F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari get major title boost as key figure leaves Mercedes

F1 News Today

F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari get major title boost as key figure leaves Mercedes

The major F1 headlines on Sunday August 9

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Sunday 9 August 2026 07:30

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F1 star Lewis Hamilton is set for a boost in his 2026 title fight, with Mercedes rivals Kimi Antonelli and George Russell facing engine penalties later this season.

Hamilton currently sits second in the 2026 drivers' standings on 169 points ahead of the second half of the campaign, 50 points adrift of Antonelli at the top, and nine ahead of Russell in third.

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F1 stars hail Red Bull's new Helmut Marko after surprise Mercedes exit

F1 stars including world championship leader Kimi Antonelli have paid tribute to Red Bull's new Helmut Marko as the highly-rated Gwen Lagrue officially says goodbye to Mercedes.

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The 83-year-old Marko was a key part of Red Bull's glory years, acting as ace talent scout and driver whisperer while Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen each claimed four world championship titles.

Now Lagrue will try to fill that massive void in Milton Keynes after signing for the team from 2027.

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Toto Wolff handed massive payout as Mercedes announce stellar financial results

Toto Wolff was in line for an estimated £34m dividend payout after Mercedes’ record 2025 financial results, adding to the £230m he realised by selling part of his team interest last November.

The 54-year-old Austrian has been team principal for the Silver Arrows since 2013, presiding over an unprecedented run of success which saw Lewis Hamilton claim six of his seven world titles.

But Wolff's success is not limited to on-track results, he is now an incredibly wealthy man thanks partly to one key fact about his association with Mercedes.

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Max Verstappen fears revealed by F1 insider with Red Bull exit still in play

Max Verstappen is still a Red Bull driver despite the near-constant rumours about his future with the team, but those rumours just don't seem to be going away.

BBC Sport's F1 correspondant Andrew Benson is among the latest to discuss the four-time world champion's future, and explained some of the contributing factors on the Chequered Flag Extra podcast this week.

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Controversial F1 boss baffled why team isn't winning, but he's set for a bonus anyway

Alpine F1 chief Flavio Briatore has admitted he's baffled why his team is not winning, but revealed that he's set to land a bonus even if they do not.

Although the team formerly known as Renault have won races and championships over the years, they currently sit sixth in the constructors' standings, which they will take after a torrid time last year.

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F1 star makes decision on Aston Martin move

It might not seem true, but Fernando Alonso's F1 career is coming to an end. Not today, not tomorrow, but soon.

Unusually for a team in the basement of the constructors' standings though, a lot of people within the sport are looking at his soon-to-be vacant seat with some interest as a potential landing spot for a high-profile driver.

Which one? Well, almost everyone in the sport's been linked with a move to the Adrian Newey-helmed team thanks to the designer's incredible pedigree, including Haas youngster Ollie Bearman.

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