What we got wrong, and the fix.

Not: At Sochi 2021, Mercedes forced Hamilton into the pits.

But: Hamilton ignored the first call and confirmed the stop himself on lap 50.

Source: Motorsport.com

Not: At Silverstone 2022, Leclerc was left out on old hard tyres.

But: His hards were the fresher set — six to seven laps newer than Sainz’s. Ferrari’s mistake was expecting the softs to fade, and they did not.

Source: RaceFans

Not: Wolff blamed Monaco 2015 on GPS lost among “tall buildings”.

But: Wolff said only “you have no GPS”. The tall-buildings line was journalists’ gloss.

Source: Adam Cooper’s F1 Blog

Not: Mercedes won seven consecutive constructors’ titles.

But: Eight (2014–2021).

Source: RaceFans

Not: Hamilton has 105 Grand Prix wins.

But: 106, after his first win for Ferrari in Barcelona.

Source: Formula1.com

Not: Mercedes had won one race “as a works team” before Hamilton arrived.

But: One race since returning in 2010. The 1954–55 works team won nine of twelve.

Source: Wikipedia — Mercedes-Benz in Formula One

Not: Mercedes’ standby option for 2013 was Alonso.

But: There is no evidence Mercedes pursued Alonso; the documented standby was Nico Hülkenberg.

Source: Motorsport Week

Not: Brackley was “the old Tyrrell shed”.

But: The Brackley factory was purpose-built for BAR in 1999.

Source: Motor Sport

Not: Ricciardo raced for Renault from 2018.

But: He announced the move in August 2018 and raced for Renault from 2019.

Source: Wikipedia — Daniel Ricciardo

Not: Roland Ratzenberger died on 1 May 1994.

But: He died on 30 April 1994, in qualifying at Imola, the day before Senna.

Source: Wikipedia — Roland Ratzenberger

Not: Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy at 16.

But: He joined in 2016, aged 18.

Source: Ferrari

Not: Mercedes was “in a rebuild” in 2026.

But: Mercedes led the 2026 championship before Monza and had confirmed both drivers for 2027.

Source: Motorsport.com

Not: The capital-expenditure allowance is $45m.

But: $36m over a rolling four years — and it is abolished for 2026.

Source: Motorsport Week

Not: Red Bull’s 2021 overspend was “a fraction of a percent”.

But: 1.6% — £1.864m over the £118.036m cap.

Source: FIA — public summary of Red Bull’s Accepted Breach Agreement

Not: Red Bull overspent by £1.864m in 2021 (as widely reported).

But: Correct as filed — but had one tax credit been claimed correctly the overspend would have been £432,652.

Source: FIA — public summary of Red Bull’s Accepted Breach Agreement

Not: Prost retired on lap 31.

But: Lap 30. He spun off on the main straight.

Source: Formula1.com — 1985 Portuguese GP result

Not: It was Lotus’s first win “in three years”.

But: It was Lotus’s first win since Colin Chapman’s death; the previous one was de Angelis in Austria, August 1982.

Source: Classic Team Lotus

Not: Senna lapped eight of the nine other finishers.

But: Seven of the eight cars classified behind him were lapped.

Source: Formula1.com — 1985 Portuguese GP result

Not: The 2026 calendar has 22 rounds.

But: 23 rounds.

Source: Formula1.com — 2026 calendar