Verstappen's Legacy, Piastri's Perspective, and Hamilton's Off-Track Mission Headline F1 Talking Points

Max Verstappen is dominating the conversation away from the track this week, with former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo heaping praise on the four-time world champion. Ricciardo, who raced alongside Verstappen at Red Bull from 2016 to the end of 2018, says the Dutchman will "go down as one of the best ever" and admitted he cannot comprehend what Red Bull has achieved in its first season building its own power units. Verstappen himself has also been speaking candidly, stating he would walk away from Formula 1 if he ever stopped believing he was the best driver in the field — a remarkable declaration from a driver whose title streak ended with Lando Norris taking the championship, followed by Kimi Antonelli wrapping up the 2026 crown.

Norris, meanwhile, has been making headlines of his own after questioning the penalty handed to Charles Leclerc following the Brazilian Grand Prix. Leclerc received a penalty that cost him seventh place after tapping the left rear of Liam Lawson's Racing Bulls car at Turn 12 on the penultimate lap at Interlagos. Norris described the incident as "just racing," casting doubt on the stewards' decision. Separately, McLaren's Oscar Piastri reflected on his own title battle, revealing he actually misses the pressure of fighting for the world championship after leading the standings for much of last season in a prolonged battle against Norris.

At Ferrari, the question of team hierarchy is drawing attention. Former world champion Damon Hill, speaking on The F1 Show, insisted that Ferrari should back Lewis Hamilton over Charles Leclerc if they want to challenge for next year's drivers' title, describing Hamilton as "extraordinary" and calling the situation a "political problem" the team needs to resolve. Hamilton himself was far from the paddock this week, travelling to El Arish in Egypt's North Sinai region just two days after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to tour the aid operation at the country's border with Gaza, where he was met by the region's governor.

On the organisational front, F1 Academy confirmed its 2027 calendar, which will include a debut appearance in Budapest, adding a new venue to the support series' schedule.