Al-Attiyah calls for changes to Dakar format after “boring” opening stage
Nasser Al-Attiyah believes the Dakar Rally must change its format after finding Saturday’s opening stage “boring” due to the need of prioritising strategy over results. The 2025 edition began with a tough and “pure” 431km test around Bisha in Saudi Arabia, but several drivers elected to compromise their result to secure a better starting position for […]
Emulating Rossi’s 2004 win on Aprilia debut
In 2024, Jorge Martin became the first rider in the MotoGP era to win the title with a satellite team, beating the same-spec factory Ducati of Francesco Bagnaia. It was a feat not seen in the premier class since Valentino Rossi won the 500cc title with the Honda Europe-managed Nastro Azzurro team in 2001 and […]
Flexi-wings may have played key factor in 2024 F1 teams’ title battle
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has claimed the appearance of flexi-wings and the FIA’s decision not to take a more hardline approach towards them played a crucial factor in 2024’s Formula 1 constructors’ championship. The Scuderia was one of two teams, along with Red Bull, who sought clarification from F1’s governing body over the apparent […]
Toyota to field five cars in Monte Carlo 2025 WRC opener
Seventy crews will tackle the 2025 World Rally Championship season opener in Monte Carlo following the release of the event’s entry list. Monte Carlo will kick off the expanded 14-round WRC season from 23-26 January with 10 entries representing the top Rally1 class for the asphalt curtain raiser. The entry list is headed by new […]
Why Mercedes wants Antonelli to ‘grow into’ F1 and ‘make mistakes’
On the face of it, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff giving an interview to Auto Motor und Sport carefully downplaying expectations surrounding rookie driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli seems like a typical piece of off-season ‘noise’. Very little of it would provoke angry debate in the sanctified halls of the Oxford Union. “If you expect him [Antonelli] […]
Defender to join Dakar Rally from 2026
The Defender brand has announced plans to enter the Dakar Rally in 2026 as part of a three-year programme. The British manufacturer, a subsidiary of Land Rover, will field two examples of the popular Defender in all rounds of the World-Rally Raid Championship next year, with an additional third vehicle added to its line-up for […]