MOTOGP - Finally. Pedro Acosta. After 56 Grand Prix races, the KTM Factory rider has lived up to his promise. To think that he was signed away from KTM by Ducati for a Factory ride next to Marc Marquez in 2027, before his first GP win is remarkable.

His potential was never in doubt, but for various reasons, mostly of his own doing, he went winless for the better part of three seasons. Most of those failures saw him DNF, many times from the front of the field while exceeding the limit of adhesion.

Fifteen podiums, when he was able to finish a Sunday race, speak of his talent. Especially when compared to his fellow KTM-mounted riders. In 2027 it will be interesting to see if the rules of engagement with his new teammate will differ, because on several occasions he has already tangled mightily with Marc Marquez.

At the start of the race it was an all-Aprilia assault, with World Championship leader Jorge Martin ahead of Marco Bezzecchi and SuperFile Tracouse Racing's Ai Ogura. Marc Marquez had a terrible start, dropping back with Acosta getting by his future teammate taking P4.

While Bez got by Martin, with the favor returned, Acosta seized the moment to pass Ogura into a podium spot. On Lap 4, in Turn 2b, just where Acosta had crashed in the Sprint, he got by Bezzecchi into P2. On Lap 9, Acosta, on the exit of Turn 1, outdrove Martin on the run down into Turn 2a to seize the lead for the first time to the delight of the Austrian fans.

Marc Marquez was able to get by Gresini's Fermín Aldeguer into P5, but that is as close as Marquez would get to the front in Spielberg. In the last few laps the trio of following Aprilia riders cut into Acosta's lead. But the KTM rider responded and managed the gap to the flag to give the Austrian brand a home win at the Red Bull Ring.

Pedro Acosta: "Super happy. I still remember my last one in Indonesia in 2023 (in Moto2). It has been a long way to arrive here with many, many mistakes. Super happy. I’m super happy for the boys because last year was not easy for me, and it was not easy for KTM. To come back to the home GP for them and to be super fast the whole weekend, and now to be able to win the main GP, was awesome for me and also for them.

"I’m the only one who has nothing to lose. I’m not fighting for the Championship. Everything I do with the KTM is good. Normally I’m always close to the podium."

Outside the podium positions, Ai Ogura was 0.9s away from P3. A great way to return to form before his home Grand Prix arrives at Motegi next weekend. Marc Marquez’s P5 finish, and 7.3s margin from victory, was unexpected after his Saturday P2 Sprint finish. He relinquishes the championship lead heading to Motegi, the venue he clinched the 2025 title at a year ago.

Brad Binder backed up Acosta’s victory by claiming his best result of the season in P6, giving both sides of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing box a great home round. Francesco Bagnaia was the second Ducati Lenovo rider in Spielberg, finishing P7.

The third Ducati rider in the standings, having been handed a post-race three-second penalty for causing contact, was Fermin Aldeguer in P8, while VR46 Racing's Fabio Di Giannantonio ended the race in P9. Castrol Honda LCR's Johann Zarco rounded out the Austrian GP top 10 in Spielberg.

Heading to Japan next weekend, Jorge Martin is in sole position of the Riders' World Championship, with a 12-point gap over Marc Marquez. Marco Bezzecchi now trails his Aprilia Racing teammate by 42 points with seven races left on the schedule.

The Motul Grand Prix of Japan is Sunday, October 4th. The GP is on FS2 at 12:30 AM ET. The Saturday Sprint airs on FS1 Saturday, October 3rd at 1:55 AM ET.

MotoGP announced earlier today the extension of its agreement with the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello for the Italian Grand Prix, securing the future of racing at one of the championship's most iconic venues through the end of the 2031 season.

WORLDSBK - The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is in place for the EICMA Italian Round at the Cremona Circuit. Nicolo Bulega arrives at his home round holding a commanding 146-point lead in the standings with 186 points remaining pre-Cremona.

This will likely be a defining weekend in the 2026 season. Bulega's Aruba Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona remains the only rider still mathematically able to challenge for the 2026 World Championship title.

Further back, the fight for the final podium spot in the championship is far tighter. Barni Spark Racing's Yari Montella holds third with 247 points, but bimota by Kawasaki's Alex Lowes has closed to within 46 points, with his brother Sam Lowes, on the ELF Marc VDS Racing Ducati, just three points further back in fifth.

FORMULA 1 - If Kimi Antonelli stays consistent and weathers the next three weekend's of Grands Prix, he will be looking at six more rounds to close out his first Formula 1 World Championship.

It would make him the youngest Formula 1 Champion in the history of the sport. By over three years! Sebastian Vettel won his first title with Red Bull at 23 years and 134 days old. Kimi turned 20 at the end of August.

It is hard to believe but this weekend marks the 10th running of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Baku City Circuit is the fourth longest on the F1 calendar this year.

This weekend's GP is being run on Saturday because Azerbaijan's national Remembrance Day is celebrated this year on Sunday, September 27th. This annual day of mourning honors the military personnel and individuals who lost their lives during the 2020 conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the country.

This means today is Friday. At least on the weekend calendar. So if you don't want results from the first to practices of the Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix, stop reading now!

George Russell topped both FP1 and FP2 today in Baku. The Mercedes driver took the top spot in the fist session using soft tires and led Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 4 tenths.

During FP2 Russell went out on the C4 Medium compound while his Italian teammate waited in the garage, after a power unit change during the break between sessions. The title-leading Italian also had his day compromised by hydraulic issues the team spent time working on.

Antonelli did get some time to run in the second session, finishing P2, half a second down to Russell. Verstappen took P3 in FP2, three tenths behind Anotonelli.

George Russell: "We can also be happy with our pace today. We know we are still out of step with other teams in terms of upgrades, but we have been able to win the last two races at very different circuits. That is encouraging as we continue the season; we have a good position in the championships but we know there is still a very long way to go."

Russell Tops Thursday in Baku

Some teams introduced upgrades in practice, including Audi. The Swiss-based team rolled out aero upgrades, including substantially changed front and rear wings, a revised floor, and a new engine cover arrangement among others developments. Gabriel Bortoleto ran the upgrades, with Nico Hulkenberg on the current setup for comparison and correlation.

Bortoletto edged his teammate in both session. In FP1 he was P10, two tenths quicker than Hulkenberg in 11th. P2 saw the Brazilian lead Nico Hulkenberg by about the same margin, with the two in P14 and P15 respectively. Audi sit P8 in the Team' Standings just four points behind Haas, with Hulkenberg and Bortoleto having finished in the points at five of the last six Grands Prix between them.

Audi Team Principal Mattia Binotto: “If you look at the first, let me say, impression of the data, the package is delivering as expected. Which is good, which is our main focus, as a matter of fact, for the weekend. For us, upgrading, yes, it’s important for the performance, it’s important for our fight in the championship.

“But again, for us, what’s more important is to make sure that the team is developing in terms of methodologies and capacity. So from being brave when it comes to mindset, to the type of aero concepts we may deliver, on the lead times, engineering, production, manufacturing, we raised the challenge.

"With the upgrade we have brought here, it doesn’t matter how much it will deliver in terms of lap time. I think what matters for us the most is having raised the challenge, having again pushed the system on whatever is mindset and lead times, and hopefully we’ll have a correlation which is right compared to the wind tunnel and the sim.”

The Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Azerbaijan is on Saturday, September 26th. The race broadcast in the States is at 5:50 AM Eastern Saturday morning on Apple TV. For FP3 and Qualifying times see the Jay Geils Memorial TV Links above.

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 Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team announced on Wednesday, September 23rd its driver numbers for its new lineup entering the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

Pato O'Ward will continue in the No. 5, while Scott Dixon will take over the No. 6 entry, and Felix Rosenqvist will drive the No. 7. In the team's additional Indy 500 entry, Ryan Hunter-Reay will continue with the No. 31 next May.

Additionally, Arrow McLaren unveiled a new font style for car numbers in line with the rebrand McLaren Racing rolled out September 22nd that will go into effect in January 2027.

Scott Dixon is gearing up for his 27th season of competition in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and his first in papaya with the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team in 2027. 

Hailed as the greatest driver of his generation, and one of the greatest in the history of the sport, only A.J. Foyt ranks ahead of Scott's 59 race wins and six INDYCAR championships. He also earned his place among the Borg-Warner Trophy greats with victory at the Indianapolis 500 in 2008. 

At McLaren, Scott joins the organization founded by fellow New Zealander Bruce McLaren, the first driver from the country to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix and one of New Zealand's most celebrated sporting figures. Scott's late father, Ron, was a passionate Motorsports enthusiast who followed Bruce's rise through the sport, making the connection especially meaningful. 

Scott’s racing resume speaks for itself. He holds INDYCAR SERIES records for victories at the most racetracks (28), most seasons with a win (23) and most consecutive seasons with a win (21). He has led 6,937 laps, the second-most in INDYCAR SERIES history (Mario Andretti: 7,595) and holds the record for the most laps led in Indianapolis 500 history (677). 

He has consistently raced at the front of the field through his career and holds the series record for the most podiums (146) while producing a top five finish in 218 of his 437 starts (50%). Known for balancing aggression with consistency, Scott is also the only driver in series history to complete 100 percent of his laps in multiple seasons, accomplishing the feat in 2020 and 2022. 

Beyond his success in INDYCAR, Scott is a three-time overall winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and has been inducted into both the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (Class of 2024) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Hall of Fame (Class of 2026). 

Tony Kanaan: "We're excited to begin our next chapter in 2027. This team has continued to raise the bar year after year, and with Pato, Scott, Felix and Ryan in the cockpit, we believe we have the tools to achieve our goals. While fans will have to wait a little longer to see the 2027 liveries, today's announcement offers a fun glimpse of what lies ahead.” 

FORMULA E - On Wednesday, September 23rd, Formula E unveiled a new brand identity, signaling an evolution as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship enters its next era. 

The timing coincides with the GEN4 race car debuting in December, its biggest global calendar to date, a landmark streaming partnership with Disney+, and a new "E-PrixUnleashed" format. Formula E is shifting gears; and has built a visual identity to match.

The evolved identity signals a shift in how Formula E presents itself to the world. The new branding is an effort to convey what high-performance, sustainable racing is today. 

FIA WEC - Round 6 of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign takes competitors to Asia this weekend for the 6 Hours of Fuji. The paddock arrives with a tie at the top of the table setting the scene for a showdown in the foothills of Japan’s highest peak. 

Fuji Speedway was originally conceived as a fully-banked superspeedway before being converted into its current 2.835 mile, 16-turn layout. Fuji has appeared on the calendar on 12 occasions since FIA WEC’s inception in 2012, making it the series’ fourth most-visited circuit. Despite being the second-shortest lap on the schedule, its main straight is one of the longest in the sport, seeing drivers hit top speeds in excess of 205 mph.

Five rounds in, the battle for the title in the headlining Hypercar category remains finely-poised. With Toyota and BMW failing to score big points last time out in Austin – and defending title-holder Ferrari triumphing in Texas – an intriguing three-way fight is developing for the coveted world championship crown.

Having been cruelly robbed of victory at Circuit of The Americas by a hydraulic issue barely ten minutes from the end, Toyota will be feeling particularly fired-up to bounce back on home soil. The Japanese automotive giant boasts no fewer than nine previous wins at Fuji – equating to an extraordinary 75% strike rate – and every new Toyota has won its first race at the circuit. With the TR010 Hybrid – which has already won at Imola and Le Mans during its maiden campaign of competition, they will be looking to add to their home winning total.

The No. 8 Toyota made history by leading every single lap of the 2019 race, and Sebastien Buemi – who took the checkered flag that day – is the only active driver with four outright victories to his name at Fuji. Four of the Swiss star’s five stablemates have similarly prevailed there overall, while Nyck de Vries triumphed for the first time in FIA WEC in Japan in 2019 in the LMP2 division. The Dutchman has led both of the latest two editions of the event, with teammate Kamui Kobayashi the Hypercar qualifying lap record-holder at the track. 

Together with Mike Conway, the pair will go into the weekend still tied on points at the top of the Drivers’ classification with BMW duo Robin Frijns and René Rast. Toyota is in possession of a slender nine-point advantage over its Bavarian rival at the summit of the Manufacturers’ standings.

It was Alpine that prevailed in FIA WEC’s landmark 100th event at Fuji in 2025, rolling the dice to add to the podium finishes achieved in its two prior Hypercar outings at the track – more than any other active manufacturer aside from Toyota. Les Bleus returned to the podium for the first time this season at COTA, and the A424 is the sole Hypercar on the 2026 grid to have previously won the 6 Hours of Fuji. 

Alpine Won the 2025 6 Hours of Fuji

Cadillac has been the brand to beat in Hyperpole at Fuji since 2024, although the JOTA-run effort will be without Alex Lynn, the man who secured those two pole positions. Fellow No. 12 driver Will Stevens celebrated his first series victory at the circuit in the LMP2 class a decade ago, and is the Hypercar race lap record-holder from last year.

Corvette has led the way in the LMGT3 category since clinching its latest victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in June, with the No. 33 crew of Jonny Edgar, Nicky Catsburg and Ben Keating at the head of the class arriving at Fuji – a circuit where the American brand’s partner team, TF Sport, has prevailed on three occasions, most recently last season. It was also the scene of breakthrough triumphs for No. 34 drivers Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluç, during their previous stint as teammates seven years ago. 

Nicky Catsburg: “Fuji is good for racing. It’s a very mixed track. You have a couple of high-speed corners but the last sector is very slow. That one will be tough especially with the Hypercars. I don’t think they will be so much faster than us there. So it will be difficult in the sense of multi-class racing. Hopefully it will be a strong event. We should be better than at COTA because of losing quite a bit of success ballast. Let’s see. We need to make sure Jonny and the team win the championship so hopefully we are in a spot where we can score decent points for that.”

The No. 21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari of Alessio Rovera, Simon Mann and François Hériau are currently the No. 33 Corvette’s closest competitors in the title table, while in the sister No. 54 entry, Davide Rigon, Francesco Castellacci and Thomas Flohr are all multiple winners in-class at the track and looking to turn around a thus far torrid campaign that has yielded but a single point.

Much like in 2024, Ferrari is on a six-race run without reaching the LMGT3 rostrum; the last such streak ended with victory at Fuji.

Others primed to shine this weekend include Team WRT’s brace of BMWs – with the M4 a top three finisher in both of its prior appearances in Japan – and Mercedes-AMG, after Lorcan Hanafin delivered the three-pointed star its first fastest race lap in the series last year, with the Iron Lynx-run cars similarly showing promising pace earlier this month at COTA on their way to a double top seven result. Lexus, meanwhile, will be eager to impress on home turf, as the Akkodis ASP Team-fielded RC F – twice a race-winner in 2025 – targets a return to FIA WEC’s highest step.

The 6 Hours of Fuji is on Sunday, September 27th. Follow the link for the entry list of this weekend's 6 HOURS OF FUJI. Streaming links for the race are above.

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