George Moran’s moving tribute to his wife, Tatiana Schlossberg. A loving remembrance of her courageous battle against cancer.

“In November 2025, Caroline Kennedy stood beside her daughter Tatiana Schlossberg with the quiet strength that has defined generations of Kennedy women, offering unwavering love and support as her 35-year-old daughter courageously shared her journey with acute myeloid leukemia in a deeply personal essay published in The New Yorker, revealing a diagnosis that had come just hours after the joyful birth of her second child, Josephine, in May 2024, when doctors noticed an unusually high white blood cell count that led to the discovery of a rare form of blood illness with a mutation called Inversion 3, found in less than two percent of cases, a moment that transformed celebration into medical crisis and required the kind of resilience that only love and family bonds can provide.

Tatiana’s essay, published on the 62nd anniversary of her grandfather President John F. Kennedy’s passing, demonstrated remarkable courage as she opened her heart to readers about the shock of her diagnosis, writing that she had swum a mile in the pool just the day before delivery while nine months pregnant, feeling healthy and strong with no indication that anything was wrong, making the sudden news almost impossible to comprehend as she tried to reconcile her active, vibrant life with the reality doctors were presenting to her in those first overwhelming hours after welcoming her daughter into the world.

Throughout her journey, which included five weeks initially at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, followed by intensive chemotherapy treatments at home, two bone marrow transplants with stem cells generously donated first by her sister Rose Schlossberg, who turned out to be a perfect match and gave her sister this precious gift without hesitation, and later by an anonymous young donor from the Pacific Northwest whose selfless decision to join the bone marrow registry made hope possible, plus participation in multiple clinical trials including CAR T-cell therapy as her medical team worked tirelessly to find treatments that could give her more time with her beloved family, Tatiana was surrounded by an incredible network of love centered on her parents, Caroline and Edwin Schlossberg, who visited her hospital room almost daily, held her hand through difficult moments, helped care for their grandchildren Edwin and Josephine, and provided the kind of steady, unconditional support that parents offer their children regardless of age or circumstance.

Caroline Kennedy, who has faced profound personal loss throughout her life including the passing of her father when she was just five years old, her mother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1994, her uncle Senator Edward Kennedy in 2009, and her cousin John F. Kennedy Jr. in a plane crash in 1999, drew upon reserves of strength built over decades to support her daughter through every appointment, every treatment, every difficult conversation with doctors, and every moment when hope felt fragile, embodying the grace under pressure that has long been associated with the Kennedy family while simultaneously experiencing the unique heartbreak of a mother watching her child face an illness beyond anyone’s control.

Edwin Schlossberg, Tatiana’s father, the renowned designer and artist who has been Caroline’s devoted partner since their marriage in 1986, stood equally strong alongside his daughter, bringing his quiet wisdom, creativity, and deep love to support both Tatiana and her young family, helping to create moments of normalcy and joy for his grandchildren even during the most challenging days, reading stories to three-year-old Edwin, holding baby Josephine with tender care, and ensuring that family bonds remained strong and that his daughter felt surrounded by love at every turn.

Tatiana’s younger siblings, Rose Schlossberg, a talented actress and producer who not only donated bone marrow to save her sister but also provided emotional support through countless hospital visits and caring for her niece and nephew, and Jack Schlossberg, who had just completed his dual graduate degrees from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School and recently announced his intention to run for Congress in New York’s 17th district, visited frequently and brought laughter, encouragement, and the kind of sibling connection that transcends words, with Jack later sharing Tatiana’s essay on social media with the poignant caption “Life is short – let it rip,” honoring his sister’s courage in speaking her truth and living authentically even while facing unimaginable circumstances. Perhaps most profoundly moving was Tatiana’s description of her husband, Dr. George Moran, whom she called perfect, kind, funny, and a handsome genius, a man who transformed from partner to primary caregiver without hesitation, sleeping on hospital floors to stay near his wife, managing all communications with doctors and insurance companies, handling household responsibilities while caring for their two young children, preparing nutritious food according to strict dietary requirements, bathing Tatiana when she couldn’t do it herself, sitting beside her through difficult nights when medication affected her moods, and never once wavering in his devotion or allowing her to face any moment alone, embodying the deepest meaning of marriage vows through his actions every single day.

In her essay, Tatiana wrote with heartbreaking honesty about her greatest fears, particularly that her children might not remember her clearly, that three-year-old Edwin’s memories would become confused with photographs and stories others told him rather than genuine recollection of time spent together, and that baby Josephine, whom she often couldn’t hold or care for directly due to infection risks following her transplants, might never truly know her mother’s love except through the devotion of others who would keep her memory alive, thoughts that any parent facing serious illness understands with profound sadness yet which Tatiana expressed with vulnerability and grace that touched countless readers.

Throughout her months of treatment, Tatiana remained focused on cherishing present moments, finding joy in reading  books with her son, celebrating small victories in her medical progress, expressing gratitude for the support surrounding her, and continuing to think about the environmental advocacy work that had defined her professional life, including her dream of writing a  book about the oceans, their challenges and possibilities, a project she realized with sadness she would not be able to complete but which represented her ongoing commitment to making the world better for future generations including her own children. Caroline Kennedy, serving at the time as U.S. Ambassador to Australia, a position she held from 2022 to 2024 before returning home to be closer to her family during Tatiana’s illness, demonstrated once again her ability to balance public duty with personal devotion, ultimately prioritizing her role as mother when her daughter needed her most, traveling between hospital visits, family gatherings, and the daily rhythms of supporting both Tatiana and her young grandchildren, creating stability and love during a period of tremendous uncertainty and challenge.

The family’s strength was tested further as Tatiana’s treatments, despite initial promise including a period of remission after her sister’s bone marrow donation, ultimately could not overcome the aggressive nature of her rare form of illness, with doctors eventually sharing during her latest clinical trial that they could keep her alive for about a year, perhaps, but that her time was limited, news that required extraordinary courage to hear, accept, and then share publicly in her November essay, demonstrating Tatiana’s commitment to honesty and her desire to use even her most difficult experiences to educate others about medical research, the importance of bone marrow donation, and the need for continued funding and support for patients facing serious illnesses.

On December 30, 2025, surrounded by the love that had sustained her throughout her 35 years, Tatiana passed away peacefully, with her family announcing through the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation with words that captured both their profound grief and the enduring beauty of her spirit, saying simply and powerfully that their beautiful Tatiana had passed away that morning and would always remain in their hearts, signed by George, their children Edwin and Josephine, her parents Ed and Caroline, and her siblings Jack, Rose, and Rory, a circle of love that reflects the legacy she leaves behind and the family bonds that will carry her memory forward. In the days following her passing, tributes poured in from around the world, with family members, friends, colleagues, and readers whose lives she had touched through her environmental journalism and her courageous final essay sharing memories of Tatiana’s intelligence, kindness, humor, and grace, with her cousin Maria Shriver remembering her as valiant, strong, courageous, smart, wicked smart, sassy, and full of light, humor, and joy, someone who used her words to educate others about protecting our planet and who brought brightness into every space she entered, while countless others expressed gratitude for her willingness to share her journey with such honesty and vulnerability, helping others facing similar challenges feel less alone and inspiring conversations about living fully in whatever time we have.

Caroline Kennedy, having now lost her daughter to an illness that struck without warning and progressed despite the best efforts of exceptional medical teams, stands as a testament to a mother’s enduring love and strength, having supported Tatiana through every step of her journey with dignity, devotion, and the kind of grace that comes from deep faith in family bonds, and now carries forward as grandmother to Edwin and Josephine, ensuring they grow up knowing their mother’s love through stories, photographs, and the values Tatiana embodied, while also holding space for her own grief as any mother would, having watched her child face the unfairness of a life cut far too short yet having also witnessed Tatiana’s remarkable courage, her capacity for love, and her determination to live meaningfully during every moment available to her.

Tatiana’s legacy lives on not only in her published work including her award-winning book Inconspicuous Consumption that won the Rachel Carson Environment  Book Award and continues inspiring readers to think differently about their environmental impact, and in her journalism that appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and other prestigious publications where her voice enriched important conversations about our shared planet, but more importantly in the love she shared with George and their children, in the memories held by her parents and siblings who witnessed her extraordinary grace under impossible circumstances, in the example she set of living purposefully and speaking truthfully even when facing profound challenges, and in the countless people inspired by her courage to cherish relationships, express gratitude, support medical research and bone marrow donation, and recognize that meaning comes not from the length of our days but from the depth of our connections and the positive impact we have on others and our shared world, lessons her family including Caroline Kennedy will carry forward as they honor her memory and ensure her children grow up knowing the remarkable woman who was their mother, a woman who faced the greatest challenge with grace, love, and unwavering commitment to what matters most in life.”

In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, time is the one luxury no team can afford. Every second spent in the wind tunnel, every hour in the simulator, and every day of manufacturing counts toward the difference between standing on the podium and languishing in the midfield. Yet, reports have emerged that Adrian Newey—the undisputed king of F1 design—has done the unthinkable. According to leaked details surrounding the Aston Martin AMR26 project, Newey deliberately waited until the “absolute last moment” to finalize the car’s suspension design.

For any other designer, such a delay might signal chaos, indecision, or a project in crisis. But for Newey, this wasn’t a mistake; it was a calculated strategy. As the F1 world braces for the massive regulation overhaul of 2026, this revelation has sparked a firestorm of debate. Is this the masterstroke that will hand Fernando Alonso his long-awaited third world championship, or has Aston Martin backed themselves into a corner they can’t escape?

The “Last-Minute” Strategy: Why Wait?

The news comes from the reputable Italian publication Autosprint, which suggests that Newey postponed the final sign-off on the AMR26’s suspension architecture to the latest possible date. In an industry where production schedules are planned down to the minute, this approach seems counterintuitive. Why risk running out of time?

The answer lies in Newey’s unique philosophy. Unlike his rivals, who often rush to lock in designs to maximize manufacturing time, Newey prioritizes conceptual perfection. The 2026 regulations represent a complete reset for the sport—featuring 50% electrification, fully sustainable fuels, active aerodynamics, and radically redesigned chassis. In this chaos, Newey saw an opportunity.

By holding off on the decision, Newey allowed himself more time to analyze the data, observe the convergence of competitors, and—crucially—find the “golden path” that offers the best long-term development potential. He wasn’t looking for the quickest fix for race one; he was looking for the architectural foundation that would dominate the entire regulation cycle.

This echoes his famous “24-hour rule,” a methodology he detailed in his book, How to Build a Car. Newey explained that at Red Bull, any significant design decision had to “sit” for 24 hours. The team would critique it, challenge it, and try to tear it apart. Only if the idea survived the scrutiny of the next day would it be approved. This patience is rare in F1, but it is exactly what allowed him to build the dominant Red Bull RB18 in 2022 while Mercedes floundered.

The Suspension War: A Lesson from 2022

To understand the gravity of this decision, we have to look back at the last major regulation change in 2022. That year, Formula 1 reintroduced ground-effect aerodynamics. Most teams, including the mighty Mercedes, got it wrong. Their cars suffered from “porpoising,” bouncing violently at high speeds, which destroyed their performance and left drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell physically battered.

Red Bull, however, barely bounced at all. Why? Because Adrian Newey had personally designed the front and rear suspension. He understood that in a ground-effect era, the suspension isn’t just about handling bumps—it is the primary mechanism for controlling the car’s aerodynamic platform.

Now, facing the 2026 reset, Newey is applying the same rigorous scrutiny. While the rest of the grid—including Audi, Ferrari, and Red Bull—appears to be converging on a “push-rod” suspension setup, Newey’s hesitation suggests he might have found something else. If everyone goes left and Newey goes right, we could see a repeat of 2009, where Brawn GP utilized a “double diffuser” loophole to win the championship out of nowhere.

However, there is an interesting wrinkle in the Aston Martin garage. Enrico Cardile, the former Ferrari technical director, joined the team last summer. At Ferrari, Cardile was a staunch defender of the “pull-rod” system, even when the rest of the grid abandoned it. Now, these two technical titans are working under one roof. Newey’s delay could imply a fierce internal debate or a complex synthesis of differing philosophies.

The Risks: Flying Blind?

While the potential upside of Newey’s delay is massive, the risks are equally terrifying. A late design freeze puts immense pressure on the manufacturing and testing departments. There is almost no margin for error. If the physical parts don’t fit or fail under load, there is no time to redesign them before the first test in Barcelona.

Making matters worse, Newey himself has been brutally honest about Aston Martin’s infrastructure. Upon his arrival, he assessed the team’s simulation tools and labeled them “weak.” He noted that their “driver-in-the-loop” simulator was not correlating well with reality.

In modern F1, where track testing is strictly limited, the simulator is everything. It is the tool teams use to validate their concepts before spending millions on manufacturing. If Newey has designed a revolutionary suspension system but the simulator cannot accurately predict how it will behave, the team is essentially flying blind. Aston Martin has hired Giles Wood, a former Red Bull colleague of Newey’s, to fix these issues, but building a world-class simulation department takes years, not months.

Lance Stroll admitted late last season that the team “doesn’t yet have all the tools to be a top team.” This adds a layer of anxiety to the excitement. A genius car design is useless if the team cannot set it up correctly because their data is wrong.

The Honda Question

Adding to the complexity is the power unit. 2026 sees Aston Martin partnering exclusively with Honda. While Honda has a championship-winning pedigree, their President, Koji Watanabe, recently admitted that “not everything is going well” with the 2026 engine development.

Integration is key. Newey’s car concept will rely heavily on the packaging of the engine and cooling systems. Any hiccups on the Honda side could force last-minute chassis changes, further compressing the already tight timeline created by Newey’s suspension delay.

Alonso’s Final Roll of the Dice

At the center of this technical whirlwind is Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard will turn 45 in July 2026. He is driving better than ever, but he is fighting against time. He has pinned his final hopes on Adrian Newey’s ability to deliver a miracle.

For Alonso, this situation is agonizingly familiar. He has spent over a decade chasing a competitive car, often finding himself in the right place at the wrong time. If the AMR26 arrives at the Australian Grand Prix unoptimized and “playing catchup” due to the late design freeze, tensions could flare.

However, the counter-argument is compelling. As the video analysis suggests, a car that is 90% optimized around a brilliant concept will eventually beat a car that is 100% optimized around a flawed concept. Development never stops. If Newey has identified the correct architectural path—even if it means a slow start—Aston Martin could become a juggernaut by mid-season.

Conclusion: The Master at Work

Damon Hill, the 1996 World Champion, recently predicted that Newey could pull off a complete surprise. He called Newey a “master of seeing through the regulations.” The comparisons to Brawn GP are not unfounded. We are witnessing the greatest designer in the sport’s history betting on patience and precision over speed and convention.

Newey knows the risks. He knows the simulator is lagging. He knows the engine is a question mark. And yet, he waited. He held the line until he was absolutely certain.

That silence, that delay, is the most deafening sound in the paddock right now. It suggests that Adrian Newey has seen something that no one else has. Come Melbourne, we will find out if his gamble pays off, or if the “weak tools” of Aston Martin will crumble under the weight of his ambition. One thing is certain: the 2026 season just became the most interesting championship battle in years.

The atmosphere in the German capital today was nothing short of electric, a fitting backdrop for a moment that motorsport fans have been anticipating for years. On this crisp Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the covers were finally pulled off one of the most hyped projects in modern racing history. The Audi Revolut F1 Team has officially arrived, and if their launch event is anything to go by, the “Four Rings” are not here to merely make up the numbers. They are here to redefine the sport.

For decades, Audi has been the titan of motorsport, conquering everything from the gruelling rally stages of the 1980s to the endurance legends of Le Mans. Yet, there was always one glaring omission in their trophy cabinet: Formula 1. That changes now. The unveiling of the Audi R26 marks the end of an era of speculation and the beginning of a cold, hard reality for their rivals. This isn’t just a sponsorship deal or an engine supply contract; this is a full-blooded factory effort, built from the ground up with the might of the Volkswagen Group behind it.

A New Beast for a New Era

The car itself, designated the R26, is a striking piece of engineering that offers our first proper look at the radical 2026 regulation set. While today’s launch in Berlin was about the glitz and glamour of the team’s new visual identity—sporting the dynamic branding of their title partner, fintech giant Revolut—the real story lies under the carbon fiber skin.

Keen-eyed observers had already caught glimpses of the machine during a secretive “shakedown” at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya earlier this month. The footage that emerged from that filming day revealed a design philosophy that is both aggressive and nostalgic. The most immediate visual shock is the return of the “shark fin” on the engine cover, a design element banned in 2018 but resurrected under the new rules to aid stability.

Perhaps more significant to the lap time is the suspension. The R26 features a double push-rod setup at both the front and rear, a major departure from the pull-rod front suspension that has dominated the grid in recent years. This technical shift is a direct response to the new aerodynamic regulations, which have moved away from the heavy “ground effect” reliance of the previous era, allowing cars to run at higher ride heights. It’s a bold gamble, suggesting that Audi’s engineers, working out of their dedicated facility in Hinwil, Switzerland, have found a different path to performance than their established rivals.

Powering the Future

The heart of this beast, however, beats in Neuburg, Germany. This is where Audi Formula Racing GmbH has built a state-of-the-art facility to develop the 2026 power unit. The regulations for this year represent the most dramatic shift in engine technology in a generation, and Audi has embraced the challenge with open arms.

The new power units are a marvel of efficiency. The complex and expensive MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit – Heat) has been scrapped entirely. In its place, the electrical component of the engine has been supercharged. The kinetic energy recovery system (MGU-K) now provides a staggering 50% of the total power output—roughly triple what we saw in 2025. Coupled with an internal combustion engine that runs on 100% sustainable, carbon-neutral fuel, the R26 is a technological manifesto for the future of the automotive industry.

For Audi, this alignment with road car sustainability was a non-negotiable condition for their entry. It allows them to justify the astronomical costs of F1 to their board and shareholders, framing the race track as the ultimate laboratory for tomorrow’s electric vehicles.

The Dream Team Management

Building a car is one thing; building a winning team is another. Audi knows that money alone doesn’t buy championships—just ask Toyota or BMW. To navigate the piranha tank of the F1 paddock, they have assembled a leadership team with serious pedigree.

Leading the charge is Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari team principal who joined the project as Chief Operating and Technical Officer. Binotto’s tenure at Ferrari was a rollercoaster, but his technical brilliance is undeniable. He oversaw the Scuderia’s return to competitiveness in the early 2020s and knows exactly what infrastructure is needed to fight at the front.

Joining him is Jonathan Wheatley, who sent shockwaves through the sport when he left Red Bull Racing after nearly two decades to become Audi’s Team Principal. As Red Bull’s sporting director, Wheatley was the mastermind behind their pit-stop perfection and operational ruthlessness. His job is to instill that same winning mentality into a team that, until recently, was operating as the midfield Sauber outfit.

Youth Meets Experience

The driver lineup reflects the team’s pragmatic approach. There are no superstar egos here, just a calculated blend of development capability and raw speed.

In one seat sits Nico Hülkenberg, the German veteran who brings 17 years of F1 experience. “The Hulk” is renowned for his technical feedback and consistency—traits that are worth their weight in gold for a new manufacturer trying to troubleshoot a complex new car. He is the safe pair of hands, the benchmark who will help the engineers correlate their simulation data with track reality.

In the other seat is the future: Gabriel Bortoleto. The young Brazilian is one of the most exciting prospects to emerge in years, having torn through the junior categories with a ferocity that reminded many of a young Oscar Piastri or Charles Leclerc. One of the few drivers to win both the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in his rookie seasons, Bortoleto represents the long-term ambition of the project. If Audi’s five-year plan works, he is the man they hope to crown champion in 2030.

Managing Expectations

Despite the hype of the Berlin launch, the team has been refreshingly honest about the mountain they have to climb. Binotto has repeatedly tempered expectations, stating clearly that they do not expect to be winning races in 2026. “Our goal is to be a championship contender by 2030,” he told the press, a timeline that might frustrate fans used to instant gratification but one that reflects the immense difficulty of the task.

Honda spent years in the wilderness, enduring public humiliation before they built a championship-winning engine. Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull have decades of accumulated data and cohesive teams that Audi is trying to replicate in a fraction of the time. The transition from Sauber—a team that finished last in the 2025 Constructors’ Championship—to Audi is not just a paint job. It involves upgrading wind tunnels, hiring hundreds of staff, and changing the entire culture of the workforce.

The Sleeping Giant Awakes

However, there is a silver lining. The 2026 regulation changes are the “great equalizer.” When the rulebook is torn up and rewritten, everyone starts from zero. History has shown that this is when the pecking order can be overturned. Brawn GP did it in 2009; Mercedes did it in 2014. By starting fresh, without the baggage of “legacy thinking” or old infrastructure that needs to be adapted, Audi has the unique opportunity to build a team perfectly optimized for these specific rules.

The investment is staggering. Reports suggest the acquisition of Sauber alone cost around $600 million, with hundreds of millions more poured into the Neuburg and Hinwil facilities. This is a commitment that screams intent.

As the champagne flows in Berlin and the world gets its first detailed look at the striking livery of the Audi Revolut F1 Team, one thing is certain: the grid has changed forever. The Four Rings have arrived, and while they may start cautiously, they have the resources, the talent, and the sheer will to succeed. The engine has been fired up, the shakedown is complete, and the testing begins in Barcelona on January 26th. The countdown to Melbourne is on, and the world is watching to see if the German giant can fly.

The roar of the 2026 Formula 1 engines has yet to be heard in anger on a race track, but the paddock is already deafening with the sound of political warfare. In a sport defined by the relentless pursuit of speed, the most significant battles often take place long before the lights go out at the first Grand Prix. This year, however, the conflict has escalated to a fever pitch with unprecedented speed. At the center of the storm is Mercedes, a team synonymous with dominance in the hybrid era, who have reportedly uncovered a technical innovation so profound—and so controversial—that it threatens to render the upcoming championship fight a foregone conclusion.

As the sport prepares for a major regulatory overhaul in 2026, the expectation was a reset of the competitive order. New rules were designed to level the playing field, lower costs, and entice new manufacturers like Audi to join the fray. But sources confirm that the calmness of the pre-season has been shattered by a discovery that has rival manufacturers scrambling for answers and demanding immediate intervention from the FIA. The issue at hand isn’t aerodynamic trickery or tire management; it is a fundamental exploitation of the new engine regulations that could gift one or two teams an insurmountable advantage.

The Core of the Controversy: The Compression Ratio Limit

To understand the magnitude of this dispute, one must dive into the heart of the new 2026 power unit regulations. In an effort to control development costs and simplify the engineering challenge for newcomers, the FIA mandated a strict limit on the engine’s compression ratio. For 2026, this figure was capped at 16.1, a significant reduction from the previous maximum of 18.1. The logic was sound: a lower compression ratio generally limits ultimate power output and reduces the barrier to entry for new suppliers who might otherwise struggle to match the combustion efficiency of established giants.

However, the rulebook contains a critical vulnerability, one that Mercedes’ engineers appear to have exploited with surgical precision. The regulations specify that the compression ratio must be measured during FIA inspections. These inspections, by necessity, take place when the car is stationary in the garage and the engine is at ambient, room temperature. Under these specific conditions, the Mercedes power unit measures a perfectly legal 16.1. It passes the test without issue. The controversy arises from what happens the moment that engine fires up and heads out onto the circuit.

The “Magic” of Thermal Expansion

According to multiple paddock sources, Mercedes has developed engine components—specifically the connecting rods—using advanced materials with highly specific thermal expansion characteristics. In simple terms, they have engineered parts that are designed to “grow” when heated.

As any mechanic knows, metal expands when it gets hot. In a standard engine, this expansion is typically uniform or managed in a way that keeps the geometry relatively stable. In fact, most manufacturers report that under the intense heat of racing conditions, their compression ratio actually drops. As the cylinder block expands, the volume of the combustion chamber increases slightly, causing the effective compression ratio to fall from the static 16.1 down to approximately 15.4. This is the natural physical behavior that Ferrari, Honda, and Audi have accounted for.

Mercedes, however, has reportedly flipped this dynamic on its head. By utilizing materials for their connecting rods that expand proportionally more than the surrounding engine block, they have created a system where the piston is pushed higher into the cylinder as the engine reaches operating temperature. As the heat builds, the connecting rod lengthens, the combustion chamber volume shrinks at the top of the stroke, and the compression ratio climbs.

What starts as a legal 16.1 in the garage transforms into a far more potent 18.1 on the track. This is the “shape-shifting” genius that has rivals up in arms. Mercedes has effectively engineered their way back to the old, higher-performance specifications while technically remaining compliant with the letter of the 2026 rules.

The Performance Impact: A Decisive Edge

One might ask: does a small change in compression ratio really matter? In the world of Formula 1, where victories are measured in thousandths of a second, the answer is a resounding yes. Estimates from engineers suggest that this thermal trickery unlocks between 10 and 15 extra horsepower.

While 15 horsepower might sound modest to a road car enthusiast, in an F1 car, it is transformative. It translates to roughly a quarter of a second per lap. Over a 50-lap race distance, that advantage compounds into a gap of over 12 seconds—an eternity in modern Grand Prix racing. In a championship fight where the margins between winning and losing are razor-thin, a “free” quarter-second advantage is not just a marginal gain; it is a decisive knockout blow.

This advantage is particularly stinging for rivals because it is “always on.” Unlike a momentary boost from a battery or a Drag Reduction System (DRS) overtaking aid, this combustion advantage exists on every straight, out of every corner, and on every single lap. It is the kind of foundational performance dominance that turns a competitive season into a procession.

The Red Bull Connection and the Brain Drain

The plot thickens when one looks at the other major player in the paddock: Red Bull. While Ferrari, Audi, and Honda have been vocal in their complaints to the governing body, Red Bull has occupied a fascinating middle ground. Their new powertrain division, Red Bull Powertrains (supported by Ford), appears remarkably calm about the situation.

This confidence is likely no coincidence. Over the past few years, Red Bull has aggressively recruited talent from Mercedes’ High Performance Powertrains facility in Brixworth. Ben Hodkinson, the man leading Red Bull’s engine project, is a former Mercedes heavyweight. He recently dismissed the controversy as “excessive noise,” a statement that carries heavy subtext.

It is widely believed that the intellectual property regarding this thermal expansion approach migrated from Mercedes to Red Bull via the personnel transfer. While they may not have stolen blueprints, the engineers moving teams brought with them the deep understanding of methodologies and “philosophies” of design. Consequently, it is highly probable that Red Bull sits in the same boat as Mercedes—possessing a power unit that pushes the boundaries of the regulations in exactly the same way. This leaves the grid split: the “haves” (Mercedes and Red Bull) and the “have-nots” (everyone else).

The FIA’s Nightmare Scenario

This situation presents a genuine nightmare for the FIA. The governing body is now caught between a rock and a hard place. Their testing protocols are clear: engines are measured off, at ambient temperature. Under those rules, the Mercedes engine is legal. Period. The FIA currently lacks the regulatory framework to penalize a team based on speculation about how an engine behaves physically when it is running at 12,000 RPM and 200 degrees.

Furthermore, the engines for the 2026 season are already largely “homologated,” meaning their specifications are locked in. Demanding a fundamental redesign of the connecting rods or engine block just weeks before pre-season testing is practically unfeasible. It would cost millions, take months of manufacturing time, and potentially leave teams without functional cars for the first race.

A meeting is scheduled for January 22nd to address the crisis, but expectations for a ban are low. Sources indicate the discussion will likely focus on developing dynamic measurement procedures for future seasons—perhaps 2027 or 2028. For the upcoming 2026 campaign, it appears the FIA may be powerless to stop Mercedes and Red Bull from running their “hot” engines.

Why the “Safety Net” Won’t Save Rivals

The 2026 regulations did introduce a new mechanism called the “A-DUO” system, designed to help underperforming manufacturers catch up. If a manufacturer is significantly down on power, the FIA can grant them extra budget cap allowance and more dyno testing time.

However, this safety net is flawed in the face of such a specific disadvantage. The assessments for A-DUO eligibility only occur after every five or six races. By the time the FIA confirms that Ferrari or Audi are lagging behind and grants them help, we could be a third of the way through the season. If Mercedes establishes an early dominance, they could build a championship lead so massive that no amount of mid-season development from rivals could close the gap.

Moreover, simply having more money or dyno time doesn’t guarantee you can replicate a fundamental metallurgical breakthrough overnight. If the secret lies in the specific alloy and design of the connecting rod, rivals might spend the entire year chasing a ghost they cannot catch.

The Spirit vs. The Letter of the Law

Mario Andretti, advising the incoming Cadillac team, summarized the situation perfectly. He likened the F1 engineers to high-powered attorneys who know exactly how far to stretch an interpretation before it snaps. He noted that historically, Formula 1 has always celebrated this kind of ingenuity. From the Brawn GP double diffuser in 2009 to Mercedes’ own Dual Axis Steering (DAS) in 2020, the sport is built on the idea of outsmarting the rulebook.

The difference this time is the invisibility of the innovation. You could see the double diffuser; you could see the DAS steering wheel moving. This engine trick is hidden deep inside the block, visible only in the data traces and the lap times.

As we approach the new era of Formula 1, the irony is palpable. The rules meant to simplify the sport have birthed one of its most complex controversies. Unless the FIA pulls a regulatory rabbit out of a hat, 2026 may well be remembered not for the new cars or the new fuel, but for the genius of an expanding metal rod that handed the championship to the team that understood the physics of heat better than anyone else.

Bar owner seized as questions swirl over cash, crimes, and a deadly Swiss nightclub inferno

The voice on the end of the phone in Switzerland is hesitant and nervous. Barely a week has passed since the horrific fire which engulfed the basement of the Le Constellation bar in Crans–Montana, killing 40 and seriously injuring 116 others – most of them teenagers out celebrating the New Year.

Over the past few days, the agonising grief of their parents has tipped into fury directed at the ski resort bar’s French owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti.

Yesterday, 49–year–old Jacques, who reportedly has a criminal history, with a string of offences to his name, was dramatically taken into custody after being declared a ‘flight risk’ by Swiss prosecutors.

There are disturbing claims, too, that his 40–year–old wife was captured on CCTV running out of Le Constellation as the fire took hold, allegedly holding the cash register, while hundreds of young customers were trapped inside.

A former model and actress, Jessica once worked alongside British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, the Daily Mail can reveal.

More later of what happened during those final moments on New Year’s Eve. More, too, of serious concerns previously raised by former staff about safety at the bar (which had a significant underage clientele, with some as young as 14), including those made by a French barman left in a coma following the horrific blaze.

With pressure growing on the couple, Jacques Moretti’s father exclusively told the Daily Mail over the phone this week that his son and daughter–in–law – whose own father is a retired firefighter – have been left devastated by the tragedy. ‘We are a family. We are united. We’ll see what happens next,’ he said.

The couple face possible charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence. They were formally interviewed by Swiss prosecutors yesterday.

Owners of Le Constellation bar Jacques Moretti (L) and Jessica Moretti arrive for a hearing at the Office of the public prosecutor of the Canton of Valais in Sion on January 9, 2026.

Jessica Moretti (right) with Sacha Baron Cohen as The Dictator at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2012, Moretti was among a group of models hired to appear alongside Baron Cohen for a publicity stunt to promote his film

They have always maintained there was no wrongdoing on their part. Jessica Moretti was in tears after the interview and, speaking for the first time about the disaster, said: ‘It’s an unimaginable tragedy. We never could have imagined this. I want to apologise. My thoughts are constantly with the victims, and with the people who continue to fight [for their lives].’ She now has to wear an electronic tag, and report to police every three days.

Meanwhile, questions are being asked about how the couple have, over a decade, built an empire in one of the most exclusive resorts in the Swiss Alps, given Jacques Moretti’s criminal past – not to mention how they managed to evade inspections for six years.

Both born on the stunning French island of Corsica, sources there told the Daily Mail that the reason they moved to Switzerland ten years ago was because Jacques Moretti was no longer allowed to run businesses in France.

According to one who is familiar with Mr Moretti’s past: ‘They don’t ask too many questions in Switzerland. He was often in serious trouble in France, so Switzerland was an obvious place to set up.’

His murky CV includes two years in prison in France for fraud in 2005 and another spell inside three years later for recruiting prostitutes for an erotic massage parlour in Geneva called The Hot Rabbit, where he worked as manager.

Mr Moretti was convicted in 2008 by a court in Annecy in France for what is known as ‘proxénétisme aggravé’ – aggravated pimping – after procuring young women in France to work in the Swiss city in 2004 and 2005. According to the court, as well as accommodating all the women in a flat he rented, he also set their rates and the number of clients they worked for.

Moretti, who was still living in Corsica at the time, was caught after his phone was tapped and found guilty by magistrates of having ‘profited from prostitution’ and acting as an ‘intermediary’ with other people ‘exploiting or remunerating the prostitution of others’. He also recruited women to work in other Swiss massage parlours.

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with eight suspended.

Jacques and Jessica Moretti. With pressure growing on the couple, Jacques Moretti’s father exclusively told the Daily Mail over the phone this week that his son and daughter–in–law – whose own father is a retired firefighter – have been left devastated by the tragedy

Pictured: The moment sparklers on Champagne bottles started the deadly fire on New Year’s Day

His most recent conviction was in 2010 back in Corsica, where he received a two–year sentence for social security fraud, relating to housing assistance.

Moretti was born in 1977 into a long–standing Corsican family on an island which is notorious for gang–related clan violence.

Read More

Manager of Swiss bar, 40, ‘seen fleeing burning building with till full of cash’ as blaze took hold

Raised in the village of Ghisonaccia, he started work in the bar and restaurant industry soon after leaving school and moved to Bonifacio, a glamorous port city on the southern tip of the island, where the rich and famous like to anchor their superyachts.

In 2009, he set up a nightclub bar called Lollapalooza. It was closed in 2014, shortly before his move to Switzerland. By then he was in a relationship with Jessica Maric.

She was born in Corsica in 1985 but, aged six, moved with her family to the French Riviera where she later took a business course at the International University of Monaco at the end of the 2000s.

According to her now shut Facebook page she also briefly studied at the University of Glamorgan in South Wales, as well as at Montpellier Business School in France.

A hideous irony, given the events of last week, is that Jessica’s father, Jean–Paul Maric, is a former senior fire chief in Cannes and president of the city’s charitable firefighters ‘friendly society’.

His brother – Jean–Pierre Maric – is also a former firefighter and president of a rural ‘Forest Fire’ committee, which as well as recruiting volunteer firefighters, visits schools teaching youngsters about the dangers of fire.

Jessica with her husband yesterday. Before entering the hospitality business with her husband, Jessica worked for years as a fashion, underwear and swimwear model, while also acting in a series of short promotional videos in the early 2000s

According to a family friend: ‘Her father and other relatives are highly respected firefighters in the south of France. Protecting people from fire is part of family tradition.’

Before entering the hospitality business with her husband, Jessica worked for years as a fashion, underwear and swimwear model, while also acting in a series of short promotional videos in the early 2000s. In 2012, she was among a group of models hired to appear alongside comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen for a publicity stunt to promote his film, The Dictator, at the Cannes Film Festival.

Strikingly dressed in a red beret, khaki jacket and miniskirt and clutching a stunt Kalashnikov rifle, she was one of the so–called ‘virgin guards’ who accompanied Baron Cohen’s character Haffaz Aladeen through the streets of Cannes, posing at the entrance to the Carlton hotel and next to a camel.

Read More

BREAKING NEWS
Owner of Swiss inferno bar is taken into custody after being deemed a ‘flight risk’

She and husband Jacques moved to Crans–Montana in 2015, where Jessica cut a glamorous figure in an Alpine resort which is hugely popular with wealthy Europeans.

He, meanwhile, was often seen driving around the town in a limousine, and more recently a Bentley, and went by the nickname ‘Le Corse’ – the Corsican – a title he is said to revel in. That same year the pair took over as managers of Le Constellation, which had opened in the early 2000s, but only as a basic cafe–bar.

They set about renovating it themselves, posting photographs of their work on a dedicated Facebook page which has since been shut down. In one image Jacques Moretti can be seen smiling at the camera from inside the two–storey bar, the interior of which was demolished by a digger before being rebuilt and lined with wood to give the feel of an alpine cabin.

Other images show the narrow staircase up which hundreds of youngsters desperately attempted to escape on January 1.

The ceiling of the basement was stripped back before the addition of dimpled acoustic insulation foam to avoid disturbing residents living in apartments above the bar. That foam is now widely believed to have been fatally ignited by sparklers in champagne bottles on the night of the fire.

Flowers in Crans-Montana left in tribute to the 40 people who died in the nightclub fire

A Swiss investigating source with knowledge of local government administration in Crans–Montana told the Daily Mail this week: ‘With the change of management, the bar was gradually used as a nightclub, despite not having a specific permit to operate as one. This fact is now key to the manslaughter inquiry against the Morettis.’

The bar, known as ‘Le Constel’ to its loyal clientele, soon became popular among teenage skiers and students from nearby Le Regent International School. Five years later, in 2020, the Morettis opened a second venue, Le Senso, a burger bar in the resort.

Read More

The moment a sparkler almost set Swiss bar on fire six years before inferno killed 40 people

In 2023, they launched an upmarket Corsican–themed restaurant, Le Vieux Chalet in Lens, a Swiss village that is also part of the Crans–Montana region. The couple own a house in Lens and another property on the French Riviera.

While the pair have insisted that they operated within the law, lawyers for families of the victims are now asking a growing number of questions about where, exactly, the Morettis got all their cash. According to one lawyer, they spent around £2.7 million on property in recent years.

According to financial records accessed by Swiss lawyer Sebastien Fanti, who is representing some of the victims, they paid 40,000 Swiss francs (around £37,000) a month in rent for seven years before buying Le Constellation in 2022 without a mortgage. They then bought Le Senso in 2023 and finally Le Vieux Chalet.

Mr Fanti described Mr Moretti this week as ‘a shady character whose practices raise questions’.

‘I don’t have a single foreign client who moves to Switzerland without taking out a mortgage, and I’ve been a notary for 26 years. We don’t know where Mr Moretti’s money comes from,’ he said.

He added: ‘Do you know how many coffees and bottles of champagne you have to sell to pay 40,000 francs a month in rent?’

The key question is who, ultimately, is to blame for the inferno. In its immediate aftermath, Jacques Moretti claimed he ‘followed all safety regulations’. It has since transpired, however, that no fire inspections had been carried out at Le Constellation for the past six years, despite the fact it counted as a ‘high–risk’ location.

‘We bitterly regret this,’ Crans–Montana mayor Nicolas Feraud said this week, adding he couldn’t explain why the inspections, which should have been yearly, had not been carried out. During previous inspections, including the last in 2019, the soundproof foam was never tested. According to Mr Feraud, it wasn’t considered necessary.

He added that he and his team were unaware the bar was using the kind of fountain sparklers said to have caused the fire. But others were and had raised concerns – among them a former waitress, called Sarah, who said this week she quit due to safety concerns.

Read More

Banker ‘saved 10 youngsters’ from Swiss fire after his daughter rang him pleading for help

A video filmed in Le Constellation on New Year’s Eve in 2019 showed revellers carrying bottles of vodka loaded with ice fountain sparklers with a waiter calling out to one holding a bottle dangerously close to the ceiling: ‘Watch out for the foam! Watch out for the foam!’

Sarah said: ‘I worked a few months as a waitress before leaving for several reasons. I refused to do a lot of things. This practice, encouraging customers to buy champagne bottles, seemed extremely dangerous to me. I categorically refused to sit on shoulders for the show because I was afraid my hair would burn. It’s dangerous because of the balance, the stairs, there’s the crowd, and then people are very drunk.’

She said the emergency exit was kept locked with staff ‘ordered’ not to unlock it except to go upstairs to an apartment above the bar. She said she only saw fire extinguishers in an office that was ‘often locked’.

Another former bar employee called Maxime told French TV that extinguishers were kept in a locked room at the bar: ‘I always said that if waitresses held up sparklers and they came into contact with the ceiling, everything could go up in flames.

‘There was definitely a risk and the safety measures were a bit dicey. Staff weren’t briefed on fire safety and the emergency exit was sometimes blocked or locked.’

According to a French broadcaster, French bar manager Gaetan Thomas–Gilbert, 28, who was severely burnt in the fire, had previously told his father of his concerns about safety at the venue.

Jean–Michel Gilbert said his son told him in November that he wanted to quit his job but ultimately decided to stick it out until the New Year. He is being treated in a Paris hospital for third–degree burns and only came out of a coma this week.

What seems clear is that given the bar’s habit of promoting the use of fountain sparklers, the fire was an accident waiting to happen.

Mr Moretti was not at Le Constellation on December 31. His wife, who was in charge, sustained a burn to one arm as the blaze tore through the bar at around 1.30am on January 1 causing a mass stampede which left dozens crushed and dying.

Media outlets in France and Italy this week reported Mrs Moretti was captured on security cameras fleeing with the cash register. Italy’s La Repubblica said she had fled with the ‘cash register containing the evening’s takings’. French news site Public said: ‘CCTV footage reportedly shows the bar owner leaving the premises with the cash register shortly after the start of the incident.’

If this allegation is true, Mrs Moretti could face further criminal charges including ‘failing to assist people in danger’.

Meanwhile, another former employee told French media that Jacques Moretti ordered staff to turn the beer taps off and fill glasses with cans from Aldi, and that empty bottles of Grey Goose vodka were refilled with a cheaper version. Staff were also paid partly ‘under the table’ in cash to compensate for working more hours than they should.

The Morettis face up to 20 years in prison if charged and found guilty of manslaughter. But as Jacques Moretti’s father said yesterday, the couple ‘are sentenced to life with this story’.

‘It’s the first time in my life that I’ve seen Jacques cry,’ he told Le Figaro. ‘I know my son, he would never run away. It is his honour. We think of the victims, we also lost loved ones and people we loved. We cry every day.’

On Tuesday the Morettis pledged their ‘full co–operation’ with investigators. ‘We will under no circumstances attempt to evade these matters,’ they said.

Meanwhile, a growing mountain of floral tributes sits outside Le Constellation, many accompanied by messages written by those affected by the tragedy.

Among them are grieving parents and those whose injured children have been left burnt, in some cases, beyond recognition. An explanation about what happened that night is surely the very least they deserve.

Additional reporting by Emma Carmichael.

INSIDE THE RENOVATION: New images reveal how Swiss ski bar owners personally renovated the club themselves — as they now face manslaughter charges following the deadly blaze

Pictures have revealed how the owners of a Swiss nightclub where dozens of people were killed in a horrific blaze on New Year’s Eve were involved in some of the works to renovate the venue a decade ago.

Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40, who opened Le Constellation bar in 2015, could face manslaughter charges over the tragedy if their safety standards or fire precautions were found to be lacking, Swiss authorities have said.

The inferno, which broke out at around 1.30am local time (12.30am GMT) on Thursday morning, killed at least 40 people and another 119 were injured – most of them in their teens and twenties with severe third-degree burns. While Swiss authorities confirmed 40 victims, the Italians said 47 were dead.

Much suspicion has already focussed on the dimpled foam acoustic insulation which covered the ceiling of the basement bar and appeared to ignite from a sparkler held aloft on a Champagne bottle, then spread with terrifying ferocity.

And these photos, discovered on a Facebook account set up by the French couple in 2015, chronicling their DIY renovation of the bar, show the ceiling was completely stripped back at the time, with the foam then applied as the final layer.

In one image Mr Moretti can be seen smiling at the camera inside the building site in June that year. Another shows the French owner – who can be seen donning a pair of blue safety gloves – watch on as a man operates a digger amid a sea of rubble in the downstairs area of the club which caught fire.

The Morettis, speaking publicly for the first time, insisted that all laws and regulations had been followed and claimed that the bar had been checked by safety inspectors three times in the last 10 years.

‘Everything was done according to the regulations,’ Jacques Moretti, 49, told the La Tribune de Genève newspaper. ‘We can neither sleep nor eat. We are not well.’

He denied reports that the stairs leading from the basement where the fire started to the main exit were too narrow or that non fire-retardant materials were used in furnishings or soundproofing foam on the ceiling.

‘We will do everything in our power to help clarify the causes. We are doing everything in our power. Our lawyers are also involved.’

Jacques Moretti, 49, who is one of the owners of a Swiss nightclub where dozens of people were killed in a horrific blaze on New Year’s Eve can be seen taking part in the building’s renovation works shortly after he purchased the site in 2015

The French owner – who can be seen donning a pair of blue safety gloves – watches on as a man operates a digger amid a sea of rubble in the downstairs area of the club which caught fire

Images from social media show the works underway, with the panelling – which is believed to have caught fire and started the blaze – being installed on the ceiling

A photo appears to show the moment champagne sparklers set fire to material on the ceiling of the Swiss nightclub

The couple have already been questioned by authorities and may face manslaughter charges, according to Beatrice Pilloud, the attorney general for the Valais region.

Pilloud said: ‘We assume that the fire originated from sparklers attached to champagne bottles. From there, the ceiling caught fire.

‘We are also looking at what materials were used. The issue of emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and the bar’s occupancy is also being investigated.’

She added: ‘Our investigation also includes the foam on the ceiling. It is still unclear whether any individuals will face criminal charges. However, it is possible that an investigation for negligent homicide will be initiated.’

She declined to comment on whether any action would be taken to prevent the couple from fleeing Switzerland, stating: ‘There is currently no criminal liability.’

Stéphane Ganzer, the state councillor in charge of security in Valais, said he wasn’t aware of any safety deficiencies in the club, but admitted: ‘I don’t know when the municipality carried out the inspections. We haven’t received any reports of deficiencies. However, we assume that the inspections were conducted.’

Pilloud said a team of 30 are involved in the investigation, though the priority for authorities ‘remains identifying the deceased so that the families can begin their grieving process’.

Chief Inspector Pierre-Antoine Lengen said at the same press conference that another 30 people are involved in the identification process for the victims, with everyone looking at victims’ DNA and dental records, as well as items they may have been carrying before they perished.

But Lengen admitted that this process would take significant time and apologised to the families of those still waiting to hear of their loved ones’ fates.

As for those injured in the fire, Pilloud said the number of people affected may still go up, given that many of those in Le Constellation only checked themselves into hospital hours after the fire.

Jessica Moretti, 40, (pictured) was inside the bar when the blaze broke out and suffered burns to her arm

Mr and Mrs Moretti can be seen standing inside the basement of the bar as it undergoes renovation works in 2015

Images from 2015 show the panelling on the ceiling of Le Constellation bar – investigators believe this is what caught fire and started the blaze

Mrs Moretti was in the bar when the blaze began and was burnt on the arm. Her husband was in one of the two other restaurants that they own in the area.

In a property feature, the couple stressed the hard work they had put into the refit of the tired Café Des Amis, which they turned into a lively nightspot.

In 2015, they acquired the Constellation, which was then abandoned. ‘The place had been left exactly as it was,’ the French-Coriscan couple said.

One hundred days of relentless work later, the venue reopened, completely transformed and displaying strong, clear choices. ‘We were already offering Corsican cured meats, myrtle liqueur, and island whisky,’ they said.

On the Facebook photos the couple can be seen taking an active part in the refurbishment with Jacques alongside workmen and Jessica even stopping the traffic in the narrow streets of Crans as deliveries of furniture and other materials are made from huge lorries.

Jacques Moretti told Le Nouvelliste, a local newspaper, that he spent six months transforming Le Constellation into a buzzy night spot for the après-ski crowd of the upmarket resort’s winter season.

The bar with an upstairs terrace and a basement club, featuring DJs and live music, became one of the most popular nightspots in the town with a clientele of mainly young and affluent winter sports fans and locals.

According to the Crans-Montana website, the bar offered an ‘elegant space’ and a ‘festive atmosphere’ with online descriptions of it being the ‘place to be’ and popular with an international crowd.

It’s understood that it is also one of few bars in the ski resort that allows revellers who are 16 and over inside rather than having to be 18.

Footage shows the deadly flashover, when extreme heat caused everything inside the enclosed space to ignite almost at once, that left people little chance to flee

Footage from the evening shows a brave reveller trying to put out the first flames as they spread across the wooden ceiling of the cramped basement bar in south-west Switzerland

Despite his efforts, the blaze would soon engulf the crowded basement, travel up the narrow wooden stairs and set off explosions so deafening that residents feared a terror attack

He and his wife first visited Crans-Montana in 2011, after he ‘heard about it from Swiss clients’, according to a local newspaper Le Nouvelliste. The article told how the couple fell in love with the resort and decided to build a business there.

Describing his efforts to open the club, Mr Moretti told the newspaper: ‘I did almost everything myself. Look at these walls, there are 14 tons of dry stone, it comes from Saint-Léonard!’

He told how his bar served as ‘a showcase for Corsican products’, selling cured meats, wines, beers, myrtle liqueur, and even chestnut-flavoured whisky from the island, along with more local Swiss products.

Mr Moretti admitted to ‘feeling very much at home here’ in the Swiss resort, telling his local interviewer: ‘You know, we’re the same. We’re mountain people first and foremost. Stubborn, but above all, very kind.’

Another article in French-language Altitude magazine last year described Mr and Mrs Moretti as ‘brimming with energy’ and added: ‘Their slightly sing-song accent betrays their Corsican origins.’

The success of Le Constellation under the couple’s stewardship led to them opening a gourmet burger restaurant in Crans-Montana, called Senso in 2020, and a Corsican-style inn called Vieux Chalet in the nearby village of Lens in 2023.

This led to the couple drawing up plans to set up a Corsican festival in Lens, bringing in Corsican singers to perform concerts in a church and on an outdoor stage in the evening.

While Mr Moretti does not appear to have a visible social media presence, his wife has pages on Instagram as well as Facebook and a LinkedIn account which describes her as Propriétaire, or owner of their three businesses.

Security stands in front of the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year’s celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday morning, Jan. 2, 2026

A signboard of Le Constellation bar, after a fire and explosion during a New Year’s Eve party where several people died and others were injured

Parents of missing youths have issued desperate pleas for news of ​their children, as foreign embassies scramble to work out if their nationals were among ​those caught up in one of the worst tragedies to befall modern Switzerland.

Police commander Frédéric Gisler said all bar six of the 119 injured have been formally identified, but Swiss officials are yet to share the names of any victims or injured.

The injured included 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland, according to Frédéric Gisler, police commander of the Valais region.

The nationalities of 14 people were still unclear.

Six Italians are still missing and 13 hospitalised, while eight French people are missing and another nine are among the injured.

The first deceased victim to be named was 17-year-old Emanuele Galeppini, an Italian teenage golfer.

British-educated teenager Charlotte Niddam, who previously attended Immanuel College – a private Jewish school in Hertfordshire – is also among those missing.

THE QUIET POWER MOVE As she turns 44, the Princess of Wales is being hailed as the royal steady hand helping ease the monarchy’s Harry and Meghan problem

While the Princess of Wales is one of the most popular royals, her stoic nature and ‘never complain, never explain’ attitude, adopted from the late Queen, has seen her unfairly branded as dull.

In November 2023, she was viciously reduced to a ‘Stepford-like royal wife’ by Omid Scobie in his book Endgame, where the Sussexes’ biographer decried her ‘cold’ persona.

His analysis was that Kate had ‘never challenged the system with public struggles or oversized aspirations’ while fitting neatly within the mould of a ‘princess’.

What’s more, Kate has also had to contend with constant comparison with William’s mother Princess Diana.

Now, however, as the Princess of Wales celebrates her 44th birthday, her legacy is more assured than ever – and that’s thanks to forging her own path that’s very different to her late mother-in-law’s according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams.

‘She is not likely to emulate Diana who reached out to others brilliantly but was also brittle and deeply unhappy. They are too different to be compared,’ he explained.

‘Catherine’s legacy will be one of total loyalty to her husband and the institution of monarchy.’

Despite being crowned Vogue’s ‘eternal influencer’ for her ‘iconic’ and immaculate style, Kate appears to have a renewed sense of purpose as Mr Fitzwilliams noted she is ‘happily in remission from cancer and increasing her public engagements’.

The Princess of Waleshas grown into one of the Royal Family’s most prominent members as every move of hers is dissected, scrutinised, and, ultimately, contextualised within her future

From her cherished early childhood projects and advocacy around a work-life balance to a ‘total loyalty’ to Prince william, Kate’s journey from ‘Disney princess’ to Queen Consort – and what she will leave behind – has been already been signposted by Kate

Data from the Court Circular revealed the mother-of-three undertook 68 public engagements after announcing she was in remission during an emotional visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she received treatment.

A key focus for Kate in 2025 was expanding what she has described as her ‘life’s work’ as a champion for early years development with her ‘landmark’ Centre for Early Childhood that was established in 2021.

In November 2025, the Princess delivered her first public speech in nearly two years when she addressed the centre’s first-of-its-kind Future Workforce Summit in London – as she called on business leaders to support children and their families.

Mr Fitzwilliams said royal fans can expect to see Kate at even more ‘high-profile’ engagements that support the cause when she becomes Queen.

‘She has said that her work on early childhood is her “life’s work”. Expect this to be a project she will continue to support when she is Queen, just as Charles has with inter-religious understanding and the environment,’ he explained.

‘She has founded the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and given it an extremely high profile.’

The royal commentator also noted that Kate, like William, was seemingly choosing fewer projects to sink her teeth into – rather than performing cursory duties for a wider variety of causes.

That’s not to say that Kate doesn’t understand – or want to uphold – the traditions of the Royal Family.

Data from the Court Circular revealed the mother-of-three undertook 68 public engagements after announcing she was in remission during an emotional visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she received treatment

A key focus for Kate in 2025 was expanding what she has described as her ‘life’s work’ as a champion for early years development with her ‘landmark’ Centre for Early Childhood that was established in 2021. She is pictured here arriving for the Future Workforce Summit in London – as she called on business leaders to support children and their families.

In a dazzling display of pomp and pageantry, Kate joined the King, Queen Camilla, and her husband Prince William at a Windsor Castle state banquet for the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier in December.

Mr Fitzwilliams separately elaborated: ‘She is regal yet also has a contemporary look, her fashion choices are iconic and she will be known as one who was fashionable and famous, but in a relatable way.

One of her most important jobs when Prince William becomes King will be revamping the Royal Family’s reputation for a new generation of Britons – in part due to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s defection.

‘Partly owing to the antics of the Sussexes, a majority of young people currently favour a republic.

‘However the same group shows poll ratings of 70-75 per cent for Catherine, and I believe her legacy will include changing the attitudes of many of this pivotal group.’

As a staunch advocate for mental health and wellness, Kate could help shift the narrative of ‘work-life balance’ that resonates with millennials and Gen Z.

In another moving video released in September that year, the Princess said her focus was to remain cancer-free while making a gradual and ‘measured’ return to public life.

The poignant video underscored another key part of what Mr Fitzwilliams believes will become Kate’s legacy – a prioritisation of work-life balance while carrying out ‘one of the world’s most demanding jobs’.

In a dazzling display of pomp and pageantry, Kate joined the King, Queen Camilla, and her husband Prince William at a Windsor Castle state banquet for the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier in December

Rare, intimate footage of the Wales family on holiday in Norfolk played as Kate told viewers how her cancer journey has ‘reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life…of simply loving and being loved’.

Mr Fitzwilliams said this showed how ‘one of Kate’s legacies is certain to be as someone who, together with William, prioritised a work-life balance successfully’.

He continued: ‘She together with William, brought up three children, ensuring they were shielded, save on special occasions, from the glare of the international media in an age of social media. This willl have been a challenge.

As for Mr Scobie’s ‘Stepford wife’ jibe, today it only shows just how far Kate has come.

‘THIS COULD BE THE END’: Resignɑtion feɑɾs ɑɾe teɑɾing thɾough Ｗestminsteɾ ɑfteɾ ɑ bombshell ɾevelɑtion sent shockwɑves thɾough the coɾɾidoɾs of poweɾ

‘THIS COULD BE THE END’ RESIGNATION FEARS SWEEP WESTMINSTER AFTER BOMBSHELL REVELATION CHAOS AT THE TOP: What began as quiet unease has exploded into full-scale crisis. Sources claim senior figures are scrambling as pressure mounts to unbearable levels. The Prime Minister’s authority is said to be “evaporating by the hour,” and one leaked exchange hints a decision has already been taken just not announced yet

Resignation rumors are swirling around Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with insiders suggesting he may not last until 2026. Bookmakers are placing odds on his departure, and polls reveal a staggering 79% of the public disapproves of his performance. The political landscape is shifting, and the pressure is mounting.

Starmer’s candid acknowledgment of the rampant speculation regarding his leadership marks a significant turning point. This admission reveals that the Prime Minister is acutely aware of the growing discontent among both the public and his own party, which has reached unprecedented levels.

Recent polling data paints a grim picture for Starmer. A staggering 66% net approval rating deficit places him as the most unpopular Prime Minister in history. With only 18% of Britons viewing him favorably, the urgency for a change in leadership is palpable and growing.

The pivotal date of May 7, 2026, looms large on the political horizon. Local elections across the UK, including the crucial Welsh Senate, could serve as the tipping point for Starmer’s leadership. Should Labor underperform, the pressure for a leadership challenge will become irresistible.

Reports indicate that discussions among Labour MPs about replacing Starmer have already begun. The Guardian revealed that plans are actively being prepared, signaling that the party is readying itself for a potential shift in leadership. This is not mere speculation; it’s a calculated response to a dire situation.

Andy Burnham’s recent denials about plotting against Starmer have only fueled the fire. His refusal to dismiss the rumors suggests that the ambition for leadership is palpable among Labour’s ranks. Meanwhile, Shabana Mahmood’s reluctance to quash similar suggestions hints at a brewing power struggle.

As Starmer’s approval ratings continue to plummet, the internal dynamics within the Labour Party are shifting. MPs are reportedly viewing the upcoming local elections as a potential catalyst for a leadership challenge, with many believing that losing Wales would be catastrophic for Starmer’s leadership.

The January reset planned by Downing Street aims to refocus priorities, but doubts linger over its effectiveness. If the reset fails to yield positive results, the party may face an existential crisis as the May elections approach.

With the vultures circling, potential successors are already being discussed. West Streeting emerges as a front-runner, despite his denials of ambition. The political landscape is rapidly evolving, and the question of Starmer’s survival is becoming increasingly urgent.

Good Morning Britain viewers were left raging as Chris Packham bragged about putting his dogs on a vegan diet — with many blasting him as “𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑒𝑙,” “𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙,” and saying he’s “𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑡!”

Good Morning Britain viewers raged ‘he has lost the plot!’ as Chris Packham bragged about his dogs’ vegan diet on Friday’s episode of the ITV show.

Kate Garraway, 58, and Ranvir Singh, 48, returned to our screens for the latest instalment to talk about the latest news and headlines.

Wildlife campaigner Chris, 64, appeared in the studio to talk about the choice of food for his dogs Sid and Nancy.

His adorable furry friends follow a vegan diet, and the NHS describe it as: ‘A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants.’

This means that his pooches will not consume meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs.

Chris told Kate and Ranvir: ‘What new research is showing is that plant-based diets are as good as nutritionally, or even better than meat-based diets.

Good Morning Britain viewers raged ‘he has lost the plot!’ as Chris Packham bragged about his dogs’ vegan diet on Friday’s episode of the ITV show

Kate Garraway, 58, and Ranvir Singh, 48, returned to our screens for the latest instalment to talk about the latest news and headlines

Wildlife campaigner Chris, 64, appeared in the studio to talk about his choice of food for his dogs Sid and Nancy

‘This is peer reviewed science that has been done in 2022, a systematic review of all the papers.

‘Then last year, the University of Nottingham, did a very similar study which showed those dogs that were on a plant-based diet were much better in terms of their general health.

‘It does need to be a well formulated diet though.’

Kate said: ‘That’s my worry you see, if people go for a cheaper one and it won’t be well formulated and they won’t be as conscious as you.’

‘I think it’s one of those things, in the past people would invent their own dog’s diets at home, but the diet we’re working with has been put together in a lab,’ Chris explained.

‘What’s critical to say, it’s not where the proteins, amino acids, the fats, the vitamins, the rest of the nutrients come from, it’s that they are in that diet.

‘So if it is properly formulated like this diet is, then the dogs should be as healthy or healthier.’

Those watching at home rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their views on it all.

His adorable furry friends follow a vegan diet, and the NHS describe it as: ‘A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants’

‘I believe dogs should have a diet of both meat and vegetables. I don’t think the long term effects of a vegan diet for dogs have been properly established.’

‘Stick a bowl of meat down and see if the dogs eat it then, you’re being cruel, let dogs be dogs ffs #gmb.’

‘@GMB i think Chris Peckham has lost the plot. Dogs need meat, regardless of nutrients etc. I agree that giving a dog plant based foods is cruelty and Chris Peckham needs a straight jacket if he thinks dogs prefer plant based foods to meat.’

‘@GMB any chance Chris Packham has shares in this plant based dog food business? Utter nonsense!’

‘Dogs being vegan is just wrong. #gmb.’

‘I dont eat meat thats my choice but my dog does. He would never choose a plate of veg over a plate of meat.’

‘Put a bowl of meat-based food next to one of plant-based food and see which the dogs choose. My Husky was once left alone (accidentally) in the kitchen with a buffet lunch. When we realised, the two slices of meat pâté had gone. The veggie pâté between was untouched #gmb.’

‘Not the poor dogs fault we’ve screwed the planet up . A vegan dog is just wrong #gmb.’

Many rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on a dog having a vegan diet

Vet Dr Scott, 49, also appeared in the studio to give his take on the matter.

He said: ‘Anyone that chooses a vegan based diet is doing wonderful things for the planet because it’s a far smaller carbon foot print than if you are a meat eater.

‘That being said, I would agree, dogs by nature are omnivores, so they eat meat.’

Kate asked: ‘So dogs naturally, being omnivores, yes would have meat, but also have other things?’

Dr Scott continued: ‘Yes. A lot of the time actually, they eat some of the plants while they are digesting carcass of the animal that they have killed.’

Ranvir asked: ‘Is it right for dogs to be vegan?’

Chris chimed in: ‘Dogs were domesticated from wolves which are carnivores, but still consume vegetable matter, 33,000 years ago.

‘They are, as Scott says, omnivores, they are capable of digesting that.

‘But as I go back to the point, it’s not about the meat or the plant-based, it’s the nutrients, the proteins, that are important to them.

‘If you can supplement what they might find in meat through a plant-based alternative, which we can do, this diet has successfully done that, and the research has shown it works.

‘It’s the humans that need to change their minds on behalf of their pet’s health.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.

Gabby Logan has shared heartbreaking details of her dad Terry Yorath’s final moments — revealing the quiet, painful goodbye that still haunts her

Gabby Logan has paid tribute to her late father Terry Yorath and given an insight into their final moments together in an emotional statement on Instagram.

Football was plunged into mourning on Thursday morning after it emerged that the Leeds legend had died following a short illness aged 75.

Logan had left Wednesday night’s Match of the Day broadcast halfway through due to what was described as a ‘family emergency’ by her replacement Mark Chapman.

She wrote on Thursday night: ‘Thank you for your messages of love and support today, it has meant the world to us. Our Dad a warrior on the football pitch, captaining club and country, a kind hearted and generous man off it, would have hated all the attention. (Well most of it).

‘The stories that have been shared by strangers with us today have been enormously comforting. He touched so many people’s lives.

‘We knew he had limited time, but it is still a shock. Yesterday afternoon [Wednesday] I sat by his bed in St James Hospital Leeds and we had a debate about whether roast potatoes were better with calves’ liver than mashed potatoes.

Gabby Logan has shared an extended tribute to her late father Terry Yorath on Instagram

Yorath at home in 1978 with his wife Christine and children Gabby, Louise and Daniel

‘That was the meal he’d decided he wanted when he went home, tomorrow [Friday]. I left and went to work, he was looking forward to watching Newcastle v his beloved Leeds. He won’t go home tomorrow. But he is reunited with Daniel [Logan’s brother who died aged 15] and that will feel like home.

‘I am sorry he had to deal with so much pain, the tragedy of the Bradford Fire was forever in his heart and losing Daniel defined the second half of his life.

‘Thank you Dad for instilling your passion for fairness. Thank you for playing rounders, or making us race each other after dinner, even though Louise always beat me. Thank you for not making me pay you $1,865,986 after I kept losing at cards on double or quits, when I was eight years old.

‘Thanks for teaching me the value of money by challenging me to eat a pot of mustard at dinner in return for £5 so I could buy a pair of shoes I wanted when I was 12 (even though mum was horrified). Thank you for giving me a life long love of sport. Thank you for being a relentless tease with a wicked sense of humour.

‘And to the wonderful staff on J16 at Jimmys who cared for him with such tenderness, you are all Angels. I love you Dad.’

She also shared various photographs of Yorath in day-to-day life, including him spending time with the dogs, working in the kitchen, and speaking at her wedding.

Yorath’s death provoked an outpouring of loving comments as well as a much-derided contribution from former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, who wrote: ‘Sad to hear the news of Terry Yorath’s passing. He was a warrior & won fans over wherever he played. He was great for us at Coventry & the reason I got Gabby a job at Sky. I had no idea who she was when we met but I knew her dad. RIP Terry. Your daughter did you proud.’

TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods led the criticism of that, writing: ‘Sorry… but what a t**t. Said with zero surprise.’ She later added: ‘Also want to add my respects to the thousands of others who are showing theirs compassionately to a much beloved broadcaster and her family. Sending all my love x.’

Richard Keys (pictured right with Andy Gray and John Terry) appeared to reference his years-long feud with Yorath’s daughter, Gabby Logan, in his tribute to Yorath

Laura Woods has called out Keys over his tribute to Terry Yorath following his passing

Keys said he ‘got Gabby a job at Sky’ because of her father in his controversial message

Woods branded Keys a t**t and said she was not surprised about the apparent nature of his message

Former BBC Sport man Dan Walker also jumped to the defence of Logan in the post’s replies

Yorath, pictured in 2005, worked at a range of clubs after retiring, including Huddersfield

The star (pictured in 1973) was born in Cardiff and won 59 caps for the Welsh national side

Born in Cardiff, Yorath played a big part in the Leeds team under Don Revie, winning the First Division title in 1973-74, before spells with Coventry, Tottenham and Bradford.

Yorath scored 11 goals in 199 appearances for Leeds over nine years from 1967, and received runners-up medals in the FA Cup, European Cup and Cup Winners Cup.

The midfielder also won 59 caps for Wales and was assistant coach at Bradford on the day of the Valley Parade fire in 1985, when 56 fans died and 270 were injured.

Yorath also managed Swansea, Bradford, Cardiff, Lebanon, Sheffield Wednesday and Margate – as well as Wales, coming close to qualification for the 1994 World Cup.

His death was announced at 8.20am on Thursday, hours after Logan was forced to leave Match of the Day mid-show after being informed of the family emergency.

Read More

Terry Yorath’s greatest achievement was finding a way to prevail through tragedy, writes IAN LADYMAN

He had three children in addition to Logan – Louise, Jordan and Daniel, but the latter died in 1992 aged 15 from a genetic heart condition while playing football with him.

His children said in a statement on Thursday morning: ‘To most he was a revered footballing hero, but to us he was Dad; a quiet, kind and gentle man.

‘Our hearts are broken but we take comfort knowing that he will be reunited with our brother, Daniel.’

The sporting legend was also described as a ‘devoted family man’ and a ‘loving and immensely proud grandfather to Reuben, Lois, Mila, Phoenix and Paloma’.