Automotors

Toyota is not planning to replace Rob Leupen as team director of its World Endurance Championship squad for next season.It has revealed that the duties at the race track undertaken by the Dutchman, who is leaving Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe in Cologne after 30 years of service, will be taken up by existing team members.TGRE vice-chairman Kazuki Nakajima explained that the plan is “to spread the …Keep reading

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu reckons that “everybody” is against 2026’s planned cost cap offset for Audi to account for Swiss wages, stating that it risks opening a can of worms.The higher average wage in Switzerland means that the current Sauber team operates at a theoretical disadvantage when it comes to funds available for development, assuming an equivalent-sized workforce to the teams …Keep reading

Aston Martin has revealed the first drivers for its 2025 World Endurance Championship campaign at the same time as confirming the Valkyrie AMR-LMH will miss January’s Daytona 24 Hours.Harry Tincknell and Alex Riberas have been named in the two Hypercar class entries by Aston Martin and The Heart of Racing factory team that will represent the British marque in both the WEC and the IMSA SportsCar …Keep reading

Formula 1 has modified the Las Vegas Strip circuit’s manhole and valve covers to prevent a repeat of Carlos Sainz’s heavy crash last year.During the very first practice session for Formula 1’s first race around the Las Vegas Strip, Sainz suffered a huge accident when his Ferrari dislodged a water valve cover on the main straight.The incident, which was caused by a failure of the cover’s concrete …Keep reading

Yuki Tsunoda has vowed to keep “destroying” every team-mate he has had in a bid to show Red Bull that he deserves a Formula 1 seat there.With Sergio Perez’s future at the main Red Bull squad in doubt beyond this year, the energy drinks company is evaluating what to do about the line-ups across both its main outfit and sister competitor RB.But while Tsunoda is the most experienced option in its …Keep reading

M-Sport-Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux grabbed an early Rally Japan lead after winning the opening super special stage at the World Rally Championship season finale.The final round of the season began with a 2.15km asphalt head-to-head super special stage held inside Toyota Stadium in Toyota City.Fourmaux faced eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier in a two-lap duel in front of a packed stadium …Keep reading

Oscar Piastri says that McLaren has rolled back its ‘Papaya Rules’ team orders – which means he is no longer automatically playing a support role to Lando Norris.As part of McLaren’s efforts to try to help Norris beat Max Verstappen to the drivers’ championship, the Woking-based squad got Piastri to help out when appropriate to maximise his team-mate’s points-scoring opportunities.This …Keep reading

The FIA has issued a technical directive to clamp down on Formula 1 teams exploiting a loophole in the rules over preventing plank wear.Motorsport.com understands the technical directive removes some freedoms provided by an earlier directive to help preserve the plank by installing supporting skid blocks on the floor.Under the current ground-effect regulations teams have been trying to run their …Keep reading

Autosport’s Moment of the Year Award is open to fan voting for the first time in 2024 and will be presented by Bahrain International Circuit.The 3.4-mile Sakhir track was opened in 2004 and hosts major international events, including the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix and World Endurance Championship Bahrain 8 Hours.It will now support the Moment of the Year Award, which aims to mark the highlight …Keep reading

Thierry Neuville has opened up on the balancing act he faces in Japan to secure a maiden World Rally Championship crown and contribute to Hyundai’s manufacturers’ title bid.Neuville heads into the season finale as the heavy favourite to claim what would be a career-defining title, with a 25-point lead over Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak. The Belgian only needs to score six points to seal the …Keep reading