F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton Ferrari blame assigned as Lando Norris shares car fears

lewis hamilton, lando norris, ferrari, mclaren, canva — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News Today

F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton Ferrari blame assigned as Lando Norris shares car fears

Catch up on the latest news ahead of the 2026 F1 season

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 14 January 2026 16:46

A former Ferrari engineer has had his say on who is to blame for the struggles of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton since the Brit moved to Maranello.

Hamilton was unable to pick up even one grand prix podium in his first season in red, finishing way down in sixth in the drivers' championship.

Now, Luigi Mazzola, a former race engineer from Michael Schumacher's time at the Scuderia, has said that Hamilton is not entirely to blame for his struggles last year, pointing the finger at the team as a whole.

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Lewis Hamilton 'shocked' as Fernando Alonso given title nod

Former F1 racer Johnny Herbert has made an astonishing claim about Lewis Hamilton's chances of claiming a championship with Ferrari compared to his long-term rival Fernando Alonso.

Hamilton joined Ferrari in January 2025, but has not achieved a single podium finish in a grand prix as of yet, and finished all the way down in sixth in the 2025 drivers' championship.

The seven-time world champion's form last year was dismal compared to his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who secured seven podiums in the same car, and inflicted Hamilton's heaviest ever team-mate defeat, finishing 86 points above the Brit.

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Lando Norris admits McLaren car fears

F1's newest champion Lando Norris has shared fears that he had over his McLaren car at the 2025 season finale.

The 26-year-old revealed previously unseen footage after his triumph in the drivers' championship last season, sharing his fear that something would happen to his McLaren machinery that would leave him unable to properly challenge for the title as it went down to the wire.

Norris admitted: "It was just another day at the office. But with two laps to go, time starts to slow down a bit. You start thinking about every little screw, every bolt, every wire. I imagine how everything in my car works.

"At that moment, you think, 'Damn, what could go wrong, because everything is going well.'"

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Max Verstappen's role in Red Bull engine project revealed

Ford performance director Mark Rushbrook has revealed the role Max Verstappen has played in Red Bull's new engine project ahead of the vital 2026 season.

This year is a pivotal one in F1, but is even more crucial for Red Bull as the energy drink giants tackle new regulations with the help of Ford.

Since purchasing Jaguar in 2005, Red Bull have always relied on proven engine manufacturers, but from 2026, the Milton Keynes-based squad will compete in F1 with their own power unit for the first time, and it seems Verstappen is keen to help too.

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Sergio Perez reveals shock Mercedes F1 chance was foiled by Lewis Hamilton

Ex-Red Bull star Sergio Perez has revealed he might have had an opportunity to sign for Mercedes, if it wasn't for a decision made by Lewis Hamilton.

Perez raced in F1 from 2011 until 2024, competing with teams including Sauber, Force India, McLaren and Red Bull.

This year, the Mexican racer is returning to the grid full-time with new team Cadillac, where he will race alongside Valtteri Bottas.

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Iconic F1 star makes 2026 title prediction you would never guess

Cult F1 icon Heinz-Harald Frentzen has given his surprise verdict over who will claim the drivers' title in 2026.

Frentzen competed in the pinnacle of motorsport between 1994 and 2003, driving for five different constructors', but the quirky German racer never managed to pick up a title of his own.

Now, in a social media reunion with his former team-mate Damon Hill, Frentzen has revealed his call for the surprise driver he feels could clinch the title this year.

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The lonely life of an aspiring F1 star

F1 star Sergio Perez has recalled the lonely path he travelled when taking the first steps on his journey to the pinnacle of motorsport.

After a year away from the limelight, the Mexican racer will return with new American team Cadillac.

At the end of 2024, Perez was sacked from Red Bull following four years alongside four-time champion Max Verstappen, but 2026 presents the opportunity for redemption and a fresh start with a new team.

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F1 team principal signing proves drastic change is possible

Vowles? Vowels? Voles? Call him what you want, but since his arrival three years ago, F1 team principal James Vowles has been a radical force at Williams.

Boasting title winning experience at Brawn and Mercedes, the Brit made the huge leap into the unknown in January 2023, facing the astronomical task of rescuing Frank Williams' iconic team out of F1 obscurity.

In the past three years, Vowles has proven with the right leadership, drastic change is possible at an F1 team. Of course — humble almost to a fault — Vowles would never credit himself entirely, and would instead use Williams' recent podiums as evidence of the team's strength.

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Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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