ON TODAYS PROGRAM…

 

MAX ON POLE TAKES VICTORY AT THE NURBURGRING AND IS DISQUALIFIED! HOURS LATER.

THE WORLD KNOWS MERCEDES IS HOLDING BACK POWER!

ASTON MARTIN’S WORKING ENVIRONMENT BECOMING UNCOMFORTABLE AS ADRIAN NEWEY IS REMOVED AS TEAM PRINCIPAL LEAVING ROOM FOR JONATHAN WHEATLEY TO TAKE OVER

AND…THE MOST OBVIOUS QUESTION IS …WHEN WILL ANTONELLI REPLACE LEWIS AT FERRARI?

THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE: KAZUKI NAKAJIMA, 

ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO FORMULA ONE™ TEAM STATEMENT FROM LAWRENCE STROLL.

“With the current speculation surrounding Adrian Newey’s role in our team, I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

“As Executive Chairman and Controlling Shareholder, I would like to reaffirm that Adrian Newey is my partner and an important shareholder. He is AMR’s Managing Technical Partner, and he and I have a true partnership built on a shared vision of success for the company.

“We do things differently here, and while we don't currently adopt the traditional Team Principal role that you see elsewhere - it is by design.

“As the most successful engineer ​in the history of the sport, Adrian's primary focus is on the strategic and technical leadership where he excels. He is supported by a highly skilled Senior Leadership Team to deliver on all aspects of the business, both at the Campus and trackside.

“We are regularly approached by senior executives of other teams who wish to join Aston Martin Aramco, but in keeping with our policy, we do not comment on rumour and speculation.”

New management structure for the Audi F1 Project.

Jonathan Wheatley is leaving Audi Revolut F1 Team effective immediately for personal reasons

Mattia Binotto assumes responsibilities as Team Principal in addition to his role as Head of Audi F1 Project

 
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner: “We will continue to pursue the path we have chosen with determination”

 
Audi has made an adjustment to the management structure of its Formula 1 project. In addition to his existing duties as Head of Audi F1 Project, Mattia Binotto will also assume the responsibilities of Team Principal. Jonathan Wheatley is leaving the Audi Revolut F1 Team with immediate effect for personal reasons.

Wheatley had been part of the Audi F1 Project since April 2025. Together with Binotto, he built up the racing team at the Hinwil facility in Switzerland, which immediately scored points on its Formula 1 debut in early March. With this transition, Mattia Binotto will now assume additionally the responsibilities of Team Principal, taking leadership at the race track of Audi Revolut F1 Team.

“We are grateful to Jonathan Wheatley for his contribution to the project during the crucial entry phase and wish him all the best for the future,” says Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Motorsport AG. “Mattia Binotto and the team will continue to pursue the path we have chosen with determination. Our focus remains unchanged: we are concentrating all our efforts on building a team competing at the highest level that will challenge for world championships in Formula 1 by 2030. We will continuously develop our organizational structures to achieve our shared goal in a sustainable manner.”

 

Penske Entertainment Statement
on Passing of Jim Michaelian

 
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, March 21, 2026) – A statement from Roger Penske about the passing March 21 of Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian:

“Everyone at Penske Entertainment and within the INDYCAR community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Michaelian. Jim was a leader of a small, passionate group who believed in the concept of bringing elite open-wheel competition to Long Beach in the 1970s, worked tirelessly to make it happen despite steep odds and then helped nurture the Grand Prix of Long Beach into becoming America’s premier street race. His vision and energy surrounding this great event remained boundless for 50 years, as no task was too small for Jim even while he served in numerous leadership roles. Penske Entertainment is committed to honoring Jim’s legacy of putting fans and competitors first as we continue to build on the strong foundation he and his staff created for a half-century in Long Beach. Our deepest sympathies are with his wife, Mary, and their sons, Bob and Mike.”

ON TODAYS PROGRAM…

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO KIMI FOR POLE AND THE WIN!

MERCEDES CLEARLY AHEAD OF THE PACK! WITH FERRARI RIGHT BEHIND

FERNANDO SEES THE END OF RACING WITH DRIVING SLOW IN THE CORNERS TO HARVEST KILOWATTS…

LAWRENCE STROLL CLOSE TO THE BRAKING POINT COULD SELL ASTON MARTIN TO BYD!

UNLIKE MAX…LCH LOVES THE NEW CARS! AND….

 

THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE: ARVID LINBLAD AND UGO UGOCHUKWU….ENJOY!

Kimi Antonelli became the second youngest F1 winner of all time, beating Mercedes team-mate George Russell into second place in Shanghai, while Lewis Hamilton claimed his first ever podium for Ferrari. But it was another chaotic, controversial grand prix under these new 2026 regulations.

Neither McLaren made it to the grid, world champion Lando Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri both suffering from unspecified technical gremlins. After his crash on the formation lap in Melbourne last weekend, Piastri becomes the first driver since team founder Bruce McLaren back in 1969 to fail to start successive races.

But they were hardly alone. Williams’ Alex Albon and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto also failed to start, while Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen was one of three more drivers who failed to finish.

 

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had to retire due to excessive vibrations from his power unit – the same vibrations he was worried might lead to “permanent nerve damage” in Australia.

The controversial new 50–50 hybrid power units for this season, combined with active aerodynamics, have completely split fans and drivers. Some are enjoying the lack of reliability and hugely increased overtaking, with drivers able to deploy “boost” and “overtake” modes. Others, notably four-time champion Max Verstappen, decry the action as “artificial”, comparing this new era to computer games such as Mario Kart.

You certainly cannot accuse these new rules of failing to produce action. China, the second race of the season, was meant to herald a return to something more “normal” after an extraordinary120 overtakes at the season opener in Australia last weekend.

But it was just the same. A wild start, in which the fast-starting Ferraris surged to the front from the second row. A wacky first stint, in which the Ferraris and Mercedes battled for supremacy. And then – after a safety car came out on lap 10 when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll retired – Mercedes gradually pulling clear.

Antonelli, 19, eventually won by 5.5sec ahead of Russell to become the first Italian winner of a Formula One race for 20 years, since Giancarlo Fisichella at Sepang in 2006, and the second youngest grand prix winner of all time behind Verstappen, while Hamilton was another 19.7sec back, having emerged victorious from a furious tussle with team-mate Charles Leclerc in which they repeatedly swapped positions and went wheel to wheel. Leclerc said it was “fun” while Hamilton called it “one of most enjoyable races” he has ever had. Fans will be split on that sentiment.

Briton Oliver Bearman was an impressive fifth for Haas, just shy of his best ever finish, fourth place in Mexico last year.

Kimi Antonelli...

What an incredible day! This win is a fulfilment of one of the dreams I’ve had ever since I first drove a go-kart. I want to say thank you to my amazing family and the incredible team at both Lauda Drive and Morgan Drive. I couldn’t have done this without any of them, and it means so much to take my first victory in F1. It was a very special moment for all of us.

The race itself wasn’t easy. I lost a position at the start and had to fight back to get ahead. We then had to manage the Safety Car restart which wasn’t easy on the Hard compound. It was difficult to get the tyres working but fortunately we were able to before we were under threat from those behind.

This has been a great way to close the first double-header of the season but there is lots of work ahead. We aren’t taking anything for granted and will make sure we work hard ahead of Japan and arrive in Suzuka in the strongest position we can.

George Russell...

Firstly, huge congratulations to Kimi on his first victory in F1. He drove a great race, and it was brilliant to be up there on the podium with him. I am sure it is a moment he will never forget and to do it with the team scoring a 1-2 is fantastic.

My own race was not straightforward. I lost positions both at the start and then at the Safety Car restart as we struggled to switch the Hard tyres on. The Ferraris were quick, particularly in the early stages, and we had to get back past them twice. They were fast in all the right places and that made our job a lot more difficult. Happily, we were able to do it each time, but it cost us the chance to fight for the win.

It has been a great way to start the season, and we are definitely the team to beat at the moment. We have been put under a lot of pressure at these first two races, and we need to keep pushing hard. The package is strong though so I’m looking forward to heading to the next race in Japan.

Kirkwood Outduels Champ Palou
To Win Arlington, Take Series Lead 

 
ARLINGTON, Texas (Sunday, March 15, 2026) – It’s been a long time since a rival driver made Alex Palou blink, but Kyle Kirkwood achieved that rare feat to win the inaugural Java House Grand Prix at Arlington on Sunday.

Kirkwood took the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship lead and earned his first victory of the season despite a sluggish final pit stop by his Andretti Global crew, driving his No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Honda to victory under caution over the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of four-time series champion Palou, who has won the title the last three seasons.

SEE: Race Results

“That was so incredible,” Kirkwood said. “Man, did we have some pace. This JM Bullion Honda, Andretti, all these guys right here, they gave me the tools today. It’s because of this race car we won today, because of teamwork.

“One-three-four (finish) for Andretti; we’re just so stacked here. I’m so stoked.”

Andretti Global placed three drivers into the top four at the finish of the 70-lap street-circuit race around AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Will Power placed third in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda for his first podium finish at his new team after 16 full-time seasons at Team Penske. Marcus Ericsson, who earned his first career pole Saturday, finished fourth in the No. 28 InPwr Honda.

Pato O’Ward rounded out the top five finishers in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, the highest-placing Chevrolet-powered driver on the 14-turn, 2.73-mile circuit.

“This Andretti Honda camp is fricking strong on street courses,” O’Ward said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do if we want to start winning races on outright pace against them.”

Pure pace helped Kirkwood, who started seventh and overcome a tepid final pit stop to overhaul Palou down the stretch.

Palou and Kirkwood were running first and second, respectively, when both made their final stops on the preferred three-stop strategy on Lap 49. The Chip Ganassi Racing crew completed Palou’s stop in 7.7 seconds, while Kirkwood’s service took 9.5 seconds due to a slow change of the right rear wheel.

When both drivers returned to full steam on their out lap, Palou led Kirkwood by 2.2 seconds. But Kirkwood used the speed that helped him lead the pre-qualifying practice Saturday, pulling to within .323 of a second of Palou at the start of Lap 55, with both drivers on the more durable Firestone Firehawk tires in a straight-up duel for the win.

Kirkwood didn’t waste any time flexing muscle, diving under Palou from a long distance in Turn 13 near the end of Lap 55 and making the daring pass stick for the lead.

“He did an awesome pass; hats off to him,” Palou said. “It was super clean, and it was pretty impressive. We’ll get them in a couple weeks.”

Kirkwood then started to pull away, building a five-second lead by Lap 66. Then that margin evaporated when ECR driver Christian Rasmussen nosed his No. 21 Java House Chevrolet into the tire barrier at pit exit on Lap 68, triggering the first full-course yellow of the race.

That bunched the field for a one-lap dash to the checkered flag. Kirkwood pulled away on the restart and was able to exhale early in the final lap when the second and final full-course yellow flew due to a collision between the No. 18 BMax Honda of Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean and the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet of Nolan Siegel deep in the field.

“Not today,” Palou said when asked if he thought he could have caught Kirkwood on the final lap. “I was pushing really hard on the first and second stint, and I could see that the 27 (Kirkwood) and the 12 (Power) were a little bit faster than us. I was like, ‘Oh, man, it’s going to be quite hard.’”

Kirkwood then cruised around the circuit one last time under yellow to cheers from the capacity crowd at this event, a joint venture between Penske Entertainment, the Dallas Cowboys and REV Entertainment, the official events partner of the Texas Rangers. He leads the standings by 26 points over second-place Palou after three of 18 races.

“It’s only race number three, so I’m not looking at the championship,” Kirkwood said. “But it is nice to say it’s the first time I’ve ever led the championship in the INDYCAR SERIES.”

The taut nature of the race, with its varying strategies about how often to stop for tires, resulted in terrific parity up front. Kirkwood, Palou and Power each led 16 laps to tie for the race high, with Ericsson fourth with 15 laps led.

Caio Collet was the top-finishing rookie, 12th in the No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet fielded by AJ Foyt Racing.

Phoenix winner Josef Newgarden, who entered this event in the series lead, fell to third after finishing 15th in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.

After three consecutive race weekends to open the season, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will get a short break before resuming with the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst on March 27-29 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.

ON TODAYS PROGRAM… FIRST PROBLEM…THE F1 TV COVERAGE IS STINKO! LOOKS LIKE MERCEDES IS GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT AGAIN! FERRARI LOOK FAST BUT THE BAD DECISIONS CONTINUE AND ASTON MARTIN LOOK TO BE IN TROUBLE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER... WE HAVE A CANADIAN BONANZA! TEDDY YIP JR., DANIEL MORRAD AND ROBERT WICKENS!

George Russell...
That wasn’t a straightforward afternoon, but this win feels very sweet! Congratulations to the whole team; they’ve done an incredible job and this victory is for them.

We had a difficult and chaotic start and from there, were yo-yoing with the overtakes between Charles and me. I could have perhaps used my energy more smartly to defend when I first overtook him and that cost me when he passed me back. It was quite stressful from in the car but hopefully meant we put on a good show for the fans.

We stopped quite early on when the Virtual Safety Car was deployed and knew we were going to have to manage our tyres from there. We were not clear on whether the one or the two-stop was going to be quickest or which one was the right decision to help us take victory. The strategy team made a great call though and I am really happy we could take the victory and the 1-2. It’s a perfect way to start the season and we will enjoy this moment, but it is still very early days in the championship, and we know our rivals will be trying to close the gap quickly. It wasn’t easy for us so let’s see how we perform in China next week.

Kimi Antonelli

What an afternoon and what a weekend! It has not been easy on my side of the garage here in Melbourne, but we’ve come away from here with a great result. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone at Lauda Drive and Morgan Drive; they’ve produced a really strong car and a platform for us to build on. This 1-2 is for them and due to all the hard work and effort they’ve put in over several years.

Coming to the grid, I had a lower battery level so the start was very stressful! We obviously made a slow launch but from there our recovery was good and our pace was strong. That enabled us to fight our way back to the Ferraris and ultimately, after we went through the pitstops, to take a 1-2 for the team.

There is a lot we’ve learned about our car and how to operate within these new regulations this weekend. Whilst we were the strongest team in Melbourne, we are going to have to work really hard to stay ahead. I’m now looking forward to China and seeing what we can do in Shanghai.

MAX...

“The first laps were pretty hectic and we just needed to stay out of trouble. I had some issues at the start with the battery so as soon as the clutch was dropped, I had no power so that is something we need to understand. We then got quite cleanly through the field, did some decent overtakes and learned a bit about what we could do. We settled into our own race but unfortunately had a little too much degradation; the tyre behaviour was surprising as we had a lot of graining on the Hard compound, which of course compromised our stints and meant that we couldn’t really fight for more. So, this is something that we need to go back and understand a bit more. We also tried everything at the end to overtake again and gain a position but when we got close my tyres opened up. Overall the Team still did a great job: it was a decent comeback from P20 and we will work as a Team to close the gap further.”

ISACK... "Today was frustrating. I was confident that we could challenge for the podium so this result is a shame. I felt really strong off the line but unfortunately the issue we had came up straight away. The reliability we had throughout the weekend was good, but of course, the race is different and I could feel that there was a problem quite early on. The car was making a funny sound and I knew that we weren't going to make it to the end. It's frustrating, but these things can happen and we're so early on in our journey. We quickly go onto China with a short turnaround but I'm confident that we're going to learn from this.”   

Newgarden Hunts Down Victory,
Takes Series Lead at Phoenix
  AVONDALE, Ariz. (Saturday, March 7, 2026) – It took Josef Newgarden 17 races last year to earn his only victory of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

That winning box already is checked this year, two races in.

SEE: Race Results

Two-time series champion Newgarden earned his first victory of the season and 33rd of his illustrious career by closing down and passing leader Kyle Kirkwood with seven laps remaining to win the Good Ranchers 250 on Saturday at Phoenix Raceway. Newgarden, who started second, drove away to a 1.7937-second victory in the No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet over the No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com of Andretti Global driver Kirkwood.

“I’m very surprised,” Newgarden said. “In the middle of the race, I don’t know that I was fully believing that we had the capability to win. We just kept working through it, and I’m like, ‘Look, if we get another opportunity, we’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to be on the offense.'

“We took tires, and the thing was like a rocket ship when it needed to be, right at the end of the race. Hats off to the whole crew. I’m pumped.”

NTT P1 Award winner David Malukas finished third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet as Roger Penske’s legendary team celebrated its 60th anniversary season with two podium positions.

Pato O’Ward finished fourth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, with Marcus Armstrong rounding out the top five in the No. 66 ROOT Insurance Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian.

INDYCAR’s first race in Phoenix since 2018 – Newgarden and Team Penske also won that event – featured plenty of action throughout the field, as there were 565 on-track passes, an INDYCAR record at the 1-mile desert oval. But a combination of tire strategy and deft maneuvering in traffic delivered the victory to Newgarden, who also won the season-ending race last August at Nashville Superspeedway to avoid a winless 2025.

Kirkwood made his last stop on Lap 192 and was running fourth behind teammate Will Power, Christian Rasmussen and O’Ward on Lap 207. Power and Rasmussen were engaged in a ferocious duel for the lead, with the left front wing end plate of Rasmussen’s No. 21 ECR Splenda Stevia Chevrolet making contact with the right rear tire of Power’s No. 26 TWG AI Honda exiting Turn 2.

That impact cut Power’s tire, triggering the final caution period of the race and ending his chances of an improbable victory after starting last in the 25-car field. Rasmussen’s car also was damaged.

During that final caution period, Newgarden and a handful of other drivers near the front entered pit lane for fresh Firestone Firehawk tires, as tire grip was a far bigger strategic factor in this race than fuel management. Rasmussen, Kirkwood, Malukas and Armstrong were among the drivers who decided to stay on track, opting for track position over traction.

Rasmussen led at the final restart of the 250-lap race on Lap 218, but his damaged car ended up being no match for Kirkwood, who drove past Rasmussen for the lead on Lap 242. Rasmussen faded in the last eight laps with car damage and worn tires, placing a bitterly disappointed 14th after thrilling the large crowd with many daring passes to get to the front five times for 69 laps.

“We were the class of the field today – best car out there,” Rasmussen said. “It’s so frustrating because we should have won the race today.”

Kirkwood led Newgarden by six-tenths of a second when he took the lead, but Newgarden’s tire advantage was obvious within less than a lap. Newgarden gnawed into Kirkwood’s lead and drove under Kirkwood in Turn 4 for the lead for good just two laps later, on Lap 244.

“We thought about it, but we were talking about it, and the pits opened,” Kirkwood said about the possibility of pitting during the late caution. “(Staying out) was the right thing to do at the time.”

As a bonus in this young season, Newgarden became the first driver other than four-time series champion Alex Palou to lead the standings since June 2024. Two-time Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Newgarden leads Kirkwood, 78-73, after two races as he tries to win the series crown for the first time since 2019.

“Do we really have the lead?” Newgarden said. “Two races in, so I wouldn’t read too much into it. But momentum is a big deal. It’s very difficult to understand how things work. Sometimes things go against us, sometimes they go for us. It was just great execution by the team.”

Palou placed 24th, completing just 21 laps in No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, after side-by-side contact with the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet of Rinus VeeKay led to a trip into the SAFER Barrier.

It was Palou’s worst finish since he placed 25th last June in Detroit after contact eliminated him from that street race.

…ON TODAYS PROGRAM…

 

ASTON MARTIN ALREADY PONDERING... THE SEASON IS ALL BUT A WASH! WILL MERCEDES PASS A COMPRESSION TEST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RACE? FERRARI MUST KICK OFF THE SEASON WITH A WIN IN MELBOURNE. AND… FERNANDO COULD BE IN F1 FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…THIS WEEKS SPECIAL GUEST:  ADRIAN ZAUGH AND F1W LISTENER BURAQ SARTAG FROM TURKEY! Champ Palou Opens Season
with Dominant March to St. Pete Win 
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Sunday, March 1, 2026) – Alex Palou picked up right where he left off in 2025, opening the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with a dominant victory in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Palou won his third consecutive and fourth overall series championship last season by a whopping 196 points, an advantage of more than three races, and he and Chip Ganassi Racing showed the same swagger on a sun-splashed Sunday in Florida.

SEE: Race Results

Reigning event winner Palou, from Spain, cruised to his 20th career victory in just his 99th start, driving his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 12.4948-second victory over the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet of NTT P1 Award winner Scott McLaughlin.

“This team keeps on improving, keeps on making new changes, and they just keep on raising the bar,” Palou said. “It’s pretty impressive. It’s a long season in front of us, but what a great way to start the season.”

Christian Lundgaard, who started 12th, rallied to complete the podium finishers in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Kyle Kirkwood dropped from second late in the 100-lap race to finish fourth in the No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Honda fielded by Andretti Global.

Pato O’Ward put two Arrow McLaren cars into the top five after finishing fifth in the team’s No. 5 Chevrolet.

This was the first race in which INDYCAR rules mandated the use of at least two sets of the softer Firestone Firehawk alternate tire with red sidewalls, throwing an additional strategic element into the racing mix. And, as usual, Palou and longtime strategist Barry Wanser made all the right calls.

The decisive moment of the race came on Laps 36 and 37. Team Penske called leader McLaughlin to the pits at the end of Lap 35, with Marcus Ericsson assuming the lead from second in the No. 28 Delaware Life Honda. Andretti Global summoned Ericsson to the pits at the end of Lap 36, with Palou taking the top spot.

But instead of calling Palou to the pits on the next lap, Wanser and Palou decided to stay out until the end of Lap 38 on their original set of alternate tires in an “overcut” strategy. It worked.

Palou blended back on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary street circuit in front of McLaughlin and Ericsson. Once the rest of the leaders cycled through their pit stops, Palou found himself out front by Lap 42. He would only surrender the top spot during pit stop cycles to finish the race, leading 59 of the 100 laps.

There was a bit of suspense when Palou made his final pit stop at the end of Lap 67 with a 14-second lead on McLaughlin. Palou had used the required two sets of Firestone alternate tires in his first two stints and opted for the harder, but slower, Firestone primary tires for his final run to the finish.

Kirkwood and McLaughlin made their final stops at the end of Laps 65 and 68, respectively, both taking the softer but faster Firestone Firehawk alternate tires. That tire choice offered a glimpse of hope that Palou could be reeled in after he took the lead on Lap 70, but Kirkwood never got closer than 5.5 seconds in his pursuit despite the more grippy tires.

Palou, who started fourth, then pulled away at an astonishing rate over the closing laps to win by the largest margin in the 23 editions of this event.

“Those Firestones were like everlasting,” Palou said. “They would just keep going. I had an amazing car today.”

There was drama in the final 10 laps as McLaughlin and Lundgaard both took advantage of fresher tires to pass Kirkwood for the second and third positions on Lap 94.

“Our Chevy was fast, but it’s just a mixed bag on what tire you start on,” McLaughlin said. “Maybe we come back here again, and maybe you start on reds (alternate) and just get them out of the way. Overall, made the passes we needed to make at the right times, and I thought we maximized our day.”

Dennis Hauger, who qualified an impressive third, was the top finisher among the three rookies in the race, 10th in the No. 19 Ault Block Chain Honda of Dale Coyne Racing.

ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO UNVEILS LIVERY FOR 2026 F1 ACADEMY CAR

AMRTC, Silverstone, 24 February 2026: The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team has officially revealed its F1 ACADEMY car livery, which will be driven by German talent Mathilda Paatz in her debut year of the all-female series.  

The sleek design features the signature Aston Martin racing green and mirrors the team’s elegant AMR26 livery, proudly carrying the Aston Martin Aramco identity on the F1 ACADEMY grid. Mathilda, who represents Aston Martin Aramco as a member of its Driver Academy, drove the liveried F4-spec car operated by PREMA Racing during the first official F1 ACADEMY test, which took place at Shanghai International Circuit between 11-13 February.

Mathilda Paatz, F1 ACADEMY and Aston Martin Aramco Academy Driver: “Seeing the Aston Martin Aramco livery on the car for the first time was really special - it looks incredible and instantly made me feel part of the team. Driving the car for the first time during pre-season testing in Shanghai, I learned a lot. It was something new for me to adapt to, and I'm working well with the team at PREMA to become more familiar with the car. There were challenging moments across those three days, but as a team, we’re pushing hard in preparation for the first race in China. By day three, I was already becoming more comfortable on track, and so I'm keen to get racing next month. I’m not setting my expectations too high, but I'm feeling confident - my goal is to do my best and have a clean weekend that I can be proud of.”

Mathilda Paatz Biography

Mathilda, 17, from Cologne, Germany, joined the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team Driver Academy in November 2025, and was announced as the team’s F1 ACADEMY representative for the 2026 season, competing with PREMA Racing.

In addition to her full-season debut with Aston Martin Aramco in F1 ACADEMY this year, which gets underway at the Shanghai International Circuit on 13-15 March, Mathilda continues to compete in the Formula Winter Series and F4 CEZ Championship, showcasing her adaptability and dedication across categories.

Mathilda brings an impressive racing background. She began karting in 2019 at age ten, swiftly showing promise with third place in the 2020 ADAC Kart Masters - Mini category. In 2022, she claimed victory in the ADAC Kart Masters - Ladies Cup and finished third overall in the standings.

Stepping into single-seaters, she became the first female driver supported by the ADAC Motorsport Junior program in 2024 with ADAC Formel Junior Team in F4 France. She built further momentum in 2025, securing four wins in the E4 Championship - Trophy Woman and multiple class podiums in the competitive Italian F4 Championship.

Her F1 ACADEMY debut came as a Wild Card entry in Montreal in June 2025 with Hitech TGR, following a solid F4 Central European Zone (CEZ) Championship campaign where she achieved a podium (second place at the Red Bull Ring) and finished eighth overall with several top five finishes. This progression positions her as the second F4 CEZ graduate to enter F1 ACADEMY, highlighting her rise on the international stage. 

Palou Unveils 110th Indianapolis 500 Ticket
 
 
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026) – Four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou unveiled the ticket for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Tuesday, Feb. 24 in Indianapolis.

Palou earned his first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” last May in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, and one of the many honors bestowed upon the winner is unveiling the ticket for the next year’s race. Featuring the winning driver on the next year’s “500” ticket dates to Mauri Rose’s appearance in 1948.

Spain native Palou received a special DHL delivery at K1 Speed in Fishers. He opened the DHL packaging to reveal an enlarged version of the colorful ticket, featuring a photo of his jubilant celebration standing on his winning car following the victory.

“I always had to sign the ticket as a driver, and I always wanted be on the ticket,” Palou said. “It’s amazing. I love it. It was probably the coolest day of my life, and I cannot wait to see it on a small scale all around IMS. It’s going to look good.”

Designed in house by Senior Art Director Mandy Walsh, the ticket celebrates the excitement of Palou’s first “500” victory with his full-color image superimposed over an overhead shot of his car crossing the famed Yard of Bricks. The ticket also features a patriotic flair to celebrate the nation’s military, which is honored throughout the storied event held annually during Memorial Day weekend, and the 250th birthday of the United States this year.

Palou will defend his victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 24 in the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with live coverage starting at 10 a.m. ET on FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Johnson Feasts on Home Cooking
To Earn First Win at St. Pete  
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Sunday, March 1, 2026) – Nikita Johnson earned his first INDY NXT by Firestone victory Sunday, winning his hometown Grand Prix of St. Petersburg after prevailing in a duel of talented teenagers.

Johnson, from St. Petersburg, delivered his first victory in just his fourth career start in the INDYCAR development series. It also was the first INDY NXT victory for Cape Motorsports, which Johnson joined this offseason after a part-time foray last season in the series with HMD Motorsports.

SEE: Race Results

“I can’t thank the boys from Cape Motorsports enough and everyone from ECR who has been helping us,” Johnson said. “It’s a pretty amazing feeling to get my first win in INDY NXT and Cape’s first win in INDY NXT. I can’t wait to see all my friends and family.”

Series rookie Johnson, 17, drove his No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR entry to victory by .6990 of a second over pole sitter Max Taylor, 18, in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen car of Andretti Global. Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk rounded out the podium finishers in his first INDY NXT start by placing third in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports entry, 5.055 seconds behind Johnson.

Andretti Global took three of the top five spots. Seb Murray placed fourth in the No. 27 Prosperity machine, while Lochie Hughes rounded out the top five in the No. 26 car.

Johnson wasted no time asserting his command of this race, scheduled for 45 laps but halted on time after 55 minutes. He started second and used a bold, sweeping move to the outside of Taylor in Turn 1 at the start to grab a lead he would never relinquish.

“It was pretty straight up,” Johnson said. “I reviewed some video from previous years on YouTube, the INDY NXT channel. I knew I wanted to get up front quickly, and I did just that. I went into Turn 1 and knew what he (Taylor) was going to do before he did it and just went around the outside. After that, I kept it pretty simple, tried to keep a nice gap.”

Caution periods ended up being Johnson’s biggest foe besides Taylor. The race was slowed by four full-course yellows, but Johnson held off Taylor on each of the restarts.

Perhaps Taylor’s best chance came on a restart on Lap 20. He tried the same move Johnson used to gain the lead on Lap 1, but his attempt at a sweeping, outside pass was unsuccessful.

“All the restarts were pretty difficult,” Johnson said. “He (Taylor) caught on at one point, and I had throw in a little curve ball and change it up.”

Taylor maintained pressure on Johnson for the entire race, never trailing by more than a second and keeping his car usually within six- or seven-tenths of the leader. But Taylor also never got close enough after restarts to mount a serious challenge to the race lead.

The two teens traded blows over the closing laps. Johnson turned his quickest lap of the race on Lap 38, but Taylor countered with the speediest lap overall on Lap 39.

“Good race overall, good points,” Taylor said. “Showed a lot of pace but just messed up on the start.

“The restarts were very difficult to get right. Just kept trying to apply the pressure, trying different things. Probably could have had an opportunity to pass him there, but you live and you learn.”

…ON TODAYS PROGRAM…   FERNANDO AND THE HONDA CURSE, LAWRENCE STROLL SELLS ASTON MARTIN NAMING RIGHTS FOR 50 MILLION POUNDS. FERRARI ON THE OTHER HAND SHOW OFF NEW SPINNING REAR WING AND, LOOK VERY COMPETITIVE ! MCLAREN AND MERCEDES ARE NOT FAR BEHIND… RED BULL IS STILL A QUESTION MARK?…AND FERNANDO WILL NEED HIS CAMPING CHAIR AS THE GP2 ENGINE THAT FAILED HIM AT MCLAREN, THAT WENT KABLAMO IN THE INDY 500 AND LOOKS TO HAUNT ALONSO FOR ANOTHER LONG SEASON!! STAY TUNED FOR SOME GREAT ONE LINERS FROM MACHISMO… THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…THIS WEEKS SPECIAL GUEST: MARCUS ERICSSON, MARTIN BRUNDLE, AND MIKI MONRAS DE ESPANA…! Indianapolis 500 Veteran Hucul Dies at 79  
INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Feb. 20, 2026) – Canadian driver Cliff Hucul, a veteran of three Indianapolis 500 starts in the late 1970s, died Feb. 17 on his farm in his native Prince George, British Columbia. He was 79. Hucul made three consecutive starts in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” from 1977-79.

His best finish came as a rookie in 1977, 22nd in the No. 29 Team Canada McLaren/Offenhauser that Hucul bought after Johnny Rutherford drove it to victory in the 1976 “500.” Hucul completed 72 laps before being sidelined by gearbox problems. He qualified on Bump Day for that race despite touching the wall in practice the previous day and suffering two engine failures during the Month of May, a significant pitfall for his low-budget team.

Hucul’s best qualifying spot was 18th in 1979, his final “500” start.

The small-town driver from northern British Columbia learned his craft by racing stock cars and modified sprint cars at local tracks. He then began racing modifieds and supermodifieds in the Pacific Northwest against drivers that included eventual Indianapolis 500 winner and INDYCAR SERIES champion Tom Sneva and his brother Jerry Sneva.

Hucul made 24 total USAC and CART starts between 1977-81, with eight top-10 finishes. Hucul’s best finish in the standings was 11th in 1979, when he started the season by placing fifth at Ontario Motor Speedway and a career-best fourth at Texas World Speedway.

In 1996, Hucul became a paraplegic after an automobile accident when crossing black ice on a highway in British Columbia. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Hucul remained active, managing his farm and mentoring many drivers in the area. He was inducted into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame for his lifetime contributions to auto racing.

Hucul is survived by his son, Kelly, and daughter-in-law, Sylvie; daughter, Michele, and many grandchildren.

2026 BAHRAIN TESTING - WEEK 1, DAY 3 MAX VERSTAPPEN

“Looking at the test overall, the Team got in a good number of laps on the first day so we were happy with that. We completed a lot of things that we wanted to test with the new Power Unit and the car in general. Today it was a continuation of that plus also trying to explore a little bit more with the car; you go through so many test items that it continues to change and evolve with everything that you are testing. In general, it is all so new that we are still learning a lot, but the car was good. We also have new tyres, so we spent some time looking at different sets and understanding what we need to improve and be better at. With the power unit, looking at the laps we got on the board, the start that we have had is good. That’s exactly what we wanted to do and it was not a given. Whether it will be enough to win races, we don’t know, we will just focus on ourselves and try to do the best we can, but there is still massive room for improvement. Finally, with the car, we learnt a lot about what worked and what didn’t. Our runs also gave us even more ideas for the afternoon with Isack and then for next week, where we can continue to try new things and different set ups.”

ISACK HADJAR

“The first week here in Bahrain has gone well. Of course, I had to wait a little before getting in the car after Barcelona, but once I did, we were able to put it to the test and really work through what we need ahead of next week and Melbourne. There are so many things to look at, but we’re staying on track with our programme so far. True performance and pace are always hard to judge in pre-season, but we can be happy with the reliability we’ve had from the power unit this week. There are still things to work on in terms of balance and tyre management, but that’s completely normal for this time of year. We’re working through it together as a Team to get where we want to be for Australia. I’ve known the people here for a while now, but it’s great to be working with them again in an environment like this."

ASTON MARTIN The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team concluded its testing programme at the Bahrain International Circuit today, with Lance Stroll returning to the cockpit of the AMR26 for the final time before the Australian Grand Prix.

Lance did not get on track until late in the morning session due to a battery-related issue that had impacted Fernando's running yesterday. Honda carried out simulations on the test bench at HRC Sakura before the car returned to the track. Due to a shortage of power unit parts, the run plan was very limited and consisted only of short stints.

Lance Stroll

“It’s been a challenging couple of weeks here in Bahrain, and today’s limited running wasn’t the way we wanted to finish the second test. It’s clear the car isn’t where we want it to be performance-wise, and we know there’s a lot of work ahead in the coming weeks and months. There’s a long season ahead, and we’ll keep pushing flat out to unlock more performance.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone trackside and back at the AMRTC for the work that’s gone in so far. It’s not where we want to be right now, but I know how determined this team is. We’ll stick together, rise to the challenge and keep working until we deliver the performance we are looking for.”

WILLIAMS F1 2026 Bahrain pre-season testing – Day 3

James Vowles, Team Principal: Another solid day of running and mileage. It's great to see that across the last six days of testing, we've been predominantly tyre and time limited, and able to complete the full programme that we wanted. That's just a testament to the hard work of the teams, both here and in Grove, making sure that we made up for lost time. 


No one truly knows where all the performance lies. That's what Melbourne is all about, so I can't wait to go there, to gain a further understanding of where we are. What I know for sure, though, is we have work to do. There's no doubt about it. We've put ourselves on the back foot. But my assurance to everyone is that we have an aggressive programme lining up in front of us in order to make sure that we extract as much performance in this car as possible over the forthcoming months.

Carlos Sainz: The past six days of testing in Bahrain has been one of the most interesting and challenging tests that I’ve been part of, given the new regulations and number of things we had to learn. The progress from day one has been significant, although there are still going to be things to understand and solve at the start of the season.

We go into the first half of the year with lower expectations than 2025 knowing that we’ll be starting slightly on the back foot. However, I’m really looking forward to getting started and focusing on improving the cars through the year to become more competitive. Bring on Melbourne!

Alex Albon: It’s been a relatively smooth test here in Bahrain. We got some good mileage under our belts and tested everything we wanted to get out of the car, so I’m feeling more ready for Melbourne. There’s still a lot we need to understand and plenty of performance left on the table that we need to extract, but I’m glad the tests went to plan. It’s now all about maximising the next few days to prepare for the first race of the year!

THIS WEEK'S INTERVIEW WITH MIKI MONRAS...

Miki Monrás on battling Bottas and Ricciardo in the late 2000s and the rising cost of junior racing

In the late 2000s, Miki Monrás was one of Spain’s brightest prospects on the junior single-seater ladder, trading blows with the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas and António Félix da Costa in Formula Renault and GP3. But while his rivals pushed on towards F1 or careers in GTs, the Spaniard’s single-seater journey came to an abrupt halt in 2011. Feeder Series caught up with Monrás to reflect on the times he rubbed shoulders with greatness, the challenges of racing in the post–financial crisis era, and life beyond motorsport.

By Anabelle Bremner

Back in the noughties, the path from karting to Formula 1 looked nothing like it does today. There was no standardised Formula 4, no carefully managed ladder – just a patchwork of championships that rewarded those brave enough, and wealthy enough, to dive straight in. Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 was as deep as it got: 40-car grids stacked with future stars, the proving ground where Pierre Gasly, Nyck de Vries and Lando Norris would come to cut their teeth.

But before all of them, it was Monrás in the thick of it. He made his single-seater debut in late 2007, the result of years spent chasing speed. His first taste of racing, in fact, came on two wheels – on a motocross bike, inspired by his father, who had raced professionally in Spain and Europe. At the age of eight, Monrás joined a motocross camp, and it wasn’t long before karting came calling.

“After the first race, I really enjoyed it,” he recalls. “I remember it was Christmastime and I asked for a motocross scooter and for a go-kart. So I finally got the go-kart, and that’s the way I started. Then I started racing in Catalonia, and I just moved through Spain and Europe and all the world championships until formula.”

Single-seater racing, however, would prove a unique beast. Shortly before turning 16, Monrás moved straight from karting into Formula Renault 2.0, in which the competition was fierce.

“Normally at that age you’d go before to a category not straight to 2.0,” he said. “My first year I was racing with Bottas, I was racing with Ricciardo, I was racing with [Andrea] Caldarelli – really good drivers.… I was racing against people that were already racing for two years in single-seaters. That was a big difference.”His first Eurocup campaign, in 2008, proved a challenging one. He was scoreless for his first five rounds with the Hitech Junior Team (no relation to the current Hitech) before a switch to SG Formula brought him six points in the final two rounds. Valtteri Bottas, then of Motopark Academy, went on to claim that year’s title after a close fight involving Ricciardo, Caldarelli and Roberto Merhi.

The next year brought Monrás a decidedly better season and three podiums with SG Formula, owned by Mercedes Junior Team advisor Stéphane Guerin. He wound up fifth overall in a season dominated by a fierce three-way fight between Félix da Costa, Jean-Éric Vergne and Albert Costa – the last of whom ultimately took the title.

Racing against so much talent at such a young age left Monrás with plenty of perspective on what might have been.

“Ricciardo was my teammate. Jean-Éric Vergne was my teammate. I raced with Da Costa, Bottas, with Magnussen, so many people that have been racing each other and winning races,” he said. “[I] think if I changed something at that point, maybe I would be in Formula 1, but who knows. Maybe yes, maybe no.

“But at that time, it was really difficult times because it was 2010, ’11, ’12, where there was also a big crisis in the world, especially in Europe. It was really difficult for Spanish drivers to get the sponsors and the money to race.”

The financial squeeze triggered by the 2008 global financial crisis left Monrás and many of his peers in a precarious position. Several teams, such as SG Formula, shut their doors in the wake of the crisis amidst an already shifting landscape in junior racing.

“It’s been changing a lot from that time until now. When I was racing Eurocup 2.0, one time we were like 48 drivers, I remember. 2008 at Spa. It was a massive level and so many drivers wanted to go in,” he said. “Eurocup was really high level, I would say maybe [comparable] to Formula 4 about the car and the lap times.

“Motorsport has changed a lot in the last few years. It’s more expensive. At that time, Eurocup was also expensive, but I think Formula 4 is around €700,000 more or less, maybe more now. It’s quite expensive. Back then, I think Eurocup was around €300,000 or €250,000, so there was a massive difference. A lot more people could race at that time.”

After two and a half years competing in various Formula Renault series, Monrás stepped up to GP3 in 2010. The inaugural season, won by eventual F1 driver Esteban Gutiérrez, came with another steep learning curve. Monrás managed two podiums and a 10th-place finish in the standings, but the step up exposed the limits of what talent alone could achieve in a field packed with hungry, well-backed drivers.

“When I raced GP3, that was the first year of the championship, so it was a new championship for all of the teams. I also raced with Arden, which was a new team in the category, so it made it a bit difficult,” he said. “During testing, I remember I was flying in GP3, and then suddenly in some races there was such a huge difference with some other cars and drivers. It was difficult sometimes. … I think this is always present in motorsport in all categories. You will find some kind of differences within cars and teams. It just will always be there.”

Challenging as it was, that season had its highs for Monrás. A recovery drive in Spa’s characteristic rain remains a fond memory for the Spaniard.

“I had a really bad qualifying because there were some yellow flags,” he explained. “Because there were 30 cars, it was easy to find yellow flags if you’re waiting for the last minutes in qualifying. I finished [ninth in] race one, and in race two it started raining really heavily after five laps. I went from P10 to P3, nearly fighting for the win in the last lap against Rossi and Tambay. That was a really good race.”

After a season in GP3, Monrás moved up a rung on the ladder to Formula Two. At the time, the feeder series landscape was fragmented. GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 offered established paths to Formula 1, while the MotorSport Vision’s FIA Formula Two Championship, which first ran in 2009, aimed to do the same with a more affordable package.

“Formula Two at that point was very competitive, economically speaking,” Monrás said. “It was a lot cheaper to race in Formula Two than race in GP2 at that moment or 3.5 because it was like all one team. All the cars were one team with different engineers, and that made it low cost for the time.

“A lot of drivers went to it because of that. They were racing in the best tracks, same as World Series and similar to GP2, and the car was competitive. Maybe not as competitive as GP2 or 3.5 because it was a bit slower, but it was really competitive and really fast, on the straight especially.” 

“In that time, what they were saying was it was very equal. You had one engineer for three cars, you were sharing data with these three cars, and it was all under the same team. You can always find differences in motorsport. Maybe not a difference to make one car win and one car P15, but you can still always find two-tenths difference in similar cars, and two tenths, sometimes it’s a lot of time,” he said.

“The cars were on the same team, but each engineer was doing the set-up for his driver. The set-up I was using and maybe the set-up Bortolotti was using, he had won the championship maybe from our different set-ups. Every race, you changed engineers. Every weekend, you were rotating engineers so at the end of the season, everybody worked with everyone.”

By 2012, the funding had dried up. Monrás was left sponsorless and unable to compete in Formula Two. He sampled GT racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series and tested with both Audi Sport and Atech GP, but no program materialised. From there, Monrás transitioned into driver coaching and team management – mostly with the AV Formula team owned by his manager, Adrian Vallés – and eventually “moved on” from motorsport around 2017.

“I was working also with McLaren Automotive, but it was not motorsport. It was automotive, developing road cars, really competitive cars. After that I decided to stop because I wanted to follow a new career professionally, and I moved onto real estate which I have always been [involved with] because of my family, so that’s why I decided to move over,” he said. “I now work in a real estate company which I own with some partners, and that’s my day-to-day nowadays.”

After years climbing the ladder in lockstep with some of the sport’s future stars, Monrás has found a new rhythm – one that’s decidedly less fast, but no less his own. Yet his career remains a reminder of the talent that defined an era: a Spaniard who went wheel to wheel with the likes of Ricciardo, Bottas, and Vergne, racing in some of the deepest junior grids of the 2000s and 2010s. In the story of that generation, Monrás may no longer be on track, but he’s never far from the memory of it all.

…ON TODAYS PROGRAM… MAX SAYS THE NEW CARS ARE ANTI-RACING, NOT FUN TO DRIVE FORMULA E ON STEROIDS!!!
LCH SAYS NEW CARS SLOWER THAN GP2!! AAAHHH! AND RIDICULOUSLY COMPLICATED!! THE FANS WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT!!!
LANCE STROLL INSISTS ASTON MARTIN 4 SECONDS SLOWER THAN LEADERS…sorry FERNANDO…
ALPINE AND AUDI DISPLAY INTERESTING APPROACH TO REAR WINGS AND SIDE PODS….AND
FERNANDO…THE ASTON. MARTIN CHEF COULD DRIVE THESE CARS!! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…THIS WEEKS SPECIAL GUEST: MIKA SALO AND PAUL VALLHAUG FROM NORWAY…!
2026 Bahrain Pre-Season Test - Day Three

The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team has completed its first week of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, with Lance Stroll returning to the wheel of the AMR26.

Lance headed out on track at approximately 10:30, completing running across both the morning and afternoon sessions, as the team focused on aero mapping as well as low and high fuel runs. He completed a total of 72 laps during the day.

Across the three days in Bahrain, the AMR26 completed a total of 206 laps between Lance and Fernando, allowing the team to gather valuable data during the opening week of testing. The drivers will return to the cockpit next week for the second phase of testing, before final preparations begin for Melbourne.

Mike Krack

“After completing the shakedown in Barcelona, we have now finished our first test of the new season. We ran into some issues earlier in the week, and that’s exactly why we go testing - especially with new regulations. This whole package is very fresh, so it takes time to understand all the different elements and identify where we need to improve. A big thank you to the entire team for the hours worked across the three days of testing. We are realistic in knowing that there is a lot of performance still to unlock in this package, and it is important that we analyse all of our learnings ahead of next week.

Williams F1 team 2026 Bahrain pre-season testing – Day 3

 

Alex Albon: We knew it was going to be a challenging three days getting up to speed and starting to understand the new car and regulations. The positive is that we got quite a few laps under our belt and the car seems reliable, which is never easy for the first week of testing. On my side, getting to grips with a new car has been a challenge, but I am enjoying the intricacies of it. There’s a lot of improvement to be done and a lot to learn to bring a better package for the next round of testing, so it will be a busy next week of really digging in to the data.  

Carlos Sainz: Overall, it’s been good to test the car properly these past days and be able to do as many laps as we have done. We are still playing catch up on certain things, but doing over 210 laps has given me a much better understanding of what we can expect this year. The cars feel very different and it’s going to be a challenging season, but this is nothing new and I’m up for the challenge. It’s still early days to discuss performance in detail and compare ourselves to our direct competitors, but it is clear that the gap between teams is not as tight as last year, at least not for now. What is important for me is that we have identified the main areas we want to focus on in the upcoming weeks and I hope that we can improve gradually as we get closer to Melbourne. There is a lot of work ahead of us as a team so there is no time to lose.

Théophile Nael leads the way on the final day of the Barcelona F3 pre-season test 

Campos Racing’s Théophile Nael finished with the fastest lap on the final day of the Barcelona pre-season test, completing a 1:27.525 in the morning session when times were at their quickest. 

In the afternoon, it was Gerrard Xie who ended up at the top of the leaderboard with a 1:29.676 for DAMS Lucas Oil. 

MORNING 
Similar to Day 2, the teams started with Qualifying runs on old Hard tyres, but before the first set of laps could be completed, the Red Flags were out with James Wharton stuck in gravel between Turns 7 and 8. 

However, once the PREMA Racing driver was back in the pitlane, action resumed and Patrick Heuzenroeder went fastest with a 1:29.354. 

The drivers then had new tyres fitted to their cars for their next set of laps, and this time it was Noah Stromsted on top by just 0.034s to Campos Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu, with a 1:27.620. 

Ugochukwu improved on his next attempt, but still wound up in second place, cutting the gap to the TRIDENT driver to just 0.020s, while teammate Théophile Nael moved up to third ahead of Freddie Slater. 

With the majority of the field back in the pitlane, Nael returned to the track for more shot at a Qualifying lap and completed a 1:27.525 to go fastest by just 0.095s. 

The teams then turned their attentions to long run performance, meaning that no one bettered Nael, who led the way ahead of Stromsted, Ugochukwu, Slater and Brando Badoer in the morning.

AFTERNOON 
Long runs kicked off the afternoon session with Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Deligny setting the early pace with a 1:32.430. 

That time was then beaten by Rodin Motorsport’s Brando Badoer as the session approached the 40-minute mark, and just before José Garfias stopped on track at Turn 6, bringing out the Red Flags. 

Once the session resumed, AIX Racing went to the top of the leaderboard, with Brad Benavides’ 1:31.573 putting him ahead of Fernando Barrichello by 0.115s. 

Running was paused once again just as the second hour was about to start, with Slater having stopped on track at Turn 12, causing the marshals to wave the Red Flags. 

Race runs resumed as the drivers looked to make the most of the track time before the test ended. However, Fionn McLaughlin then got stuck in the gravel trap at the final corner, leading to another Red Flag stoppage.   

Green flags were waved with over an hour to go in the day, with long run mileage still the top priority. However, heading into the final 30 minutes, Brando Badoer and then Matteo De Palo went quickest.  

The TRIDENT driver completed a 1:30.910, which was over half a second quicker than Hitech’s Tim Tramnitz. 

DAMS Lucas Oil then went faster with just over five minutes to go, Nicola Lacorte leading the way with a 1:29.676, over half a second faster than teammate Gerrard Xie. 

There were no further improvements for the rest of the session, with Lacorte on top ahead of Xie, De Palo, Tramnitz and Badoer. 

That wraps up pre-season testing with the drivers next out on track at Round 1 in Melbourne from March 6-8. 

2026 FIA FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP – BARCELONA CIRCUIT, PRE-SEASON TESTING: DAY 3, MORNING SESSION

|
    |
  DRIVER
  |
  LICENCE
  |
  TEAM
  |
  LAPTIME
  |
  LAPS
  |
  |
  1
  |
  Theophile Nael
  |
  FRA
  |
  Campos Racing
  |
  1:27.525
  |
  46
  |
  |
  2
  |
  Noah Stromste |
  DEN
  |
  TRIDENT
  |
  1:27.620
  |
  33
  |
  |
  3
  |
  Ugo Ugochukwu
  |
  USA
  |
  Campos Racing
  |
  1:27.640
  |
  46
  |
  |
  4
  |
  Freddie Slater
  |
  GBR
  |
  TRIDENT
  |
  1:27.724
  |
  37
  |
  |
  5
  |
  Brando Badoer
  |
  ITA
  |
  Rodin Motorsport
  |
  1:27.891
  |
  26
  |
  |
  6
  |
  Patrick Heuzenroeder
  |
  AUS
  |
  Campos Racing
  |
  1:27.926
  |
  45
  |
  |
  7
  |
  Brad Benavides
  |
  USA
  |
  AIX Racing
  |
  1:27.979
  |
  30
  |
  |
  8
  |
  Tuukka Taponen
  |
  FIN
  |
  MP Motorsport
  |
  1:28.075
  |
  18
  |
  |
  9
  |
  Louis Sharp
  |
  NZL
  |
  PREMA Racing
  |
  1:28.085
  |
  40
  |
  |
  10
  |
  Nicola Lacorte
  |
  ITA
  |
  DAMS Lucas Oil
  |
  1:28.090
  |
  22
  |
  |
  11
  |
  Taito Kato
  |
  JPN
  |
  ART Grand Prix
  |
  1:28.120
  |
  19
  |
  |
  12
  |
  Christian Ho
  |
  SGP
  |
  Rodin Motorsport
  |
  1:28.132
  |
  27
  |
  |
  13
  |
  Jin Nakamura
  |
  JPN
  |
  Hitech
  |
  1:28.144
  |
  41
  |
  |
  14
  |
  Pedro Clerot
  |
  BRA
  |
  Rodin Motorsport
  |
  1:28.164
  |
  28
  |
  |
  15
  |
  Tim Tramnitz
  |
  GER
  |
  Hitech
  |
  1:28.165
  |
  44
  |
  |
  16
  |
  Maciej Gladysz
  |
  POL
  |
  ART Grand Prix
  |
  1:28.183
  |
  17
  |
  |
  17
  |
  Matteo De Palo
  |
  ITA
  |
  TRIDENT
  |
  1:28.286
  |
  40
  |
  |
  18
  |
  Enzo Deligny
  |
  FRA
  |
  Van Amersfoort Racing
  |
  1:28.315
  |
  26
  |
  |
  19
  |
  James Wharton
  |
  AUS
  |
  PREMA Racing
  |
  1:28.338
  |
  41
  |
  |
  20
  |
  Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi
  |
  THA
  |
  DAMS Lucas Oil
  |
  1:28.343
  |
  29
  |
  |
  21
  |
  Kanato Le
  |
  JPN
  |
  ART Grand Prix
  |
  1:28.367
  |
  20
  |
  |
  22
  |
  Yevan David
  |
  SRI
  |
  AIX Racing
  |
  1:28.409
  |
  27
  |
  |
  23
  |
  Fernando Barrichello
  |
  BRA
  |
  AIX Racing
  |
  1:28.463
  |
  26
  |
  |
  24
  |
  Alessandro Giusti
  |
  FRA
  |
  MP Motorsport
  |
  1:28.463
  |
  20
  |
  |
  25
  |
  Hiyu Yamakoshi
  |
  JPN
  |
  Van Amersfoort Racing
  |
  1:28.482
  |
  35
  |
  |
  26
  |
  Fionn Mclaughlin
  |
  IRL
  |
  Hitech
  |
  1:28.562
  |
  39
  |
  |
  27
  |
  Jose Garfias
  |
  MEX
  |
  PREMA Racing
  |
  1:28.586
  |
  40
  |
  |
  28
  |
  Bruno Del Pino
  |
  ESP
  |
  Van Amersfoort Racing
  |
  1:28.590
  |
  28
  |
  |
  29
  |
  Mattia Colnaghi
  |
  ARG
  |
  MP Motorsport
  |
  1:28.965
  |
  21
  |
  |
  30
  |
  Gerrard Xie
  |
  CHN
  |
  DAMS Lucas Oil
  |
  1:28.976
  |
  44
  |
 

2026 FIA FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP – BARCELONA CIRCUIT, PRE-SEASON TESTING: DAY 3, AFTERNOON SESSION

|
    |
  DRIVER
  |
  LICENCE
  |
  TEAM
  |
  LAPTIME
  |
  LAPS
  |
  |
  1
  |
  Nicola Lacorte
  |
  ITA
  |
  DAMS Lucas Oil
  |
  1:29.676
  |
  35
  |
  |
  2
  |
  Gerrard Xie
  |
  CHN
  |
  DAMS Lucas Oil
  |
  1:30.275
  |
  26
  |
  |
  3
  |
  Matteo De Palo
  |
  ITA
  |
  TRIDENT
  |
  1:30.910
  |
  23
  |
  |
  4
  |
  Tim Tramnitz
  |
  GER
  |
  Hitech
  |
  1:31.285
  |
  35
  |
  |
  5
  |
  Brando Badoer
  |
  ITA
  |
  Rodin Motorsport
  |
  1:31.473
  |
  40
  |
  |
  6
  |
  Brad Benavides
  |
  USA
  |
  AIX Racing
  |
  1:31.573
  |
  32
  |
  |
  7
  |
  Fernando Barrichello
  |
  BRA
  |
  AIX Racing
  |
  1:31.688
  |
  46
  |
  |
  8
  |
  Noah Stromsted
  |
  DEN
  |
  TRIDENT
  |
  1:31.717
  |
  37
  |
  |
  9
  |
  Ugo Ugochukwu
  |
  USA
  |
  Campos Racing
  |
  1:31.806
  |
  51
  |
  |
  10
  |
  Christian Ho
  |
  SGP
  |
  Rodin Motorsport
  |
  1:31.997
  |
  39
  |
  |
  11
  |
  Yevan David
  |
  SRI
  |
  AIX Racing
  |
  1:32.052
  |
  29
  |
  |
  12
  |
  Theophile Nael
  |
  FRA
  |
  Campos Racing
  |
  1:32.230
  |
  47
  |
  |
  13
  |
  Freddie Slater
  |
  GBR
  |
  TRIDENT
  |
  1:32.370
  |
  23
  |
  |
  14
  |
  Jose Garfias
  |
  MEX
  |
  PREMA Racing
  |
  1:32.413
  |
  46
  |
  |
  15
  |
  Tuukka Taponen
  |
  FIN
  |
  MP Motorsport
  |
  1:32.415
  |
  66
  |
  |
  16
  |
  Enzo Deligny
  |
  FRA
  |
  Van Amersfoort Racing
  |
  1:32.430
  |
  53
  |
  |
  17
  |
  Taito Kato
  |
  JPN
  |
  ART Grand Prix
  |
  1:32.476
  |
  52
  |
  |
  18
  |
  Maciej Gladysz
  |
  POL
  |
  ART Grand Prix
  |
  1:32.488
  |
  51
  |
  |
  19
  |
  Pedro Clerot
  |
  BRA
  |
  Rodin Motorsport
  |
  1:32.499
  |
  37
  |
  |
  20
  |
  Hiyu Yamakoshi
  |
  JPN
  |
  Van Amersfoort Racing
  |
  1:32.502
  |
  53
  |
  |
  21
  |
  Fionn Mclaughlin
  |
  IRL
  |
  Hitech
  |
  1:32.608
  |
  21
  |
  |
  22
  |
  Patrick Heuzenroeder
  |
  AUS
  |
  Campos Racing
  |
  1:32.644
  |
  50
  |
  |
  23
  |
  Alessandro Giusti
  |
  FRA
  |
  MP Motorsport
  |
  1:32.660
  |
  31
  |
  |
  24
  |
  Bruno Del Pino
  |
  SPN
  |
  Van Amersfoort Racing
  |
  1:32.704
  |
  54
  |
  |
  25
  |
  Mattia Colnaghi
  |
  ARG
  |
  MP Motorsport
  |
  1:32.974
  |
  54
  |
  |
  26
  |
  Kanato Le
  |
  JPN
  |
  ART Grand Prix
  |
  1:32.995
  |
  48
  |
  |
  27
  |
  Louis Sharp
  |
  NLZ
  |
  PREMA Racing
  |
  1:33.058
  |
  49
  |
  |
  28
  |
  Jin Nakamura
  |
  JPN
  |
  Hitech
  |
  1:33.181
  |
  32
  |
  |
  29
  |
  James Wharton
  |
  AUS
  |
  PREMA Racing
  |
  1:33.199
  |
  48
  |
  |
  30
  |
  Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi
  |
  THA
  |
  DAMS Lucas Oil
  |
  1:33.742
  |
  51
  |

 

…ON TODAYS PROGRAM… MERCEDES CAUSE PANIC! RIVAL TEAMS LOOK FOR FIA INTERVENTION BEFORE START OF SEASON.
ALL EYES ON ADRIAN NEWEY AND ASTON MARTIN’S EXTREME NEWEY DESIGN BLOWING PEOPLES MIND!
WILLIAMS COULD BE SAND BAGGING... AND,
FERNANDO STILL THINKING OF THE TRIPLE CROWN!! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…THIS WEEKS SPECIAL GUEST: OLIVIER PANIS!

Olivier Panis, originally from Oullins, Lyon, is a former French Formula One driver. Early in his career, Panis began with karting, progressing through several junior series before moving up to the French Formula 3 series. By 1990, he secured 4th place in the championship and achieved runner-up status the following year.

After karting, Panis competed in two seasons of F3000. His initial season involved challenges with the Apamotox team’s stubborn Lola car, while the second season saw him racing for the highly viewed DAMS Equipe team. His perseverance paid off when he was crowned champion, setting the stage for his entry into Formula 1 with Ligier.

At 27, Panis joined the French-based Ligier F1 team in 1994. He secured a surprise second-place finish at Hockenheim that season, ending the season 11th overall in the Drivers’ Championship. He continued to impress, securing another unexpected second place at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, despite trailing two laps behind the leader, and finished 8th in the championship.

Panis’s most astonishing triumph came at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, where he drove his way to victory in treacherously wet conditions. It marked Ligier’s first win in 15 years—their last—and was the first French victory in a French car at Monaco in 66 years. However, apart from this win, Panis failed to finish higher than fifth for the remainder of the season.

In 1997, racing for Prost, who had bought Ligier, Panis showed promise, placing third in the championship standings after six races. Unfortunately, a crash in Canada broke his leg, sidelining him for eight races. He returned for the season’s last three races and finished ninth in the championship.

The 1998 season was less successful for Panis, who struggled to score points under Prost’s management. He earned only a single point across the following season, leading to the end of his relationship with the team.

Panis then considered an offer from Williams but opted to test for McLaren instead, which kept his presence in the paddock despite a full-time drive. He joined BAR in 2001, although the team didn’t meet his expectations, finishing 14th for two consecutive seasons.

In 2003, Panis moved to the new Toyota team to provide his experience and mentor his teammate, Cristiano da Matta. Although he improved in qualifying, his overall results mirrored his previous seasons, finishing 14th once again.

Panis continued with Toyota through 2004, his tenth year in Formula One. He announced his retirement in October of that year, effective after the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix. He stayed with Toyota as a test driver through 2005 and 2006, ending his F1 career at age 37, with five podiums and 76 career points from 157 starts.

Olivier Panis Formula One World Championship career.

F1 Career 1994–1999, 2001–2004
Teams Ligier, Prost, BAR, Toyota
Entries 158 (157 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 1
Podiums 5
Career points 76
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First entry 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix
First win 1996 Monaco Grand Prix
Last win 1996 Monaco Grand Prix
Last entry 2004 Japanese Grand Prix

Olivier Panis Teammates

13 Teammates Involvement First Year Last Year
Eric Bernard 13 1994 
Johnny Herbert 1 1994 
Franck Lagorce 2 1994 
Aguri Suzuki 6 1995 
Martin Brundle 11 1995 
Pedro Diniz 16 1996 
Shinji Nakano 10 1997 
Jarno Trulli 34 1998 2005
Jacques Villeneuve 34 2001 2002
Cristiano da Matta 28 2003 2004
Ricardo Zonta 16 2004 
Ryan Briscoe 5 2004 
Ralf Schumacher 1 2005

HSR Pistons and Props Presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network

Returns to Sebring February 13-15.

SEBRING, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2026) – Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Pistons & Props Presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network kicks-off the 2026 HSR racing season next weekend at Sebring International Raceway, Feb. 13-15. The must-attend event once again celebrates Sebring's rich sports car racing heritage and notable aviation history with four days of on-track action and an airplane "fly-in" of retro civilian and military aircraft from the World War II era and last half century.

HSR Pistons & Props Presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network honors the legendary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring sports car race, which runs for the 74th time March 21, and Sebring International Raceway's patriotic aviation history. Hendricks Field, on which Sebring International Raceway stands, was built as a United States Army Air Forces training base during World War II.

One plane scheduled to appear is a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor owned and piloted by Bob Hahnemann, who could be the first HSR Pistons & Props participant to take part in both the winged and four-wheel activity. An accomplished pilot and sports car racing competitor, Hahnemann is listed as a co-driver with his son, Matt Hahnemann, in Friday afternoon's B.R.M Chronographes Legacy Enduro in their 2007 No. 111 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup car.

Just after the race, Bob will taxi from the adjacent Sebring Regional Airport down the raceway’s Ulmann Straight (backstretch) in the T-34, joining a quality lineup of other must-see airplanes and accomplished pilots in a parade to the paddock. Positioned inside the Sebring paddock, the planes will be on display and available for viewing from Friday at 4:30 p.m. through late morning on Sunday.

The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor was a post-World War II trainer that was a learning workhorse for thousands of cadets for more than 25 years.  It was used in the Air Force until the 1960s and a go-to in the Navy well into the 1970s. The senior Hahnemann and his partner, Len Tucker, purchased the plane four years ago from legendary NASA astronaut and United States Air Force Colonel Frank Borman, Commander of Apollo 8.  Apollo 8 was the first mission to fly around the Moon. Also a test pilot – and former President of Eastern Airlines – Borman put his own high-performance enhancements on the T-34, installing a Continental IO-550, which was the largest engine you could put in a Mentor. The twin "SU" lettering as the plane's nickname – SU SU IX – also continued Borman's tradition of using the first letters of his wife Susan's name on his aircraft.

On the HSR competition side, a highlight of the overall entry list is a nice turnout of entries in the HSR Sasco Vintage Cup for Groups 2 and 3. Home to small-bore racing machines that deliver big-time competition, Sasco Vintage Cup features many unique and eclectic race cars.

One particularly rare entry is the Olthoff Racing 1960 No. 26 GSM Dart driven by Englishman John Spiers.  The GSM was built in South Africa by Glass Sport Motor company.  The company, which manufactured the Dart from 1959 until 1962, got its name – Glass Sport – given its use of fiberglass.  The lightweight production sports cars were generally used for racing. The No. 26 has been modified to feature a full flip-top front end and left-hand drive. Power comes from a Ford 1600 Kent engine – produced in Kent, England – with twin side-draft carburetors.

Spiers will battle with a top trio of British-built Ginettas, including frequent HSR race winner and podium finishers Hervey Parke in his 1965 No. 11 Ginetta G4 prepared by Michael’s Vintage Racing. Michael Oritt drives a similar 1961 No. 82 Ginetta G4 while Thomas Grudovich completes the quick Ginetta contingent in his 1966 No. 425 Ginetta G4.

Another favorite small-bore British contender could be the comeback story of the weekend. Accomplished HSR driver Kenneth Greenberg was uninjured in a heavy Turn 1 accident in December's season-ending HSR event at Sebring, but his Air Power Racing 1964 No. 324 Morgan Plus 4 was nearly a total write off. Weston Farmer and the team at Air Power quickly went to work non-stop, and Greenberg and the Morgan are entered in the Vintage Cup sprints and B.R.M Legacy Enduro.

Farmer reports many hours are still ahead before traveling to Sebring next week from the team shop in St. Augustine, Fla. after the Morgan's frame was destroyed and even the engine block was cracked in the incident. The team bought a similar 1967 Morgan chassis as a donor car, and the roll cage was completed last week. Oil lines, fuel lines and electrical systems are going in this week and a rebuilt engine recently arrived.

For complete information on HSR Sebring Pistons & Props Presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, including the event schedule and entry lists, visit www.HSRrace.com/sebring-pistons-and-props.  For tickets, visit www.SebringRaceway.com.

 

…ON TODAYS PROGRAM…

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER DESIGNATING INDY CAR RACE THRU THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON DC! CELEBRATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE USA!!
WITH BARCELONA TESTING BEHIND US…WHO IS AHEAD?
MERCEDES and FORD!
FERNANDO SAYS…WE LEARN SOMETHING FROM ADRIAN NEWEY EVERYDAY!

THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…THIS WEEKS SPECIAL GUEST: JOHN WATSON!!!

John Watson’s Formula 1 debut at 1973 British Grand Prix
Watson’s first F1 car was a March-Cosworth 721 which he drove on the non-championship Victory Race at Brands Hatch. A year after, he was ready to move up to F1, making his debut in the British GP where he drove a Brabham BT37, and after that competed in the US Grand Prix with Brabham BT42. He retired in both races.

In 1974, he drove for Goldie Hexagon Racing team with a Brabham BT42 and BT44, scoring his first world championship point with a sixth place at Monaco. He scored a total of six points that season. He failed to score points in the following year when he drove for Team Surtees before switching to the American Penske squad.

First Formula 1 victory with Penske at Austrian Grand Prix
He secured his first podium with the third place at the 1976 French Grand Prix. Later that season came his first victory, driving for Penske in the Austrian Grand Prix. After the race, he shaved off his beard, the result of a bet with the team owner Roger Penske.

In 1977 and 1978, Watson raced with Brabham-Alfa Romeo machinery, in the first year for Martini Racing and in the second for Parmalat Racing Team. In 1977, problems with the car, accidents and a disqualification resulted with Watson racing the full distance in only five of the 17 races. In 1978, he reached three podiums and notched up 25 points to earn sixth place in the championship.

In McLaren Team since 1979

For the season of 1979, Watson moved to Marlboro McLaren Team. The next two seasons were without any victories, and finally in 1981, at British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Watson secured his second F1 win.

It was a maiden victory for the trend-setting carbon fibre composite monocoque McLaren MP4 car, designed by John Barnard, and managed by the team’s new boss, Ron Dennis.

New monococque saved his life.
Later in the season, the strength of the carbon fibre monocoque was demonstrated when John had a fiery crash at Monza during the Italian Grand Prix. He started seventh on the grid and raced for 19 laps.

Watson lost control of the car, coming out of the high speed Lesmo bends and crashed backwards into the barriers. The car was halved but Watson walked away unhurt. Similar accidents had previously proven fatal, but Watson was uninjured, and that lucky break proved the strength of the new carbon fiber construction.

Third place in the 1982 F1 championship
His most successful year was 1982, when he finished third in the drivers’ championship, winning two Grands Prix (Zolder and Detroit). Most impressive was his victory at the first ever Detroit Grand, on a tight and twisty track that was difficult to pass through.

Watson worked his way from the 17th starting position on the grid and charged through the field scoring a victory.

Master-class victory at Long Beach
Watson made a similar master-class victory the following year at the final Formula One race in Long Beach (USA). On the street circuit, he started from 22nd on the grid and succeeded to win the race.

Watson’s final victory also included a fight for the position with his teammate Niki Lauda, who had started the race at the 23rd spot, but Watson ultimately finished 27 seconds ahead of his famous teammate.

ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO COMPLETE BARCELONA SHAKEDOWN 

 

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain, 30 January 2026: The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team continued its Shakedown programme at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya today, with Fernando Alonso getting behind the wheel of the AMR26 for the first time.

Fernando headed out on track at approximately 09:30 and completed running across both the morning and afternoon sessions, with the team focused on mileage accumulation and initial reliability checks. He completed a total of 61 laps across the day.

Across the two days of running in Barcelona, both Fernando and Lance Stroll have now driven the AMR26, allowing the team to build an early baseline understanding of the car. The team now concludes its Shakedown programme and looks ahead to the season launch and livery reveal on 9 February, followed by pre-season testing in Bahrain in a couple of weeks, before final preparations begin for the opening round of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship in Melbourne on 6-8 March.

Fernando Alonso: “It’s always a special moment driving a new car for the first time, especially at the start of a new regulation cycle. Over the years I’ve experienced many changes in Formula One, and you quickly get a sense of the direction the car is taking. We completed a solid programme with strong mileage, which is the main priority at this stage. It’s still very early days and we have a lot of work still to do before we head to Melbourne in March.”

Lance Stroll: “It was a huge effort across the team to get the car ready, so I really appreciate all the hard work that went into getting us on track. My running was limited, but it was good to get behind the wheel for the first time and start to get a feel for the car. I look forward to getting to Bahrain and driving the car again.”

Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team: “Getting a new car on track for the first time is always an important step. Bringing the AMR26 to life here in Barcelona has taken a big effort, both back at the AMR Technology Campus and from the team working trackside. I want to thank everyone across the team for the work that’s gone into getting us to this point. Having both drivers in the car and providing valuable feedback and data is an important part of our pre-season preparations. It’s also been helpful as we continue building our working relationships with new works partners, including Honda. We’ll now take what we’ve learned and keep developing the AMR26 ahead of Bahrain testing.”

Presidential Announcement
of Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Jan. 30, 2026) – An executive order signed today by President Donald J. Trump directed the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday to designate a race route through Washington, D.C. and the National Mall for the purposes of conducting an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on August 21-23, 2026. The event will recognize the historic milestone of America’s independence in addition to celebrating the unparalleled tradition and legacy of America’s motorsports industry.

“INDYCAR racing is a source of pride and entertainment for our Nation, which is why I am pleased to announce the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.” said President Trump via the executive order. “This race, the first motor race ever to be held in our Nation’s capital near the National Mall, will showcase the majesty of our great city as drivers navigate a track around our iconic national monuments in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”

The full executive order can be viewed here: Executive Orders – The White House.

The event will be administered by INDYCAR in coordination with the taskforce, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of the Interior, and Washington, D.C.’s Executive Office of the Mayor.

“For over one hundred years, American INDYCAR racing has set the pace for motorsports,” President Trump continued. “With speeds topping over 200 miles per hour, the cars and drivers inspire awe and respect in all who watch this quintessentially American sport.”

For more than a century, INDYCAR has hosted the iconic Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on the Sunday before Memorial Day, annually the world’s largest single-day spectator sporting event. “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” serves as a singular and powerful tribute to the United States Armed Forces, with a crowd of more than 350,000 people gathering to show respect and gratitude for the service and sacrifice of our military heroes. Legends of INDYCAR span multiple generations from racing greats like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt to the stars of today like four-time SERIES champion Alex Palou and two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden.

“President Trump has bestowed an incredible distinction upon our sport, and we’re grateful for his trust and support as INDYCAR prepares to honor our country with a tremendous racing spectacle,” said Roger Penske. “This will be a truly memorable event that celebrates our country’s independence and the legacy of patriotism, innovation, and excellence that powers motorsports across America.”

“Freedom doesn’t ring, it revs! INDYCAR is about competition and pushing limits — the same things that have always defined America,” said United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. “There’s no better place to celebrate our 250th anniversary than bringing that energy to the nation’s capital and showcasing Washington, D.C. to the world.”

"The Department of the Interior is proud to help bring the historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix to Washington, D.C. to showcase our treasured public spaces through a monumental event that captures the America spirit in the heart of our nation's capital," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "Like the sport of racing itself, this administration, under President Donald J. Trump, is moving at record speed to make life better for all Americans and ensure that the United States marks its 250th birthday with the celebration that it deserves. Start your engines, America!"

“Soon-to-be the home of every major sports franchise, Washington, D.C. is the undisputed Sports Capital,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “But we don’t stop there and work to attract major events. That’s why I am thrilled to welcome the Freedom 250 to the Nation’s Capital this August. The race weekend will rev up the economic engine of D.C. by filling our hotels and restaurants and by showing visitors, residents and the sports world that there’s no better city, people and backdrop for major sports events. I invite all sports fans to come enjoy the Freedom 250 and all that Washington, D.C. has to offer.”

 

A NUMBER OF TEAMS NOT SHOWING UP FOR DAY ONE OF TESTING! WILLIAMS TO MISS THE FIRST TEST ENTIRELY!
MCLAREN WIN A $12 MILLION DOLLAR JUDGEMENT AGAINST ALEX PALOU FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT.
SOME TEAMS STILL NOT HAPPY WITH ENGINE LOOP HOLE AND THE FIA’S ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM!
DIFFUSER ARE BACK IN THE LIME LIGHT…
AND…FERNANDO SEEN GIGGLING AND ANXIOUS TO GET HIS HANDS ON THE ASTON MARTIN! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…PERFECT FOR MEDITATION WE HAVE EDDIE CHEEVER!!

Eddie Cheever Jr. carved out a unique place in Formula 1 history as one of the most tenacious American drivers to compete at motorsport’s highest level. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1958, Cheever spent nine seasons racing in Formula 1 between 1978 and 1989, becoming a familiar face on circuits from Monaco to Silverstone.

His career spanned multiple decades and continents, transitioning from European Formula 1 circuits to American IndyCar ovals with remarkable adaptability. Cheever’s journey represents the classic American racing dream made reality through determination, skill, and an unwavering commitment to speed.

This comprehensive examination explores Cheever’s complete racing story, from his early Formula 1 breakthrough to his IndyCar triumph at the Indianapolis 500, revealing how one driver successfully navigated two distinctly different racing cultures.

Early Life and Racing Genesis

Edward McKay Cheever Jr. was born on 10 January 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona, into a family that understood the value of pursuing ambitious goals. His father, Eddie Cheever Sr., recognised his son’s potential early and made the crucial decision to relocate the family to Europe when Eddie was just a teenager. This move proved instrumental in shaping Cheever’s racing destiny.

The Cheever family settled in Rome, Italy, where Eddie began his formal motorsport education. This European base provided access to the junior formula series that served as a stepping stone to Formula 1. Unlike many American drivers who remained focused on domestic racing series, Cheever immersed himself completely in European racing culture from the beginning.

His early racing experiences in Italy taught him the fundamental skills required for road course racing. The technical precision demanded by European circuits contrasted sharply with the oval racing that dominated American motorsport. Cheever adapted quickly to this environment, developing the car control and racecraft that would serve him throughout his career.

Professional Development and Character

Cheever’s personality combined American determination with European sophistication. Colleagues remember him as intensely focused yet approachable, possessing the communication skills necessary to work effectively with international teams. His bilingual abilities proved advantageous when working with Italian and French teams later in his Formula 1 career.

His physical conditioning reflected the professional standards expected in Formula 1. Standing at medium height with a lean build, Cheever maintained the fitness levels required for the physical demands of racing at circuits like Monaco and Spa-Francorchamps. His consistency in qualifying and race performances demonstrated the mental toughness developed through years of European competition.

Theodor Racing and Formula 1 Debut

Cheever’s Formula 1 journey began with Theodor Racing in 1978, a Swiss team that provided opportunities for emerging drivers. The team operated with modest resources but maintained professional standards that prepared Cheever for the demands of Grand Prix racing. His debut came at a time when Formula 1 was becoming increasingly competitive and technologically sophisticated.

Working with Theodor Racing taught Cheever essential lessons about Formula 1 operations. The team’s limited budget meant every component had to be used efficiently, and drivers were expected to provide detailed technical feedback to help optimise performance. These early experiences developed his engineering communication skills, which have proved valuable throughout his career.

The Swiss team environment exposed Cheever to the international nature of Formula 1. Team members came from various European countries, requiring him to navigate different working styles and cultural approaches to racing. This multicultural exposure prepared him for future partnerships with larger, more diverse teams.

Osella Partnership and Italian Racing Culture

Cheever’s move to Osella in 1979 marked his introduction to Italian racing passion and technical innovation. The Italian team, based in Volpiano near Turin, represented the traditional approach to motorsport that characterised many European constructors. Working with Osella provided insights into Italian engineering philosophy and racing culture.

The partnership with Osella lasted multiple seasons, allowing Cheever to develop long-term relationships with team personnel. Italian teams traditionally emphasised driver input in car development, and Cheever’s technical feedback became increasingly valuable as he gained experience with different circuits and racing conditions.

Osella’s financial limitations meant Cheever often competed with older chassis and engines, requiring him to maximise performance through driving skill rather than technological advantages. These challenging circumstances developed his ability to extract speed from any available equipment, a skill that served him well throughout his career.

Tyrrell Racing and Professional Growth

The transition to Tyrrell Racing represented a significant step forward in Cheever’s Formula 1 career. Ken Tyrrell’s team maintained higher professional standards and provided access to more competitive machinery. The partnership offered opportunities to compete regularly for points and occasional podium positions.

Tyrrell’s organisation reflected traditional British racing values, emphasising technical excellence and professional conduct. Working with experienced team members taught Cheever advanced car setup techniques and race strategy development. The team’s systematic approach to Grand Prix weekends provided a template for professional racing operations.

The British team environment required Cheever to adapt to different communication styles and working methods. Tyrrell’s emphasis on driver development aligned well with Cheever’s commitment to continuous improvement, creating a productive partnership that advanced his Formula 1 career significantly.

Renault Factory Team Experience

Joining Renault marked the pinnacle of Cheever’s Formula 1 team affiliations. The French manufacturer’s factory team provided access to cutting-edge technology and unlimited resources, representing a dramatic change from his previous partnerships. Renault’s turbo engines offered competitive power levels that enabled regular points scoring and podium contention.

The factory team environment exposed Cheever to advanced engineering methods and sophisticated data analysis techniques. Renault’s technical departments employed hundreds of specialists working on aerodynamics, engine development, and electronics systems. This exposure to high-level motorsport technology broadened his understanding of Formula 1’s technical complexity.

Working alongside experienced teammates provided valuable learning opportunities. The collaborative environment at Renault encouraged information sharing between drivers, helping Cheever refine his car setup techniques and race strategy approaches. These partnerships demonstrated the importance of teamwork in achieving consistent Formula 1 success.

RED BULL UNVEILS THEIR 2026 LIVERY….BORING
NASSER AL ATTIYAH WINS HIS SIXTH DAKAR TITLE
BENAVIDAS WINS THE BIKE CLASS BY ONLY 2 SECONDS
FORD AND CADILLAC ALREADY EXCHANGING INSULTS AND
FERNANDO…SHOWING OFF HIS CAR COLLECTION IN. MONACO! THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…PERFECT FOR RELAXATION! 
NEXT WEEK WE HAVE EDDIE CHEEVER!!

Benavides Hits Back For Historic 2026 Dakar
Rally Title As Al-Attiyah Wins Again!

Argentine wins maiden Bike title by just two seconds while Baciuška
dominates Stock category for glory.

Argentina's Luciano Benavides hit back from a 3m20s deficit at the start of
the final Stage 13 to win the 2026 Dakar Rally Bike title in thrilling fashion
by just two seconds - the smallest margin in Dakar history - for Red Bull
KTM Factory Racing as Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška also claimed a maiden
title in the Stock class and Nasser Al-Attiyah held his nerve to wrap up a
sixth Ultimate class title. Here is all you need to know:

- Benavides looked to have blown his chance on Friday as Honda rival Ricky
Brabec overtook him in the overall standings, however the 30-year-old was
in no mood to back down and rode superbly on Saturday in the final sprint
to the Yanbu finish and pip the American - who made a late navigational
error - to glory by just two seconds.

- It is the smallest margin of title victory in Dakar history, the Salta native
joining his older brother Kevin as Dakar champions on two wheels after his
title wins in 2021 and then 2023 for KTM. Making Benavides' victory even
more incredible in Saudi Arabia were the knee and shoulder injuries that he
sustained just three months ago.

- Luciano admitted: "I cannot believe it! I never stopped dreaming. To win
by just two seconds is unreal. I woke up today full of motivation and
energy, trusting myself to do what I can. That's the key to success at the
Dakar. My brother Kevin won by 43 seconds in 2023 and that was the
closest finish ever. Now I've won by two seconds. Two seconds after two
weeks and over 8,000km is hard to believe."

- With Spaniard Tosha Schareina rounding out the podium, Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing teammates Daniel Sanders and Edgar Canet also finished
after experiencing a rollercoaster two weeks in the desert. Reigning Bike
champion Sanders suffered a broken collarbone on Wednesday, but dug

deep to end up in fifth just over an hour behind while Spaniard Canet, 20,
won three stages including the final one.

- Sanders, 31, said: "At the finish I was in so much pain I just wanted to lie
down. Then they told me Luciano had won, so I rushed over to congratulate
him. That's the Dakar, it's never over until it's over. I'm just happy to make
it to the finish line." Canet added: "I'm happy for all the KTM family. We
show all the time that we have the fastest bike."

- Baciuška already had three overall Dakar podium finishes in his locker -
two in the SSV class and one in Challenger - however he went one better
with a dominant Stock class performance over the two weeks that saw him
bank seven stage victories en route to a 3hr58m victory from Defender
Dakar D7X‑R teammate Sara Price with 14-time Dakar champion Stéphane
Peterhansel finishing back in fourth.

- Baciuška, 26, declared: "It's amazing for Defender to win in their first year.
This is my fifth Dakar and I'm bringing home my first win. The team did a
big job and missed out on a lot of sleep."

- The Ultimate class did not go right down to the wire like many thought
heading into the second week as Qatari Al-Attiyah drew on all his rally-raid
experience to keep a comfortable cushion in his Dacia Sandrider from the
challengers behind to win his sixth Dakar title. The Ford Raptor T1+ of
Spaniard Nani Roma was second and his Swedish teammate Mattias
Ekström third - just like his 2025 result.

- Al-Attiyah, 55, revealed: "From the start we believed we could win this
race. We started from zero with this Dacia project and we've developed the
car so much. Now we've won the Dakar. Thank you to my co-driver Fabian
and thank you to the team. I'm so happy to win the Dakar for the sixth
time."

- Frenchman Sébastien Loeb was frustrated again in his title quest finishing
fourth with Spanish legend Carlos Sainz fifth, Brazilian Lucas Moraes
seventh, former two-time Bike champion Toby Price of Australia eighth and
young American Seth Quintero also earning a top-10 Ultimate finish in
ninth.
2 / 3
- Spaniard Cristina Gutiérrez, American Mitch Guthrie Jr, Spain's Laia Sanz,
South African Henk Lategan and Belgian Guillaume De Mévius can also be
pleased with their efforts over the gruelling, tricky terrain especially the
latter whose French co-driver Mathieu Baumel sported a new prosthetic leg.

The Challenger class was packed full of encouraging daily performances
from both Argentine Kevin Benavides - who finished seventh on the back of
an excellent second week - and local Saudi driver Dania Akeel, who was
consistently on the podium to cheer the home fans out supporting her in
eighth.

- Benavides, 37, said: "It's an historic day for our family and an historic day
for the Dakar. I'm so proud of my brother Luciano. It was a tough start to
life on four wheels in the first week, but we didn’t give up." Akeel, 37,
added: "We made it to the finish line, which is the most important thing you
can do at the Dakar. I had one too many punctures on Stage 3 and that put
me back."

- Finally in the SSV class, Swedish debutant Johan Kristoffersson can be
proud of his first Dakar tilt after he overcame going upside down in the
opening Prologue to bounce back for stage podium finishes and an eighthplace finish while three-time Dakar champion Francisco 'Chaleco' López
won one stage in ending sixth overall.

- Kristoffersson, 37, said: "It's been two very eventful weeks. It started off
really tough and from there we got up to a better road position. Then it
started getting really enjoyable."

AUDI FIRST TO TEST THEIR 2026 CAR IN BARCELONA!
ANOTHER MEETING SCHEDULED OVER THE ENGINE LOOP HOLE ISSUE!
TOTO WOLF CONFIDENT MERCEDES HAS DONE IT AGAIN!
DAKAR RALLY FIRST WEEK HAS BEEN AN EXCITING FIGHT BETWEEN FORD, DACIA AND TOYOTA…AND FERNANDO SAYS… THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER…MORE VINTAGE BANTER BETWEEN THE HOST AND NASIR…THIS WEEK WE HAVE PETER WINDSOR OF USF1 FAME…AND OUR BONUS…VENEZUELA’S OWN MILKA DUNO…BRAVO!

Smiles for miles as Benavides brothers score historic multi-discipline double! We didn’t have to wait long for the 2026 Dakar Rally to serve up a slice of history in its second week. The fastest biker on Stage 7 was Luciano Benavides and the winner of the Challenger stage was his older brother Kevin! The siblings from Salta, Argentina were unbeatable on the 462 kilometres of dunes and fast tracks that stretched between Riyadh and Wadi Ad-Dawasir. A new chapter of the Dakar’s near 50-year history has been written, the first time a pair of brothers have won the same stage in different categories!

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing biker Luciano Benavides got his second week of the Dakar off to the best possible start. Luciano is riding under his lucky number 77 and this victory on Stage 7 was the seventh stage win of his Dakar career. Things are really starting to add up for the Argentinian biker.

 

“It’s the first time in history that two brothers win in two categories on the same day. This is something incredible!” – Luciano Benavides

Luciano was waiting at the Wadi Ad-Dawasir bivouac to congratulate his brother Kevin Benavides on the family’s second victory of the day. Kevin is debuting in the Challenger class after switching from two wheels to four. The elder Benavides brother won the Dakar bike race twice. Now he’s got his first Dakar stage victory behind a steering wheel.

“I never dreamed something like this could happen, I’m so happy for this moment. It was tough to get this victory. When I finished the stage they told me that Luciano had also won! It’s a proud day for our family.” – Kevin Benavides

Luciano Benavides is currently third overall in the bike race, but just 15 seconds behind Honda rider Ricky Brabec in second. Top of the pile is Benavides’s KTM team-mate Daniel Sanders who is over four minutes in front of his nearest rivals. The Australian refused to get sucked into any tactical battle on Stage 7.

The day’s big mover in the Ultimate class was Mattias Ekström and his Ford Raptor T1+. A stage win for the Swede saw him climb from fourth overall at the Rest Day to hold second place tonight. Ekström scored his maiden podium finish 12 months ago and his sights are firmly fixed on the Dakar's biggest prize of all this time around.

“When I got to the end the gaps were bigger than I expected, but still smaller than I wished. Now we’re second in the overall and there’s a lot of racing left.” – Mattias Ekström

 

Ultimate class leader Nasser Al-Attiyah goes into tomorrow’s 481-kilometre loop stage around the Wadi Ad-Dawasir bivouac with an advantage of 4m47s over Ekström. Al-Attiyah picked up some superficial damage to his Dacia Sandrider on Stage 7 that will need to be repaired before the next jumbo day of racing.

“We hit a tree and that completely removed the left corner of our car. That will get fixed tonight.” – Nasser Al-Attiyah

The most dramatic moment in the Ultimate class on Stage 7 was provided by Henk Lategan of Toyota Gazoo Racing. The South African had done enough on the way to Wadi Ad-Dawasir to take the overall lead from Al-Attiyah. Then a mechanical issue stopped Lategan in his tracks just shy of the finish line. The Toyota Hilux driver will start Stage 8 sitting fourth overall, now 7m21s behind his Dacia rival.

“We were going so well today until we came to a bump and a dip. When we hit the dip it broke the damper. We had to stop to take the old one out and put the new one in.” – Henk Lategan

A superb opening week for the Defender Rally Team rolled into the second week with another stage win in the Stock category. It was the Defender Dakar D7X‑R of Stéphane Peterhansel that set the pace giving Monsieur Dakar his third stage win of this Dakar. Peterhansel’s team-mate Rokas Baciuška was just 21 seconds off the Frenchman’s time and it’s the Lithuanian who maintains the overall lead of the Stock class.

“For most of the stage the average speed was very high, but there was also a section of open dunes. It was a pleasure to drive this stage, it was perfect for the Defender.” – Stéphane Peterhansel

In the SSV class there’s still everything to play for in fight for those podium spots. Portugal’s Gonçalo Guerreiro is laser-focused on recovering time lost in the first week and promoting himself from fifth overall to the podium on the remaining six stages.

“This stage was completely flat out, I think it was the fastest stage until now. At one waypoint we lost two minutes and this put us behind some drivers. Overall, I’m happy with the stage we did. We were just one minute and a half down from the stage winner in the end.” – Gonçalo Guerreiro

Also in the SSV class there was a much brighter start to the second week than the first week for Johan Kristoffersson. The eight-time World Rallycross champion is making his Dakar debut and the dune sections of the route are proving to be a highlight for the Swede.

 

“One puncture very early. We got the tyre changed quicker than before, but there’s still room for improvement. Today I really enjoyed the dunes. The rest of the stage was flat out on the limiter.” – Johan Kristoffersson

The Dakar Rally has returned to Wadi Ad-Dawasir for the first time since 2022 and the comeback is looking epic. Tomorrow is the longest timed special stage of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally. The 481-kilometre loop around the Wadi Ad-Dawasir bivouac encompasses a wide variety of terrain. Stage 8 is like a mini Dakar Rally raced over one single day with dunes, fast piste and a host of navigational challenges on the menu plus much else besides!

Italian F4 Champion Kean Nakamura-Berta joins the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy

Atlassian Williams F1 Team is pleased to welcome reigning Italian F4 Champion Kean Nakamura-Berta to the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy.

The Japanese-Slovak driver has already demonstrated consistency and speed throughout his early career, with multiple karting titles to his name. Kean made his karting debut at seven years old, quickly going on to compete in international karting and securing both the 2021 CIK-FIA OKJ World Championship and the 2022 CIK-FIA OK European Championship.

Graduating to single seaters at the end of 2023 in the F4 South East Asia Championship, Kean had an impressive debut campaign securing two pole positions and a podium, further adding to this with two race wins and six further podiums in the 2024 Formula UAE Championship.

2025 was a breakout year for Kean as he secured the Italian F4 Championship with nine wins and multiple podiums across the season. The rising star will challenge for the Formula Regional Middle East and Formula Regional European championships in 2026.

As part of the Academy, Kean will have the team’s full support and guidance in nurturing his talent and developing his skills throughout his progression in the junior categories of motorsport. 

The Academy supports drivers on every rung of the motorsport ladder, working with them on and off the track to develop the skills necessary to race at the top level. The Academy has a proud tradition of supporting young talent, which has most recently seen Academy alumnus Franco Colapinto graduate to an F1 race seat. 

Kean Nakamura-Berta: “I’m very excited to be joining the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy this year. It’s a team that has achieved so much and has a vast history, and I’m proud to be part of it. Racing in Formula Regional will be a new challenge but one that I’m especially looking forward to. Thank you to everyone at Williams for believing in me, and I can’t wait to start this new chapter!”

Sven Smeets, Sporting Director, Atlassian Williams F1 Team: “We’re thrilled to have Kean join the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy at this key moment in his career. He has shown a lot of promise, proving that he is capable of learning, adapting and ultimately winning championships. We look forward to working with him this year and will watch keenly as he hits the track.”