MOTOGP - Here he comes! The Marc Marquez express is bearing down on the competition after his weekend sweep at the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon.

His closest competitor in Sunday's GP was his 2027 teammate; Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Pedro Acosta, who trailed Marc across the line by 1.754 seconds. Aprilia Racing's Marco Bezzecchi took P3, gaining ground on his teammate Jorge Martin, but Bezzecchi was knocked down to third in the Riders' Championship.

Marc Marquez owns an amazing 8 MotoGP wins at MotorLand Aragon now and after last weekend's 37-point performance he sits P2 in the standings, 19 points behind Jorge Martin.

The race start did not go smoothly for Marc, although he jumped into the lead, he left the ride height device engaged, which allowed the Aprilias of Bezzecchi and Martin to gain the top two spots. But by the end of Lap 1, Marquez was by Martin, taking Pedro Acosta with him.

On Lap 6 at Turn 15, Marc Marquez attacked Bezzecchi and made it through, but it took a gutsy pass, going side by side down the back straight with Bezzecchi at over 185mph. At the end of the straight Bez was forced to give way. Pedro Acosta took advantage and swept round the outside of the Aprilia too.

By the midpoint of the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta were virtually racing as one, setting the exact same lap time. Marco Bezzecchi, still in third was even faster on the same lap. MotoGP at its best.

As the laps ticked on, however, the lap records started coming in from the lead – and this time Acosta and Bezzecchi struggled to find an answer. The pin was pulled and Marc Marquez took out a slight gap, which he maintained to the finish. His 25-point haul shaking up the standings once again.

After finishing P2 to his brother in the Saturday Sprint, Alex Marquez wasn’t able to make any inroads up from P4 and remained there for some solid points on Sunday. Championship leader Martin could only manage a pair of P5 finishes both Saturday and Sunday. He saw his lead diminish to less than a GP victory heading to the next round at Misano next weekend.

Ducati Lenovo's Francesco Bagnaia's final season with the team continued to go south. His race came to an early end on lap six while running seventh.

Marc Marquez: "I'm very happy with this double victory. I did say that the goal was to get as close as possible to 37 points and I'd say we did it. The strategy was the same as yesterday, but I was so focused on Turn 1 at the start that I forgot to disengage the rear height device. Given the mistake, the new target was to not crash after Turn 1, before getting back to doing my race. I tried to manage tire wear the best I could before starting to push from lap ten onwards and pull away, and it went well.”

Ducati Corse GM Luigi Dall'Igna: “Marc was really great also today. He had a perfect start and dove well at Turn 1, but then paid the price of not having disengaged the rear height device. He then did his race, showing the type of champion he is. Despite the second position in the standings, it'll still be tough: there'll be favorable tracks and not so favorable ones, and as always the outcome of the championship will be decided at each individual race. Still, we're working really well and the results show, so I'm happy. A pity for Pecco, who was having a decent race, but we still need to continue working to fix this situation together.”

The fight is truly on now as Marc is on a mission heading to the next round in Ducati's backyard at Misano. The Red Bull Ring in Austria before five flyaway rounds in Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia and Qatar, and finally back to Europe for Portugal and Valencia. 

The Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera is on Sunday, September 13th. The GP is on FS1, with a broadcast start time of 7:30 AM ET, with the race at 8:00 AM Eastern. The Saturday Sprint airs on FS2 Saturday, September 12th at 8:55 AM ET.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, MotoGP confirmed dates for the first track action of the 2027 season. There are two pre-season tests before Rio de Janeiro hosts the Season Launch on the 21st of February, then it’s into the first race weekend of the year as the Thai GP takes place at Buriram March 5th to the 7th.

The Shakedown Test – for factory test riders and rookies – will take place at Petronas Sepang International Circuiton on January 29th and 30th. This year, it’s back-to-back with the first official test of the season for all riders, the Sepang Test, which will be held on January 31st and the 1st of February. That’s two days per event for 2027.

The paddock then heads for Buriram in Thailand for the second official two-day test, which takes place February 6th and 7th.

MotoGP moves west for the Season Launch as Brazil beckons for the 2027 edition. Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro provides the backdrop for the event, taking MotoGP into the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cities on February 21st.

Here’s the full rundown:

SHAKEDOWN TEST: JANUARY 29th - 30th

SEPANG TEST: FEBRUARY 31st JANUARY – 1st

BURIRAM TEST: FEBRUARY 6th – 7th

SEASON LAUNCH: FEBRUARY 21st

All that is preceded by the very first look at the new era – the Valencia Test on December 1st 2026. There, the new rider lineups will head out on their all-new 850cc machinery for the very first time.

2026 MOTOGP CALENDAR

WORLDSBK - The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to work at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours for the Acerbis French Round this weekend. Nicolo Bulega arrives in France with more milestones within reach, including his first mathematical opportunity to secure the 2026 WorldSBK Riders’ Championship.

Bulega heads into the season's final four rounds with 491 points. He is currently on a streak of 37 consecutive podium finishes, the longest active streak in WorldSBK. Teammate Iker Lecuona is P2 with 358 points. The Spaniard claimed his maiden WorldSBK victory at the previous round in Donington Park and has recently renewed his contract with Aruba Ducati.

Sitting third in the Championship is Barni Spark Racing's Yari Montella with 211 points. He holds a 29-point advantage over bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team's Alex Lowes, who has 182 points. ELF Marc VDS Racing Team's Sam Lowes rounds out the top five with 177 points, five behind his brother.

Nicolo Bulega has already claimed two WorldSBK wins at Magny-Cours, both coming in 2024. Barni Spark Racing 's Alvaro Bautista is the only other rider on the current grid to have won at the French venue, also with two victories.

FORMULA 1 - Visiting Northern Italy's Autodromo Nazionale Monza is always a highpoint of the Formula 1 calendar. Known as the "Temple of Speed" Monza is the oldest circuit on the Formula 1 calendar to have continuously hosted world championship Grands Prix since the series began in 1950 (with only a single exception in 1980 due to renovations). No circuit in F1 history has held more Grands Prix than Monza.

Nowhere else has a higher top speed per lap. Last year in Qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen set the all-time record, averaging an incredible 164.465 miles per hour. Lando Norris set the mark for the race lap record a day later at 160.178 during the Italian Grand Prix.

The high-speed nature of Monza means the Italian Grand Prix is often one of the shortest races of the year. If run uninterrupted, it usually takes around one hour and 15 minutes from lights out to the finish of the GP.

For the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Scuderia Ferrari HP is celebrating one of the most significant chapters in its history. This year marks 30 years since Michael Schumacher’s first season at Maranello. The German driver joined the team in 1996 and, over the following decade, played a central role in a period that transformed the team and ushered in an extraordinary cycle of success.

Michael’s time at Ferrari was about much more than just wins and titles: his relentless pursuit of perfection, attention to detail, discipline and ability to be a true team player helped create a culture that became one of the defining characteristics of the Scuderia.

Thirty years later, that culture remains part of the way Ferrari approaches competition today. Monza is the ideal place to celebrate this legacy, not just by looking back at what was achieved, but by recognizing values that remain part of Ferrari today. 

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26s will race at Monza in a special livery inspired by the Ferrari F310 with which Michael began his adventure in 1996. The car will be predominantly red, with some white on the wings, together with black. The wheels, from BBS as was the case back then, have a hint of gold, recalling the original color of the magnesium rims used that season. The car will also feature the logo used by Michael, made up of the letters M and S forming the silhouette of a single-seater cockpit. On the nose, there will be a graphic reference taken from the German champion’s helmet design, which in the final seasons featured seven stars on a red background.

The tribute will extend beyond the cars: Charles and Lewis will have special racewear – as will the whole team on Sunday – while their shoes, overalls and gloves will be specially designed for the occasion. The two drivers will also have special helmets, helping to create a visual link between the Ferrari of 1996 and today’s Scuderia.

Three cars from different years in Michael’s Ferrari career will also be on display at Monza. Naturally, the 1996 F310, symbolizing the beginning of that journey, alongside the 2006 248 F1, with which Michael brought his time racing in red to a close, as well as the Ferrari F2002, one of the most iconic cars of the Schumacher era. In what was one of the most dominant seasons ever in Formula 1, Michael clinched the Drivers’ title in France in July, with six races to spare, while Ferrari clinched the Constructors’ World Championship in Hungary, with 15 wins from 17 races. 

Saturday afternoon Rubens Barrichello, Michael’s team-mate throughout the five consecutive Drivers’ Championship-winning seasons from 2000 to 2004, will be at the wheel of the F2002. The Brazilian has a special connection with this car and with Monza, having driven one to win the 2002 Italian Grand Prix. 

On Sunday, before the start of the Grand Prix, four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel will take to the track in the same car for a celebratory lap honoring Schumacher’s legacy. For Vettel, who grew up idolizing Michael before going on to become a Ferrari driver himself, as well as for all the fans in the grandstands, it will be a particularly emotional moment.

These types of tributes, which honor and respect Italy's racing heroes are precisely why the passion of the tifosi runs so deep. It is inherent in Italian culture and knows no comparison in the sporting world. To attempt to Americanize it, to compare the passion for Formula 1 in Italy with baseball or football in America, trivializes the level of passion on a Sunday in September in Italy.

On September 11, 2021, during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, the late Italian Formula 1 driver Michele Alboreto was honored on the 20th anniversary of his passing. The famous Parabolica corner was renamed Curva Alboreto after the runner up in the 1985 World Championship.

Curva Alboreto is Part of Monza Lore

Growing up nearbyto the Northern Italian circuit, Michele Alboreto and his younger brother Ermanno were known to have averted the ticket gates to observe Monza's magic.

Ahead of their home race, Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton, who is tied for second in the World Championship with George Russell and Charles Leclerc talked about Ferrari's home race and the overall legacy of the brand. Additional Development Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) will be implemented by the Scuderia this weekend at Monza, where the team is pushed to go all out in front of their faithful fans.

Lewis Hamilton: “It’s the best feeling. It’s an honor and a privilege to come to Italy, to such an iconic race, as a Ferrari driver. This is the second year I’ve experienced this special moment, and I don’t think it’s something you could ever get used to.

“I always remember Michael in the red car. I thought about what it would be like to be in his shoes, and today I have the privilege of experiencing that. He was a great leader and did an incredible job throughout his career. I also had the privilege of racing alongside him in Formula 1, and that meant a lot to me.

“I believe this team has what it takes to win. But with the margins so close at the front, everything has to go according to plan from the very first lap of free practice.”

Charles Leclerc: “I can’t wait to try the car on track. It’s not just the new engine, but also a few other updates which I hope can help us here. Obviously, we mustn’t think only about the upgrades because, in order to win, we’ll also need a perfect weekend in terms of execution.

"We know where and how we can improve, and we are determined to do so. A victory at Monza would make all the hard work of a week when everything goes up a level, worthwhile.”

After Monza, Formula 1 races at a new circuit for the series. They visit the 3.35-mile, 22-turn Circuito de Madring, which winds around the IFEMA MADRID exhibition center in the Valdebebas district of northeast Madrid. The Spanish Grand Prix next weekend wraps up the European season. It is a hybrid circuit, which uses public roads and private land; a combination of a street-circuit and permanent set-up.

The Pirelli Gran Premio d'Italia is this Sunday, September 6th. The race broadcast will begin at 7:50 AM Eastern in the States on Apple TV. For Free Practice and Qualifying times, refer to the Jay Geils Memorial TV Links.

2026 FORMULA 1 CALENDAR.

Alboreto: Gasoline in the Veins - The story about the man who grew up to realize his childhood dream of driving a Formula 1 car for Enzo Ferrari is now available once more in the United States. Alboreto: Gasoline in the Veins is written by Michele Alboreto's brother Ermanno and details his early years and rise through the racing ranks. It also tells about his character outside the car and that is the contribution that we are most proud to be associated with. It began with an interview during Michele's Indy car career and a request to use it in his life story. We also contributed interviews with his teammates and racing legends like Giacomo Agostini. Listen to that interview HERE. For ordering info, reply to this update for details. There are a limited number of copies here in America, you will save international shipping prices by getting your copy directly. Visit the Facebook page HERE.

INDYCAR - The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule concludes this weekend at the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey.

The 2026 Champion is the same guy who won it in 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2021. Obviously 2022 was an off year for Alex Palou, when he finished fifth. Palou didn't have to win either race last weekend on the iconic Milwaukee Mile. And he didn't.

Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward got greedy and won them both. O’Ward picked up his second and third wins of the season Sunday in the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 and the resumption of the Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250.

The wins vaulted O'Ward into P4 in the standings, behind Palou, fellow Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard and Andretti's Kyle Kirkwood in third.

The Mexican became the first driver to win two INDYCAR SERIES races on the same day since Rick Mears swept a doubleheader June 28, 1981, at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Pato O’Ward: “I’ve dreamed of weekends like this before, having doubleheaders just a couple of times in my career, wishing I wanted to win both of them in a weekend. We got to win both in a day. That’s definitely a dream come true for myself and the team.”

More history was made when Alex Palou clinched his fifth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship after finishing 10th in the race in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. It was the Spaniard’s fourth straight title, tying a series record set by Sebastien Bourdais from 2004-07.

Palou, 29, also became the youngest driver in series history to win five titles. A.J. Foyt was 32 when he earned his fifth championship in 1967. Only Foyt, with seven, and Scott Dixon, with six, have won more INDYCAR SERIES titles than Palou.

Alex Palou: “Incredible. I owe everything to this team. So proud of this team. It is great to have another championship and ready for the next one. I’m very excited for next weekend. My favorite racetrack of the year, repping that beautiful livery in honor of Alex Zanardi.”

The Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey will be the 29th INDYCAR SERIES race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca but just the sixth since 2004. Teo Fabi won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 1983. Alex Palou has won the last two races at the track in 2024 and 2025.

Scott Dixon and Alex Palou are the only former winners entered in this year's race. Dixon will attempt to make his 375th consecutive start, extending his record streak

The Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey is Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM ET, with broadcast coverage beginning at 2:30 PM Eastern on FOX.

FORMULA E - After a podium winning rookie season, Pepe Martí is set to continue with the CUPRA KIRO squad into Formula E's all-new GEN4 era. The Spainish driver is managed by A14, the driver development group co-founded by former Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso, impressed many in the paddock with his on track performances in the 2025/26 season. 

After scoring points in only his second E-Prix appearance, and leading his home race in Madrid, he achieved his maiden Formula E podium in Monaco - putting on a brilliant performance, after starting from 15th. Not only was the podium a significant milestone for Martí, but it also marked the first time a Spanish driver had reached the rostrum in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. 

The CUPRA KIRO driver finished the season as the highest-placed rookie in the Drivers’ Championship with 66 points.

In other driver news for the 2026/2027 season, Opel GSE has confirmed the signing of one of the most successful drivers in ABB FIA Formula E World Championship history with Mitch Evans joining the squad.

FIA WEC - Following its annual summer break, the FIA World Endurance Championship will roar back into action at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas in Texas this weekend at the Lone Star Le Mans.

Designed with the input of former motorcycling world champion Kevin Schwantz, COTA first welcomed FIA WEC in 2013 and is the most modern venue on the calendar.

Because of its elevation changes, sweeping high-speed corners, slow technical sections, notorious bumps, a signature uphill climb into Turn 1 – known as ‘Big Red’ – and the triple-apex right-hander that makes up Turns 16, 17 and 18, the track is revered by competitors and fans alike.

COTA is a counterclockwise circuit, with 20 turns. It's 3.425 miles in length, with a reputation as a circuit tough on brakes and high tire degradation. Because of the punishing nature of COTA, attrition is an issue at the circuit, with eight crews failing to complete the 2024 race, and seven in 2025, which underscores the circuit’s demanding characteristics.

Another outstanding attribute COTA can claim is close competition. The 2017 event saw the series’ tightest-ever outright finish under green flag conditions at a slender 0.276 seconds. Last year in LMGT3, the margin was even smaller. The time between 1st and second of 0.256 seconds witnessed the closest finish in the production-based class to-date and the closest in any category between two rival marques.

In the Hypercar Class, Ferrari are looking to the past for success this weekend. In their first visit in 2024, the No. 51 car secured pole position and the No. 83 crew claimed a historic victory, while last year the No. 50 Ferrari 499P took another pole and finished second in the race.

Ferrari is Looking For Their First Win of 2026

The Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA duo Earl Bamber and Norman Nato have each won the Austin race. Nato and Will Stevens will be partnered for the upcoming event with Ricky Taylor in the No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R. Alex Lynn was set to join Stevens and Nato on the squad, but an ongoing neck issue has kept him out of action, with Louis Delétraz taking his place at both Spa-Francorchamps and Le Mans. 

In LMGT3, TF Sport is bringing its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs home to the U.S. this weekend at Circuit of The Americas for Sunday’s six-hour Lone Star Le Mans. Corvette is on a two-race win streak in the LMGT3 class with both the No. 33 TF Sport and No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvettes firmly entrenched in the championship standings as a result.

It's not only a home race for Ben Keating, it is local one for the Texan. Keating, Jonny Edgar and Nicky Catsburg are the reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans winners in the No. 33 Corvette. That result catapulted the No. 33 crew into the lead of the Teams points standings, and the top-three in the Drivers Championship are Edgar, Catsburg and Keating, in that order. Catsburg missed the previous race in Brazil due to his commitments in IMSA, and Keating sat out the first two rounds of the season due to an elbow injury.  

The trio of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey were winners at Sāo Paulo for their first victory of the season. The result moved the No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette to fourth in the Teams championship, and only the No. 33 sister car has scored more points the last three races than the red No. 34 entry.

General Motors' teams are joined by Ford in claiming COTA as their home race. Ford Racing and customer partner Proton Competition return to home soil this weekend at the Lone Star Le Mans at COTA, where the team is on the hunt for a podium spot.

USA-born Logan Sargeant and Eric Powell both get to race in front of the home fans for the first time this year, giving the Ford Mustang GT3 program extra incentive heading into the weekend. The 3.4-mile, 20-turn COTA circuit already holds a special place in the team's history. It was at this race last year that Ford Racing claimed its first-ever Hyperpole, a breakthrough qualifying result that underlined the growing pace of the Mustang GT3 program and one the team will be looking to build on this time around.

Last time out n Brazil at the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo, Proton Competition delivered a strong performance, with the team showing strong pace throughout the race weekend and earning a top-five finish in the LMGT3 class. They'll be looking to improve that result with a podium finish this weekend in Austin.

Check out the entire Lone Star Le Mans entry list at COTA.

Round 5 of the FIA World Endurance Championship makes its only stop in North America on Sunday, September 6th at Austin's Circuit of the Americas. For streaming links, times and sessions, refer to the Jay Geils TV Links above.

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