George Russell took victory in Saturday’s Canadian Grand Prix sprint race, but was made to work by Kimi Antonelli and McLaren‘s Lando Norris.
The first cracks began to emerge in harmony between the Mercedes driver pairing at the start of Lap 6, with Antonelli closing up on the back of his team-mate and making a move into Turn 1 only to be squeezed unceremoniously onto the grass through Turn 2.
The pair nearly came to blows again when Antonelli made another passing attempt, getting alongside the sister Mercedes only to bounce across the grass again and lose out not only Russell, but also Norris.
Norris took advantage of the work put into the Mercedes’ tyres to close right up onto Russell, harassing him for the remainder of the 23-lap race while himself being harassed by Antonelli.
There was another close fight a few seconds behind the leading trio, with Oscar Piastri sandwiched between the Ferrari pair – behind Lewis Hamilton but ahead of Charles Leclerc.
A dramatic final lap and a half saw Antonelli go off track for the third time in half an hour while attempting an overtake, once again conceding the spot, while both Piastri and Leclerc swamped Hamilton for fourth and fifth respectively.
Further down the field, Sergio Perez was once again outside the points, but finished a very creditable 11th place – by far the best finish for a Cadillac in the American team’s short history. Even being dropped to 14th by a 10-second penalty applied post-race won’t dampen the team’s enjoyment of the sprint too much.
Monopoly is classically speaking a multiplayer economics-themed board game, where players have to own properties and make as much money as possible.
There are so many editions of the board game these days, including most geographical locations in England as well as the likes of Friends and Simpsons editions.
Now, F1 has partnered with Hasbro to create an F1 Monopoly, but there are many differences compared to the classic game as it turns into more of a race in classic F1 style.
Players race around every location on the calendar, battling for championship points and wins as the season goes on. Instead of collecting $200 when passing GO, players choose their favourite F1 team and race their helmet tokens around the board’s central track, competing to win the Monopoly Grand Prix.
Emily Prazer, F1’s chief commercial officer said of the partnership with Hasbro: “Monopoly is one of the most iconic and best-loved board games in the world, so we’re thrilled to bring a Formula 1 twist to such a classic.
“This edition captures the excitement and competitiveness of the sport in a fun, accessible way, and we’re confident fans of all ages will love going head-to-head with their friends and family when they take to the grid and compete in the Monopoly grand prix.”
Meanwhile, Hasbro President Billy Lagor said: “Formula 1 is one of the most iconic sports properties in the world, and we’re excited to bring the adrenaline of race day – roaring engines, pit lane drama, and split-second strategy – into a game night experience.
“We’ve reimagined the classic Monopoly experience through the lens of F1: the circuits, the rivalries, the relentless pursuit of the podium to create something that feels authentic to both worlds – a game that F1 fans and Monopoly fans alike can sit down to and immediately feel at home.
“The collaboration between our teams produced something genuinely special, and I think fans on both sides are going to feel that the moment they open the box.”
An F1 insider has revealed some quotes from an F1 champion regarding the mind games he faced from seven-time champion Michael Schumacher when they were team-mates.
After losing out on the 2005 and 2006 world championships to Fernando Alonso, Schumacher opted to retire from F1 as a seven-time champion.
He would only sit out three seasons though, before making a stunning return in 2010 as a 41-year-old.
Schumacher joined Mercedes, helping the German car manufacturer to find their feet in their early days as a works F1 outfit. He raced for three seasons for Mercedes, picking up just one podium, but his input was crucial in determining the outfit’s future, and they were the dominant force in the sport by 2014.
Despite having a respectful relationship in a kind of master and apprentice setup, Rosberg and Schumacher did not always see eye to eye, particularly during weekends when Mercedes were challenging for podiums or race wins.
Now, Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes has revealed how an infamous incident between the two Germans came about, due to an unfortunate toilet situation at the Monaco Grand Prix.
In her new book, Drive (released 07/05/26, published by Michael O’Mara Books), Brookes explained the situation.
“As a journalist I carry out what I call toilet-run interviews,” Brookes began. “The drivers come off the grid and go to the bathroom before the race start, and I intercept them on the way and ask one or two questions about the race ahead. It still amazes me to this day that they speak to me so close to the race start, but it’s one of the most highly charged moments of the weekend.
“Most tracks have toilet blocks easily accessible to the drivers, some even have toilets within the teams’ garages, but Monaco is a whole different ball game. For the most glamorous and expensive race of the year, it has the fewest toilets. I’ll let Nico explain, speaking here on the Beyond Victory podcast…”
Brookes then included an excerpt from a Rosberg interview: “So this guy, for three years, Mr Mind Games. One example was Monaco qualifying. There’s only one toilet in the garage. So he’s in the toilet, and I go down, and it’s 10 minutes before, and I know that ‘OK, I have my two minutes now for the last pee and then jump in the car and go and qualify’.
“So I knock on the door, because it was locked, and I’m like, ‘Nico, here, let me in.’ No answer, nothing. So I’m knocking, knocking, no answer, nothing. Locked. But I can hear that someone’s in there. So here was Michael leaning against the wall, looking at his watch, and he knew that as long as he made it out with three minutes to go, he could still just about jump in the car, put the seat belt on and go. And I’m outside, full panic mode, and so I went for the oil bucket option in the corner.
“So I managed to do what I needed to do, but the panic had such an impact on my qualifying. These games, all day long.”
Paul Meijer enjoyed a challenging and successful weekend, racing at both the Nurburgring 24 hour race and Spa-Francorchamps.
The Dutch Porsche driver took part in two separate events – winning at both – and proved his versatility behind the wheel.
Meijer shared the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with team-mates Alexander Hardt, Benja Hites, and Benjamin Koslowski for Black Falcon Team Zimmermann.
In a dramatic turn of events during the first qualifying session, Hardt’s car unexpectedly halted and caught fire, with matters worsening when another Porsche collided with them.
Fortunately, both Hardt and the other driver, Janina Schall, emerged unscathed. Although Black Falcon received permission to use a spare chassis, the team ultimately qualified last in the Cup 2 class.
The team made an impressive turnaround in the race. “After starting from the back – finishing P97 overall and last in our class – we had taken the lead by the end of the first stint,” Meijer told GPFans and Autosport.nl on Sunday morning.
“I’ve completed two double stints, and at 9:00 I begin my final two and a half hours before quickly heading back to Spa. We’re now running P21 overall and first in our class with a four and a half minute lead,” he added, with roughly seven hours remaining.
Meijer didn’t limit himself to the Nurburgring 24 hours. He also competed in the GT Cup Europe at Spa-Francorchamps, traveling back and forth to take on both challenges.
Even though he wasn’t present at the Nurburgring finish because he was in Belgium, he will still receive the Cup 2 class trophy. With Black Falcon Team Zimmermann, he also managed an impressive P18 overall finish.