Ryan Blaney was heading towards a strong result at Daytona on Saturday.

Blaney had gotten through the initial chaos that wrecked a large portion of the field during the final lap and was racing towards the finish line.

But before he could get there, Blaney got spun, with the No. 47 of Ricky Stenhouse Jr making contact with the No. 12 and sending him into the wall, bringing out the caution that ended the race.

Blaney was understandably fuming after the wreck, and did not hold back while speaking with his crew chief over the radio.

"F*** No. 47. What the f***? What the f*** are we doing?" Blaney said. "Right down the backstretch and he f***ing hooks me."

Watch: Blaney blasts Stenhouse for sparking last-lap wreck

Blaney's frustration are well justified. After weaving through the initial chaos of the scene, he was in position to potentially win or at the very least secure a top-three finish. Instead, he had to watch as Stenhouse took home a fifth-place finish while he settled for 33rd.

If there's any silver lining, it's that Blaney's spot in the points standings wasn't affected by the chaotic end to his day. Denny Hamlin had already secured the top spot in the regular season standings before the start of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Even a win wouldn't be enough for Blaney to jump him, and Blaney's finish was enough for him to hold on to second place in the standings.

Still, if there's any bad blood that needs to get worked out between Blaney and Stenhouse, they might want to handle it this week, as a similar wreck over the next 10 weeks could be the difference between winning and losing the championship.

Joey Logano came into the NASCAR Cup Series with massive expectations on his shoulders.

After earning the nickname "Sliced Bread" as a teenager, Logano was able to win his third race in what is now the O'Reilly Series, and was shotgunned into the seat of the No. 20 at Joe Gibbs Racing at just 18 years old. But his initial stint in the Cup Series sputtered out — after three years at JGR, Logano left due to inconsistent results.

Speaking as a guest on the Racin' With the Boys podcast, Logano opened up about his departure from JGR, and how hard it was when he finally found a level of competition he couldn't just beat with his natural ability.

"All this hype kept following me all the way. I signed with Joe Gibbs Racing when I was 15 to go race there," Logano said. "There was even a commercial NASCAR put out about me moving to the Cup level. It was just about me. So I believed all of it. And I finally got to the Cup level, which is the dogs, just the best of the best, and I got my butt kicked for three years straight. Lost my job, was out. Was 21 years old wondering, 'Uh oh, this is all I ever did my whole life.' I didn't have a backup plan. All the eggs were in racing. There's no other basket. Really by the grace of god the No. 22 car opened up."

Logano explained that the hype that had been built up around his early success as a driver came back to bite him in his first Cup Series stint.

"I'm like 13, 14 years old. I drank the Kool Aid. I believed it. A lot of lessons learned," Logano said of the hype surrounding him as a teen. "When there's enough people telling you that you're great, eventually you're going to start believing that. For me, my career was the youngest to do, about everything. I was always bumping my age just to get into the next league. I had a fake birth certificate for a little bit that allowed me to go racing before I got busted, but I raced above like where I should have been for a while."

That natural talent helped put Logano in position to become a young sensation in the Cup Series, but it also set him up for failure when he finally was up against competition he couldn't beat.

"I didn’t realize I sucked. I didn’t realize everybody was so good," Logano said. "I didn’t know how to lose. I had never lost as a kid growing up. I just could show up and win. So I didn’t have to work hard. It was a blessing and a curse."

Having never been used to losing, Logano didn't have the mental skills needed to cope with being a professional driver at the highest level.

"You just feel like a failure. It's one thing if you're an underdog," Logano said. "If you're the underdog and you get your butt kicked you can go, 'Well, I wasn't supposed to win anyways.' But when you're the favorite going into whether it's a game or your career, you're the prodigy or whatever it may be, the expectation is so high that you feel like you have let down everybody. Not just yourself, your parents, but your team, your sponsors, your fans. Everyone's looking at you like, 'You were supposed to be something,' and 'You're the best thing that never happened.'"

Thankfully for Logano, it all worked out in the end. Getting a "fresh start" with Team Penske and the No. 22 car allowed him to grow at the pace he needed to take his game to the next level and become a true contender.

He's now a three-time champion, but also, crucially, he knows that losing and failure are two extremely different things when it comes to racing in the Cup Series.

Watch: Point-of-view: Ryan Preece's immediate reaction to winning Daytona

The fourth and final crown jewel in the NASCAR Cup season is this weekend, as the 2026 edition of The Chase gets underway at Darlington Raceway. This weekend, the historic track will host the 77th running of the Southern 500, which has been a part of the Cup schedule since 1950.

38 drivers are teams are entering this weekend's race, the lowest for any crown jewels this year but also comparable to previous years at Darlington. The season-opening Daytona 500 featured 45 entries, while 39 cars entered the Coca-Cola 600 and also the Brickyard 400. 

The two open entries are Corey Heim in the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing and Chad Finchum in the No. 66 Ford for Garage 66.

Chase Briscoe won the Southern 500 in both 2024 and 2025, and is attempting to become the first driver to win the event in three consecutive years since Jeff Gordon won four consecutively between 1995 and 1998.

Riley Herbst, who was replaced by Harrison Burton at Daytona as he suffered from the "lingering effects" of a crash at New Hampshire, is currently listed as the driver of the No. 35.

Darlington NASCAR Viewer's Guide: Everything you need to know for the Southern 500

2026 NASCAR Cup Southern 500 at Darlington entry list

Open entries italicized 

Watch: Race Rewind: Preece wins his way into The Chase at Daytona

Joey Logano has been talented beyond his years behind the wheel of a car since he was a little kid. As it turns out, for a while he was actually a bit too talented beyond his years, and it came back to bite him.

Speaking as a guest on the Racin' With the Boys podcast, Logano told the story of his father forging a birth certificate for him when he was 10 years old so he could race against kids two years his senior.

"My father had a garbage company up in Connecticut. That's where I started racing, that's where I'm from. He sold his garbage company and just focused on going racing with me for the next like, 10 years. We had a freakin' blast," Logano said.

"We were so focused on it, it was all we did. I was home schooled. Really all I did was race. That was it. So I was progressing pretty quickly, because of the amount of time I was doing it."

Logano's dad wanted to keep pushing his son towards greatness by putting him up against better competition, but with a 10 year old, your desire to push for greatness can only go so far.

"It got to the point like, my father believed that you're only as good as your competition, so as soon as I started winning at something, it was time to move up," Logano said. "Eventually, you're bumped up against your age, because you can't move up until you get to a certain age. I wanted to race these cars, they're called Legends cars, and there were some tracks that would let me race, but the majority would not."

"So when I turned 10, I turned 12 one year."

Logano explained that they had a connection at whatever office kept track of these records, and decided to take a shot at moving him up a few years so he could keep racing against better competition.

"We had a guy on the inside that ran the series, and he was like, 'Yeah send a new birth certificate in, and we'll just dump it in your file.' So we doctor it up and send it up there. It worked for quite a few races. We ran like seven or eight races."

But as quickly as the plan came together, it fell apart in spectacular fashion.

"I remember it like it was yesterday. We drove up to Charlotte, we got all of our stuff ready to go racing they go, 'Yeah, you're not racing today.' We say, 'What do you mean?' They're like, 'You're only 10.' 'What do you mean?' Then they come out, and there's two birth certificates. He didn't take the old one out of the file, so they had the new one and the old one."

As with any strikingly simple plan, it was brilliant right until the moment that it wasn't. Getting caught with two birth certificates on file is about as red-handed as you could imagine.

Thankfully, it all worked out for Logano. He remained one of the best racers of his age group all the way up until he was ready to join the Cup Series, and now stands as a three-time champion and is actively pursuing a fourth title to add to his trophy case.

Watch: Race Rewind: Preece wins his way into The Chase at Daytona

Current Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli has opened up about how he is keeping himself grounded in the 2026 title fight.

In only his second season in F1, Antonelli became the youngest driver to lead the standings with back-to-back wins in China and Japan. Since then, he secured four more grand prix victories before the summer break and now finds himself thrown into the championship fight early in his career.

The 20-year-old driver currently holds a 59-point lead in the championship over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.

"We watched some of the races on TV while eating dinner. We still talked about F1, but it was in a nice way, just reminding us what we achieved," Antonelli told F1.com about his summer break.

"You need to be happy about it, but at the same time not get carried away from it and still maintain focus. The job is not done yet. We're only halfway through and there is still so much that needs to happen and so much to be achieved."

Tennis star Roger Federer attends the Pirelli Hot Laps event

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

The Italian driver also shared advice from tennis legend Roger Federer to "always be yourself and be able to enjoy it as well", which he credits with helping him become more relaxed in his approach.

"When you understand that you also have to enjoy it as well, it makes the difference, because it helps you to, I feel like at least in my case, drive more relaxed, enjoy the driving more, feel more the car, and then the performance just comes much easier," Antonelli continued.

"Instead of when you're chasing it, and you're driving tense, it's a big difference. But of course, trying to be yourself and always focusing on the goal and always also try to see the positive, even in the bad situations. Even when something goes bad, there's always a positive. That can be found, and that can help you to grow."

Mercedes driver George Russell must secure a victory at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix to keep his championship ambitions alive, according to former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer assessed the title picture following a dramatic Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. McLaren's Lando Norris took a commanding victory in the Netherlands ahead of the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and Russell.

Antonelli will take an engine penalty at his home race, giving Russell the opportunity to close the gap to his team-mate in the standings.

"He could win it because the way that he's been driving, I think Mercedes are the sure-fire favourites for Monza still," Palmer said of Antonelli. "But when you reference Max's comeback wins, that's largely against Checo, isn't it? Who was a lot further away from Max's pace than George is of Kimi's. And George was better in Zandvoort.

"I know he still didn't put the race together. He had two bad first laps that set him apart. And his race pace wasn't quite as good as Kimi's either. But I don't think in a clean race Kimi will come from 10th or 11th to beat George if George is anywhere near form from pole position.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Artur Widak / NurPhoto via Getty Images

"With strategy differences, safety car involvements, it's going to be tough on components across the board. Power units are going to be singing. Reliability's not going to be easy at Monza.

"If Kimi wins in Monza with a grid penalty, he is champion. I'll go as far as saying that. It'll be such a crushing blow. He will have won his home race with a load of overtaking, huge aplomb, and it will suck the life out of George to not take points out of him in Monza. George has to win this."

Antonelli currently leads the standings with 242 points. Russell follows in second on 183 points, level with Lewis Hamilton.

Honda and Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) officially secured the 2026 IndyCar Manufacturers' Championship over the Milwaukee Mile doubleheader weekend, marking the engine builder's eighth series crown and 12th American open wheel title overall. The achievement comes exactly 30 years after Honda claimed its first American Open Wheel championship in 1996. There was an additional exclamation point on the weekend for the Japanese manufacturer, too, with Alex Palou, who drives the Honda-powered #10 Chip Ganassi Racing entry, motoring to fourth consecutive - and fifth in six seasons - IndyCar drivers’ title after Sunday evening’s race.

The manufacturers’ title caps a dominant 2026 campaign across all four track disciplines: road courses, short ovals, superspeedways, and street circuits. Across the season, Honda-powered entries have compiled 10 victories, 13 pole positions, and five podium sweeps. Demonstrating team-wide consistency, 13 of the 15 Honda-powered cars on the grid contributed points to the manufacturer's championship haul.

Honda proved practically unbeatable on street courses this season, sweeping all six street races (a first since 2023), capturing 15 out of 18 available podium spots, and leading more than 90 percent of all street circuit laps. Palou spearheaded the effort with street victories at St. Petersburg, Long Beach, and Detroit, paired with wins at Barber and Nashville. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood captured wins at Arlington and Washington D.C., while his teammate, Marcus Ericsson, took top honors in Markham.

The centerpiece of Honda's year came at the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, where Felix Rosenqvist drove the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda to victory in the closest finish in the race's storied history, securing Honda’s 17th total triumph in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

With one race remaining at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, one piece of hardware remains:  the Rookie of the Year battle. Honda sits 1-2 in the three-way fight, with Dale Coyne Racing's Dennis Hauger leading Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Mick Schumacher by 18 points (223-205), with Chevrolet's lone challenger of AJ Foyt Racing's Caio Collet a distant 30 points behind.

"Massive congratulations to the brilliant men and women at HRC on winning the IndyCar manufacturers' championship…again!" said David Salters, President of Honda Racing Corporation USA. "We are extremely proud to race for Honda and delighted to further add to Honda's racing history. I salute and admire every single person at Honda Racing Corporation USA, working as a world-class team. Our efforts, skills, and tenacity have produced another dominant season. Simply – The Power of Dreams!"

Mick Schumacher and Romain Grosjean talk on pit road after Milwaukee clash

David Malukas apologizes for 'childish' criticism he made against Chevrolet

16 drivers have locked themselves into the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the championship, and now only 100 points separates them. Denny Hamlin is the No. 1 seed, while Ryan Preece is the No. 16 seed after a dramatic win at Daytona.

The first of ten battlegrounds will be the historic Darlington Raceway, and the 2026 edition of the Southern 500. 

The History and Track Dimensions for Darlington Raceway

Spotters and fans at Darlington Raceway

Photo by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Images

Darlington Raceway joined the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 1950. It is a 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. The higher-speed Turns 1 and 2 have 25 degrees of banking, while Turns 3 and 4 have 23 degrees of banking. Even down the straightaways, there are six degrees of banking.

Known as both 'the track too tough to tame' and the 'Lady in Black' for the black marks that appear along the white walls from car contact every race weekend, Darlington is one of the trickiest tracks on the schedule.

Even among the crown jewels, 500 miles of racing at Darlington is considered especially grueling for drivers, teams and equipment. It's also the oldest of the crown jewels, with Johnny Mantz winning the first-ever Darlington race in 1950. With an average speed of just 75mph, he won by over nine laps. The key to victory? Mantz ran far more durable track tires on his car, allowing him to cut out several pit stops and gap the field by a wide margin.

Even today, tires are everything at Darlington, and expect extreme fall-off on Sunday evening.

Meet the 2026 Chase field for the NASCAR Cup Series

Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford

Photo by: Michael Bush - Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

(1.) Denny Hamlin (2100pts): Hamlin's quest to become a Cup champion continues, and all eyes will be on Hamlin as he is the winningest driver in Cup Series history without a title. This latest attempt comes one year after a heartbreaking loss in overtime at the season finale, leaving him as the 2025 championship runner-up. This will be his 21st shot at a NASCAR Cup title, and enters the postseason as the clear favorite.

(2.) Ryan Blaney (2075pts): Blaney leads the way for Ford as he pursues his second career NASCAR Cup Series title. He is the only Ford driver in the top eight in the championship, and enters the Chase with two wins over the summer. 

(3.) Tyler Reddick (2065pts): Reddick looked unstoppable at the start of the year, becoming the first driver in history to win the opening three races of a NASCAR Cup season. At one point, he held a points lead approaching 130pts, but the summer stretch has been a brutal one. He has five wins this season -- more than any other driver -- but none since May. Maybe the reset is just what he needs, or perhaps it will only amplify his struggles with the pressure on

(4.) Ty Gibbs (2060pts): Gibbs finally broke through, winning two Cup races this year and positioning himself for a chance at his first-ever Cup title. Gibbs has made the postseason before, but he has never placed higher than 15th in the standings.

(5.) Chase Briscoe (2055pts): Briscoe started the year off slow, but he has really turned up the wick this summer. He was below the Chase cut-line entering the Coca-Cola 600, but rocketed up to fifth through the last half of the regular season with a flurry of strong results. Like Gibbs, this is his best shot yet to become a NASCAR Cup Series champion.

(6.) Christopher Bell (2050pts): It's been an odd season for Bell. He is the highest-ranked driver without a win, but the JGR driver also has a remarkable seven runner-up finishes this year. With win and you're in gone, runs like that could be enough to put him in title contention -- even without a win.

(7.) Kyle Larson (2045pts): The reigning 2x champion has had a strange season as well, and its' been a very off-year for Hendrick. Larson is the highest-ranked Chevrolet driver, and he's also winless. Larson has yet to win a Cup race since his ill-fated Indy 500/Coke 600 Double in May of last year, and yet, he is also the defending champion. It's unclear if Hendrick has what it takes to actually battle for a title this year. 

(8.) Chase Elliott (2040pts): The only Hendrick driver to reach Victory Lane this year, and he's done it twice. Elliott started the year strong but has since slipped in recent weeks. He has just one finish higher than 11th over the last three months of racing, which is shocking for this team. Right now, they seem a little lost as Elliott hopes to earn his first Cup title since 2020.

(9.) Joey Logano (2035pts): It's an even-year, and Logano has arrived once again. The three-time Cup champion was considered a dud for most of the year, and few even expected him to make the Chase. However, the Penske driver has gone on a tear in recent weeks with two wins, rocketing up from 18th to 9th in the championship. This driver is motivated to prove to the doubters that he can win a title under another format beyond the controversial elimination format used between 2014 and 2025.

(10.) Chris Buescher (2030pts): A quiet contender, solid all year despite never reaching Victory Lane. Buescher doesn't seem to have the speed to contend for a title, but he is a driver who always extracts the most out of his No. 17 Ford. If other drivers stumble, he will be ready to pounce.

(11.) Daniel Suarez (2025pts): It's been an incredible turnaround for Suarez after being let go from Trackhouse Racing. He has led the way for Spire into the Chase while all three cars belonging to his former team failed to make the cut. Suarez won the Coca-Cola 600, and ended the regular season with a runner-up finish at Daytona. However, Spire is very hot-and-cold, and you never really know if they're going to show up with speed on any given race weekend.

(12.) Carson Hocevar (2020pts): The center of attention, but not always for good reasons. Hocevar earned his first career win at Talladega, and has made himself the story on most race weekends. He is wildly aggressive and a big personality, earning him a massive fan base and helping him to lead the way in retail sales. However, he has stumbled in recent weeks, falling from fifth to 12th in the standings as his take-no-prisoners style cost him some valuable points.

(13.) William Byron (2015pts): It's been a strange year for Hendrick, and that extends to Byron. He's done nothing notable and enters the Chase very low in the standings for a driver who has placed fourth or better in the championship in each of the last three seasons. Like his teammates, Byron just seems a little lost right now.

(14.) Bubba Wallace (2010pts): Wallace has had the speed, but not the luck in 2026. He had the speed to win multiple races, but it never really came together. If they clean that up for the Chase, he could rise and be among the other top Toyotas, but at the moment, Wallace needs a bit more consistency to be a factor.

(15.) Austin Cindric (2005pts): The third and final Penske driver to make the cut. Like Buescher of RFK, Cindric has been quietly consistent all year. He hasn't had the pace to go and win, but he has done just enough to give his team a shot at the postseason.

(16.) Ryan Preece (2000pts): The driver who simply refused to surrender. Preece gained 48 points on Shane van Gisbergen in a single race, even as SVG won Stage 1 at Daytona while Preece slid through the infield grass. Preece went on to win the race for his first Cup win in his 249th career start! He is highly determined and all the momentum is with the No. 60 RFK Ford...for the moment.

Full Weekend Schedule

Saturday, September 5

1:30pm EST -- NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice and qualifying -- CW App & ESPN Unlimited

4:00pm EST -- NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying -- TruTV & HBO Max

7:30pm EST -- NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race -- The CW

Sunday, September 6

4:30pm EST -- NASCAR Cup Series pre-race show -- USA

5:00pm EST -- NASCAR Cup Series Southern 500 at Darlington [367 laps] -- USA

Can Chase Briscoe win three in-a-row?

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

Chase Briscoe will have extra eyes on him this weekend as he tries to pull of a truly impressive three-peat. In 2024, he won the Southern 500 at Darlington in the No. 14 Ford, earning Stewart-Haas Racing its final victory before the team shut down.

In 2025, he did it again, this time while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 19 Toyota.

This year, he enters the Chase as the No. 5 seed and another victory with JGR could immediately put him in contention for the championship lead, as he enters Darlington 45pts behind Hamlin.

No driver has won three consecutive Southern 500s since the legendary Jeff Gordon actually won four in-a-row from 1995 through 1998. Since then, Greg Biffle (2005-2006) and Briscoe (2024-2025) are the only drivers to have won the difficult event in back-to-back years.

Reddick won the most recent Cup race at Darlington earlier this year, and Briscoe wasn't much of a factor, finishing 12th. However, that was a very different No. 19 team. As we noted in our Chase field recap, they have really found their groove over the summer and are likely to be a real threat on Sunday. But who will Briscoe have to face if he hopes to make history at Darlington? Here's a look...

Other Drivers to Watch

Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing

Photo by: Jonathan Bachman - Getty Images

Denny Hamlin: Hamlin has five wins at Darlington, far more than any other active driver. He's also the most experienced with 28 previous Cup races at the iconic track. And despite so many starts, he still has a better average finish than any other driver in the field, averaging an 8.0 result. He leads all active drivers in top fives and top tens as well.

Tyler Reddick: The most recent Darlington winner and a constant threat to win at Darlington. While it was his first Cup win at Darlington, Reddick has just one finish outside the top ten in the last six Darlington races, and that was a race where he cut down a tire while battling for the win.

Kyle Larson: This would be the perfect place for Larson to end his unusual winless streak. He is always fast at Darlington and we know he loves to keep it close to the wall, which is the fastest way around this track. While recent years have been rough for him at Darlington, he did win the Southern 500 in 2023. He also has led more laps at Darlington than even Hamlin, despite eleven fewer starts.

The spoilers: Keep an eye on the drivers who were eliminated from Chase contention, too. They don't have to worry about stage points and can risk it all for a chance at a crown jewel victory, while the top 16 may have to play it more conservatively. Brad Keselowski has two Cup wins at Darlington, and has the most experience beyond Hamlin. Erik Jones is a two-time Southern 500 winner, and neither of those were flukes. He also has the support of Toyota, which most expect to be the leading manufacturer this weekend. Ross Chastain has played spoiler before, winning as a non-playoff driver in 2024, and becoming the first driver beyond the Championship 4 (in the old format) to win the season finale when he stole the Phoenix win in 2023.

Which Active Driver Leads These Categories?

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

Most wins: Denny Hamlin (5)

Most poles: Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano (2)

Most starts: Denny Hamlin (28)

Most top fives: Denny Hamlin (14)

Most top tens: Denny Hamlin (20)

Most laps led: Kyle Larson (1,070)

Best average finish: Denny Hamlin (8.0)

Best average start: Denny Hamlin (8.5)

Most lead lap finishes: Denny Hamlin (25)

Watch: Race Rewind: Preece wins his way into The Chase at Daytona

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he has acquired a rare Ferrari F40, fulfilling a lifelong ambition of his.

The seven-time champion shared the news alongside photos of the retro supercar undergoing what looks like an engine-out restoration.

"My very own F40. This is the car of my dreams and has been for as long as I can remember," Hamilton wrote. "As a kid I dreamt of having one. When I joined Ferrari last year I made sure to have one with me on my first day at Maranello. That’s how much it means to me.

"These cars are works of art and incredibly rare, so when I found this one, covered in dust after being sat in a garage for over thirty years, I knew I had to bring her home.

"First to Maranello, where the master engineers and mechanics at the factory worked for weeks to bring her back to life. Massive thank you to everyone who had a hand in this project. This has truly been a dream come true."

The Ferrari driver hinted at a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration process, which would likely be shared on his YouTube channel.

"I can’t wait to share more with you all. Stay tuned..." he teased.

The post, shared on Monday 31 August, had already amassed over 278,000 likes.

The 41-year-old confirmed he had sold his entire car collection in 2025, but revealed at the time that he was still holding out for a Ferrari F40.

Speaking ahead of the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hamilton confirmed he had parted ways with his impressive collection, which is understood to have included a Pagani Zonda 760 LH, a Mercedes-AMG Project One, a Ferrari LaFerrari and a 1966 Shelby Cobra 427, among others.

"I don't have any cars anymore," he said at the time. "I don't have any cars, so I got rid of all my cars. I'm more into art nowadays. If I was going to get a car, it would be the F40. But that's a nice piece of art."

Former IndyCar Series driver and F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe says McLaren's performance at Monza will dictate whether Lando Norris can realistically challenge for the 2026 championship title.

Norris will arrive at the Italian Grand Prix on the back of two consecutive wins at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix. The victories and a third-place finish in the Dutch sprint race have narrowed Norris's championship deficit to 83 points.

Despite this momentum, Hinchcliffe warned on the F1 Nation podcast that McLaren's recent success has come at high-downforce circuits, making Monza an important proving ground for the Woking outfit.

"We’ve had two sort of similar tracks back-to-back. I really think Monza is going to answer some questions. I think the level of competitiveness we see out of McLaren at Monza is going to really set the table for whether or not they, and Lando specifically, have a shot at this championship," Hinchcliffe explained.

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, who joined Hinchcliffe and host Tom Clarkson on the podcast, added: "Lando at his worst was 101 points [behind] this year. I actually think he's driving unbelievably well. He's in the frame for driver of the season, him and Kimi, for me, have been the two standouts.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Pirelli

"But he's still 83 points back. I think Hinch is bang on; I think when you look at the last races - Budapest, Zandvoort - they're both high-downforce. They are both, if you gave me a list to say who these tracks would suit driver-wise, I'd put Lando's name right next to both of them.

"He has a great track record there, McLaren has got a great track record at both, and he's delivered absolutely brilliant wins, but can they do it at Monza? That's where I'm not sure."

Norris currently sits fourth in the drivers' championship with 159 points. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli leads with 242 points, followed by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who are level on 183 points.

The Italian Grand Prix will take place at Monza this weekend, 4-6 September.

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Lewis Hamilton has a genuine, albeit small, chance of securing a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 championship in 2026, but insists Ferrari must throw its full support behind the Briton to make it happen.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner suggested that Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur will soon need to implement strict team orders to favour Hamilton over his team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton has largely held the upper hand over the Monegasque driver this season, making him the Maranello outfit's most likely challenger to current championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

"There need to be two things for Lewis to win the championship, the eighth one, and I think that would be a great moment for the sport, somebody winning eight championships. Kimi needs to make some mistakes. If Kimi stays clean, it will be very difficult to do, but Kimi is young and Mercedes has trouble with the car sometimes, mechanical issues.

"At some stage, Ferrari needs to put everything behind Lewis if they are serious about winning it because he's in front of Charles, so he should get the support," Steiner explained.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images

"I think Fred will be doing that and saying, 'Hey guys, we need to put our money on one of the guys and not try to have papaya rules here.' They need the help of Kimi and Mercedes as well. Otherwise, it will be very difficult."

When asked directly if he thinks Hamilton can claim his eighth title this season, the former team chief said: "I think there is a small chance that it can happen, yes. For me, the biggest thing is how much Kimi and Mercedes will be struggling in the second half of the season."

Antonelli currently has a 59-point lead over his team-mate George Russell and Hamilton, who are level on points. 

Carlos Sainz has teased a merchandise collection ahead of his home race, the highly anticipated Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.

With Formula 1 preparing to hit the streets of the Spanish capital for the first time in September, the Williams driver is building hype for his home crowd. Taking to social media, Sainz addressed the confusion surrounding his recent cryptic teaser posts about his brand, Fifty Five.

"I'm seeing a lot of questions – we don't know what this is, what's coming – but today is the day," Sainz said in an update as he read out and responded to fan comments. "I'm going to give you some hints. 'At this stage, it's not only clear that everything is completely unclear, but I'm intrigued 100%.' That's exactly what we were trying to do. Make it clearly unclear.

"'I have gone from cycling equipment to merchandise to clothing to photography, and I'm back to knowing nothing.' That is the point. We are making you go the whole loop around to see what's coming.

"Yes, there is cycling. Yes, there is photography. Yes, there is clothing. Yes, there is merchandise, and yes, there are many other things."

The merchandise launch is tied to the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. "I'm going to use my home grand prix to make sure I launch my first merch drop," the 31-year-old confirmed. "I think Madrid is so special, and it needed to be the first time I dropped something like that."

According to Carlos Sainz's official website, the Spanish driver has revealed separate elements of his brand. Team Fifty 5 has been created for his community of fans. "It brings fan activations and merchandising together in one space," the website confirms.

In addition to Team Fifty 5, there is Fifty Five, which is a "premium lifestyle brand".

"This has been something I've thought about for a while. I wanted to create something that felt personal — my own taste, my own perspective, away from racing," Sainz explained in a note on the website.

"But I also wanted something for the fans, a space and products that speak to them directly. With this, I feel we're able to give something to every type of fan, in the way that makes sense for them."

Products that are already listed include a limited-edition, signed black-and-white Miami poster, a Fifty Five x Gobik cycling jersey, a signed and numbered black-and-white Miami visor poster and 2026 British Grand Prix mini helmets.

Williams driver Carlos Sainz believes he could stay in Formula 1 until he’s 45 years old – the age he will be when the 2040 season gets under way.

Currently competing in his 12th F1 campaign, the four-time grand prix winner will celebrate his 32nd birthday on Tuesday and is the sixth-oldest driver on the grid behind Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg and Cadillac duo Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

How long will his career last? Sainz is adamant he has many years ahead of him, pointing out Hamilton recently became the oldest race winner since 1994 at 41 years of age, with 45-year-old Alonso the oldest points scorer since 1974.

“Looking at what Fernando and Lewis are still capable of doing, and also Nico, who is a few years older than me, it confirms to me that you can maintain a very high level of driving for a long time,” the former Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren and Ferrari driver told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview. “I’m fortunate to be in a sport that allows you to remain at this level for many years.

“I also have an example in my own family... My father Carlos isn’t in Formula 1, but at 63 he’s still competitive, and two years ago he won the Dakar.

“If you look after your physical condition and maintain strong motivation, you can extend your career for a long time. You need to be in a good place mentally, because you also have to factor in all the travelling, as well as the marketing and media commitments. Putting those aspects aside, I think you can keep going until you’re 45.”

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

But does Sainz, currently 16th in the drivers’ championship with the struggling Williams outfit, still have the motivation and desire to compete?

“Right now, yes,” he replied. “I think I’ll stay in Formula 1 for as long as I can. I don’t understand people who say ‘no’.

“It’s strange, because my theory is that at 40 you’re not even halfway through your life, and I ask myself what I’m going to do in the second half of it.

“I enjoy playing golf, cycling, playing padel and challenging myself with business activities, but even if I put all of those things together, they still don’t give me the same enjoyment I get from being where I am today.

“I’m aware of how fortunate I am to be part of this sport. It’s true that 24 races are a lot and that there are many other commitments around them, but when I go to bed at night, I remind myself that I wouldn’t trade all of this for anything in the world.”

Carlos Sainz denies 2027 Audi F1 talks: ‘I never considered leaving Williams’

Carlos Sainz: Changes in drivers’ competitiveness could be down to F1 rules era

Mick Schumacher, still wearing his helmet after the cars had been parked, went straight over to Romain Grosjean's car to discuss their on-track run-in, where Schumacher spun after contact with Grosjean's car at the exit of Turn 4.

Christopher DeHarde got a small two-second snippet of the moment with Schumacher leaning into Grosjean's cockpit. All that can be heard is a brief "sorry" before Schumacher walks away, shaking his head.

A little bit later after emotions had settled, the two drivers spoke to each other again - this time much more amicably. It does not take long before the matter ends with a handshake and a hug. Not much can be heard from the conversation, but Grosjean says something along the lines of: "I wanted to go between you two." (Meaning Schumacher and his RLL teammate Louis Foster)

Asked whether everything was now fine between them, Grosjean praised Schumacher: "He is really good on ovals!" Indeed, Schumacher has delivered his most convincing performances of the 2026 IndyCar season on ovals, where he has the least amount of experience.

Nevertheless, Schumacher's frustration ran deep in the first moment. Speaking to Frontstretch Open Wheel, the German had strong words for the move: "That contact was insane. I have never  seen anybody chop across like that before in my life." 

In the interview, he also brought up Grosjean's reputation from Formula 1: "He has had experience with that in the past, and you would actually think that someone would learn from it."

Schumacher particularly cannot understand it on an oval, saying: "I don't think that is quite racing."

Schumacher fought back to finish 12th in that race, and is now just 18 points behind Dennis Hauger in the Rookie of the Year battle.

Grosjean reacts

Grosjean watched the replay of the incident again after the race, but wasn't ready to put all the blame on himself. The Dale Coyne Racing driver puts the onus on Schumacher's teammate Louis Foster, who was running directly in front of the pair.

"It is never good to have contact. I think we were both lucky," said Grosjean. "I felt that the #45 of Louis Foster just moved straight in front of my car. I had to move left, otherwise with my speed I would have gone straight into him. Unfortunately, Mick was there."

But the Frenchman does not absolve himself entirely of blame: " Maybe I cut the line, yes. I was simply just trying not to crash into Louis."

Translated from German

David Malukas apologizes for 'childish' criticism he made against Chevrolet

Alex Palou claims fifth IndyCar title in record time: “It just feels like we started yesterday”

David Malukas: “Chevy let us down” after missing maiden IndyCar win

From “Lost puppy” to history maker: Pato O’Ward goes into IndyCar record books with single-day Milwaukee sweep

Team Penske's David Malukas was leading late at Milwaukee, but the car briefly hesitated on the final restart, costing him the lead. He never got control of the race, finishing second to Pato O'Ward as the Arrow McLaren driver swept both of the Sunday races. Chevrolet cars finished 1st through 7th in the final race of the day.

For Malukas, it was his fourth runner-up finish of the 2026 season and the sixth of his IndyCar career after 78 starts.

"Chevy just, they let us down,” Malukas told IndyCar Radio’s Michael Young after the race. “I mean, plenum events [overboost], every time I leave pit lane, I gotta be lifting, first gear, second gear. It's ridiculous. And I mean, the team did such a good job. That car was unreal. I mean, it was already so good in Race 1 (2), and then they worked on it and got it to where it needed to be for this race. We were so fast, faster than the rest. And yeah, just got let down on that restart.”

Less than one day later, the 24-year-old has walked back those criticisms with an apology post on social media.

"Welp, not proud with what I said yesterday," said Malukas in a post around 10am EST. "It was childish and speaking out of frustration. Chevy has done great things for me this year and I wouldn’t be getting the results I have been without them. I apologize for what was said, immature from me."

When one fan suggested that Chevrolet is 'forcing him to be silent,' Malukas promptly replied: "No one told me anything. Chevy did own up. It’s how I reacted and what I said that was wrong. I crashed in the previous race and owned up to it. However, when I crashed and forced Chevy to build a new engine for me they didn’t put me down they supported me."

Malukas continued to engage with those claiming 'he got the call,' implying that Chevrolet forced him to make this statement. "I didn’t, I woke up and felt guilty and wanted to apologize," said Malukas. "It’s unlike me and I know what it feels like to be put down even when you are putting 110% of your effort. It’s a crappy feeling and unnecessary."

He also pushed back on another fan's point regarding how Malukas is on his seventh engine of the season, replying: "It’s from my own doing with my recent crashes. Not on Chevy."

Here's video of the critical restart, onboard the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet:

31 August 2025. Oscar Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, extending his championship lead over McLaren team-mate Lando Norris to 34 points. Red Bull's Max Verstappen was 104 points behind and seemingly out of contention.

Over the remainder of that season Piastri didn't win another grand prix and ultimately slipped to third in the standings, a slide accompanied by a flurry of unfounded speculation that his own team was sabotaging his chances.

Aside from podiums at Suzuka and Miami in the spring, he hasn't come close to winning a grand prix either over the course of a troubled 2026 season. What is more worrying – is that Norris has outperformed him, winning at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort as well as the Miami sprint.

Piastri's problems begin in qualifying and continue in the races. The quali match-up is now 22-7 in favour of Norris since Zandvoort last season. He has six pole positions and nine fastest laps to his name, as well as nine grand prix wins, but hasn't looked likely to improve on that tally so far this season.

Part of the issue is baked into the McLaren MCL40's concept. Piastri has traditionally struggled on low-grip tracks where his relatively conventional driving style tends to generate spikes in the surface temperature of the rear tyres as they slide.

Norris has proved the more adaptable of the two drivers. His style of overlapping the brake and throttle as he approaches the corner at a shallower trajectory encourages the front wheels to help the rear rotate the car as they come to a peak of lateral grip. But for this to work he needs to have a good feel for that grip through the front axle, as well as confidence that the rear end will play its part.

Piastri's more linear movements on and off the brake and throttle tend to make the rear end slide more when the grip is lower, a tendency exacerbated by this year's cars having less downforce overall.

McLaren has struggled to add efficient downforce around the rear of the MCL40 because it opted for the shortest permitted wheelbase. That helped find easy weight savings but it gives less floor area on which to add strakes and slots to condition the airflow.

Piastri laboured to sixth in Zandvoort as his teammate won

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Small time losses induced through rear-end slides tend to compound through the lap, depending on the circuit layout, since Piastri has to use more electrical power compared with Norris to get back up to speed. This can leave him with a lower state of charge which costs top speed on the straights.

Recent upgrades have put McLaren back in contention for race wins after an underwhelming start to the season, where Piastri didn't even make the grid in Australia and China owing to power unit problems. But the behaviour of the rear axle continues to be a problem, especially in races, where he tends to suffer more degradation than Norris.

That was evident last time out in the Dutch GP, where Norris beat championship leader Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes in a straight fight while Piastri was delayed by a slow pitstop and rear-tyre issues, finishing 32s later in sixth place.

"In general I've been much happier with the car this weekend, which has been good," Piastri said in Zandvoort.

"I feel like it's been back into the normal kind of rhythm of having strengths in some corners, weaknesses in others, rather than just trying to find time everywhere, which has been nice.

"We still probably lack a little bit of downforce compared to some of the others, or at least some balance characteristics. I think we rely a lot on the grip from the new tyres to help our balance.

"Maybe we pay the price a bit more when the tyres get worse, but that's just a guess."

Oscar Piastri confused by pace deficit to Lando Norris in F1 2026

Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver Fred Vesti has completed a live street demonstration run in Singapore.

The run took place as the headline attraction of the adidas Orchard Ignition festival on Sunday 30 August, organised in partnership with Mercedes-AMG, adidas and global partner BABYMONSTER.

Vesti took to the track for three separate runs throughout Sunday afternoon, and footage of the Danish driver pulling off some doughnuts in the Mercedes W04 in front of the crowd has since been shared on social media.

"Can't imagine the atmosphere and adrenaline rush being this close to an F1 car!" one fan commented on the video that had already been seen over 136,000 times at the time of writing.

"Man, those V8 beasts are meant to be let loose!" another fan commented, while someone else posted: "Wonder how many phones came out the second that V8 fired up."

"Driving a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team car through the heart of Orchard Road is going to be a special experience," Vesti said ahead of the event.

"Demonstration runs are all about bringing fans closer to the sport and giving them a taste of the speed, sound and excitement that make F1 unique.

"Singapore is already one of the standout events on our calendar, so to be part of the city's first street demo run in more than a decade is something I'm really looking forward to.

"Our sport is at its best when it connects with people, and this event does that in a really exciting way. It builds on some of the incredible activations that our team and adidas have already created; once again going beyond motorsport to bring fans of racing, music and culture together in one place.

"I'm excited to put on a show in the car, but the whole weekend is going to be special. It's a chance to create a memorable experience for fans and introduce new audiences to our sport."

Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati’s general manager and the key figure in the technical operation of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, is convinced that this year’s MotoGP title will go not to the fastest rider, but to the one who keeps the coolest head.

Ducati rider Marc Marquez claimed his fourth victory and third double of the season in Aragon on Sunday, in a campaign in which he is plausibly being affected by the condition of his right shoulder. By completing a clean sweep at MotorLand Aragon, one of his talisman circuits alongside Sachsenring and Austin, the reigning champion moved up two places in the overall standings to return to second, 19 points behind Jorge Martín.

Aprilia's Martin took control of the championship in Assen and remains at the top, despite continuing to surrender points here and there. With nine rounds remaining on the calendar – the fight for the crown is gradually tightening. On paper, the logical contenders are Martin, Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi, the top three in the standings, who will arrive at Misano in two weeks separated by just 24 points.

Marquez has four wins, the same number as Bezzecchi, while Martín has only one, at Le Mans. In terms of podiums, the Spaniard has finished in the top three six times, matching Martin’s tally and trailing Bezzecchi’s eight. The rider from Rimini has probably shown the greatest level of outright speed of the three title contenders.

Martín, however, has been particularly effective at collecting points wherever he has gone, scoring in every round bar one – Barcelona. Bezzecchi’s poor run, meanwhile, saw him go through a sequence of crashes from Hungary onwards, including a physical altercation with a marshal in Brno, leaving him with just 13 points across four events, including two DNFs.

Marquez also has two zeros on his scorecard, at Le Mans and Barcelona, following the crash he suffered in France on Saturday, which ruled him out of Sunday’s race and then forced him to miss the entire following event at Montmelo.

With all of that in mind, it is becoming increasingly clear that the 2026 title race will be decided over the long haul rather than in a sprint. At least, that is Dall’Igna’s view. The Ducati boss, second only to CEO Claudio Domenicali in the manufacturer’s hierarchy, believes mental strength and consistency will be decisive.

Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing

Photo by: Burak Akbulut / Anadolu via Getty Images

“In my opinion, this world championship will be won by whoever has the best head from now until the end of the championship,” Dall’Igna told Sky Italia at MotorLand.

If Ducati and Aprilia are compared purely in terms of victories, the balance is marginally tilted towards the Noale manufacturer. Aprilia has seven wins with its four riders, compared with the six victories shared by three of Ducati’s riders – the Marquez brothers and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

“It will be important to score points and avoid mistakes, because the history of recent years shows that it is not important to win 11 races. You can win the championship with fewer victories, but you have to be more consistent and constant and, above all, you cannot afford zeros,” Dall’Igna stressed.

If there is one rider who feels comfortable in that kind of championship, it is Martin. The Spaniard already knows what it takes to win a title in a season-long battle, having claimed the 2024 crown after going head to head with Francesco Bagnaia until the final race despite winning just three times, compared with the Italian’s 11 victories.

Francesco Bagnaia “humiliated” by latest MotoGP struggles: “I see no way out”

Winners and losers from MotoGP's fascinating Aragon GP

2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button has likened racing against Fernando Alonso to battling Michael Schumacher.

Writing in his Jenson's Journal for Aston Martin ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, Button reflected on Alonso's career as the paddock waits to see if the Spaniard will commit to another season in the championship.

"The biggest compliment I can give Fernando is that fighting him was very similar to fighting with Michael Schumacher," Button wrote. "In my experience against them it would be hard but fair – it was on the limit every time and I loved that. That was part of the challenge.

"When I won my first grand prix in Hungary, I was fighting against them and that's what you want as a driver. You want to be fighting against the best, against the greats, to see how you compare.

"In my career I got to race against the likes of Fernando and Michael, as well as Mika Hakkinen, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. I've been really lucky to have raced against some of the true legends of the sport."

Button praised Alonso's ability to adapt to any car and set-up. "Fernando drives like no one else. He's aggressive, he can adapt brilliantly, and it's been that way all through his career."

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

At 45 years old, there has been intense speculation about Alonso's future in the championship. While rumours of retirement and a potential move to Alpine have floated around, the Aston Martin driver is yet to confirm what the future holds for him beyond the 2026 season.

"Obviously, this year has been tough, but it's still an exciting time to be at Aston Martin Aramco and to be working with people like Adrian Newey. Any F1 driver would love to race a car designed by him, and to experience first-hand him driving this team forward," Button added.

"I know how difficult it is to decide your future, and he's been there once before. He left the sport and came back, so he obviously left too early. Now, he will make sure that he's 100 per cent certain that he doesn't want to be in the sport before he leaves.

"Fernando's still got so much more to give in F1. I would love to see him in an Aston Martin fighting for wins. That's where he should be, and it's where this team is aiming to be."

Kimi Antonelli returns to the Italian Grand Prix this weekend armed with a 59-point lead in the drivers' championship and a completely different mindset to his troublesome home race debut in 2025.

In 2025, he suffered a messy race at Monza, in which he was handed a five-second penalty for a clash with Williams's Alex Albon and shown a black-and-white flag for track limits, before picking up two points with a ninth-place finish.

A year later, the Mercedes driver, who turned 20 last week, will arrive at Monza as the current leader of the Formula 1 standings with six grand prix wins under his belt so far this season.

While speaking to F1.com ahead of his home race, the Italian explained that he was going into the race weekend with a "different attitude".

"I'm very excited. I think it's going to be a great atmosphere and it's going to be a lot different compared to last year," he said. "I'm definitely going in with a different attitude, different mindset, and definitely I feel like I'm going to be able to enjoy the weekend a lot more. I'm really looking forward to be back."

Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend that Antonelli would take a grid penalty for his home race due to a planned power unit change. The exact penalty is yet to be confirmed because its severity depends on how many new power unit components the Brackley outfit installs on Antonelli's car, but it will be a minimum of 10 places.

"With Kimi, we're taking the full thing. Our calculations say that that's the best track to take it," Wolff explained.

"Obviously, algorithms don't take their nationality into consideration. We're here to fight for a championship and not get the most PR. So yeah, that's what we're going to do."

The Italian Grand Prix will take place at Monza from 4-6 September.