Your latest F1 news round-up is here, and if you have missed anything – we have you covered from the day’s key stories.

So without further ado, and with additional reporting from Thomas Maher in Qatar, let’s get straight into the day’s headlines.

F1 news: Red Bull junior makes potential 2025 seat hint

Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar is understood by PlanetF1.com to be in line for a potential VCARB seat next season, should Red Bull decide to promote one of Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda to the senior team in place of Sergio Perez.

And when asked about his future over the weekend, Hadjar did not shut down the idea that a seat may be on the cards.

“I mean, there’s obviously confirmed and yet to be confirmed, right?” He said

“So, obviously, I literally can’t tell you what I’m doing next season, because it’s not been official.

“If I say I know, then maybe you guys know what’s going on, so…”

How cryptic.

Read next: New Red Bull 2025 driver clue unearthed in F2 press conference

Fernando Alonso hatches new plan after Verstappen grid penalty

Fernando Alonso saw that Max Verstappen was given a one-place grid penalty for impeding George Russell while they were both on cool laps in qualifying in Qatar, which has given him an idea for this weekend.

“I only read the news that it was a one-place penalty for, I don’t know,” Alonso told media including PlanetF1.com. “He was slow, but George was on a slow lap as well.

“So in Abu Dhabi, if I’m in a slow lap, I will push crazy to the car in front to have penalty I guess, if he’s impeding me.”

Read next: Fernando Alonso reveals new tactical plan after Verstappen grid penalty precedent

Former Michael Schumacher security officer facing jail time

A former security officer for Michael Schumacher is being accused by German prosecutors of blackmail.

Markus Fritsche is accused of stealing photographs and videos to use in a blackmail scheme during his eight years working for the Schumacher family.

He and his alleged co-conspirators are accused of stealing four USB sticks and two hard drives that the former security officer removed from the Schumacher’s home in Switzerland. They then contacted the family in June of this year to blackmail and threatened to release the information onto the dark web if the €15 million ransom was not paid.

Prosecutors are demanding at least four years in jail but given the large sum, the men could be given longer terms if found guilty.

Read next: Michael Schumacher’s former security officer facing jail for €15 million blackmail plot

Esteban Ocon speaks out after early Alpine exit

Esteban Ocon has given his first public words since his early departure from Alpine, with the admission that this was not the way he wanted his exit to be handled.

Within a lengthy statement alongside pictures of a special farewell helmet, Ocon wrote: “To the hundreds of hard-working men and women at Enstone and Viry, I apologise that I will not be able come see you in person and have a proper farewell. As you know, the plan was always to race one last time this weekend and personally say goodbye to you all next week. I was looking forward to both of those things.

“This is not how I wanted things to end.

“That said, the world of F1 is small and I am sure I will see many of you again soon.

“I would also like to wish nothing but great things to my friend Jack as he takes this next big step in his career at this week’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

Read next: ‘Not how I wanted things to end’ – Esteban Ocon speaks out on Alpine exit

Fred Vasseur rebuffs Lewis Hamilton’s ‘not fast anymore’ claim

Lewis Hamilton said after qualifying in Qatar that “I’m definitely not fast anymore”, but Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur does not quite see it that way.

Asked by the media, including PlanetF1.com, if he is worried by what Hamilton said, Vasseur replied: “Not at all.

“Have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas.

“Starting P10, finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I’m not worried at all.”

Read next: Ferrari issue response to Lewis Hamilton’s ‘not fast anymore’ verdict