THE BIG PICTURE: You heard it here first. Mark this down. In 2026, Max Verstappen will be in a Red Bull. Nowhere else. After that, we are making no predictions. But Max stays at Red Bull for next year.

EVENT: Well, the drone show was pretty darn nice.

TRACK: We'll stop sounding like a broken record about how this is not a street circuit. Instead, we'll mention how the drivers love it, and that's what ultimately counts because it gives us fans quite a show watching them push to the limits on such a fast course.

QUALIFYING: Verstappen does the impossible yet again, Norris chokes -- big time -- yet again, Russell may be third but he was spectucular, Sainz not only outdid Albon but Hamilton as well, Tsunoda made it to Q3 again but almost a second behind Max, and Bearman outdoes Ocon.

RACE: It certainly got spicey.

START: Piastri gets a great start to make the pass for first but as usual Verstappen cuts the corner refusing to cede the spot and eventually (properly) gets penalized for it while friends Tsunoda and Gasly crash each other out.

PIASTRI: Oscar is quickly learning how to race Verstappen. This is only going to get even more interesting as the season goes on.

NORRIS: Good recovery drive, but Lando never should have put himself in that position.

VERSTAPPEN: Let's first say Max has always been very good exploiting the rules to the best of his ability. However, when it does go against him, he just can't see it that way. It's always him against the world. But, a lot of the greats in sports think that way. It's what motivates them to the level many can't get to.

RED BULL: Having said that, Christian Horner's insistent defense of his driver is getting old. Not only did he contradict himself this time, there is not a soul inside or outside the paddock who agreed with him (not counting the Verstappens of course).

LECLERC: There's a reason Charles was never worried about having Lewis Hamilton as his teammate. Just saying...

HAMILTON: Totally outperformed -- all weekend -- by Leclerc.

FERRARI: Is the season already lost?

RUSSELL: His Mercedes fell away from him.

SAINZ: Not only getting the grip on the Williams, but once again played the team player.

ALBON: Alex is starting to show his frustration.

WILLIAMS: They are the first to admit they are switching all their wind tunnel time to the 2026 design. Expect this year's performances to start fading.

HADJAR: Another excellent run, and probably would have had Albon had Sainz not helped his teammate out with the DRS.

ALONSO: Still the only non-rookie not to score any points this season.

BEARMAN: Continue to be extremely impressed with Oliver. Perhaps, so far, the best rookie of the year.

DOOHAN: Apparently Jack has a reprieve to at least the summer time. But is this really due to the rumored missed payment by the Argentinean sponsor?

BORTELETO: Nearly took out his manager. That would have been awkward...

GASLY: What a tough break. Probably was set for a good points finish. And to have it be his good friend, Tsunoda, be the one who took him out.

FIA: This time they made the right call. The stewards get to see the telemetry and saw how Verstappen lifted off the brakes to make it appear he was ahead at the apex. But the officials knew that meant Max was never going to make that turn and thus gained an advantage cutting the track. Ergo, the proper call.

F2: Perfect alternate tire strategy allowed Dutchman Richard Verschoor to take the win late over the pole sitter, American Jak Crawford, in the feature race. Brit Arvid Lindblad won the sprint race, making him the youngest FIA F2 winner.

F1 ACADEMY: Despite clearly being the fastest driver all weekend, race two polesitter, American Chloe Chambers, was penalized five seconds for forcing a driver off course. She hammered it all the way, allowing her to lose just one spot to the winner, Dutchwoman Maya Weug, who leads the points. Brit Ella Lloyd won the reverse grid first race.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Apex.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 15 -- It's the first time in 15 years an Australian leads the World Drivers' Championship standings. Coincidentally, it was Oscar Piastri's manager, Mark Webber. Webber lead on and off during the 2010 championship. He last held the lead after Japan, the 16th of 19 races. It then all fell apart, falling to third place, as his Red Bull teammate, Sebastian Vettel, made a massive comeback to win the title, with Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) finishing second.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Forty years ago today, April 21, 1985, Ayrton Senna won not only his first race (from his first pole), but what many consider to be his greatest victory. It was the Portuguese GP at Estoril and what made it so special is that it poured the entire time. He led every lap and lapped the entire field but one (Michele Alboreto in a Ferrari over a minute behind) in his Lotus-Renault. He was simply brilliant in the atrocious conditions where only nine of the 26 cars finished.

TWEET OF THE WEEKEND: Damon Hill @HillF1 is always good for a post:

Ed Straw on Verstappen first corner move @wearetherace "I don't see how racing works if that move is allowed to happen." I agree. No doubt others disagree. #f1

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Alex Albon responds after being told to take it easy because of overheating concerns, "Do you not see there is a car right behind me?!"

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: When Fred Vasseur gets riled up, he gets riled up. When asked if Lewis Hamilton is having a dramatic drop in performance, "It's not dramatically. We did five races so far. I know what you want to have the big headlines tomorrow that 'Fred said this.' But this is f**king bulls**t. At the end of the day, we are in competition. You have ups and downs."

SCHEDULE: Finally a break and then another break after the next race. Off to Miami, where McLaren started their resurgence last year. Expect them to be really good again around the Hard Rock Stadium.

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