Mercedes, Aston Martin split wins in annual charity football match

Mercedes and Aston Martin split results in their annual charity football match at Brackley Town's St James Park, with Mercedes winning the men's game 3-1 and Aston Martin taking the women's game 2-1. The event has raised money for local and mental health charities since 2022.

Why it matters:

The match showcases the off-track rivalry between two neighbouring F1 teams. With Mercedes leading the constructors' championship and Aston Martin at the bottom, the friendly offered a rare moment of shared purpose.

The details:

• Aston Martin's proceeds go to Movember, supporting men's mental health and prostate/testicular cancer.
• Mercedes' proceeds go to Helen & Douglas House, a children's hospice for terminally ill children.
• Mercedes charity lead Imogen Tait: "It's a fantastic way to bring both teams together off-track... It is so important that we use our resources to give back."

The big picture:

The match came after the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit. Kimi Antonelli took Mercedes' 10th win of the season, while Aston Martin endured another difficult weekend: Fernando Alonso finished 17th and Lance Stroll retired.

Mercedes leads with 503 points, ahead of Ferrari (358) and McLaren (306). Aston Martin remains 10th with three points despite introducing a B-spec car at Hungary and power unit upgrades.

What's next:

Both teams return to the track with a huge performance gap between them. Aston Martin will hope its upgrades eventually translate into points, while Mercedes looks to extend its championship lead.