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Cadillac christens its F1 project with MAC-26 honouring Mario Andretti
3 hours ago•Source: Autosport
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13.97 min•5 hours ago
Cadillac christens its first F1 car MAC-26 in tribute to Mario Andretti
Cadillac unveiled its 2026 Formula 1 car, the MAC-26 named after Mario Andretti, honoring the American icon; Andretti said he was honored by the connection to Cadillac's US-owned F1 entry, as the team pushes toward the season opener with leadership from Dan Towriss and Graeme Lowdon.
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Norris leads Bahrain F1 test as Ferrari debuts rotating rear wing
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Antonelli tops Bahrain day five as Aston Martin hit by more reliability woe
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Norris tops Bahrain F1 test as Ferrari debuts rotating rear wing
Lando Norris set the fastest Bahrain pre-season lap (1m33.453s on the C3 tyre) to lead Max Verstappen by 0.131s, while Ferrari grabbed attention with a 180-degree rotating rear wing under the new aero rules. Lewis Hamilton faced a chassis issue and completed only five laps before returning for a late run, as teams focused on long-run simulations and reliability—George Russell and Alex Albon posted strong mileage behind Norris and Verstappen, with other drivers like Bortoleto, Bearman, Colapinto, Lawson, Alonso and Bottas also clocking times.
Mercedes edges McLaren by 0.01s as Bahrain F1 pre-season test flags four teams’ issues
George Russell set the fastest Bahrain pre-season lap so far at 1:33.459, just 0.010s ahead of Oscar Piastri as Mercedes beat McLaren on Day 4. Charles Leclerc led Ferrari’s early times but the day wasn’t trouble-free for the Scuderia; Lewis Hamilton spent substantial track time in the garage, Aston Martin endured a power-unit fault and a red-flag incident limiting it to 54 laps, and Cadillac battled sensor issues. The midfield remained well off the pace, underscoring the gap to the top teams while the top two squads traded lap times.
Cadillac debuts two-tone F1 livery for its maiden season
Cadillac revealed its first Formula 1 car livery in a Super Bowl ad, showing a two-sided scheme—gray/white on the left and black on the right—on a Ferrari-powered challenger whose name hasn’t been disclosed; sponsors spotted include TWG, Jim Beam, Claro, Telcel, and Tommy Hilfiger, and with Perez and Bottas returning to drive, Cadillac frames the livery as a bold, unmistakably American identity for its debut F1 season.
Cadillac unveils split-color F1 livery for its 2026 debut
Cadillac revealed its first Formula 1 livery for 2026 in a Super Bowl ad, featuring a two-tone split design with a grayish-white left side and a black right side, a nod to BAR’s 1999 concept. The livery carries sponsor logos such as Jim Beam, Claro, Telcel and Tommy Hilfiger, and the car’s name has not yet been disclosed; Perez and Bottas return to the lineup.
Williams bets on late-development push, skipping Barcelona test to chase 2026 gains
Williams chief James Vowles explained that the team delayed key design decisions to squeeze performance for 2026, which led to missing Barcelona’s private test. The gamble aims to keep upgrades current while avoiding an outdated car, but it means drivers lose some early-track feedback and correlation data. Williams is mitigating with Mercedes power-unit data, VVT mileage, and driver-in-the-loop simulators, and expects Bahrain testing to bridge the gap as they pursue the pecking order ahead of the season.
Mercedes upbeat after Barcelona shakedown reveals surprising reliability in new F1 era
Mercedes technical director James Allison said the private Barcelona shakedown for the 2026 F1 cars showed an unexpectedly high level of reliability across the field, with fewer red flags and cars that were more mature than last year, enabling teams to focus on racing and learn from rivals' designs.
Mercedes may have nailed the new F1 regulations after private Barcelona test, Brundle says
Martin Brundle, a former F1 driver and Sky Sports analyst, said Mercedes’ W17 has “hit the sweet spot” under the new regulations after private testing in Barcelona. He praised Mercedes’ cohesive package and pace, noting the 50:50 internal combustion to electric power and range of regulation changes as the context, but cautioned it’s early and performance could vary with track temperatures and hot vs cold conditions.
Hamilton edges rivals as Mercedes logs the most laps in Barcelona F1 shakedown Day 5
Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest unofficial lap on the final day of Barcelona’s 2026 F1 shakedown after switching to soft tyres, while Mercedes completed the most mileage across the week. Charles Leclerc topped the morning times, Lando Norris set the best afternoon lap before Hamilton’s late run, and other teams continued testing ahead of Bahrain pre-season tests.
Hamilton tops final day as Mercedes leads Barcelona shakedown mileage
Lewis Hamilton set the final-day unofficial fastest lap (1:16.348) as Mercedes led the Barcelona shakedown with the week’s most mileage (over 500 laps across three days) in a mileage-focused prelude to Bahrain. Charles Leclerc topped the morning times (1:16.653) with Lando Norris (1:16.594) and Oscar Piastri close behind before Hamilton sealed top spot after a late switch to soft tyres. Ferrari engines were second in mileage and Red Bull Ford Powertrains third, with Max Verstappen returning on Friday for 69 laps (best 1:18.285) after Isack Hadjar’s crash earlier in the week. Aston Martin drew attention for its distinctive sidepod/engine-cover design; Williams were absent due to production delays, while Haas, Audi and Cadillac also ran. No red flags interrupted the day as teams prepare for Bahrain on 11–13 February.
Leclerc leads Ferrari as Haas logs 100+ laps in Barcelona F1 shakedown Day 5
Barcelona’s Day 5 of the F1 shakedown saw Charles Leclerc set the soft‑tyre pace for Ferrari (1:16.653), Oliver Bearman completing 105 laps for Haas, and Lando Norris just over a tenth behind the benchmark. Oscar Piastri called the morning productive for McLaren, while Aston Martin debated aero options and Audi’s Hirvonen (Bortoleto) wrapped up shakedown work. Bahrain testing is on the horizon for 11–13 February.