F1 News Today: Hamilton gets 'all-new chassis', Mercedes forced into Plan B to cover Ferrari charge

Lewis Hamilton smiles as Kimi Antonelli pouts at the Barcelona GP — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News Today

F1 News Today: Hamilton gets 'all-new chassis', Mercedes forced into Plan B to cover Ferrari charge

The big F1 headlines on Saturday August 15

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Saturday 15 August 2026 07:30

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Ferrari will continue their aggressive F1 title bid with Lewis Hamilton set to get an 'all-new chassis' for the Dutch Grand Prix next weekend.

Hamilton has roared back into title contention with some terrific performances during the first half of 2026 - notably that first victory in red at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

The Scuderia have been extremely aggressive with upgrades so far, constantly looking to close the gap to Kimi Antonelli and the dominant Mercedes car at the front of the grid.

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Mercedes forced to activate 'plan B' as Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari threaten title hopes

Mercedes are set for a drastic change of approach for the remainder of 2026, forced to activate 'plan B' amid the threat from Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, according to reports in the Italian press.

The Silver Arrows currently lead both the drivers' and constructors' championships, but there is still a long way to go this season, with just 11 rounds in the books.

Following last month's Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton sits 50 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the drivers' standings, while Mercedes hold a 72-point advantage over Ferrari in the constructors'.

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‘Is he retiring?’ - Max Verstappen unveils special helmet for ‘last home race’ and F1 fans panic

Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen has unveiled a special helmet design for his last home race at Zandvoort, and some fans are going crazy.

Verstappen made the reveal on his social media channels on Friday, with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort set to take place next weekend, August 21-23.

For the race, the Red Bull star is set to don a helmet featuring a predominantly white base, with bold, flowing blue stripes and flowers on top in Delfts Blauw styling.

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F1 insider asks the unthinkable as Adrian Newey's Aston Martin struggles laid bare

Former driver and pundit Johnny Herbert has questioned whether we are seeing the F1 demise of Adrian Newey after his struggles at Aston Martin this season.

Newey was one of the hottest properties on the F1 market when his services became available following his exit from Red Bull in 2024, with Aston Martin able to convince the design genius to sign on the dotted line.

In his first season with the team, Aston Martin finished seventh in the constructors' standings, but with new regulations and a Honda power unit coming in for 2026, this was supposed to be the year that Newey's impact was really felt.

Up until now, that has not been the case.

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It's been a tough year so far for Newey and Aston Martin.

Mercedes F1 catastrophe? Toto Wolff hits back and says to think again

Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff has issued a passionate defence of his team's record, despite the fact that they have gone years without winning a title.

Mercedes were serial winners and dominated the sport in the mid-2010s through the early 2020s, winning seven drivers' championships and eight constructors' titles between 2014 and 2021.

However, after struggling in the ground-effect era, five seasons have now come and gone without the Silver Arrows winning the drivers' championship, while four seasons have passed since their last constructors' triumph.

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F1 champion lost his seat after winning world title and says Michael Schumacher's influence played a role

1996 world champion Damon Hill says that Michael Schumacher's influence and F1's consequent pivot towards Germany played a role in him losing his seat at Williams.

Heading into the 1996 campaign, Schumacher had just become a two-time world champion at Benetton, beating Hill to the title in 1994 and 1995 and earning himself a blockbuster move to Ferrari.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes