Wednesday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Oscar Piastri suffering a setback during Pirelli’s tyre test at the Nurburgring with McLaren and Mercedes.
With Fernando Alonso testing a WEC-style Aston Martin Valkyrie during F1’s extended April break, here’s today’s roundup…
Oscar Piastri suffers technical issue in Nurburgring tyre test
Oscar Piastri saw his running limited by a McLaren technical problem on the first day of a Pirelli tyre test at the Nurburgring on Tuesday.
McLaren and Mercedes are carrying out two days of running at the Nurburgring this week, marking the first time current F1 machinery has taken to the German circuit since the one-off Eifel Grand Prix in 2020.
Piastri’s disrupted running meant he completed just 65 laps compared to the 127 carried out by George Russell.
Read more: Oscar Piastri’s Nurburgring test cut short as McLaren hit by test issue
Fernando Alonso tests WEC-style Aston Martin Valkyrie at Paul Ricard
Fernando Alonso has carried out a test with a WEC-style Aston Martin Valkyrie at Paul Ricard.
Alonso drove a Valkyrie LM – described by Aston Martin as the ‘ultimate incarnation’ of the car used in the WEC and IMSA – at the former French Grand Prix circuit.
The Valkyrie was designed by Adrian Newey, the current Aston Martin team principal, during his stint with Red Bull.
Read more: Watch: Fernando Alonso tests Newey-designed Aston Martin Valkyrie at Paul Ricard
Fred Vasseur agrees with Lewis Hamilton over key Ferrari SF-26 weakness
Fred Vasseur has acknowledged that the Ferrari SF-26 has a “deficit of performance” in terms of straight-line speed.
It comes just weeks after Lewis Hamilton highlighted Ferrari’s straight-line performance as a weakness in its battle with Mercedes.
Ferrari has finished on the podium at each of the three races held so far in F1 2026.
Read more: Ferrari admits clear SF-26 ‘deficit’ after Lewis Hamilton spots ‘huge’ Mercedes ‘step’
Jos Verstappen: Ralf Schumacher ‘talks a lot of bulls**t’
Jos Verstappen has dismissed Ralf Schumacher’s claim that Max Verstappen and Red Bull are missing the presence of Helmut Marko in F1 2026.
Marko parted ways with Red Bull GmbH at the end of last year having played an instrumental role in the Austrian brand’s F1 activities for more than two decades.
Four-time world champion Verstappen revealed last month that he remains in contact with Marko.
Read more: ‘Ralf talks a lot of bulls**t’ – Jos Verstappen responds to Schumacher’s latest Red Bull claim
Join the debate: Biggest disappointment of F1 2026
What’s been the biggest disappointment of the F1 2026 season so far?
The new rules have been met with a largely lukewarm response with Aston Martin and Williams failing to live up to their pre-2026 promise.
Join the debate with our writers.
Read more: Biggest F1 2026 disappointments: Red Bull mismatch, false Williams start, whining drivers