Formula 1 News of the Week – July 31, 2026
The 2026 Formula 1 season has reached its summer break, and what a fascinating first half it has been. With 11 rounds completed and a record-breaking Hungarian Grand Prix in the books, the paddock now pauses to reflect on a season of dramatic shifts, remarkable recoveries, and significant calendar developments. From McLaren’s first win of the year and Aston Martin’s encouraging upgrade to record attendance figures and the surprise return of Malaysia to the calendar, there is plenty to digest. Here is everything you need to know as the sport takes its annual breather before the charge to the finish.
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r🏆 Newey Shares Update on Aston Martin’s Chances of Keeping Alonso
Aston Martin Team Principal Adrian Newey has given his take on whether Fernando Alonso will continue with the squad into 2027, admitting that what the two-time World Champion brings to the team is “important.”
After first partnering with the Silverstone-based outfit in 2023, Alonso enjoyed immediate success with several podiums before the team slipped backwards in subsequent years. They faced a particularly challenging start to 2026 amid the introduction of new technical regulations. While there were signs of promise following a significant upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix, there is still a way to go—leading to speculation over whether Alonso will continue beyond the current season.
During the weekend in Budapest, Newey was quizzed on how much of a priority it is to keep Alonso onboard. “Obviously, Fernando is an amazing driver,” Newey responded. “He brings huge amounts to the team, both in his feedback and his ability. So, for us, of course it’s important. I’m pretty confident that Fernando is enjoying his time with us and that we will continue with our relationship.”
Alonso also faced questions about his future earlier in the weekend, voicing confidence that Aston Martin will resolve the car issues they have been experiencing. “It’s not that I need answers,” he explained. “I think I have a pretty clear picture of the team, that we will fix all the problems. They take time, but I have no doubts, I have zero doubts that Adrian will provide the best car on the grid sooner or later.”
Alonso expressed confidence in both the chassis and the Honda power unit. “On the power unit, I think I have no doubts as well. It’s a matter of time that Honda fixes the issues. We started on the back foot, yes, we’re dealing with that process now, and that pain on the weekends. We’re working together to fix the issues.”
When asked about the timeline for competitiveness, Alonso was pragmatic: “It’s just how soon the car will be competitive—that’s the question mark. Maybe the next two races will give us a little bit of a feeling for that.”
Alonso also addressed his contractual situation directly: “I do have a contract, so I’m not moving!” He added: “For me, I’m relaxed. As I’ve said many times, I’m thinking I need to know what I do next year, and the years to come. I feel fresh, I feel motivated, I feel fast.”
🧡 How McLaren and Aston Martin Made Big Gains in Hungary
The Hungarian Grand Prix saw two teams make spectacular leaps in competitiveness: McLaren and Aston Martin. Both brought significant upgrades that transformed their performance at the Hungaroring.
McLaren won their first Grand Prix of the season with Lando Norris, starting from pole position. This marked a dramatic turnaround for the Woking-based outfit, who had averaged around 0.43s off Mercedes in qualifying across the season up to that point. The win represents a major step forward for McLaren as they continue their recovery from a challenging start to the new regulations.
Aston Martin also showed significant improvement in Budapest. While they are yet to score points in 2026, the upgrade package delivered visible performance gains, raising hopes within the team that the corner may finally be turning after a nightmare start to the season. The progress in Hungary aligns with Adrian Newey’s confidence that the AMR26 has fundamental potential waiting to be unlocked.
For both teams, the Hungarian upgrade packages represent the first fruits of development programmes that will be crucial in determining their trajectories for the remainder of the season and beyond.
📊 The Incredible Numbers Behind the 2026 F1 Season So Far
As the sport pauses for its summer break, F1.com has compiled the standout statistics from the 2026 campaign up to this point. The numbers paint a picture of a sport continuing to grow globally across multiple dimensions.
Race Attendance
- All events in 2026 have been sold out.
- Nearly 3.7 million people have attended race weekends this year, versus 3.4 million for the same races in 2025—a +6% year-on-year increase.
Five new circuit attendance records have been broken:
- Australia (484,000)
- Canada (360,000)
- Austria (320,000)
- Silverstone (564,000)
- Belgium (400,000)
Versus 2025, attendance increases include the Japanese Grand Prix up by 18%, the British Grand Prix up by 13%, and the Austrian Grand Prix up by 7%.
TV Viewership
The sport continues to see growth in global TV audiences, led by key strategic markets including Brazil, Italy, and China.
In Brazil, total TV audiences have grown significantly year-on-year, with race weekends delivering audiences up to five times larger than in 2025. The British Grand Prix reached a record 18 million viewers across Brazil’s TV Globo and SportTV3—the highest audience for the event in eight years and the largest single-market audience for any F1 race globally since 2020.
In Italy, TV audiences are up 27% through the British Grand Prix compared to 2025. Several races delivered their largest audiences in Italy in recent years, including the Japanese Grand Prix (highest since 2017) and the Belgian Grand Prix (highest since 2019).
In China, weekend TV audiences watching the Chinese Grand Prix more than doubled year on year.
The Monaco Grand Prix reached nearly 80 million viewers globally, up double digits versus 2025.
The sport continues to develop its new broadcast partnership with Apple, with excellent viewership and engagement across its entire portfolio of platforms. This included Apple’s first-ever simulcast with Netflix for the Canadian Grand Prix, attracting a younger and more diverse audience.
Social Media and Digital
- +125 million social followers, an increase of +19% year-on-year.
- +12% year-on-year increase in social impressions.
- +54% year-on-year increase in video views, driven by strong TikTok engagement.
- +70 million views for the Drivers’ Parade LEGO activation at Silverstone.
- +7 million hours of viewing time on expanded video content across F1.com and F1 App.
Growth and Demographics
The global fan base continues to increase, with more than 830 million people following the sport, up +64% compared to 2018. Currently, 42% of the sport’s audience is female, with women making up three-quarters of new fans, while 43% of the total fanbase is under 35 years old.
F1 Sim Racing World Championship
The 2026 F1 Sim Racing World Championship featured nine teams and 12 rounds at four separate events, including the opening round at DreamHack Birmingham in front of 50,000 fans. The championship saw a 72% increase to nearly 13 million live viewers across YouTube, Twitch and Facebook compared to 2025.
ESG Progress
The sport remains on track to achieve its commitment of becoming Net Zero by 2030, having delivered a 35% reduction in its carbon footprint compared to the 2018 baseline.
Key reductions include:
- Factories and facilities emissions reduced by over 37,000 tCO2e, a 64% reduction against 2018.
- Logistics emissions decreased by almost 20,000 tCO2e, a 29% reduction against 2018.
- Event Operations emissions decreased by over 1,000 tCO2e, a 6% reduction against 2018, achieved during a period of significant calendar growth.
🌏 Malaysia Confirmed to Join 2026 Calendar as Host for Bahrain Grand Prix
In a significant and unexpected development, Formula 1 and the FIA have confirmed that the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia will host the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from October 2-4, 2026, between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix.
The agreement, reached between Formula 1, the FIA, the Government of Bahrain, and the Government of Malaysia, allows Formula 1 to preserve a Grand Prix that would otherwise not have happened. The rest of the 2026 schedule remains unchanged.
Sepang, which made its debut as an F1 venue in 1999, is one of Formula 1’s most iconic and challenging circuits, known for its passionate fans, exciting racing, and unpredictable weather.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “We are delighted to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026. Once again, the sport has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and deliver, creating an exciting moment for everyone who follows Formula 1.
“Most importantly, this is fantastic news for our fans. They will continue to enjoy a full and exciting Formula 1 calendar, while also seeing the sport return to a great venue. Malaysia is an incredible country, and Sepang holds a special place in Formula 1 history.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem commented: “I am incredibly proud of the collaboration that will enable Malaysia to host the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at the iconic Sepang circuit later this year. Throughout this process, the FIA, Formula One Management, and our partners in Bahrain have worked tirelessly to explore every option, with the safety and wellbeing of the teams, volunteers, officials, our colleagues, and fans remaining our highest priority.”
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, said: “With the blessings of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Sultan Iskandar, King of Malaysia, and building on the close and brotherly relations between our two countries, I am proud to announce that Bahrain will host the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
“Amid ongoing regional challenges, Bahrain is proud to stand as a pillar of stability for Formula 1, and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure a successful and memorable race for everyone involved.”
Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia added: “We are honoured to support the Kingdom of Bahrain, Formula 1 and the FIA in hosting the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit this year.
“This collaboration is more than the staging of a world-class sporting event. It reflects the enduring friendship, mutual trust and close partnership between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Bahrain, while reaffirming Malaysia’s readiness and capability to host major international events.”
📈 State of Play at the Summer Break
As the paddock takes its summer break, here is where things stand:
- Mercedes lead the Teams’ Championship after winning all 11 races so far, with Kimi Antonelli dominating the Drivers’ standings.
- McLaren secured their first win of the season in Hungary, signalling a potential shift in momentum.
- Ferrari hold second in the standings but face increasing pressure from McLaren.
- Red Bull remain fourth but have shown improved pace with recent upgrades.
- Alpine continue to impress as the ‘best of the rest’ in fifth.
- Aston Martin showed significant improvement in Hungary, raising hopes of a stronger second half.
- The sport has broken attendance records across multiple circuits and continues to grow its global audience.
🛣️ What’s Next: The Second Half Begins in the Netherlands
The summer break will soon be over, and the 2026 season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort from August 28-30. This will be followed by a busy run of races including Monza, Singapore, and the newly-confirmed Malaysian-hosted Bahrain Grand Prix in October.
Key questions for the second half include:
- Can Mercedes maintain their perfect winning streak?
- Will McLaren’s Hungarian win be the start of a sustained charge?
- Can Aston Martin convert their upgrade promise into points?
- How will the midfield battle evolve with Alpine, Haas, and Racing Bulls all in contention?
📰 Sources:
- 🔗 Newey shares update on Aston Martin’s chances of keeping Alonso – Formula1.com
- 🔗 How did McLaren and Aston Martin make such big gains in Hungary? – Formula1.com
- 🔗 The incredible statistics behind the 2026 F1 season so far – Formula1.com
- 🔗 Malaysia confirmed to join 2026 F1 calendar as Bahrain host – Formula1.com
