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  • Phillip Island MotoGP exit sparks heritage warning

    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.

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  • F1 drivers to parade in Lego minicars at Silverstone

    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.

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  • Lando Norris calls McLaren his family, eyes career-long stay

    Lando Norris calls McLaren his family, eyes career-long stay

    Lando Norris said he sees his future at McLaren, calling the team his family and saying he wants to finish his Formula 1 career there. Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast ahead of the British Grand Prix, he said he is heavily committed to McLaren, does not expect to leave soon and could imagine spending his entire career with the team. Norris said there is only one other Formula 1 team he would ever seriously consider joining in the distant future, but he did not identify it. He signed his latest McLaren contract in 2024, and reports say it runs through at least the end of 2027.

    Norris has been with McLaren since joining its young driver program in 2017 and made his Formula 1 debut for the team in 2019. He said he stayed because he enjoys the people around him and wants to keep winning, and said winning is not the only factor in his decision. Ferrari was a serious option a few years ago, but he ultimately chose to remain with McLaren. His McLaren record includes 11 wins, 16 pole positions and 46 podiums, as well as the constructors’ titles in 2024 and 2025 and his first world championship in 2025.

    He said his early years at McLaren, when the team was not competitive, taught him how to keep pushing even in difficult conditions. Norris said McLaren’s 2026 reliability problems have been dreadful, but its pace remains strong and his motivation has not changed. Entering his home race at Silverstone, he was fifth in the standings, one point behind teammate Oscar Piastri and 92 behind leader Kimi Antonelli, and said he is still happy at McLaren.

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  • Formula 1 names Flexjet official private aviation supplier

    Formula 1 announced a multi-year partnership with Flexjet on July 1, naming the company its official private aviation supplier ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend. The deal will run across the global Formula 1 calendar and is designed to provide private aviation support for VIPs, executives and teams connected to the championship.

    Under the agreement, Flexjet will help transport key F1 executives and personnel, while its fractional aircraft owners will receive hospitality and behind-the-scenes access at selected Grands Prix through the Red Label program. Flexjet said its fleet includes more than 340 private jets.

    The partnership also includes sustainability initiatives and a digital content series. Formula 1 said flights connected to the deal will use Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificates as part of its efforts to reduce business-travel emissions, and the content series will highlight the shared focus of Formula 1 and Flexjet on precision, innovation and luxury experiences.

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  • Cummins takes Eastern Storm lead after Grandview win

    Kevin Thomas Jr. inherits BC39 opener win after Edwards DQ

    Kevin Thomas Jr. was declared the winner of Tuesday’s BC39 opener at the Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after post-race technical inspection disqualified Drake Edwards and the Chase McDermand Racing No. 40D. Officials said the car’s EFI box was set above the legal RPM limit, a violation under sections 413.A.3 and 413.K of the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship rulebook. Edwards and McDermand Racing were moved to last place, and the ruling changed the event’s points, payout distribution and Wednesday’s BC39 starting lineup.

    Edwards had originally won the 30-lap Stoops Star Spangled Showdown, taking the lead from pole sitter Gavin Miller on lap 7 and controlling the final 24 laps. He also had early contact with teammate Briggs Danner on lap 6 before a caution and later held off a late near-miss with a lapped car. The win would have been Edwards’ second career USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship victory. Kevin Thomas Jr. finished second on the track, with Gavin Miller third, Zach Wigal fourth and Jake Swanson fifth.

    The race opened the two-night BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors at the Speedway, Indiana track. The event was scheduled to conclude Wednesday with a 39-lap main event paying $20,039 to win.

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  • Ecclestone says Ferrari should consider Horner

    Ecclestone says Ferrari should consider Horner

    Bernie Ecclestone has pressed Ferrari’s top management to appoint Christian Horner, casting the Scuderia as a possible route back to Formula 1 for the former Red Bull boss. Ecclestone said he had already tried to steer Horner toward Ferrari after Horner left Red Bull in July 2025 after the British Grand Prix, and called Ferrari a logical destination. He also said he did not know whether Horner would actually end up there, with the situation still speculative and no appointment confirmed.

    Ecclestone said Horner would face a difficult path at any team because people would compare him with what he achieved at Red Bull. Horner spent 20 years leading the team, winning eight drivers’ championships, six constructors’ titles and 124 of 130 Grand Prix victories. Red Bull paid him an £80 million severance package after his exit, and he remained on gardening leave until May 2026. Horner has said he would only return to Formula 1 in the right role with greater responsibility. Reports have also linked him with starting his own team, taking a stake in Alpine, a possible connection with BYD and a move to Aston Martin, although sources said there had been no new contact about Aston Martin since earlier discussions this year.

    Speaking at the Austrian Grand Prix, Ecclestone also argued that Ferrari should consider Max Verstappen, saying signing the Red Bull driver would be cheaper than trying to build a better car. He said Verstappen may have missed his best chance to move to Ferrari last year and criticized what he described as too many Italians being involved in Ferrari’s decision-making. Verstappen remains under contract to Red Bull through 2028, with an escape clause that could allow him to leave if he is outside the top two at the summer break. He has also been linked with Mercedes and McLaren, though Toto Wolff and Zak Brown have downplayed the chances of immediate lineup changes. Ferrari’s current driver pairing is Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, and the team has extended Fred Vasseur’s contract through at least the end of 2027.

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  • Cadillac Ties Fourth of July Tribute to British GP Debut

    Cadillac Ties Fourth of July Tribute to British GP Debut

    Cadillac F1 Team will unveil a one-off red, white and blue livery at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, tying the design to the Fourth of July weekend and the 250th anniversary of American independence. The Stars and Stripes theme will extend beyond the car to the garage, driver helmets, apparel and team kit, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez set to wear matching helmets. Cadillac also plans to take the look to New Orleans for ESSENCE Fest.

    Chief executive Dan Towriss said the weekend is a chance to show pride in representing the United States in F1 and to help introduce the sport to new audiences. Perez said he hopes the special look will give American fans another reason to celebrate. Silverstone carries extra weight for Cadillac because the team has a base next to the circuit, and team principal Graeme Lowdon is aiming for a cleaner weekend after a difficult Austrian Grand Prix, with positive signs from upgrades in Spielberg.

    Cadillac is one of several teams bringing special artwork to Britain. McLaren will reveal a heritage-inspired paint scheme, while Williams will refresh its Union Jack-themed livery on the FW48’s nose flanks and pair it with special overalls for Carlos Sainz Jnr and Alexander Albon. Williams also plans to take a show car with the new look to Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and London before the race as it prepares a major upgrade package for a team that sits eighth in the 2026 championship.

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  • Cedar Lake Speedway Incident Costs Axsom $500 and Probation

    Cedar Lake Speedway Incident Costs Axsom $500 and Probation

    World of Outlaws driver Emerson Axsom was fined $500 and placed on probation for the remainder of the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season after a physical altercation at Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturday, June 27. The incident happened off track before the event’s drivers meeting and involved physical contact.

    Axsom drives the No. 27 Sprint Car for Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports. The sanction was issued under a World Racing Group rulebook provision covering altercations that lead to physical contact.

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  • Bobby Pierce sweeps Norman County for sixth straight WoO win

    Bobby Pierce sweeps Norman County for sixth straight WoO win

    Bobby Pierce extended his dominant World of Outlaws Late Model Series run Tuesday at Norman County Raceway, leading every lap of the 50-lap feature and completing a perfect six-race sweep of the northern swing. He finished more than five seconds ahead of Nick Hoffman, with Ryan Gustin third, Tim McCreadie fourth and Jonathan Davenport fifth. The victory was Pierce’s sixth straight World of Outlaws win, tying the series all-time streaks set by Darrell Lanigan and Josh Richards, and left him one win short of the first seven-race run in series history.

    Pierce entered the Minnesota races on a five-race swing winning streak and had won 15 World of Outlaws features this season. He has won nine of his last 10 starts and is within reach of the series single-season win record of 18. His June surge included 10 wins in 11 races, his first Dirt Late Model Dream victory at Eldora Speedway and $271,500 in earnings. The win also increased his championship lead over Hoffman to 76 points.

    The northern swing is wrapping up with four races in Minnesota, starting at Norman County Raceway and continuing with the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway on July 2-4. Norman County’s race paid $20,000 to win, while Deer Creek will pay $10,000 to the winner on Thursday and Friday and $40,000 on Saturday. The Deer Creek weekend is also set to include fireworks, concerts, autograph sessions and other fan activities, with Hoffman, McCreadie, Dennis Erb Jr. and Dustin Sorensen among the contenders.

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