Author Profile: Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

F1 Journalist

30356 published articles
16 Oct 2026 latest publication

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

Latest story: Court order pulls Mercedes into Antonelli's contract fight

Court order pulls Mercedes into Antonelli's contract fight

The championship leader's old management deal has become a Mercedes problem, with contracts, pay records and possibly Toto Wolff himself heading for a Bologna...

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16 Oct 2026

Ferrari set to bring last major upgrade to Austin

Ferrari will reportedly bring a new floor, sidepods and bodywork to Austin as its last big aero step of 2026, while Frederic Vasseur refuses...

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16 Oct 2026

Komatsu: Camara got Haas seat on speed, not Ferrari ties

Haas have locked in Rafael Camara for 2027, and Ayao Komatsu insists the Ferrari academy member won the seat on raw pace rather than...

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16 Oct 2026

Imola grandstands reportedly rise as Middle East finale fears grow

Formula 1 insists nothing has changed for Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but reported grandstand work at Imola shows just how seriously its Plan B...

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16 Oct 2026

Tsolov ready for F1 but 2027 future still unclear

Formula 2's boss rates the Bulgarian rookie as F1-ready after a title fight with Rafael Camara, but admits he cannot say whether a 2027...

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16 Oct 2026

Former Honda chief suspects shake-up reflects slow progress

Honda's leadership shake-up may be an admission that its engine is not improving fast enough, says its former F1 engine chief, who sees 2028...

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16 Oct 2026

Malaysia weighs rotating F1 return instead of annual race

Malaysia loved its Sepang comeback, but the government is asking whether an annual Grand Prix pays, with a shared race every few years now...

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16 Oct 2026

New asphalt tested as Buenos Aires chases F1 return

Fresh asphalt, new grandstands and Franco Colapinto's following keep Buenos Aires dreaming of a Grand Prix return, though no deal has been announced yet.

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16 Oct 2026

Ferrari Protégé Rafael Câmara Secures Haas F1 Seat for 2027

Ferrari has another rising star on the Formula 1 grid. Brazilian sensation Rafael Câmara will make his Grand Prix debut with Haas in 2027...

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15 Oct 2026

How to Watch Max Verstappen VS Valentino Rossi Live Free

Max Verstappen is swapping his Red Bull Formula 1 car for a Mercedes-AMG GT3 this weekend, and he will be sharing the track with...

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15 Oct 2026

Ralf sees Ferrari power struggle around Hamilton after Singapore

Ralf Schumacher saw a strong Hamilton drive in Singapore, but also a driver who ignored a team call. His warning: Ferrari cannot function if...

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15 Oct 2026

Horner claims Marko blocked Alonso and Leclerc at Red Bull

In his book Drive, Horner says Alonso asked to partner Verstappen and Leclerc was the perfect fit, yet Marko vetoed both. Sainz later visited...

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15 Oct 2026

FIA to close sidepod loophole used first by Red Bull

A floor-stay exemption let Red Bull sharpen its sidepod edge, and Audi followed. From 2027, Article C3.5.14 will take that freedom away, according to...

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15 Oct 2026

Rosberg says Verstappen is best, yet Antonelli is far ahead

Nico Rosberg calls Verstappen the sport's best driver and the big favourite, yet says he cannot catch Antonelli, a rival he likens to Michael...

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15 Oct 2026

Red Bull extend Mekies deal through 2031 after winning run

Mark Mateschitz announced the extension at Milton Keynes after back-to-back wins, while Mintzlaff says Red Bull wanted to end one person running everything.

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15 Oct 2026

Russell expects another grid penalty later this season

Mercedes first planned the new power unit part for Austin, but Russell's Malaysia failure changed things. Las Vegas now looks the likely place to...

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15 Oct 2026

Ralf Schumacher says Norris must prove he is Verstappen's equal

Norris has said he sits level with Verstappen. Ralf Schumacher says that raises the bar, and that mistakes like the Singapore Sprint collision do...

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15 Oct 2026

Imola stays F1's emergency fallback as Middle East unrest grows

Domenicali says Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead, yet Imola is ready if force majeure strikes. A missile strike near Dhahran has made...

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15 Oct 2026

Rossi relishes chance to race Verstappen at Portimao

Valentino Rossi never expected to line up against Verstappen, and admits it is a big problem because the Red Bull driver will be fast....

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15 Oct 2026

Spa fears Rwanda deal could threaten Belgian GP future

Spa already rotates with Barcelona from 2028, and Rwanda has a 10-year deal from the early 2030s. Commentator Gert Vermersch fears Belgium must now...

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15 Oct 2026

Colapinto urges fans to stop attacks hurting his future

In a lengthy Instagram message, Franco Colapinto says fans attacking drivers and Alpine staff are damaging his career. He has already stepped back from...

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15 Oct 2026

Tsunoda set for IndyCar test with Meyer Shank

Red Bull's F1 reserve is reportedly in line for a Barber test on 26 October with Meyer Shank, a team expected to have a...

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15 Oct 2026

Las Vegas largely clears flood damage as race work continues

Crews have cleared the mud and reopened Koval Lane and Winnick Avenue, so the next Las Vegas hurdles are bridge installation and planned lane...

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15 Oct 2026

Alesi says Hamilton and Ferrari clash was always coming

Hamilton's Singapore defiance of the Ferrari pitwall was a matter of when, not if, says Alesi, while Arnoux blames a pattern of strategic errors...

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14 Oct 2026

Lawson laughs off 2027 uncertainty after another points run

Seventh in Singapore and points in three straight races have strengthened Lawson's case, yet Racing Bulls still weigh Tsolov while Cadillac scouts a young...

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14 Oct 2026

Binotto says Audi progress is bigger than results show

Audi's best work is invisible to fans, says Binotto: a growing team culture and one shared goal, even if the 2030 title ambition still...

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14 Oct 2026

Wurz says more African races could follow Rwanda deal

A 10-year Rwanda deal may only be the start, with Alex Wurz expecting more African races, South Africa pushing its own bid and Amnesty...

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14 Oct 2026

F1 confirms 10-year deal to return to Africa in Rwanda

F1 will race in Africa for the first time in over three decades, with a purpose-built Rwandan circuit near Kigali and a 10-year deal...

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14 Oct 2026

Coronel tells Hadjar to follow Verstappen's lead at Red Bull

As Red Bull's fix for four years of Singapore pain lifts Verstappen, Coronel says Hadjar must stay in his slipstream, not bend the car...

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14 Oct 2026

Lobato turns down BBC's 2007 McLaren documentary

The BBC is revisiting McLaren's explosive 2007 season, but a central Spanish TV voice of Alonso's first McLaren spell says he does not want...

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14 Oct 2026