F1 Daily: Hamilton's Upcoming Milestone, Audi's Special Livery, and Remembering a World Champion

Kimi Antonelli may have wrapped up the championship this year, but there's more history to follow this weekend in Interlagos. Mercedes is chasing their ninth Constructors' Championship, which they can clinch in the Sao Paulo GP this weekend.

And then there's another historical feat waiting for a certain seven-time World Champion.

If everything goes to plan, Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton will make his 400th Formula 1 start on Sunday in Interlagos. He will join Fernando Alonso as the only drivers in F1 history to make at least 400 Grand Prix starts. Alonso is way ahead with 445, while Kimi Raikkonen (350), Rubens Barrichello (322), Michael Schumacher (306), and Jenson Button (306) round out the Top 5.

Hamilton is coming off a P2 finish in Mexico City, although he has lost second place in the Drivers' Standings to Max Verstappen during that weekend.

The Audi Revolut F1 Team is bringing a special one-off livery to Brazil. The concept behind the livery is focused on Piso Paulista, which is the iconic geometric sidewalk paving pattern of Sao Paulo. The R26 will be dressed in a color scheme of forest green, gold, beige, and yellow. 

Along with the car's livery, Audi drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg will wear green race suits this weekend. 

Alan Jones, who won the 1980 F1 World Drivers' Championship while racing for Williams, has died on November 5, 2026. He just turned 80 years old last November 2.

Jones was an Australian racing driver who has 12 Grand Prix wins, 24 podiums, 6 pole positions, and 199 championship points to his name. He won his first F1 race in the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix, and then drove his final F1 lap during the 1986 Australian Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and wife Alexandra announced the birth of their first child, Bianca. Leclerc will stay longer in Monaco to be accompany his wife and daughter, and will miss Thursday's Media Day duties and Friday's Free Practice 1. But reports say that the Monegasque will return in FP2 and participate for the rest of the weekend.

Ferrari reserve driver Dino Beganovic will sub in for Leclerc in FP1.

Along with Leclerc, Aston Martin has also announced that Lance Stroll will miss his media duties on Thursday due to a viral infection. The team said that Stroll contracted the infection in Mexico, and they are expecting the Canadian driver to recover in time for FP1 on Friday.

It has been a forgettable stretch for Stroll recently, as he has DNF'd in six of the last eight races.