Author Profile: Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

F1 Journalist

30347 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: How to Watch Max Verstappen VS Valentino Rossi Live Free

Brown Refuses to Rule Out a McLaren Engine

Zak Brown has declined to rule out McLaren building its own power unit at some point in the future, in comments reported by Formula1.it...

1 comments  | 
16 Aug 2026

Perez Wants Budkowski to Rethink Every Cadillac Process

Sergio Perez says Cadillac has to tear up the way it develops its car if the team is going to close on the established...

0 comments  | 
16 Aug 2026

Why Formula 1 Will Miss Zandvoort After 2026

When the chequered flag falls on 23 August, Formula 1 will not simply complete another Grand Prix. It will close one of the most...

2 comments  | 
16 Aug 2026

Can Anyone Still Stop Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 F1 Title Charge?

Fifty points looks like control. Two scoreless Sundays could make it disappear. Kimi Antonelli reaches Formula 1's summer break at the top of the...

9 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Sainz Renewal Could Be Announced Before Zandvoort

Marca reports Carlos Sainz is negotiating exclusively with Williams over a one-year extension, with an announcement possible before Thursday's Zandvoort media day.

2 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Ferrari Saves Its Second Engine Upgrade for Monza

Ferrari will hold its evolved 067/6 power unit back for Monza rather than Zandvoort, with Italian reports pointing to a new turbo and combustion...

0 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Domenicali: Portugal and Turkey Return in 2027

Stefano Domenicali says Portugal and Turkey are back on the 2027 F1 calendar, African negotiations are progressing well and Hockenheim contact has resumed.

3 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Tsolov Gets His First Real F1 Test With Racing Bulls

F2 leader Nikola Tsolov will drive a 2025 VCARB 02 at Imola in late August, his first genuine F1 running, as he chases the...

1 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Verstappen Rules Out His Own F1 Team Entry

Max Verstappen says Verstappen Racing will expand into endurance racing but never Formula 1, calling it far too demanding, and reveals museum plans.

0 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Newey: There Was No AMR26 Model Ready to Work With

Adrian Newey says he found almost no 2026 groundwork at Aston Martin, and that a two-week wind tunnel delay compounded a start already months...

0 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

McLaren Wants to Know How Ferrari Develops This Fast

McLaren technical director Neil Houldey admits the team needs to understand how Ferrari has brought so much aerodynamic development within the same cost cap.

0 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Vowles: "I Don't Think This Is Sustainable Long-Term"

James Vowles says he has worked every single day this year, rising at 4am during the shutdown, as Williams slides from fifth in 2025...

1 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Piastri: Less Pressure Means More Room to Experiment

Oscar Piastri says lower stakes in 2026 have let him try new things behind the wheel, a year after taking his McLaren title fight...

0 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Briatore Wants Driver Salaries Inside the Cost Cap

Flavio Briatore says Formula 1's budget cap must become much stricter and include driver salaries, which currently sit entirely outside the $215m limit.

2 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

Racing Bulls Refuse Team Orders in Chase for Best-Ever Finish

Alan Permane says Lawson and Lindblad can race freely as Racing Bulls chase a fifth-place finish the team has never achieved in any of...

1 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

FIA Lifts All Restrictions on Russian and Belarusian Drivers

The FIA has lifted all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian drivers, ending the neutrality pledge introduced in 2022. Races in both countries stay banned.

2 comments  | 
15 Aug 2026

What Every F1 Team Must Fix After Summer Break

Formula 1’s summer shutdown is often described as an opportunity for teams to repair their weaknesses. In reality, the mandatory two-week closure means factories...

1 comments  | 
14 Aug 2026

Why Could Ferrari Have an Advantage at F1's New Madrid Circuit?

Ferrari may have gained an early advantage over its Formula 1 rivals ahead of September's Spanish Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have...

1 comments  | 
14 Aug 2026

Cadillac Turns to Budkowski After Pointless F1 Start

Cadillac has changed team principals midway through its debut Formula 1 season, handing Marcin Budkowski control as Graeme Lowdon departs with the American team...

5 comments  | 
13 Aug 2026

F1 2026 Half-Season Report: Every Formula Team Rated

Formula 1 has entered its summer shutdown after 11 Grands Prix, and the first half of the new regulatory era has thoroughly rearranged the...

1 comments  | 
13 Aug 2026

Most Underwhelming Performers of the 2026 F1 Season So Far

The Hungarian Grand Prix was supposed to bring the 2026 Formula 1 title fight closer together. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli received a three-place grid...

0 comments  | 
13 Aug 2026

The best strategic masterstrokes from recent Formula 1 seasons

Anyone who thinks that Formula 1 is won solely by the fastest car is missing a key part of the story. Behind every Grand...

0 comments  | 
8 Aug 2026

Verstappen: My Fame Alone Won't Save Dutch Motorsport

Max Verstappen isn't waiting for a sentimental send-off. As Zandvoort prepares to host its final Formula 1 race after this month's Dutch Grand Prix,...

0 comments  | 
7 Aug 2026

Perez Eyes Williams Switch as Cadillac Struggles?

Sergio Perez has spent the season outperforming teammate Valtteri Bottas, yet it's his own Cadillac future suddenly under the microscope. As reports link him...

3 comments  | 
7 Aug 2026

Red Bull Eyes McCullough to Replace Lambiase?

Formula 1's silly season isn't just about drivers. As Gianpiero Lambiase prepares to swap Red Bull for a future at McLaren, a fresh report...

0 comments  | 
7 Aug 2026

Wolff: Mercedes Errors Gifted Ferrari Its Wins

Mercedes still leads the constructors' championship, but Toto Wolff is refusing to let Ferrari's recent form rewrite the story of F1's 2026 title fight....

0 comments  | 
6 Aug 2026

Red Bull Paid Marko 8 Million to Buy Silence?

Helmut Marko built a reputation as Formula 1's most fearless voice for two decades, but a new report claims Red Bull paid handsomely to...

2 comments  | 
6 Aug 2026

Hulkenberg Commits to Audi Beyond 2027

Nico Hulkenberg spent much of the season fending off questions about his long-term future at Audi. Now, with the doubts fading and a season...

0 comments  | 
6 Aug 2026

Newey: Honda Bond Grows Stronger After Disastrous Start

A season that started in disaster for Aston Martin and Honda's reunion is now, in Adrian Newey's own words, becoming something to build on....

0 comments  | 
6 Aug 2026

Kristensen Backs 2026 Rules Despite Artificial Racing Claims

Tom Kristensen has seen it all in endurance racing, and now, as Audi's man in Formula 1, he's weighing in on the sport's most...

0 comments  | 
6 Aug 2026