Last Updated on December 4 2025, 9:55 am
Welcome to TJ13’s daily rolling F1 news and comment. Here you’ll find all the latest stories, rumours and paddock whispers. We’ll be updating this page all day as the news breaks, so be sure to check back regularly for the latest updates straight from the F1 circus. And don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
Ecclestone backs Verstappen to crush ‘cocky’ Norris in title showdown – Updated 21:45 UK
Bernie Ecclestone believes that Max Verstappen will overturn his 12-point deficit to win the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi. He argues that the Dutchman’s composure and raw ability will ultimately overcome Lando Norris in the final race. Speaking ahead of the decider, the 95-year-old former F1 supremo told Daily Mail Sport: “I still believe Max will do it. He deserves it… I think Max is the best I have known. He stands alone.”
Ecclestone praised Norris as a top-tier talent, but claimed that the British driver’s mentality could falter under pressure. “Lando is a really good driver, but he is overconfident and too cocky. He gets nervous at crucial moments and can’t quite deliver the way Max can under pressure,” he said. Despite McLaren’s strong season and their strategic preference for Norris in key moments, Ecclestone feels this approach may yet “backfire”.
The former F1 boss argued that Verstappen’s mindset gives him the advantage in a three-way fight with Norris and Oscar Piastri. “You can never bet against Max. He is something special… and he has nothing to lose,” he added, suggesting this could give the reigning champion the edge in the final round.
Norris still has a mathematical chance of winning — he can finish third even if Verstappen wins — but the tension is clearly mounting. The McLaren driver has reportedly cancelled his usual media briefing in order to focus fully on the title decider — a rare sign of nerves from the championship leader.
Cadillac to Unveil First F1 Livery During Super Bowl Ad – Updated 13:15 UK
Cadillac has confirmed that one of the most highly anticipated reveals of the 2026 Formula 1 season will take place during a Super Bowl television advert, when the livery of their first-ever F1 car will be unveiled. Backed by General Motors and led by team principal Graeme Lowdon, the American manufacturer will join the grid next year as the sport’s 11^(th) team.
The new team has already generated significant interest by signing Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez as their race drivers and Colton Herta as their development and test driver. Cadillac has now revealed the next milestone: the 2026 colours will be unveiled for the first time on 8 February during the NFL’s global spectacle.
This announcement comes just days before the 2025 Abu Dhabi season finale, with Cadillac sharing a graphic on social media to confirm their high-profile launch plans. This bold move is intended to make an immediate impact both on and off the track.
Prior to the Super Bowl reveal, Cadillac will participate in a private pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 26–30 January, during which teams will trial their new-era 2026 cars for the first time under the radically revised regulations. Further tests will follow in Bahrain from 11–13 February and again from 18–20 February.
Once testing concludes, Cadillac will fly to Melbourne for their Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix from 6–8 March, formally beginning their journey as the newest team on the grid.
Aston Martin and Williams add new rising stars to their F1 Academy lineups – Updated 12:10 UK
Aston Martin and Williams have each signed promising young talents for the 2026 F1 Academy season, furthering their commitment to nurturing the next generation of female motorsport stars. Prema has announced the signing of 17-year-old Mathilda Paatz, who will join under the Aston Martin F1 Driver Academy banner after impressing during a rigorous evaluation programme at Mugello. Having raced in multiple F4 categories this year and made a wildcard F1 Academy debut in 2025, Paatz said she is “really proud to be representing Aston Martin” and is preparing for the challenges of new circuits and increased competition.
Aston Martin revealed that Paatz outperformed three other candidates in a comprehensive F4 test day overseen by racing director Nuno Pinto. It was her speed and consistency that convinced the team to bring her into its newly formed academy, which is separate from its main driver development programme. Prema boss René Rosin added that the team has already begun working closely with Paatz “to help her fulfil her potential”.
Williams has also strengthened its programme, with ART Grand Prix confirming that Jade Jacquet will race in the F1 Academy series next season, with the backing of the Williams Racing Driver Academy. The 16-year-old French driver, who finished 24th in the French F4 championship this year, is stepping in as Lia Block returns to rallying. Williams’s sporting director, Sven Smeets, praised Jacquet’s adaptability and learning curve, noting her “strong potential for the future”.
These announcements come amid a broader wave of commercial and structural support for the F1 Academy, with major brands such as Cosmopolitan and PepsiCo now involved, and Alpine appointing Carmen Jordá to lead its programme in 2026. This growing roster reflects Formula 1’s commitment to developing female talent throughout the motorsport ladder.
Abu Dhabi GP to Mark the End of the DRS Era in F1 – Updated 09:40 UK
The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will officially bring to a close one of Formula 1’s most transformative – and controversial – innovations: the Drag Reduction System (DRS). First introduced in 2011, DRS was designed to address the sport’s long-standing issue of overtaking, providing drivers with a button-activated speed boost on straights to facilitate overtaking manoeuvres. It quickly became a central part of modern race strategy, contributing significantly to the increase in wheel-to-wheel action. Overtakes nearly tripled from 547 in 2010 to 1,486 in the first year of DRS.
The principle behind DRS was simple: a flap on the rear wing opened to reduce drag, but only under strict conditions, such as being within one second of a car ahead in a designated detection zone. While it transformed the spectacle, it wasn’t without flaws. Moments like Fernando Alonso’s stuck-open DRS in Bahrain in 2013, which forced him to retire, highlighted its limitations. Nevertheless, the system became so embedded in racing that drivers even used it tactically; for example, Carlos Sainz used a clever DRS ‘tow’ to hold off George Russell and win in Singapore in 2023.
From 2026, however, everything will change. As Formula 1 switches to new technical regulations, DRS will be replaced by fully active aerodynamics and an electric boost in the style of a push-to-pass. Cars will feature adjustable front and rear wings with two modes: X-mode for low drag on the straights, and Z-mode for maximum downforce in corners. The new Manual Override Mode (MOM) will perform the function of DRS during battles, providing pursuers with a brief surge of additional electric power when they are close enough to attack.
The finale in Abu Dhabi will bring an end to a 15-year era that reshaped racing, boosted overtaking and defined a generation of cars. From 2026 onwards, Formula 1 will enter a new phase involving active aerodynamics, smarter energy deployment and a fresh approach to close racing. The DRS era is almost at an end; the next chapter is already warming up on the grid.
Piastri forced to miss FP1 in high-stakes Abu Dhabi title showdown – Updated 09:30 UK
Oscar Piastri is heading into the most important weekend of his Formula 1 career at a disadvantage. The McLaren driver will have to sit out FP1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which is set to decide the outcome of the 2025 championship. With Lando Norris leading the title race by 12 points over Max Verstappen and Piastri 16 points further back, the Australian will have one hour less track time than his rivals before qualifying.
F1 regulations stipulate that every non-rookie must relinquish their car for two FP1 sessions each season, and for Piastri, this final handover could not have come at a worse time. Pato O’Ward will drive Piastri’s car in the first practice session at Yas Marina, just as he did in Mexico earlier in the season, when he impressed the team and continued to adapt to Formula 1 machinery. Norris has already fulfilled his two FP1 absences, in Austria and Mexico, and notably won both races, which suggests that missing the session does not necessarily impact performance.
Nevertheless, Piastri enters the weekend with the steepest mountain to climb. To win the title, he must win on Sunday and hope that Norris finishes sixth or lower. Although missing FP1 may initially put him at a disadvantage, the session is held in unrepresentative daytime conditions, which reduces its importance compared to FP2 and qualifying, both of which are held at night.
Meanwhile, the title pressure sits squarely on Norris. His disqualification in Las Vegas and McLaren’s botched strategy in Qatar have kept the championship alive for Verstappen and Piastri far longer than expected. Verstappen needs to win with Norris finishing no higher than fourth to reclaim the title, so every lap of preparation could be crucial.
For O’Ward, however, FP1 is another chance to demonstrate his abilities to McLaren. After Mexico, he said that he now has a better understanding of what the car likes and is working on translating his simulator skills into confidence on the track. Abu Dhabi provides him with one more valuable opportunity — and puts Piastri at a slight disadvantage at the start of his title decider.
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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.
