Author Profile: Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

F1 Journalist

30348 published articles
15 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: Ferrari Protégé Rafael Câmara Secures Haas F1 Seat for 2027

Madrid's banked Monumental now brings the season's biggest load

Pirelli has chosen C2, C3 and C4 for Madrid and says the 550-metre banked Monumental generates the highest vertical load of the season, on...

0 comments  | 
9 Sep 2026

Is Formula 1 Becoming the New Home of Gambling Sponsors?

The Premier League was home to some of gambling’s most recognisable branding for around two decades. However, that era has been brought to an...

0 comments  | 
9 Sep 2026

Giovinazzi now waits in Madrid as Ferrari checks Leclerc

Ferrari has sent Giovinazzi to Madrid while it waits on Leclerc's medical clearance, and there is still no answer on whether his crashed ADUO...

2 comments  | 
9 Sep 2026

Could Budkowski still drop Bottas before next season?

Bottas is said to be contracted into 2027, yet his new team boss will not confirm the line-up, and a Finnish report already has...

2 comments  | 
9 Sep 2026

Could Monza now become the turning point for Vasseur?

Vasseur signed a new deal only months ago, but Italy's papers now describe pressure coming from above at Maranello, with no obvious replacement waiting.

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9 Sep 2026

Is Imola already set to close the 2026 season?

A Corriere dello Sport report puts Imola on December 6 in place of Abu Dhabi, while Domenicali insists in Madrid that the published calendar...

1 comments  | 
9 Sep 2026

Domenicali now asks for patience as Madrid sells out

Formula 1's chief executive wants the Madring judged over time rather than on Sunday, and says every ticket for the inaugural Madrid race has...

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9 Sep 2026

Domenicali now hopes Alonso races on for years yet

Domenicali says he has spoken to Alonso directly and wants him racing for years yet. He also made clear that Spain keeps its place...

3 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Russell now gets his own grandstand at Silverstone in 2027

Mercedes has handed Russell his own Silverstone grandstand for 2027, at Farm Curve. Months ago he joked that he would simply try to steal...

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8 Sep 2026

Red Bull now runs an F1 car through Madrid's metro

Red Bull put a title-winning RB8 on rails and drove it through a closed stretch of the Madrid metro. It is a stunt with...

1 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

DAZN now keeps Spanish F1 rights until 2030

DAZN will carry Formula 1 in Spain for four more seasons, to 2030. Hours earlier Domenicali had told Spanish media that good news was...

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8 Sep 2026

Leclerc now needs a scan before racing in Madrid

A CT scan in Monaco now stands between Leclerc and the Madrid grid, and Vasseur admits Ferrari may finally have to start telling its...

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8 Sep 2026

Hadjar to miss a third straight race in Madrid

Red Bull says Hadjar's wrist is healing, just not fast enough for Madrid. Lawson gets a third race beside Verstappen while the queue behind...

2 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Rosberg now dismisses Hamilton's old Ferrari dream story

Hamilton says Ferrari was always sitting in the back of his mind during the Mercedes years. His old teammate, who lived through all of...

2 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Ecclestone now denies he was arrested in Portugal

A shotgun, a private jet and a missing blue book. Ecclestone says the reports of an arrest in Portugal are wrong, and that the...

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8 Sep 2026

Schumacher says booing Russell has no place in sport

Antonelli won at Monza and the tifosi adopted him instantly. Ralf Schumacher says the treatment handed out to his beaten teammate crossed a line...

1 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Vettel misses racing but rules out an F1 return

Driving Schumacher's 2002 Ferrari at Monza reminded Vettel exactly what he gave up when he walked away. It has not changed his mind about...

1 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Verstappen rules out following Norris into junior racing

Norris has built a junior team with investors behind him. Verstappen says he would rather keep every decision, and his ambitions, inside endurance racing.

0 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Honda now rules out another 2026 engine upgrade

Monza exposed the straight-line gap all over again, and Honda has confirmed no rescue is coming this year. The next real step is scheduled...

0 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Tost defends the 2026 rules after months of criticism

Battery management, lifting early and a title fight nobody predicted. Franz Tost says the 2026 rules have delivered, whatever the drivers keep saying.

1 comments  | 
8 Sep 2026

Monaco & Monte Carlo: The fusion of motor racing and glamour

When I think of Monaco, I don’t just picture the famous principality with its yachts and luxury hotels. I picture the Formula 1 circus...

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7 Sep 2026

McLaren now admits its racing philosophy carries risk

Same tyres, same car, no orders. McLaren let its drivers settle fourth place between themselves at Monza, and Andrea Stella concedes the licence carries...

0 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Aston Martin sends Lahdemaa to Wednesday's F1 Academy test

Three days at Navarra, an Aston Martin livery and seventeen rivals. The team has put its name behind a 17-year-old Finn for the F1...

0 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Audi now moves to appeal the Tsunoda Monza decision

One line in the sporting code, one point in the standings. Audi says the stewards misapplied the extra-formation-lap rule, and Tsunoda's tenth place now...

2 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Ferrari's home weekend ends in crashes and open criticism

Leclerc walked away from a 50g crash needing further checks, Hamilton questioned Ferrari's missing rules of engagement, and Vasseur now has days to answer...

1 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Russell now accepts Antonelli controls the Mercedes title fight

Antonelli's charge from the back of the grid at Monza pushed his lead to 66 points, and Russell has stopped talking like a driver...

2 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

For a few seconds Vettel felt like Schumacher at Monza

Vettel drove Schumacher's 2002 Ferrari at Monza and spoke about his friend with rare openness, admitting he would far rather have watched him drive...

0 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Sainz not ready yet to call Madrid a car killer

Vowles called Madrid a potential car killer after a brutal F3 test. Sainz, racing at home, is not ready to go that far, but...

0 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Hadjar's Madrid return now rests on the coming days

Hadjar has now missed Zandvoort and Monza with a wrist injury, and Mekies says another medical assessment in the coming days will decide whether...

1 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026

Gasly says the last 24 hours at Monza were crazy

Alpine's shock Monza pole turned into seventh place by the chequered flag, yet Gasly left Italy calling the car the best he has driven...

0 comments  | 
7 Sep 2026