F1 News Today: Max Verstappen team-mate plans unveiled as new racing series confirmed

Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda talk together ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News Today

F1 News Today: Max Verstappen team-mate plans unveiled as new racing series confirmed

All the latest news from the world of F1!

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 4 January 2026 15:58

Red Bull F1 boss Laurent Mekies has revealed what his team lineup could look like as far forward as 2028.

Isack Hadjar is being promoted up into the Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen in 2026, following a stellar rookie season with the sister team Racing Bulls.

He will become the third driver to hold that position in the last 12 months, after Liam Lawson was axed after just two race weekends and Yuki Tsunoda after 22. But whether or not Hadjar will stick around past 2026 has been an unknown up till now.

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Lewis Hamilton's dad announces new racing series

The father of F1 icon Lewis Hamilton has taken to social media to confirm plans for a brand new racing series.

Anthony Hamilton has now officially launched HybridV10 after rumours of the series were prompted by an entry in his name on the GOV.UK website under the same title.

It will be an independent global motorsport festival and racing series built around live, single-seater, competitive racing, and more details are set to be revealed later this year.

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Nico Hulkenberg considers F1 retirement but his timeline may surprise you

F1 veteran Nico Hulkenberg has offered an update on when he might retire from the sport.

Hulkenberg is now 38 years of age, and heads into 2026 having finally banished his podium hoodoo during the 2025 season.

The German legend claimed his first ever grand prix podium at the British Grand Prix in 2025, bringing to an end the unwanted record of having started 238 races across his career without standing on the podium.

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Max Verstappen role in McLaren signing discussions unveiled

F1 star Gabriel Bortoleto has revealed that Max Verstappen has helped him during contract negotiations with teams.

Verstappen has been in F1 since 2015, winning four world championships in that time, and, at the age of just 28, he is now considered one of the elder statesman in the sport.

A plethora of young drivers have joined the grid in recent years, and there were six drivers taking part in their first full season on the grid in 2025 before Jack Doohan was axed after just six races.

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F1 star reveals pact with friends that could get him SLAPPED

An F1 star has revealed a pact with his friends that could result in a cheeky slap in the face if he goes back on his word.

Gabriel Bortoleto had a fantastic rookie 2025 season, claiming 19 points for his team but, more importantly for him, showing his worth up against Nico Hulkenberg, particularly in qualifying.

And the Brazilian has also made a few friends along the way, including Max Verstappen. But his old friends may have something to say about that!

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Sky Sports F1 star takes Michael Schumacher swipe at colleague

Sky Sports pundit and former F1 racer Ralf Schumacher has taken a cheeky swipe at his colleague Nico Rosberg.

Schumacher and Rosberg work together as pundits during some race weekends across the season for Sky Germany, and Rosberg splits his time between the German channel, and the UK channel Sky Sports F1.

But Schumacher has now opened up about stories told by his colleague Rosberg about his brother Michael Schumacher.

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F1 New Year: Lewis Hamilton parties with Kim Kardashian and more

Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton greeted the new year alongside Kim Kardashian and a host of other celebrities in Aspen.

Hamilton headed to Colorado for actress Kate Hudson's New Year's Eve party, in which some huge names headed to upmarket restaurant Matsuhisa, before continuing with their celebrations elsewhere.

TMZ have managed to get photos of Hamilton, Kardashian and actress Anya Taylor-Joy in their glamorous outfits in what seemed to be the place to be this new year.

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Ferrari announce F1 driver exit

Ferrari F1 team have announced that Zhou Guanyu will no longer act as their reserve driver in 2026.

Ferrari signed the Chinese racer as their reserve driver, and he was on standby should either Hamilton or Charles Leclerc not be fit for a particular race weekend, as well as helping to develop the SF-25 in the simulator.

Bur now, he is walking away from the team altogether, with an emotional goodbye post put out by the outfit.

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Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen F1 News Today Isack Hadjar