- Istanbul Park secures historic F1 return as Turkish Grand Prix joins calendar.
- Technical reg shifts and extended Miami F1 practice sessions for next weekend.
- Tyler Reddick defends NASCAR lead while MotoGP heads to Jerez, Spain.
It’s Friday, so all eyes should be on MotoGP and NASCAR, both of which are in action this weekend, but, typical of F1, they still manage to steal the show even though the Miami race is over a week away.
Read on to discover why…
Formula 1 returns to Istanbul Park
Today came official confirmation: after several rumours, that the Turkish Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027.
The Turkish government today announced a multi-year deal, guaranteed for at least five years. It brings the famous Istanbul Park circuit back into the F1 mix.
CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem were both in Istanbul for the official signing, which, in their words, marks a significant strategic expansion for the sport in Eurasia.
F1: Miami technical tweaks and practice extension
The FIA have formally extended the Miami Grand Prix only free practice session (it’s a sprint race weekend) from 60 to 90 minutes. This has been implemented to help teams navigate the recent regulation changes regarding energy management and race start procedures.
Specifically, these technical changes include…
- Energy harvesting: Now capped at 7MJ for qualifying.
- Electrical deployment: Increased to 350kW to eliminate the ‘parachute effect on long straights.
- Lighting: New rear and lateral light systems will be trialled in Miami to help improve visibility during energy harvesting and wet conditions.
NASCAR: Reddick defends lead at Talladega
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Talladega Superspeedway this Sunday for the Jack Link’s 500.
Championship leader Tyler Reddick starts the race with a massive 105-point championship lead over Denny Hamlin. Even before the lights go out, there is plenty of tension following a public falling out between Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin over recent race officiating.
Note: Forty-one cars are set to be on the Talladega grid, including part-time entries for Shane van Gisbergen and Jesse Love. This adds another layer of unpredictability to the race around the high-banked Alabama tri-oval. It’s one not to be missed.
MotoGP: Rins confirms Yamaha departure
Alex Rins has confirmed that 2026 will be his final year with the factory Yamaha team. He revealed he’s been informed by team boss Massimo Meregalli that Yamaha has already “signed the second rider” for 2027. This is widely rumoured to be Trackhouse Aprilia’s, Ai Ogura.
Marc Marquez has declared himself 100% fit as the Spanish Grand Prix edges closer, while Jorge Martin is looking to close (or overhaul) the slim four-point gap at the top of the championship.
IndyCar: Acura joins Indy grid
Acura’s expanded partnership with Meyer Shank Racing has been the big news. It will see Acura branding feature on Marcus Armstrong’s No. 66 car for the 110th running of the Indy 500.
This is a big deal (literally) for Acura, who will make their first official appearance at the “Greatest spectacle in racing.”
Other snippets…
- World Endurance Championship: Toyota edged out home favourites Ferrari in the ‘6 Hours of Imola’. All eyes now turn to Spa on May 9.
- Junior series: The Formula Regional European Championship and the GB3 seasons launch this weekend at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone, respectively.
- In memory: Tributes for Juha Miettinen are being held across Europe this weekend, who sadly passed away last Saturday following an accident during the Nurburgring 24-hour race.
