MOTOGP - It is game on for MotoGP at Motegi for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, in the first of back to back weekends. Last time out at the Red Bull Ring, Pedro Acosta finally won his first Sunday race in the premier class after 56 Grand Prix races.

He put a stop to his 2027 teammates progress towards retaining his 2026 World Championship. Marc Marquez finished P5 to Jorge Martin's runner-up finish in Spielberg. Marco Bezzecchi also finished on the podium and closes in on Marc, who leads Bezzecchi by 42 points, while Marquez dropped 12 points behind Martin after Austria.

The good news for MM93 is that Motegi has traditionally been very good to the Bologna bikes. It is the site of his comeback clinching of the 2025 World Championship. It is also the site of Casey Stoner's 2007 Riders' World Championship.

It is a track historically ideal for showcasing the strengths of the Desmosedici GP, as demonstrated by an impressive tally of nine overall victories—ranging from Loris Capirossi's legendary three in a row starting in 2005 to Pecco Bagnaia's recent dominant back-to-back victories in both 2024 and 2025.

Marc Marquez: "The 2025 Japanese GP represents an indelible memory that creates a special bond between me and the Ducati Lenovo Team. That memory, along with the incredible affection of the Japanese fans, gives me an extra boost for the weekend. Motegi is a track I really enjoy: the goal is to do well and be competitive."

Jorge Martín travels to Japan following a successful weekend at Spielberg, where he claimed victory in the Sprint race and finished second in the main race, allowing him to reclaim the lead in the overall standings. The Spanish rider’s goal will be to maintain his momentum aboard his RS-GP26.

Jorge Martin: "The Asian tour begins and we are headed into it at a good time. We are working very well as a team, and I want to thank Aprilia for the great job they are doing. We need to keep moving along this path, maintaining consistency and staying focused on our objectives. I have great respect for the Asian culture, and I am looking forward to racing in front of our Japanese fans. An extremely important stage of the championship begins. Let’s go!"

Marco Bezzecchi arrives in Motegi after a solid weekend in Austria, leaving with two third-place finishes. The Italian rider approaches the Japanese round with confidence and the clear intention to continue fighting for the top positions.

Marco Bezzecchi: "It will be really great to go to Japan. I can’t wait to meet all the fans. I like the Motegi track very much, and we did pretty well there last year. Our goal is to have a good weekend and continue the work we’ve been doing."

The Mobility Resort Motegi, also known as Twin Ring Motegi, has a “stop & go” configuration with a few fast corners and many long, slow turns with straights in between to make it one of the most demanding tracks on the brakes. The layout runs 2.98 miles in a clockwise direction with a total of 14 turns – 8 right-handers and 6 left-handers. 

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.

WORLDSBK - The 2027 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will not have a No. 1 plate on the grid. Because last weekend, during the EICMA Italian Round at the Cremona Circuit, Nicolo Bulega clinched the Riders' World Championship with two rounds to spare.

The Italian is the first rider in history to win both the WorldSSP and WorldSBK titles. It was an emotional win in Ducati's home round with Bologna's brass in attendance. The achievement also adds Bulega's name to Ducati's long list of WorldSBK Champions, with the Italian becoming the tenth different rider to claim the Riders' Championship with Ducati.

Bulega has produced a remarkable campaign aboard the Ducati Panigale V4 R, claiming 26 victories in 30 races. With 602 points, Bulega holds an advantage of 133 points over his closest challenger and Aruba Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona. This year's championship has seen either Bulega or Lecuona (who swept the Italian Round) as the only series' winners on the updated 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Bulega is the first Italian WorldSBK Champion since Max Biaggi, who claimed the 2012 title, ending a 14-year wait for an Italian rider to return to the top of the championship.

FORMULA 1 - Even with Kimi Antonelli's solid lead in the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, this has been a very competitive season to date. This year's regulation changes are the biggest technical overhaul to the sport in over a decade, featuring lighter cars, active aerodynamics, and a 50-50 power split between combustion and electric energy. The intended result of closer racing and greater competition has been met. Despite the electric naysayers and doubters of active aero to increase passing, F1 has become entertaining again.

Last weekend's GP on Azerbaijan's Baku City Circuit was proceeding in a measured manner, with Mercedes' George Russell leading a procession of rivals behind him. Until... the perils of the unforgiving nature of a street circuit came into play.

The Mercedes driver built on a strong start to control the first half, leaving Oscar Piastri to defend against the charging Red Bull pair of Verstappen and Isack Hadjar while Russell extended his lead. But then the tide turned.

The Williams of Alex Albon speared into the barrier, causing a Safety Car deployment and the evaporation of Russell's lead gap. Upon the restart the action ratcheted up with the Alpine's battling

for position when Franco Colapinto locked up and took Pierre Gasly out. Lando Norris payed the price of a mid-pack position and also retired when Gasly's car ricocheted into the McLaren. Colapinto was able to get to the pits under his own power but later retired.

Colapinto's lack of judgement resulted in a five-spot grid drop for this weekend's Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain. It also touched off a dramatic controversy when Norris broiled him in his remarks post-race. Norris duly apologized, saying he was caught up in the heat of the battle. But the damage was done. Fans of the British driver and team McLaren lambasted Colapinto on social media, causing Alpine F1 to come out with an official statement that all participants and fans should read.

Official Alpine F1 Statement:

“As a team, we feel it’s necessary to speak out once more about the hate and abuse online following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “Not only aimed at one of our own drivers, but also members of the Formula 1 community, including media, and to our racing counterparts who we respect, admire, and revel competing against in the pinnacle of Motorsport.

“Mistakes happen when racing at the limit and no matter the result or outcome, nobody should be subject to hateful or abusive comments. Condemning abuse on social media is not aimed at any one fan base or the supporters of one team or driver, this is universal and should be called out and recognized to all fans of the sport.

“As we have said in previous instances, we strongly condemn the reaction of some fans online and stand in solidarity with Formula 1, the FIA, and other teams in wanting to stamp it out. It has become a regular occurrence in recent races and cannot be condoned.

“We know as a proud participant and stakeholder in the sport, we hold a responsibility to speak out and also help support in finding a solution.

“We will continue to work closely with the championship promoter and rights-holder, and the governing body to discuss ways in which to tackle online abuse and encourage healthy sporting rivalry, which Formula 1 is renowned for and what makes it so special.”

George Russell was in the midst of a dominant weekend and must have thought that the universe was conspiring against him. Again. On the restart he came under attack by the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Russell resisted the Red Bull, barely taking victory by one tenth of a second.

Isack Hadjar enjoyed a P3 podium finish in his first race back from missing three GPs with a broken wrist. It was the perfect way to reward the confidence that Red Bull placed in him by announcing before the weekend that they had retained his services to once again partner with Max Verstappen on the team for 2027.

George Russell Manage The Race in Baku

George Russell: "It's been an incredible weekend and probably one of the strongest of my career so far. I really enjoyed that race and that final stint was some of the most fun I've had in a Formula 1 race. We had strong pace throughout and were able to build a good gap, so when the Safety Car came out it was a little frustrating, but around a circuit like Baku that's always a possibility.

"The restart was probably the most stressful moment of the afternoon with Max right behind me, but I managed it well and from there it was all about staying focused and not making any mistakes. In the final stint we were both pushing hard, and whilst it was intense in the car, those are the moments you enjoy as a driver.

"I've felt comfortable all weekend, and at the moment things seem to be coming naturally behind the wheel. We're in a good place, but Formula 1 changes very quickly so you have to keep pushing. The aim is to keep working hard, keep building this momentum and hopefully continue fighting at the front over the races ahead."

The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend is being held in Malaysia due to the mess in the Mideast. Formula 1 last raced at the Sepang International Circuit on October 1, 2017. Not many present day drivers were even on the grid nine years ago this weekend. Teams will have to contend with a lack of available data. Despite being a historic venue, no team possesses truly relevant references relating to the current generation of Formula 1 cars.

It should make for an unpredictable race. The circuit has undergone several changes in recent years. In 2023, the section between Turns 6 and 12 was resurfaced, with further work carried out in the area around Turn 9. However, the overall characteristics of the surface, as assessed by Pirelli engineers just a few weeks ago, remain very similar to those recorded in 2017.

When the race was moved to Sepang the organizers did further work in September. Additional surface levelling was carried out to remove irregularities in the asphalt, alongside cleaning operations aimed at improving track conditions ahead of the World Championship event.

Mercedes and partner PETRONAS are celebrating the return of racing in Sepang with a special livery this weekend on the W17 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. During the weekend at the Sepang International Circuit, the Silver Arrows will sport a design honoring the colors of the team’s title partner PETRONAS, with the car featuring shades of green alongside its usual black.

Ahead of the weekend, the team visited the PETRONAS Twin Towers, where a special light show, delivered in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and adidas, celebrated the return of F1 to Malaysia and the shared pursuit of innovation, performance and progress.

Fernando Alonso will return with Aston Martin for 2027, joining Team Owner Lawrence Stoll's son Lance, who will stay on for a ninth season and is still in search of that elusive first GP win. Next year will be Alonso's fifth with Aston Martin and together they pair to make up the most experienced driver team on the F1 grid.

Fernando Alonso: “I'm very happy to sign a new contract with Aston Martin. I took my time to make this decision, but racing is my life, my passion, and I know I still have the speed and determination to compete at the highest level.

“I’m committed for the long term with this team and to helping us succeed. I truly believe in what we are building: we have strong leadership, incredible people, partners and facilities.

“I look forward to making more memories on the race track in front of the passionate fans. Their energy creates an atmosphere that inspires me and is what makes our sport special.”

Heading to Sepang, Kimi Antonelli leads his Mercedes teammate George Russell by 66 points. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton sits 37 points behind Russell in P3.

The Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain is on Saturday, October 4th. The pre-race broadcast in the States begins at 1:50 AM Eastern Saturday morning on Apple TV. For Free Practice 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 - One of the most successful and popular drivers to ever compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has died. It was announced on Monday, September 28th that two-Time Indy 500 Winner Johncock has passed away at 90.

Gordon Johncock was the INDYCAR SERIES national champion in 1976 and won 25 races in the series. Yet, Johncock was known for winning both memorable and forgettable “500s,” each time driving for Patrick Racing.

Johncock’s duel with Rick Mears in the closing laps of the 1982 race was the most thrilling to that point, prompting renowned television broadcaster Jim McKay to claim he’d “never seen anything like it.” Johncock masterfully covered Mears’ last-lap passing attempt in Turn 1, then outran the 1979 race winner to the finish line. Their margin at the checkered flag was a then-record .16 of a second, still the seventh closest ever. 

The 1973 “500” was one of tragedy and poor weather, with rain postponing the race two days. Johncock started 11th and grabbed his first lead on Lap 40, but soon after teammate Swede Savage and crew member Armando Teran were involved in separate horrifying accidents.

Johncock, who led 64 laps, was in front of Bill Vukovich II when rain ended the race on Lap 133. With the annual Victory Banquet canceled, Johncock and his Patrick crew “celebrated” with hamburgers at a local Burger Chef restaurant after visiting Savage in the hospital.

Johncock nearly won a few more Indianapolis 500s. He finished third in 1976 and 1978, and he was fourth on two other occasions (1966 and 1974). In 1977, Johncock was leading Foyt, the eventual winner, with 16 laps remaining when his car’s crankshaft broke. He had led 129 laps.

Johncock’s career in the INDYCAR SERIES spanned 262 starts over 25 seasons. He actually retired twice, the first during the first week of “500” practice in 1985. He served on the IMS Radio Network for that race. Two years later, he replaced the injured Jim Crawford and finished 22nd.

Johncock’s last “500” was in 1992 after he retired on Lap 60 with engine failure. He finished 29th. His 24 starts in the race rank fifth among all drivers, tied with Johnny Rutherford and Scott Dixon. Johncock led 339 laps in the Indianapolis 500, which stands 15th all time. Johncock was one of the last living drivers to have competed in front- and rear-engine Indy cars.

After Johncock’s second retirement, he turned his focus to his timber business in South Branch, Michigan, located 200 miles north of Detroit. Johncock enjoyed such a quiet life away from racing that some employees were surprised to learn he had been a race car driver, much less a two-time Indy 500 winner.

“It was a job I used to have,” Johncock said of racing. “Now I have a different job.”

Johncock was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 1997 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999.

FORMULA E - Formula E announced today, (Thursday, October 1st), Bridgestone Corporation as the official tire supplier for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship starting from the 2026/27 Season.

The upcoming season will see the launch of Formula E’s next-generation GEN4 race car, setting a new global benchmark for speed, performance, and sustainability in electric Motorsport. The announcement follows a joint launch event held yesterday in Rome, Italy, where leadership from Formula E, the FIA, and Bridgestone unveiled the new tires alongside the GEN4 show car.

Delivering unprecedented acceleration (0–100 km/h in 1.8 seconds), 600kW (815bhp) of peak power, and permanent active All-Wheel Drive, the GEN4 machine is the fastest and most powerful car in Formula E history. Bridgestone will support this leap in performance by introducing its bespoke high-performance POTENZA tire range tailored specifically for the demands of GEN4 racing.

To meet the extreme torque, power, and dynamic capabilities of the GEN4 car, Bridgestone has engineered the all-weather POTENZA GEN4 tire. Designed for high grip, long-lasting durability, and adaptability across diverse city street circuits and road conditions worldwide, the tire ensures wheel-to-wheel excitement throughout each race.

FIA WEC - Toyota hinged success in their home round last weekend on a key strategy call in the race's final hour to win their 10th 6 Hours of Fuji. The No. 8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid of Ryō Hirakawa, Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley played the victory game to perfection.

For the majority of the race, it was Alpine that looked set to occupy the top two spots on the podium in Round 6 of 2026. The pair of Alpine A424s dominated the top two positions for five of the race's six hours.

But the race was impacted by a big impact in the final hour. The No. 58 Garage 59 LMGT3 McLaren, with Finn Gehrsitz at the wheel, moved right, ever so slightly, while wheel to wheel with Mattia Drudi's No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. They touched wheels, sending the McLaren headlong into the barrier. Drudi was able to continue, but the McLaren was scattered across the circuit. Luckily Gehrsitz escaped the high-speed crash unscathed. The mess brought out a Safety Car, with no penalties handed out.

With everyone diving into the pits, Toyota took a gamble to gain track position by skipping a tire change and to short-fuel Hirakawa in the No. 8 TR010 Hybrid Hypercar The Toyota had been running in sixth position and at one point was spun the the wrong way after Hartley found himself spun out by Harry Tincknell heading into Turn 1.

BMW also rolled the dice by leaving Dries Vanthoor on used rubber in the No. 15 M Hybrid V8, while Alpine adopted a more cautious approach by giving Victor Martins an entirely fresh set of Michelins in the No. 36 car and Charles Milesi two new left-hand-side tires in the No. 35 Alpine.

That move put the leading Alpines behind the No. 8 Toyota, the BMW of Vanthoor and allowed the Aston Martin of Marco Sørensen to split the Alpines in P3 and P5. The race to the flag was dramatic with the Alpines on fresh rubber.

Martins went from P5 to P2, dispatching the Aston Martin Valkyrie, before being let through by his Alpine teammate Milesi and then getting by the BMW with his sights set on Hirakawa. But the Japanese driver was not about to allow the Alpine to get by in front of his home country fans. The 0.591-second margin over Martins at the finish was the closest-ever in FIA WEC’s top-tier between two different marques. 

Toyota Made The Right Call at the 6 Hours of Fuji

It was the No. 8's second victory of the campaign, the only drivers to claim two wins in 2026. The result allowed Hirakawa, Hartley and Buemi to rise to the top of the Drivers’ World Championship table. It was also Toyota's first win at home in three years.

The No. 36 Alpine and No. 15 BMW rounded out the podium, with the No. 35 Alpine ending up fourth to give Alpine its best Hypercar two-car finish ever. The No. 38 Cadillac had a strong run to complete the top five in Hypercar at Fuji. 

Ryō Hirakawa: “It’s amazing to be on the top step of the podium in front of our fans. Of course, we always pushed to get a victory but until the last safety car, it didn’t look possible. The team did a great job on strategy. This win is for them. The last few laps were really stressful. The track conditions were quite tricky, and the Alpine was closing quite fast. I was able to manage it, so I’m really happy, especially in Fuji. It’s a really special feeling and also good for the World Championship.”

Late drama in LMGT3 saw the No. 32 Team WRT BMW M4 of Augusto Farfus, Sean Gelael and Darren Leung take their first win of the 2026 season. It continued the streak in the ultra competitive class of a different winning car in each of the season's six rounds.

Farfus, driving the last stint in the car, made the race-winning move on the Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette, driven by Charlie Eastwood, with less than 20 minutes remaining. As it did in Hypercar, the late race crash of the No. 58 McLaren gave the BMW, which started P14, a chance to change their luck.

It was the No. 34 Turkish TF Sport Corvette that emerged P1 from the final pit stop during the Safety Car by foregoing fresh rubber. They lead from the No. 33 TF Sport Corvette when the race restarted. Farfus from P6 drove the BMW like a man possessed.

He passed the No. 92 The Bend Manthey Porsche, the No. 10 Garage 59 McLaren and the No. 77 Proton Competition Ford Mustang in just a couple of laps. Then he was on the back of the Corvettes, first passing Catsburg, before turning his attentions to Eastwood, who was a sitting duck on used Goodyears. The pass for the lead came in Turn 10. But also on a late race charge was the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage of Mattia Drudi, who recovered from a puncture when he got caught up in the Safety Car-triggering incident.

Farfus was not to be headed and beat Drudi to the line by 1.062 seconds. Finishing third was Eastwood, with teammates Peter Dempsey and Salih Yoluç. Davide Rigon put the No. 54 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari 296 Evo, he shares with Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci, ahead of the No. 33 Corvette of Catsburg, Ben Keating and Jonny Edgar at the finish. The results extended TF Sport’s championship lead to 24 points, while Edgar maintains his four-point advantage over Catsburg.

Augusto Farfus: "Every time it looked good for us, the safety car came at the wrong time, and we ended up dropping back before making our way back up. Then, finally, in the last stint, we had another stop that didn’t go our way, but I managed to get through the traffic pretty quickly. I am extremely happy."

The 6 Hours of Barcelona is on Sunday, October 18th. The 2026 FIA WEC season concludes at the 6 Hours of Monza on Sunday, November 8th.

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