Following on from the recent extension of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull contract until at least the end of the 2030 season, McLaren has also announced that it has agreed the same for its reigning Formula 1 world champion, Lando Norris, who is also now set to remain with the Woking-based team for at least the same timescale, with a multi-year option to remain beyond that. The 26-year-old British driver made a personal appearance at the team’s annual family and friends day at its headquarters on the Saturday before Monza to express his excitement about the news and confirm his ongoing commitment to the outfit.

In addition to an undoubtedly, if undisclosed, significant increase in annual remuneration, the likeable driver was also delighted to be handed the MCL39 McLaren car in which he had won his world title last year. Meanwhile, Australia’s Oscar Piastri is set to remain as his teammate until at least the end of 2028. These major contract extensions for both Norris and the 28-year-old Verstappen mean that next year’s driver line-up is now pretty much set, with the exception of the ongoing situation regarding the veteran Fernando Alonso, as the 45-year-old Spaniard still ponders whether to continue racing for Aston Martin in 2027 or retire while perhaps remaining with the team in another capacity.

Ferrari ran its pair of cars at Monza in a one-off special livery, paying tribute to the lasting legacy of its most successful driver ever, the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. There were plenty of small changes to this year’s livery, but the most noticeable ones were the additional red paintwork replacing white on the airbox/engine cover and around the cockpit as well as the gold elements added to the wheels. The German four-time world champion and former Ferrari driver, Sebastien Vettel, was also present at Monza to drive a lap of the circuit in an iconic Ferrari F2002 car before the start of the Grand Prix.

There is a real sense of anticipation about the return this coming weekend of Formula 1 to the Spanish capital city of Madrid after over four decades since it last hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, a role it has now taken from Barcelona. The Formula 1 round will take place on a brand new circuit called the Madring, although preparations have seemingly been interrupted by the theft of approximately 300 metres of cabling, with police now investigating the incident. Fortunately this shouldn’t have any impact on the running of the event’s three-day timetable.



Isack Hadjar’s unfortunate boxing-related wrist fracture during a summer break gym session has been very unwelcome for the French driver, as he had been performing well for Red Bull after being promoted from Racing Bulls to be Max Verstappen’s teammate this season. He needs to ensure he is fully recovered before returning to race action, and his team well knows the situation and is monitoring his progress closely. F1 driving still demands much from drivers’ wrists, and a premature return could spell further trouble.



In the meantime, it has given New Zealand’s Liam Lawson, who was demoted from the Red Bull team to Racing Bulls after just two races last season, an opportunity to show how much he has matured in the intervening period. Also, Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda, dropped by Red Bull after last year, was relaxing on holiday on a Greek beach while seeking a race drive in the USA for 2027, when he got a call from Red Bull at just a few days’ notice, asking him to cover Lawson’s Racing Bulls seat at Zandvoort. He’s very unlikely to be part of the driver pairings for either of the Red Bull teams next year, but he’s been loving a very unexpected opportunity to again show what he can do on the global Formula 1 stage.



In other news, there has been a further significant development regarding the two five-second pitlane speeding penalties given to Alpine’s Pierre Gasly at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, against which the team had successfully appealed to secure third place over Red Bull’s Hadjar. However, following the subsequent submissions given by both Red Bull and McLaren to the FIA governing body’s International Court of Appeal, the original race result as at the chequered flag has been reinstated. This means that Hadjar has gratefully reclaimed his first podium finish for Red Bull, with Gasly dropping to seventh, but it goes without saying that this left Alpine’s executive advisor, Flavio Briatore, in a far from happy mood, even questioning the neutrality of one of the judges! At least the latter was far happier, come the surprise pole position Gasly earned for the team on Saturday afternoon.



On a lighter front and despite the stifling heat in northern Italy, F1’s long-time greatest showman, Lewis Hamilton, turned up at the Monza circuit for Thursday’s media day dressed in a godfather-esque dark suit with shirt, tie and hat and with a heavy tan overcoat draped around his shoulders, similar to the outfit he wore when at Ferrari’s private Fiorano test track early last year. He also arrived driving his classic Ferrari F40 car, which bore the number plate 44.