News Summary
- Cadillac has confirmed Colton Herta for his fifth F1 practice appearance in Mexico, where a disputed super licence points calculation could influence his chances of racing in 2027.
- Six regular drivers will miss Mexican Grand Prix FP1, including George Russell, Franco Colapinto and Valtteri Bottas, as teams provide opportunities for reserve and junior drivers.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli is closing in on the 2026 World Championship, while Max Verstappen has been eliminated, Russell faces a close battle for second and security questions remain ahead of Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Formula 1’s preparations for the Mexican Grand Prix intensified on Tuesday, October 27, with Cadillac confirming another crucial practice opportunity for Colton Herta and several teams announcing changes to their Friday driver line-ups. The American’s pursuit of an FIA Super Licence has emerged as a major storyline, particularly after a shortened outing at Monza left uncertainty about his eligibility for a potential full-time Formula 1 debut in 2027.
Meanwhile, Mercedes arrives at Mexico City with Andrea Kimi Antonelli on the verge of securing the World Championship after his victory in Austin. George Russell is facing pressure from Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in the fight for second place, while the FIA continues monitoring security arrangements for the season-ending events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Here are the biggest Formula 1 stories today.
Cadillac confirms Herta for Mexico FP1 as super licence points dispute continues
Colton Herta will make his fifth Formula 1 practice appearance of 2026 after Cadillac confirmed that he will replace Valtteri Bottas during the opening session of the Mexican Grand Prix.
The American has already participated in practice at Barcelona, Hungary, Monza and Austin, but his latest outing carries particular significance because he is attempting to reach the 40 Super Licence points required to compete in Formula 1.
There is a discrepancy over his current total. Cadillac believes Herta has 39 points, while an independently documented calculation produces 38.
His Monza appearance did not earn a point because a hydraulic failure limited him to five laps, well below the 100km minimum required for an eligible session.
At Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Herta would need at least 24 completed laps to exceed 100km. If the Cadillac calculation is accepted, one additional point could take him to the threshold; if the independent total is correct, he would remain one point short.
The development adds another dimension to the team’s 2027 driver discussions, although Cadillac has not confirmed that Herta will replace Bottas or Sergio Pérez.
Read the full story: Cadillac confirms Herta for Mexico FP1 as dispute over F1 super licence points continues
Six regular F1 drivers to miss opening Mexico practice session
Friday’s first practice session in Mexico will feature an unusually large number of driver substitutions.
Alpine has selected Gabriele Minì to replace Franco Colapinto, while Williams will field Luke Browning in Alex Albon’s car.
Mercedes has confirmed Frederik Vesti as George Russell’s replacement, and Audi will give Freddie Slater his first official Formula 1 race-weekend practice appearance in place of Gabriel Bortoleto.
Aston Martin has assigned Jak Crawford to Lance Stroll’s car, while Cadillac’s confirmation of Herta in place of Bottas brings the announced total to six substitutions.
All six regular drivers are expected to return for FP2 later on Friday.
The changes are part of Formula 1’s rookie-practice requirements, but Mexico presents a particularly demanding environment because of the circuit’s altitude and the importance of collecting data about cooling, aerodynamics and energy management.
FP1 begins at 12:30pm local time on Friday, October 30, equivalent to 6:30pm GMT in the United Kingdom and 2:30pm EDT on the United States East Coast.
Read the full story: Mexico GP grid reshuffled for Friday practice as Colapinto, Albon and Russell step aside
Russell hands Mercedes cockpit to Vesti as title battle reaches crucial stage
Mercedes has confirmed that Frederik Vesti will replace George Russell during Mexican Grand Prix FP1.
The Danish reserve driver has previous experience with the team, including practice appearances in Mexico, and will use Friday’s opening session to contribute to the W17 development programme.
Russell will return for FP2, but the substitution reduces his personal preparation time at a particularly important moment in the championship.
The British driver is second with 242 points, only one ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, while Max Verstappen has 236 and Charles Leclerc 233.
That means four drivers are separated by only nine points in the battle immediately behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Russell also faces pressure to recover after a difficult United States Grand Prix, where he finished eighth and admitted that he could not explain his lack of pace.
Mercedes will therefore need useful technical feedback from Vesti and Antonelli before Russell resumes running on Friday afternoon.
Read the full story: Mercedes confirms Frederik Vesti will replace George Russell in Mexican GP FP1
Antonelli’s 123-point lead exposes Mercedes’ contrasting 2026 seasons
Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have experienced dramatically different campaigns despite driving for the same Mercedes team.
Antonelli leads the championship with 365 points and nine Grand Prix victories, compared with Russell’s 242 points and three wins.
The Italian also leads the Mercedes teammate comparison 11–7 in qualifying and 13–5 in Grand Prix results.
Reliability has played a role. Russell has suffered mechanical problems and penalties that affected his championship position, including setbacks during the Asian rounds.
However, the direct comparisons also demonstrate Antonelli’s stronger conversion of competitive weekends into results.
The difference became especially apparent at Austin, where Antonelli secured pole and won with a one-stop strategy while Russell qualified sixth and finished eighth.
Mercedes has also struggled to understand why the updated W17 behaves differently across circuits and setups, making the internal performance gap an important technical issue ahead of Mexico.
Read the full story: Same Mercedes, different seasons: The numbers behind Antonelli’s 123-point lead over Russell
Verstappen’s F1 title hopes end before the finale for first time since 2020
Max Verstappen has been mathematically eliminated from the 2026 Drivers’ Championship following the United States Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver finished third in Austin, taking his season total to 236 points, while Antonelli’s victory lifted the Mercedes driver to 365.
The 129-point deficit is greater than the maximum 125 points remaining across Mexico, São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
That means Verstappen cannot win his fifth World Championship this season, even if he wins every remaining race.
The historical significance is considerable.
From 2021 to 2024, Verstappen won four consecutive titles. In 2025, he lost the championship to Lando Norris by just two points but remained mathematically in contention until the final race in Abu Dhabi.
2026 is therefore the first season since 2020 in which Verstappen’s championship hopes have ended before the final round.
The Dutchman can still fight for second place, sitting six points behind Russell with five races remaining.
Read the full story: Verstappen’s F1 title hopes end early for first time in six years after Austin defeat
UK travel warnings highlight questions over Qatar and Abu Dhabi
The United Kingdom’s government continues warning British nationals about possible flight cancellations, airspace restrictions and travel disruption in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Both countries are scheduled to host the final two Grands Prix of 2026, with Qatar on November 29 and Abu Dhabi on December 6.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s travel guidance addresses the unpredictable security environment arising from regional conflict and advises travellers to monitor official information.
However, the pages reviewed on October 27 do not record a newly issued warning on that date. The significance is that the existing guidance remains relevant as Formula 1 approaches its final races.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has indicated that the intention remains to stage both events, while acknowledging that circumstances could change.
Neither Grand Prix has been cancelled, and the championship continues preparing for the scheduled Middle East finale.
The issue is particularly important to teams and personnel because airspace disruption could affect freight, travel and the movement of equipment between Grands Prix.
Read the full story: UK travel warnings highlight security concerns ahead of Qatar and Abu Dhabi F1 races
Mexico’s extreme altitude puts F1’s 2026 hybrid engines under pressure
The Mexican Grand Prix will provide a significant technical test for Formula 1’s new-generation power units.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez sits approximately 2,240 metres above sea level, where reduced air density affects aerodynamic downforce, turbocharging and cooling.
The challenge is particularly interesting in 2026 because Formula 1 introduced revised power-unit regulations with a much greater electrical contribution.
The combustion engine produces approximately 400 kW, while the MGU-K can deliver up to 350 kW of electrical power. The previous MGU-H system has also been removed.
Although altitude does not directly reduce the regulated output of the electric motor, it can make thermal management more demanding for batteries, power electronics and other hybrid components.
Teams must also balance energy recovery and deployment over the lap, particularly on Mexico’s long straights and heavy braking zones.
Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull-Ford, Honda and Audi will therefore face a technical environment unlike most other circuits on the calendar.
There is no verified basis to identify one manufacturer as the clear beneficiary before the weekend’s sessions.
Read the full story: Mexico’s 2,240-metre altitude puts F1’s new hybrid engines to their toughest test yet
When is the Mexican Grand Prix? Race times worldwide
Formula 1 returns to the track on Friday, October 30, with FP1 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
The Mexican Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, November 1, when Andrea Kimi Antonelli can secure the Drivers’ World Championship with a ninth-place finish or better.
Mexico City Grand Prix 2026 — Key race times
| Market | Race start |
|---|---|
| Mexico City | Sunday, 2:00pm CST |
| United Kingdom | Sunday, 8:00pm GMT |
| New York | Sunday, 3:00pm EST |
| Los Angeles | Sunday, 12:00pm PST |
| India | Monday, 1:30am IST |
| Sydney / Melbourne | Monday, 7:00am AEDT |
| Auckland / Wellington | Monday, 9:00am NZDT |
The complete Mexican Grand Prix timetable for Indian viewers includes all five sessions and FanCode streaming information.
For Australia and New Zealand, the dedicated Monday-morning Mexican GP guide provides the full local schedule.
The complete championship scenarios for Antonelli in Mexico explain the results required for the Mercedes driver to secure his first World Championship.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the build-up to the Mexican Grand Prix, with breaking news, full session coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
FAQ
What are the biggest Formula 1 stories today, October 27?
Cadillac has confirmed Colton Herta for Mexican GP FP1, six regular drivers are expected to give up their cars for the opening practice session, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli is approaching the 2026 World Championship. Security concerns surrounding Qatar and Abu Dhabi also remain an important issue.
Can Andrea Kimi Antonelli win the championship in Mexico?
Yes. Antonelli needs only ninth place or better at the Mexican Grand Prix on November 1 to secure the title regardless of George Russell’s and Lewis Hamilton’s results.
How many Super Licence points does Colton Herta have?
A documented independent calculation gives Herta 38 points, while Cadillac states he has 39. His Monza practice session did not qualify for a point because he failed to complete the minimum 100km.
