AUTOSPORT

In the same week it confirmed a five-year plan to win the world championship by 2030, Audi has announced a driver development programme which will scout and nurture young talent from karting through the single-seater ladder, and perhaps ultimately to Formula 1. The move places Audi in the mainstream of F1 teams, the majority of which operate similar schemes with varying degrees of structure ... K…

Alex Palou has been ordered to give McLaren over $12m in compensation following a ruling from London’s High Court over the breach of contract case. The ruling comes after a five-week trial last year, following a lawsuit the team filed when Palou backed out of two different agreements. McLaren was originally seeking $30m in damages as part of reclaiming money allegedly lost in sponsorship ... Keep…

Oliver Solberg survived a slow puncture to hold a healthy Rally Monte Carlo lead, as Toyota’s new World Rally Championship signing continued his domination of the event. Solberg, co-driven by Elliott Edmondson, chalked up two stage wins from Friday morning’s three tests that served up extremely challenging snow- and ice-covered roads. The son of 2003 world champion Petter Solberg headed to ... Ke…

Williams will not take part in next week’s Formula 1 pre-season test at Barcelona, the team has revealed. “Atlassian Williams F1 Team has taken the decision not to participate in next week’s shakedown test in Barcelona following delays in the FW48 programme as we continue to push for maximum car performance,” a statement from the Grove-based outfit reads. “The team will instead ... Keep reading

The finalists have been selected for the inaugural shootout for a scheme created by former Formula 1 engineer Rob Smedley to offer a British F4 campaign to an underfunded driver. Smedley first revealed the plans in 2023 which initially featured a series of karting competitions around the world where all of the participants race in arrive-and-drive electric karts in a bid to try to democratise ...…

Alpine has revealed the livery for its 2026 car ahead of the upcoming Formula 1 season. The Enstone-based outfit hosted its season launch on a cruise ship off the Catalan coast near Barcelona, celebrating the team's partnership with MSC Cruises. The new design is not radically different from its predecessor, with Alpine's blue associated with title-sponsor BWT's pink. Alpine has been ... Keep rea…

Here we are and here we go: the status quo will remain as the 2026 Formula 1 season gets under way. Mercedes and Red Bull Powertrains will be able to race with power units which are understood to employ clever metallurgy to increase the compression ratio of the internal combustion engine beyond the permitted 16:1. The issue has been the matter of great intrigue since before news leaked out to ...…

Ferrari has become the latest Formula 1 team to unveil its 2026 car, the SF-26, ahead of a shakedown at its Fiorano test track. As detailed last month, the Italian team has stuck to its traditional launch plan of revealing its new car on the same day as its shakedown at Fiorano, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on hand to complete the first laps of Ferrari’s 2026 ... Keep reading

Racing Bulls has hired former Red Bull and Aston Martin engineer Dan Fallows as Formula 1 technical director. Fallows will report to chief technical officer Tim Goss and “take responsibility for the overall technical direction of the team, working across design, aerodynamics and performance”, the Faenza-based squad stated in a press release. Read Also: Formula 1Lindblad goes ... Keep reading

After finishing dead last in the 2025 constructors’ championship, Alpine will attempt to bounce back in the upcoming Formula 1 season. What can the French outfit do with a largely unchanged team alongside a new engine partner? Ahead of its season launch in Barcelona on Friday, let’s delve into its prospects. What's new at Alpine? The main change for 2026 at Alpine is the team’s ... Keep reading

The car launch season for the 2026 Formula 1 season is firmly under way with Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Haas, Audi and Mercedes all having revealed their liveries for this year. Up next is Ferrari on Friday after what was a highly disappointing 2025 campaign, as the Italian outfit slipped to fourth in the championship and failed to win a grand prix for the first time since 2021. But 2026 ... Keep re…

Oliver Solberg made a stunning start to life as a full-time World Rally Championship Rally1 driver to emerge from treacherous wintry conditions with the Monte Carlo Rally lead. Solberg produced a masterclass on the challenging snow and ice covered mountain asphalt roads to reach service with a 44.2s lead over Toyota’s Elfyn Evans. M-Sport’s Jon Armstrong ended his first day in a Rally1 car ... Ke…

“The car everyone will see in Barcelona won’t be the car that races in Australia. I think that will be across the board, because it's simply too early.” A few days ago, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu was confident all Formula 1 cars would evolve significantly by the Australian Grand Prix – but McLaren differs. The team won’t officially launch its MCL40 until 9 February, long ... Keep reading

Audi Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto is expecting his team to have an inferior power unit compared to its more established rivals in the forthcoming 2026 campaign. The German marque will make its debut as both an F1 team and engine supplier this year, after completing a takeover of Sauber to become a full factory works’ outfit. It coincides with what is arguably the biggest rule change ... Keep re…

Mercedes’ 2026 Formula 1 car has hit the track for the first time as the Brackley-based squad ramps up preparations for the series’ new technical era. Just hours after the official unveiling of the car on Thursday, George Russell put the W17 through its paces at Silverstone, running Pirelli’s grooved ‘demo’ tyres. Read Also: Formula 1Mercedes reveals new-look F1 design ... Keep reading