Today\u2019s F1 news round-up sees Max Verstappen opening up on his title chances while a Mercedes sponsor faces criticism.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get stuck into the latest news for Wednesday, October 8, 2025.<\/p>\n
F1 news: Max Verstappen opens up on Christian Horner era<\/p>\n
Max Verstappen spoke of a positive relationship with new Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies, who operates with a \u201cvery honest\u201d approach, which resonates with him.<\/p>\n
But, as the Red Bull team embarks on a \u201cdifferent strategy\u201d with Mekies in charge,\u00a0Verstappen\u00a0stressed that experiences lived when Christian Horner was \u201cat the helm\u201d, such as winning his first World Championship in 2021, are memories which he will forever look back on very fondly and cherish.<\/p>\n
Read more:\u00a0Max Verstappen makes Christian Horner admission amid Red Bull \u2018strategy\u2019 change<\/a><\/p>\n F1 news: Petronas CEO faces champagne criticism<\/p>\n Petronas\u2019 CEO and president, Tengku Muhammad Taufik, has issued an apology amidst criticisms within Malaysia for his part in Mercedes\u2019 podium celebrations in Singapore last weekend.<\/p>\n Taufik was the representative sent up onto the podium for Mercedes at Marina Bay last weekend, collecting the Constructors\u2019 trophy for the team following George Russell\u2019s controlled victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.<\/p>\n Read more:\u00a0Petronas CEO faces criticism despite apology for F1 podium champagne spraying<\/a><\/p>\n More analysis from PlanetF1.com:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\u00a0F1 uncovered: Hidden details revealed under the lights in Singapore<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\u00a0Russell to stay? Predicting the next move for every out-of-contract F1 driver<\/a><\/p>\n F1 news: So, what are Max Verstappen\u2019s WDC chances?<\/p>\n Despite taking points off the McLaren drivers for the third successive race, Max Verstappen downplayed his chances of winning the World title as he says Lando Norris was faster in Singapore, just the nature of the track allowed him to keep him behind him.<\/p>\n Scoring 68 points in the three races, Verstappen has outscored both championship leader Oscar Piastri, who brought in just 27, and runner-up Norris, 45.<\/p>\n Read more:\u00a0What Max Verstappen claimed about McLaren after \u2018remarkable\u2019 title win<\/a><\/p>\n F1 news: Ferrari address Hamilton brake failure<\/p>\n Fred Vasseur dispelled any notion that Lewis Hamilton\u2019s SF-25 was in an unsafe condition in the closing laps of the Singapore Grand Prix, adamant it was safe because he slowed down.<\/p>\n Hamilton was one of only three drivers to adopt a two-stop strategy at the Marina Bay circuit and used his fresh soft Pirellis to try to hunt down Kimi Antonelli for sixth place.<\/p>\n