P1racenews AI automatic summary:
We may be in F1’s off-season but still plenty of news floating around. Catch up with the best from the day right here.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has hinted that Carlos Sainz has an escape clause in his new Williams contract, allowing him to leave with a ‘big-team’ offer on the table. This situation arose after Ferrari’s surprise announcement of Lewis Hamilton joining them next season, leaving Sainz in uncertainty. Red Bull has confirmed that Liam Lawson’s future will be decided in September, following his impressive debut last year. Adidas and Puma are competing for a significant sponsorship deal with Audi, who will enter F1 in 2026. McLaren CEO Zak Brown has criticized Christian Horner over lack of transparency regarding Red Bull’s 2021 cost cap breach. Yuki Tsunoda revealed that Red Bull advised him to ‘calm down’ over team radio last season, with guidance from Daniel Ricciardo also playing a role. Max Verstappen explained his preference for a responsive front end on his Red Bull car, a characteristic that has been challenging for his teammates.
