Motorsport

The first qualifying session of the 2026 Formula 1 season was a depressing experience for those who love to watch Formula 1 cars being driven at the limit of adhesion. I’ve watched hundreds of pole-winning laps but George Russell’s today is a truly strange thing to behold. As was widely predicted before the season began, F1’s new power units are…

Max Verstappen was at a loss to explain the high-speed spin which pitched him out of qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver was beginning his first flying lap in Q1 when his RB22’s rear wheels locked as he braked for the first corner. Verstappen said it was “really weird” and hadn’t experienced anything similar before “in…

George Russell delivered on his status as the world championship favourite by taking a crushing pole position for Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix. A composed Russell blew away his rivals at Melbourne’s Albert Park to finish 0.293 seconds clear of team-mate Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes locked out the front row. Editor’s Picks 2 Related Isack Hadjar qualified third on his…

Formula E is dedicated not only to creating standalone opportunities but analysing and dismantling the structural inequalities that have limited women’s participation and progress. As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and supporting women’s pathways in the sport: Formula E and the FIA have delivered two all-women’s tests, giving 21 women drivers the opportunity to drive the…

20-year-old British driver, Ella Lloyd, will once again get behind the wheel of the GEN3 Evo, representing Envision Racing at the upcoming Madrid Rookie Test on March 22.  READ: Rookie Test set for CUPRA Raval Madrid E-Prix race weekend Lloyd, from Wales, began racing competitively in 2022 in the Ginetta Junior Championship, finishing in the points at 15 of the…

Ryan McGeeMar 6, 2026, 11:00 AM ET Close Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com 2-time Sports Emmy winner 2010, 2014 NMPA Writer of the Year Multiple Authors A chance to see something that we’ve never seen before. When you remove all the gunk that collects on us as sports fans, like a pit crew member scraping off midrace…

The FIA has published an update to its Driving Standards Guidelines ahead of the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The updated guidelines, which are around 50% longer than last year, add new considerations to how stewards’ decisions on racing incidents will be judged. One prominent new caveat, which appears first on the list, states: “A car being overtaken,…

Formula 1 has undergone a radical overhaul ahead of the 2026 season opener in Australia. The cars are shorter, narrower and lighter, but perhaps most decisively now 50% of the power comes from the battery rather than from the combustion engine. The aerodynamics are also different, and instead of the usual DRS, drivers have a “boost” button that allows them…

The FIA has revised Formula 1’s Penalty Guidelines ahead of the 2026 season. The section on ‘causing a collision’ has received particular attention, with new wording on how stewards may handle the most and least serious cases. The guidelines clarify that the mere existence of contact is not sufficient to warrant a penalty. “A ‘collision’ which very minor contract e.g….

Lucas Di Grassi at an event. (Image credit: Instagram) Lucas Di Grassi recently addressed a gathering at an event in the Dominican Republic where he spoke about the importance of learning from one’s mistakes. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver continues to compete in Formula E in its 12th season. Lucas Di Grassi was recently speaking at an event in the…

Pictures from practice for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Albert Park, 2026 Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, Albert Park, 2026 Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi, Albert Park, 2026 Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Albert Park, 2026 Oliver Bearman, Haas, Albert Park, 2026 Esteban Ocon, Haas, Albert Park, 2026 Andrea…

George Russell started his bid to win the world championship by finishing third in practice for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Following a major overhaul of the sport’s regulations, Russell’s Mercedes team have been billed as the team to beat and the British driver will head into Sunday’s race in Melbourne as the bookmakers’ favourite. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri led F1’s…

Formula E will take a massive leap in the 2026-27 season when it debuts its highly-anticipated Gen4 package. Featuring a more powerful 800bhp powertrain, more aerodynamic components and more advanced battery technology, the Gen4 car will propel Formula E to new heights and bring it closer to Formula 1 in terms of outright performance. Drivers will relish the improved speed…

Lewis Hamilton has called for a movement to “take Africa back,” saying the continent is being “controlled” by European powers. Speaking on the cusp of the new Formula 1 season, the seven-time champion outlined his ambition to compete in a grand prix on African soil before the end of his career. But the 41-year-old Briton, F1’s first Black racing driver,…

Pit Boost will be in play in Madrid. (Image credit: Formula E) There are going to be quite a few firsts at the next Round 6 race in Madrid. This is the maiden Madrid E-Prix after the venue made a new addition to the Formula E calendar. Now it has been revealed that it will also be the first single-header…

The FIA has issued the first details of how Formula 1 teams’ power unit use will be restricted at the opening round of the new season. Due to the complexity of F1’s new power units for 2026, different restrictions will be enforced at each track. This is partly due to the variation in energy harvesting opportunities at different circuits and…

Simona de Silvestro The longest-serving Formula E driver in this list is Simona de Silvestro who raced with Andretti for two seasons. Swiss-Italian de Silvestro got the call up to Andretti Autosport at the end of Season 1 to race alongside Jean-Eric Vergne, where she finished both races just outside of the points on debut. She was retained for the…

MELBOURNE, Australia — Lewis Hamilton said there were points during his first season with Ferrari that he “lost sight” of who he was, but insisted fans will not see that version of him again. Hamilton’s Ferrari move did not live up to expectations in 2025 as the seven-time world champion failed to even appear on the podium at a grand…

Welcome to Thursday’s edition of the RaceFans round-up. Social media and links Formula 1’s pivotal year (Financial Times) ‘Wolff plays down the impact these will have on the viewing experience. ‘These are all factors that for us mean a seismic change of regulations,’ he says. ‘For anybody watching who is not into the very (minor) details, it won’t make a…