Author Archives: PressBox

July 3, 2026

Zarco’s knee heals well, surgery no longer expected

Johann Zarco’s knee injury recovery took a positive turn after a medical reassessment in Lyon on July 1, with doctors saying surgery no longer appeared necessary after his crash at the Catalan Grand Prix. The medial collateral ligament was healing well, the posterior cruciate ligament was improving, and the more serious injury first feared was not confirmed. The anterior cruciate ligament remained torn, but his medical team recommended rehabilitation because his overall progress was satisfactory.

Zarco had delayed any operation while a separate burn injury healed, and training during that period helped make non-surgical rehabilitation viable. He will continue rehab and is aiming to return to racing in September, although no exact comeback date has been confirmed. A September return would likely keep him out of the German Grand Prix, Silverstone and Aragon.

LCR confirmed that Cal Crutchlow will replace Zarco at next week’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring from July 10-12. The 40-year-old Briton will make his fifth start as Zarco’s substitute on the Honda RC213V, after previous appearances in Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Zarco’s return remains on hold because surgery cannot be done while there is still a risk of infection, and the update was a boost for Castrol Honda LCR.
More
July 3, 2026

Home crowd cheers as Hamilton tops British GP practice

Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the only practice session for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, giving his home crowd plenty to cheer on the opening day of the weekend. Hamilton’s best lap of 1:29.260 put him 0.213 seconds ahead of Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc third and George Russell fourth. Hamilton had played down expectations before the weekend, but his early speed suggested strong form at a circuit where he has won nine times before as he chased a record-breaking eighth world title and a 10th Silverstone victory.

The session took place during a compressed sprint weekend, with teams getting just one hour of practice before sprint qualifying later on Friday. In bright, dry 23C conditions, all drivers began on hard tires while gathering setup and tire data, then switched to softer rubber late in the hour. Antonelli briefly went quickest before Hamilton reclaimed first place, while Leclerc and Russell completed the top four. Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar, Nico Hülkenberg and Liam Lawson rounded out the top 10.

Piastri spun at Becketts, and Norris went out early and finished more than a second off the pace. McLaren and Red Bull looked a little behind the leading runners. Audi impressed on a single lap, with Hülkenberg inside the top 10, while Cadillac’s upgraded package appeared to bring it closer to Aston Martin, although reliability concerns were not fully resolved. Organizers expected a record British Grand Prix crowd of 500,000 spectators.
More
July 3, 2026

Sainz to take qualifying flag penalty idea to FIA, GPDA

Carlos Sainz has called for Formula 1 to change how qualifying interruptions are punished, proposing a three-place grid penalty for any driver who causes a yellow or red flag, even if the incident is unintentional. He said the rule would reduce gamesmanship, discourage drivers from benefiting when another competitor’s crash interrupts the session, and provide a stricter deterrent. Sainz said he plans to raise the idea with both the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association and the FIA.

The push followed a disputed qualifying session at the Austrian Grand Prix, where George Russell took pole for Mercedes after Max Verstappen’s crash brought out yellow flags. Russell was judged to have slowed enough under the current rules to keep his lap, and Sainz said he had followed the rulebook and “played the rules to perfection.” Even so, Sainz argued the lap should not have been allowed to continue in what he viewed as a dangerous situation.

Sainz said Verstappen’s incident should have led to double yellow flags or a red flag, and that the current system can give an unfair advantage to a driver who continues after causing an interruption. Kimi Antonelli also abandoned his lap because he believed double yellows were in place, and Charles Leclerc said a penalty rule could make sense at some circuits but not as a blanket standard across every track.
More
July 3, 2026

Sullivan Shoves Arroyo at BKFC Weigh-Ins as Feldman Intervenes

BKFC Liberty Brawl fight week was marked by repeated altercations at the press conference and weigh-ins, with security and officials stepping in to keep several fighters apart. Johnny Garbarino threw a cannoli at former BKFC champion Mike Richman during the press conference ahead of their fight in Philadelphia on Friday. The two repeatedly tried to reach each other on stage, and BKFC officials kept the dispute from turning physical. Garbarino later returned for the faceoff with half a cannoli hidden behind his back and threw it again at Richman, with the pastry nearly hitting BKFC president David Feldman instead.

The tension carried into the ceremonial weigh-ins, where Pat Sullivan shoved opponent Ruben Arroyo while the fighters were being positioned to face forward for photos. The shove nearly sent Arroyo off the stage, and Feldman immediately stepped in and pushed Sullivan backward. Sullivan, identified as a Philadelphia native, appeared to smile during the confrontation. The shove and Feldman’s response became the main flashpoint of the weigh-ins and overshadowed the ceremonial proceedings.

The rest of the weigh-ins continued without further incident, but the Richman-Garbarino rivalry remained heated despite multiple separations. Their bout is one of the featured fights on the card, which is headlined by Austin Trout defending his unbeaten bare-knuckle record against Ben Bonner for the lightweight title.
More
July 2, 2026

Hamilton, Ferrari seek answers at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari head to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix with the weekend framed as a test of how far the team has come after a strong win in Barcelona and a more sobering run in Austria. Hamilton called Ferrari’s pace in Austria a “reality check,” saying the team was losing about four-tenths of a second on the straights and still had work to do to close the gap to its rivals. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said the team had studied what went wrong at Spielberg and expects a better showing at Silverstone, where the team will try to see whether Hamilton’s recent success can lead to another strong result.
More
July 2, 2026

Lauzon says UFC will let him fight BKFC at Fenway Park

Joe Lauzon said the UFC gave him permission to compete in a BKFC bout at Fenway Park on Aug. 29 after he asked to clear the fight while still under contract. Lauzon said UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell responded positively, offered to help financially if money was the issue, and that UFC officials said they would send a letter confirming he could proceed. Lauzon said he was not sure whether he had been fully released from his UFC deal or only approved for this specific fight.

Lauzon said the Fenway Park opportunity was too special to pass up because of the venue’s meaning to him, and he said the decision was not about money or a bid to restart his career. He said he wanted to take part in a meaningful fight in Boston. Lauzon also said he never truly retired after his 2019 UFC win over Jonathan Pearce, explaining that his retirement comments meant he would have stopped only if he had been badly beaten in Boston.

The 27-fight UFC veteran said he spent 13 years on the roster and debuted in the promotion in 2006. He said he appreciated the UFC’s support and is focused only on the Fenway Park bout for now, with any next steps to come after he sees how that appearance goes.
More
July 2, 2026

Gresini Ducati names Holgado, Mir for 2027 MotoGP reset

Gresini Ducati has confirmed a major 2027 rider reset, naming rookie Dani Holgado and Joan Mir for its MotoGP lineup ahead of the championship’s switch to 850cc engines and Pirelli tires. Holgado, a 21-year-old Spaniard, will step up from Aspar in Moto2 on a two-year deal and becomes the first rookie confirmed for the 2027 grid. Mir will leave Honda and bring nine seasons of premier-class experience to the all-Spanish pairing.

Holgado arrives after a rapid rise through the junior classes. He has won seven grand prix races across Moto3 and Moto2, finished second in Moto3 in 2024, was named 2025 Moto2 Rookie of the Year and sits sixth in the 2026 Moto2 standings in his second season. Gresini announced his signing on July 2.

The lineup change is part of a wider overhaul for Gresini ahead of the new technical era. Alex Marquez is expected to depart for KTM after 2026 and Fermin Aldeguer is linked with a move to VR46 Ducati. The all-Spanish Gresini pairing also comes as Dorna has said it wants more non-Spanish riders on the MotoGP grid.
More
July 2, 2026

Phillip Island MotoGP exit sparks heritage warning

Bob Barnard, who designed both the Phillip Island and Adelaide Grand Prix layouts, has warned that two of motorcycling’s best-known venues could be lost forever as MotoGP prepares to leave Phillip Island for Adelaide in 2027. In an open letter, Barnard said the shift could undermine Phillip Island’s heritage value and argued that Adelaide’s revised layout would not replace the original circuit concept or Phillip Island’s status as one of motorsport’s most respected venues. He said the issue goes beyond racing, touching on motorsport, environmental heritage and land use, and placed Liberty Media and the South Australian government at the center of the decision.

MotoGP has confirmed the move to a new street circuit in Adelaide from 2027, following a deal reached with the South Australian Government in February that runs through 2032. Adelaide officials are redesigning the track to meet motorcycle safety requirements, in what has been described as the biggest change to the circuit since Barnard’s original 1985 Formula 1 layout, later shortened for Supercars in 1999. Reports also say officials may consider staging the race at night to suit European television audiences.

The final MotoGP race at Phillip Island is set for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, after the series began racing there in 1997. Barnard has warned that if MotoGP and WorldSBK both leave, owner Lindsay Fox may repurpose the site as a golf course, a rumor that drew strong backlash from fans online. Phillip Island is also expected to lose the World Superbike Championship in 2028, and the Victorian Government is looking for ways to support the island’s tourism economy, including attracting other motorsport events.
More
July 2, 2026

F1 drivers to parade in Lego minicars at Silverstone

Formula 1 drivers will take part in a Lego minicars parade lap at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend, with all 22 drivers set to ride individual Lego-built cars before Sunday’s race. The parade is scheduled for 90 minutes before the start, at 1:30 p.m. BST, and is meant as a fan spectacle rather than a competitive part of the weekend.

Each car was built from about 28,000 Lego bricks and weighs 280 kilograms, including 65 kilograms made up by the bricks themselves. The vehicles use standard go-kart wheels and were assembled by a 20-person team of designers, engineers and builders at Lego’s factory in Kladno, Czechia, over more than 6,400 hours of work. Sources said the cars can reach around 25 kilometers per hour.

F1 and Lego said the Silverstone activation follows the attention generated by last year’s Miami Grand Prix parade, which featured team-built Lego cars and ended with several of them damaged. The new format was shaped by fan demand and is aimed at recreating the viral appeal of the Miami event in a more polished presentation while entertaining fans at the track and around the world.
More

Load More