F1 Today | The investigation into Ferrari's first lap near miss, plus senior team member leaves Red Bull
The Ferraris went wheel-to-wheel and Hamilton ended in the gravel (Photo: Race Pictures)
Ben Hunt is an award-winning motorsport journalist with over two decades of experience in Formula 1 and international media. As a former editor-in-chief and bestselling author, he delivers in-depth analysis and strategic insight from the highest level of the sport.
The Monza debrief continues as the cost of Ferrari's failure is added up, plus a key figure leaves Red Bull Racing. Here are the main stories for September 8.
Brundle doubles down on Hamilton-Leclerc clash verdict after Rosberg debate
Rosberg and Brundle didn't see eye-to-eye on the Ferrari tangle (Photo: Race Pictures)
Brundle’s assessment contrasts with Nico Rosberg’s view, after the 2016 champion labelled the Turn 1 clash as clearly Leclerc’s fault.
The Sky Sports pundit argued Hamilton released the brakes to get inside at the first chicane, with Leclerc then understeering into him at Turn 2, but noted stewards opted against penalizing the Ferrari driver.
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Hamilton, meanwhile, called for clear “rules of engagement” within Ferrari, pointing out that such guidelines were explicitly written during his time at Mercedes.
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Key figure officially leaves Red Bull: Cadillac move looks likely
Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
Craig Skinner’s exit ends more than two decades at Red Bull, where he rose to chief designer and oversaw the cars that powered Max Verstappen’s title run from 2022 to 2024.
With his gardening leave complete, he is free to join a new team, and Cadillac is in advanced talks and viewed as his preferred destination despite interest from Alpine.
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The American outfit is also targeting Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan as it builds out a senior leadership group.
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Ferrari bosses told to sit down with Hamilton and Leclerc amid Monza incident
Hamilton will be looking to re-establish his dominance (Photo: Race Pictures)
Montoya argued that Ferrari’s hierarchy, not just team principal Frederic Vasseur, should summon both drivers to Maranello for a frank discussion after their Lap 1 clash at Monza.
He criticised Leclerc for treating Hamilton like any rival rather than a teammate, saying respect for the team must come first. Hamilton, for his part, called for clear “rules of engagement,” insisting he races cleanly and has prioritized the team since joining.
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Leclerc's 2026 crash bill hits $1.9 million as Ferrari counts the cost of Monza
Leclerc thankfully jumped out quickly from his wrecked Ferrari (Photo: Race Pictures)
Leclerc’s accidents have piled up since Miami, where a late wall strike and subsequent 20-second penalty dropped him to eighth.
He then crashed twice in Monaco, once in Q3 and again late in the race while chasing a podium, and suffered another qualifying shunt in Barcelona before retiring from the Grand Prix with a mechanical issue.
The Monza impact registered 60G and triggered a red flag on lap three, leaving Ferrari with a repair bill that makes Leclerc the costliest driver on the grid this season.
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