Sergio Perez is to leave Red Bull two years before the end of his contract after reaching a termination agreement with the team. The move comes after a weak season for the Mexican, who failed to win a race and finished on the podium only four times as team-mate Max Verstappen won his fourth world title. Perez, 34, is expected to be replaced by 22-year-old New Zealander Liam Lawson, in a promotion from the sister Racing Bulls team.
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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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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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Aston Martin has pulled off a massive coup by securing the services of Formula 1’s most highly-rated designer, Adrian Newey. The 65-year-old confirmed in May he had agreed to leave Red Bull at the beginning of next year. Ferrari was understood to be among the teams vying for his services.
However Newey has turned down the opportunity to form a ‘super-team’ at the Scuderia with seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes has finally confirmed its long-expected decision to promote 18-year-old junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli to its Formula 1 team next year. The Italian rookie will make his grand prix debut in the seat previously occupied by the most successful driver in the sport’s history, seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, when he leaves Mercedes to join Ferrari. The team made its announcement despite Antonelli’s unpromising start to his F1 career yesterday. Driving his future team mate George Russell’s car in the first practice session, he crashed heavily after just five laps.
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