Valeria Penachi, Author at Pit Debrief

Audi's Emma Felbermayr during the 2026 F1 Academy Chinese GP.

F1 Academy | 2026 Chinese GP | Race 2 | Felbermayr victorious after composed drive; heartbreak for Larsen following restart mistake

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago07 mins

Emma Felbermayr won the Race 2 of the 2026 F1 Academy Chinese GP at the Shanghai International Circuit. The Rodin Motorsport driver held off Alisha Palmowski in a tense finale, after Alba Larsen lost the lead at the restart to hand Felbermayr her first main race victory in F1 Academy. Alisha Palmowski started from pole…

Piastri's qualifying result saw him claim P5 for the F1 Chinese GP, 0.486s off pole, as the McLaren driver admitted the team still lacks grip.

Piastri: McLaren is “half a second off” as team struggles in 2026 F1 Chinese GP qualifying

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago08 mins

Oscar Piastri’s 2026 F1 Chinese GP qualifying session ended in P5 at the Shanghai International Circuit. The Australian set a best lap of 1:32.550, finishing 0.486 seconds behind pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli. Speaking after the session in the print media pen, Piastri acknowledged some operational improvement from McLaren. However, he admitted the car still lacked the…

Lewis Hamilton qualified P3 for the F1 Chinese GP after a challenging qualifying session hampered by wind conditions, closing Ferrari's deficit to Mercedes at Shanghai.

Hamilton reflects on “very tricky session” after P3 finish in 2026 F1 Chinese GP Qualifying

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago04 mins

Lewis Hamilton secured P3 in Qualifying for the 2026 F1 Chinese GP after battling challenging wind conditions at the Shanghai International Circuit. The Ferrari driver qualified 0.351 seconds behind pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli. Speaking in the press conference after the session, Hamilton expressed gratitude for the result despite acknowledging mistakes throughout his qualifying runs. Antonelli became…

F1 Academy Chinese GP Practice results from Shanghai, as the 2026 season gets underway.

F1 Academy | 2026 Chinese GP | Free Practice results

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

The F1 Academy Chinese GP Practice session opened the 2026 season at the Shanghai International Circuit. Drivers headed out for the first running of the weekend as the new campaign got underway. The early laps offered a first look at the grid ahead of qualifying. Last season’s top three, Doriane Pin, Maya Weug and Chloe…

Isack Hadjar’s first race for Red Bull at the 2026 F1 Australian GP ended in retirement after struggling with energy management during the race.

Hadjar reflects on battery issues after retirement from the 2026 F1 Australian GP

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago05 mins

Isack Hadjar’s 2026 F1 Australian GP ended in retirement after battery issues plagued his Red Bull debut race. The French driver started third after a strong qualifying performance but suffered problems from the formation lap onwards. Speaking in the print media pen after his retirement, Hadjar explained the battery drainage issues that compromised his race…

Freddie Slater secured P2 in the F3 2026 Australian GP Feature Race for TRIDENT in his rookie season.

Slater secures “very special” P2 in the 2026 F3 Australian GP Feature Race

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago07 mins

Freddie Slater secured P2 in the 2026 F3 Australian GP Feature Race after an impressive performance at Albert Park. Speaking in a press conference attended by Pit Debrief, the TRIDENT driver described the P2 finish as “very special” given the learning curve he faced throughout the weekend. Ugo Ugochukwu won the Feature Race from pole…

Nico Hülkenberg qualified P11 for the 2026 Australian GP after fighting technical issues in Q2 but remains positive about Audi's competitive position in the F1 midfield.

Hülkenberg “very positive” after P11 in 2026 F1 Australian GP Qualifying

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago05 mins

Nico Hülkenberg’s 2026 F1 Australian GP qualifying session ended in Q2 after technical difficulties disrupted his rhythm. The Audi driver battled multiple issues in Q1 before managing one clean lap in the second session. Despite missing Q3, Hülkenberg remained positive about the team’s competitive position within the midfield. The German driver qualified P11 for Sunday’s…

John Bennett enters his F2 2026 season with TRIDENT feeling more prepared than ever, utilizing go-karting training and second-year experience for improved consistency.

Confidence high for Bennett ahead of 2026 F2 campaign with TRIDENT

Valeria Penachi4 months ago4 months ago04 mins

John Bennett enters his F2 2026 season with TRIDENT feeling more prepared than ever before. The British driver returns for his second season in FIA Formula 2 after gaining valuable experience in 2025 with the team. The TRIDENT driver enjoyed a positive Barcelona test before the season opener in Melbourne. Bennett’s F2 2026 season preparations…

Pierre Gasly says Alpine’s F1 2026 preparations reveal major uncertainty over energy management and power unit deployment under the new regulations.

Gasly sees energy management as key challenge for F1 2026

Valeria Penachi5 months ago5 months ago05 mins

Pierre Gasly discussed the complexities facing drivers during F1 2026 pre-season testing in Bahrain. The Alpine driver addressed energy management challenges under the new regulations. His preparations highlighted significant unknowns about how racing will unfold with different power unit manufacturers. Alpine and the rest of the grid worked through understanding modern hybrid power unit deployment…

Lance Stroll admitted during F1 Bahrain Testing Week 2 that Aston Martin face a power deficit and car issues, with Stroll confirming not all problems will be resolved before Melbourne.

Stroll: Aston Martin “need more power” from Honda after 2026 F1 Bahrain Testing

Valeria Penachi5 months ago5 months ago03 mins

Lance Stroll addressed Aston Martin’s ongoing challenges during F1 Bahrain Testing Week 2, speaking in a press conference at the Bahrain International Circuit. The Canadian’s remarks focused on the team’s power deficit and urgent development needs. Aston Martin recorded the lowest lap count of any team at the second Bahrain test, completing just 128 laps….