Auto Racing

Auto Racing

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Max Verstappen aims to extend F1 winning run as he starts on pole for Singapore Grand Prix

The Associated Press 2 minute read 2:06 AM CDT

SINGAPORE (AP) — Max Verstappen is back at the front of the Formula 1 field but will need to improve on some “horrendous” recent starts from pole position in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.

An upgraded Red Bull car has catapulted Verstappen back into the fight for wins, and the four-time champion was dominant in Singapore on Saturday, winning the sprint race before qualifying on pole. That backed up his first win of the season last week in Malaysia.

Overtaking is almost impossible on the streets of Singapore, as indicated Saturday when Lando Norris collided with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, so Verstappen will have to be wary of the fast-starting Ferraris of Charles Leclerc in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.

Verstappen has called on Red Bull to sort out an issue which led to him losing positions at the start in Malaysia and in Saturday's sprint.

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Auto Racing

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain speeds away during the sprint qualifying session ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

McLaren tells Norris and Piastri to park their egos after ‘unacceptable’ Singapore collision

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

McLaren tells Norris and Piastri to park their egos after ‘unacceptable’ Singapore collision

The Associated Press 2 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:06 PM CDT

SINGAPORE (AP) — McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he will not tolerate drivers putting their egos ahead of the team after teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided in the Singapore Grand Prix sprint race.

Norris made an ambitious overtaking attempt on Piastri for fourth place on the final lap of Saturday's sprint race, but made contact with the Australian and both cars spun.

Norris dropped to eighth and Piastri didn't finish, meaning McLaren picked up just one point in the Formula 1 teams' standings instead of nine.

After what he called “a very long, tiring and challenging day,” Stella said he addressed the incident with Norris and Piastri.

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Updated: Yesterday at 2:06 PM CDT

Auto Racing

Kyle Larson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Kansas City, Kan., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

Streaking Kyle Larson looks to pad points lead at Charlotte as NASCAR playoffs reach midway point

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Streaking Kyle Larson looks to pad points lead at Charlotte as NASCAR playoffs reach midway point

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 6 minute read Yesterday at 12:06 PM CDT

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Larson didn't win a race during the regular season.

But the defending NASCAR Cup champion already has two postseason victories along with three other top-five finishes, vaulting him into a commanding lead as the "Chase” heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Sunday's Bank of America 400.

Larson, who is looking for his third championship overall, leads regular-season champion Denny Hamlin by 40 points. But he knows he still has some work to do.

Christopher Bell is lurking in third place only 55 points back heading to one of his favorite tracks, while Joey Logano (71 points behind), Ryan Blaney (80) and last week's winner at Las Vegas Chase Briscoe (84) are all within 100 points of the lead with five of 10 playoff races remaining.

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Yesterday at 12:06 PM CDT

Auto Racing

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, center, of the Netherlands prepares for the sprint race ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Verstappen does the double with pole and sprint race win at F1’s Singapore Grand Prix

The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Verstappen does the double with pole and sprint race win at F1’s Singapore Grand Prix

The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 10:30 AM CDT

SINGAPORE (AP) — Max Verstappen is the driver to beat in Formula 1 once again, but Kimi Antonelli continues to march toward the title.

Verstappen won the sprint race and followed up with his 50th career pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday, all at a circuit where he'd never won or been on pole in the past.

“This is the one I wanted,” he said.

Besides Verstappen, the day’s other big winner was Antonelli, who widened his lead over George Russell when his Mercedes teammate crashed out from the lead in the sprint. The Italian qualified fourth, setting him up for another solid score tomorrow, when Russell must serve a grid penalty.

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Updated: Yesterday at 10:30 AM CDT

Auto Racing

FILE - Kyle Busch is introduced during the NASCAR All-Star auto race at Dover Motor Speedway, May 17, 2026, in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, File, File)

Kyle Busch’s 11-year-old son highlights his father’s ‘celebration of life’ ceremony with burnout

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Kyle Busch’s 11-year-old son highlights his father’s ‘celebration of life’ ceremony with burnout

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 5 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — The NASCAR community and more than 10,000 race fans celebrated the life of the late Kyle Busch during an uplifting ceremony Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch's widow, Samantha Busch, spoke at the free event and shared memories of their life together during an emotional 10-minute speech. But it was 11-year-son Brexton, a budding racer, who stole the show with a burnout on the track's frontstretch in his father's No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Cup Series car before climbing on the roof and honoring his dad by doing his traditional bow with a checkered flag.

“I don't want to feel like we are putting a period on (his life) today,” Samantha Busch said. “This is not the end of Kyle's story. His story continues every time we give a young racer a chance, share something he taught us or share with the next generation what made Rowdy unforgettable."

She added: “Years from now I hope people remember Kyle as one of NASCAR's greatest drivers. He worked his entire life for that. But I also hope they meet someone whose life is better because Kyle was here. That's a legacy that no checkered flag can contain.”

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Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Auto Racing

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy, left, and his teammate George Russell of Britain steer their cars out from the garage during the qualifying session for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (Annice Lyn/Pool via AP )

Mercedes boss Wolff slams ‘brainless’ claims team would favor Antonelli over Russell

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Mercedes boss Wolff slams ‘brainless’ claims team would favor Antonelli over Russell

The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

SINGAPORE (AP) — Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says any claims the team would favor Kimi Antonelli over George Russell in the Formula 1 title race are “brainless”.

Wolff was responding after engine failure for Russell at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia last week took his teammate Antonelli a big step closer to becoming F1's youngest-ever champion.

“They’re brainless, whoever thinks that. I mean, it’s completely nonsensical. We’ve had it in the past with Lewis (Hamilton) fans. I mean, literally, I don’t know what’s going on,” Wolff said Friday ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

“Do they think I have a button that says, “George engine failure now”, or disadvantaging one driver against the other when we are fighting for a constructors’ championship, when we have always had the mindset of providing everybody equal material? But I guess this is maybe where social media goes today.”

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Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Auto Racing

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, sits on his car at pits before the first free practice ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix, in Singapore, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Verstappen on pole for F1’s Singapore sprint after cars slowed by ‘error’ in race control

James Ellingworth, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Verstappen on pole for F1’s Singapore sprint after cars slowed by ‘error’ in race control

James Ellingworth, The Associated Press 6 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Max Verstappen snatched pole position for the Formula 1 Singapore sprint race in a hectic qualifying session Friday, while George Russell seized a chance to make up ground on standings leader Kimi Antonelli.

The action was overshadowed when the cars' settings were wrongly changed by race control, affecting the cars and blamed for some drivers being eliminated from the session early.

Verstappen went fastest by 0.120 of a second from Russell, whose strategy of all-out attack this week leaves him starting Saturday's sprint five places ahead of Mercedes teammate Antonelli. Charles Leclerc begins the sprint third for McLaren.

“I did not expect this, very happy to be first,” Verstappen said. “The last few races we have been a lot stronger but this track still highlights a few weaknesses in the car, but we have tried to drive with them as much as possible.”

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Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Auto Racing

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain, speaks at a press conference ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Lando Norris ‘hopeful’ McLaren has sorted issue costing him straight-line speed

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Lando Norris ‘hopeful’ McLaren has sorted issue costing him straight-line speed

The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026

SINGAPORE (AP) — Lando Norris says he's “hopeful” McLaren has identified and fixed a car problem which deprived him of straight-line speed, with his Formula 1 title defense all but mathematically over ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Norris is coming off a ninth-place finish at last week's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and was off the pace the week before in Azerbaijan before a collision ended his race.

He suggested on Thursday the issue was worth two or three grid places in qualifying for both races. McLaren has worked to resolve the issue, reportedly to do with the fuel system.

“They put a lot of work into trying to figure out things and I'm hopeful that it’ll be better this weekend, but honestly, I have to get out on track and see first,” Norris said.

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Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026

Auto Racing

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the formation lap prior to the delayed start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

FIA to ‘strengthen’ software testing after F1 cars stopped on track in Malaysia

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

FIA to ‘strengthen’ software testing after F1 cars stopped on track in Malaysia

The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026

SINGAPORE (AP) — The FIA has defended its handling of the Formula 1 car software bug which delayed the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia last weekend and pledged it will “strengthen” how the code is tested in future.

Several drivers, including seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, were left stuck on track when their cars lost power and had to be restarted on formation laps before Sunday's race.

The on-board software failed to cope with drivers taking a more cautious approach ahead of the first wet race for the 2026 cars, which have a near 50-50 split between engine and electrical power.

The FIA, the governing body for F1, on Thursday said its investigation found that cars “experienced a loss of power beyond the original intent and that could not be recovered.”

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Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026

Auto Racing

Mercedes crew members for driver George Russell of Britain react inside the garage during the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Annice Lyn/Pool via AP )

Russell to take power unit penalty in Singapore that could result in Antonelli extending F1 lead

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Russell to take power unit penalty in Singapore that could result in Antonelli extending F1 lead

The Associated Press 2 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026

SINGAPORE (AP) — George Russell will be hit with a power unit penalty at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix that could result in Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli extending his lead in the Formula 1 drivers’ standings.

“George has the added challenge of a power unit penalty, which will mean starting from the back of the grid on Sunday, following the engine failure in Malaysia,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff announced Wednesday.

“That is particularly frustrating given the way he drove last weekend and the result he deserved to be fighting for. Unfortunately, these things are part of the sport and our focus now is on giving him the best possible car and opportunities to fight back through the field.”

Russell’s retirement in Malaysia already helped Antonelli stretch his lead over Russell from 66 to 84 points, with seven races remaining this season.

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Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026

Auto Racing

Fans signs their name to a tribute sign to the late Kyle Busch before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Charlotte Motor Speedway to host a celebration of life for the late Kyle Busch on Friday night

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Charlotte Motor Speedway to host a celebration of life for the late Kyle Busch on Friday night

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 3 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charlotte Motor Speedway will host a celebration of life for former NASCAR driver Kyle Busch on Friday following the Trucks Series race.

Busch died in May from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation after complications from bacterial pneumonia led to sepsis, according to the former NASCAR star’s death certificate.

CMS said the event will allow the NASCAR community to come together to celebrate Busch through stories, memories, iconic moments and the lasting impact he made on the sport and at the 1 1/2-mile track oval. Busch’s widow, Samantha, will be a part of the program, along with team owner Joe Gibbs and Cup Series drivers Christopher Bell, Noah Gragson, Daniel Suárez, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon.

The ceremony, which is free to fans, will conclude with a performance by country musician Cole Swindell.

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Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

Auto Racing

Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during the first free practice session ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Valtteri Bottas cycles from Sepang to Singapore ahead of the next F1 race

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Valtteri Bottas cycles from Sepang to Singapore ahead of the next F1 race

The Associated Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

SINGAPORE (AP) — Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas decided to cycle from Sepang to Singapore in the week between Grand Prix events.

The 37-year-old Cadillac driver set out for the next F1 stop in Singapore after failing to finish the Bahrain Grand Prix, being staged in Malaysia, last Sunday.

While other drivers and teams were preparing to fly from there to Singapore for this weekend's race, Bottas embarked on a ride of more than 320 kilometers (200 miles).

He posted on X to confirm the trip: “Yea I’m riding to Singapore... on the gravel roads less travelled.”

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Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

Auto Racing

Chase Briscoe’s win in Las Vegas keeps his NASCAR Cup Series championship hopes alive

Kirk Kern, The Associated Press 4 minute read Monday, Oct. 5, 2026

LAS VEGAS (AP) — If anyone thought Chase Briscoe was going to quietly slip out of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff picture, they clearly forgot to factor in his intermediate track pedigree.

Holding off a furious late-race charge from current points leader Kyle Larson and dicing through dense lapped traffic, Briscoe cashed in a jackpot performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to win the South Point 400.

The victory wasn’t just a validation of Joe Gibbs Racing’s 1.5-mile program — it kept Briscoe’s championship hopes alive heading into the final stretch of the season.

Leading a race-high 175 laps, Briscoe managed the clean-air dynamics flawlessly, executing a sweep of Stage 1 and Stage 2 to collect a maximum 75 total race points.

Auto Racing

Chase Briscoe navigates Turn 1 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Sam Morris)

Chase Briscoe fends off Kyle Larson’s last-lap surge to win in Las Vegas

Kirk Kern, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Chase Briscoe fends off Kyle Larson’s last-lap surge to win in Las Vegas

Kirk Kern, The Associated Press 3 minute read Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Chase Briscoe held off a last-lap charge from points leader Kyle Larson to win the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Briscoe swept all three stages on the 1.5-mile track to earn the maximum 75 playoff points. Larson lost control on the final stretch, hit the wall and collided with Tyler Reddick, who slid into the infield but still recovered to finish third.

“I saw Kyle charging hard behind me on those final laps,” Briscoe said. “He was pushing as hard as he possibly could on the high line, and I just tried to stick to my defensive marks, stay smooth, and protect the bottom. When you’re driving for a guaranteed spot in the Championship 4, nobody is going to give an inch.”

It was Briscoe’s first career Cup Series victory in Las Vegas, where he led a race-high 175 laps. Briscoe also moved up to sixth in The Chase standings.

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Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026

Auto Racing

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the formation lap prior to the delayed start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Verstappen wants a ‘lesson learned’ after software issues in F1 cars delay race start

James Ellingworth, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Verstappen wants a ‘lesson learned’ after software issues in F1 cars delay race start

James Ellingworth, The Associated Press 4 minute read Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026

Max Verstappen said he wants “a lesson learned” after Formula 1 drivers and fans were left waiting for software updates because the cars' algorithms weren’t able to handle a wet track.

The first attempt to start Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia ended in confusion as cars crawled around the Sepang track at slow speeds or stopped entirely as drivers and teams tried to restart their systems.

There was another delay of almost an hour while, Verstappen said, teams were trying to update the software to handle slippery conditions.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton likened it to gimmicky pre-race exhibitions in Lego cars the drivers have done previously as part of a sponsorship tie-ins.

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Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026

Auto Racing

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Verstappen beats Antonelli to win F1’s Bahrain GP in Malaysia as Russell retires

The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Verstappen beats Antonelli to win F1’s Bahrain GP in Malaysia as Russell retires

The Associated Press 4 minute read Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026

SEPANG, Malaysia (AP) — Max Verstappen's long wait for another Formula 1 race win is finally over. The title race might be over, too.

Verstappen took his first victory of an often-frustrating year for the four-time champion at Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Sunday. A retirement for George Russell handed a huge title boost to Kimi Antonelli.

Verstappen was leading from Antonelli and Russell behind the safety car with five laps to go when Russell suddenly pulled over in his Mercedes. 

The retirement allowed Antonelli to further stretch his lead over teammate Russell from 66 points to 84, with seven races remaining on the schedule, including those in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

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Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026

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