After six wins from six races for Mercedes in 2026, Lewis Hamilton will line up between Russell and Antonelli on the grid, having continued his recent run of surprising superiority over teammate Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque's difficult period also continued after his Monaco crash, which he blamed on Brembo. But in Barcelona, Leclerc freely - and emotionally - admitted all fault.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur rejected suggestions that Leclerc is being outperformed or psychologically affected by Hamilton's new top form.

"I don't think so," he told Sky Deutschland. "There were various problems.

"I don't even want to talk about Monaco anymore. This weekend he had strong pace and he was in good form and was never behind.

"Maybe he was a little too overconfident there."

Vasseur was instead eager to highlight Ferrari's growing competitiveness after a difficult start to the new regulations era.

"We have the closest qualifying gap to Mercedes," he said. "Lewis is improving along with the team.

"The goal when you start on the front row is always to win, but the challenge is huge because we'll have to manage the tyres."

Hamilton himself credited Ferrari's latest upgrades for further closing the gap to the dominant Mercedes package.

"The guys did a great job in Maranello," he said. "With the updates we're less than a tenth behind Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion believes Ferrari could soon return to winning ways. "I'm sure this car will win races given the path it's taken, hopefully already here."

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted Ferrari's progress had come as something of a surprise. "My old friend?" he laughed when asked about Hamilton. "Not old in age, otherwise he'd get angry!

"When he feels good and has a car he likes to drive, he goes incredibly fast. We thought McLaren would be fast, but Ferrari was strong.

"They practically changed the whole car," he smiled again, referring to Ferrari's Barcelona updates.

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes the new regulations are simply suiting Hamilton's driving style.

"It looks like Hamilton is simply getting on superbly with the new concept," he said. "With the new aerodynamics, less grip, narrower and more agile cars that you can somehow throw into the corners, it seems to suit him better.

"You have to give him that. Kudos. He hasn't always done good races, but lately he's been doing a superb job."

According to Sky Italia journalist Roberto Chinchero, the two-time world champion is being linked with a shock move to Alpine for 2027, potentially reuniting with Flavio Briatore.

"Gasly will stay, but Colapinto says it also depends on what happens with Alonso," Chinchero said from Barcelona.

"Franco has a close relationship with Williams."

Some observers believe Aston Martin could be considering alternative plans given Alonso's age, with the Spaniard turning 45 next month, while others point to Briatore's influence and the prospect of a Mercedes-powered, Gucci-sponsored Alpine.

Aston Martin, however, quickly denied the rumours.

"It's not true, it's just a paddock rumour," a team spokesperson told Soy Motor.

Yet Alonso did little to completely shut down the speculation when asked whether Aston Martin remains his only option. "I don't know. I'm open to many scenarios," he said.

The rumours emerged after Alonso started the Spanish GP weekend by hinting that the end of his Formula 1 career may not be far away.

Asked by Mundo Deportivo about a possible future management role, Alonso admitted his vast experience could still be useful to a team even after he stops racing.

"I haven't thought about it yet," he admitted with a laugh. "But then again, you never know what the future holds.

"I've been involved in the sport for 20, 25 years now. I'm also starting to realise that there are engineers walking around who only have six or nine years of experience.

"The engine technicians, the gearbox designers, the aerodynamics engineers - with the exception of Adrian Newey - most of them haven't even been working here for twelve years."

"I don't dare say in what role yet, but I am sure that that experience can be of value someday."

The Spaniard's future is also being debated because of Aston Martin's disastrous 2026 campaign, with the team struggling badly despite the arrival of Honda and Adrian Newey.

Asked how he decides whether to continue racing, Alonso admitted drivers are constantly tempted by promises that the next season will be better.

"It's a wheel that never stops, because the following year always seems like it will be better than the current one," he said. "So, for a driver, it's difficult to choose when it's time to stop if you have the opportunity.

"In my case, I'm guided more by how I feel in the car, how much I enjoy driving."

Alonso also suggested that the modern Formula 1 calendar and current generation of cars are not helping.

"These cars aren't the ones you enjoy the most. I've driven more fun things than this year's F1 cars, regardless of the result. And then, well, we now have 24 races.

"When I started racing in Formula 1, we had 16, 11 of them in Europe. So, you have to consider what you feel like doing."

The frustrations of 2026 were also evident when Alonso was asked about Aston Martin's struggles.

"The same old story," he said.

"I understand you want to criticise the team, but the situation is what it is - we have a very bad engine, the worst, poor power distribution, problems with the gearbox and aerodynamics.

"We're working on all of them and hoping that things will change in the second half of the year so we can give them something to cheer about."

Meanwhile, Alonso's remarkable run of 42 consecutive qualifying victories over teammate Lance Stroll ended in front of his home crowd on Saturday.

"It was a good run, but in some of the sprints he was ahead and didn't count," Alonso said. "He was right there with Sebastian (Vettel), so Lance is a very fast driver."

The new Aston Martin-Honda works partnership is enduring a disastrous start to the year, but among the most pressing of the early issues was the severe vibrations generated by the car and power unit package.

Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe says the issue is now largely under control.

"After Suzuka, we brought the Aston Martin car to HRC Sakura, and we jointly analysed the vibrations and worked on countermeasures," he told as-web.jp.

"The countermeasures included some hardware changes and software improvements. As a result, the vibrations were basically resolved, and there were no problems in the driver evaluations from the Miami GP to Monaco GP, so it has been largely resolved.

"That was the biggest achievement of these past two months."

A key part of the solution involved Honda's trackside manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara actually driving the Aston Martin at Honda's Sakura facility in Japan.

"I also went to see what they were doing," Watanabe revealed.

"Aston Martin engineers were there and watched Orihara and the others actually driving the car. At Honda, the 'Three Realities Principle' which Soichiro Honda advocated from the very beginning of the company is still alive and well.

"Unless we can experience the vibrations that drivers are complaining about by actually driving the car, not just looking at data, and face the reality ourselves, the problem will not be solved.

"I would like to thank Aston Martin for understanding this and for their cooperation."

Watanabe admitted it is highly unusual for engineers to be given the opportunity to drive racing machinery, particularly in Formula 1.

"Basically, opportunities to drive a racing car are not that easy to come by," he said. "It's rare even in Super Formula, and even rarer in Formula 1.

"Even in testing production cars, it's basically only test drivers who get the chance to drive them. It's extremely rare for engineers to actually drive them like this."

Many figures in the paddock have slammed the new rules package since it debuted this year, with the electric component being diluted for 2027 and 2018 and plans already shaping up for normally aspirated, V8-powered future.

Former Ferrari boss and FIA president Todt, however, sees the situation differently.

"Many talk about a revolution in Formula 1, as if we were facing something completely different from the past," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport in Barcelona.

"But for me, that's not the case. It's an evolution, not a revolution. There have been changes that have led to great successes, which I'm happy about, but the heart of Formula 1 remains the same."

Todt, 80, is no longer a regular visitor to grands prix, although he attended the Spanish GP weekend for a Pirelli event.

Asked if there was anything he misses from Formula 1's past, the 80-year-old Frenchman was unequivocal.

"No, because I don't want to indulge in nostalgia. It makes no sense, and I've never liked it.

"Life is like a movie - things evolve, change, and those who stop following the changes find themselves lost."

Todt's tenure at Ferrari brought unprecedented success, with Michael Schumacher winning five consecutive world championships between 2000 and 2004.

Looking back on that period, he said one of his greatest satisfactions is seeing so many former colleagues now occupying senior positions throughout Formula 1.

"Seeing many of the guys who worked with me now have earned such important positions in Formula 1," he said on Saturday. "Seeing Stefano Domenicali at the helm of F1 is incredibly proud, as is Laurent Mekies at the helm of Red Bull, Mattia Binotto at Audi, Andrea Stella at McLaren.

"I don't take credit for them, but I'm happy to have shared part of their journey. Seeing them competitive and well-prepared in what they do today reminds me of how important the journey we shared was."

Todt declined to assess Ferrari's current situation.

"I prefer not to talk about it, because there's no point in making comparisons," he said.

"Here in the paddock, walking past their hospitality area, I noticed some of the team members who smiled at me as soon as they saw me. It's special for me to have been able to contribute to this great story."

Todt also praised runaway championship leader Kimi Antonelli, whose remarkable start to 2026 has made him Italy's first realistic title contender for many years.

"I don't know him personally, but he's an enormously talented guy, and his results speak for themselves.

"Of course, credit must also be given to the car he drives, because Mercedes is fantastic this year, but things always come together in F1 - a great driver in a great car.

"Last year he struggled more, but he's developed in the right way and has handled a difficult situation psychologically very well. He's polite, kind, and humble, so I extend my sincere best wishes to him.

"I think it's very good for you in Italy, because you've been dreaming of having a top-level driver for a very long time, and now you finally have him."

Speaking at Le Mans, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem made clear he is pushing hard for a simpler, lighter and cheaper engine formula to replace the widely criticised 2026 regulations.

"The V8 is a done deal. The decision has been made," he confirmed to several media outlets, including Auto Hebdo.

"A V8 is sustainable. When we talk about R and D, we're talking about more than 200 million euros. Red Bull has invested over 1.3 billion in the current engine - it's absurd."

"There will be a hybrid, but a lightweight and simple one."

Formula 1 is already shifting the balance back towards the combustion engine and 2027 and 2028 - and for the next set of rules from 2030 or 2031, the cars could weigh as little as 630 kilograms, Ben Sulayem said.

"With a V8, 10 percent hybridisation, and sustainable fuel, we achieve 760 horsepower in the base version, around 880 with the hybrid. No turbocharger. A turbocharger adds weight and cost," he continued.

"The mission is simplicity, cost control, and a pleasing sound for the audience. We consulted the six engine manufacturers - they prefer lightness and simplicity, with engine costs reduced from 1.5 million to approximately 700,000 euros."

However, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that Audi remains firmly committed to turbocharging.

"Many people say we need a turbo. But then we have excess weight again," Ben Sulayem said.

"If you install a turbo, you need a wastegate, intercooler, hoses... that's all weight. And it costs money."

The position puts the FIA chief directly at odds with Audi management.

At Monaco, Audi CEO Gernot Dollner reaffirmed the manufacturer's preference for turbocharged engines. "We prefer turbocharging because of its efficiency," he said.

"For Audi, the most important aspect is maintaining the sustainability concept and ensuring that energy efficiency remains a key pillar of the F1 regulations."

According to reports, Audi would favour a twin-turbo configuration similar to the system used in its newly unveiled Nuvolari supercar.

"Of course, it's good to exchange ideas," Ben Sulayem said.

"The FIA listens to the wishes of the power unit manufacturers. We currently have six of them. But if it were up to us, we'd prefer low weight, a simple design, and less time required for changes."

The FIA president would like the new rules introduced as early as 2030 with manufacturer agreement, but he indicated the governing body could simply impose its preferred regulations from 2031 onwards.

Driver sentiment is fully aligned with Ben Sulayem's criticism of the 2026 direction. "We should go back to V8s next year, if you ask me, but I understand that everything is moving very slowly," said Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.

"Anyone who knows anything about cars would have told you that these cars are awful to drive.

"It was to be expected, anything that adds weight, like the battery and things like regeneration and how you have to drive on battery power and not use it.

"I don't know, it shouldn't be like this, but we're in this situation and it is what it is."

Fernando Alonso would go even further than the FIA's proposed 10 percent hybrid component. "I would like to scrap the electric component entirely," the Spaniard stated emphatically.

"The electric part has little added value for the competition. There is already a fully electric class in the form of Formula E, and there they really push that technology to the limit.

"Those cars are powerful and offer plenty of spectacle. For Formula 1, there is no need to go down the same path."