F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton's career picked apart as Ferrari boss says he 'hopes' Brit is upset

F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has launched a damning assessment of Lewis Hamilton's legacy in the sport.

Hamilton is a seven-time world champion, and is the most successful racer in the history of the sport, holding the joint record for the number of titles with Michael Schumacher, but the outright records for grand prix wins, podiums and pole positions.

Hamilton suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of team-mate Charles Leclerc during his first season at Ferrari, with the Monegasque driver finishing 86 points ahead of Hamilton, and Villeneuve has used Hamilton's record against team-mates to tear down the Brit's legacy in F1.

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Ferrari boss 'hopes' Lewis Hamilton is upset

Ferrari F1 boss Fred Vasseur has insisted that he doesn't have a problem with Lewis Hamilton's miserable media appearances throughout his first year with the team.

The Brit cut a frustrated figure in the media pen at several race weekends this year, not least with borderline monosyllabic answers to questions at the season-ending trio of races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton became the first full-time Ferrari driver to exit qualifying in Q1 in three consecutive races in that run at the end of the year, leading to some supremely bleak conversations with the media. But Vasseur has said it's a good thing that he cares so much about his performances.

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Max Verstappen 'will finish career at Red Bull'

Red Bull chief Oliver Mintzlaff has provided the team's most confident statement yet on Max Verstappen's F1 future, after 18 months of turmoil.

Verstappen is contracted until the end of the 2028 season at Red Bull, but he has been linked with a move away from the team, with Red Bull performance-based exit clauses said to exist in that contract.

But Mintzlaff has now issued an update on exit clauses, citing that he does not expect it to be a problem.

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Red Bull CEO tells all on Christian Horner in rare interview

The CEO of the wider Red Bull GmbH brand Oliver Mintzlaff has delivered a rare interview, in which he spoke about the sacking of F1 boss Christian Horner.

Horner had been at the Red Bull F1 team for 20 years, winning six constructors' titles and eight drivers' titles in that time.

In July, the Brit was sacked with Red Bull sat down in fourth in the constructors' championship, and Laurent Mekies was promoted up from Racing Bulls to replace him. Now, Mintzlaff has revealed why Red Bull opted to make that call.

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F1 team reveals 'stealth' livery for 2026

Williams have revealed their livery design for F1 pre-season testing after a vote from their fans.

Pre-season testing in Barcelona will be extra busy this January with the new set of regulations to contend with, which introduces smaller and more agile cars and increased electrical power - alongside fun race-day gubbins such as 'active aero' and an 'overtake mode'.

While the full season livery designs will be unveiled much later, Williams have shared the first pictures of the colour scheme they will be using during pre-season testing.

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