- Helmut Marko has confirmed that Max Verstappen has an exit clause i♋n his new Formula 1 contract.

The 2021 F1 champio🤪n signed committed his long term future to the team until 2028 after signing a new deal with Red Bull ahead of the season.

Famously, Sebasti🌠an Vettel had an exit clause in his contract in 2014 which allowed him to switch to Ferrari for the following season.

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While Red Bull finished second in the constructors’ championship, 300 points behind Mercedes, Vettel slumped to fifth🍰 in the drivers’ championship without a race win, co⛄mpared to teammate Daniel Ricciardo who won three times.

Marko revealed that if Red Bull struggled for performance then Verstappen would be al🅘lowed to leave the te♊am. 

Marko said to : “Of course. If we experience a ‘crash’ like in 2014, when we had✤ absolutely 𒈔no chance against Mercedes on the engine side, then it’s clear there is an escape clause.”

- According to reports in ⛦the German press, Audi 🍌has improved its bid to secure a stake in the McLaren Formula 1 team.

Volkswagen Group brandsꦅ Audi and Porsche have been exploring entering F1 ahead of the new 2026 engine rules.

♊Porsche has been linked with Red Bull, while Audi remains heavily associated with McꦜLaren.

- According to , only Alfa Romeo is at the 798kg min♔imum weight limit for this year.

Red Bull and Mercedes are understood to be 15kg overweight, while current championship leaders Ferrari is 10kg above the min🎐imum threshold. 

McLaren and Haas are 5kg above it.

- Chris𒁏tian Horne🌞r has described the timing of Ricciardo’s decision to leave Red Bull as “spectacularly bad”.

In an interview with Australia’s , Horner said: “We put offers in front of him that were stratospheric,” Horner said. “But Daniel could see Max (Verst𝓀appen) in the ascendancy and he didn't want to become thꦚe second driver.

“His ti👍ming was spectacularly bad bec♋ause obviously, he had doubts about the Honda engine and then [Honda] went on to prove there it was a competitive power unit and a race-winning package.”

After more reliability wo꧋es at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso will be forced to take a third ICE for Melbourne this weekend. (Autohebdo)

- Organ🌳isers of ꦅthe Sepang International Circuit say they have no intention of hosting a Formula 1 grand prix again in the future. ()

Malaysia last hosted an🧸 F1 race in 2016 but hasn’t made a return since despite strong support from f🧸ans.

"We should look at the big picture holistically, at how F1 can benefit not only the company but also Malaysia in terms of branding, ability to provide employment opportunities, 🌳talent development and others.

"So, when we ✱pay for the relatively high (F1) organising rights, the return should b🍸e high overall, not only from the SIC aspect."

- George Russell believes Mercedes can still be ‘the team to beat’ once it solves its current issu꧟es.

As qಞuoted by , Russell said: “Even if it goes all the way into the♕ summer break, you’ve got so many races after that.

“If we continue to maximise our points and damage limitation to be within touching distance, if we come out and suddenly resolve all our issues and we are th🎀e team to beat, there’s no reason why we can’t overturn the deficit.

“We 🀅all have excitement that a ꦜsolution can be found.”