Author Archives: PressBox

July 30, 2026

F1 Community Mourns Longtime Tyre Technician Mick Fern

Aston Martin and members of the Formula 1 paddock paid tribute to longtime tyre technician Mick Fern, known as “Biscuit,” after the team confirmed on Wednesday that he had died following the Hungarian Grand Prix. Fern had missed the race weekend because of illness, and Aston Martin marked his memory with a sign reading “Biscuit. Thinking of you” at its garage, along with the same message on the pre-race grid and in the paddock. The team also honored him with a team photo at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Fern spent 35 years in Formula 1 and worked on and off with Aston Martin since 1999, first during the team’s Jordan era. He rejoined Aston Martin in 2015 and had spent the past seven seasons handling Lance Stroll’s tyres. Aston Martin described him as a loyal, respected and true stalwart who made the traveling paddock feel like home, and said he would be missed for his warmth and humor.

Stroll called Fern “one of a kind” and thanked him for making his tyres race-ready for seven years. The tribute drew support from fans and from across the Formula 1 community, with condolences also posted by Esteban Ocon, Pedro de la Rosa, Bernie Collins, Rachel Brookes and Ruth Buscombe.
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July 29, 2026

Jack Miller Sets Sights on 2027 Ride, Likely in WSBK

Jack Miller said he is comfortable with a future outside MotoGP as he looks for a 2027 ride, with World Superbike emerging as his likeliest option after a difficult stretch at Prima Pramac Yamaha. He said his time in MotoGP has “kind of run its course,” and he has spoken with teams but has not signed anything. Miller also said any Superbike offer would need to meet his reported $1 million annual salary demand, and that a MotoGP return would only be possible if seats stay open, which he described as a slim chance. He plans to finish the rest of 2026 strongly, with more top-10 finishes and hoped-for bike improvements his stated goals before the British Grand Prix on Aug. 9.

Miller is expected to leave Pramac Yamaha at the end of the 2026 season, a move that could end his MotoGP career. He sat 20th in the 2026 standings and had 19 points at the halfway mark, one place ahead of rookie teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu. Reports say Moto2 rider Izan Guevara is set to replace him, with Pramac boss Paolo Campinoti saying there is a good chance Guevara will race for the team next season, though there has been no formal confirmation. If Guevara joins, Miller would be left without a seat.

Honda remains one possible path for Miller if it creates a new World Superbike team for 2027. The company has discussed a satellite project that could be funded by Thailand-based oil company PTT, and such a seat could suit an experienced rider like Miller. HRC has no factory MotoGP openings at present because Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra are under contract, which leaves Miller’s next move tied to the chance of a new Honda-backed Superbike entry.
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July 29, 2026

Swanson Captures Belle Sheppard Birthday Bash at Paragon

Jake Swanson controlled Wednesday night’s Indiana Sprint Week race at Paragon Speedway, leading all 30 laps to win the $10,000 Belle Sheppard Birthday Bash. The victory came in round six of the nine-race series and marked Paragon’s first USAC Indiana Sprint Week event in 28 years. Swanson, who started fourth, held off series champion Kyle Cummins after a late caution tightened the closing laps. The win was Swanson’s first Indiana Sprint Week victory since Lincoln Park Speedway in 2023, his first USAC victory of any kind since February at Volusia Speedway Park, and his ninth career USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship win.
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July 29, 2026

Trackhouse commits to Zilisch through 2027

Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks said the team is committed to Connor Zilisch through the end of 2027 and is not focused on his 2028 options, even as rumors continue to link the 20-year-old prospect to Hendrick Motorsports. Marks said Trackhouse’s priority is to help Zilisch gain experience and get comfortable at the Cup level, while also improving the cars around him and working toward a victory before his current deal ends.

The Hendrick speculation has centered on the No. 48 car, with Alex Bowman announcing plans to retire after the 2027 season. That would create an opening for 2028, and one report said Hendrick could try to buy out Zilisch’s contract if needed. Bob Pockrass said Hendrick should try to secure Zilisch before another team does, though he also pointed to Corey Day as another option and said the 20-year-old is not ready for Cup yet. Kevin Harvick said if Zilisch goes to Hendrick, Day could wind up elsewhere, including Spire Motorsports.

Zilisch has drawn attention as one of the sport’s top young prospects after winning 10 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races last year and finishing second in the standings, but his rookie Cup season has been rough. Driving Trackhouse’s No. 88 Chevrolet alongside Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, he has struggled to adjust, with eight DNFs reported in one account, six crash-related DNFs in another, and seven of his last 10 starts outside the top 30. He also is likely to miss Chase contention after next week’s race at Iowa.
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July 29, 2026

Winless Yamaha Banks on 2027 Rule Reset to Rebuild

Yamaha is treating its difficult 2026 MotoGP campaign as a learning year for the 2027 regulation change, when the series moves to 850cc machinery. Monster Energy Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli said the factory expected a tough first half of 2026 after introducing its V4-powered YZR-M1, and said the experience should help the team when it moves to a single-engine configuration next season.

The new engine has not yet stopped Yamaha’s slide. The factory remains winless since Fabio Quartararo’s German Grand Prix victory in 2022 and has yet to score a podium with the V4. After 11 rounds, Yamaha riders had only two top-10 finishes, with Quartararo’s best result a fifth place in the twice-restarted Catalan Grand Prix in May. Quartararo was 14th in the standings, followed by Alex Rins in 19th, Jack Miller in 20th and Toprak Razgatlioglu in 21st.

Meregalli said the 2027 rider lineup and new technical rules will bring “fresh air” and new motivation to the YZR-M1 project. Quartararo and Rins are set to leave at the end of the year, with one report saying Quartararo will join Honda, while Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura are set to arrive from Aprilia for 2027. Toprak Razgatlioglu is the only rider currently contracted for 2027, and Izan Guevara is set to replace Jack Miller.

Yamaha has invested heavily in its 2027 project, but reports said it arrived at the first full-time riders’ test for the new bikes in Brno with only an engine fitted to an old chassis and fairing, and no 2027-spec chassis ready. Pramac team principal Paolo Campinoti said the investment should pay off eventually, but Yamaha cannot stay this slow for much longer. He noted that Yamaha has had the slowest bike in MotoGP in each of the last two seasons, and that all four of its podiums in that period came from Quartararo.
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July 29, 2026

StubHub lands multi-year deal with World Racing Group

StubHub and World Racing Group signed a multi-year partnership that makes StubHub the company’s Official Open Distribution Partner across a full season of World Racing Group events. The deal covers the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Super DIRTcar Series, with fans able to buy tickets through the series websites and StubHub.

Under the Open Distribution model, World Racing Group keeps ownership of its ticketing operations, fan data and event branding. The partnership also gives World Racing Group access to StubHub’s global marketplace of more than 125 million fans in more than 200 countries and territories. The agreement includes exclusive fan offers such as driver meet-and-greets and collectible pins.

StubHub is also the presenting sponsor of Super DIRT Week. The event is scheduled for its 54th running and 10th year at Oswego Speedway from Oct. 5-10. The Billy Whittaker Cars 200 is the main event, with a $54,000 prize.
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July 29, 2026

Ryan Gustin Returns to Defend USA Nationals Title

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series heads to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisconsin, this weekend for the USA Nationals, a $100,000-to-win race that is the series’ second crown jewel event in as many weeks. Last year’s race delivered the first $100,000 payday in USA Nationals history, and Ryan Gustin returns as the defending winner.

Much of the attention centers on Bobby Pierce, who is trying to win the USA Nationals for a third straight year. A victory would move him within one win of the World of Outlaws single-season win record of 18. Trey Mills, 18, is set for his first USA Nationals start after strong runs in the Dream and the Prairie Dirt Classic.

Brandon Sheppard also enters on a high note after winning his fourth Prairie Dirt Classic last weekend. He previously won the USA Nationals in 2018. The weekend opens Thursday with a $10,000 feature, followed by qualifying and heat races Friday that will set much of Saturday’s 100-lap lineup. Last Chance races are scheduled Saturday to fill the field.
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July 29, 2026

PLL, WLL and NLL unveil Lexus Global Lacrosse Games

The Premier Lacrosse League, Women’s Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League announced the Lexus Global Lacrosse Games, a four-country international tournament that will be played under Olympic Sixes rules. World Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse have sanctioned the event, which is modeled in part on the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off and the World Baseball Classic.

The tournament is scheduled for Dec. 8-13, 2026, at The St. James outside Washington, D.C. It will run in the same sixes format set for lacrosse’s return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and for the first time the PLL and NLL will work together to make top men’s players from both leagues available to represent their countries.

PLL cofounder and president Paul Rabil said the league hopes the United States and Canada will participate, with Japan and Australia among the other possible entrants. He declined to confirm a broadcast partner. The Lexus Global Lacrosse Games will replace the PLL and WLL Championship Series on the calendar for the next two years, and the announcement follows the PLL’s recent $100 million Series E financing round led by Joe Tsai and Ares.
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July 29, 2026

Domenicali says F1 may end 2026 in Europe if risks persist

Formula 1 has put contingency plans in place for its 2026 calendar as uncertainty continues around the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi because of conflict in the Middle East. Stefano Domenicali said the current plan still stands for now, but if safety and logistical concerns do not improve, the championship would finish in Europe rather than be moved to another region. A final decision is due by mid-September, and Qatar and Abu Dhabi are currently confirmed and sold out.

The schedule has already changed several times. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were canceled earlier this year, and Formula 1 then arranged to move the Bahrain Grand Prix to Sepang in Malaysia on Oct. 4, pending final approval. That move restored the calendar to 23 rounds, or at least ensures 21 race weekends if the final two races are dropped. F1 had initially hoped to shift Bahrain into an early October slot to create a triple-header with Azerbaijan and Singapore, but that plan did not work out.

If another change is needed, Imola in Italy is the leading fallback venue, with Portimao and Istanbul also under consideration. Domenicali said Europe is the only realistic alternative because of logistics, including Brexit-related documentation, and ruled out adding another race in the United States or North America. The uncertainty grew after the World Endurance Championship moved its Qatar and Bahrain races to Barcelona and Monza because of security and freight-and-travel concerns. Formula 1 still wants a race after the Nov. 21 Las Vegas Grand Prix, and officials said contingency plans are in place for both 2026 and 2027.
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