◼︎ Sky Sports F1 channel resurfaces after offseason shuffle — dedicated coverage returns just over a month before pre-season tests kick off in Bahrain (Australia season start March 8).
◼︎ Mercedes announces launch date for the W17 car — adding fuel to chatter about Ferrari’s own allegedly ‘revolutionary’ 2026 design as teams gear up for the big rule reset.
◼︎ Verstappen remains firmly in the Red Bull stable with chatter that his commitment ‘stabilises’ the driver market — though paddock whispers suggest contracts and contingencies still swirl beneath the calm.
◼︎ Red Bull’s 2026 driver roster is settled with Isack Hadjar joining Verstappen; pockets of gossip remain about who might jump ship should opportunities open.
◼︎ Rumours swirl around Charles Leclerc’s future — some reports suggest he could be free early in 2026, though the story is far from confirmed.
◼︎ Old-school lore bites back into the present: Peter Sauber claims he nearly signed Lewis Hamilton at the start of his career — a quirky throwback story doing the rounds in paddock cafes.
❖ Extra Paddock Nuggets & Off-Grid Stories
◼︎ McLaren’s celebratory restraint: The team has opted not to hold a big homecoming celebration despite back-to-back titles — a signal of “eyes on the next prize” mentality.
◼︎ Unusual auction activity: One of McLaren’s 2026 cars reportedly fetched nearly $11.5M at auction before it had even raced — a telling sign of both brand pulls and collector fervour.
◼︎ Customer team powertrain chatter: McLaren’s long-term deal with Mercedes-AMG is now secured into 2030, keeping the engine landscape stable — but whisper networks question whether customer teams can truly win under the new regs.
Confirmed 2026 F1 Launch Dates – Key Dates for Your Ledger
