Ferrari makes decision on rotating rear wing; Hamilton makes Mercedes admission – roundup
Toto Wolff oversaw the best years of Lewis Hamilton's career at Mercedes
Thursday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Lewis Hamilton confirming Ferrari will use its rotating rear wing at the Chinese Grand Prix, as well as putting a firm number on the team’s current F1 2026 deficit to Mercedes.
Let’s charge through the day’s main headlines at breakneck speed…
Lewis Hamilton: Rotating Ferrari rear wing returns at Chinese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that Ferrari will use its rotating rear wing at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
It comes despite PlanetF1.com detailing the potential “drawbacks” of the design during pre-season testing in Bahrain last month.
PlanetF1.com tech editor Matt Somerfield revealed last month that other teams had considered adopting a similar design for F1 2026.
Read more: Lewis Hamilton confirms Ferrari rear wing decision for Chinese GP despite ‘potential drawbacks’
Max Verstappen compares F1 2026 rules to Mario Kart
Max Verstappen has quipped that he has swapped his simulator for a Nintendo Switch in search of a more accurate reflection of the F1 2026 cars.
The Red Bull driver has been a fierce critic of the new rules for the F1 2026, likening the new-look to Formula 1 to “Formula E on steroids” in pre-season testing last month.
Verstappen announced earlier this week that he will compete in the Nurburgring 24-hour race in May.
Read more: Max Verstappen jokes he swapped simulator for Mario Kart but insists he won’t leave F1
Fernando Alonso revisits ‘GP2 engine’ comment amid latest Honda woes
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso says Honda’s struggles with its F1 2026 power unit have made people understand why he was so critical of the Japanese manufacturer during his McLaren career.
Alonso memorably branded Honda’s powertrain a “GP2 engine” over team radio during its home race at Suzuka in 2015.
Aston Martin has had a troubled start to its new partnership with Aston Martin with a vibration issue proving problematic.
Read more: Alonso reflects on ‘GP2 engine’ saga amid Aston Martin-Honda woes
Aston Martin and Honda refuse to disclose battery amount for Chinese Grand Prix
Aston Martin and Honda have refused to disclose the number of batteries the team has at its disposal at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Honda’s vibration issues has resulted in damage to a number of batteries over recent weeks, limiting Aston Martin’s running so far this season.
The Japanese manufacturer claimed to have made progress in resolving the vibrations in Australia last week.
Read more: Aston Martin shut down battery talk for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in China
Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari 0.5s slower than Mercedes in race trim
Lewis Hamilton has admitted that Ferrari is unlikely to catch Mercedes in the short term in F1 2026, estimating a half-a-second-per-lap deficit in race trim.
And he believes that Mercedes’ advantage is “mostly” on the straights, with the W17s of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli taking “a huge step” when active aero is deployed.
Charles Leclerc added that Ferrari is “definitely not” at the level of Mercedes at this stage of the season, with Hamilton raising doubts over whether the W17 can be caught in the short term.
Read more: Where is Ferrari losing out to Mercedes? Hamilton details 0.5s per lap deficit
