The FIA’s Loosening Grip on Reality
Plus: Papaya rules, a splintering championship team and the top storylines ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP
Welcome to The Undercut, a weekly newsletter round-up of the top storylines in racing brought to you by your favorite motorsport and enviro journo, Olivia Hicks. If you’re wondering “What the f*** is Formula 1?” Ask away! Leave a comment or send me a message with your burning questions.
The Triple Header: Papaya rules, messy broadcasting and Red Bull’s future
Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix wraps up a three-race stretch before Formula 1 heads to Miami (where I’ll be reporting on track!).
Over the past three weeks, Formula 1 traveled from Japan to Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. The tracks may differ dramatically — some shredding tires and sprinkling rain more than others — but the first two races of three featured a few similarities: a focus on the two orange carbon fiber machines up front, a social media feed filled with broadcasting complaints and an uncertain future at Red Bull.
In Suzuka, both McLaren drivers completed the podium, failing to clinch first as Max Verstappen crossed the finish line ahead. But McLaren’s “stuck-in-a-rabbit-hole” status in Japan soon shifted as Oscar Piastri stood on the top podium step in Bahrain the following weekend.
Despite Lando Norris leading the championship going into this race weekend, his teammate has become a title contender. In Sakhir, Piastri sailed to pole position while Norris made a slow leap from sixth to third and faced a time penalty. The British driver’s podium finish was lackluster as he trailed behind George Russell’s Mercedes which shut down throughout the race, leaving him driving in the dark. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to claim Piastri sabotaged Norris’ qualifying lap — setting him back for the entire weekend — but Norris continued to struggle throughout Sunday and failed to overtake Charles Leclerc’s less speedy Ferrari until late in the race. “I just kept stopping myself from making as much progress as I should have done,” Norris said post-race. His Australian teammate, in contrast, had “no hesitations. No inaccuracies,” McLaren’s team principal said.
But if you were lost while tracking the two McLarens on Sunday, you weren’t alone. Formula 1’s graphics have been a contentious topic this season as timings — the decimals that define the sport — disappeared from the screen. As Formula 1 looks to sell its U.S. media rights package ahead of 2026, it risks asking too much ($180 million per year) for a scrappy product. I wrote about it for The Drive on Monday.
Verstappen’s nickname, “The Inevitable,” may have made its rounds again in Japan after he unexpectedly took home the trophy, but the future isn't looking as bright for the Dutch driver. Last weekend, the 27-year-old was 34 seconds off the race leader — a stark inverse of Verstappen’s routine 30-second leads in 2023. Finishing just ahead of Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, the Red Bull driver faced a series of obstacles, including a lengthy pitstop and more long-term issues, like cornering problems.
Verstappen, who was tied to a potential move to several rival teams last season following internal turmoil at Red Bull, came under renewed trade speculation last week. The team’s adviser, Helmut Marko, said there was great concern about Verstappen staying at the team, according to Sky Germany. Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the four-time world champion said he just wants “to focus on the car, work with the people in the team,” and, in response to rumors about his future, told Sky Sports’ David Croft to “just focus on commentating, I’ll focus on driving. Then you don’t need to think about any other scenarios.” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner denied any internal issues and the team denounced Verstappen rumors as “noise.”
All eyes will be on McLaren and Red Bull this weekend as the two teams face on and off-track scrutiny. In Saudi Arabia, expect a McLaren tangle up front as Norris and Piastri fight for both the top spot on the podium and prioritization within the team. But also a welcome underdog surprise could come in the form of a pink Alpine as Gasly continues to outperform his car. On Friday, the French driver topped the first free practice, followed closely by Norris and Leclerc. However, the second free practice spelled out something a bit more expected: Norris at the top of the timesheet trailed by Piastri and Verstappen.
“Unfair treatment,” a lack of transparency and the fear of retaliation: The FIA’s descent into unreality
Robert Reid is the latest in a string of departures from Formula 1’s ruling body. The FIA’s former deputy president for sport announced his resignation on April 10. His citing of the “breakdown of governance standards” within the organization echoes recent complaints and concerns about the current president’s lack of transparency. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was elected in 2021 and, since then, Reid has been his second-in-command. The governing body faced backlash toward the end of 2024 into the 2025 season as driver speech — including the ability to speak out about politics, use swear words and criticize the FIA — was restricted and teams began to question where increased penalty fine money was spent. The FIA’s own internal audit team voiced concerns over a lack of receipts and allegations surfaced that a portion of funds were used to upkeep the president’s private jet, according to The Sunday Times. In March, Motorsport UK, a motorsport governing body, threatened to take legal action against the FIA, citing the “erosion of accountability and good governance.”
On Thursday, Reid posted a Substack article calling for a change: “If motorsport is to remain credible and thrive into the future, it must be governed not by control, but by collaboration. Not by silence, but by accountability.”
The top things I’ve read this week
Catch you on the other side - Robert Reid
Is the FIA finally learning that sanitizing language is a losing battle for any sport? - The Athletic, Luke Smith
Artemi Panarin, MSG reached settlements with Rangers employee after sexual assault allegation - The Athletic, Katie Strang
The Athletic is producing some of the best investigative sports journalism out there, including this story that broke on Thursday.
