The air conditioning in the Losail International Circuit media center was humming, but the temperature in the room dropped significantly the moment Oscar Piastri leaned into his microphone on Thursday. In a season defined by McLaren’s meteoric rise and the resurrection of a genuine championship fight, the script seemed written for a harmonious charge toward the title. But with one calm, calculated, and utterly defiant sentence, Oscar Piastri set fire to the script.

When asked the question that has been whispering through the paddock all week—would he sacrifice his own race to help teammate Lando Norris secure the World Championship?—Piastri did not flinch. He did not offer the standard PR-sanctified platitudes about “doing what’s best for the team.”

“We’ve had a very brief discussion, and the answer is no,” Piastri declared, his voice level but his message explosive.

With those words, the façade of the “happy family” at McLaren cracked, revealing the ruthless ambition of a driver who refuses to be relegated to a supporting role. As the Formula 1 circus arrives in Qatar for the penultimate round of a breathless 2025 season, McLaren finds itself not just fighting Max Verstappen and Red Bull, but battling a potential civil war within its own garage.

The Mathematics of Mutiny

To understand Piastri’s defiance, one must look beyond the emotional narrative and into the cold, hard data that the young Australian operates on. With two race weekends remaining—Qatar and Abu Dhabi—there are a maximum of 58 points still on the table.

Following the chaotic events of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the championship standings have tightened into a knot of tension. Lando Norris leads the chase, but his advantage is fragile. Sitting just 24 points behind him are two predators: the reigning champion, Max Verstappen, and his own teammate, Oscar Piastri.

Mathematically, Piastri is not out. In fact, his path to the title, while narrow, is plausible enough to justify his stance. If Piastri were to sweep the remaining events—winning the Sprint and the Grand Prix in both Qatar and Abu Dhabi, along with fastest lap points—and Norris were to finish second in every single one of those sessions, Piastri would snatch the World Championship by a single point.

“I know it’s not impossible,” Piastri told the press, his analytical mind clearly having run the simulations. “Obviously, I also know that it’s a bit of an outside shot. I can’t just rely on having a perfect final two weekends; I need other things to go my way. But unlikely doesn’t mean impossible.”

It is this “unlikely but not impossible” margin that has thrown McLaren’s strategy into absolute disarray. How can a team ask a driver to forfeit a race win—and potentially a world title—when the math says he is still in the fight?

The Shadow of Las Vegas

The context of this standoff cannot be separated from the catastrophe of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The disqualification of both McLaren cars in Sin City has fundamentally altered the landscape of this championship. Had the results stood, Norris would likely be sitting on a comfortable 30-point cushion over Piastri, a margin that would have made team orders a logical, perhaps even painless, pill to swallow.

But the disqualification stripped Norris of 18 vital points and Piastri of 12. While Piastri ironically gained ground on his teammate relative to the gap, the real winner of that disaster was Max Verstappen. The Dutchman, who was languishing 42 points adrift, saw his deficit slashed to 24 overnight.

“It’s never a good thing having the result we had,” Piastri admitted, reflecting on the Vegas heartbreak. “Yes, it prevents me from losing those six points to Lando, but it also brings Max much closer into the fight. Overall, it’s still a net negative.”

The irony is cruel. McLaren’s failure in Vegas has emboldened Piastri by keeping him in the hunt, yet that very same failure has revived Verstappen’s title defense. Now, instead of a managed 1-2 finish for the team, McLaren is staring down the barrel of a three-way shootout where their drivers are stealing points from each other while the Red Bull predator watches and waits.

The Webber Factor: A History of Defiance

Lurking behind Piastri’s steely resolve is the influence of his manager and mentor, Mark Webber. Few men in the history of Formula 1 understand the bitterness of team orders and internal rivalry better than Webber. The “Multi 21” saga with Sebastian Vettel remains one of the sport’s most infamous moments of betrayal.

Webber, who agonizingly lost the 2010 championship in the final round, knows that opportunities in F1 are rare and fleeting. He has been vocal in Piastri’s ear, reinforcing the belief that as long as there is a chance, you do not yield.

“I think there’s still a chance,” Webber stated recently, fueling the fire. “It’s played out that way a couple of times before.”

The difference, however, is stark. In 2010, Webber was the hunter becoming the hunted. Today, Piastri is the challenger who must attack. He needs Norris and Verstappen to falter. But by refusing to protect Norris, Piastri risks handing the crown to Verstappen—a scenario that would leave McLaren with the fastest car, the most wins, but no Drivers’ Championship to show for it.

Andrea Stella’s Nightmare

For McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella, the next 72 hours represent the ultimate test of leadership. Throughout the season, Stella has championed a philosophy of fairness, allowing his drivers to race freely. It was a noble approach when McLaren was chasing Red Bull, an underdog strategy that built confidence and team spirit.

But now, that philosophy has become a liability. The “Papaya Rules”—the code of conduct allowing the drivers to fight cleanly—are being tested to their breaking point.

If Stella intervenes and forces Piastri to move aside for Norris, he risks breaking the trust of a generational talent. He risks creating a fissure in the team that could fester for years. Piastri, with his eyes on becoming Australia’s first World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980, is not the type to forget a slight.

On the other hand, if Stella sticks to his principles and lets them race, he risks the ultimate failure. Every point Piastri takes from Norris is a point gifted to Verstappen. The rival teams—Ferrari and Mercedes—are not spectators; they are spoilers, hungry for their own glory and capable of disrupting the podium.

“Regardless of what the championship picture looks like for others, everyone is going out there to try and fight for wins,” Piastri noted. “I don’t expect anyone to make life easy.”

The Qatar Cauldron

The Lusail circuit, with its high-speed, flowing corners and smooth surface, is tailor-made for the McLaren MCL39. On paper, the team should dominate. They should lock out the front row. They should control the race.

But Formula 1 is rarely played on paper. If McLaren qualifies 1-2 on the grid, the question will arise before the lights even go out. What happens at Turn 1? If Piastri gets the better start, will he cover Norris? Will he fight him?

“I’m just going to try and have the best weekends I can… and see what happens to everyone else,” Piastri said. It wasn’t a threat, but it was a promise of intent.

The atmosphere in the garage is professional but visibly strained. The “bromance” between Norris and Piastri, a marketing dream for McLaren all year, is facing the harsh reality of elite competition. They are no longer just teammates; they are obstacles in each other’s path to immortality.

The Verdict

As the engines fire up in Qatar, the world is watching McLaren. They have the car to win it all. They have the drivers to dominate. But do they have the resolve to manage the chaos they have unleashed?

Oscar Piastri has made his choice. He is racing for himself. He is racing for history. And in doing so, he has turned the final two races of 2025 into a high-stakes thriller where the biggest enemy might just be the car in the other garage.

For Lando Norris, the message is clear: If you want this championship, you won’t be given it. You’re going to have to take it. And for Max Verstappen, watching from the Red Bull garage, the chaos at McLaren sounds like the sweetest music of all.

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has told staff the former Red Bull team principal will not be joining the Formula 1 team despite speculation about his motorsport return

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Christian Horner is looking for a way back into F1(Image: PA)

Aston Martin personnel have been informed that rumours linking Christian Horner with a potential move to the Formula 1 outfit are untrue. It is understood that workers at the team’s Silverstone base were briefed earlier this week that, despite widespread speculation suggesting the former Red Bull boss could stage his return next year with Aston Martin, such a switch is “not happening”.

This follows Adrian Newey’s confirmation as the team’s incoming chief from next year, replacing Andy Cowell who will instead concentrate on Aston’s partnership with new engine provider Honda. Lawrence Stroll, the squad’s billionaire owner, informed personnel on Tuesday that the current leadership framework will stay unchanged, ruling out Horner’s inclusion.

Reports had suggested that Horner was given a secret visit of Aston Martin’s facility earlier this week, though the team has refuted this occurred. It is understood that the former Red Bull chief has approached Stroll, alongside various other team owners, regarding a possible future collaboration with the Brit eager to make his F1 comeback next year once his gardening leave concludes.

Whilst Stroll did not rule out further discussions with Horner during his address to personnel, it is evident there is no immediate strategy to create space within the team’s leadership hierarchy for another senior appointment.

Newey now serves as team principal alongside his existing position as managing technical partner, whilst Cowell and Mike Krack, who currently heads Aston Martin’s trackside operations, are two other former TPs who retain significant influence within the organisation.

Newey is attending the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend and observed from the pit wall as Fernando Alonso secured fourth place in Sprint qualifying before converting that into a seventh-place finish, claiming two points. Speaking to Sky Sports, the renowned designer suggested his team principal duties might not be a permanent arrangement.

He explained: “To be perfectly honest, it became very evident that, with the challenge of the ’26 power unit and Andy’s skillset in terms of helping the three-way relationship between Honda, Aramco and ourselves, it is absolutely his skillset. So he very magnanimously volunteered to be heavily involved in that through the first part of ’26.

“That left a kind of, ‘Okay, who’s going to be TP?’ And since I’m going to be doing all the early races anyway, it doesn’t actually particularly change my workload because I’m there anyway so I may as well pick up that bit.”

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Lawrence Stroll has ruled out an approach of Christian Horner any time soon(Image: Getty Images)

Aston Martin is believed to still be in talks with at least one of the external candidates who were initially touted as potential successors for Cowell. Former CEO Martin Whitmarsh quickly dismissed any possibility of a comeback, while Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari boss now heading up the Audi F1 project, is content where he is.

Andreas Seidl, who used to be McLaren team principal, was also considered for the role and currently does not have a position in F1. He’s not expected to join Aston Martin imminently but could be a strong contender if Newey’s tenure proves to be brief.

The floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit usually illuminate the pinnacle of automotive engineering and driver skill, but for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, they served only to spotlight a deepening crisis during the Qatar Sprint race weekend. While McLaren’s Oscar Piastri executed a flawless masterclass in speed and precision, the story tearing through the paddock is one of confusion, penalties, and a scarlet car that seems to have completely lost its way.

A Masterclass in the Desert

Before diving into the chaos unfolding in the Ferrari garage, credit must be given where it is undeniably due. Oscar Piastri, the young Australian sensation, turned the Qatar Sprint into a one-man show. From the moment the lights went out, Piastri didn’t just lead; he dominated. Securing Sprint Pole was just the opening act. He launched off the line with the confidence of a seasoned veteran, leading every single lap and maintaining total control while others floundered in his wake.

This victory is more than just a morale booster; it has serious implications for the championship standings. Piastri entered the weekend trailing his teammate, Lando Norris, by 24 points. By the time the chequered flag waved, that gap had narrowed to 22. In the high-pressure cooker of Formula 1, where every fraction of a second and every single point counts, chipping away at that deficit is crucial.

“It’s been a good weekend so far,” Piastri remarked coolly after the race, a stark contrast to the panic elsewhere on the grid. “Everything went smoothly in the sprint there, so I’m happy with how it’s been so far and just need to keep it rolling.” His comments highlight a driver at one with his machine, noting the high-speed, high-grip nature of the circuit as something he genuinely enjoys. While others fought their cars, Piastri was flowing with the track.

The Mid-Field Penalty Drama

However, behind the serene progress of the race leader, the stewards were kept incredibly busy. The Lusail circuit, famous for its high-speed sweeping corners, is a nightmare for track limits, and the drivers were pushing the boundaries—literally.

Yuki Tsunoda, who had been driving the race of his life, found himself at the center of a post-race penalty storm. Qualifying in an impressive P5, Tsunoda fought tooth and nail, getting his elbows out at the start and even challenging Lando Norris for position. He crossed the line in fifth, a heroic effort for the AlphaTauri driver. But the joy was short-lived. A five-second time penalty for repeated track limit offenses initially dropped him to sixth, promoting the young prodigy Kimi Antonelli.

But in a twist of irony that sums up the chaotic nature of the event, Antonelli himself was slapped with a five-second penalty for the exact same offense shortly after the race concluded. This double-penalty drama meant the positions flipped yet again, with Tsunoda reinstated to fifth and Antonelli dropping back to sixth. It was a dizzying exchange that highlighted just how difficult it is to keep a Formula 1 car within the white lines at such blistering speeds.

Ferrari’s Absolute Disaster

Yet, the true headline of the weekend, the story that has fans and pundits alike scratching their heads, is the catastrophic form of Ferrari. The Maranello team didn’t just have a bad day; they looked like they were driving a different category of car entirely.

The sprint race was, to put it mildly, a disaster for the Prancing Horse. The car appeared to be a handful to drive, unstable and unpredictable. Charles Leclerc struggled home in a lowly 13th place, but it was Lewis Hamilton’s weekend that truly imploded.

Hamilton’s troubles began long before the race started. Having qualified in a disappointing 18th place, things went from bad to worse when it was announced he would be starting from the pit lane. The reason? A breach of Article 40.9 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.

The official verdict from the stewards was damning in its simplicity. Ferrari had changed the suspension setup on Hamilton’s car (Car 44) under Parc Fermé conditions without the approval of the technical delegate. This is a cardinal sin in F1 regulations. By tinkering with the car after qualifying, they effectively broke the “lockdown” rules designed to keep competition fair. The penalty was automatic and severe: a pit lane start.

“I Don’t Know How We Made The Car Worse”

Starting from the pit lane leaves a driver with a mountain to climb, but usually, a driver of Hamilton’s caliber in a Ferrari can expect to make up some ground. Not this time. The pace simply evaporated.

Throughout the Sprint, Hamilton made almost no progress. At one point, he had fallen nearly three seconds behind the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg, a gap that would usually be unthinkable. The on-board footage painted a terrifying picture: the car was bouncing aggressively, snapping into oversteer, and washing out with understeer. It was a mechanical bull ride at 200 miles per hour.

Hamilton’s post-race comments were raw and filled with disbelief. “I don’t know how we made the car worse,” he admitted, clearly baffled by the team’s trajectory.

He elaborated in an interview with Sky Sports F1, revealing the logic behind the failed gamble. “We started from the pit lane because we wanted to explore and make some changes,” Hamilton explained. “They had some things they found on the simulator last night, so we implemented those changes, and the car was really in the wrong direction.”

A Fight for Survival

The details Hamilton provided were alarming. He described a car with zero stability. “The rear end is not planted, so it’s sliding, snapping a lot,” he said. He detailed a handling characteristic that sounds like a driver’s worst nightmare: “We have a lot of mid-corner understeer, and then you apply the steering, and then it snaps, and you try to catch it.”

This “snapping” behavior, combined with the return of the dreaded “bouncing” in corners like Turn 10, meant Hamilton wasn’t racing the other drivers; he was fighting his own vehicle. “It’s a fight like you couldn’t believe,” he confessed.

The contrast between Piastri’s “smooth” weekend and Hamilton’s “fight” could not be starker. As the teams prepare for the main Grand Prix, the data from the Sprint suggests Ferrari has a mountain of work to do. They gambled on a simulator setup, broke Parc Fermé rules to implement it, took a penalty, and ended up with a slower, more dangerous car.

For Hamilton fans, the “awful news” isn’t just the penalty; it’s the realization that the team currently has no answers. With qualifying for the main race looming, the garage will be a scene of frantic analysis, but as the lights go down in Qatar, the mood in the Ferrari camp is darker than the desert night.

Under the blinding floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit, the script for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship seemed already written. Lando Norris arrived in Qatar with a clear path to glory: finish ahead of his rivals, and the maiden world title was his. But as the engines cooled on Saturday night, that script had been torn up, rewritten, and stamped with the name of the one man Norris couldn’t afford to fight—his teammate, Oscar Piastri.

The Script Gets Shredded

The mathematics were simple coming into the weekend. With 396 points to Piastri’s 374 and Max Verstappen’s 371, Norris was the favorite. History, form, and the machinery were all on his side. Yet, Piastri has spent the last 48 hours dismantling that narrative piece by piece.

After a two-month dry spell, the Australian driver arrived in the desert with a renewed, almost terrifying intensity. He topped the practice charts, claimed the Sprint pole, won the Sprint race, and cut the points gap. But it was in the dying moments of Q3 where the psychological blow was truly landed.

While Norris looked set to take a comfortable pole, a rare error at Turn 2 on his final flying lap forced him to abort. He could only watch as Piastri, capitalizing on the track evolution and nerves of steel, blasted across the line to snatch pole position by a decisive margin.

A Deafening Silence at McLaren

The atmosphere in parc fermé was heavy enough to crush a carbon fiber chassis. When the two McLaren drivers climbed out of their Papaya-colored machines, there were no jubilant high-fives or team celebrations. The silence was absolute.

Norris, keeping his helmet on to hide his expression, walked toward his teammate. The interaction was brief and professional, but the tension was palpable. Norris admitted his mistake plainly—”oversteer, aborted lap, nothing to complain about”—but his body language screamed frustration. He knows the brutal truth of Qatar: no race has ever been won here from anywhere other than pole position. That spot now belongs to his rival.

Verstappen’s Red Bull Nightmare

While the McLarens locked out the front row in an uneasy truce, Max Verstappen was fighting a war against his own car. The reigning champion ended the session in third, over two-tenths off the pace, but the gap on the timing sheets didn’t tell the full story of his struggle.

Radio messages painted a picture of a driver at his limit with the RB21. “Every time I’m off the throttle, the car is jumping a lot,” Verstappen fumed to his engineer. “The clipping out of Turn 6 is a disaster.”

Despite Red Bull’s frantic attempts to tweak the setup and warm-up procedures, the car simply refused to comply in the high-speed sections. Verstappen is now left hoping for chaos on Sunday, admitting that third place was the absolute maximum the machine could give. “We’re still quite far off,” he confessed, looking more like a spectator to the McLaren duel than a participant.

The Telemetry Tells the Truth

The difference between the two McLaren drivers wasn’t just courage; it was technical precision. Telemetry analysis of their fastest laps revealed exactly where Piastri found the edge. In the complex sequence of Turns 4 and 5, Piastri got on the throttle earlier, carrying significantly more momentum than Norris.

However, the knockout punch came in the high-speed sweep of Turns 12 to 14. While Norris had to lift off the throttle, Piastri kept his foot pinned flat, trusting the grip that Norris never managed to access. It was a display of raw confidence that shifted the momentum of the entire weekend.

Chaos Throughout the Grid

The drama wasn’t confined to the front three. The Lusail circuit claimed high-profile victims early on. Lewis Hamilton suffered the indignity of a Q1 elimination for the second consecutive weekend, a shocking result for the seven-time champion.

Further up the grid, the session was punctuated by red flags caused by debris from Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, adding to the disjointed rhythm. Amidst the chaos, rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli stunned the paddock by putting his car in P5, outqualifying veterans and proving that the next generation is ready to fight.

The Stage is Set for a Brutal Sunday

As the sun sets on Sunday, the pressure cooker will reach its boiling point. The race faces a mandatory 25-lap tire limit, forcing every team into a strategic minefield of at least two pit stops. This adds a layer of jeopardy that could easily unravel the championship.

Norris now faces the hardest task of his career: he must win to seal the title, but he has to do it from second place, against a teammate who has nothing to lose and is driving flawlessly. Verstappen lurks behind, waiting for the two Papaya cars to trip over each other.

Sunday in Qatar isn’t just a race; it’s a psychological thriller. Piastri has the pole, Norris has the pressure, and Verstappen has the hope of chaos. The only certainty is that when the lights go out, the friendship at McLaren will be the first casualty.

The tension in the Formula 1 paddock has reached a fever pitch as the penultimate round of the 2025 World Championship descends into high-stakes drama. While the Lusail International Circuit shines under the floodlights, the mood in the garages is anything but bright for some, while others are sharpening their knives for a Sunday showdown that promises to be nothing short of explosive.

Verstappen’s Ultimatum: Win or Bust at Turn 1

The headline story heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix is undoubtedly the escalating hostility between the title contenders. Max Verstappen, a three-time world champion accustomed to dominance, finds himself in unfamiliar territory: on the back foot. With the McLaren MCL38 proving to be the class of the field, Verstappen has been forced to drive the wheels off his Red Bull just to stay in the mix.

Following a sprint race that was largely a procession and a qualifying session that saw him finish behind the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Verstappen’s post-qualifying comments have sent a shiver down the spine of the paddock. The Dutchman, acutely aware of the points mathematics, has essentially declared war for the opening corner of the race.

“If I don’t pass him, then he’s going to score more points than me,” Verstappen stated bluntly when asked about his strategy regarding title rival Lando Norris. It was a simple, factual statement, but the subtext was deafening. Verstappen knows that in a straight fight on race pace, the McLaren has the edge. His only realistic card to play is aggression—specifically, at the start.

Pundits and fans alike are interpreting this as a clear signal that Verstappen will not yield at Turn 1. He effectively needs to disrupt the McLaren formation immediately to keep his fading championship hopes alive. If Norris finishes ahead, the points gap swings further in the Briton’s favor, potentially pushing the title fight to a winner-takes-all finale in Abu Dhabi—or ending it prematurely if disaster strikes. The “Turn 1 Championship,” as it’s being dubbed, could decide the fate of the entire season in a matter of seconds.

McLaren’s Civil War?

While the external threat comes from Verstappen, Lando Norris faces an equally daunting challenge from within. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, has been in sensational form, storming to pole position with a lap time that left the rest of the field gasping. Piastri’s resurgence comes at a critical time, but it also creates a headache for McLaren.

Norris, who made a crucial error in the final sector of his qualifying lap, missed out on pole and now starts sandwiched between his lightning-fast teammate and a desperate Verstappen. The dynamic at Turn 1 will be fascinating: Piastri will want to win, Norris needs to win (or at least beat Max), and Verstappen needs to pass them both.

Norris showed a flash of frustration—and perhaps a newfound “hard edge”—after the Sprint, dismissing Verstappen’s mind games. When told Max claimed he would have wrapped up the title long ago in the McLaren car, Norris fired back, suggesting Max should stick to driving rather than comedy. This spicy exchange highlights that the friendship between the two is rapidly eroding under the pressure of the title fight.

The Prancing Horse in Crisis

If the mood at Red Bull and McLaren is tense, the atmosphere at Ferrari is positively funereal. The Scuderia endured a qualifying session that can only be described as a catastrophe. The SF-24 looked undriveable around the high-speed sweeps of Qatar, with both drivers fighting the car just to keep it on the grey stuff.

Lewis Hamilton, in his final races for Mercedes before his switch to Ferrari, surely looked on with concern as his future team crumbled. But Hamilton had his own demons to fight; he was eliminated in Q1, a shocking result for the seven-time champion. He described his current car as “terrible,” a sentiment echoed by Pierre Gasly, who, despite driving for the unfancied Alpine team, told Hamilton his car looked “so bad” on track.

But the defining image of Ferrari’s struggle was Charles Leclerc’s bizarre 720-degree spin in Q2. Losing control at the penultimate corner, the Monegasque driver pirouetted twice across the track, a visual metaphor for a team that has completely lost its way in the development race. For a car that was challenging for wins earlier in the season, to be described now by observers as potentially “the worst car on the grid” in terms of handling balance is a shocking decline. Leclerc worked miracles just to drag the car into Q3, but the race prospects look grim.

“Caveman Weapons” and Tire Torture

Adding a layer of physical danger to the competitive tension is the state of the circuit itself. The Qatar track, while fast and flowing, is lined with gravel traps that are proving to be the drivers’ enemy. This isn’t the smooth, polished gravel of European tracks; these are sharp, jagged stones described by pundits as “weapons a caveman might wield.”

The aggressive stones are slashing tires, leading to deep cuts and imminent failure risks. The situation is so severe that the FIA has mandated a strict 25-lap limit on any set of tires for the race. This forced strategy turns the Grand Prix into a series of flat-out sprints, removing the element of tire management but increasing the risk of mechanical failure or high-speed blowouts if drivers push their luck over the abrasive curbs.

The fear is that a car running wide—common in the heat of battle—will drag these razor-sharp rocks onto the racing line, turning the track into a minefield. In a race where championships could be decided, a random puncture caused by a stray stone would be a cruel twist of fate.

Red Bull’s Ruthless Driver Market

Away from the track action, the rumor mill regarding Red Bull’s 2025 lineup is spinning as fast as Leclerc’s Ferrari. Reports emerging from the paddock suggest that the team is close to finalizing its plans, and there are winners and losers.

The current speculation points to Yuki Tsunoda retaining his seat at the junior team (Racing Bulls), potentially alongside rookie Isack Hadjar, who is tipped for a promotion. This leaves the future of Liam Lawson in serious doubt. Despite showing flashes of promise, Lawson hasn’t delivered the undeniable “wow” factor that Red Bull usually demands.

There is also a fascinating political angle involving Honda. Despite their impending departure to Aston Martin, Honda reportedly still holds sway in keeping Tsunoda on the grid. A potential deal could see Tsunoda stay in exchange for Honda providing favorable terms on a testing program for Red Bull’s rising star Arvid Lindblad. It’s a complex web of alliances that underscores just how brutal the business side of F1 can be.

The Stage is Set

As the sun sets over Doha on Sunday, all eyes will be on the run to Turn 1. It is rare that a single corner holds so much weight for the outcome of a season. We have a desperate champion in Verstappen, a hungry challenger in Norris, a wildcard in Piastri, and a field of cars behind them struggling for grip on a track that wants to tear their tires to shreds.

Will Verstappen make his move? Will McLaren hold formation? Or will the sharp stones of the gravel traps have the final say? One thing is certain: declaring war is one thing, but winning it on the asphalt of Qatar is an entirely different battle. Sunday cannot come soon enough.

Former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins has opened up about his old friend and racing icon Michael Schumacher, who hasn’t been seen since his devastating skiing accident in the winter of 2013

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Schumacher is believed to need intense medical care(Image: Getty Images)

It’s been 12 years since the world last saw Michael Schumacher, and a friend from his inner circle has given a devastating prediction about the legendary racing car driver’s future.

The Formula One icon suffered a serious ski accident in December 2013, while out in the French Alps. An experienced skier, Schumacher fell and hit his head against a rock, resulting in a catastrophic brain injury. It’s believed that, had he not been wearing his helmet, he wouldn’t have survived.

In the years since, details about the 56-year-old’s condition have been kept fiercely private, and only those within his inner circle have been permitted to see him. Even those who worked alongside Schumacher in the glory days have been kept in the dark, and don’t hold out much hope of anything changing going forward.

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The Formula One legend was injured in a devastating skiing accident(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

In a recent interview with SPORTbible, former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins gave an update on the star’s health and predicted that he’ll likely never been seen again. “I haven’t heard anything recently. I understand he has a Finnish doctor, a personal doctor. I don’t think we’ll see Michael again. I’m slightly uncomfortable talking about his condition because of how secretive, for the right reasons, the family wants to keep it. So I can make a remark, have an opinion, but I’m not in that inner circle. I’m not Jean Todt, I’m not Ross Brawn, I’m not Gerhard Berger, who visit Michael. I’m a long way from that.”

Hopkins first met the German world record breaker back in the early ’90s when he was a mechanic for McLaren, and Schumacher was a race winner for Benetton. A friendship developed, and the two men grew close over coffee breaks around the racing paddock. When pressed as to whether he had any insight at all on Schumacher, Hopkins continued: “I can’t say I’m best friends with Jean Todt, or Ross, or Gerhard. I think even if you were Ross Brawn’s best friend, and you asked how well Michael was, and even if you plied Ross with a lot of good red wine, I don’t think he would open up and share.

“I think there is that respect with anybody who goes to visit Michael, not to share anything. That’s the way the family wants it to be. I think that’s fair and respectful towards the family. Even if I did know, the family would be disappointed if I shared anyway.” Right from the beginning of the ordeal, Michael’s family did their best to keep the details of his condition out of the public eye, although a few updates were given.

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Michael’s devoted family have formed a protective circle around him(Image: Formula 1 / Netflix)

In the immediate aftermath, it was confirmed that Michael was fighting for his life and was in critical condition. Another statement wasn’t released until April 2014, when the family shared that Michael had shown ‘moments of consciousness and awakening’. The following summer, it was confirmed that Michael was out of the coma and had been moved to a rehabilitation facility.

By September 2014, Michael had been brought back to his family home on Lake Geneva in September 2014, where he was cared for around the clock by his devoted wife Corinna and a team of medics. Having dedicated herself to guarding her husband’s dignity, Corinna has permitted only a select few trusted friends and relatives to visit him, under strict protocols. Meanwhile, it’s understood that only a handful of people know the details of Michael’s condition and care, which remain shrouded in mystery.

In the 2021 Netflix documentary SCHUMACHER, Corinna emphasised the importance of protecting her husband’s privacy, stating: “We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”

And the trusted circle has grown ever smaller after an extortion attempt threatened to leak information about his health. Markus Fritsche, 54, who worked for a security firm responsible for protecting the family home, was accused of conspiring to steal photographs and medical details from a computer and passing them on to Tozturkan. He denied any involvement in the extortion. Nightclub bouncer Yilmaz Tozturkan, 54, was sentenced to three years in prison in February this year after plotting to use 900 personal photos and nearly 600 videos of Schumacher to demand £12million from his family.

He threatened to upload them along with confidential medical records onto the dark web. However, Tozturkan is currently free after posting bail worth 10,000 euros (£8,800), according to Bild. Fritsche was handed a two-year suspended sentence at Wuppertal district court, while Tozturkan’s 31-year-old son Daniel Lins was given a six-month suspended sentence for assisting in the plot.

One of the two hard drives which the data was stored on has not been recovered, with the Schumacher family since making it clear that they want a harsher punishment for the trio. During the appeal hearing on November 14, Lins withdrew his appeal, meaning his suspended sentence became legally binding.

He announced he would no longer testify in the trial as the son of the main defendant. His father had also announced shortly before that he would no longer make any statements.

At the appeal trial this month, the Schumachers’ long-serving manager Sabine Kehm spoke about the blackmail attempt as a witness. Kehm, 60, who is one of the few people included in the family’s inner circle, cited the increased mistrust as a result of the ordeal as a reason for Corinna now granting even fewer people access to her husband.

Kehm told the court: “The breach of trust has led to the family keeping more distance from the people who work for them, to being more cautious. I personally find it extremely perfidious that they want to exploit the suffering like this, so it’s clear that the family is taking a tougher stance towards their members.”

Among those included in the inner circle are Corinna, her children Mick and Gina-Maria Schumacher, Kehm and close Formula One friends Ross Brawn, Jean Todt, Gerhard Berger, Luca Badoer and Felipe Massa.

The glittering lights of the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar usually serve as a backdrop for high-speed drama and championship battles. But this weekend, they illuminated something far more somber: the visible unraveling of a Formula 1 legend. For Lewis Hamilton, what was meant to be a glorious new chapter with Ferrari has descended into a saga of frustration, confusion, and despair. The seven-time world champion is not just losing races; he looks like he is losing his faith in the machinery underneath him.

The frustration has reached a breaking point, and it is written all over his face. It is heard in every clipped, sarcastic answer given to the media, and it is painfully visible in a scarlet car that even the slowest teams on the grid can see is fighting its driver at every turn. What was supposed to be a chance to bounce back after a difficult Las Vegas weekend has instead turned into one of the most painful episodes of Hamilton’s debut season with the Scuderia.

A Historic Low Point

The numbers paint a grim and undeniable picture of the situation. Hamilton qualified 18th for the Qatar Grand Prix on Friday evening, marking his third consecutive elimination in the first qualifying session (Q1) across the last two race weekends. For a driver of his caliber—a man who holds the record for the most pole positions in the history of the sport—such a streak would have seemed impossible just months ago.

In Las Vegas, Hamilton qualified dead last in 20th place, the first time in his entire illustrious career that he finished a qualifying session slowest on pure pace. Then came Qatar’s sprint qualifying on Thursday, where he was knocked out in 18th. Friday’s Grand Prix qualifying brought more of the same misery. This marks the first time Hamilton has suffered consecutive first-session eliminations in Grand Prix qualifying since 2009—a span of 16 years. The consistency of the failure is what is most alarming; it suggests deep-rooted issues that go far beyond bad luck or traffic.

The Leclerc Factor: A Painful Contrast

Perhaps what makes this weekend particularly stinging is not just the raw result, but how Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, has fared in comparison. In Formula 1, your teammate is your first and most important benchmark, and currently, that benchmark is miles down the road.

In sprint qualifying, Leclerc managed to squeeze through to the second session in 13th place, four-tenths of a second faster than Hamilton. In the main Grand Prix qualifying, the gap widened significantly: Leclerc made it to the final session (Q3) and qualified eighth, a full three-and-a-half tenths faster than Hamilton in the exact same machinery. Over the last four qualifying sessions where both drivers have been classified, Leclerc has beaten Hamilton by a combined 33 grid positions. It is a brutal statistic that has reportedly sparked concern within the Ferrari garage, raising legitimate questions about why Hamilton seems unable to extract the same performance from the SF-25 as his younger teammate.

The “New” Hamilton: Sarcasm Replacing Diplomacy

Hamilton’s media appearances this weekend have been unlike anything we’ve seen from him before. Gone is the diplomatic statesman who carefully chooses his words, protects the team, and maintains a professional front even in the darkest moments. In his place sits a driver who appears defeated, resigned, and openly sarcastic.

When asked to explain his 18th place finish in sprint qualifying, his response was a curt, three-word dismissal: “Same as always.” When pressed on whether the new higher-downforce wing Ferrari brought to Qatar had helped resolve the car’s issues, he replied simply, “No, clearly not.”

But the moment that truly captured the zeitgeist of his current mental state came when a reporter asked if there were any positives to take from the session. Hamilton paused, looked around, and delivered a line that has since gone viral: “The weather’s nice.”

It is the kind of sarcastic, defeated response that speaks volumes. He isn’t shouting, he isn’t throwing helmets, and he isn’t making elaborate excuses. He has simply run out of things to say. What else is there to say when nothing is working, and you are being comprehensively beaten week after week?

A “Fight Like You Couldn’t Believe”

The problems with the Ferrari aren’t subtle, and Hamilton has been brutally honest about the terrifying experience of driving it. After the sprint race, where he finished a lowly 17th having started from the pit lane due to setup changes, he described a car that is unpredictable and dangerous.

“We just don’t have any stability,” he explained to the press. “The rear end is not planted, so it’s sliding, snapping a lot. Then we have bouncing. When you’re going into corners like Turn 10, the thing starts bouncing. We have a lot of mid-corner understeer, and then you apply the steering and then it snaps and you try and catch it.”

He summarized the experience with a chilling phrase: “It’s a fight like you couldn’t believe.”

Ferrari attempted to fix these issues with overnight setup changes between sprint qualifying and the sprint race, implementing findings from simulator work done back at the factory. Hamilton started from the pit lane specifically to take these changes, hoping they would provide some relief. Instead, the reality was even worse. As he told his team over the radio while crossing the finish line, “I don’t know how, but we’ve made the car worse.”

Validation from the Back of the Grid

The extent of Ferrari’s struggles became clear in an unexpected and somewhat humiliating interaction after the sprint race. Pierre Gasly, who drives for Alpine—a team that has struggled mightily this season—approached Hamilton to share his observations.

“Pierre came up to me afterwards,” Hamilton recounted. “He was like, ‘Yo, you look so bad.’ Think about that for a moment.”

The driver from one of the worst-performing teams on the grid felt compelled to tell a seven-time champion that his Ferrari looked terrible. When even the midfield and backmarker teams can spot the instability of your car from their own cockpits, you know the situation is critical.

Rumors, Criticism, and the Future

The timing of this collapse couldn’t be worse for Hamilton’s relationship with Ferrari. Reports from Motorsport Italy suggest there is now genuine concern in the Ferrari hierarchy. While the team acknowledges the car has fundamental flaws, they are worried about the performance gap between their two drivers.

The rumor mill is now spinning at full speed. There are whispers about “exit clauses” believed to exist in his contract for 2026. Reports describe Hamilton as anxiously awaiting the end of the season so he can begin what is being called a “crucial reset phase.” Some sources even suggest that if the regulations were staying the same for next year, Hamilton might have considered walking away entirely.

Critics are also circling. Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher hasn’t held back, criticizing Hamilton’s demeanor. “He’s old, mature, and successful enough to conduct an interview differently than that,” Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. It’s harsh commentary, especially coming so soon after Ferrari chairman John Elkann reportedly urged Hamilton to talk less in media appearances.

Conclusion: A Legend at the Crossroads

As Hamilton prepares to start 17th for the Qatar Grand Prix, surrounded by cars he should be comfortably ahead of on pure talent, the Formula 1 world is left wondering: Is this just a slump, or is it the beginning of the end?

The Ferrari is fast enough to score points when everything comes together, as Leclerc has shown. But Hamilton seems unable to find that sweet spot. Every change pushes the car in the wrong direction; every session brings more disappointment.

The weather in Qatar really is nice—warm, clear skies, perfect for racing. But for Lewis Hamilton, sitting in a cockpit that snaps, bounces, and refuses to yield, the weather is about the only thing going right. And that, more than any technical analysis, tells you everything you need to know about the state of the dream that was Hamilton to Ferrari.

Under the dazzling floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit, the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship has just witnessed one of its most defining, character-testing moments. In a season defined by razor-thin margins and escalating intra-team rivalries, the qualifying session for the Qatar Grand Prix delivered high-octane drama, a twist in the championship tale, and, ultimately, a profound display of sportsmanship that will be replayed for years to come.

The headline story is undeniable: Oscar Piastri is the man of the moment. The Australian sensation has been simply untouchable this weekend, following up his Sprint Race victory with a blistering lap time of 1:19.387 to secure Pole Position for Sunday’s main event. But the deeper, more emotional story lies in the reaction of the man starting alongside him—his teammate and championship leader, Lando Norris.

The Moment of Truth

As the engines silenced and the adrenaline of Q3 began to ebb, the cameras caught a moment that transcends the technicalities of lap times and tire strategies. Lando Norris, having just aborted his final flying lap due to a costly error at Turn 2, found himself relegated to P2, a mere 0.108 seconds adrift of his teammate. For a driver on the precipice of his first World Championship, the frustration must have been searing.

Yet, in the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the parc fermé, there was no tantrum, no throwing of the helmet. Instead, Norris walked directly to Piastri. He extended a hand, a genuine smile breaking through the disappointment, and offered his congratulations. “Good job, mate,” the gesture seemed to say. It was a class act from the Briton, acknowledging that on this night, across the twisting asphalt of the desert circuit, the better driver had won the one-lap war.

This seemingly simple interaction speaks volumes about the culture within McLaren and the maturity of Norris. In a sport where teammates are famously the first enemy, maintaining such grace while 24 points (now 22 after the Sprint) separate you in a title fight is nothing short of remarkable.

A Weekend of Papaya Dominance

The context of this handshake is heavy with championship implications. The Qatar Grand Prix weekend has been a pure “Papaya” wash. The McLaren MCL39 has looked glued to the track, handling the high-speed sweepers of Lusail with an elegance that Red Bull and Mercedes have struggled to match.

For Piastri, this weekend marks a resurgence. After a dip in form mid-season, the Australian has roared back with a vengeance. “Winning is a lot more fun than whatever the hell happened the last four or five races, that’s for sure,” Piastri joked after his Sprint win. His confidence is palpable. He knows he is the underdog for the title, but he is driving with the freedom of a man with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

By securing pole, Piastri has not only given himself the best possible launchpad for Sunday’s race but has also denied Norris the psychological comfort of starting from the front. He has effectively commanded the narrative, forcing Norris to chase.

The Mistake That Cost It All

For Lando Norris, Saturday night will be one of reflection. He had the pace. Throughout Q1 and Q2, he looked comfortable, often trading purple sectors with Piastri. But when the pressure ratcheted up in the dying seconds of Q3, the precision slipped.

“I just caught a bit of an understeer for some reason,” Norris explained to the media, his tone matter-of-fact but laced with regret. “That was it. So I’m a bit frustrated because I certainly think I could have done a better job.”

Running wide at Turn 2 is a minor infraction in isolation, but at these speeds and with these stakes, it was catastrophic for his pole ambitions. He was forced to abort the lap, leaving Piastri’s benchmark unchallenged. It’s a harsh reminder of the brutality of Formula 1: you can be perfect for 57 laps, but one imperfection in qualifying can define your entire weekend.

The Championship Mathematics

The stakes for Sunday could not be higher. Norris still holds the cards in the Driver’s Standings, leading the pack. However, the gap is shrinking. Piastri’s perfect score in the Sprint and his Pole Position bonus (psychologically, if not in points) keeps him mathematically and realistically in the hunt.

Lurking just behind the McLaren lockout is the reigning champion, Max Verstappen, starting in P3. The Dutchman has been vocal about his struggles with the Red Bull’s “bouncing,” a recurring nightmare for the team at this circuit. “I’m constantly jumping, not only bouncing,” Verstappen complained over the radio. Yet, never count out Max Verstappen. Starting directly behind Norris, he will be looking to capitalize on any hesitation between the two McLarens into Turn 1.

If Norris wins on Sunday, he takes a massive step toward the trophy. If Piastri converts his pole to a win and Norris falters or gets tangled with Verstappen, the title fight goes to the absolute wire in Abu Dhabi.

The “Papaya Rules” Dilemma

The dynamic between Norris and Piastri will be the central theme of Sunday’s race strategy. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has a delicate ecosystem to manage. They have stated there are no strict team orders, but the “Papaya Rules”—don’t crash into each other—are paramount.

Piastri has made it clear he is not here to play the supporting role. When asked if he would help Norris, his response was a firm, “The answer is no. I’m still equal on points with Max and got a decent shot of still winning it.” This internal competition is what makes Norris’s congratulatory handshake even more significant. He knows Piastri isn’t going to gift him anything; he has to earn it. And he respects the challenge.

Looking Ahead to Sunday

As the paddock packs up for the night, the tension is palpable. Sunday’s race will be a grueling test of physical endurance and mental fortitude. The Lusail circuit is physically demanding, with high G-forces punishing the drivers lap after lap.

We are set for a tantalizing start: Piastri on Pole, hungry for a clean sweep; Norris in P2, desperate to correct his Saturday mistake and protect his lead; and Verstappen in P3, a wounded animal ready to pounce.

But before the visors go down and the lights go out, we take a moment to appreciate the human element. In the heat of battle, Lando Norris reminded us that respect is not a sign of weakness. It is the mark of a champion. Whether that sportsmanship will survive the first corner on Sunday remains to be seen, but for now, McLaren stands united at the front, ready to paint the desert papaya.

Tune in Sunday for what promises to be one of the most explosive races of the 2025 season. The championship isn’t just being fought on the track; it’s being fought in the minds of the drivers, and right now, the psychological warfare is as fascinating as the racing itself.

ITV Loose Women taken off air as Christine Lampard shares announcement

Loose Women was pulled off air for the rest of the week as host Christine Lampard made an announcement at the end of the ITV show

Loose Women star Christine Lampard dropped a significant update at the end of the programme.

On Wednesday’s (July 9) episode of the popular ITV show, Christine joined panellists Coleen Nolan, Jane Moore, and Mariella Frostrup to discuss current affairs from the UK and beyond.

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Yet, as the live show wrapped up, Christine delivered a key announcement about changes to the show’s schedule for the week.

The presenter announced to the audience and viewers at home that Loose Women would be taking a brief hiatus to accommodate ITV Racing: Live from Newmarket.

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Christine made the unexpected revelation, stating: “That’s all we’ve got time for today and indeed the rest of the week because the racing is on.”, reports Belfast Live.

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Christine Lampard made a major announcement at the end of Loose Women(Image: ITV)

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She then hinted at what fans can look forward to when Loose Women returns to our screens next week, adding: “But we’ve got some great stuff coming up for you including a catch up with Coleen’s brother Brian.

“Big Brother legend Brian Dowling and we’ll be celebrating Janet Street Porter 50 years on our screens, can you believe that? We’ll see you soon.”

Loose Women is set to make its comeback next Monday, July 14, at its regular slot of 12.30pm.

This follows an emotional moment on Tuesday’s (July 8) show where Denise Welch expressed her desire to “re-do” her son Matty Healy’s upbringing.

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Denise Welch became emotional as she admitted she wishes she could re-do Matty Healy’s childhood(Image: ITV)

The 67 year old television personality has previously been candid about her struggles with addiction in her youth, and made the decision to become sober 13 years ago.

During a heartfelt conversation about living in the present, Denise was visibly moved as she admitted: “When you do reflect you have to forgive yourself for realising… I always get emotional because I wish that I could re-do bits of particularly Matty’s (Healy) childhood, because I was coping with addictions and self-medication..”

Tears welled up as Nadia consoled her, praising Denise as “the most proud, present mum”, prompting Denise to reply: “Matty and I talk about it, and we’re so close I just wish I could do it again”.

As Christine brought up Matty’s success headlining Glastonbury with his band The 1975, Denise expressed: “I’m incredibly proud, it’s just when I look at things, why couldn’t I? You know..”

Nıgel Farage set for bıggest EVER Commons majorıty whıle Torıes and Labour brace for General Electıon catastroρhe ın bombshell mega-ρoll

Borıs Johnson ρrojects Reform UK to droρ to zero ρer cent ın the ρolls |

The Torıes could be left wıth only seven seats

A bombshell mega-ρoll has ρrojected that Nıgel Farage would earn the largest Commons majorıty ın modern ρolıtıcal hıstory ıf a General Electıon was held tomorrow.

Reform UK ıs on course to wın 445 seats, Labour would be down to 73 Mρs and the Torıes would have just seven seats.

However, tactıcal votıng could block the Reform leader’s ρath to vıctory as more than a thırd of Labour voters have saıd they would back the Torıes to stoρ Mr Farage’s ρarty.

The seat-by-seat MRP ρoll was carrıed out by communıcatıons fırm PLMR, Electoral Calculus and the Daıly Maıl.

MRP – multılevel regressıon and ρost-stratıfıcatıon – ıs consıdered a more accurate way to ρredıct how many seats each ρarty wıll wın durıng a General Electıon.

The Lıberal Democrats have been forecast to wın 42 seats whıle the SNρ has 41 and Jeremy Corbyn’s Your ρarty has 13.

However, the Torıes traıled behınd wıth just seven Mρs, just ahead of the Greens on sıx and ρlaıd Cymru on fıve.

The ρoll was conducted between Seρtember 10 to 18 and saw 7,449 Brıtısh adults ınvolved ahead of the ρarty conference season.

The mega-ρoll could see Reform UK take home the most seats ın modern ρolıtıcal hıstory

ıt wıll be tough readıng for many senıor ρolıtıcıans as Reform would snatch seats from a number of long-standıng Labour and Conservatıve fıgures.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Foreıgn Secretary Yvette Cooρer, Educatıon Secretary Brıdget Phıllıρson and Energy Secretary Ed Mılıband could be set to lose theır ρlace to Reform.

However, Shabana Mahmood and Wes Streetıng could see theır seats land ın the hands of Your Party, ρollıng has shown.

Tory leader Kemı Badenoch could see her seat stolen by Reform as well as Robert Jenrıck, Suella Braverman, Rıshı Sunak and ıaın Duncan Smıth.

Kemı Badenoch could also lose her seat to Reform

Brıtaın ıs unlıkely to go to the ρolls for another three years.

The ρollıng ındıcates the economy and cost of lıvıng ıs a toρ ρrıorıty for voters.

About 59 ρer cent of voters saıd ıt was the most crıtıcal ıssue, whereas 47 ρer cent thought ımmıgratıon and border control was theır toρ ρrıorıty for the Government to ρrıorıtıse by the November Budget.

The NHS took 44 ρer cent whıch was well ahead of crıme, justıce and ρolıcıng on 22 ρer cent.

PLMR Chıef Executıve Kevın Craıg told the Daıly Maıl that the ρoll showed a “remarkable fall from grace for the Conservatıve Party”.

He added ıt exρosed what voters’ ρrıorıtıes were.

“The electorate ıs demandıng actıon on the economy fırst and foremost, wıth concerns around ımmıgratıon and the NHS stıll ρresent,” Mr Craıg saıd.

“Tradıtıonal ρarty loyaltıes are under unρrecedented ρressure.”

Mr Craıg saıd there was stıll a long way to go untıl the next electıon, lıkely ın 2029, but the message “ıs clear: voters want theır weekly shoρ to cost less”.

“ıt’s tıme to forget the slogan and the clever language. ınstead, the Government must keeρ calm and focus on delıverıng more money ınto workıng ρeoρle’s ρockets to shore uρ suρρort ahead of the next electıon,” he added.

Electoral Calculus Founder Martın Baxter saıd the ρoll underscored “just how volatıle the ρolıtıcal landscaρe” had become.

“There are two bıg changes at the moment, but they ρoınt ın dıfferent dırectıons. Antı-Reform tactıcal votıng means Reform’s ρoll lead ısn’t as good as ıt looks, as the ρarty could lose dozens of seats because many voters wıll vote for any candıdate wıthout a lıght-blue rosette,” he saıd.