Launch week is here, the paint guns are primed, and the rumor mill is already at full song. Before Red Bull and Racing Bulls pull the covers on Thursday, here’s what’s moving the needle in the paddock.
Hamilton backed to steady the ship at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton’s first year in red was never going to be a fairy tale on demand, and Jock Clear knows it. The veteran Ferrari engineer has urged patience after what he called a “tough time” for Hamilton in 2025, pointing to a familiar playbook in Maranello: even Michael Schumacher needed space and seasons to bend the team to his will. The message between the lines is clear—settle, build, and don’t mistake a rough first chapter for the end of the story. With 2026’s reset looming, Ferrari’s priority is giving Hamilton a car he can live with, then a car he can win with. In that order.
Russell reveals a porpoising demo that was too risky to run
George Russell lifted the lid on just how violent Mercedes’ early-ground-effect era porpoising really was. He and Hamilton wanted to recreate the Azerbaijan-spec bouncing for a senior designer at the factory—only for health and safety to shut it down as “too dangerous.” It tracks with what we saw and heard in 2022: drivers bruised, backs battered, and a sport scrambling for solutions. The takeaway isn’t nostalgia; it’s a reminder of how far the teams have come to tame these cars, and how quickly it can unravel when the aero window slams shut.
Ford won’t hinge its F1 future on Verstappen’s signature
Ford Performance boss Mark Rushbrook says the American giant’s commitment to its Red Bull power unit project isn’t tied to Max Verstappen’s presence. Verstappen is under contract through 2028, with the usual performance levers baked in, but Ford’s message is steady-as-she-goes: the partnership stands regardless. It’s a useful signal as the 2026 engine era approaches—this isn’t a marketing cameo. For Red Bull, it also projects calm in a paddock that reacts to the Dutchman’s every hint of discontent like a seismometer.
Alex Dunne parts ways with McLaren, eyes Alpine pathway
Alex Dunne is understood to be progressing talks for a 2026 test and reserve role at Alpine after stepping away from McLaren’s development program late in 2025. The Irishman has been upfront: he wants the quickest route to a Formula 1 seat. Alpine needs pipeline momentum and flexibility after a bruising campaign, and a motivated young driver with fresh mileage could suit both sides—especially with the 2026 machinery providing a natural reset for evaluation.
Alpine bins the timelines and gets back to basics
Speaking of Enstone, new managing director Steve Nielsen has torn up the 100-race plan and any other deadline-driven forecasts. After finishing last in the 2025 Constructors’ standings, Alpine’s rebuild is about foundations rather than forecasts. Put another way: less slogan, more substance. With a clean-sheet rules package on the horizon, this is the sensible play—no hostages to fortune, just the grind of stabilizing the car, the operations, and the culture.
Williams taps Victor Martins as test driver
Williams has picked up Victor Martins as its new test driver, a smart add for a team that’s been rebuilding its driver ecosystem while sharpening up trackside execution. Martins brings speed and feedback, the two currencies a modern simulator program lives on. It’s also another sign that driver development isn’t just academy-to-seat anymore; it’s about integrated, real-time support for the race squad.
The week ahead: color first, answers later
Red Bull and Racing Bulls will be first out of the blocks on Thursday, which means we get liveries and vibes before we get lap times. It’s worth the reminder every February: launch cars are often decoys, and renders lie. Still, the messaging matters—especially for Red Bull as it balances a dominant recent past with the heavy lift of a new power unit era.
As for Hamilton, don’t read too much into a hard opening act. Ferrari has seen this film before, and it ends well when the pieces click. If nothing else, 2026 guarantees a fresh script for everyone.
Now, back to the countdown clock. Launch season waits for no one.
