Verstappen has been heavily linked to Mercedes since mid-2025. The connection has only deepened because of his partnership with the German manufacturer in GT3.

However, former Red Bull driver David Coulthard believes it is Ferrari, not Mercedes, which will suit the Dutchman better. Speaking about this on the Up to Speed podcast, David Coulthard said, “I think that Max, actually as a shoo-in, fits better to the Ferrari world than the Mercedes world.”

Coulthard explained his stance, adding, “I know that they have this good relationship, and I know that he’s racing a Mercedes in the GT3 events that he does. But the actual freedom to be Max, I think he would be a more comfortable fit at Ferrari because you would just turn up, drive quickly, presumably win the races, and then head home.”   

Max Verstappen had been previously linked with Mercedes because team principal Toto Wolff publicly spoke about having the four-time champ on board. However, last month, there were also fleeting rumors linking Verstappen to McLaren after his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced a 2028 move to the Woking-based team. 

As of now, the Red Bull driver remains under contract with the team until 2028, and he has spoken time and again about his commitment to the Milton Keynes-based team.

Improved performance could keep Max Verstappen at Red Bull

Before the Miami Grand Prix, F1 tweaked the engine regulations to dampen growing concerns about energy management. Moreover, Red Bull also brought a comprehensive upgrade package to the race, which helped Max Verstappen return to the front of the grid.

He qualified in second behind Kimi Antonelli for the feature race with a 0.166s gap. Though the race wasn’t as good, with the Dutchman spinning on the first lap and eventually finishing fifth, the mood in the Red Bull camp was better because their upgrades worked.

While talking about his future in the sport in the aforementioned podcast, former W Series racer Naomi Schiff said Max Verstappen won’t look anywhere else as long as Red Bull continues this improvement.

“But things are looking on the up, and I know that Max has said on a number of occasions that if things are going well at Red Bull, he doesn’t have any desire to leave,” said Schiff. “I think the pressure is more so on Red Bull to make sure they do deliver and give him a car that he can win with so that he stays to the end of his contract.”

However, more than Red Bull’s performance, Max Verstappen’s decision could come down to the regulation changes. He has been vocal about the drawbacks in the new regs and has not shied away from admitting that it could push him into retirement after 2026.

Read more F1 news at Motor Culture!

Trending slideshow: 9 Dominant F1 Title Runs Ft Max Verstappen

Esther Suidila

Built under the dynamic leadership of Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner back in 2016, Haas has had a topsy-turvy time in its first decade, but the credit it deserves is standing strong a decade later. A feat not many newcomers have achieved in the sport, which often guzzles money at the same rate it does fuel. 

Now under the leadership of a comparatively reserved but extremely sharp Ayao Komatsu, a Japanese engineer who previously served as the chief engineer for Lotus, Haas seems to be getting into a better structure.

Haas, which partnered with Toyota Gazoo Racing ahead of 2026, is now in part a Japanese team, and they used the Japanese GP to kick off a year-long partnership with Toho, which runs the Godzilla brand.

To their own surprise, the merchandise was in such high demand that they ran out of stock quickly. Even their car featured a special Godzilla livery. “This is not a one-off in Suzuka — we’re doing a year-long collaboration as well. So there’s more stuff coming later in the year,” Komatsu told Sports Business Journal.

He spoke about targeting the subculture of animation and the culture market as a way to tell their story, breaking away from the traditional F1 market. He said that he wanted Haas to be a disruptor. 

“For me, what makes us unique is this challenger spirit, entrepreneur streak, not necessarily the mainstream, but going against the mainstream if you like, punching above its weight (being) a bit disruptive. When I think about things like that, lots of street culture, subculture, street clothing that comes into my mind.”

The aim with Haas is simple: limited resources to achieve maximum capabilities. And so far, they’ve been on the right track. Even off track, they have begun making big but uncharacteristic moves by an F1 team, like the Godzilla partnership.

How Ayao Komatsu made a “Haas version two”

While Haas might have failed to meet the demand of its quirky new F1 merchandise, and that is a success on its own for various reasons, the team hasn’t forgotten its primary motive: to go racing and achieve big points. And bigger than usual points they have amassed already.

In 2020, Haas had 0 points, and in 2021, they managed just 3. This year, Haas has come flying off the blocks, and they currently sit 6th in the constructors’ standings with 18 points. The Ayao Komatsu-led team is currently ahead of Racing Bulls, Williams, Audi, Cadillac, and Aston Martins, all teams with more funds and resources than Haas.

In an interview with Road and Track, Komatsu explained how Haas’ 2019 car derailed the team’s journey until he took over in 2024.

“I became team principal in 2024. From that journey onwards, it’s like Haas version two, and really making sure we are a proper race team and creating a correct culture—an inclusive, supportive culture without blame and working together as a team,” said Komatsu.

Haas’ success comes in no small part thanks to Oliver Bearman. The British driver who rose through the Ferrari academy may have crashed out in Suzuka while avoiding a slower-going Franco Colapinto, but he has picked up crucial points, finishing seventh in Australia and fifth in China. 

In Miami, he finished out of the points in 11th, but Bearman has shown that he can extract the most out of Haas’ Ferrari power unit. Teammate Esteban Ocon has picked up 1 point after finishing 10th in Japan.

Read more at Motor Culture!

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After the nasty crash that saw him being taken to the pits on a scooter, Marquez was seen needing support to walk. The No.93 Factory Ducati rider was diagnosed with a 5th metatarsal fracture on his right foot after the race. He will visit Madrid to undergo surgery for the same.

Additionally, he will undergo another surgery on the right shoulder that he injured at last season’s Indonesian GP. This was scheduled following the Catalan GP, but the surgery will now be brought forward.

Marquez’s weekend at the Le Mans circuit was off to a poor start, finishing 13th in the Practice round, thus not making it directly to Q2 in a long time. However, he put on a brilliant show in Q1, breaking the lap record at the Le Mans circuit with a time of 1:29:288 seconds.

He went on to perform similarly in Q2, and it seemed like he would win another pole, but Francesco Bagnaia’s performance denied him that opportunity.

The No. 93 rider was unable to replicate this kind of success in the Sprint session. He lost key positions in the opening lap and was later overtaken by Pedro Acosta on Lap 2. Things worsened further when he lost traction at the front.

While he managed to recover from that, his rear got washed off, resulting in the bike flipping multiple times while Marquez just managed not to end up under the bike.

Marc Marquez: ‘I realized something wasn’t right after Jerez’

He spoke to the DAZN channel after the incident, finally coming clean about why he was inconsistent so far in this season. He says it all goes back to the Spanish Grand Prix, when he realized something was not quite right.

His current physical condition is what was causing him to make mistakes, as he could not position himself correctly on the bike.

“After Jerez, I realized something wasn’t right. We went to see the doctors, and they found that everything was fine, but that the infamous broken screw, the one in the lateral ligament, was in a different position. It was a very strange feeling, because at home I felt fine, but when I came here, it prevented me from riding, because it was touching the radial nerve.

“That’s what causes me to make mistakes, be inconsistent, and have unexpected crashes. That’s why I was so calm. We’ll do it all at once. The shoulder procedure is simply opening it up and removing that screw. The recovery time should be short. My head is in the right place, but I can’t be consistent because, when there’s a problem with the nerve, it fails when you least expect it.”

Fans of the Spaniard will be worried about his injury, but they can at least breathe a sigh of relief that he is not ‘finished’, as per many comments online. Even so, he is set to miss two races, and given the position he is in, the road to redemption is not an easy one.

However, if history is any proof, Marquez knows how to turn things around, and that is what will make this season even more interesting.

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For Marc Marquez, however, the day ended in a far more disappointing manner than he would have expected.

Having begun from 8th on the grid, Jorge Martn filtered through the likes of Bezecchi, Bagnaia, and Marquez. He found an opportunity at Turns 3 and 4 and then grabbed it with both hands as he maintained the lead from there onwards.

Bagnaia, who was in third place at the time, grabbed P2 from Bezecchi, thanks to a mistake from the Aprilia rider in Lap 3 at Turn 7. Fabio Di Giannantonio began from fourth place, but his Sprint session ended prematurely after Turn 3 on Lap 5.

Marc Marquez stunned everyone with a blistering performance in Q1, breaking the lap record at the Le Mans circuit with a time of 1:29:288 seconds. At the time, it looked like he was truly back. However, he simply could not replicate this performance in the Sprint session.

In the penultimate lap, the No.93 suffered a fatal crash that left him unable to walk without support, resulting in a DNF. The crash is being said to be one of the worst in the season.

Here’s what the leaderboard after the Sprint session looks like:

Pedro Acosta appeared aggressive throughout the session, having overtaken Marquez early in the race. He kept himself in contention for a spot in the top 10, eventually settling for P4. Fabio Quartararo ensured there was a Yamaha once again in the Top 10 at P5, a sign that the factory OEM is making some progress.

Joan Mir, Ai Ogura, and Alex Marquez occupied P6, P7, and P8, while Diego Moreira achieved the best finish of his MotoGP career so far. Johann Zarco, the winner of the Practice session, found himself at P10.

Marc Marquez To Miss The French GP After Injury!

Following the last-lap crash, Marquez was seen being taken to the pits on a scooter, needing support to walk after getting off. He was diagnosed with a 5th metatarsal fracture on his right foot and will not be taking part in tomorrow’s race.

It has now been confirmed that the No.93 rider will require surgery on his foot and his right shoulder. As a result, he will miss the Catalan Grand Prix as well.

Marquez was scheduled to get surgery on his shoulder after the Catalan GP, but after suffering a foot fracture, the procedures are being brought forward.

This is certainly a bittersweet day for the Ducati factory team, as it celebrates Pecco’s P2 in the Sprint race on one end, but Marquez’s injury leaves them concerned. A replacement rider for Marquez is yet to be confirmed. We will be back with more!

Read more at Motor Culture!

While it is based on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, it comes with many fundamental changes. The TZ is nearly the same size as the LX, but it sits on a longer 3050mm wheelbase, which has been done to prioritise interior space. However, despite that, it is a six-seater and not a seven-seater.

Unlike its Toyota sibling, the Highlander, the TZ comes with all-wheel drive as standard, producing a combined 402bhp, while torque for both the front and rear motors is listed at 268.6Nm.

No mention of top speed has been made here, but interestingly, Lexus has given it simulated V10 engine sounds, which will remind you of the LFA. We’re still not over its demise, by the way.

There are two battery pack options provided. The first is a 76.96kWh unit, while the other is a long-range 95.82kWh unit. However, the claimed range for both battery packs is listed at 300 miles, which tells us this is a general estimate, and that the U.S spec models could differ.

While there are multiple AC charging options available, Lexus has only listed the charging time for the 150kW DC fast charger, which can give the TZ a 10-80% charge in a claimed 35 minutes.

The interiors are swathed in Forged Bamboo, and there will be three colour options to choose from: White Ash, Mauve, and Grayscale. Additionally, the top-end models will be available with a full-length infotainment screen extending all the way to the front passenger.

To further emphasise roominess in the cabin, the seats have been designed slimmer. The first and second-row seats also get ventilation, while Lexus says the third-row experience is akin to that of a sofa. We’ll hold our judgment on that for now.

Some other features include a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, AT&T 5G connectivity, a driver assistance suite, a voice assistant, customizable widgets, and a NACS charging port (for the U.S market), among many other things.

The TZ is expected to go on sale later this year, but there’s more coming from Lexus.

Lexus preps for luxury sedan launch in June

The Japanese carmaker also recently showcased the 2026 ES sedan, which has an all-electric derivative for the first time. The eighth generation looks radically different compared to its predecessor, and it has grown in dimensions, as it now sits on a redesigned TNGA GA-K platform.

While the wheelbase has gone up by three inches, the total length has also gone up by 6.5 inches. The 2.5-litre petrol engine will stay, accompanied by an electric motor, but it will not be a plug-in hybrid just yet.

That said, the new ES will get both front-wheel and all-wheel drive options. The luxury EV sedan also launches the newest version of the Lexus Interface multimedia system.

Nearly a year has gone by since its global unveiling, and the new ES is finally going to hit the market in June 2026. Prices for the 350e series will begin around $49,000, while the 500e will start from around $52,000.

Read more at Motor Culture!

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Soureesh Datta

For the 27-year-old German, the IMS road course is the track he first tested an Indy car at for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in October last year. That test served as the basis on which RLL signed him for the 2026 IndyCar season.

On Friday, during Practice 2 of the Sonsio Grand Prix weekend, Mick Schumacher went seventh-quickest with a lap time of 1:10.7904 around the 2.439-mile circuit. Surprisingly, that was the exact pole lap time by Michael Schumacher for F1’s 2002 US GP, down to the thousandth: 1:10.790.

However, it is important to note that the track layout after 24 years is a bit different. The junior Schumacher matched the lap time on a slightly longer track than what his seven-time F1 champion did in Ferrari’s F2002.

However, the bigger story associated with the 2002 US GP was Michael Schumacher’s controversial last-lap decision. On the main straight, he slowed down to let teammate Rubens Barrichello pass him for the win.

That decision was seemingly to compensate Barrichello for a lost win at that year’s Austrian GP, where Ferrari imposed team orders for Schumacher to win. Notably, that year, Schumacher finished on the podium in all 17 F1 races, and 11 of those were wins.

Though his son, Mick Schumacher couldn’t succeed in F1 and left after a two-year stint with Haas (2022-23), he found a new home in IndyCar this year.

Why Mick Schumacher doesn’t feel pressurized by his father’s achievements

Mick Schumacher’s foray into F1 wasn’t easy. The return of “MSC” on the timesheets was nice nostalgia for F1 fans, but his lap times weren’t. After a bitter exit from Haas, he chose endurance racing in WEC as his next journey.

However, Schumacher yearned for a return to open-wheel racing and IndyCar came as a boon. The first test itself brought a renewed enthusiasm to him and his family, and in a recent conversation with The Drive during the Long Beach GP weekend, the RLL driver explained why he feels no pressure to live up to his last name.

“No, not at all. I’m very proud of what my dad achieved, and he’s the best for good reason,” said Mick Schumacher. “He put some hard effort out there working countless nights to achieve what he did, and making sure that the car was in the best position possible.”

“I’m just aiming to look at what he did and follow it, and make sure that what I do works for me as well. There’s never been any pressure to do exactly what he did or to try to beat him or whatever,” he added.

On paper, this weekend at the IMS road course should be Schumacher’s best so far. RLL cars have been a beast at the track in the last few years, with Graham Rahal starting on the front row last year.

Read more at Motor Culture!

Trending slideshow: 10 Times the F1 Championship went down to the Last Race Ft Michael Schumacher

Siddharth Shirwadkar

This connection has come naturally because of Ford’s F1 partnership with Red Bull. The American carmaker is the team’s official engine partner this year onwards, and in 2027, Ford will independently venture into the WEC Hypercar class with its LMDh prototype.

In a recent interview with Motorsport.com’s Netherlands arm, when Rushbrook was asked whether Ford had conversations with Verstappen for the Hypercar program, he replied, “Yes, of course. We love Max. We love what he does in the Formula 1 car, on the track. We love him off the track. He’s a great person, as much as he’s a great driver.”

Rushbrook elaborated on the Dutchman’s GT3 passion, adding, “We love his passion to be racing GT3, like he is, and what he does with developing drivers through sim racing and getting them on the track. So, of course, we have regular discussions with him about what are the opportunities to do more in sportscar, including Hypercar.”

Max Verstappen forayed into GT3 racing by making his NLS debut at the Nurburgring in September 2025. Driving the Red Bull-liveried Ferrari 296 GT3 for Emil Frey Racing, the Dutchman dominated Round 9 of the NLS on his debut alongside teammate Chris Lulham.

In March this year, Verstappen led the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry to victory in NLS2 with a 59.5-second win. Unfortunately, the entry was disqualified post-race for exceeding the maximum tire allocation.

However, all eyes will now turn to the four-time F1 champion’s Nurburgring 24 Hours debut next weekend.

Max Verstappen prepares for hyped Nurburgring 24 Hours debut

After his NLS9 victory last September, Max Verstappen admitted that he was eyeing the Nurburgring 24 Hours this year. However, a prerequisite for the big debut would be to get more NLS experience under his belt.

And with Mercedes’ help, the F1 driver did so, by racing in the NLS 2 in March and the Nurburgring 24H qualifiers in April. The 24H qualifier weekend was a tough one, with technical difficulties plaguing his team.

However, the bucket list 24-Hour race on May 16-17 next weekend will be Max Verstappen’s biggest GT3 challenge to date.

“The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a special place,” Verstappen said in March after announcing his 24H debut. “There’s no other track like it. The 24h Nurburgring is a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time, so I’m really thrilled we can make it happen now.”

He will pilot the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Winward Racing alongside Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer.

Read more F1 news at Motor Culture!

Trending slideshow: 9 Dominant F1 Title Runs Ft Max Verstappen

Esther Suidila

The No. 93 Factory Ducati rider, a four-time race winner at Le Mans, insisted that he is the one struggling, not the bike. That seems to be getting clearer with each round this season. It seems as if the effects of his shoulder injury are affecting him.

In an interaction with reporters after the race, he stuck to the same introspective themes in his answers, while also adding that he isn’t riding front-heavy as he usually does.

“We struggled a bit. It’s not the best thing to be in Q1, but we couldn’t have been faster today,” Marc Marquez said (via Crash.net). “The bike is pretty good, it’s easy to ride, and that’s the most important thing. No one said it would be easy after the injury.”

“We’re working to try to get back to last year’s level. I don’t know if it’s the same as last year, but it’s close. I’m not pushing the front as usual, I’m not riding hard, pushing the front tyre. Let’s see if I can do that. It’s not that the others are faster; it’s that I’m slower,” Marquez added.

When asked about the chances of making it to Q2 had there been no yellow flags, which was brought out by factory Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia’s crash, he stated that it wouldn’t have mattered. Marquez feels that he would have clocked a faster lap sooner or later if he had the pace.

Unfortunately, his three teammates were in the Top 4 while he languished in 13th. Moreover, keen eyes would have also noticed a differentiator between Marquez’s Ducati and the others.

Marc Marquez is sticking to what he knows

In the practice session, Marc Marquez, who has yet to secure a podium this season, was seen using a slightly different aero package compared to the rest of the Ducati riders. While the front wings were the same, the side fairings on the No.93 bike appeared to be GP25-spec units.

Given Marquez’s comments on not finding consistency, the team feels that going back to a tried-and-tested formula could help bring some of his groove back. He also explained that the team chose this setup due to his smaller stature and a distinctive riding style.

“We decided on this with Ducati because, according to the engineers, given my physical build, this fairing is better for me,” he said (via GPOne.com). “Bagnaia, Diggia (Fabio Di Giannantonio), and Alex are taller than me, but the fairing does a similar job. Ultimately, the bike’s handling is the same because the two fairings work in the same way.”

Will reverting to an old formula work in Marquez’s favour? We’ll find out in the Qualifying rounds soon!

Read more MotoGP news at Motor Culture!

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Nandini Khanna

In an online meeting attended by Team Principals, Formula One Management, and OEM representatives, the FIA announced ‘further evolutionary changes’ to the 2026 regulations, which already saw tweaks during the month-long break in April, caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

A key factor stood out in the press release issued by the FIA. From the 2027 F1 season onwards, there will be less dependence on electric power. Instead of a 50-50 split between the combustion and battery output, it will be roughly 60-40. The electric power output will be reduced by 50kW, while combustion output is increased by 50kW, and fuel flow rates are also increased.

The current power unit drew a lot of flak for its ‘unnatural’ characteristics and excessive reliance on energy harvesting. It made drivers unable to go flat-out on long straights, and also caused massive speed differentials between two drivers in corners.

This issue was highlighted when Oliver Bearman crashed in the Japanese Grand Prix to avoid hitting Franco Colapinto, as there was a massive speed difference between the two. Following the feedback and the incident, the FIA rolled out tweaks to the regulations heading into the Miami GP.

They focused on reducing excessive energy harvesting, while also adding a cap on Boost mode, enhanced safety mechanisms during starts, and ensuring safety in wet conditions.

With increased combustion power, drivers can now focus more on going flat-out. Additionally, the consistent 350kW on the straights and the reduced 250kW output around corners will help prevent massive speed differences, such as the incident in Suzuka.

These changes are yet to be voted on officially by Formula 1 OEMs. Once that is done, it will be sent to the World Motor Sport Council. However, given that these changes have been agreed ‘in principle’ according to the press release, it is understood to be more or less approved.

This is also the first big step towards another bigger change, which is likely to come in 2031.

FIA President: It’s only a matter of time before V8s are back in Formula 1

Just a few days ago, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he is aiming to bring V8 engines back to F1 by 2031. While the regulations give FIA the power to effect the change in 2031, if four out of the six OEMs vote for the V8, it can be brought in a year earlier.

However, even if any OEM vetoes this in 2030, it only delays it by a year, and the FIA can bring it by force in 2031.

“It’s coming,” Ben Sulayem told Reuters. “At the end of the day, it’s a matter of time. In ​2031, the V8, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the manufacturers. That’s the regulations. But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone ⁠is now asking for.”

Interestingly, the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull have publicly supported the idea of a V8 revival in F1. However, Mercedes feels it is only viable as long as the battery continues to be a part of the power unit in one way or another.

Do you think there will be a V8 power unit with a smaller battery? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Read more F1 news at Motor Culture!

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Esther Suidila

Volkswagen test and development driver Benjamin Leuchter took charge of the car and took only 7:44.523 minutes to complete the lap to set the record. This is commendable given how the Golf GTI Edition 50 beat most of the renowned cars in the competition.

The car comes with an output of 239 kW (325 PS). It has an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h.

“The Nordschleife is unique with its bends, very different sections, bumps, and even jumps,” explains Leuchter.

“And the same is true for this GTI: with impressive power, a very neutral set-up, and at the same time the ability to take any bumps in its stride.

The Golf GTI EDITION 50 is therefore more than just an anniversary model: it shows what performance in the compact segment can feel like when technical expertise, passion, and 50 years of GTI history come together,” he further added.

Volkswagen has been producing cars with the GTI model since 1976, and now in 2026 is the 50th year of it. As of 2026, they made more than 2.5 million GTI models worldwide, and now the Golf GTI Edition 50 marks the celebration of it.

While Volkswagen can celebrate all it wants with the Golf GTI Edition 50, a company they own has its own reason to celebrate.

Porsche Taycan creates Nürburgring record

The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is now the fastest EV to set a record around Nürburgring Nordschleife. Porsche test driver Lars Kern recently drove the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT at the track, as he recorded 06:55.533 on the timesheet.

“The Manthey Kit turns the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package into the ultimate track tool. On the Nordschleife, you can feel how much more stability and confidence the car offers in fast sections and when braking,” Kern, the driver said.

“Thanks to the significantly enhanced aerodynamics, tires with even greater performance, and increased overboost power available at the touch of a button, we were able to beat our previous best times.”

Thanks to the Manthey Kit, a uniquely developed set-up for the car, the With Weissach Package, the Taycan Turbo GT was able to gather an even higher level of performance.

Moreover, extensive aerodynamic measures of the new package helped increase the downforce by more than three times when compared to the normal models.

Read more at Motor Culture!