**Papaya Mohawk on the Horizon? McLaren’s Zak Brown, F1 Updates, and More from Spa-Francorchamps**

Will the head of McLaren F1 get a papaya-colored mohawk after two tattoos? Our journalist covering the F1 paddock brings you the insider information you might have overlooked.

Crash.net provides a summary of all the latest news, updates, and snippets of information from the Spa-Francorchamps paddock following Thursday's media sessions in preparation for the Belgian Grand Prix…

Zak Brown to Debut Papaya Mohawk?

Oscar Piastri hinted that McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown might show up at the F1 paddock with a papaya-colored mohawk after his initial win in Hungary.

The head of McLaren has two tattoos of racing tracks on his body to celebrate victories by Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris in recent years.

According to Piastri, Brown is not planning to get a third tattoo.

The Australian clarified, "It definitely won't be a tattoo; he was very clear about that." He continued, "Although we never actually made a formal agreement, the last idea we talked about that gained some interest was a papaya mohawk. I've reminded him of this, so we'll see when it happens."

Carlos Sainz rules out taking a break

Carlos Sainz has made it clear that he has no plans to take a year off from Formula 1 next season.

The Spaniard emphasized that taking a sabbatical isn't something he's considering. He expressed his contentment and passion for Formula 1, stating that he would prefer to join a mid-tier team and leverage his skills at the height of his career to assist them in improving, rather than taking a year off or serving as a third driver for another team.

“I have a competitive spirit and believe I can still contribute that aspect to a midfield team.”

Alpine introduces upgrades… To their motorhome

Alpine has unveiled a new hospitality facility at the Spa-Francorchamps paddock.

The remarkable new building surpasses the size of Toyota’s previous motorhome and has the capacity to hold 180 individuals across two levels. The interior decor takes inspiration from a ski lodge.

Alex Albon had a close-up perspective of the contentious collision. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton passed him while vying for third place and collided near the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

When questioned about his thoughts while witnessing the dramatic event up close, Albon responded: "I just didn't want to be the cause of any immediate incident. The moment it occurred, I was thinking, 'I really hope I wasn't responsible for that.'"

"Both drivers showed aggression, with Max being particularly forceful in his maneuver. Simultaneously, there was a bit of crowding involved. However, it's all very tight. Ultimately, I believe the stewards made the correct decision by calling it a racing incident."

He quipped, "Is there ever a time when they aren't together?"

Williams car still too heavy

Alex Albon has disclosed that Williams' Formula 1 car for the 2024 season continues to be above the weight limit, though he commended his team's efforts.

He mentioned that the team is performing excellently. The factory has managed to significantly reduce the car's weight. Although the car remains overweight, it is much closer to the target than it was initially.

"When we consider the number of improvements made by other teams, we haven't introduced any significant enhancements ourselves. The only adjustments we've made relate to weight reduction."

"In certain respects, I believe it's a good sign, as we haven't made any improvements to the car but have still managed to compete for points."

Albon mentioned that the British team "has an upgrade on the way" but noted he doesn't want to "specify a date for it."

Race in Memory of Anthoine

Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and several other Formula 1 drivers participated in the Run for Anthoine event at Spa-Francorchamps.

The occasion, attended by the F1 press including this correspondent, was organized to honor Anthoine Hubert, who passed away in an F2 accident at the track five years prior.

Additionally, respects were given to Dilano van’t Hoff, who unfortunately died in an accident during a Formula Regional European championship race in 2023.

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