It’s the sixth Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, and history suggests the outcome is anything but predictable. Every previous edition has produced a different winner, a trend Ryan Blaney will try to end as the defending race winner.

This year’s field is led by Denny Hamlin, who starts from pole in the No.11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota after qualifying was affected by weather. Alongside him is championship leader Tyler Reddick, whose No.45 23XI Racing Toyota continues to set the standard in a season that has already delivered multiple statement victories.

Hamlin and Reddick lead Toyota charge at Nashville

The front of the grid has a distinctly Toyota feel. Hamlin and Reddick occupy the front row, while Christopher Bell starts fourth and Ty Gibbs rolls off sixth. That gives Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing a powerful early presence in a race where clean air and track position could matter from the opening stint.

Daniel Suarez starts third for Spire Motorsports, carrying momentum after his rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte. The result gave Suarez the third Cup win of his career and placed him firmly back in the spotlight heading into Nashville, where he starts as the highest-placed Chevrolet.

Behind the lead group, the contenders are stacked. Kyle Larson starts fifth, Blaney seventh, William Byron eighth and Joey Logano ninth, ensuring that several proven winners remain close enough to attack if the front row falters.

Strategy could decide the night race

The Cracker Barrel 400 will cover 300 laps and 399 miles, with Stage 1 ending at Lap 90, Stage 2 at Lap 185 and the final stage running to Lap 300. That structure should create multiple strategic windows, particularly if cautions interrupt long green-flag runs.

Intermediate tracks have already played an important role in the 2026 season, and Nashville adds another layer to that picture. The track’s concrete surface can change significantly across a night race, especially as temperatures drop and grip levels evolve. Teams that adjust quickly could find speed late, while cars that look strong early may fade as conditions shift.

The recent run of winners also adds to the uncertainty. Six different drivers have won the last six Cup races since Easter, and Suarez enters as the latest example of how quickly the momentum can swing.

Nashville offers another chance for a new winner

With Reddick leading the standings, Hamlin starting from pole and Blaney chasing a second straight Nashville win, Sunday night’s race has several clear storylines. But Nashville Superspeedway has rarely followed the expected script since joining the Cup calendar.

Shane van Gisbergen starts 10th as he continues his adaptation to oval racing, while Bubba Wallace, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch all face work to do from deeper in the field.

For fans watching the live stream, the appeal is obvious. A primetime race, a crowded field of contenders, a track without a repeat winner and a front row loaded with Toyota firepower all point toward a tense night in Tennessee.

If Hamlin controls the race from pole, Nashville could become another showcase for veteran precision. If Reddick converts another strong starting spot, his championship lead will only grow. But if recent form is any guide, the Cracker Barrel 400 may well deliver another twist in a season that has refused to settle into a pattern.

The post 2026 Cracker Barrel 400 LIVE Stream: NASCAR at Nashville appeared first on Total Motorsport.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver survived strategy pressure, repeated restarts and a late challenge from Kyle Kirkwood to win by 3.0584 seconds on the streets of Motor City.

Kirkwood finished second for Andretti Global, while Graham Rahal completed the podium after recovering from an earlier spin to claim third for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard completed the top five for Arrow McLaren, giving the team a strong double points finish at Chevrolet’s home event.

The 100 lap race featured six cautions, multiple strategy swings and several major incidents, with Will Power, Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, Romain Grosjean and Christian Rasmussen among those whose races were compromised by contact or mechanical trouble.

Detroit Grand Prix results 2026

Here is the full finishing order from the 2026 Detroit Grand Prix.

Who won the Detroit Grand Prix 2026?

Alex Palou won the 2026 Detroit Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Kyle Kirkwood and Graham Rahal after leading 71 of the 100 laps.

It was Palou’s fourth IndyCar victory of the season and his third win on a street course in 2026, further strengthening his position at the top of the championship.

Palou had started from pole but was forced to work for the win after losing ground during the opening half of the race. Strategy brought him back into control, and he made the most of his restarts to keep Kirkwood behind in the closing stages.

Rahal took third after recovering from an early spin, while O’Ward and Lundgaard completed the top five for Arrow McLaren.

Detroit chaos punishes several contenders

The Detroit Grand Prix again lived up to its reputation as one of the most unpredictable street races on the IndyCar calendar.

Christian Rasmussen was the first retirement after crashing on Lap 9, while Scott Dixon suffered a mechanical issue and finished 24th after starting fourth.

Will Power, who started second and led 18 laps, ended up 22nd after contact, while Scott McLaughlin fell from third on the grid to 19th after also being caught in trouble.

David Malukas started last following his qualifying crash and finished 18th, four laps down, limiting his ability to pressure Palou in the championship race.

For Palou, though, Detroit was another demonstration of control under pressure. On a day filled with cautions, contact and strategy traps, he found the cleanest path to the flag and left Motor City with another major result.

The post Detroit Grand Prix results 2026: Full finishing order from Motor City appeared first on Total Motorsport.

On a day when the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix produced its usual blend of contact, cautions, strategy swings and bruised egos, Palou once again found a way through. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver converted pole into his fourth win from eight starts this season, beating Kyle Kirkwood by 3.0584 seconds after 100 laps around the nine turn, 1.645 mile street circuit.

Graham Rahal completed the podium after recovering from an early spin, while Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard finished fourth and fifth for Arrow McLaren.

Palou had started from pole for the third race in a row, but Detroit was never straightforward. Will Power took the lead from him after an early restart, and when Palou tried to fight back on Lap 32, he was forced wide and dropped behind Scott McLaughlin and Lundgaard.

That could have been the moment his race unravelled. Instead, it became another example of why Palou is controlling the championship.

Palou turns strategy into control

The decisive phase came when Palou became the first of the lead group to pit. With his rivals battling on worn tyres, the Spaniard gained roughly three seconds through the cycle and returned to the front once the strategy picture settled.

Detroit then did what Detroit usually does. Christian Rasmussen’s Lap 10 crash brought the first caution, Rahal spun at Turn 3, Santino Ferrucci hit Rinus VeeKay at Turn 5, and Mick Schumacher and David Malukas tangled on a restart.

Later, Power and McLaughlin fought hard near the front before Power’s race unravelled after contact, while Ferrucci’s car stopping at Turn 5 created yet another caution. Each restart gave Kirkwood a chance. Each time, Palou managed it.

“I would not change the position that we have right now, but it’s tough, man,” Palou said after qualifying when looking ahead to the race. “It’s a crazy race. We know the strategies are going to be moving up and down. So, hopefully we can get a clean start, start working from there and choose our strategies.”

That assessment proved accurate. Detroit moved constantly, but Palou kept choosing correctly.

Kirkwood pushes, Rahal recovers and rivals stumble

Kirkwood looked like Palou’s biggest threat for much of the second half of the race. The Andretti Global driver closed in at several points, but his softer tyres faded late and Palou’s final restart ended the contest.

Rahal’s third place was one of the day’s standout recoveries after his earlier spin dropped him down the order. Behind him, O’Ward and Lundgaard gave Arrow McLaren a strong double top five finish at Chevrolet’s home event.

Felix Rosenqvist finished sixth one week after winning the Indianapolis 500, while Louis Foster, Marcus Ericsson, Kyffin Simpson and Josef Newgarden rounded out the top 10.

For others, Detroit was punishing. Power fell from second on the grid to 22nd, Scott Dixon dropped from fourth to 24th with a hybrid issue, and Rasmussen was classified last after his early crash.

Malukas, who started last after crashing in qualifying, finished 18th and lost more ground to Palou in the championship fight.

The series now heads to the one mile oval near St. Louis, but Detroit may prove another important marker. Palou did not need a perfect race to win. He just needed to stay calm while everyone else found trouble.

The post Alex Palou survives Detroit chaos to tighten grip on IndyCar title appeared first on Total Motorsport.

The four-time and three-time reigning series champion took the NTT P1 Award for the Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear with a lap of 1:01.9017 in the No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

It was Palou’s 16th career pole and the first time he has taken three in a row in IndyCar. The streak is especially impressive because it has come across three very different challenges: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, the IMS oval for the Indianapolis 500, and Detroit’s nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit.

“I felt really good with my lap,” Palou said. “I thought there was not much more margin from my side, so I just tried to put everything together. So happy to make it to the pole, and we stayed there. Good stint, but the big day is tomorrow.”

Detroit Grand Prix qualifying results

Palou continues remarkable qualifying run

Palou was fourth in the running order during the Firestone Fast Six, the one-lap final shootout that decides pole. Once his time was posted, nobody could knock him off the top.

He will now try to convert pole into his fourth victory in eight starts this season in Sunday’s 100-lap race. Palou has already won on the streets of Detroit once before, taking victory in 2023 when the event returned downtown after three decades on Belle Isle.

Two-time series champion Will Power produced his best qualifying result of the season and will start alongside Palou on the front row. Power set a 1:02.1249 in the No.26 TWG AI Honda for Andretti Global.

Scott McLaughlin was the quickest Chevrolet-powered driver in the manufacturer’s home race, qualifying third in the No.3 Clarience Technologies Team Penske Chevrolet with a 1:02.4559.

Scott Dixon completed the second row in fourth for Chip Ganassi Racing, while Christian Lundgaard recovered from an engine change after a morning practice issue to qualify fifth for Arrow McLaren. Kyle Kirkwood, who led practice earlier in the day, qualified sixth after a lock-up and two major slides on his Firestone Fast Six run.

Malukas setback gives Palou chance to extend lead

David Malukas endured more frustration just one week after losing the Indianapolis 500 by 0.0233 seconds to Felix Rosenqvist in the closest finish in race history.

Malukas crashed heavily at Turn 7 near the end of the first qualifying round in the No.12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. He was unhurt, but the damage means he will start last in the 25-car field.

That could prove significant for the championship. Palou leads Malukas by 37 points entering the race and will start from pole while his nearest challenger begins at the back.

“I would not change the position that we have right now, but it’s tough, man,” Palou said. “It’s a crazy race. We know the strategies are going to be moving up and down. So, hopefully we can get a clean start, start working from there and choose our strategies.”

Rosenqvist also failed to advance from the first round and will start 16th for Meyer Shank Racing. Palou has already made qualifying look routine in 2026, but Detroit rarely gives anyone an easy afternoon. If he can control the race from the front, the championship picture may begin to tilt even further in his favour.

The post Detroit Grand Prix qualifying results: Alex Palou extends pole streak appeared first on Total Motorsport.

The British driver came into the season knowing he had a great chance of winning his first title as the Mercedes car immediately looked so strong, and he is the senior driver in the team.

In recent weeks, though, Kimi Antonelli has managed to build an impressive lead at the top of the standings, and a power unit-induced retirement for Russell in Canada was a serious blow.

Russell’s first DNF of the season rings alarm bells

The former Williams driver started the season with a victory and a P2 finish, but he has since failed to make the podium. He finished P4 in both Japan and Miami, before retiring in Montreal in the midst of a vicious battle with his teammate for the lead.

Thanks to Antonelli winning the last four races, he now has an impressive 43-point lead over his teammate. There is still a long way to go and a lot of points to be won, but it is clear that Russell has to start beating his teammate regularly if he is to take advantage of the car Mercedes have built.

Speaking after Sunday’s race to the press, including Total-Motorsport.com, Toto Wolff explained that he has every faith in Russell‘s mentality when it comes to bouncing back from this disappointment and continuing to fight for the title.

“Things have gone against him over the last few races, and today would certainly have been big points to collect. He was in the lead. But if there’s one guy in this paddock I’d choose in terms of resilience and determination, it would be George,” Wolff said.

“He’s had to overcome adversity all throughout his career, from karting through the junior formulas, and he’s not going to give up that fight. Honestly, there are still 17 races to go, if my calculations are right, and there are so many points still available.

“So this is really about waking up tomorrow, digesting it, forgetting it, moving forward, and driving the best you can. And that’s exactly what he’s going to do.”

Wolff clears up his radio messages

During the intense fighting between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, everyone was waiting to see how the Mercedes pit wall would react.

It was clear that the pair were being allowed to race, but it was unclear from the radio messages just how content Toto Wolff was with the ferocity.

“I think we want to look at the footage from today and have them come to the right conclusions themselves about whether that level of fighting was acceptable, and if so, why,” Wolff explained.

“We’ll explain why we think one or two situations could have been avoided and ask what they want to do to mitigate those risks. But definitely, more than ever, this fight is on. There’s so much at stake for both drivers.

“As a team, as uncomfortable as it sometimes is, you have to accept that this is the fight they’ve been trained for. But equally, if we believed the team’s points were genuinely at risk, or if we were losing too much time to competitors behind, then we wouldn’t hesitate for a millimeter to put the handbrake on.”

When asked about the instruction to ‘tidy it up’ during the race, Wolff said: “Asking them to tidy it up doesn’t mean stopping the racing. You still allow them to race, but you’re basically saying, ‘You’re on watch.’

“We had a few situations that could have ended in DNFs, and as a driver, you’re fully aware of where you place your car and how much risk you want to take.”

The post Toto Wolff points to George Russell’s ‘resilience and determination’ amid Canada disappointment appeared first on Total Motorsport.

With Paris Saint-Germain facing Arsenal in the 2026 Champions League final in Budapest, several drivers on the F1 grid have a personal stake in the outcome. Lewis Hamilton will be watching as a long-time Arsenal supporter, while the French trio of Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Isack Hadjar are firmly in the PSG camp.

Football has long been a major part of life for many drivers, whether through family influence, hometown loyalty or childhood memories away from racing. Some allegiances are well known, others are more casual, but the 2026 grid features supporters of clubs from England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Argentina and Mexico.

F1 drivers and the football teams they support

PSG and Arsenal split the Formula 1 paddock

The Champions League final gives the current grid a ready-made divide. Hamilton is a boyhood Arsenal fan, largely because of his sister’s encouragement when he was young.

The Ferrari driver celebrated Arsenal’s Premier League title earlier this month by posting “Come On You Gunners” on Instagram, and also sent a good luck message to the team before the final.

The seven-time world champion has seen Arsenal come close to European glory before, most notably in the 2006 Champions League final defeat to Barcelona. Now, with the club back on the biggest stage, he will be hoping they finally claim their first Champions League crown.

Oscar Piastri will also be leaning towards Arsenal, though his connection is more indirect. The McLaren driver has described himself as an Arsenal supporter “by default” because his partner’s family follow the Gunners.

On the other side, Gasly, Ocon and Hadjar all support Paris Saint-Germain, the dominant force in French football. The trio attended PSG’s 2-0 win over Liverpool in the quarter-finals earlier this year, and will be hoping the Parisian side can defend the Champions League title they won last season.

The 2025 final was an emotional one for Gasly and Hadjar, who watched PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 during the Barcelona race weekend before appearing in PSG colours on Sunday. Gasly also has a deeper football connection as a co-owner of French club FC Versailles.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United have F1 support

Spain’s two veteran drivers both have strong ties to Real Madrid. Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso support the Spanish giants through family influence. Carlos Sainz Sr even had trials for Real Madrid as a teenager, while both drivers have regularly shown their support for the club over the years.

Real Madrid were knocked out by Bayern Munich in this season’s Champions League quarter-finals, but their European record means Sainz and Alonso have had plenty to celebrate in recent years.

Nico Hulkenberg backs Bayern Munich and was at the Allianz Arena when the German champions were edged out by PSG over two legs in the semi-finals. The Audi driver is also a committed supporter of the German national team.

Arvid Lindblad and Lando Norris both have links to Manchester United. Lindblad, in his first Formula 1 season with Racing Bulls, supports the 13-time Premier League champions, while Norris followed United during Cristiano Ronaldo’s first spell at the club.

Norris was more of a MotoGP fan growing up, but football was still part of his childhood, including trips to Bristol City because of his father’s connections with the club.

Verstappen, Leclerc and Antonelli keep it local

Some drivers have stayed loyal to clubs closely tied to their roots. Charles Leclerc supports AS Monaco, the club from his home principality.

Monaco completed the double over PSG this season and narrowly missed out on a Champions League upset after losing 5-4 on aggregate to the Parisian side. Leclerc is also known for playing in charity football matches in Monaco alongside other F1 drivers.

Max Verstappen supports PSV Eindhoven, having attended matches with his father Jos Verstappen when he was younger. It has been another successful period for the Dutch club, who secured a third straight league title and their 27th overall.

The Red Bull driver is also close to Dutch football culture and has been seen with national team stars including Virgil van Dijk and Memphis Depay.

Kimi Antonelli supports Bologna, the club from his home city. His father initially wanted him to play football, but growing up between Imola and Ferrari’s Maranello base helped push him towards karting.

Even so, Antonelli has kept his connection to Bologna, meeting the squad during last year’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. While the club’s last league title came in 1964, the Mercedes driver has seen them enjoy a strong modern spell, including a Coppa Italia win in 2025 and recent European campaigns.

Russell, Colapinto and Perez follow family and national passions

George Russell supports Wolverhampton Wanderers, following the influence of his father, a long-time season ticket holder.

The Mercedes driver has returned to Molineux several times to watch Wolves, although recent results have been difficult after the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

For Franco Colapinto, football loyalty comes from one of the sport’s most intense cities. The Buenos Aires-born Alpine driver supports Boca Juniors, one of Argentina’s most famous clubs.

Boca have won 35 domestic league titles and six Copa Libertadores crowns. Colapinto visited La Bombonera in 2022, where he was presented with a special shirt and walked out onto the pitch.

Sergio Perez supports Club America, one of Mexico’s biggest and most successful clubs. Based in Mexico City, Club America play at the Estadio Azteca and have won a record 16 league titles, along with seven CONCACAF Champions Cup or Champions League titles.

Formula 1 may be their profession, but football remains a powerful connection point across the grid. And with Arsenal and PSG fighting for Europe’s biggest club prize, the paddock will have more than a few divided loyalties.

The post Which football team does each Formula 1 driver support? appeared first on Total Motorsport.

Traditionally, the affectionately named ‘silly season’ tends to kick off during the August summer break and sees almost every driver and team boss get linked with a new job. The timing can be changeable, though, depending on how many drivers have already got uncertain futures.

Whilst we are only at the fifth race weekend of the season, thanks to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia being cancelled, there are all sorts of rumours flying around the paddock. They are not just limited to driver lineup changes, either. Team principals and engineers have also been dragged into the fun.

Stella silences Piastri to Red Bull rumours

When asked at Friday’s press conference about the myriad of rumours around his McLaren team, Andrea Stella first chose to focus on the suggestion that Oscar Piastri‘s future could lie away from the Papaya team.

There has been talk that Max Verstappen could follow race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to McLaren when he makes the move before 2028, and that would lead Piastri to head in the other direction and drive for Red Bull Racing.

As far as Stella is concerned, Piastri and McLaren are very happy right now: “Well, I think the reaction is in your question. You mentioned the silly season, and I think we are already fully in this silly season. When we think about Oscar, we couldn’t be happier. I think we are seeing the best Oscar in the cockpit and also a happy Oscar, and the best version of himself outside the cockpit.

“Great dynamics and relationship with Lando, and I think the team is in its strongest shape since I’ve been Team Principal. So definitely it’s very clear, the direction for maximum stability at McLaren.”

Could Stella join Ferrari?

There have also been reports claiming that Andrea Stella could be set to make a return to Ferrari in the near future, having been an engineer for the Scuderia between 2000 and 2014.

The McLaren man had no issues putting those rumours to bed, explaining that he has new goals that he is yet to achieve with the British team, whilst he is looking forward to Lambiase‘s arrival in the future.

“When it comes to myself, I’m definitely fully committed to McLaren. One of the things that makes me more proud of my experience as a Team Principal is that we managed to fill the cabinet at MTC with trophies, and this meant that we needed to create another area of the cabinet, a new one,” Stella said.

“And for me the mission is very clear: we need to fill that new area of the cabinet for the years to come at McLaren. And GP? It’s very simple. At McLaren, we want to employ the best people in Formula 1, the best expertise, the best leaders. And the fact that GP decided to join McLaren, for me, just speaks to the credibility of our team. So, silly season, what’s important for us is stability and that the best talents in Formula 1 want to join McLaren.”

The post McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says we’re ‘fully in silly season’ amid Ferrari and Red Bull links appeared first on Total Motorsport.

It was supposed to be a dream switch for driver, team and fans alike, with the most successful driver statistically joining the most successful team. But the first season was anything but straightforward for the seven-time champion.

For a start, Ferrari were off the pace in the final season of the ground effect era. The Scuderia opted to change its own design philosophy despite a strong end to 2024 and that proved a mistake, leaving the team behind McLaren and Red Bull.

That didn’t stop an early glimmer of hope, as Hamilton took victory in the Chinese Sprint just two rounds into his Ferrari career, before the wheels came off with disqualification for both him and team-mate Charles Leclerc a day later.

Fast forward to 2026 and there had already been plenty of speculation surrounding Hamilton’s future in the sport, something the Briton has played down in no uncertain terms.

“Yep. I’m still in contract. So everything’s 100% clear to me. And yeah, I’m still focused. I’m still motivated,” Hamilton told media ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

“I still love what I do with all my heart. And I’m going to be here for quite some time. So get used to it. There’s a lot of people that are trying to retire me. And that’s not even on my thoughts.

“I’m already thinking of what will be next. And planning for the next five years. But yeah, I still plan to be here for some time.”

Hamilton finds fresh confidence in Canada

That bullishness was backed up by a return to a venue where Hamilton has prospered across his glittering career, and somewhere he always seems to get the best out of his car.

Yet Hamilton approached the weekend with a new tactic, one that saw him ditch the now traditional simulator preparation.

It seemed to work. A strong Sprint Qualifying on Friday saw him comfortably ahead of Leclerc and, for long periods, fighting with Mercedes and McLaren for the front two rows on the grid.

“That’s probably the best qualifying session we’ve had for some time,” Hamilton said. “Just really great work with the engineers, setup changes, the car felt really fantastic from FP1, and we made just subtle changes going into quali.

“SQ1 and SQ2 were looking good, and then I don’t know why the others are able to turn up a little bit more, I don’t know. But I’m just happy to be there in the fight. I was having so much fun out there. And also, the fact that I didn’t do the sim, and it was the best I’ve felt all year, so I think that’s the way forward for me.”

It was clear it was a strategy that was working as he held his own in the Sprint, while in qualifying, Hamilton was a genuine pole contender in what turned out to be a thrilling five-way battle for the top spot.

In the race, while McLaren made a strategic blunder and Mercedes were in a class of one before George Russell retired, Hamilton was best of the rest.

Falling behind Max Verstappen may have masked that initially, but the Ferrari driver’s pace to close on the Red Bull and then make a brilliant overtake into Turn 1 late on for second, his best finish in red machinery so far, was much more like the champion we were used to seeing before the ground effect era.

Ferrari simulator call could shape Hamilton’s season

Perhaps most tellingly, the body language of the SF-26 under Hamilton’s control was far more alive than at previous events, with the Briton clearly more confident in throwing the car into corners.

“If you look at the two best races I’ve had, I didn’t use a simulator,” Hamilton explained after his podium.

“That’s honestly how it was. All the championships before, except for probably 2008, I didn’t use a sim. It’s not a necessity. It’s a tool that can be powerful, but for me, I’m old school. I’m probably better without it.

“What could be good is, for example, going back and doing correlation to this weekend so we can find out where it’s missing, because the test driver will be on there saying it’s all good. They only know what they know because they don’t get to drive. Only Charles and I get to drive the car.”

Monaco will provide further clarity as to whether Hamilton’s new direction is behind the uptick in form, but it is hard to argue against the move based on Canada.

For Ferrari, the result was more than just a podium. It was evidence that Hamilton can still unlock something special when the car gives him confidence.

And for Hamilton, the weekend offered something just as valuable: proof that his instinct, preparation style and feel behind the wheel still have the power to change the mood of an entire Ferrari campaign.

The post How Lewis Hamilton’s bold Canada call has invigorated life at Ferrari appeared first on Total Motorsport.

Russell entered the Canadian Grand Prix weekend needing to stop the rot after three consecutive victories for his Italian Mercedes team-mate, though pace through practice and the early stages of Sprint Qualifying put Antonelli on top.

Yet when it counted, the Briton found a lap to snatch pole for the Sprint and swing the momentum, which was the trigger for a feisty Saturday Sprint.

Russell led from the front, but when Antonelli came to attack at Turn 1 after sustained pressure, the Australian GP winner left no space on the outside, forcing the teenager across the grass and narrowly avoiding wiping out both Mercedes cars.

That left Antonelli irked over what he perceived as an illegal defence from Russell, with team principal Toto Wolff forced to take on the role of pacifier over team radio.

But that was just a precursor to what would be seen in the first half of Sunday’s Grand Prix, with Russell ahead on the grid after qualifying.

Antonelli and Russell take the gloves off in Canada

It felt as though every lap of the first 29 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve saw the Silver Arrows side by side, with the battle kept alive by numerous errors made by Russell at the hairpin.

One moment would have made Wolff and the Mercedes pit wall wince as Antonelli lost downforce under the rear wing of Russell’s car, locked up and somehow avoided an accident, perhaps more through luck than judgement.

The race was shaping up to almost replicate the 2014 Bahrain GP battle that saw Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg go back and forth for the lead in the same team, but the tussle was broken up when Russell retired with a mechanical issue on Lap 29.

That handed Antonelli a clear route to a fourth consecutive win and extended his championship lead, but the fight still has 17 rounds to play out.

Now, the Mercedes hierarchy faces a decision. Will the pair be free to race as normal, or will rules of engagement be used before the battle becomes too costly?

It is a similar scenario to the one McLaren found itself in last season, ironically after contact between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the same Montreal venue.

Papaya rules then became a narrative for the rest of the season, sometimes to the team’s detriment. Mercedes will want to avoid allowing its own title fight to become similarly defined by internal management.

Wolff admits Mercedes must review the risk

“It’s always easy at the end now to say, ‘Well, that was great for the team and great for the sport, didn’t we all enjoy watching the battling?’ That is true to a degree, but there is another side which we need to look at, that it was close a few times,” Wolff said, suggesting discussions would be held.

“Kimi tucking back in and locking the tyres could have ended up in a double DNF and not because of over-aggressive driving, simply by a mistake. The same through the last chicane with that situation.

“It’s important to analyse the race and discuss with the drivers whether they felt it was a bit close and if that is the case, how can we avoid these very, very tough situations where we deem it a little bit too close.”

Whatever happens behind the scenes before Monaco, and despite the disappointment of losing so much ground through his retirement, Russell should take encouragement from the way his aggression exposed Antonelli emotionally.

That may still be where his experience can turn the tide. Antonelli has the points, the momentum and the wins. But Canada showed Russell still has the pace and the nerve to put him under pressure.

The gloves are off now. The next question is how far Mercedes will allow the fight to go.

The post Gloves off between Antonelli and Russell: How will Mercedes respond? appeared first on Total Motorsport.

Fans around the world had been quite intrigued by the latest, and major, power unit revolution that saw engines this season feature a 50/50 power split between a typical internal combustion engine (ICE) and then new electrical system. It was a marked shift as the ICE 1.6 litre turbocharged engine output dropped from roughly 550KW to 400KW, whilst the electric generation jumped from 120KW to 350KW.

For those who follow LiveScore Sports News closely, they will remember the breaking news headlines and stir that these changes made when they were originally announced.

That was not the only enforced, and agreed upon change, ahead of the new race year as on a none technical front drivers have been required to effectively relearn how to drive to the most optimal conditions – balancing top line speed with energy consumption and energy generation to best time its use – as opposed to the more traditional ‘peddle to the metal’ approach depending on your need and risk level.

It has obviously has a noticeable impact on the Grand Prix’s that have taken place so far, fan entertainment levels and also driver frustration levels with some taking to the new changes better than other. Unsurprisingly Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been one of the most vocal critics so far and he is down in seventh place with only 26 points picked up so far in the standings, and he had barbed a few weeks back that not only was he not enjoying it anymore as it was not racing now, he threatened that he was seriously considering quitting the sport.

With him not being the only driver to air complaints though, recent further changes ahead of the 2927 campaign have now been agreed upon in principle and it will see a pivot back to ICE power as an offset to give the race experience a more traditional feel to it once again.

This has gone over well with race teams and drivers themselves and in more recent days the 28 year old four time World Champion Dutchman has declared that with racing going ‘almost back to normal’ he might now actually stay with the sport.

Given how Verstappen actually splits the F1 fanbase that news will undoubtedly receive a mixed reaction, but there is no denying his skill and talent as a driver on the track and F1 would be far poorer for his departure, whether or not he is liked on a more personal basis.

Fellow World Champion Lando Norris certainly agreed with Verstappen’s sentiment about the changes that had now been agreed in principle following the complaints, and the reality that the changes have had and can be visibly seen on the race track, as he commented himself that whilst the compromise had been far from ‘perfect’ is was certainly a ‘great direction’ for the sport to have gone back in and it would definitely be welcomed by all drivers.

That was echoed by teammate by Oscar Piastri who agreed it was ‘a step in the right direction’ but was forthright that the problems that were created had not been ‘fixed’.

With the changes agreed in principle only so far, it will be interesting to see what the final product now becomes as we head closer to the new campaign.

The post Verstappen Won’t Quit After F1 Agrees Engine Changes In Principle appeared first on Total Motorsport.