Lewis Hamilton insists he is not thinking about winning a record eighth world championship – despite admitting he is making every “sacrifice” possible in order to drive into the history books.

A resurgent Hamilton heads into this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix firmly in the title discussion after he charged to his first Ferrari victory at the previous round in Spain.

Hamilton’s triumph ended a 686-day wait for a victory and helped to shelve an ugly opening campaign in red where he failed to record a single podium, and at one stage even called on the Italian giants to replace him with another driver.

Hamilton is second in the standings, 41 points behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli after the 19-year-old, who replaced him at Mercedes, won five consecutive races.

But speaking at the eighth of a scheduled 22 rounds in Spielberg, where temperatures are soaring, Hamilton, 41, said: “I am not really thinking about competing for a championship. I want to win this weekend. That is my goal. And that is what I have been working towards all of last week, and this week, too.

“I haven’t been out for dinners. My head has been back down, the sacrifices required to make sure I arrive 100% so I can deliver – especially knowing how far my performance reaches.

“I am thinking about each race, arriving and executing as we did at the last race, with pit-stops, with strategy, we were all in sync, and having that all in one weekend is the most important thing, and not about what is going to happen in 15 races’ time.”

Hamilton’s record-extending 106th career win was fondly received across social media.

A video of a groom who delayed his wedding speech to inform his new bride of Hamilton’s victory went viral and was even reposted by the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton continued: “People wonder what you do when you win a race, and take a first Grand Prix win for Ferrari, and I got back home spending hours on the couch just reposting these beautiful stories and videos that I saw, and different messages from people.

“It was really, really overwhelming to experience it. It is nice to see people saying positive things, but I am also aware of the negative things that were said before.”

George Russell finished second to Hamilton in Barcelona as he awaits his first win since the opening race in Australia in March.

Russell, who drove alongside Hamilton at Mercedes for three seasons, said: “It’s great to see Lewis back doing what he does best.

“You know, people were writing him off last year or even the year we were team-mates. ‘Is he too old? Is he this? Is he that?’ And he’s been smashing it for the last four or five races now. It just shows that you don’t forget how to drive overnight.

“You need yourself, your team, everything just to click. And when it clicks, you fly. So that’s where he is at the moment and for sure he is a big threat. Ferrari feel like they’re coming and Lewis is at the forefront of that.”

The 2026 Formula 1 season has been an absolute nightmare for Aston Martin, and honestly, that might be the understatement of the year. The Silverstone-based squad has endured an incredibly difficult start to the campaign, fielding an AMR26 chassis that has consistently languished towards the back of the grid.

Recently in Barcelona, Fernando Alonso didn’t mince words, brutally calling the AMR26 the “worst car” with the “worst engine” on the grid. So naturally, the summer silly season rumors have kicked into overdrive.

With his longtime former manager, Flavio Briatore, allegedly pulling the strings over at Alpine, the paddock whispers heavily linked Alonso to a sensational return to Team Enstone, while others suggested he might just retire entirely. But ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the two-time World Champion explicitly shut down the noise and went to bat for his garage.

Alonso on Defense

During the Austrian GP press conference, Alonso opened up about the relentless social media mockery and the rumors about his future. When a team drops to the back of the grid, the internet can be a brutally unforgiving place, and Alonso believes the negativity has completely crossed the line.

“We’re an easy target because we’re behind and there are lots of jokes and memes on social media,” Alonso noted. “We’ve been VERY BADLY TREATED by the outside world”.

Despite the current pain on the timing sheets, Alonso firmly believes the massive structural investments at Silverstone will eventually pay off.

He pointed out the sheer manpower working tirelessly behind the scenes to rectify the chassis issues, explaining, “The problems get fixed, it’s a matter of time. There are 1000 people at Aston Martin who work 8 hours a day to fix it”.

Loyalty Over Panic

But beyond addressing the critics, Alonso made it abundantly clear that he isn’t jumping ship just because the current car is an absolute handful.

“There are always rumors in the summer. I believe in the project, I trust my team, and we’re in this together,” Alonso stated. He reinforced that his commitment to the British marque extends well beyond his driving days, emphasizing that they still have the “best of the best” working on the project.

The feeling of loyalty is entirely mutual inside the factory. Aston Martin’s team brass recently praised Alonso for the way he has handled the immense adversity this year, officially signalling the team’s intention to continue the partnership well beyond 2026. Addressing the swirling retirement and transfer rumors, chief trackside officer Mike Krack confirmed that the squad has great hopes to continue working together, stating simply that Alonso is still “too quick” to walk away from the sport.

Until the highly anticipated aerodynamic upgrades finally arrive, Alonso is choosing to strap in, fight through the brutal handling, and completely shut down any idea that he is looking for the exit door.

Alpine is reportedly going to wait until the summer before they make a decision on the future of its second seat, which is currently occupied by Franco Colapinto.

In the year, Colapinto has 16 points in seven races, finishing in the points four of those times. He has been quite bright over the recent run of races, looking to get a handle on the regulations.

In comparison to his much more experienced teammate, Pierre Gasly, Colapinto is holding his own. Gasly has 41 points over those same seven races, with one DNF to his name.

His ability to stay close to Gasly and deliver points on multiple occasions puts him in a better spot.

He has left a lasting impression on executive advisor Flavio Briatore

“If Franco is performing like he’s performing now and the relationship between Franco and Pierre is like now… Why not?” Briatore said.

“I know Franco very well now. We know Pierre very well. We are in the moment to technically build up the team [and achieve] consistency. We have plenty of races to go just to the end of August and, before the summer break, we decide.”

When will Alpine make their decision?

Reporter Lawrence Barretto said that the decision is expected to come down in the summer, with Colapinto indeed in the front seat at this point.

“Alpine have made themselves a very attractive destination for drivers after their gamble paid off to abandon development on their 2025 car and put all their resources into this year’s machine that was built to sweeping new rules,” Barretto wrote in his story.

“The other seat is up for grabs, though, with incumbent Franco Colapinto upping his game this year with scores in four of the last six Grand Prix weekends to put him in a very good position to retain his seat.

“If he keeps up this form, he will have a strong case to keep his spot – with Alpine expected to make a call this summer.”

Colapinto is a big draw for sponsorship money, along with his speed, making him a valuable resource for Alpine.

Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas, who joined alongside Sergio Perez, has not gotten off to the best start with the new American team thus far.

Bottas and Perez were brought in to provide experience, helping a team making its debut season.

With two seasoned drivers behind the wheel, the team can get feedback on its overall operations, from radio communication to car development back at the factory; there is a lot that Perez and Bottas can help with.

On track, Perez has been the superior driver overall, showing good pace and racecraft that have led to better-than-expected performances.

Bottas, on the other hand, has not been as stellar, raising doubts about his future with the team, given the many options among young drivers and other veterans.

However, according to F1 reporter Lawrence Barretto, Bottas’ spot is looking quite secure for 2027, giving him time to settle in.

“Valtteri Bottas’ tricky start to life at Cadillac has led to chatter that his seat might be under threat – but while his results on track have been below his high standards, his efforts behind the scenes have most certainly been recognized by the American squad,” Barretto wrote in his story.

“That has paid off in a big way, with Cadillac taking a lot of the low-hanging fruit available in that early phase for a new team – and that’s helping put the building blocks in place for the team to kick on and catch the midfield.

“With that in mind, it’s believed that the team at this stage has no intention of changing their driver line-up for 2027.”

Who could replace Bottas if Cadillac changes its mind?

The American team could try to coax Fernando Alonso into joining their project, or they could go with younger options like Franco Colapinto if he left Alpine.

Colapinto has a good amount of experience at two different teams, and presents some upside if they want a fresher, quicker mind.

Additionally, American Colton Herta lies in wait in F2, honing his skills in single-seaters and waiting for a possible F1 drive with Cadillac.

Herta may still need more time, while Colapinto may not present enough of an upgrade, leaving Bottas with a clear lane unless his performance falls off drastically.