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Leclerc shows team photos of his daughter Bianca

Charles Leclerc was the centre of attention ahead of first practice. Everyone wanted to see his newborn daughter Bianca.

There are now five fathers in the paddock. Alongside Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hülkenberg and Sergio Pérez also have children.

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Latest news from the world of Formula 1 — short, fast, current.

McLaren even brought upgrades to Sao Paulo

McLaren brought a new front wing to Brazil, featuring a slightly flattened nose that connects to the wing’s second element rather than the first.

The following photograph compares the new design (top) with the old one (bottom).

Brazilian FP1 set to feature a host of young drivers

As in Mexico, first practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix will feature plenty of young drivers. The following will be taking to the track:

  • McLaren: Leonardo Fornaroli (in place of Oscar Piastri)
  • Ferrari: Dino Beganovic (in place of Charles Leclerc)
  • Williams: Luke Browning (in place of Carlos Sainz)
  • Haas: Rafael Câmara
  • Audi: Freddie Slater (in place of Nico Hülkenberg)
  • Alpine: Gabriele Mini (in place of Pierre Gasly)
  • Cadillac: Colton Herta (in place of Sergio Pérez)

George Russell to receive penalty in Sao Paulo

George Russell will start Sunday’s race in Sao Paulo from sixth at best after Mercedes opted to fit a new engine beyond his permitted allocation. The British driver will therefore take a five-place grid penalty.

Interlagos: Drivers must apply the equivalent of 104 kilograms of force to the brake pedal

According to brake supplier Brembo, the first corner at Interlagos presents the biggest challenge for the brakes.

Cars slow from 312 to 115 km/h in just under three seconds over a distance of 156 metres. Drivers experience 3.7 G under braking and must apply a force equivalent to 104 kilograms to the brake pedal. Peak braking power reaches 1,568 kW.

FIA to monitor compression ratio while cars are running from next year

The compression ratio controversy has all but faded from fans’ minds, but discussions continued in the paddock.

According to the Italian edition of motorsport.com, stricter checks will be introduced from the start of the 2027 season. The FIA will be able to monitor the compression ratio while the car is running, with a new sensor to be fitted inside the combustion chamber.

Title permutations: Mercedes could clinch constructors’ championship in Sao Paulo

The Silver Arrows have celebrated Kimi Antonelli’s drivers’ title and could be toasting the constructors’ crown on Sunday.

Assuming the 2026 season is completed as originally scheduled, including the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, Mercedes need to score three more points than Ferrari in Sao Paulo.

They currently lead the Scuderia by 126 points, but must hold an advantage of at least 129 points after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen won from fifth on the grid and broke his own record

Max Verstappen is known for not needing to start in the top three to win. Until now, however, the Dutchman had never won from fifth on the grid.

He finally did so at the Mexican Grand Prix, extending his own record: he has now won from 11 different grid positions: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 14th and 17th.

Fernando Alonso ranks second on this list, having won from nine different grid positions. Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, David Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton have each won from eight different starting positions.

Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton: 2018 vs. 2026

In 2018, Lewis Hamilton shook hands with Kimi Antonelli, who was among the children on the grid at the Italian Grand Prix as part of the Grid Kids programme.

Eight years later, it was Antonelli shaking hands with youngsters, himself soon to become the youngest world champion in history.

Who knows whether one of these boys will be a leading light in Mexican motorsport in eight years’ time?

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Hamilton received well-meaning but ultimately unhelpful advice during the race

A race engineer’s job is to advise the driver on how to get the most out of the car. During Sunday’s race, Lewis Hamilton received some well-intentioned advice that ultimately proved useless.

“You have overtake and boost on the main straight,” Hamilton’s race engineer Carlo Santi advised him, outlining the tools at his disposal to attack Verstappen.

The seven-time champion asked with a sigh: “How am I supposed to overtake a Red Bull engine?”

Even in Mexico’s thin air, Ferrari struggled with a lack of straight-line speed. Its smaller turbo helped at the start and on corner exits, but towards the end of the straights, its rivals’ larger turbos and more powerful power units overall came into their own. Hamilton, however, believes the Scuderia can overcome this disadvantage in 2027.

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