Showing posts with label Formula One. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Formula One. Show all posts
Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
BREAKING: AFRICAN GRAND PRIX IN RWANDA
BREAKING: Formula 1 returns to Africa with 10 year agreement to race in Rwanda*
The African Grand Prix is set to join the F1 calendar in the early 2030s
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Friday, 9 October 2026
Thursday, 8 October 2026
BOTTAS ARRIVES IN SINGAPORE AFTER 260-MILES RIDE
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| Valterri Bottas is closely involved with FNLD GRVL, a cycling race held each summer in his native Finland. |
Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas says he was chased by a dog, saw snakes and leapt over a lizard as he cycled from Malaysia to Singapore for this weekend's Grand Prix.
The Finnish driver arrived in Singapore on Wednesday after choosing a 260-mile (419km) bike ride over a flight from last weekend's Formula 1 race in Sepang, outside the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
The 37-year-old began his journey just hours after spinning out of Sunday's chaotic Grand Prix, taking a trip that involved off-road and gravel trails as well as cycling at night.
"I saw some snakes, which I was a little bit worried about, but actually they were pretty chill. They were just doing their thing," said Bottas.
"I saw one cobra, one python just crossing the path in front of me. I saw some of those big lizards that you also see here, one was on the path.
"I had to jump over it on a bike because I saw it last minute. I got chased by one dog, I got stuck behind a group of cows on one small track."
Bottas is an accomplished cyclist and earned a spot at the Gravel World Championships after finishing fifth in his age group at a qualifying event in the Czech Republic during Formula 1's summer hiatus.
Unfortunately for Bottas the World Championships take place this weekend as well, so he will be competing on four wheels instead of two.
When the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled in 2023, Bottas decided to use the time to compete in a gravel race in Scotland.
Bottas has endured a difficult return to Formula 1 with new team Cadillac this season. He is 22nd in the drivers' standings, is yet to score a point after 16 Grands Prix and has failed to finish eight races.
"The wildest part was the riding at night in the jungle. The noise in there, your mind starts to play games," added Bottas.
"'What is out there? Who knows what is out there?' But then you just need to crack on and keep going."
- Mike Peter
FIA ANNOUNCES F1 SOFTWARE CHANGES AFTER SEPANG CHAOS
The FIA has confirmed further software changes following its investigation into the chaotic start to last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
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| The FIA will introduce further software changes to prevent similar issues in wet weather that happened in Sepang. Image: XPB Images |
The governing body will reuse the emergency settings introduced at Sepang if similar wet weather is forecast for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, before issuing another software update for the United States Grand Prix on October 25.
The decision follows the extraordinary scenes before Sunday’s race, when several cars experienced major power delivery problems while circulating behind the Safety Car.
Already delayed by 40 minutes because of heavy rain, the start procedure was abandoned after drivers struggled to accelerate from low speeds, with some coming to a complete stop on the circuit.
The FIA has now completed its investigation, identifying the circumstances that caused the software failure and left several drivers unable to accelerate normally.
“The review concluded that some cars running on low engine RPM in certain circuit sectors where a 250kW power reduction was applied experienced a loss of power beyond the original intent and that could not be recovered in those sectors,” the FIA said.
With turbocharger speeds falling as the cars slowed, the affected engines were producing less power, while restrictions on electrical deployment prevented the electric motors from compensating for the shortfall.
The investigation also examined how wet-weather energy restrictions could be managed differently in future, alongside data supplied by teams and power unit manufacturers.
The FIA said its engineers had identified the problem and issued revised software settings within five minutes of the start procedure being halted.
Further technical guidance followed 13 minutes later, with every team and power unit manufacturer completing the changes within half an hour of the initial release.
The changes lifted the relevant energy restrictions at Sepang and resolved the problem ahead of the eventual race start.
The FIA also addressed suggestions that the original software had been deployed without testing.
Although single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis acknowledged after the race that the particular conditions encountered at Sepang had not been replicated beforehand, the governing body said the system had been assessed before the event.
Teams and power unit manufacturers had undertaken simulations, with the software also used during the opening practice sessions at the Belgian and Dutch Grands Prix.
Neither session revealed the problem, which only emerged when the field travelled at exceptionally low speeds during the disrupted formation laps in Malaysia.
The review has now prompted a wider examination of how such software can be tested more effectively, particularly given the limited opportunities to recreate the conditions in which it must operate.
“The FIA, together with the teams and Power Unit Manufacturers (PUMs), will continue to strengthen Power Unit software testing and verification capabilities, enhancing the overall validation process through independent assessment and collaborative feedback, including input from the supplier of the standardised Electronics Control Unit (ECU),” it said.
The weather forecast for Singapore has a possibility of rain on Sunday for the race, with clear conditions expected across the other two days.
- Ben Waterworth
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
VALTTERI BOTTAS HAS ARRIVED IN SINGAPORE BY WAY OF CYCLING
Valtteri Bottas has officially arrived in Singapore… on two wheels. 🚴♂️🇸🇬
After covering 419.67 km by bike, he’s already ridden farther than the maximum 305.337 km he can race on Sunday. 😭
Cyclist first, F1 driver second? 😂
#ValtteriBottas #F1 #SingaporeGP #Formula1
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
BREAKING: F1 TO RETURN TO AFRICA FOR BRAND NEW GRAND PRIX
Formula 1’s return to Africa will become a reality as an important decision has been made, RacingNews365 has learned.
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| XPBimages |
Formula 1 is to return to racing in Africa, RacingNews365 has learned from multiple sources.
It is understood from well-placed sources in the paddock that Rwanda will be granted the opportunity to host a grand prix, with the race set to join the calendar in 2030.
According to our information, an agreement has been reached, and an official announcement could come later on this year - potentially in the coming weeks.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has made significant efforts in recent years to secure an opportunity for his country to join the top tier of motorsport.
At Kagame’s initiative, the Rwandan capital Kigali hosted the FIA General Assemblies and Prize Giving Ceremony in 2024. Following months of speculation, Kagame used the event to announce that his country would bid to host a Formula 1 race.
As Rwanda currently has no circuit capable of hosting such an event, Kagame’s announcement was met with some scepticism within the F1 community. Nevertheless, the plans did not disappear. The president attended the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and has maintained close contact with both FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
According to information obtained by RacingNews365, it has now been decided that Rwanda will build a permanent racing circuit, based on the plans that were previously leaked.
The complex will be constructed approximately 40 kilometres from Kigali, near Bugesera International Airport, based on designs by WurzDesign.
The company belongs to former F1 driver and circuit designer Alexander Wurz and is currently working - together with Tilke Engineering - on the Qiddiya Speed Park circuit in Saudi Arabia.
F1’s return to Africa has been a longstanding topic of discussion within the series, which last raced on the continent at the 1993 South African GP at Kyalami.
Several attempts have been made in recent years to bring F1 back to Africa.
In South Africa, the former host venue Kyalami, as well as Cape Town, have sought the opportunity to host a race, while there have also been rumours about the intention of Morocco and Nigeria.Although there is no shortage of interest in hosting grands prix around the world, prominent figures within the sport have long agreed that the African continent should return to the F1 calendar.
Among the drivers, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has been one of the most vocal advocates for the initiative, which has also regularly received support from ben Sulayem and Domenicali.
- Sàndor Mészáros
Monday, 5 October 2026
MAX VERSTAPPEN SURVIVED NAIL IN TYRE DURING CHAOTIC DURING CHAOTIC BAHRAIN GP IN MALAYSIA
Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia in commanding fashion. But things could have turned out very differently.
Max Verstappen cruised to a dominant victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, but things could have come unstuck thanks to a rogue nail.
Nothing appeared capable of stopping the Red Bull driver throughout the weekend at the Sepang International Circuit, though a sizeable piece of metal made a decent attempt at it.
The race was thrown into disarray after a botched start procedure forced drivers to be called back into the pits, with software updates required to eradicate a "bug" that caused the farcicial scenes on the initial formation lap.
And as Verstappen trundled down the pit lane behind the safety car, he picked up a nail in one of his tyres.
Once he had brought the RB22 to a halt, Verstappen radioed his team to report the issue.
"There's a nail in my tyre," the four-time F1 drivers' champion said.
Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase immediately asked whether it was the front-left.
"Front-left," the 72-time grand prix winner confirmed.
The mechanics waiting trackside with cooling equipment had already spotted the nail themselves, given it was hardly difficult to miss.
Rules working in Verstappen's favour
The mechanics waiting trackside with cooling equipment had already spotted the nail themselves, given it was hardly difficult to miss.
With the regulations allowing for tyre changes during a red-flag neutralisation, a potentially disastrous scenario was negated.
Verstappen opted for a fresh, nail-free set of intermediates, while some of his rivals, less fortunately, went straight onto slick tyres for the restart.
A further safety car period then gave Verstappen the chance to switch from intermediates to slicks along with everyone else, setting him up for this comfortable victory.
- RN365 Staff
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
FIVE CONTENDERS TO REPLACE ESTEBAN OCON AT HAAS FOR F1 2027
There is now a seat open at Haas alongside Oliver Bearman in F1 next year
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| Esteban Ocon, Haas Photo by: Eric Le Galliot |
The news is finally out that Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign following a disappointing time with the American outfit.
He joined for 2025 and considering his then eight seasons of experience, including four podiums and a victory in Hungary, Ocon was viewed as a real coup for Haas.
The Frenchman became its first grand prix-winning driver and, lining up alongside rookie Oliver Bearman, Ocon was in the perfect place to lead that team forward into the new regulations.
But it just hasn’t worked out. Scoring just 45 points to Bearman’s 61 in their 18 months together, while being consistently outperformed by the 21-year-old, has led to this news that was long expected.
Ocon’s replacement is yet to be confirmed though, so who are five drivers that could serve as Bearman’s team-mate at Haas in 2027?
Leonardo Fornaroli
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| Getty |
Leonardo Fornaroli is one of two clear favourites for the second Haas seat in 2027. The 21-year-old Italian is yet another Formula 2 graduate to have been forced to sit on the sidelines for an F1 team immediately after a title-winning campaign, having served as McLaren’s test driver in 2026.
But Fornaroli has certainly shined at the British marque with his development work behind the scenes, while also appearing in free practice sessions at Barcelona and Budapest - impressing at the former, taking fifth and just half a second off Oscar Piastri.
“It’s a very deserved opportunity,” beamed McLaren team boss Andrea Stella in Spain. “We have worked with Leonardo for some months now. We have appreciated massively his attitude as a person and as a driver.
“He is actually a very interesting character. He looks timid, but by far he is the most proactive driver in asking the engineers, he goes around with his notebook, takes several notes and as soon as he has an idea, he shares it.”
So Fornaroli is definitely viewed as one to watch within the paddock and should an F1 opportunity not arise for him, there’ll definitely be chances for McLaren to place him within either its IndyCar or World Endurance Championship projects.
But F1 is still the goal, and understandably so after being part of an exclusive club to have won the F3 and F2 crowns back-to-back. In F3 he achieved the title despite not winning a race, but instead focused on consistency - an incredibly hard thing to accomplish in the junior categories - before carrying that over into F2 last season.
“Leonardo is certainly an asset for Formula 1 in the future,” said Stella. And that might just be where Haas fits into the equation, particularly as Fornaroli completed a two-day TPC programme for the squad at Jerez in June.
Whatever happens, McLaren is keen to retain control over the Italian, unlike former junior driver Gabriel Bortoleto who was cut loose to join Audi, making Fornaroli available to Haas on a loan deal if the team wants to take up the offer.
Ryo Hirakawa
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| Getty |
Arguably the most straightforward option would be for Haas to promote its reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa into a full-time seat. The 32-year-old joined the operation in 2025 - following stints with McLaren and Alpine - thanks to his strong ties with Toyota, who is a current partner and title sponsor of Haas, providing design, technical and manufacturing services.
Against popular belief, Hirakawa also has plenty of single-seater experience with four wins and a runner-up championship finish during nine seasons of Super Formula in his native Japan. He has also conducted various TPC programmes for Haas, won the 2012 Japanese Formula 3 Championship and did three seasons of Formula Challenge Japan.
But hardly any of that is at an international level and there can be no denying that the sportscar scene is his bread and butter, having taken the 2017 Super GT title, a victory at Le Mans and the 2022 and 2023 WEC crowns, while also currently leading the 2026 standings with Toyota.
So it would still be a left-field option and with him two years old than Ocon, promoting Hirakawa might be seen as a strange choice by Haas. But he has nonetheless impressed the team and should he depart WEC, it is understood that Toyota would sign its junior Esteban Masson - not the other Esteban in Esteban Ocon!
Yuki Tsunoda
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| Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images |
Hirakawa is not the only Japanese driver that Haas could be considering, as Yuki Tsunoda is desperately trying to find a seat for the 2027 F1 campaign. The 26-year-old was once considered part of the furniture after four seasons at Team Faenza - under its various guises - where to his credit, he did a solid job, having outperformed team-mates like Daniel Ricciardo and Nyck de Vries.
The only issue was that Red Bull’s sister team is not a long-term home for anybody and so either a promotion to the main squad or looking elsewhere were his only options. Ultimately, Tsunoda got that promotion at the start of 2025 - thanks to Liam Lawson performing poorly - but he became another driver to struggle alongside Max Verstappen by finishing 17th in last year’s standings compared to second for the world champion.
So Tsunoda was dropped and forced into a reserve driver role at Red Bull for 2026, with Isack Hadjar taking his seat and performing valiantly alongside Verstappen. It looked as though Tsunoda’s F1 career was therefore done and talks about an IndyCar move emerged, until he was recently given one final opportunity to put himself in the shopping window.
That came after an injury for Hadjar, so Lawson took his seat at Red Bull while Tsunoda filled the void at Racing Bulls for the Dutch, Italian and Spanish grands prix. The Japanese driver performed well, taking a point at Monza and narrowly missing out at Zandvoort, so he looked like a version of his former self and was no doubt pleased by his performances.
“I’m super happy, I enjoyed this qualifying so much,” said Tsunoda after taking 12th on Saturday at Zandvoort. “I missed this kind of feeling, chasing the last few milliseconds. I was able to get used to it faster than I expected.”
The following day saw the man of 114 grand prix starts make a desperate plea for F1 teams to “call me”, with his options for 2027 still up in the air. Although on paper Haas may be an option, Tsunoda is still affiliated with Toyota rival Honda and that is likely to be something which holds him back on this occasion.
Is it worth switching allegiances, which would have long-term career consequences, for what may just be a single season of Haas? Although Honda got him into F1, ironically it might just be what stops him from returning full-time.
Liam Lawson
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| Getty |
One could just list all the Red Bull graduates at this point, but Lawson is arguably at a weird crossroads in his career. The 24-year-old made his F1 debut for Team Faenza in 2023, replacing the injured Ricciardo, immediately impressed, but then didn’t return until the final eight rounds of 2024 before starting his first, full campaign in 2025.
The problem is, 2025 saw him start the opening two grands prix at Red Bull but he was completely off the pace, so got moved back down to the sister squad where he has been ever since. History dictates that, unless it’s exceptional circumstances like what happened recently, Red Bull never re-promotes one of its drivers which means that Lawson’s options are Racing Bulls or elsewhere.
What makes it tricky is that, while F1 is now seeing the best of the Kiwi who is ninth in the standings with a career-best 59 points, Racing Bulls is the leader of the midfield. Yet it is a squad that nobody wants to stay at, so if he were to leave for Haas, he’d be going down the pecking order.
But with Nikola Tsolov - second in the F2 standings - waiting in the wings, with Lawson’s team-mate being the impressive teenage rookie Arvid Lindblad, Red Bull has a decision to make. It is likely that Lawson will remain for 2027 before analysing what his options are, but he could jump the gun and decide that replacing Ocon at Haas is his best bet for the long term.
Rafael Camara
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| Getty |
Despite everything that’s been mentioned, it’s hard not to see Ocon’s replacement being the current F2 leader Rafael Camara. The 21-year-old has recently emerged as the clear favourite for that seat - and it’s easy to see why, with the Brazilian atop of the F2 standings, following up his F3 title-winning campaign in fine fashion.
And unlike Fornaroli, Camara also took the F3 title in his rookie season while the Italian did it as a sophomore, finishing 11th the season prior. So on raw talent, Camara arguably edges it, having won titles at every level and in 2026 he looks set to make it three on the bounce after taking the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship.
This has very much been a breakthrough year for him though and qualifying is where he’s impressed the most, taking five poles, which is the most for a rookie since Piastri achieved that same amount in 2021. Camara could therefore surpass the now nine-time grand prix winner with two rounds left - Qatar and Abu Dhabi - in the current season where, should they go ahead amid the Middle Eastern conflict, the Invicta driver will arrive with a seven-point cushion over Tsolov.
Camara has shown immense capabilities to adapt to a new category right away - in F3 he took pole in four of the opening five rounds - and that is obviously something that’s needed for F1, particularly when he’s yet to appear in a practice outing.
What also gives him the edge over Fornaroli is that the Brazilian is an academy graduate of Ferrari - Haas’ current engine supplier - likewise with Bearman - and Ferrari is known to be keen for Camara to slot in alongside its other junior. The youngster is also understood to have impressed mightily on a recent TPC test in Portimao.
- Ed Hardy
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