F1Weekly Podcast # 1143

ON TODAYS PROGRAM…
WITH GIANPIERO LAMBIASES LEAVING RED BULL THE MAX ERA IN F1 COMING TO AN END…
WHEN FERRARI PLAY CATCH UP…WELL WE’VE SEEN THAT COMEDY OF ERRORS BEFORE MERCEDES WILL NEVER SHOW ALL THEIR CARDS AND…
FERNANDO KNOWS THE FAT LADY IS ABOUT TO SING! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE: ZACK BROWN before he joined McLaren and BOB BONDURANT… AND YES….OUR BONUS IS HIRO MATSUSHITA OF FORMULA 1 AND CHAMP CAR FAME!

Bob Bondurant was one of America’s most influential racing figures — a driver who succeeded on the world’s greatest circuits, competed for legendary teams including Shelby American, Ferrari, and Eagle, and ultimately shaped generations of racers through education.

Rising from the fiercely competitive Southern California road racing scene of the 1950s, Bondurant achieved significant success on both sides of the Atlantic and became a pivotal ambassador for American road racing. His enduring legacy lives on through the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, which trained hundreds of thousands of drivers — from future professionals to Hollywood royalty.

Career, Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois, but his competitive instincts emerged early and loudly. As a teenager, he raced Indian motorcycles on dirt ovals, learning car control the hard way. By 1956, he shifted his focus to sports cars, initially racing a Morgan, and soon made his mark by winning the West Coast “B” Production Championship in a Chevrolet Corvette, claiming an extraordinary 18 victories in 20 races.

His growing reputation caught the attention of Santa Barbara Chevrolet dealer Shelly Washburn, who hired Bondurant in 1961 to drive his #614 1959 Corvette. Over the next several seasons, Bondurant became a dominant force on the West Coast. His on-track rivalry with David McDonald produced some of the era’s most memorable Corvette battles. At the 1962 L.A. Times Grand Prix, Bondurant debuted Washburn’s new 1963 Corvette Z06 Stingray, and between 1961 and 1963, he won an astonishing 30 of 32 races in Washburn’s Corvettes.

Shelby, Europe, and international success
In 1963, Bondurant joined Carroll Shelby’s Ford Cobra team, immediately delivering results. He won his first race for Shelby at Continental Divide Raceway in Colorado, followed by an overall GT victory at the L.A. Times Grand Prix at Riverside later that year.

The following season propelled him onto the global stage. After finishing second in GT at Sebring, Bondurant spent 1964 racing in Europe, campaigning Shelby’s new 289 FIA Cobras at iconic events including the Targa Florio, Spa-Francorchamps, and the Nürburgring. His most celebrated triumph came at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he and Dan Gurney won the GT class in the revolutionary Cobra Daytona Coupé.

Bondurant reached the peak of his international racing career in 1965, when he played a key role in Shelby American and Ford winning the FIA Manufacturers’ World Championship. He won seven of ten races, defeating the class-dominant Ferrari 250 GTOs across Europe. That same year, Bondurant expanded his résumé further, driving a works Ferrari Formula One car at the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, followed by a start in a Lotus 33 for Reg Parnell at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Formula One, film, and defining moments
In 1966, Bondurant’s expertise took him beyond the racetrack. He served as technical consultant for John Frankenheimer’s film Grand Prix and personally trained lead actor James Garner to drive Formula cars for the movie’s racing scenes.

That same year, Bondurant was involved in one of the most consequential moments in motorsport safety history. Alongside Graham Hill, he helped extract Jackie Stewart from his fuel-soaked wreck during the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix — an incident that directly inspired Stewart’s later campaign for improved safety standards.

Bondurant also competed in five Formula One Grands Prix with Team Chamaco Collect, driving BRMs and achieving an impressive fourth-place finish at Monaco. He rounded out his Formula One involvement in North America with two races driving an Eagle for Dan Gurney’s Anglo American Racers.

The crash that changed everything
In 1967, Bondurant competed in the Can-Am series and returned to Le Mans in a Corvette L88 Coupé, leading the GT class until a wrist pin failure ended his race in the early morning hours. Later that year, disaster struck at Watkins Glen. While driving a McLaren, a steering arm failed at approximately 150 mph approaching the Loop-Chute section (today’s Turn 5). The car flipped eight times, leaving Bondurant with severe injuries to his ribs, legs, feet, and most critically, his back. Doctors warned he might never walk again.

Bondurant refused to accept that verdict. Through determination and relentless rehabilitation, he recovered — and in the process, envisioned a new chapter.

LAMBIASE TO LEAVE ORACLE RED BULL RACING IN 2028
 

Oracle Red Bull Racing confirms that GianPiero Lambiase will leave the Team in 2028, when his current contract expires. “GP” is a valued member of the Team, which he joined in 2015. 

Until his planned departure, “GP" continues in his roles as Head of Racing and as Race Engineer to Max Verstappen. 

The Team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together.
 

Miami and Montreal to host FIA Formula 2 Championship Rounds in 2026

FIA Formula 2 announce that Miami and Montreal will host Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 calendar, alongside Formula 1 – the first time the Championship will race in North America. The opportunity for Miami and Montreal to join the F2 calendar has come about following the news that the Sakhir and Jeddah Rounds will not take place in April.

The FIA Formula 2 championship will go to Miami, USA, on May 1-3 for what will be the second Round of the 2026 season, followed by Montreal, Canada on May 22-24, as Round 3, before returning to Europe, starting with Monte-Carlo, Monaco, on June 04-07.

Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said: “While it has not been possible to go ahead with the two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia this month, and we look forward to being back with our passionate fans there as soon as possible, it is great news for our fans, the drivers and the teams that Formula 2 will be racing in Miami and Montreal. Bruno and the whole F2 family have done a great job, working closely with us, the FIA, and the Miami and Montreal promoters, to ensure we limit the gap in racing for the championship this season and I want to thank them for making this possible. It is going to be fantastic to restart the racing in a few weeks’ time and to have F2 alongside Formula 1 as we return to the US for the first time this season.”

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said: “Following the necessary changes to the calendar at the start of the season, the addition of these new rounds ensures the FIA Formula 2 Championship remains strong and balanced, and able to deliver for our teams, drivers and fans. Bringing the championship to North America via Miami and Montreal for the first time marks an important step in its continued global growth, strengthening the pathway alongside Formula One and connecting with new audiences. I thank all those who worked tirelessly to make these rounds possible.

“Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the ongoing events in the Middle East and we continue to hope for a swift return to stability. We look forward to racing in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia very soon.”

Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 2 CEO, said: “We always love to race in Sakhir and Jeddah, and we wish them well and look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow. We are now going to Miami and Montreal for the second and third rounds of the 2026 season, respectively. I would like to thank Stefano Domenicali and Formula 1 for their support in making this possible, and also the FIA, the promoters of the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix, and of course my team, who have worked hard to put in place two new Rounds in such a short amount of time. It was not an easy thing to do, but bringing F2 to North America for the first time is really fantastic. It’s something we have been wanting to do for a long time, and it enables us to ensure we’re back racing as quickly as possible. It will be a great new challenge for our teams and our drivers, who have all welcomed the news with enthusiasm. I am certain that the quality of racing will bring a lot of excitement to the fans and to everyone attending both Grands Prix.”

Revised 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship Calendar

Date                       Venue
06-08 March                  Melbourne, Australia
01-03 May  Miami, USA*
22-24 May     Montreal, Canada*
04-07 June   Monte-Carlo, Monaco
12-14 June  Barcelona, Spain
26-28 June  Spielberg, Austria
03-05 July  Silverstone, Great Britain
17-19 July  Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
24-26 July  Budapest, Hungary
04-06 September   Monza, Italy
11-13 September  Madrid, Spain**
24-26 September  Baku, Azerbaijan
27-29 November  Lusail, Qatar
04-06 December  Yas Island, UAE

ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO FORMULA ONE™ TEAM EXPANDS DRIVER ACADEMY LINE-UP, WELCOMING AVA LAWRENCE & ROLAND NAGY

AMRTC, UK, 9 April 2026: The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team is pleased to announce the expansion of its Driver Academy, welcoming DPK Racing karters Ava Lawrence and Roland Nagy to the programme. The team’s latest signings reflect its ongoing commitment to identifying, supporting, and developing the next generation of motorsport talent.

The team’s Driver Academy offers a clear pathway to the highest levels of racing, supporting drivers both on and off the track. It helps them develop, learn and grow, while providing the opportunities needed to succeed. The programme focuses on building long-term partnerships and actively scouting the brightest young talent across all levels of motorsport.

At just 11 years old, Australian born Ava Lawrence has established herself as a rising force in international karting. Competing across Rotax, IAME and FIA-aligned categories, she has claimed multiple podium finishes and broken new ground as the first female MENA Cup Champion, the first female winner of a Mini race in ROK Cup Italy, and the first female driver to reach the podium in the Mini class of the Champions of the Future Academy.

Ava, who races under an Emirati licence, was recently selected to represent F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE in this year’s British Champions of the Future Academy (COTFA) Programme having also been chosen to represent the initiative over the previous two seasons in the international series.

13-year-old Roland Nagy has emerged as a standout competitor in the premier OK-Junior category, making his mark on the international karting scene. Roland, from Hungary, is a regular contender in the sport’s most prestigious series, including the FIA Karting European Championship and the WSK Super Master Series. He has demonstrated his exceptional race craft and speed, notably securing heat victory at the opening round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series at La Conca.  

Roland frequently qualifies for highly competitive finals, marking him as one of the most promising young Hungarian talents as he continues his progression toward the higher echelons of professional motorsport.

The Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy’s strategic partnership with DPK Racing, the official team of FA Alonso Kart chassis, provides access to a combined wealth of karting expertise and a global network, including that of Fernando Alonso. This collaboration strengthens the Academy’s ability to identify and nurture promising young talent from the earliest stages of their motorsport careers, and reflects the trust placed in the team’s karting expertise to help identify and develop these young drivers as they progress through the ranks.

Nuno Pinto, Racing Director, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team Driver Academy: “Bringing in talent at a junior level is an important part of our strategy, and Ava and Roland are excellent examples of the calibre of young driver that we want to bring in the programme. Both drivers have already shown impressive potential on the international stage, with strong performances in highly competitive categories. Having the opportunity to contribute to a driver’s development from such an early stage is incredibly important, allowing us to help shape their progression both on and off the track as they continue to grow in the sport.”

Ava Lawrence, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team Driver Academy: "I’m really excited to join the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy. It’s going to be such a huge step to help me improve my driving and become even better on track. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone on the team and learning from them.

“Getting to visit the AMR Technology Campus (AMRTC) for my announcement was so cool. My favourite part of the day was seeing the different materials they use on the Formula One cars and actually getting to touch parts of the car. It was so interesting to see how it’s all made!”

Roland Nagy, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team Driver Academy: “I’m really pleased to be a part of the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy. The team will be giving me a lot of support, which will be really important for my career, and I’m excited to learn as much as I can from everyone I meet inside the team.

“It was really cool to visit the AMRTC. I really liked how it looks, both outside and inside – it's very futuristic. My favourite part was seeing how the cars are made. It’s amazing seeing Formula One cars up close and what they look like on the inside.”

 

Ava and Roland join current Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy members Mari Boya, competing in FIA Formula 2, and Mathilda Paatz, F1 ACADEMY driver.