Max Verstappen branded ‘weaker link’; Wheatley reveals ‘long conversation’ with Binotto – roundup
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen scratches his head during Bahrain testing
Monday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Max Verstappen being branded the “weaker link” in his lineup for the Nurburgring 24 hours as former Audi F1 boss Jonathan Wheatley reveals a “long conversation” with Mattia Binotto over the team’s power unit.
Let’s blast through the day’s main headlines at breakneck speed…
Max Verstappen the ‘weaker link’ in Nurburgring 24 hours lineup
A television commentator has branded Max Verstappen the “weaker link” in his driver lineup for the Nurburgring 24 hours.
Verstappen announced earlier this month that he will enter the prestigious endurance event at the Nordschleife in May.
The four-time world champion was disqualified after winning an NLS race at the Nurburgring on Saturday.
Read more: Max Verstappen labelled ‘weaker link’ in Nurburgring 24 Hours line-up debate
Jonathan Wheatley reveals ‘long conversation’ with Mattia Binotto over Audi PU
Jonathan Wheatley revealed ahead of his Audi F1 exit that he had a “long conversation” with Mattia Binotto over the team’s F1 2026 engine.
It comes ahead of his expected switch to Aston Martin in a move first revealed by PlanetF1.com last week.
Audi F1 announced Wheatley’s departure with immediate effect last Friday, 48 hours after PlanetF1.com revealed that he had emerged as Adrian Newey’s prime target for the Aston Martin job.
Read more: Jonathan Wheatley reveals ‘long conversation’ with Binotto over Audi PU
Damon Hill raises fresh doubt over George Russell future
Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, has raised fresh doubt over George Russell’s future at Mercedes.
Russell had to wait until the closing months of last season to secure a new Mercedes contract following the team’s high-profile pursuit of Max Verstappen.
The British driver leads the F1 2026 standings by four points entering this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, but Hill fears even a title triumph may not be enough to guarantee his place.
Read more: Damon Hill questions George Russell future despite Mercedes title charge in 2026
What would it mean if Mercedes invested in Alpine?
Flavio Briatore revealed at the recent Chinese Grand Prix that Mercedes is among the parties interested in purchasing a stake in the Alpine F1 team.
It came after the team revealed in January that Christian Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, has expressed an interest in acquiring a slice of the team.
PlanetF1.com editor Mat Coch looks at what it would mean for F1 if Mercedes ends up buying Otro Capital’s stake in the Enstone-based outfit.
Read more: Key concerns raised by Mercedes interest in Alpine investor hunt
Should McLaren build its own F1 engine?
McLaren is back to feeling like a second-class citizen in F1 2026 with the team unable to extract the same performance as the Mercedes factory outfit.
Could the team’s frustrations result in Zak Brown and Andrea Stella looking for a new works partner for the next set of F1 regulations?
Or better still, could McLaren follow Red Bull’s path and produce its own engine? McLaren Powertrains, anyone?
Read more: Why doesn’t McLaren just build its own F1 engine?
