01/08/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | AUG 1, 2026

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F1 2026 mid-season grades Mercedes riding high but where do calamitous Aston Martin rank?

10. Williams – D Similarly to Aston, though not quite so cata strophic, Williams have also disappointed in a year which team principal James Vowles had long claimed was his primary target. What makes Williams’ decline – just 11 points from 11 rounds – more perplexing is that they have the best engine (Mercedes) in their car. Weight issues blighted their early rounds; raw speed has been lacking in recent months. There is plenty of talk that Carlos Sainz is looking elsewhere for 2027 and beyond. It feels like a big summer for the Grove-based squad. 9. Cadillac – C While the new American outfit are the only point-less team, a minor technical fault meant they cruelly missed out on a top-10 finish in Monaco. Patience is a virtue and the experienced duo of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will cer tainly have needed all their fortitude in abun dance so far. Q1 has been their regular qualifying exit phase and they have been languishing at the rear of the field during grands prix. Unsurprisingly, a work in progress. 8. Haas – C It has been a barren run for Haas: no points in their last five races. They had such a promising start, too. Ollie Bearman finished seventh and fifth in Australia and China respectively to open up the season, but the Briton has secured just one top-10 finish since his big crash in Japan in round three. Esteban Ocon has just three points to his name and question marks are swirling about his future. Will team boss Ayao Komatsu afford him more time? 7. Audi – C+ Not only a new team but a new engine manu facturer, Audi have performed admirably amid an uncertain start of the season. The shock resigna tion of Jonathan Wheatley as team principal was a

3. McLaren – B The reigning world champions endured a nightmare start, with Oscar Piastri falling to start his home race in Australia and both Piastri and Lando Norris unable to take to the start line in China. But since then, their improvement has been gradual but visible. Clearly, Norris’s first win as world champion in Hungary was the high point. Yet they are not in championship contention, whether it be the drivers’ or constructors,’ which will disappoint the highly talented team at Woking. How quickly will they shift attention to 2027? 2. Ferrari – A The Scuderia are back – and yet there still remains an underlying sense of what could have been. Hamilton’s first victory in red in Barcelona was the moment of the season so far. Charles Leclerc’s first win in nearly two years in Silverstone was also a much-needed boost for the Monegasque, 31 points behind his team mate. Yet they have still left plenty of points on the table. Hamilton is 50 points off Antonelli, who will take some catching. It’s a tough ask – but not insurmountable. We could be in for a thrilling run-in. 1. Mercedes – A As mentioned, while the Silver Arrows’ dominance is not too surprising, the driver at the top is a shock. Antonelli has looked superb, both in qualifying and in-race. A wise head on inexperienced shoulders, he has a terrific opportunity to become the youngest-ever F1 world champion this season. For Russell, it has been one problem after the next: mechanical issues, a lack of confidence and engine power have been just some of them. The only solace is: surely it can only get better after the summer break?

Ű BY KIERAN JACKSON

hammer blow but former Audi endurance driver Allan McNish has restored order at the German team. Nico Hulkenberg was finally rewarded for his consistent form with his first top-10 finish in Hungary while Gabriel Bortoleto has three top-10 finishes to his name. 6. Alpine – B Having binned off their 2025 car to start work on their 2026 challenger early, Alpine are back in the midfield fight this season. In fact, there have only been two rounds where they have failed to score points. Franco Colapinto, having not scored a point last year, has shown promise and put to rest talk that reserve driver Paul Aron could receive a call-up. Pierre Gasly’s reinstated podium at Monaco was undoubtedly the high light – even if they were robbed of the post-race celebrations. 5. Racing Bulls – B+ It has been a really strong season so far from Red Bull’s sister team. They are consistently at the top of the midfield and with Liam Lawson and British rookie Arvid Lindblad, they have two driv ers eager to impress onlookers up and down the paddock. Lindblad, in particular, has shone and has scored points in his last six races. The only dis appointment? For all their top-10 finishes, not one has been in the top-five. 4. Red Bull – B A mixed bag for the once-great Red Bull, really. Their first year producing their own power unit alongside Ford has, theoretically, seen them named as the strongest engine manufacturer. However, their chassis is blighted with consistent handling and unpredictability issues, both expressed in typically forthright fashion from Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. Verstappen has claimed four podiums in total but there is much doubt about his future at Red Bull. Could this year actually mark the end of their time together?

A MERCEDES driver leading the Formula 1 world championship at the halfway stage of the season is not too much of a surprise, given their predicted engine dominance. What is more startling, however, is the man occupying top spot. Kimi Antonelli, at just 19 years of age and in his second season in Formula 1, has grabbed the mantle while his teammate George Russell, the clear pre-season favourite, has flailed in the wind. With 11 races down and – after a round in Sepang was added for October – 12 races to go, there is time for Russell to claw back what is a 59 point deficit. But Antonelli’s poise and raw speed in winning six races so far this season has been mightily impressive. Russell is not even positioned in second. After such an underwhelming debut year at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton is right back in the fight with the Scuderia and, after claiming his first win in red in Barcelona, is Antonelli’s closest challenger, 50 points behind. But what is the mid-season report for all 11 teams as they head for their summer break? Here’s the rankings and grades, from worst to best. 11. Aston Martin – E Has there been a more calamitous link-up in modern-day Formula 1 than Aston Martin and Honda? The season which was meant to mark Aston’s emergence as a world championship con tender has seen them drop hopelessly to the back of the grid. The issues have been endless: car vibrations, power unit failures, nerve damage con cerns for drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Even the great Adrian Newey has looked like a man devoid of hope. One can only wonder what the reaction of owner Lawrence Stroll has been behind the scenes. But… is there hope? Sixteen upgrades were brought to the car in Hungary and saw Alonso make Q2 for the first time. There was marked improvement in lap time – but they’ve got a long way to go.

The Independent

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli (front) in action at the start of the Hungarian GP at Hungaroring, Budapest on Sunday. – REUTERSPIC

Sepang needs RM300m for permanent Formula One slot: Azhan

MALAYSIA would need to spend at least RM300 million annually to secure a permanent place on the Formula 1 (F1) world championship calendar, according to Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif. He said the estimated cost includes F1 hosting rights fees, currently between US$70 million and US$80 million (RM289 million to RM340 million), as well as the expenses required to prepare Sepang to host the world’s premier motorsport event. “My estimate is no less than RM300 million. But we also need to look at the overall returns. “Based on the data I have seen, most host coun tries generate returns of at least three times the amount they spend. If we spend RM300 million, the potential return to the country could reach RM1

of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) and Thailand Super Series (TSS) to minimise disruption, including the possibility of rescheduling. “We are discussing with our existing clients whether to reschedule their events or explore other options. “It is not an easy matter because it affects the entire racing calendar,” he said. The circuit is expected to close for about two weeks, or slightly longer, before the race to meet F1’s stringent preparation requirements. “Many tasks that would normally take a year now have to be completed within about two months. “We will do our best to keep the closure period as short as possible,“ he added. – Bernama

The race was relocated after the Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled because of geopolitical tensions in West Asia, following an agreement between Formula 1, the FIA and the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain. Azhan said SIC’s immediate focus was on ensur ing the replacement race is delivered successfully. “We are working closely with Bahrain and Formula 1 to make this one-off event a success. If we can gain the confidence of all stakeholders, including the government, Formula 1 and Bahrain, then perhaps we can look at future opportunities,” he said. Preparations for the race, however, will affect other events scheduled at Sepang. Azhan said SIC is in discussions with organisers

billion,” he told reporters. However, Azhan stressed that Malaysia’s return as a permanent F1 host hinges on two key factors — the ability to pay the hosting rights fees and the availability of a slot on the championship calendar. “The government’s current priority is not spending on international events but helping the people cope with economic challenges and the ris ing cost of living. “Perhaps in the future, based on the data we obtain from hosting this event, it could serve as a starting point for deciding whether Malaysia should return permanently,” he said. Malaysia will make a one-off return to the F1 calendar from Oct 2 to 4 when Sepang hosts the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.