Formula 1 3 Days

Last updated: May 16, 2026, 2:41 PM ET

Ownership & Governance

McLaren Racing CEO Andrea Stella has raised formal objections to Mercedes acquiring a stake in Alpine, writing directly to the FIA over what he described as a concerning precedent for manufacturer control of a second team. The letter comes as Jason Somerville, the former FIA head of aerodynamics, has formally joined Alpine in a senior role, replacing six months of gardening leave after being lured away from the governing body. Stella's intervention frames the Alpine-Mercedes arrangement as a competitive integrity risk, particularly given Racing Bulls' existing tolerance within the grid structure.

Power Unit Development

In a rare behind-the-scenes account, Red Bull and Ford reportedly engineered a competitive F1 power unit in their debut season, overcoming early scepticism from rivals who doubted the partnership could close the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari. Toto Wolff himself acknowledged the challenge during a Dutch press session in Zandvoort, offering insight into how the two teams accelerated development timelines that typically span multiple seasons.

Midfield Battle

Haas is growing anxious about losing ground to Alpine after a muted performance at its Miami home race left the American outfit slipping from fourth to sixth in the constructors' standings. Alpine, bolstered by Somerville's technical expertise and a surge in development pace, now trails Haas by a narrower margin heading into the summer stretch, setting up a tighter fight for the upper-midfield positions.