Mercedes star on brutal disqualification as Lewis Hamilton title chances confirmed: F1 News Recap

Kimi Antonelli, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton looking serious at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

Mercedes star on brutal disqualification as Lewis Hamilton title chances confirmed: F1 News Recap

Recapping the biggest F1 stories of the last 24 hours

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Sunday 16 August 2026 22:30

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It is not a place George Russell wanted to return to, but this week the Mercedes star had to relive his nightmare Belgian Grand Prix disqualification.

We are now just over two years out from the fateful moment in July 2024 when Russell saw a brilliant victory at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit snatched away in the most devastating of circumstances.

Russell was absolutely flawless as he roared home in P1, ahead of Mercedes team-mate and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. But then things went south in a big way.

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F1 Odds: Title race latest as experts predict Lewis Hamilton win probability

Lewis Hamilton trails Kimi Antonelli by 50 points in F1's title race as the sport prepares to return from its summer break, and the oddsmakers believe he faces an uphill battle to claim world championship number 8.

The 41-year-old British superstar has enjoyed something of a renaissance with Ferrari this season after a miserable first year with the Scuderia.

But despite that, Hamilton has still been left trailing in the wake of the brilliant teenager Antonelli, who reeled off five consecutive race victories early in the season.

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McLaren driver 'working' on F1 switch as new silly season rumour emerges

McLaren test and development driver and F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli was linked with an F1 promotion this week, and the young star says it is something he is continuing to work on.

Following his F2 triumph last season, McLaren signed Fornaroli ahead of the 2026 campaign, and the young Italian has since gone on to make two FP1 appearances for the team in Barcelona and Hungary.

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Fornaroli is hoping for an F1 seat, and soon.

F1 2027 grid: The 14 seats still open as official update confirms Verstappen status

Everbody is still waiting on Max Verstappen to decide his future with an official F1 update suggesting FOURTEEN seats are still open on the 2027 grid.

The mighty Dutchman's future is the biggest chip to fall in silly season 2026 as he ponders whether to stay with Red Bull or potentially join Mercedes or McLaren.

The 28-year-old Verstappen wants to be sure Red Bull can provide him with a car capable of challenging for race wins and championships from 2027 onwards. With the exit clause in his contract now active, he is free to test the open market.

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Audi F1 star issues contract statement as Carlos Sainz rumours swirl

Audi have been given a major boost in their first season in F1 with exciting young prodigy Gabriel Bortoleto confirming his contract status for years to come.

The German giants can look forward to the second half of the race schedule with a good deal of encouragement as they prepare to bring several upgrade packages across the remainder of 2026.

Audi also appear to be happy with their driver pairing as exciting young Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto and the experienced Nico Hulkenberg provide the ideal mix of youth and experience.

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F1 Lewis Hamilton George Russell