The week comes to a close with another busy, fast-pace run through the latest Formula 1 news headlines.<\/p>\n
Marco Bezzecchi, championship leader of the Liberty Media-owned MotoGP series, was banned from the Czech Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz has claimed that a time-saving clause in the Red Bull contract of Max Verstappen exists. All of this and more, so let\u2019s get to it.<\/p>\n
Marco Bezzecchi sidelined for Czech Grand Prix<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n The Italian was excluded from taking part in Sunday\u2019s Czech Grand Prix in Brno after pushing and then striking a marshal.<\/p>\n PlanetF1.com\u2019s Thomas Maher took a deep dive into the incident, and explained why banning Bezzecchi was the right call.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Why banning MotoGP\u2019s answer to Kimi Antonelli is the right call<\/a><\/p>\n New Max Verstappen contract clause claimed<\/p>\n Drivers rarely talk about the contract of another. However, Sainz broke rank when it came to former teammate Max Verstappen.<\/p>\n When discussing the extreme off-track time commitments which come with being a Formula 1 driver, Sainz suggested that Verstappen\u2019s contractual exemption affords him more spare time.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Carlos Sainz makes intriguing Max Verstappen Red Bull contract claim<\/a><\/p>\n Aston Martin declared \u2018not F1 standard\u2019<\/p>\n For Aston Martin and Honda, the first season of this partnership has so far been a challenging experience.<\/p>\n Aston Martin is waiting for a substantial upgrade package, rather than introducing smaller gains, and the team suffered in Barcelona, forming the back row and recording a double DNF.<\/p>\n Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner, characteristically, went in hot, claiming that Aston Martin is no longer operating at \u201cF1 standards.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Guenther Steiner: Aston Martin \u2018not F1 standard anymore\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Lewis Hamilton title talk cautioned<\/p>\n Barcelona was a far more positive experience for Hamilton, who opened his Ferrari grand prix victory account, and improved to second in the championship.<\/p>\n Naturally, this has turbo-charged talk of a push for his record eighth title. PlanetF1.com\u2019s Henry Valantine explains why one should not get ahead of themselves.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Is Lewis Hamilton a title contender now?<\/a><\/p>\n Mercedes more worried by Ferrari than McLaren<\/p>\n Hamilton ended Mercedes\u2019 100 per cent winning record by taking the chequered flag in Barcelona.<\/p>\n Mercedes\u2019 James Allison believes it\u2019s Ferrari, not McLaren, that has been able to claw back performance against his team since the season started.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Why Ferrari, not McLaren, has Mercedes worried in championship threat<\/a><\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n