Musings From the Weekend: The Price of Being Álex Palou

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

Porsche Penske Motorsport made history with its third consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona victory thanks to the #7 Porsche of Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich. Formula One teams have started revealing their 2026 cars. Mercedes' livery looks like it is honoring New Zealand. Williams has announced it will miss the Barcelona test. A number of Daytona 500 one-offs have been announced. Hailie Deegan's career has literally gone full circle. The World Rally Championship season opened from Monaco. The F1 movie was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Ed Carpenter Racing has promoted Matt Barnes to vice president of competition with Quentin Montigaud the new lead engineer for Alexander Rossi. Raul Prados will be Scott McLaughlin's engineer. However, IndyCar's biggest news of the week came from a London courtroom, and it involved the series champion.

The Price of Being Álex Palou

$12 million. Plus potential legal expenses. 

At the moment, that is the price of being Álex Palou after a London court awarded just over $12 million in damages to McLaren from Palou over a break of contract dating back to Palou's agreement to join the team after the 2023 season. 

Palou does have the right to appeal. 

So ends the three-and-a-half-year saga that started on July 12, 2022 when Palou publicly dismissed an announcement earlier that day from Chip Ganassi Racing that the team and Palou had agreed upon a contract extension. Palou had his sights on McLaren and was hoping to leave the team where he won the 2021 championship for an organization with a Formula One program, and that is where Palou thought he was ultimately heading. Palou could not get out of his Ganassi deal that went through the 2023 season, but all indication pointed to him heading to McLaren once 2024 rolled around.

While on his way to his second championship in August 2023, Palou announced he would not be joining McLaren but rather stay at Chip Ganassi Racing, setting in motion the legal dispute that was decided this past Friday.

Actions have consequences and the contractual gymnastics Palou pulled for a three-year period are going to cost him dearly. Indecisiveness and dishonesty put Palou in this position. Each step was a downfall because he was not clear with the parties he was working him, from the first conflict with Ganassi to the ultimate decision to turn his back on the McLaren he had previously wanted. What led to McLaren's pay day was also foolishness, because Palou thought he could get away with it twice. While he had to honor his final year at Ganassi, he did get what he wanted in the McLaren contract, but when he found himself wishing to stay with Ganassi, he thought he could break a deal for a second time without it harming him. 

Think again. 

Yet, there is empathy for Palou. 

During this trial, Palou has said he felt he had been misled with the McLaren when it would lead to a Formula One opportunity, only for McLaren to hear Oscar Piastri to join the Formula One program at the same time. He even said, "The only attraction to me in the approach from McLaren was the chance to go to F1." 

Palou was never going to end up driving for McLaren's F1 program, especially after Piastri was signed. A year as a Formula One reserve driver while still competing in IndyCar before a full-time switch was off the table. It didn't matter how dominated Palou was, it was a career move down a col-du-sac. He was going to become a McLaren IndyCar driver and a permanent Formula One reserve if he was lucky to even get that.

But we will never know if that was the case, the same way we never will know if Palou would have been successful driving for McLaren's IndyCar program, unless you are Judge Simon Picken, who ruled in McLaren's favor and determined the payment in relation to performance-based prize money it would have earned had Palou driven for McLaren. 

It is a stretch to believe Palou would have won no matter which team he was driving for, and if he had been with McLaren for the past two seasons, he would have won both championships and an Indianapolis 500. We all know it is not that simply, and motorsports is more than just the driver. A number of those victories came down to strategy calls from Barry Wanser and setups from engineer Julian Robertson. 

Would McLaren have been able to match what Ganassi had?

Need one be reminded of the number of strategy flubs McLaren had over the last two seasons, from Alexander Rossi needing to save fuel at the end of races when other didn't (see the 2024 Indianapolis 500 and the second Iowa race), or the wrong tire strategy for last year's Thermal Club race? Let's also not forget McLaren went winless in 2023 despite having O'Ward, Rossi and Felix Rosenqvist on the team, three past IndyCar race winners. 

McLaren likely would have done well, but that doesn't mean Palou would have achieved the exact same success. Seeing how McLaren performed, it is difficult to imagine Palou would have done better than he did competing for Ganassi, the team that is tied for most championships in IndyCar history. 

However, Palou's hemming and hawing over which team he would drive for did hurt McLaren. Sponsors signed with McLaren under the guise that Palou would be driving for the team. That cannot be ignored, and as we are seeing with NTT, McLaren had to renegotiate a deal that sees the sponsorship ending at the conclusion of this season, two years earlier than the original deal. McLaren is likely going to be fine, but it now has to do more work to generate the sponsorship for the 2027 and 2028 seasons that it previously had arranged. 

Were the damages really worth $12 million? 

Probably not, and while Palou can appeal, he is going to be paying back something in all likelihood. Some type of agreement will be reached. There is a chance Palou will be paying McLaren back for the rest of his career, especially if he has to cover the legal costs. At worst, he is paying about $1.5 million a year from his salary for the next ten to 15 years. He is only 28 years old. He will be around that long and, if he keeps winning at the rate he is, Palou isn't going to be struggling with money. 

It is still going to sting.

The strange thought about all this is based on his on-track success, if Palou was asked if he could go back and do anything different about the contract situation, there is a probably chance he wouldn't. He has won the last three championships. He won an Indianapolis 500. He has had some of the best seasons in IndyCar history and must already be considered one of the all-time greats. It could all be worth it in his eyes. Even if he is able to pay it, you must think it is an eye-opener for him. He might be doing well, but few feel comfortable losing $12 million. 

Not many make a fortune in IndyCar, but many lose it. Palou might have found a new way. Add that to his legacy.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Porsche, but did you know...

The #04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR Oreca of George Kurtz, Malthe Jakobsen, Alex Quinn and Toby Sowery won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW of Connor De Phillippi, Neil Verhagen, Dan Harper and Max Hesse won in GTD Pro. The #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Philip Ellis, Russell Ward, Lucas Auer and Indy Dontje won in GTD.

Oliver Solberg won the 94th Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Chase Sexton won the Supercross race from Anaheim. Haiden Deegan won the 250cc race, his second consecutive victory.

Coming Up This Weekend

NASCAR hold the Clash at Bowman-Gray Stadium.

The Asian Le Mans Series runs two races at Dubai.

Supercross makes it way to Houston, and it is a Triple Crown round.

Formula E will race at the Miami International Autrodrome.

2026 IMSA Season Preview

The one thing to look forward toward in the cold of January is the 24 Hours of Daytona, and with a winter storm brewing that could swarm most of the Eastern part of the United States, the sunshine and palm trees of the Atlantic Coast could be a nice distract. A 24-hour race will keep plenty busy inside as the weather turns inhospitable outside. 

Daytona is more than just an endurance race, but the opening round to the IMSA season, which will see 11 rounds contested through the first weekend in October. 

Schedule

In terms of venues, there are no changes to the 2026 season, but race lengths are changing at a pair of events.

With the 24 Hours of Daytona opening the season this weekend, the 12 Hours of Sebring will follow as the second round on March 21. One month later, the GTP and GTD classes will run at Long Beach on April 18. GTD Pro will join those two classes on May 3 at Laguna Seca. GTP and GTD Pro will race at Detroit on May 30. 

The 6 Hours of the Glen marks the halfway point of the season on June 28. In July 12, LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD will race at Mosport. Road America will host a six-hour race on August 2, the first time it has hosted an endurance race since IMSA's reunification. 

The only GT-only race will be on August 23 at Virginia International Raceway. All four classes will run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 20, the only regular distance race with every class competing in this season. Petit Le Mans closes the season from Road America on October 3.

What is Different?

GTP

The defending GTP champions are not defending. Porsche Penske Motorsport has three new full-time drivers. Mathieu Jaminet has left the program to race for the Genesis Magma Racing program in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Matt Campbell will be an Endurance Cup-only driver this season in the #6 Porsche. Laurens Vanthoor and Kévin Estre will be back as the full-time drivers. 

Felipe Nasr is the one returning Porsche Penske driver with Julian Andlauer being his full-time co-driver. Laurin Heinrich will be the #7 Porsche's Endurance Cup driver after running for AO Racing in GTD Pro.

Team WRT has taken over the BMW M Hybrid V8 program from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The full-time drivers are the same but Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor will be in the #24 BMW with Philipp Eng and Marco Wittmann taking over the #25 BMW.

JDC-Miller Motosports is back, but it has Nico Pino joining Tijman van der Helm full-time.

LMP2

TDS Racing has an entirely new lineup with Tobias Lütke and David Heinemeier Hansson move over from Era Motorsport, and they will have Mathias Beche joining the program. 

Era Motorsport has set an endurance lineup of Ferdinand Habsburg, Naveen Rao and Jacob Abel. Logan Sargeant will run at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Intersport Racing is back running with HMD Motorsports. Oliver Jarvis and Jon Field will be the full-time drivers. Seth Lucas will run the endurance races. 

Bryan Herta Autosport and PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports have partnered with Misha Goikhberg moving back after six season in GTD. Harry Tincknell will be his co-driver.

GTD Pro

With Heinrich moving to the Porsche Penske Motorsport GTP program in an endurance role, AO Racing has taken in Nick Tandy for the #77 Porsche, and Harry King will be the second co-driver after King spent 2025 in GT World Challenge Europe and racing a GT300 entry in Super GT.

Klaus Bachler moves from AO Racing to Manthey Racing to drive the #911 Porsche in an Endurance Cup entry with Ricardo Feller and Thomas Preining. Ayhancan Güven will complete the lineup at Daytona.

Pfaff Motorsports will have Sandy Mitchell partner Andrea Caldarelli in the #9 Lamborghini.

VasserSullivan is reuniting Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat in the #14 Lexus.

Ford Multimatic Motorsports has shaken up the #64 Mustang entry with Dennis Olsen and Ben Barker both expanding from Endurance Cup drivers to full-time drivers. The 2025 full-time drivers Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx will run the endurance races in the #64 Ford and #65 Ford respectively. 

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing remain in IMSA, but RLLR will now run the McLaren program in GTD Pro. Max Esterson and Nikita Johnson will be the full-time drivers.

GTD

With Barnicoat back in GTD Pro, Aaron Telitz drops to GTD and he will share the #12 Lexus with Benjamin Pedersen, and Frankie Montecalvo will be the Endurance Cup driver.

Riley Motorsports will run a Ford Mustang in the class, and its full-time drivers will be Felipe Fraga and Sheena Monk. Jenson Altzman will join the #16 Ford lineup for the endurance races.

Heart of Racing Team will have Eduardo Barrichello as one of its full-time drivers in the #27 Aston Martin. Barrichello will have Tom Gamble, Zachary Robichon and Mattia Drudi join him at Daytona. 

Manny Franco has a new co-driver at Conquest Racing. Albert Costa will join him in the #34 Ferrari.

Mason Filippi will be full-time for DXDT Racing in the #36 Corvette. Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluç will run the endurance races. 

Gradient Racing has Joey Hand and Jake Walker together in the #66 Ford Mustang. 

DragonSpeed is back in the category with the #81 Corvette for Giacomo Altoè and Henrik Hedman. 

Callum Ilott has added full-time IMSA driver to his IndyCar responsibilities. Ilott will be in the #120 Porsche for Wright Motorsports with Adam Adelson. 

What is the Same?

GTP

None of the three Cadillac teams changed its drivers. Whelen Racing will have Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber in the #31 Cadillac while Wayne Taylor Racing has kept Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque together in the #10 Cadillac. Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz remain a pair in the #40 Cadillac. 

Meyer Shank Racing has kept Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun together in the #60 Acura, and unchanged is the #93 Acura of Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly.

Aston Martin THOR Team will run Roman De Angelis and Ross Gunn in the #23 Aston Martin.

LMP2

The champions are back with Dane Cameron and P.J. Hyett together in the #99 Oreca for AO Racing.

Dan Goldburg will be in the #22 United Autosport Oreca with a co-driver for the full season still undecided. 

Sébastien Bourdais and John Farano remain together in the #8 Oreca for Tower Motorsport.

CrowdStrike Racing by APR continues with George Kurtz driving alongside Malthe Jakobsen, Alex Quinn and Toby Sowery.

Inter Europol Competition has Jermey Clarke and Bijoy Garg together in the #43 Oreca.

Pratt Miller Motorsports will continue with Pietro Fittipaldi and Chris Cumming in the #73 Oreca.

GTD Pro

Corvette is unchanged. Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims will defend the class championship in the #3 Corvette. Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg will drive the #4 Corvette.

Paul Miller Racing has kept the #1 BMW with Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen, but the #48 BMW is gone. However, Max Hesse remains as an endurance driver. Dan Harper will run Daytona only. 

Christopher Mies and Frédéric Vervisch remain together in the #65 Ford Mustang. 

GTD

Winward Racing is keeping the band together. Russell Ward and Philip Ellis attempt to win a third consecutive GTD championship in the #57 Mercedes-AMG.

Turner Motorsport keeps Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher together in the #96 BMW.

Wayne Taylor Racing will continue to run the #45 Lamborghini for Danny Formal and Trent Hindman.

What is fun about Daytona?

Every year the first round of the IMSA season brings out top drivers from around the world of motorsports to compete in the first major endurance race of the season. 

Álex Palou and Scott Dixon are back with Meyer Shank Racing with Palou in the #93 Acura and Dixon in the #60. Palou has Kakunoshin Ohta also joining the #93 Acura for Daytona while A.J. Allmendinger is back in the 24 Hours of Daytona for the first time since 2021 as the fourth driver in the #60 entry.

Colton Herta will still run the endurance races in the #40 Cadillac despite his new Formula Two endeavor. 

BMW has Robin Frijns and René Rast rounding out the #24 BMW's lineup while Kevin Magnussen and Raffaele Marciello will be in the #25 BMW.

Connor Zilisch joins the #31 Whelen Racing Cadillac team alongside Aitken, Bamber and endurance driver Frederik Vesti.

In LMP2, Inter Europol Competition has entered a one-off for Nick Cassidy, Nolan Siegel, Jakub Śiechowski and Georgios Kolovos. AF Corse is back with François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxivière, Nicklas Nielsen and Dylan Murry. Enzo Fittipaldi will join his brother Pietro in the Pratt Miller entry. Christian Rasmussen and Jonny Edgar round out the AO Racing #99 Oreca lineup.

Triarsi Competizione will have the #033 Ferrari entered in GTD Pro for James Calado, Miguel Molina, Riccardo Agostini and Alessio Rovera. Winward Racing will give GTD Pro a crack with the #48 Mercedes-AMG for Maxime Martin, Jason Hart, Luca Stolz and Scott Noble. Risi Competizione is back after a year away from Daytona. Alessandro Pier Guidi, Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra will drive the #62 Ferrari. 

Kenny Habul's 75 Express Mercedes-AMG has brought together Will Power for his Daytona debut along with Chaz Mostert. Maro Engel is the lone non-Australian in the #75 Mercedes-AMG lineup. Bartone Bros with GetSpeed is running the #69 Mercedes-AMG for Maximilian Götz, Jules Gounon, Fabian Schiller and Anthony Bartone. 

James Hinchcliffe and Mirko Bortolotti will round up the #9 Pfaff Lamborghini entry. Kyle Kirkwood is back as the #14 Lexus' third driver.

GTD will see Romain Grosjean (#16 Myers Riley Ford), Scott McLaughlin (#36 DXDT Racing Corvette) and Marcus Ericsson (#45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini) all compete in the class as additional drivers. 

AF Corse has Antonio Fuoco heading up the #21 Ferrari along with Lilou Wadoux, Simon Mann and Tommaso Mosca. Triarsi Competizione will run the #023 Ferrari for Kenton Koch, Robert Megennis, Onofrio Triarsi and Yifei Ye.

Manthey Racing will bring out the #912 Porsche for Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera, Ryan Hardwick and Morris Schuring. 

What is at stake at Daytona?

Porsche has won the last two years with the #7 entry and six different drivers. The only consistent participant has been Felipe Nasr. The Brazilian will attempt to become the third driver with with three consecutive Daytona victories joining Peter Gregg and Hélio Castroneves. Porsche has not won at Daytona in three consecutive years since an 11-year run from 1977 though 1987. 

Prior to this two-year run for Porsche Penske Motorsport, Wayne Taylor Racing won three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021 and Meyer Shank Racing won consecutive years in 2022 and 2023.

Whelen Racing ended the 2025 season with a pair of victories at Indianapolis and Road Atlanta. However, Whelen Racing has never won the 24 Hours of Daytona. Action Express Racing, which operates the program, won the race three times, most recently in 2018 with the Mustang Sampling Racing program. 

BMW's only win as a constructor was in 1976 when Peter Gregg, Brian Redman and John Fitzpatrick won in a Brumos Racing BMW 3.0 CSL. BMW won twice more as an engine manufacturer during the Daytona Prototype era. Both those victories came powering Riley chassis for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2011 and 2013.

There has not been an all-European driver lineup to win at Daytona since 2002 when Doran Lista Racing won with Belgian Didier Theys, Swiss Fredy Lienhard, and Italians Max Papis and Mauro Baldi. That does not bode well for the #25 BMW group, which hosts four Europeans.

Wayne Taylor Racing is one victory away from tying Brumos Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing for most 24 Hours of Daytona victories at six. 

Scott Dixon could become the seventh driver to win the 24 Hours of Daytona on four occasions. Dixon won in 2006, 2015 and 2020. This will be Dixon's 23rd consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona start, tying with him Hurley Haywood and Andy Lally for second all-time. Boris Said holds the record with 25.

Twenty-three of the 226 drivers will be making their IMSA debut.

2026 IndyCar Team Preview: A.J. Foyt Racing

And then we were 39 days away from the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season. There have still be 143 days since the most recent race. Another month and change does not feel like that much time. The final pieces are falling into place though A.J. Foyt Racing had its driver lineup set 76 days ago. 

The 2025 season was not as great as the 2024 season for the Foyt group, but it was still far stronger than where the organization has been in recent seasons. On a few occasions, a victory was within reach even on days when it felt like a stretch. It nearly pulled off a stunner in Detroit. This year will see another driver change and the team is getting younger, which historically has not been good for the Foyt organization.

At A Glance... This is where we learn where this team stands

Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern. 

The technical alliance with Team Penske has proven to be a success for A.J. Foyt Racing. It went from a team that had one top ten finish in 2023 and zero drivers finishing in the top fifteen of the championship over eight seasons to a top the championship team in 2024 and it fell just short of getting back in there in 2025. Its three podium finishes in 2025 is as many as the Foyt team had in the previous ten seasons. 

Foyt has moved up to a higher level, even if it is only in the middle of the field, but we will find out this year where the organization stands. Another season with a driver pushing for the top ten in the championship confirms the team is a solid mid-pack team after being constantly in the cellar. However, a slip will cause questions if the alliance has maxed out and if Penske is still giving Foyt enough to remain a challenger. 

The rest of the IndyCar grid is improving. Meyer Shank Racing leapfrogged Foyt in its first year partnered with Chip Ganassi Racing, and MSR put both cars in the top eight of the championship. Dale Coyne Racing made a big jump with Rinus VeeKay, and now it will have Andretti Global partnering on a car with Dennis Hauger. Ed Carpenter Racing won a race last year while Foyt has had a few close calls but did not come out on top. Then there is the strengthened Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing group. The middle of the pack is only getting tougher, and it will be easy to slip behind if an organization is not on point. 

For Foyt, it must show growth this year to believe it has cemented itself as a competitive group. We have many years as an example of how A.J. Foyt Racing is run and operated to know it is a fish out of a water at the moment. Podium finishes, top five finishes on street courses, top ten in the championship, it is all a fluke until it becomes regular. One more season can at least lead you to believe the team has turned a corner, but there are plenty of teams that will be looking to push Foyt down the order, and they just might find themselves squeezed out. 

Until otherwise seen, it must be believed this group will remain competitive on ovals, and that will lift their season. Santino Ferrucci has the pace to be a race winner on ovals. His road and street course form is still not enough to be trusted. Ferrucci did well in 2024, but his best finishes in 2025 came after timely cautions lifted him up the order. Banking on luck is not a winning strategy. There is a step he must take but he has been competing regularly in IndyCar since 2019. This could be his ceiling.

Adding Caio Collet brings in a respectable Indy Lights talent who progressed between year one and two in the junior series. Collet is preparing for IndyCar in terms of the circuits and there will be no surprises. However, Foyt does not have a great track record with young drivers. See Benjamin Pedersen, Dalton Kellett and Matheus Leist. 

If there is any encouragement, Foyt had both cars running competitively. David Malukas was the top driver in the team's second entry. If it wasn't for the 26 points Ferrucci lost for a penalty due to improper ballast installation at Detroit, the two drivers would have finished a point apart in favor of Ferrucci. The team was on the doorstep of the championship top ten with both cars. That is a good spot to be in. Now comes maintaining that form with another change to the driver lineup.

2025 A.J. Foyt Racing Review

Wins: 0

Best Finish: 2nd (Detroit, Road America)

Poles: 0

Best Start: 2nd (Detroit, Milwaukee, Nashville)

Championship Finishes: 11th (David Malukas), 16th (Santino Ferrucci)

Caio Collet - #4 Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

3: Rookies that completed a full season for A.J. Foyt Racing in the last eight seasons

23: Average championship finish for those three rookie drivers

15: Podium finishes in 28 Indy Lights starts for Collet

21: Top five finishes in 28 Indy Lights starts

What is the best possible outcome?

Foyt remains on the level we saw in 2025, Collet acclimates quickly to the car and has good speed from the start, he picks up a handful of top ten finishes and he is somewhere between 11th and 15th in the championship, like where both Foyt cars were last season. 

What is realistic?

We haven't seen Collet in the car in a session that matters. We have no idea how he is going to figure into the running order. A realistic season is Collet has a few top ten finishes, he is the top rookie, and he cracks the top fifteen in the championship, but what feels more likely is Collet is somewhere around 17th or 18th in the championship. 

Last year, none of the three rookies finished in the top twenty in the championship. The year before that, the best rookie was 16th and no others finished in the top twenty. In 2023, Marcus Armstrong was rookie of the year in 20th after not running any of the ovals. The rest was outside the top twenty. You must go back to 2022 to find a rookie that finished in the top fifteen of the championship, and Christian Lundgaard was 14th. David Malukas was also 16th that year. The last rookies to finish in the top ten of the championship was in 2019 when Felix Rosenqvist was sixth and Colton Herta was seventh. 

Based on recent IndyCar history, Collet will have a battle to crack the top fifteen and we should not be expecting that. 

Santino Ferrucci - #14 Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

9: Top ten finishes in Ferrucci's first 41 road/street course starts from 2019 through 2024

9: Top ten finishes in Ferrucci's 20 road/street course starts in the last two seasons

9: Ferrucci's only top ten start in the 2025 season was ninth in the first Iowa race

What is the best possible outcome?

Ferrucci's oval form is spectacular, and that carries his season. Six top five finishes with a victory or two elevates his championship finish and respectable road and street course results has him in the picture for the top five in the championship. He could be fifth, but he more likely misses out and ends up sixth or seventh in the championship in a standout season for the Foyt team.

What is realistic?

Somewhere between his 2024 season and his 2025 season is where we see Ferrucci fall in 2026. It would be no surprise if he wins an oval race. It will not be easy considering the level of competition, but even if he does not win, we know Ferrucci is going to be quick and he will get some results. He is going to get a few top tens and a few of those will likely be top five finishes. At that point, it will come down to his road and street course form. 

The last few seasons have been better for Ferrucci and the Foyt team, but it does feel like the team is at the limit. It can run well, but a championship is a little much when Álex Palou, Scott Dixon, Patricio O'Ward and three Team Penske entries are on the grid. It will take a lot to crack the top five. Ferrucci was ninth in the championship two years ago. He can replicate that form and surprise no one in 2026. However, someone is going to improve and jump forward in 2026. It could be Foyt, but Foyt could also be the team that loses ground because another organization is flat out better, and slipping down to 14th or 15th in the championship is just part of the cycle of competition. 

The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season begins on Sunday March 1 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Fox's coverage will begin at noon Eastern.

Musings From the Weekend: The Chase Resumes

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the sixth time. Luciano Benavides overcame a three-minute and 20-second deficit in the final stage to win the bike class by two seconds over Ricky Brabec. Paul Navarro won in the Challenger class. American Brock Heger led an American 1-2 in the SSV class with Kyle Chaney in second. Vaidotas Žala was on top in the truck class. Meanwhile, Dario Franchitti returned to competition. IndyCar aired a commercial. IMSA ran the Roar before the 24 at Daytona. However, the news of the week happened on Monday, even though we all saw it coming. 

The Chase Resumes

One week after NASCAR announced a return to a "Chase format," a ten-race aggregate that will determine the champion instead of a multi-round, elimination format, the feeling remains the same. This was as good as it was going to get. 

The level of dissatisfaction with the championship format throughout the 2025 season was too much to ignore, and it tipped over at the end of the season. Something was going to change. The exact change was the mystery entering the offseason, knowing the answer would not be revealed until January.

It was not a change to a multi-race final round. It was not a return to a 36-race aggregate. It was in the middle. 

The first 26 races will determine the championship eligible drivers. It will be the top 16 on points. No more win-and-in. No more playoff points. No drivers clinching playoff spots at the Daytona 500. No fluke winners getting in thanks to a rain-shortened race and despite having only five top ten finishes and being 27th in points. Once the field is set, it will be whoever has the most points after the final ten races. 

A few tweaks were made to the points system. A race winner will now get 55 points, which theoretically makes it impossible for any other finisher to score more points than the race winner, but I think NASCAR forgot it started awarding a point for fastest lap last season, and second-place can still score a maximum 56 points. Either way, it incentivized winning more than the previous season. All these things have been done to encouraging winning and fighting for first rather than settling for second or third or so on. 

It is different, and it is getting away from the flawed system that NASCAR used for 12 seasons. There is some satisfaction. "Compromise" was said a lot. It isn't a full season aggregate, but it isn't boiling down to the result of the final race. Not that the ten-race aggregate was without blemishes. The first 26 races do not carry the same weight. They matter, but they do not decide the champion. They decide who could be champion. Regular season championship finish will determine how many points a driver starts with, and carry some weight, but 26 races are reduced to five points between positions. If you are lucky, you start first and with a 25-point cushion. 

Again, compromise. It could be worse. 

NASCAR was never going to do anything that ambitious. It was never going to flip the system upside down, adopt the FIA points system where only the top ten finishers would earn points, and despite the drumbeat, a full season aggregate felt just out of reach. It was too large of a swing in the other direction. It was going to stick with its comfort zone. 

It might be a comfort zone, but it is a shock to the system. Rarely do you hear NASCAR admit it made a mistake. The phrase "we screwed up" was never uttered, but the format change and the admission the previous system was flawed, confusing and acknowledging it didn't attract any casual viewers is as close as we were going to get. However, this is a return to a NASCAR that had been long abandoned. 

Those on stage were not praising "game seven" moments. They were not talking about aggressive, go-for-broke racing. It was almost a return to sanity, a recognization that having the battle for ninth being the most important thing at the end of the race was not for the better of the series. "Consistency" did not become a taboo word to say. 

For over a decade, the dominoes fell as NASCAR chased (mind the pun) attention through drama and it altered its appearance. Will this change lead to further changes? 

Does Daytona need to be the regular season finale? Shouldn't that use move back to July? Does Bristol need to be in the playoffs? Does Martinsville need to be the penultimate race? What about playoff race rotation? For the first half of the 2020s, NASCAR set itself on being open to schedule changes and rotating races to keep it fresh, especially with the elimination format. With that gone, is it necessary and what push will there be?

One of the flaws with the original Chase format was how the final ten races didn't change, and many attribute that to as to why Jimmie Johnson was so successful, but if the final ten races all count, do they have to rotate? I would make an argument they should, but is that urge still going to be there? 

We are going to see how NASCAR continues to adjust in 2027 and onward. If there is one thing NSACAR does best, it is continue to make tweaks to its system. We are starting 2026 with it being the top 16 drives on points, but if Shane van Gisbergen wins four times in the regular season in points and ends up 21st in points, does that lead to "wild cards" returning for two or three or four races winners? Will it become the top 14 plus two or the top 12 plus four? 

The system we have today likely will not be identical when 2030 rolls around. History shouts that clearly.

I don't think the format change will drive away van Gisbergen. I think he will embrace the challenge of trying to be in the top 16. With more points for winning a race, if he wins enough, he could crack the top 16. After all, Juan Pablo Montoya qualified for a 12-drive Chase. It isn't impossible. It will require work, and it is clear van Gisbergen isn't going to be scared off but rather work to reach that mark.

For 2026, we know what it will take to make the Chase, and that will be in the top 16. Drivers are still going to clinch playoff spots early, but they aren't going to clinch in February. It will still likely come down to the final race to decide the final spots in the top 16. There will still be a cutline to watch, even if it is only after one race. Everyone will have the same bar to shoot for. A victory will be nice, but it will not entirely cover for a poor season. A victory isn't going to lift a driver from 29th to 16th. It can be a nice boost to a season, but not elevated to an unnecessarily high level.

Until we see how this system plays out, we will not know how it will work, and one year is not enough of a sample size. This year will be an adjustment, but mostly to the tone. How NASCAR talks about itself during a race and week-to-week will change, and it will be tough to change. This system will feel foreign at times because this has been forgotten territory. The paths are still there, they just need a weed-whacker to be cleared. 

The funnest thing that occurred to me in the immediate aftermath of this format is the continued use of stage points actually makes it more likely that a championship could be clinched early. What if that were to happen in year one of the Chase's return? Keep that in mind over this season. 

Winners From the Weekend

You know about the Dakar Rally winners but did you know...

The #669 Team WRT BMW of Kelvin van der Linde, Jordan Pepper, Fran Rueda, Ben Tuck and Anthony McIntosh won the Dubai 24 Hour

Emerson Axsom won the Chili Bowl

Eli Tomac won the Supercross race from San Diego. Haiden Deegan won the 250cc race.

Coming Up This Weekend

It is time for the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Rallye Monte-Carlo opens the 2026 World Rally Championship season.

2026 IndyCar Team Preview: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

We are 44 days away from the St. Petersburg season opener for the 2026 IndyCar season, and some teams will be welcoming new drivers to the fold. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is one of those teams. It will be another year with a rookie behind the wheel, but the team is hoping to grow upon what was learned in 2025. 

Last year, none of the RLLR entries finished better than 19th in the championship. There were a few good races and it came closer to winning a race in 2025 than about half the grid, but it could not pull out a much-needed victory. There are reasons to believe things will get better in 2026, but expectations should be tampered. This team has to make a step before it should think it could land a massive leap.

At a Glance... They did something notable

RLLR signed Mick Schumacher to fill out its driver lineup while retaining Graham Rahal and Louis Foster. 

It is something. 

Schumacher is coming to IndyCar after a pair of seasons running for Alpine in the FIA World Endurance Championship. This came after a forgettable two seasons in Formula One. Despite being a Formula Two champion, Schumacher did not make any waves at Haas and the Formula One grid moved on. He is a driver motivated and wanted to be in single-seater racing. IndyCar is one of the limited options that fulfills that desire. 

He passed the audition after a test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course last autumn, and RLLR hopes this known name will help turnaround a program. 

Schumacher is the headline acquisition. It is not just his junior series success and Formula One experience, but it is the familiarity with the Drive to Survive audience and the thrill of having the son of one of the greatest race car drivers of all-time competition that has potential to grab some attention. However, Schumacher is what everyone will see on the surface. RLLR made moves deeper than that. 

Gavin Ward has joined the team after a year sabbatical when he left the Arrow McLaren organization. Ward was previously a champion at Team Penske working with Josef Newgarden. Brian Barnhart has also become RLLR's senior vice president of operations after a stint at McLaren. The team also brought in Kyle Sagan from McLaren as its pit stop manager.

This was team president Jay Frye's first chance to mold the team after he joined RLLR last April, and Frye is looking to improve across the board. It isn't just having better setups and develop better dampers but it is having better pit stops and running better strategies. This is a full effort to move the team up the grid through a comprehensive system change. 

Every offseason the likes of RLLR, Ed Carpenter Racing, A.J. Foyt Racing and so on talk about the changes made that should lead to better results. Every team is making changes to improve. No one is sitting still. One fix isn't going to take a team from 19th to fifth. For the last three seasons, RLLR has been trying to get better and continued to slip backward. The good news is the team did find some speed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and avoided being in the bumping battle during Indianapolis 500 qualifying. Consider that step one complete. Now comes checking off a few more boxes. 

There is plenty of knowhow within this organization that stagnation does not seem possible. This was an offseason that should lead to some growth. It isn't going to flip results overnight, but this team should see all three of its cars move forward.

Graham Rahal is a still a respectable driver, and he wouldn't have been knocking on the door for victory last year on the IMS road course if he didn't still have some ability in him to wrestle the most out of a car. Results did not always show the pace Louis Foster carried in 2025. In year two, Foster should be able to finish races stronger than he did as a rookie. Which leads to Schumacher, who is not entering a settled organization, but a team that is in the process of working out the kinks and will be experimenting at times.

Enough has been done that we should be seeing RLLR in a more positive light this season than we have over the last few years. It isn't going to be perfect, but it should be fascinating to see what strides are made.

2025 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Review

Wins: 0

Best Finish: 4th (Portland)

Poles: 0

Best Start: 2nd (Grand Prix of Indianapolis)

Championship Finishes: 19th (Graham Rahal), 23rd (Louis Foster), 26th (Devlin DeFrancesco)

Graham Rahal - #15 Fifth Third Bank/United Rentals Honda

Numbers to Remember:

5: Consecutive top ten finishes on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course

4: Consecutive seasons finishing outside the championship top ten

17: Finishes outside the top fifteen in the last 34 races

What is the best possible outcome?

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing returns to the form seen prior to 2020, Rahal gets his seven to nine finishes a season between sixth and tenth, he has another two or three finishes in the top five or on the podium, and that is enough for Rahal to get back in the top ten of the championship. A high point could be seeing everything continue to click at the IMS road course, and Rahal is able to turn that speed into a victory after a few close calls, and that gets to be his high point of the season.

What is realistic?

For every team in IndyCar, the top fifteen is the bare minimum. If everything goes right, every team is capable of cracking the top fifteen. It isn't great, but it is pretty understandable considering the level of competition. 

That is the goal for all three RLLR entries after none of them finished better than 19th in the championship last year. You don't have to finish in the top ten in half the races to make the top fifteen. Rahal had three top ten finishes last year. If he doubles that and has more finishes inside the top twenty, the top fifteen is in play. If strides have actually been made, it will be a fight to break into the top half of the championship.

Louis Foster - #45 Mi-Jack Honda

Numbers to Remember:

7: Finishes between 11th and 15th in 2025

6: Top ten starts in 2025

6: Times finishing better than his starting position

0: Of those came when he started in the top ten

What is the best possible outcome?

The qualifying pace is still there and possibly gets better. In turn, Foster's race form improves greatly. Most of the races he starts in the top ten end in top ten finishes, and in a few of those he does better. He gets a top five finish or two and has a run for a podium in at least one race. With these results, he can get into the top fifteen of the championship and he could be pushing closer to 12th or 13th in the championship. 

What is realistic?

Foster likely should have had a top ten finish or two in 2025. I am not sure he should have had more than that. He might have been 21st in the championship instead of 23rd if that was the case. If he can match his race finishes to the qualifying pace we saw, he can crack the top fifteen and be just outside the top ten of the championship, and he would be one of the feel-good stories of the season. He should have learned from last season and should improve. 

I don't think we are going to see the best case scenario. A good step would be five or six top ten finishes with maybe one of those being a top five race where he is in the top ten all day and deserved that finish. He could still fall short of the top fifteen but if he gets up to 16th or 17th it is a good step in a sophomore season. 

Mick Schumacher - #47 Honda

Numbers to Remember:

1,197: Days between Schumacher's most recent single-seater start (2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix) and the 2026 season opener from St. Petersburg

4: Podium finishes in two seasons with Alpine in the World Endurance Championship

17.7307: Average finish for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entries in the 2025 season

What is the best possible outcome?

Christian Lundgaard 2.0.

Schumacher finds immediate comfort in the car and it allows him to extract good results on road and street courses. A few circuits suit him particularly well, and he shines at the IMS road course as one of the front-runners. He is able to make the Fast Six at a few circuits. The ovals are tough for him, but the results are respectable because he is completing laps and gaining experience. A season with about seven to nine top ten finishes with one or two races in the top five and potentially sneaking on the podium with a finish somewhere between 12th and 15th in the championship would be a strong first year.

What is realistic?

The best possible outcome is realistic, but it is not a guarantee. RLLR slid backward significantly from where it was when Lundgaard entered the picture full-time in 2022. Lundgaard also carried a confidence we have not seen from Schumacher, and I am not sure Schumacher can develop it in one season. There is a reserved nature to the German and that time struggling in Formula One with Haas could have hardened that shell and prevent him from getting more out of the car. It could hold back results. 

This entry was 26th out of 27th in the championship last year as the #30 Honda. There is only room to go up for Schumacher. He must at least be mixing it up with the other two RLLR drivers. He cannot be third of the three on the regular basis, and I don't think that will be the case. There should be races where Schumacher ends up leading the team, even if it does not mean he is a dozen positions ahead of the other two drivers. Top fifteen is possible, but he could have some off days and drop to 17th, 18th or 19th. Finishing as the best RLLR driver is possible. I would expect five or six top ten finishes, and if things click quickly he could get up to eight or nine top ten finishes. 

The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season begins on Sunday March 1 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Fox's coverage will begin at noon Eastern.

2026 IndyCar Team Preview: Team Penske

Forty-six days. That is all between us and the first race of the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season. Time is vanishing quickly, and we must start previewing the entires for this upcoming campaign. Most grid spots are set. Plenty of drivers are in new locations, and everyone is hoping to improve from the year before.

Change has occurred at Team Penske, and team likely wants more change than has already happened. The 2025 season was the organization's worst in over a quarter-century. It was pretty good for most IndyCar teams, but Team Penske is not most IndyCar teams. It expects to be a regular contender, and that was not the case. After upheaval midseason, Penske has been able to reset ahead of 2026. Will that time allow the team to rise back to the top?

At a Glance... It Cannot be Worse

Team Penske went ninth, tenth and 12th in the championship last year. The team only won twice, and it didn't win until the 15th race of the season. Every time you thought it could not get worse for Team Penske, something swung against them. Mechanical issues, spinning cars, untimely cautions. Then there was the technical violation for illegal modifications to the attenuators found during Indianapolis 500 qualifying. All the mojo went against the team. The unthinkable kept happening at Team Penske. 

It cannot be worse.

Races went against Team Penske at an alarmingly unlucky race. It is one thing to lose one race due to an untimely caution. It is another thing to lose races due to an untimely caution, tire strategy, mechanical issues and Louis Foster spinning into the path of Josef Newgarden while leading comfortably. Team Penske probably should have had two or three more victories in 2025 and be slightly off, not shockingly far from its normal position. 

The managerial changes that saw Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski and Kyle Moyer dismissed from the team after the illegal attenuator modifications were found at Indianapolis certainly threw the team off. All three of those individuals were key when it came to strategy and setup on the cars. There were races where Penske didn't have the pace we were used to seeing, and it was likely down to a group fighting from behind. 

An offseason should cure those issues. Everyone is starting at the same spot and everyone should be on the same page. That is going to help team cohesion, and it should help that every team should be a developed group. Even for Team Penske, having guys come in midseason disrupts the flow and there is a learning curve as everyone works together. That should not be an issue at the start of this season. 

The team should rise. I doubt everyone will be in the same hole we saw last year. Beyond the managerial changes, this team is moving into life without Will Power. That is going to be an adjustment. Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin are capable of leading, but there is a trusted member that is gone who definitely extracted more speed at times when it was needed. That is a void that will be tough to overcome if not impossible in year one without Power.

Team Penske is going to find a way to be strong and competitive. It could have a few blips, but it isn't going to have the same number of unfortunate events go against in 2026. That alone is going to see its drivers move up the order, but it will not necessarily make the team championship contenders. It can get there, but it is going to be far more difficult.

2025 Team Penske Review

Wins: 2 (Portland, Nashville)

Poles: 3 (St. Petersburg, Gateway, Iowa I)

Championship Finishes: 9th (Will Power), 10th (Scott McLaughlin), 12th (Josef Newgarden)

Josef Newgarden - #2 Astemo/PPG/Shell/Snap-On Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

7: Finishes outside the top twenty last year

10: Consecutive seasons with an oval victory, the longest streak in IndyCar history

1,421: Days between Newgarden's most recent victory on a road/street course (Road America 2022) and the 2026 season opener from St. Petersburg

What is the best possible outcome?

We know Newgarden can be a champion. That is not out of the question, but it would require a big shift from last season. It would require more than three top five finishes including some on road and street courses. Outside of a third at St. Petersburg, his next best road/street course finish was ninth at Detroit. If he can avoid mistakes, both forced and unforced, and Newgarden can keep up his oval form while rediscovering a road and street course spark, he could be champion with a handful of victories.

What is realistic?

Newgarden has to get back into the championship top ten. He was 40 points on the outside last year. For a good portion of the season finale it appeared Newgarden was on his way for a winless season. I don't think Newgarden will find himself in such a position this season. I don't think he will go into the final oval race without a victory. The problem is his pace on road and street courses has not quite been up to snuff and challenging the likes of Álex Palou, Patricio O'Ward and Kyle Kirkwood in recent years.

If everything clicks on ovals, he could make the championship top five. I don't expect the road/street course woes to flip overnight. They can improve. It I don’t see Newgarden being the guy to beat or in the conversation at 80% of those races. There will be more days where he is fighting from the back half of the top ten to get into that top tier. If he is competing at that level, it will require perfection on the ovals to be champion. The fight should be to get back into the top five.

Scott McLaughlin - #3 DEX Imaging/XPEL/Gallagher/Pennzoil/Sonsio/Good Ranchers/Odyssey Battery/Freightliner Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

13.17647: Average finish in 2025, the best among the Team Penske drivers

112: Laps led in 2025

14: Laps led on road/street courses in 2025

What is the best possible outcome?

It should not be unthinkable that McLaughlin could be champion. He was not that far off in 2024. It is still an adjustment when you consider McLaughlin's lack of open-wheel experience up until five years ago, but we have seen him succeed on all three track disciplines. He just hasn't put all three together at once, or he has come up against the buzzsaw that is Álex Palou and not been as clinically impressive as the Catalan driver. 

A combination of victories on all three track styles with regular finishes in the top five could see McLaughlin end up as champion. 

What is realistic?

McLaughlin feels like Team Penske's best championship hope at the moment, but with how tough it is at the top it is not a given McLaughlin will be able to break through. If he and the #3 team cleans everything up from last year, this group will have a great chance.

He was one late caution away from winning the season finale and not being the winless Team Penske at the end of 2025. Like Newgarden, I don't think McLaughlin is going to enter the finale without a victory, and I don't think he will enter the final oval race without a victory either. I think he is going to win early with the early combination of St. Petersburg, Phoenix, Arlington and Barber Motorsports Park. Two of those tracks he excels at, short ovals suit him well, and Arlington is an unknown for everyone, driving for Team Penske will be an advantage there. 

We don't see many mental lapses from McLaughlin. That is why he has a better chance at the championship. That is why the worst should be the championship top five. 

David Malukas - #12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

12.5909: Average finish in 22 oval starts

15.8333: Average finish in 24 road course starts

16.6: Average finish in 15 street course starts

0: Top five finishes in 39 road/street course starts

6: Top ten finishes in 39 road/street course starts

What is the best possible outcome?

Malukas entering and becoming the best driver in IndyCar is easier said than done, but not impossible. The best is likely somewhere in the championship top ten and possibly challenging for the championship top five. It is territory he has never been, but Malukas was close in his only year at A.J. Foyt Racing, ending up 11th in the championship. 

Malukas must show he can at least hang at the front. He still has much to prove. He needs a season where he is fighting for the podium on road and street courses and not just relying on oval results. He could win an oval race, and any victory would go a long way. A victory or two with a handful of podium finishes and about nine or ten top ten finishes would likely get him somewhere in the championship top ten, and a good first year at Team Penske.

What is realistic?

I think Malukas can win a race and be in the championship top ten. I don't think Malukas is going to replicate what Josef Newgarden did in 2017. This is a driver who has been good on ovals, and not that impressive on road and street courses, and those make up about 2/3rds of the calendar. I don't think just joining Team Penske is all Malukas needs to excel. I think there is a speed deficit that has him somewhere just above the middle of the field.

This should be his best season ever in IndyCar. It is expecting a lot to bank on oval races to entirely make his season. His championship finish will go as far as his oval results. Somewhere in the back half of the championship top ten feels like where Malukas will be. If he is excellent on ovals or if he makes a giant leap on road and street courses, he could be comfortably in the top ten. The top five is achieveable if he is nearly flawless. If his oval results are off, he is going to be outside the championship top ten. We already know Team Penske can finish that low.

The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season begins on Sunday March 1 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Fox's coverage will begin at noon Eastern.

Musings From the Weekend: What Piques My Curiosity in 2026?

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

We are hours away from NASCAR's new championship format being announced. Formula E was in Mexico. The Dakar Rally is halfway home. Supercross opened its season in Anaheim, and a few riders are already banged up. New surroundings were not a learning curve for some. IndyCar teams are getting richer, as $11 million was added to the Leaders Circle program. IndyCar officials will have new tools for technical inspection. Will Power ran his first test with Andretti Global. Jimmie Johnson has locked up the Open Exemption Provisional for the Daytona 500, and Johnson will run the Truck race in San Diego. Brad Keselowski will miss the Clash after breaking his leg skiing, and Corey LaJoie will substitute in the #6 Ford. There is so much to look forward to in 2026, but not everything might be on the top of your mind.

What Piques My Curiosity in 2026?

We are still a way's off the heart of the 2026 motorsports season. A few races are popping up slowly. There are a number of notable events early in the year, but when we really feel the season in bloom and at its busiest in a few months. We have a fair greater number of questions than answers, and it will be that way for at least half the year, if not longer. 

Plans have been made for this year, but we aren't sure how things will play out. We must wait and see, but there are a few things that have my interest for this year, and we are a few months from knowing how things will turn out. 

In middle January, what am I keeping an eye on for 2026 in the motorsports' world? There are a few things under the table that should get some light. 

Kalle Rovanperä in Super Formula

One of the best rally drivers in the world has made the switch to single-seaters. The two-time World Rally Champion Rovanperä announced last year he would leave rallying at 25 years old and be moving to Super Formula.

It is one thing to switch disciplines, it is another thing to leap right into Super Formula with limited circuit racing experience, especially single-seater experience. Rovanperä has run some Porsche Carrera Cup rounds, but that is not similar to Super Formula at all. The closest thing they have in common is running tarmac. That’s it, that’s the list!

It would be one thing if Rovanperä started in Super Formula Lights or even started from scratch in Formula 4. Super Formula is as deep as it gets. It isn't Formula One, but it is a proper series and those cars are serious machines that will test a driver. This move feels like a step too far.

Rovanperä is preparing diligently. He is running in the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, the four-round series held in New Zealand that started this weekend. The first weekend was encouraging. He was not the strongest, but he did not appear too far out of his depth, though he was in an accident in the final race of the weekend. Formula Regional Oceania is a large distance from Super Formula. Finishing 17th, 12th, 13th and having a retirement in a 19-car series that is essentially at the Formula Three level isn't quite the same as being competitive in Super Formula. 

I am curious see how this experiment goes. Does it see out the full season? 

Can Adrian Newey work his magic at Aston Martin?

New regulations and Adrian Newey working for a mad-man with money? The combination is ripe to produce a Formula One winner. It is a mighty task for Aston Martin against the likes of McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari, but if anyone can lift a team from the middle of the pack to the top, it is Adrian Newey.

And he would be doing it with Fernando Alonso! It isn't just Newey, but if Aston Martin succeeds, it will be at the hands of Alonso, a driver who is going on 13 years since his most recent Grand Prix victory and 20 years since this most recent championship. Alonso could blow the record book out of the water in terms of longevity and droughts ending. And Lance Stroll would have to do somewhat well if the car is great. Maybe he wins. It would be better than the last few seasons.

Newey has produced winners at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. He even had March/Leyton House finishing on the podium over three-and-a-half decades ago. It feels more likely than not Aston Martin is going to be a contender.

Formula One on Apple TV

In the United States, Formula One will have a new broadcast home in Apple TV. It is a big change for the series after spending much of the last decade on ESPN, and having a semi-regular position on network television dating back to the NBC days that started in 2013, and even before that with a smattering of races on Fox while Speed was the main broadcaster. 

How will this broadcaster change be different? Formula One in the United States had its own broadcast for a good period of time. From the early ESPN days in the 1980s and 1990s with Bob Varsha and David Hobbs on the call, to the Speedvision and then Speed days with Varsha, Hobbs and Steve Matchett joining the booth, and then NBC had Leigh Diffey leading Hobbs and Matchett, there was a dedicated American broadcast with its own commentators, its own pre-race show and features, its own identity. 

When ESPN took over the rights in 2018, it took the world feed and did little more. That didn't hurt interest in the series as ratings rose to its highest levels ever. It feels like most didn't mind. With the move, will Apple continuing doing the same, or will it have its own dedicated broadcast? 

With how much money Apple has spent, and what it has done with its other endeavors into the sporting world (Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer), I think we are going to see something new. We are less than two months away from the first broadcast. It feels like we would have heard something by now if that was the case, but there is still plenty of time. Perhaps nothing will change. 

The move to a streaming platform will be an adjustment. Formula One is not going to be on network television for a half-dozen races like it got with ABC. It will be out of a loop, and while cable is not thriving, it also is not going away. It does feel like Formula One is a property that can sustain on streaming. The viewers are younger and more willing to subscribe to a streaming service. Formula One will also be available at no additional cost. This will not be a fee on top of a fee. Some people will not follow, but I think a fair number will or this change will not cause any change in habits.

The NASCAR Truck Race at St. Petersburg

This is mostly for the absurdity of it all. For the first time in NASCAR Truck Series history, it will run a street race, and it will be during the IndyCar weekend at St. Petersburg on February 28. 

I don't know what the race is going to look like, but St. Petersburg is a tight street course with a few good passing areas. Turn one is wide and presents good opportunities for passing, but it narrows quickly in turns two and three. Turn five will be a legitimate passing zone, but it has been a trouble area for IndyCar, and we are going to see contact there in the Truck race. It will get physical from turns six through nine. We are going to see dive-bombs galore into turn ten.

This is also NASCAR's weakest series on talent. I don't expect any one offs to get a chance, although it would be cool if Jack Hawksworth got a shot or if Ryan Hunter-Reay got an entry. I doubt either will happen. It is different. I think it will be fun, and then NASCAR has all three of its national series running on a temporary circuit at Naval Base Coronado in June. 

Asian Le Mans Series Hypercar Class

We will have to wait until late 2026 to see this, but the 2026-27 Asian Le Mans Series will feature a Hypercar class, which will be open to Pro-Am entries. Currently, BBM Sport will run two privateer, wingless Peugeot 9X8, which last contested a round in 2023, and that is the only confirmed entry. JDC-Miller MotorSports, which field a Porsche 963 in IMSA, and Vanwall are evaluating programs.

I am not sure what this class will look like, but with the success of convergence between Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh in both he World Endurance Championship and IMSA, it feels like there is a place for a Hypercar class in another series. I have been thinking the European Le Mans Series could have a Hypercar class. ALMS has an opening for it. The Pro-Am nature of it is intriguing, especially since champions are awarded 24 Hours of Le Mans invitations. 

In WEC, Hypercar is not a Pro-Am class. Would the ALMS Hypercar champion get a Hypercar invite or would it be an invite for LMP2 the same way LMP3 champion in ELMS gets an LMP2 invite? If the class is not large enough, is it treated like a separate entity and receive no Le Mans invite?

A success in year one would be a half-dozen entries. It has the potential to be exciting. The door is open for AF Corse to run a Ferrari and Proton Competition to bring a Porsche. JDC-Miller's interest is curious as the Asian Le Mans Series overlaps with the 24 Hours of Daytona. I guess it could do both but that does figure to stretch the team's resources. Could this be a place where the Glickenhaus returns? If Vanwall comes back, isn't anything possible?

It would be a good filler for sports car racing between December, January and February. I wouldn't be against another four or five races with the top category of sports car racing in competition. 

Who will Dale Coyne Racing Hire?

Seriously? First, there was a deadline of hiring a driver by Thanksgiving. Then, there was a deadline of Christmas. We are beyond Orthodox Christmas and Chinese New Year is around the corner. Deadlines mean nothing to Dale Coyne. We would be in big trouble if he was a hostage negotiator. 

The longer this continues the less I know where this goes. It doesn't feel like it is going to be Romain Grosjean if it has carried out this long. Conor Daly has already said he isn't in the mix. Jacob Abel has announced his shifted focus to LMP2 as an endurance-only driver in IMSA. We are running out of guys. 

With Dennis Hauger as its other driver in an Andretti Global-support entry, I am surprised there wasn't more urgency to get this second Coyne seat decided. Andretti may not be supporting both cars, but wouldn't it be for the best of both cars if both drivers were known and could start working together? Coyne had Rinus VeeKay finish 14th in the championship in 2025. This team is poised for a rise in 2026, but it feels like it has fumbled an opportunity waiting to round out its driver lineup.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Kalle Rovanperä's results, but did you know...

Louis Sharp (race one), Zack Scoular (race two) and Ugo Ugochukwu (races three and four) split the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy races from Hampton Downs. 

Eli Tomac won the Supercross race from Anaheim. Max Antsie won in the 250cc class. 

Nick Cassidy won the Mexico City ePrix.

Coming Up This Weekend

The Dubai 24 Hour.

Supercross heads to San Diego

Formula Regional Oceania Trophy will be at Taupō.

It is also Chili Bowl weekend. 

2026 Supercross Preview

Early January brings another Supercross season to kick off the motorsports year. Ahead of us are 17 rounds over 18 weekends, and the championship has been shaken up since the 2025 season finale. A handful of notable riders have switched manufacturers, and there is even a new make in the starting gates.

Last year was notable for the number of top riders who had season end prematurely due to injury. With a number of top riders healthy, results should be mixed up from what occurred in 2025, however, one key contender is sidelined, and it leaves the door open for others.

Supercross is still on the verge of history. With four different champions in the last four seasons, we could still see something that has not occurred since the 1980s: Five different champions in five years. Yamaha and Honda have split the last four championships. Yamaha is attempting to win consecutive titles for the first time since 2008-09.

Schedule

Anaheim hosts another season opener and leads off a trio of California races to begin the season. From the Anaheim opener on January 10, the series will move to San Diego on January 17 before returning for the second Anaheim event on January 24.

The first venture out of the Golden State will be on January 31 to Houston, and Houston is the first Triple Crown event of the season. Glendale will be on February 7 before and early trip to Seattle the following week. Supercross returns to Texas for the Arlington round on February 21. Daytona Bike Week closes out the shortest month with the Supercross round on February 28.

The season passes the midway point on March 7 with the second Triple Crown weekend in Indianapolis, which has the lone off-week following on March 14. Competition resumes in Birmingham on March 21 before Detroit on March 28. After being a SuperMotocross playoff round in 2025, St. Louis is back on the Supercross calendar for a race the day before Easter on April 4. 

Round 13 is at Nashville before Supercross visits the only new stadium on the schedule, Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, which also doubles as the final Triple Crown race of the season. It is the series' second trip ever to Cleveland. On May 20, 1995, Jeremy McGrath won at Cleveland Stadium ahead of Jeff Emig. Philadelphia is the only Northeast venue on the calendar with a race on April 25. The season concludes with a pair of races in the Rocky Mountains, Denver on May 2 and Salt Lake City hosts the finale for the seventh consecutive season on May 9.

What Happened Last Year?

Cooper Webb took his second Supercross championship by two points over Chase Sexton despite Sexton having won seven races over the 2025 season to Webb's five.

Webb had only one finish worse than fourth all season, and that was eighth in the third round of the season. Sexton never finished worse than sixth, a significant improve from past seasons where he let results slip away, but Webb had 13 podium finishes while Sexton had 12. Sexton won four of the final five races with Webb finishing runner-up in three of them. 

What led to this two-man race was the early exits for two early championship contenders. Jett Lawrence was knocked out after the fourth round of the season due to a torn ACL. Lawrence had won at Anaheim, and he was second in San Diego. Two rounds later, Eli Tomac suffered a broken left fibula and Hunter Lawrence suffered a torn labrum. Tomac was victorious in San Diego.

Ken Roczen was an early front-runner in the 2025 season. Through the first eight races, Roczen had six podium finishes, which was highlighted with a victory at Daytona. However, in the final nine races, Roczen's had only one podium finish, and he missed the final two rounds due to an ankle injury. 

Last season did see Justin Cooper score his best championship finish in third with Cooper standing on the podium four times. Malcolm Stewart took a popular first career victory in the 450cc class at Tampa Bay, and Stewart was a career-best fourth in the championship. Aaron Plessinger took a surprise victory at Foxborough ahead of Shane McElrath in an even more stunning second. 

Jason Anderson had three podium finishes in the first five races before his season ended due to injury, and Jorge Prado, in his first attempt at a full Supercross season, was hurt at the third round in Anaheim. 

What is Different This Year?

Many riders have switched teams. 

Sexton has left Honda and he will be the lead rider at Monster Energy Kawasaki with Garrett Marchbanks as his teammate. Marchbanks was fifth in the 250cc West championship last year. 

KTM has expanded to three bikes with Tomac and Prado joining Plessinger. Prado's two MX2 Motocross World Championships came with KTM in 2018-19.

With Tomac's departure, Yamaha will remain at two riders with Webb and Cooper.

Jason Anderson has moved to the Twisted Tea Suzuki team with Colt Nichols as his teammate. 

Rockstar Husqvarna has brought RJ Hampshire to join Stewart. After finishing third in the 250cc East championship, Hampshire moved up to the 450cc class for the Motocross season and finished fifth in the championship with three podium finishes. Hampshire did suffer a broken scapula and broken ribs in a training crash during the offseason.

GasGas has exited the AMA Supercross championship, but it will be replaced with Ducati, as Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing takes on displaced GasGas rider Justin Barcia, and Dylan Ferrandis joins the fold after running for Phoenix Racing Honda for the last two seasons. 

Ducati isn't the only new manufacturer for 2026. Triumph will field two bikes for Jordon Smith and Austin Forkner. Smith won a round in each of the last two 250cc West championships, but he will miss the first part of the season due to a shoulder injury suffered in the SuperMotocross finale last year. Forkner competed with Triumph in the 250cc East championship and 250cc Motocross championship last year.

How Will it Play Out?

The 2026 season was turned upside down three weeks before the season started when it was announced Jett Lawrence suffered a broken ankle in a training crash, and Lawrence will be sidelined for three months, effectively ending any hopes of the championship. After missing most of the 2025 Supercross season, Lawrence returned for the Motocross season where he won 16 of 22 races, and he was on the podium 21 times as he claimed his second 450cc championship. He capped off the season with a second consecutive Motocross des Nations title for Australia with his brother Hunter and Kyle Webster.

Prior to Jett's injury, it was difficult to envision the Lawrence brothers losing many races this season. With Jett out, the door is more open. 

Hunter Lawrence won twice and never finished worse than fifth on his way to finishing second in the Motocross championship in 2025. The Lawrence brothers capped off the year splitting the SuperMotocross playoff events with Jett winning two and Hunter winning the other, and they finished 1-2 in that championship as well. However, in his two seasons in Supecross' 450cc division, he has only two podium finishes. It is not as simple as Hunter filling the void his brother has left. 

With Jett Lawrence out, Webb's chance of a successful title defense shoot up significantly. He can control this championship and be the man to beat more often than if Jett Lawrence was competing. With Webb becoming more of a favorite than an underdog, he will become an obstacle to others, and it will allow him to be more confident in his aggression.

Meanwhile, Sexton has something to prove at Kawasaki. Kawasaki has not won a 450cc Supercross race since Jason Anderson closed the 2022 season with four consecutive victories. We saw a different Sexton in 2025, but the uncertainty at his new team could lead Sexton to push more and perhaps lapse back into some of the unforced errors we were accustomed to seeing in previous seasons. 

Tomac was a stunner in the Motocross season as he finished third, and he was third in all three SuperMotocross playoff rounds as well. Tomac still has a spark, but it only flashes infrequently. There will be a race or two where Tomac is the man, but there will be a few rounds where he is rather anonymous. 

Without Jett Lawrence, the chance for a surprise winner also increases. Stewart, Anderson and Cooper likely would be hoping to get on the podium at some point in 2026 with a healthy Jett Lawrence on track. Now, they all have a chance at the title. Hampshire felt like a promising dark horse, but his offseason injuries must be kept in mind. The most curious situation is Prado at KTM. He is returning to a make he has great comfort with, but Supercross is still mostly an unknown. He had promising moments in his three-round sample in 2024, but the 2025 was tough prior to his injury. The Spaniard was also competing on a Kawasaki.

There is no clear favorite. Hunter Lawrence will have good days, and he should probably win a few rounds, but on his off days, he will be fighting for the top five. Webb will not struggle to beat Hunter Lawrence, and he should be the championship favorite. The pressure will be on Hunter Lawrence to show he has what it takes to be the rider to beat, and we don't know how he will handle that pressure. Tomac has not quite had the pace the last two seasons to push for a title. Sexton will be trying to lift a manufacturer that has been down the order the last few seasons, and Sexton will be hoping his consistency from 2025 at KTM will carry over to a new bike. 

Which Ken Roczen will we see? Your guess is as good as mind. He will have a few competitive races, but a full, 17-race calendar worth of competitive races is a great stretch.

One injury changes the outlook of this season. With a healthy Jett Lawrence, there is a clear direction where the championship heads. Without him, it is open, maybe not as much as we saw in 2025, but it sets up to put a few riders more into the spotlight. A successful title defense feels possible when it previously felt unlikely. For Webb, familiarity could be his greatest advantage, as his rivals are all in new places and will be learning each time out of the gate.

Coverage of the 2026 AMA Supercross season opener from Anaheim will begin on Saturday January 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Peacock. 

Musings From the Weekend: Refilling the Bucket

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

Scott Dixon is being knighted. Dario Franchitti is returning to competition. The Dakar Rally has started. Teams are getting ready to head to Daytona. We are still waiting on Dale Coyne Racing to announced its second driver. We are still waiting on if Prema is going to continue full-time in IndyCar. Callum Ilott has already lined up a backup plan. The Dunlop Bridge at Le Mans has a new sponsor. Hello, Goodyear! There was some racing over the last few weeks while we were away. Over the holiday period, a few thoughts came to mind.

Refilling the Bucket

We ended 2025 emptying the bucket, hitting on a few topics that did not fit into an individual Musings, but could be briefly mentioned and did not need the full space to be flushed out. 

There were a few things on my mind but I didn't know they were there. It was only after the final Musings that those came to the surface. It was too late to get those out, but some missed opportunities only need to be delayed opportunities. 

It is still early in the year. It is literally the fifth day. My mind is still in holiday mode. Instead of focusing on one thing, let's go over a few things, a few of which are new and came up over the last few weeks.

Would abolishing the playoffs kill Shane van Gisbergen's career? 

We don't know what NASCAR is doing with its championship structure. If you are surprised, you haven't been paying attention. NASCAR always announces the big changes in late-January. We are still a few weeks away from knowing what the 2026 structure will be, but with a greater drumbeat of returning to a full season points aggregate to decide the championship, it leads me to ask what would happen to the second-most successful driver of 2025 if such a change occurs?

Van Gisbergen's ascension into the NASCAR Cup Series is 100% down to the format. With one victory essentially guaranteeing a playoff spot, which is one of 16 championship positions that pay a greater amount of money than not making the playoffs. Having one driver who can win a road course race but struggle on all the ovals is a worthy gamble. It doesn't matter if he is going to finish 25th everywhere else. One victory at one of four or five road course races in the regular season means a significant payday at the end of the season. 

Trackhouse exploited the system. It knows a championship with van Gisbergen is highly unlikely, but a playoff spot for one of its entries means it getting paid better than half the field. The goal isn't to win the championship with van Gisbergen but to make the playoffs and see if it can sneak into the next round and maybe the round after that. 

If the playoff format disappears or changes so a race victory in the regular season does not guarantee a playoff berth, then what is the point of having van Gisbergen in a Cup car?

We know he can win nearly a half-dozen times in a season, but is it worth having him run 31 races if he isn't going to be competitive to them and he isn't going to be close to cracking the top twenty in the championship? 

Van Gisbergen doesn't need to run the oval races to be ready to win on a road course. We know van Gisbergen can just show up and win. That is literally what he did in his first NASCAR race ever. There would still be a value having him around. Winning one race is a big deal, and we just saw van Gisbergen win five races in a season, but if the playoffs are not there and one victory is not elevating van Gisbergen and his Trackhouse entry from 26th in the championship to 16th and substantial increasing the team's earnings from the season, is it worth it for all parties?

The system has been devised to incentivize the teams wanting playoffs, and in this post-23XI/FRM vs. NASCAR era, the teams could vocalize and organize keeping a system where one victory can boost a team's earnings even if it has only one top five finish all season. 

Let's keep that in mind. It isn't just a NASCAR thing of wanting the playoffs. This is how teams are making money, and for a good number of them, the playoffs are a financial boon that is otherwise unachievable. 

It isn't "promotion" to be Fox Sports 1 dead period filler programming?

You may have seen over the Christmas period Fox Sports 1 airing some IndyCar races from this past season. The Christmas time does create a few silent periods around the sports calendar, and with no sports on, and the talking-head shows on break because those knuckleheads aren't going to work over the holidays (they are millionaires, why would they work?), it creates programming pockets to fill. Dust off the tapes and put on events from the summer to fill a Wednesday when nothing else is going on. IndyCar can get a day of its own in December, four months after its most recent race and two months until its next one.

It is nice, but don't confuse that as promotion. 

It isn't. 

It is exposure for IndyCar, but let's be honest with ourselves, thinking any individual is going to stumble upon an IndyCar race from June being shown around Christmas because there is nothing to broadcast and that person suddenly becoming a fan who is going to start tuning in for every practice, qualifying and race come the first race in March is delusional at best. 

It isn't a bad thing. There could be no IndyCar on and then there would be no way for people to become aware, but it isn't going to lead to any growth. Let's not confuse being filler for promotion. Promotion is active, it is engaging, it is trying to draw people in. Lining up ten hours of programming on a day when most people aren't watching television or at least are not watching Fox Sports 1, is taking it easy over the holidays. It is a cheap way to fill the space between commercial breaks. 

Nolan Siegel should quit now

Arrow McLaren technical director Tony Kanaan came out last week in an interview with Motorsport.com and said Nolan Siegel needs to finish in the top ten in the championship to keep his place at the team beyond 2026.

Yeah, that isn't going to happen. 

Ever since McLaren returned to IndyCar in 2020 we have been used to its ruthless treatment of drivers, and it was a little notable Siegel was not facing the same pressure during the 2025 season when he had two top ten finishes and 11 results outside the top fifteen on his way to 22nd in the championship. Well, here is the ultimatum.

Siegel isn't going to get there. McLaren can surely produce a top ten championship car. Its other two drivers were second and fifth in 2025, but Siegel isn't going to crack the top ten. 

The championship top ten last year were Álex Palou, Patricio O'Ward, Scott Dixon, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard, Felix Rosenqvist, Colton Herta, Marcus Armstrong, Will Power and Scott McLaughlin. 

There will be at least one new driver in the top ten in 2026, as Herta has moved for Formula Two, but is Siegel really going to be that guy? Josef Newgarden wasn't in the top ten. David Malukas missed out, and Malukas will now be at Team Penske. Christian Rasmussen won a race. Alexander Rossi is still out there. Santino Ferrucci was in the championship top ten in 2024. Marcus Ericsson was a regular in the top ten not long ago. 

We have listed 15 drivers. Is Siegel honestly going to beat six of them? And we haven't even named a few other drivers who would like a word in the championship top ten fight. 

We can point to Siegel, but we can also point to McLaren and ask what it was thinking rushing to put him in a car when general interest in his ability was low. Teams weren't fighting over the prospect of Nolan Siegel. It could have taken a minute before making a decision. McLaren had Théo Pourchaire. It even had Callum Ilott. It was at no risk of losing Siegel to an equal or superior team.

McLaren wants to be a three-headed monster. It wants all its cars at the front. Siegel isn't going to get there. If Kanaan is saying Siegel must finish in the championship top ten, don't be surprised if we reach a point in 2026 where McLaren cuts him loose when it becomes clear the top ten is unachievable. McLaren isn't going to run a half-dozen races with a lame-duck driver. I don't know if it would hold an audition or it would just look to get the most from its third car with a handful of races remaining, but if we get to Mid-Ohio and Siegel is 18th in the championship or worse, the writing will be on the wall. 

Kyle Larson should be ashamed for wanting it easy

Every holiday season, Dinner with Racers returns with another set of podcasts, as Sean Heckman and Ryan Eversley go around the country interviewing a number of key figures from the motorsports world. This year's collection included a podcast with Kyle Larson, and on Larson's episode, the now two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion said he was open to running the 24 Hours of Daytona again, but there was a condition. 

A member of the 2015 event winners, Larson had one requirement for such an attempt. "I want to be in the best car," he said.

Everybody wants to be in the best car, but to dictate whether or not to even make an attempt on whether you are in the best car is soulless.

You cannot always be in the best car, and that should not dictate whether you give it a go. If you want to do it, do it. There is a level you want to meet. Larson shouldn't get into a car that is not prepared or thrown together on a whim. If he had an offer from Lamborghini, maybe he declines and it is understandable. However, in the current state of IMSA and the GTP class, basically everyone has a shot. What dictates the best car comes down more to Balance of Performance than anything today, and that can change after cars have already been on track. 

Ever since last year's Indianapolis 500, where Larson spun out of the race in turn two, we have seen a driver clam up on stepping out of his comfort zone. He pretty much said he wasn't going to return to the Indianapolis 500 again and doesn't see any value in doing the double. He backed out of racing the Supercars finale at Adelaide. He knows he can win in NASCAR and he can win in sprint cars and midget cars. He is so successful in a number of categories, he will stick with those. Anything else will come with demands.

It is a shame because it shows an unwillingness to embrace a challenge and go through failure. Larson should have some openness and make an attempt with the mindset that the worst possible outcome is he gains experience, and then he can return and try again. This is a driver who can basically do whatever he wants. 

Spare me he doesn't know who to talk to in terms of organizing a ride. One, he has an agent. That is the agent's responsibility. Two, Chevrolet and General Motors can find him a ride, and they have two top-class organizations in Wayne Taylor Racing and Action Express Racing running their Cadillac GTP entries. If he wanted it, a ride could be set up in a snap. Action Express rolled out an additional entry when Jimmie Johnson wanted to run the IMSA endurance races, and it put together a strong all-star entry with Kamui Kobayashi, Simon Pagenaud and Mike Rockenfeller filling out that car. 

It is a shame when such a top driver tosses his hands up and makes tough work come off as entirely impossible, especially when he truly has enough resources to make it happen. It is worse when there is not a willingness to embrace the challenge and be scared by failure.

Winners While We Were Away

The #47 Cetilar Racing Oreca of Antonio Fuoco, Roberto Lacrote and Charles Milesi swept both 4 Hours of Sepang to open the Asian Le Mans Series season on December 13-14. In the first race, the #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier-Toyota of Alexander Bukhantsov, Jimmy Chou and Henry Cubides Olarte won in LMP3, and the #9 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG of Anthony Bartone, Fabian Schiller and Shigekazu Wakisaka won in GT. 

In the second 4 Hours of Sepang, the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier-Toyota of Alexander Jacoby, Paul Lanchère and Kévin Rabin won in LMP3, and the The #74 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Dustin Blattner, Chris Lulham and Dennis Marcshall won in GT.

The #13 Capital RT by Motopark Mercedes-AMG of Adam Christodoulou, Mikhail Aleshin and Denis Remenyako won the Gulf 12 Hours on December 14.

Coming Up This Weekend

The Supercross season begins in Anaheim.

Mexico City hosts the second round of the Formula E season.