Alpine to use Mercedes power units and gearboxes from 2026

The Renault-owned Alpine team will use Mercedes engines in Formula 1 from the 2026 season. The deal, which follows the decision in September to end Renault’s own engine programme in 2025, runs until at least the end of 2030. Alpine will also use Mercedes-supplied gearboxes from 2026, although the team are exploring their options to design these in-house from 2027.

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Sauber sign Gabriel Bortoleto as Bottas and Zhou depart

Brazilian racer Gabriel Bortoleto will make his Formula 1 debut in 2025 after signing a multi-year deal with Sauber/Audi, with the team earlier confirming they were parting ways with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Bortoleto fended off competition from incumbent and 10-time race winner Bottas to secure the seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg in an all-new line-up for the Hinwil-based team next season and in 2026 when the team become Audi’s works squad.

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Peerless Verstappen rises from P17 to win in Sao Paulo ahead of Alpine duo

Max Verstappen climbed up from 17th on the grid to win the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, one of his greatest victories taking him to the brink of a fourth world title. Rival Lando Norris of McLaren had a difficult race, finishing sixth after a couple of key errors while Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly took the final two podium places to transform Alpine’s season and move the team up from ninth in the constructors’ championship to sixth.

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Norris takes pole in chaotic Sao Paulo GP qualifying session

McLaren’s Lando Norris took pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in a chaotic, crash-strewn qualifying session in which Max Verstappen was 12th. The Red Bull driver has a five-place grid penalty for the grand prix later on Sunday so will start 17th, although he may vault up if some of the damaged cars cannot start the race. Mercedes driver George Russell snatched second place alongside Norris, with the RB of Yuki Tsunoda third, ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and RB’s Liam Lawson.

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Qualifying for Sao Paulo GP postponed due to torrential rain

Qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix has been postponed until Sunday as a result of heavy rain. The session had been due to start at 18:00 GMT (15:00 local) on Saturday. A decision was finally made at 16:45 local time on Saturday, after a series of delays, that the track was too wet and conditions were not going to improve. The FIA said a decision on a new start time would be made “as soon as possible”.

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