Race and classic pictures

Domenicali hosts traditional dinner for F1’s class of 2026

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali hosted his traditional Thursday night feast at the Red Bull Ring, and the seating chart looked a little more crowded this year.

Thanks to Cadillac joining the party this year as the grid's 11th team, organizers had to squeeze in two extra chairs for F1 returnees Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, bringing the total headcount to 22 drivers.

The ultimate multi-generational dinner party saw veterans like 44-year-old Fernando Alonso and 41-year-old Lewis Hamilton breaking bread alongside 18-year-old rookie Arvid Lindblad.

While it’s primarily a social truce before the Austrian Grand Prix chaos, Domenicali loves using these relaxed vibes to secretly talk shop – perhaps pitching his latest sprint race ideas over dessert.

But for once, everyone agreed on the same strategy: enjoy dinner before the racing chaos begins. 😄

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

Perez admits he ‘had doubts’ about returning to F1 with Cadillac

For much of 2025, the paddock conversation around Sergio Perez was surprisingly straightforward: a driver…

12 hours ago

Briatore questions Alpine’s results: ‘Why are we not winning?’

Flavio Briatore is not a man accustomed to standing on the sidelines of victory, nor…

14 hours ago

Richie Ginther: A man on the brink of F1 greatness

Richie Ginther was born on this day in 1930. A glance at the American F1…

15 hours ago

The Max effect: Verstappen Racing scores first Pro-Class GT win

  Victory at last! After enduring a frustrating season plagued by mechanical failures and unavoidable…

16 hours ago

Hakkinen warns McLaren on Verstappen move: ‘Why rock the boat?’

Mika Hakkinen has urged McLaren to resist the temptation of making a blockbuster move for…

17 hours ago

Veteran Aston Martin engineer Tim McCullough to exit team after 2026

Long-serving Aston Martin engineer Tim McCullough is reportedly set to leave the team at the…

18 hours ago