MOTORSPORTS

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Formula One is keeping a close eye on the situation in the Middle East, and any decision on races scheduled for Bahrain ⁠and Saudi Arabia next month will be guided by safety, the sport and governing body FIA said.

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Formula 1’s governing body moved to close a suspected loophole in ⁠the new engine regulations on Wednesday by proposing a change from August.

The FIA said in a statement that it had recently launched an e-vote on changing the assessment of the power unit compression ratio in running condition.

It said that from August 1st, compliance with the limit “must be demonstrated not only at ambient conditions but also at a representative operating temperature of 130 degrees Celsius”.

The subject has been a major talking point in the pre-season, with Mercedes – who ⁠insist their engine is completely legal – suspected of exploiting a loophole to gain performance through thermal expansion of components.

Mercedes supply engines to champions McLaren as well as their own works team, Williams and Renault-owned Alpine. If the proposal is accepted for August, that would still give them ⁠and customer teams the first 13 races of the 24-round season before any change.

Red Bull, who are now making their own engines, also supplies sister team Racing Bulls. Audi, Honda (Aston Martin) and Ferrari are the remaining engine manufacturers.

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The 2026 Formula 1 season has been flagged up as revolutionary because of the sweeping changes to chassis and power unit regulations, designed to create more overtaking opportunities and improve the sport’s eco-sustainability.

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Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies rejected a suggestion on Wednesday that ⁠four-time world champion Max Verstappen could lose interest in Formula 1 because of the sport’s new engine era.

Verstappen has been outspoken about the new crop of cars, saying last week that his Red Bull was not much fun to drive and more like “Formula E on steroids”.

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Formula 1 World champion Lando Norris said he had been amused by ⁠the reaction to his declaring the new 2026 cars fun to drive after Red Bull rival Max Verstappen stated the opposite.

Four-time world champion Verstappen told reporters during pre-season testing in Bahrain last week that his car, the first of a new engine era for the sport, was like “Formula E on steroids” and not a lot of fun.

McLaren’s Norris, who ended Verstappen’s run of four titles in a row last year, had taken a contrary stance and suggested the Dutch driver could “go and ⁠find something else to do” if he was not happy.

The rivals’ comments fuelled an already lively online debate about what racing will be like this season and how fans and drivers might react

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Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya will ⁠host a Formula One Grand Prix in 2028, 2030 and 2032 after signing a contract extension to alternate with Belgium, the Liberty Media-owned sport said on Monday.

The race will be known as the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix from this season, with ⁠the Spanish Grand Prix moving to a new street circuit in Madrid.

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Formula One fans in the United States are about to experience championship racing in a completely new way. Beginning in 2026, select races from the FIA Formula One World Championship will be screened live in Imax theaters across the country. The initiative is the result of a collaboration between Imax and Apple TV, bringing the speed, precision, and spectacle of Formula One to some of the biggest screens available.

Through the partnership, five major Grands Prix will be shown live in at least 50 Imax locations nationwide. The featured races include the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 5, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 6, and the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 25. These events represent some of the most prestigious and widely followed stops on the Formula One calendar.

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The simmering tension between Ford and General Motors is set to play out on one of the biggest stages in global sport. While both companies have at times downplayed the idea of a direct rivalry in Formula 1, recent comments and strategic moves suggest otherwise. As the 2026 season approaches, the competition between the two American automotive giants is becoming harder to ignore.

At the center of the conversation is Ford’s partnership with Red Bull Racing and the launch of Red Bull Ford Powertrains. On the other side stands General Motors, backing the new Cadillac F1 Team project. Although the two efforts differ in structure and timeline, both represent serious commitments to Formula 1’s new era.