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

Wolff missed Baku weekend for son's karting season

Toto Wolff swapped the Baku paddock for an Italian karting track this weekend, and old rival Gerhard Berger says the two now compare notes...

0 comments  | 
29 Sep 2026

Pirelli plans 2027 return to higher tyre wear

Baku produced almost no tyre degradation at all, and Pirelli says that is precisely what its redesigned front and rear 2027 compounds are built...

2 comments  | 
29 Sep 2026

Vasseur still doubts Red Bull's upgrade freeze claim

Frederic Vasseur is not buying Red Bull's claim that Baku brought its last major 2026 upgrade, insisting production lead times mean parts keep arriving...

0 comments  | 
29 Sep 2026

Ocon now set to leave Haas after 2026

Esteban Ocon appears to have run out of road at Haas, with Rafael Camara installed as favourite for his seat and Aston Martin or...

1 comments  | 
29 Sep 2026

Norris now apologises to Colapinto after Baku crash

Lando Norris has climbed down from his furious call for Franco Colapinto to be banned, apologising directly after their Baku restart crash sparked days...

1 comments  | 
29 Sep 2026

Vasseur pressure still growing as Ferrari eyes Coletta

Ferrari's leadership crisis deepens as Elkann reportedly approaches WEC chief Antonio Coletta about replacing Vasseur, even as Domenicali urges calm and Glock defends the...

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29 Sep 2026

Audi Takes F1 to Singapore’s Streets

Audi is taking a decidedly different approach to Singapore grand prix week, spreading its Formula 1 presence far beyond the Marina Bay circuit with...

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28 Sep 2026

Ferrari's Hamilton problem returns after another difficult weekend

Corriere della Sera and Gazzetta dello Sport turn on Hamilton's flat mood and Vasseur's leadership as Ferrari slides through a familiar late-season slump.

1 comments  | 
28 Sep 2026

Norris backlash grows again as Argentina piles on after Baku

Lando Norris' call to ban Franco Colapinto has spiralled into a political and social-media storm, with Argentine ministers, fans and Dutch pundits all weighing...

1 comments  | 
28 Sep 2026

FIA deepens Azerbaijan ties after a decade of Baku racing

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem met Azerbaijan's Ilham Aliyev in Baku, praising a decade of Formula 1 racing and floating closer FIA-Azerbaijan cooperation on...

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28 Sep 2026

Cadillac now builds senior aero team from five title rivals

Cadillac has poached senior aerodynamics leadership from five championship-calibre F1 rivals, betting that experience beats building a department from scratch.

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26 Sep 2026

Binotto finally ends rumours over Audi 2027 driver line-up

Audi never planned a big reveal: Mattia Binotto says Hulkenberg and Bortoleto were already contracted through 2027, and only spoke up once Sainz-to-Audi rumours...

1 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

2026 Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix Results & Report

Event: Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Track: Baku City Circuit Weather: Sunny & dry 26°C / 79°F Tarmac: Dry 45°C / 114°F Humidity: 41% Wind:...

8 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Antonelli's first mistake arrives as Mercedes dominates Baku

Kimi Antonelli's title bid hit its first real setback in qualifying, but Max Verstappen and George Russell moved quickly to play down the damage...

0 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Horner leaves the door open for a Ferrari role

Christian Horner says he would only ever return to F1 as Ferrari's team principal, and his timing could hardly be worse for a Fred...

1 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Ocon's frustration continues to boil before Haas decides

Esteban Ocon's Baku qualifying ended in familiar frustration, as a yellow flag denied a promising lap and speculation over his 2027 Haas seat kept...

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26 Sep 2026

Hadjar already plays it safe on his Baku return

Isack Hadjar chose caution over speed in Baku qualifying as his wrist continues to heal, but the Red Bull driver still out-qualified Max Verstappen...

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26 Sep 2026

Brown eyes a bigger McLaren future for Verstappen

Zak Brown revealed he held serious talks with Max Verstappen last summer, and admits the four-time champion left a deeper impression on him than...

0 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Audi's newest upgrade ends in an early Q1 exit

Audi's biggest upgrade of the year backfired in Baku qualifying, but Mattia Binotto used the same weekend to confirm Hulkenberg and Bortoleto are already...

0 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Williams' long-awaited upgrade finally lifts Sainz into Q3

Carlos Sainz finally got the Q3 return he had craved all season when Williams' long-awaited upgrade landed in Baku, only for a five-place grid...

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26 Sep 2026

Leclerc surrounded by fans as he tries to get away

Charles Leclerc needed a security scramble to leave a Baku restaurant, and Bild's report on the chase has reignited driver complaints about marshals chasing...

0 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Former Red Bull driver Kvyat draws on past Alpine ties

Daniil Kvyat has quietly returned to duty, working Alpine's Enstone simulator during the Baku weekend to help translate Gasly and Colapinto's data to the...

1 comments  | 
26 Sep 2026

Starting Grid 2026 Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix

Event: Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Track: Baku City Circuit Formation lap starts Sunday at: 15:00 Local | 13:00 CEST | 12:00 UK | 04:00...

5 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

F1 delays Qatar and Abu Dhabi verdict until mid-October

Formula 1's verdict on keeping Qatar and Abu Dhabi has slipped again, with team bosses now told to expect clarity in mid-October while Imola...

1 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

Binotto says F1's V8 return no longer a remote idea

At a Baku press conference, Audi's Mattia Binotto put a number on F1's V8 talk for the first time: 2028, if the FIA can...

2 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

How Digital Technology Is Changing the F1 Fan Experience

Formula 1 has become a sport you can follow almost anywhere, so the modern race experience extends far beyond watching the cars on track....

0 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

Qualifying Report & Results 2026 Azerbaijan F1 GP

Event: Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Track: Baku City Circuit Weather: Sunny & dry 24°C Tarmac: Dry 39°C Humidity: 68% Wind: 7.2 km/h North Pressure:...

1 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

Third Free Practice Report & Results 2026 Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix

Event: Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Track: Baku City Circuit Weather: Sunny & dry 25°C / 77°F Tarmac: Dry 45°C / 114°F Humidity: 65% Wind:...

2 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

Antonelli now feels title pressure mounting after Baku

Kimi Antonelli says Mercedes rivals are talking up his title chances to pile on the pressure, but the championship leader insists his focus stays...

0 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026

Briatore now rules out ever leading Ferrari

Flavio Briatore says a Ferrari return is 'too late' for him, defends under-fire boss Fred Vasseur, and brands Hamilton and Leclerc a quarrelsome pairing...

0 comments  | 
25 Sep 2026