F1 News Roundup: Leclerc's Dutch GP Mystery, Piastri's Practice Denial, and Key Team Updates

Leclerc's Dutch GP Mystery Solved

The big picture: Charles Leclerc's mobile phone mystery following his Dutch Grand Prix retirement has been resolved. Leclerc crashed on lap 53 at Zandvoort, an incident that likely cost Ferrari a fourth-place finish and a pointless afternoon after Lewis Hamilton's earlier crash.

Piastri Rejects "Slow Start" Claims

What happened: Oscar Piastri denied intentionally being slow at the start of F1 weekends, following a strong performance that surprised Lando Norris. Norris was the first driver in 2025 to top all three practice sessions at Zandvoort.

Ferrari Unveils Special Italian GP Livery

The details: Ferrari will run a special livery at its home race, the Italian Grand Prix. The design incorporates white on the engine cover, complementing its traditional red.

Alpine Confirms FP1 Driver Change for Italy

Driver news: Alpine has announced Paul Aron will replace Franco Colapinto for the first free practice session at the Italian Grand Prix. Aron is one of Team Enstone's reserve drivers.

Cadillac F1 Signs IndyCar Star Colton Herta

Why it matters: The Cadillac F1 team confirmed IndyCar race winner Colton Herta as a test driver. Cadillac is preparing for its F1 debut next year as the 11th team.

Key Engineer Jock Clear Departs Ferrari

Personnel change: Ferrari's chief performance engineer, Jock Clear, is reportedly leaving the team after nearly a decade. Clear, who coached Charles Leclerc and oversaw the Ferrari Driver Academy, will be succeeded by Marc Gené.