condition of influence.
◼︎ McLaren denied altering pitstop strategies to favour one driver over another amid intra-team tensions.
◼︎ Keanu Reeves is producing a docuseries on Cadillac’s fledgling F1 project, slated for release pre-2026.
◼︎ Sauber finalised line-up: Bortoleto joins as Audi’s works entry looms in 2026.
◼︎ Pascal Wehrlein’s name surfaces within whispers to replace outgoing drivers in midfield squads.
◼︎ Some insiders claim Audi’s future F1 team is courting Red Bull’s head mechanic.
◼︎ A top team reportedly questioned the ‘integrity’ of a recent pit-lane decision — internal review underway.
◼︎ Mercedes engineers are said to be discussing radical layout switches to boost Antonelli’s confidence.
◼︎ McLaren’s wind tunnel data leak is being probed as rival teams show uncanny step improvements.
◼︎ The Singapore GP reignited talk of banning specific driver radio phrases — ‘Knob is quite stiff’ went viral.
◼︎ Several teams privately fear tyre supplier Pirelli’s C6 revision may ruin race balance in 2026.
◼︎ Mick Schumacher is testing IndyCar, raising speculation he’s preparing a shift away from F1.
◼︎ Some team bosses are openly pessimistic about the 2026 engine regulations, citing cost risk and complexity.
◼︎ Whispers suggest a mid-season driver swap in the back of the grid could shock the 2026 talent map.
