2026 season · Paddock desk live
--
Paddock desk · 2026 season
Race reports, stint analysis and race-weekend guides across Formula 1, MotoGP, the WEC and the WRC — for fans who stay until the last lap.
Pace notes, blind crests and a surface that changes with every ten cars — what actually decides the fastest rally of the season.
Read the reportIn this issue
The winning stint began at 02:40 with a brake change nobody had planned and a driver who had barely slept.
15.06.2026 • 9 min read
A safety car, a bold undercut and a 1.8-second stop decided the most unpredictable Monaco weekend in years.
24.05.2026 • 6 min read
Four teams found the same loophole in the floor edge rules, and following cars are paying about three tenths for it.
14.05.2026 • 8 min read
Smaller front wings made the bikes easier to follow. The rear is now where the lap time hides.
08.05.2026 • 7 min read
Eighteen months ago this team sat last in the wind tunnel queue. It now sets the development pace of the midfield.
28.04.2026 • 7 min read
Series hubs
Ground-effect aero, tyre delta and the pit-wall calls that decide a Sunday afternoon.
24 rounds · Grand Prix
Series hubRide-height devices, rear wings and the fractions of a second that separate the front row.
22 rounds · Prototype
Series hubHypercar endurance, triple stints and everything that happens in the long night at Le Mans.
8 rounds · Endurance
Series hubGravel, blind crests and pace notes read out loud at 120 km/h through the forest.
13 rounds · Rally
Series hubNext Grand Prix
--
Days
--
Hours
--
Minutes
Next up
Albert Park, Melbourne — Season opener on a semi-permanent circuit with high grip.
Suzuka — Figure-of-eight layout and the best first sector in the sport.
Miami International Autodrome — Three long straights and a paddock built for television.
Circuit de Monaco — Qualifying decides it; the pit wall decides the order behind.
Championship
| Pos | Driver | Team | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 187 |
| 2 | L. Norris | McLaren | 172 |
| 3 | O. Piastri | McLaren | 165 |
| 4 | C. Leclerc | Ferrari | 148 |
| 5 | G. Russell | Mercedes | 131 |
| 6 | L. Hamilton | Ferrari | 118 |
14
Circuits covered in person this season
06
Correspondents across four race series
MON
The debrief lands in your inbox
How we work
Every claim is checked against timing screens, stint averages and team radio.
We explain the floor, the wing and the tyre delta without picking a favourite.
If you are going to the race, you get gates, timings and the quiet viewing spots.
Weekend planning
Every round gets a reader guide: which gate to use, when the support paddock opens, where to stand for turn one, and what the timetable actually feels like on the ground.
Independent — teams cannot pay for coverage.