McLaren DNS under the spotlight as Max Verstappen quit fears hit overdrive – roundup
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen faces the media at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Monday’s fast-paced F1 news includes analysis from the Chinese Grand Prix with McLaren named as the main loser following a double DNS for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
With concerns that Max Verstappen could walk away from Formula 1 due to his discontent with the F1 2026 rules, here’s today’s roundup…
Chinese Grand Prix winners and losers
McLaren has been listed as the main loser in PlanetF1.com’s winners and losers from the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Woking-based team recorded a rare double DNS after the cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri developed technical problems shortly before the start in Shanghai.
It marked a second consecutive DNS for Piastri after he crashed on the reconnaissance lap ahead of his home race in Australia.
Read more: Winners and losers from the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Chinese Grand Prix conclusions: Max Verstappen sabbatical on the cards?
Could Max Verstappen take a sabbatical in the near future? Suddenly it doesn’t sound quite as far-fetched as it once did.
Verstappen, who has been a fierce critic of the new rules for F1 2026, qualified a second off pole position before retiring from the Chinese Grand Prix.
With Mercedes’ driver lineup likely locked down for the medium-to-long term, a stint away from F1 could soon become the most appealing option to Verstappen.
Read more: Chinese GP conclusions: Verstappen sabbatical fear, mixed Hamilton feelings, McLaren Powertrains
Data analysis reveals extent of Red Bull RB22 shortfall
F1 data analysis from the Chinese Grand Prix has revealed that Max Verstappen was an average of 1.7s seconds per lap slower than the race-winning Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli during the race in Shanghai.
Antonelli was generally able to maintain a higher speed than Verstappen through the high-speed corners, where energy harvesting commonly takes place.
Encouragingly, though, straight-line speed has been identified as one of Red Bull’s bright spots.
Read more: Red Bull’s 2026 struggles explained: Why Max Verstappen’s RB22 is losing nearly two seconds
Toto Wolff: Mercedes had no impact on Aston Martin’s Honda switch
Toto Wolff has insisted that Aston Martin’s switch to Honda engines for the F1 2026 season was not driven by Mercedes.
Aston Martin is competing as a works team for the first time in 2026 having entered an exclusive technical partnership with Honda, Red Bull’s previous engine supplier.
The Silverstone-based team enjoyed a close partnership with Mercedes for most of the last two decades.
Read more: Why Aston Martin chose Honda over Mercedes, according to Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff reveals ‘stop with this nonsense’ to Kimi Antonelli
Toto Wolff relayed a message to Kimi Antonelli to “stop with this nonsense” following a mistake in the closing stages of the Chinese Grand Prix.
Antonelli locked up and ran wide at the Turn 14 hairpin in the final laps en route to his maiden F1 victory in Shanghai on Sunday.
Wolff revealed that he instructed Peter Bonnington, Antonelli’s race engineer, to tell his driver to “stop with this nonsense” after the teenager’s brief off.
Read more: Toto Wolff told Kimi Antonelli to ‘stop nonsense’ in China win
