Welcome to TJ13’s daily rolling F1 news and comment. Here you’ll find the latest stories, rumours, and paddock whispers. We’ll be updating this page all day as the news breaks and the drama unfolds, so be sure to check back regularly for the latest updates straight from the F1 circus, and please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
Norris reacts to disqualification – Updated 14:50 UK
Formula 1 World Championship leader Lando Norris started the Las Vegas Grand Prix from pole position but finished second. But a few hours later, he was disqualified.
It was a tough race that ended with a low blow: Lando Norris was well on his way to clinching his twelfth career victory in Las Vegas. But it wasn’t meant to be.
A few hours after the race ended, he and his teammate Oscar Piastri were disqualified for excessive plank wear under the car.
Norris said: “That was a frustrating end to the day! Towards the end of the race, I had to ease off the throttle, and now we know that this was because of problems with our car, which unfortunately led to our disqualification. It’s really frustrating to lose so many points.”
“As a team, we always try to deliver the best possible performance, and this time we clearly didn’t manage to do that. There’s nothing I can do about it now. That’s why we’re fully focused on the next race weekend in Qatar, where we’ll try to deliver the best possible performance in every session,” added the 26-year-old.
The disqualification means Norris has lost 18 important championship points that he would have earned for second place. He’s now heading into the penultimate round of the championship with just a 24-point lead over his two championship rivals, Piastri and Max Verstappen.
Record-shattering hypercar sale leaves Bugatti and Ferrari in the dust – Updated 13:40 UK
Gordon Murray’s ultra-rare S1 LM has officially become the most expensive ‘new’ car ever sold at auction, fetching an astonishing $20.63 million at a sale in Las Vegas. This figure is so high that it makes even Bugatti and Ferrari look ‘cheap’.
Only five S1 LMs exist, all of which were mysteriously bought by the same collector, making the appearance of one at RM Sotheby’s feel a bit like a billionaire accidentally selling one of their five identical yachts.
The car was flown in by helicopter for the occasion, as cars this expensive seem to refuse to use roads like the rest of us. The winning bidder now gets to co-spec the final build with Gordon Murray himself and even join Dario Franchitti for development drives — about as close to automotive royalty as money can buy.
Powered by a bespoke 4.3-litre Cosworth V12 engine with over 700 hp, revving to 12,100 rpm and paired with a manual gearbox, the S1 LM is essentially Murray’s love letter to lightweight lunacy, wrapped in an F1-inspired design. Weighing just 975 kg, it’s lighter than the average shopping trolley and apparently worth more than most small islands.
Mick Schumacher secures full-time IndyCar seat with RLL for 2026 – Updated 12:25 UK
Schumacher will compete in the full IndyCar season in 2026 after signing with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), marking his return to single-seater competition after two seasons in the World Endurance Championship. The move must surely indicate that the German has finally called time on his bid to return to Formula 1.
Schumacher said he was “immediately excited” by both the car and American motorsport’s “pure and direct” racing style, adding that his experience in Formula 1 and endurance racing would strengthen his partnership with the team.
The 25-year-old tested for RLL at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in October, making a strong impression. Team co-owner Bobby Rahal said that Schumacher’s performance had impressed every single team member, motivating the squad to secure his services for 2026.
Schumacher will join teammates Graham Rahal and 2024 Indy NXT champion Louis Foster. The 2026 calendar includes 17 events across road, street, and oval circuits, with the highlight being the Indianapolis 500. Schumacher will make his series debut at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg on 1 March.
Max Verstappen’s salary: The Numbers Nobody Knows (But Everyone Pretends They Do) – Updated 11:48 UK
Max Verstappen’s 2025 salary is the internet’s favourite guessing game, a kind of motorsport bingo where every news outlet reports figures that nobody outside of the Red Bull payroll department has actually seen.
According to World in Sport, the Dutchman’s annual pay packet is estimated at around $65 million, rising to $75 million with bonuses.
Of course, these figures are ‘estimates’, which, in Formula 1 speak, means that they are completely speculative, but SEO demands a figure. Still, the estimates are fairly consistent: a substantial base salary topped up with bonuses for winning races and championships, and probably a secret reward for making Christian Horner smile.
According to World in Sport, Verstappen’s income has ballooned over the years, rising from a modest rookie deal at Toro Rosso to a mega contract running until 2028, which puts him at the very top of the driver pay scale. His earnings reportedly reached around $70 million in 2023, climbing even higher in 2024, thus proving that dominance pays in F1.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
