Formula 1 returns after a five-week break for the Dutch Grand Prix
Formula 1 returns this weekend after a five-week hiatus: The Dutch Grand Prix will take place at the Zandvoort circuit. Ahead of the long final stretch of the 2026 season, the battle for the drivers’ and teams’ titles continues, according to ABC News Australia.
During the break, the teams did not announce any new contracts with drivers for future seasons, although the contracts of up to 14 drivers are set to expire at the end of the year. In particular, championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin have not yet signed contracts for 2027 and beyond. There has also been speculation about a possible driver swap between McLaren and Red Bull, in which Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen could switch teams as early as next year.
Piastri stated that McLaren is capable of returning to the fight for the top positions after a mixed start to the season under the new rules. The Australian was unable to start in the first two Grands Prix of the season—in Australia and China—while Lando Norris did not start in China. At the same time, Piastri finished on the podium twice—in Japan and Miami—while Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix. In that race, Piastri was in the lead but retired due to a technical issue after making contact with a lapping driver.
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The season calendar will also include the Bahrain Grand Prix, which will be held October 2–4 at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia. The race will take place between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix. Previously, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian race weekends were canceled due to unrest in the Middle East. The last time Formula 1 raced at Sepang was in 2017, when Max Verstappen claimed victory.
In addition, the new Cadillac team has changed its team principal. Marcin Budkowski has taken over as the new team principal, replacing Graham Loudon. Loudon had led the team since 2024 and played a key role in preparing it for its debut season in 2026. Budkowski previously served as executive director of the French team Alpine.
