F1 Today | Qualifying changes, Brown testifies, Hamilton hits back

Changes will be made to qualifying sessions in 2026, Zak Brown has been in court testifying, and Lewis Hamilton has responded to Fernando Alonso's radio outburst in Singapore.

FIA and Formula 1 change qualifying format

Changes will be made to qualifying format by the FIA and Formula 1 for the 2026 season.

With the addition of Cadillac next year, making it 11 teams on the grid, one more car from each session will be eliminated, meaning six cars will be cut from Q1 and Q2 to allow the usual ten-car shootout for Q3.

It is a format that has not been seen for nine years, with the 2016 season using this format, the last campaign where 11 teams participated in a season.

Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will join the grid in 2026 when the race for Cadillac - Photo: Cadillac

Brown testifies as McLaren sues driver

Zak Brown has been testifying against IndyCar driver Alex Palou after McLaren hit the four-time champion with a $21 million lawsuit.

The lawsuit is based on contract disputes after Palou previously agreed to join McLaren's IndyCar outfit for the 2024 season, but then told the papaya-coloured team that he would not honour their pre-arranged contract, triggering this feud between the driver and the team.

“We should have been focusing on track performance and finding new sponsors, but you cannot focus on that when you do not know who will be in your car," Brown stated while on the witness stand in London.

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Hamilton hits back at Alonso’s rant

There has been a response from Lewis Hamilton after Fernando Alonso's expletive-filled radio rant at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Spaniard's dismay came after Hamilton nursed his Ferrari home without any brakes, cutting several corners to do so. Alonso came over the radio, venting his frustration at the incident.

The Brit responded to this outburst from the Aston Martin driver over social media, with Hamilton sharing clips from the sitcom 'One Foot in the Grave,' with the main character exclaiming, “I don’t believe it!”

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