The Official F1 2026 silly season *contains speculation*

[vaud]

hondajack85 said:

While it looks good in a holiday brochure ,spending all your time in Switzerland is not for everyone as you leave a well established life behind in the uk.

Switzerland is great IF you understand the culture.

Language is optional as English is a bridge language. I prefer French speaking areas as I speak reasonable French as well as English.

But the culture is very different. Personally I like it but it is not for everyone.

[asfault]

vaud said:

hondajack85 said:

While it looks good in a holiday brochure ,spending all your time in Switzerland is not for everyone as you leave a well established life behind in the uk.

Switzerland is great IF you understand the culture.

Language is optional as English is a bridge language. I prefer French speaking areas as I speak reasonable French as well as English.

But the culture is very different. Personally I like it but it is not for everyone.

What is different about the culture and way of life?
Genuinely interested to know.

[entropy]

hondajack85 said:

Dunno why there is shock and stuff about the Wheatley thing. He probably saw he was duplicating Binotto in everything.
While it looks good in a holiday brochure ,spending all your time in Switzerland is not for everyone as you leave a well established life behind in the uk. Who is to say Audi,Binotto and the swizz didn't prefer their own company.

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

[thegreenhell]

entropy said:

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

I imagine he simply resigned. It's just a job, not a prison sentence.

[732NM]

thegreenhell said:

entropy said:

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

I imagine he simply resigned. It's just a job, not a prison sentence.

Or was asked/told to leave.

It's a private affair, just like any job change often is. F1 is no different from any other job, and life has a habit of changing peoples plans. Hopefully it's nothing important outside the job.

[Petrus1983]

I'm finding that 2026 really has had a messy start. 2 McLarens not starting despite being defending World Champions, Aston Martin fielding an awful car, TP changes after 2 races, races cancelled. It's not looking like the pinnacle of Motorsport at all.

[Milkyway]

Petrus1983 said:

I'm finding that 2026 really has had a messy start. 2 McLarens not starting despite being defending World Champions, Aston Martin fielding an awful car, TP changes after 2 races, races cancelled. It's not looking like the pinnacle of Motorsport at all.

Trump going to war wasn't planned by the FIA.., perhaps they should cancel the US GPs too.
(So inconsiderate of him).

[732NM]

Petrus1983 said:

I'm finding that 2026 really has had a messy start. 2 McLarens not starting despite being defending World Champions, Aston Martin fielding an awful car, TP changes after 2 races, races cancelled. It's not looking like the pinnacle of Motorsport at all.

It's looking very much like F1 to me at the start of a new era.

The race cancellations are hardly the blame of F1, everything is being affected by the stshow unfolding in the region.

What's surprising is they have let Briatore back in the official TP events like the PC, which means they must have given him the required FIA official status, which he didn't have last year.

[Petrus1983]

732NM said:

Petrus1983 said:

I'm finding that 2026 really has had a messy start. 2 McLarens not starting despite being defending World Champions, Aston Martin fielding an awful car, TP changes after 2 races, races cancelled. It's not looking like the pinnacle of Motorsport at all.

It's looking very much like F1 to me at the start of a new era.

The race cancellations are hardly the blame of F1, everything is being affected by the stshow unfolding in the region.

What's surprising is they have let Briatore back in the official TP events like the PC, which means they must have given him the required FIA official status, which he didn't have last year.

I agree with the race cancellations. Hadn't noticed FB was now official TP - that guy must have some dirt on the paddock officials.

[Milkyway]

Petrus1983 said:

I agree with the race cancellations. Hadn't noticed FB was now official TP - that guy must have some dirt on the paddock officials.

He's just holding the door open for Christian.

[Petrus1983]

Milkyway said:

Petrus1983 said:

I agree with the race cancellations. Hadn't noticed FB was now official TP - that guy must have some dirt on the paddock officials.

He's just holding the door open for Christian.

I know he can be annoying - but ai would like to see him hback.

[vaud]

entropy said:

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

Can’t force someone to work for you.

It’s either a negotiation (following the contract terms or a midpoint) or Aston paying a lot of money for a negotiated release. Or both. Or neither.

[Milkyway]

vaud said:

entropy said:

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

Can t force someone to work for you.

It s either a negotiation (following the contract terms or a midpoint) or Aston paying a lot of money for a negotiated release. Or both. Or neither.

CH would be in the pink too.

[R4EVS]

entropy said:

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

Maybe he was dismissed when it was discovered he was having negotiations with AMR behind their back? The timing seems awfully co-incidental.

[Arrivalist]

R4EVS said:

entropy said:

How the hell Audi let Wheatley go so easily? Swiss employment laws?

Maybe he was dismissed when it was discovered he was having negotiations with AMR behind their back? The timing seems awfully co-incidental.

Or maybe they took the pragmatic view that there’s no point keeping an employee who obviously wants to leave.

[thegreenhell]

It seems not beyond the bounds of possibility that Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso could all leave F1 at the end of this year.

[vaud]

thegreenhell said:

It seems not beyond the bounds of possibility that Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso could all leave F1 at the end of this year.

Imagine a Le Mans 24hr with those three as the drivers for a team…

[paulguitar]

vaud said:

thegreenhell said:

It seems not beyond the bounds of possibility that Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso could all leave F1 at the end of this year.

Imagine a Le Mans 24hr with those three as the drivers for a team

There wouldn't be much point in anyone else even showing up.

[suffolk009]

paulguitar said:

vaud said:

thegreenhell said:

It seems not beyond the bounds of possibility that Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso could all leave F1 at the end of this year.

Imagine a Le Mans 24hr with those three as the drivers for a team

There wouldn't be much point in anyone else even showing up.

Can you imagine the arguments about who does the start...

[SpudLink]

suffolk009 said:

paulguitar said:

vaud said:

thegreenhell said:

It seems not beyond the bounds of possibility that Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso could all leave F1 at the end of this year.

Imagine a Le Mans 24hr with those three as the drivers for a team

There wouldn't be much point in anyone else even showing up.

Can you imagine the arguments about who does the start...

That is a “behind the scenes” documentary I would pay to watch.