LawVS - The Ladder Man

Max Verstappen had a good thing going...and then that happened.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsIn a shock exchange, the journalist from Abu Dhabi 2025 which got stuck under Max Verstappen's craw comes back into the headlines. Not through another reductive question...but by just breathing the same air as the F1 driver. In that moment, it set a potential precedent. Whilst Max is going through a lot of trials and tribulations in Formula 1 right now with Red Bull and its car, the act has perhaps undone...

The FIA responds to our collective worries about F1 qualifying.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsOne day before Formula 1 begins running the Japanese Grand Prix proper, the FIA has begun to implement their findings from the 2026 regulations from both testing and the opening two races. The answer, for now? Less power in qualifying. Is this enough to stem the flow of hatred toward Formula One? Maybe. It should at least give more control to the drivers again...and Formula One's commercial arm? Barely a word.<...

WHY did Jonathan Wheatley leave Audi for, likely, ASTON MARTIN? Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsOne of the weirder twists of the 2026 F1 season relates to the team principal of Audi moving to, logic would point toward, a team which is too busy shaking its drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll to pieces? On the surface, it looks bizarre...but when you think about it...the reasons DO make sense. Could it be that Lawrence Stroll's team offers a power structure more in keeping with Formula 1 tradition...

Suzuka looks set to see whether or not Max Verstappen's season has hope.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsThe 2026 F1 Japanese GP is always the highlight of the calendar, especially with a duel between Ferrari and Mercedes looking likely to be quite interesting, given the importances of corner stability. As McLaren pray for a simple weekend, Aston Martin just want to have a somewhat competitive weekend...all the while the looming presence of the special Haas Godzilla one-off livery stealing the show across the board. A podium...

Mercedes may have an advantage its customers can't easily overcome.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsMcLaren and Williams are left reeling at their misfortune in 2026. Their F1 cars cannot tap into the full potential of their Mercedes-supplied power units...in Oscar Piastri's case, he can't even START a Formula 1 Grand Prix! What's going on? Well, McLaren needs to get to the bottom of this FAST. However, it might be something already baked into the FIA regulations...a clever software power play from Toto Wolff's pack?<...

China's interested in F1...but it won't be a sudden arrival.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsBYD and Geely have recently expressed interest in entering Formula 1 in the near future. Whilst coming in with billions of dollars is not practical in Formula One 2026, a steady introduction could be the way to go. Sort of similar to the Toyota model with Haas. First a technical parternship, then a brand partnership...then maybe more?BYD is curious about the sport, Geely plans to give it another...

At the first sign of trouble, Aston Martin FAILED the works team test.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsAfter years of preparations, the initial template for Aston Martin-Honda's working partnership has failed. Specatcularly. Despite racking up more race laps than McLaren after the first two rounds of F1 2026, that's little comfort for the newly minted Formula 1 works team. Was this all too much too soon? Or a case of a failed leadership program? Or a case of treating Honda more like a supplier rather than a partner...

Red Bull have problems...but at least they've finished races. What's going on with McLaren?Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsWorse than 2023's start? McLaren have only finished one race distance whilst its rivals Ferrari and Mercedes have four times that! Even Aston Martin have completed more race laps than the defending F1 champions. Has the Mercedes power unit offered up more issues than the Formula 1 team can process at this time? And why does the general Formula One fanbase not really care as much as you...

Max Verstappen is not a fan of the 2026 regulations...and his Red Bull is making his feelings even worse.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsAfter just two races, Red Bull's F1 car has proven to have more than just simple engine problems...everything is problematic! What Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar are driving could be something fundamentally wrong with the RB22 Formula 1 car. Crisis talks on Max's private jet just HOURS after the Chinese Grand Prix tell you one thing: this time is in crisis! Whilst Verstappen's...

As Max Verstappen doubles down on F1 2026 criticism, change will come soon.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsFormula 1 may not be anti-racing...but it could be anti WEIRD racing. What the first two Formula One races proved is that there can be some good contests for position as long as the cars aren't starved for energy thanks to the pitfalls of superclipping. The Chinese Grand Prix provided hope for the 2026 regulations...but Japan may not be so kind. However, with five weeks of no racing, the rules...

Kimi Antonelli made history whilst Ferrari clapped back...kinda.Join the VS Posse today!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKXm93J-6YEUEBs8WlLagrA/joinLewis Hamilton secured his first ever lead race podium ahead of a very spirited Charles Leclerc. George Russell had to really push his car to get passed both red cars...but the Italian Stappen had his day without any issues...until a lock-up near the end!Meanwhile, Alpine came alive with Oliver Bearman having a great day again...shame about his teammate.<...

George Russell got a rude awakening...he has competition. From his teammate.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsKimi Antonelli made history as Mercedes endured a flawed Saturday. The Italian coming back from a frought sprint race to pole position for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix tomorrow BESTING George Russell by a decent margin. But Ferrari were not that far behind them and could prove to be mighty rivals in the race itself. McLaren were left notably behind but not nearly as troubled as Max Verstappen and Red...

What's gone on with Williams in what was meant to be THEIR year?Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvs2026 was supposed to be the year where James Vowles had a team and car which looked normal. Not a race winner or title favourite, but at least a noticeable continuation of their overperforming 2025 car. However, what's become clear is that the F1 team grossly overestimated the task at hand at building a Formula One car for these new regulations...despite preparing for this long. Whilst the equipment and facilities...

Max Verstappen's not done critiquing the F1 2026 regulations...Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsTalk of Max Verstappen retiring early is common...but the Formula 1 champion is not talking about that. Instead, what he is discussing could be more worrying for the Formula One organisers. Today he spoke of the sport not giving him as much joy as it once did...and the series which DO give him "positive distractions". With the FIA happy to let him and others speak freely about their takes on the rules, the...

Ferrari's about to do the macarena whilst BYD muses the F1 dance.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsBefore the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix starts, there are plenty of talking points to discuss. Such as Ferrari bringing the attention-grabbing rear wing from Bahrain testing to China...as well as talk about their engine could be poised for further advances. Meanwhile, Chinese automaker BYD is musing the idea of motor racing. Formula One being one of its places of interest. Could this be as a 12th team or working...

Mercedes leader Toto is out to steal Christian's Alpine dream.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsIn a sudden twist, Toto Wolff is one of many candidates out to buy a stake in the Alpine F1 team, from the original owners Otro Capital...and its celebrity investors. However, we all thought former Red Bull boss Christian Horner was the one to buy it. What happened? Well, it could be more than simply making the team into a satellite team for Merc...it might be a...

F1 is not handling the 2026 debut as well as they could be.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsWhilst the FIA is busy working on tweaks to the 2026 regulations after testing and the Australian Grand Prix, Formula One's commercial arm is busy putting out fires or smoothing things over. On top of that, new graphics were shown for the race itself and they were...less detailed than usual. Was this a test...or something more permanent for 2026?Thusly, it's brought to my mind a sense...

Mercedes led...but Ferrari are in the mix. And Aston? They tried.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsThe first race of the new F1 regulations weren't entirely terrible. Action at the start was mad! Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton immediately throwing their team into the equation...but it fell flat due to an overly cautious run plan...expecting Formula 1 to be less reliable than it ultimately was. Meanwhile, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli led the way with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar conking out at the start...the...

Well...that was quite wild. Not as bad as it could've been though!Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsAfter months of waiting, the first F1 qualifying of 2026 got started and...it felt like opposite day! At least in terms of Red Bull. Whilst Max Verstappen was thrust into the barrier by his car, his teammate Isack Hadjar flew the flag for the team and ALMOST got said car on the front row...not quite enough to best the Mercedes of George Russell or Kimi Antonelli, but still...

It may only be Friday, but THIS Friday is the most important of F1 2026.Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lawvsWhen it comes to Formula 1's introduction to the 2026 regulations, it was not as shaky as it could've been. CERTAINLY not as much as it was in 2014. Whilst reliability did have wobbles, the car sounded pretty much the same as before...and the sound of the pecking order seems to point towards a very close battle for the top spot in this weekend's Australian Grand Prix!<...