Motorsport

Why McLaren feels the best drivers can still make a difference under F1 2026 rules

Wed, 2026-08-12 14:14
The complaints have been rumbling since before the start of the Formula 1 season. Periodically they intensify, especially at so-called ‘energy-starved’ circuits where the ratio of corners to straights, and the type of corners, mitigate against the new-generation cars being able to recharge their batteries through the lap.
A tweak to the regulations implemented ahead of the Miami Grand Prix ...Keep reading

F1 2026 mid-season grades: Racing Bulls stuns midfield pack 

Wed, 2026-08-12 12:09
Racing Bulls equalled its best-ever result of sixth place in 2025, but started the new campaign with plenty of question marks. As one of F1's smaller teams, the huge regulation change was a big stress test and its closely-fought battle for sixth saw it start its 2026 car development later than several direct competitors.
Then there was the huge unknown of its brand-new power unit developed by ...Keep reading

MotoGP plans to introduce F1-style budget cap

Wed, 2026-08-12 11:00
The explosion in popularity experienced by Formula 1 over the past five years has been described by some as a unique phenomenon in the history of sport.
Labels aside, one of the factors that has turned F1 into such an attractive proposition for manufacturers is its profitability. And that cannot be explained without the introduction of the budget cap, which in 2021 put the brakes on the ...Keep reading

Jessica Hawkins dismisses F1 strength concerns but flags junior series barrier for female drivers

Wed, 2026-08-12 10:05
Aston Martin Formula 1 driver ambassador Jessica Hawkins insists women have the physical strength required to race in F1, but suggests changes may be needed in junior categories such as Formula 2 and Formula 3 to ensure female and male drivers can compete on equal terms.
Speaking on the Road to Success podcast, the Briton reflected on her test of the Aston Martin AMR21 in Hungary in 2023. When ...Keep reading

Mahindra begins Gen4 Formula E testing after two-month delay

Wed, 2026-08-12 10:00
Mahindra Racing has finally put its Gen4 package on track after a two-month delay, stepping up its preparations for the 2026-27 Formula E season.
The Indian manufacturer shook down the as-yet-unnamed successor to the M12 Electro for the first time in mid-July. It has since run the car virtually every week, with the first full test taking place on 4 August. 
The initial running was split ...Keep reading

Does F1's ADUO system need a rethink? FIA admits to "weaknesses"

Wed, 2026-08-12 09:20
Few topics in the Formula 1 paddock have generated as much political debate during the first half of the season as ADUO, the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities.
The system was introduced as a safety net for a manufacturer that falls behind, partly in response to Honda's situation under the previous regulations, but in practice it has turned into a political battleground.
Toto ...Keep reading

Supercars, Triple Eight own up to “significant” error that has made Will Brown slower

Wed, 2026-08-12 08:23
Triple Eight has pointed the finger at Supercars over the recent lack of speed of the Ford Mustang driven by Will Brown, and Supercars has admitted that a part it supplied to the team was undersized.
On Wednesday afternoon Triple Eight team principal and co-owner Jamie Whincup issued a statement in which he revealed that an engine air restrictor, a part Supercars stipulates all the Ford engines ...Keep reading

Ryan Timms calls out Kyle Larson After Osky Challenge: 'He's a piece of sh*t'

Tue, 2026-08-11 22:48
Tensions flared at the Osky Challenge on Monday night at Southern Iowa Speedway, when Kyle Larson bested Ryan Timms in the closing laps to win with the help of a controversial pass.
Larson made his move up the field with five laps to go, running inside of Timms into turn four and making contact with him.
 
Larson's pass for the lead would hold, while damage to Timms's nose wing slowed ...Keep reading

FAA to halt flights at major D.C. airport ahead of IndyCar race

Tue, 2026-08-11 21:04
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will close the airspace above Reagan National Airport (DCA) from 10:15am EST to 1:15pm EST on August 23 in order to "help ensure the safe and efficient movement of air traffic” during the IndyCar race in Washington D.C. later this month.
This is not an unusual move from the FAA, as they also briefly closed the airspace for the Fourth of July UFC fight ...Keep reading

“Good things take time” says Dries Vanthoor as BMW M Team WRT continues rapid IMSA transition

Tue, 2026-08-11 17:48
Building a championship-caliber sports car program from scratch in four months is a daunting task, but Dries Vanthoor is helping steer BMW’s top-class GTP effort through a rapid operational evolution in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Now in his second full-time IMSA season, the 28-year-old Belgian driver finds himself at the center of a major transition for the manufacturer ...Keep reading

Theo Pourchaire focused on new Opel Formula E programme amid doubts over WEC future

Tue, 2026-08-11 17:15
Theo Pourchaire has admitted that combining his newly-announced Formula E drive with another campaign in the World Endurance Championship would be tough, but has not ruled out running a dual programme.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that 2023 Formula 2 champion Pourchaire will return to single-seaters, joining the new Opel Formula E team for the 2026-27 season.
Read ...Keep reading

Winners and losers from the IndyCar race in Portland

Tue, 2026-08-11 16:31
The Pacific Northwest was Alex Palou’s personal playground once again, with the Spaniard coasting to victory in the Grand Prix of Portland.
Despite falling to third during the opening stint of the 110-lap race, Palou utilized his classic overcut and stayed out a lap longer than pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist to vault to the top spot after the first green flag pit cycle. From there, Palou ...Keep reading

Preining retirement threat not just out of frustration? "Thought a lot about the future"

Tue, 2026-08-11 16:29
How serious was the retirement threat from former champion Thomas Preining at the Norisring weekend really? After a disappointing Saturday race in Nuremberg, the Manthey Porsche driver settled scores with the Balance of Performance (BoP) in the DTM and said in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com, "I'm really close to saying: There's no point anymore, I'm stopping."
Three weeks later, the ...Keep reading

What was behind Francesco Bagnaia’s worst MotoGP weekend of the year?

Tue, 2026-08-11 15:45
Francesco Bagnaia endured a nightmare weekend at the British Grand Prix, failing to score points for the first time this season.
Returning to MotoGP action just weeks after surgery on his right forearm, Bagnaia never looked comfortable on his Ducati GP26 at Silverstone, but remained optimistic about a turnaround.
Instead, however, his weekend only got worse with each session. In practice, he ...Keep reading

Darlington confirms that the Southern 500 will move back outside the Chase in 2027

Tue, 2026-08-11 15:33
Darlington Raceway has announced its race dates for the 2027 season. The historic track, which opened in 1950, will again hold a triple-header weekend from April 2-4 with all three national divisions. 
However, there is a change for later in the season when NASCAR returns to Darlington for 78th running of the Southern 500. The race will be held on September  5, and preceded by the NASCAR ...Keep reading

Mercedes explains key attributes behind Kimi Antonelli’s new 2026 F1 level

Tue, 2026-08-11 14:29
Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord has given several reasons behind Kimi Antonelli’s rise into a Formula 1 title contender this season.
Antonelli endured a tough rookie campaign last year as F1’s third-youngest driver in history, having bypassed F3 to spend just one year in F2 before joining one of the most successful teams in the world championship – courtesy of Lewis Hamilton ...Keep reading

MotoGP to hold 2027 season launch event in Brazil

Tue, 2026-08-11 13:18
MotoGP’s new 850cc era will kick off with a special season-launch event at Rio de Janeiro on 21 February 2027.
As reported by Motorsport.com last month, the entire MotoGP grid will travel to Brazil at the start of next year to mark the launch of the new season. 
The main event will take place at Botafogo Beach, with the famous Sugarloaf Mountain serving as the backdrop
The launch will ...Keep reading

F1 2026 mid-season grades: Alpine makes great strides but struggles to maintain momentum

Tue, 2026-08-11 12:46
From all the teams that wrote off 2025 or shifted focus to 2026 much earlier, Alpine is actually the squad that saw the biggest benefits from that approach. Powered by Mercedes engines, the squad enjoyed a strong start to the season. But Alpine's first half of the year has been slightly downgraded to a B- as it got caught by its rivals ahead of the summer break, ending the first half of the season ...Keep reading

Nine-way Formula E title fight goes down to the wire in London

Tue, 2026-08-11 11:53
Formula E’s Gen3.5 era is set for an epic conclusion in London this weekend, with the fight for the 2025/26 title going down to the wire.
As many as nine drivers remain in mathematical contention heading to the ExCel double-header, the most since the chaotic 2020/21 season when 18 drivers went into the final races in Berlin with a chance of becoming champion.
Prior to last month’s races ...Keep reading

MotoGP will not rule out moving Qatar Grand Prix to another venue

Tue, 2026-08-11 11:04
MotoGP has not ruled out moving the Qatar Grand Prix to another country amid the uncertainty caused by the war in the Middle East, and could potentially follow the same strategy Formula 1 has taken by hosting its Bahrain race in Malaysia. 
The conflict that erupted several months ago in the Persian Gulf between the United States, Israel and Iran has had a direct impact on this year's sporting ...Keep reading

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