Autosport F1 & Motorsport Motorsport Network

It’s almost time for Formula 1 to head back to Europe for Round 10 of the World Championship; the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Ben Hunt makes his Autosport debut alongside Filip Cleeren and Bryn Lucas to discuss all the news in the sport, and preview the upcoming race. Included is a discussion about Kimi Antonelli and the recent rule change from the FIA allowing 17-year-olds the right to a superlicense at their discretion, and debate whether Kimi should be allowed to race at such a young age.
The trio also ponder whether the upcoming F1 movie in 2025 will have a similar impact for younger fans getting into the sport to the Drive to Survive Netflix show.
There’s also a full preview of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, including whether McLaren can adapt their new car to Barcelona’s lower speed corners, can Mercedes show their Canadian form was more than just a flash in the pan, and whether Ferrari can overcome their 2023 tyre-wear problems. Is Red Bull set to dominate again?
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The 92nd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans did not disappoint after heavy rain and some controversial stewarding as the #50 Ferrari of Miguel Molina, Antonio Fuoco and Nicklas Nielsen triumphed over the #7 Toyota of Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries and Jose Maria Lopez to take their second-consecutive win for the prancing horse. 
Gary Watkins joins Steph Wentworth to review all the action across the famous race. Together they discuss the incredible energy save that the Ferrari team pulled off to win the race, as well as some of the controversial stewarding towards the end with the #8 Toyota spun out of contention by the other factory Ferrari.  
There’s also a full breakdown of all the other major Hypercar factories, such as both Alpine’s failing to finish after simultaneous engine failures, how Porsche slipped out of contention due to their misjudgement of the conditions, where Cadillac lost time compared to their rivals, and the rough showing for BMW.  
And finally, reviews of the LMP2 and LMGT3 classes, as United Autosports and Manthey EMA taking victory in their respective classes! 
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Last week, the FIA announced the first draft of its new regulations, set to debut at the start of the 2026 season. There are some big changes on the horizon, including smaller and nimbler cars, a reduction in the minimum weight limit as well as multiple modes for the front and rear wings to adjust downforce. There’ll be more reliance on the battery for power deployment and MOM – A manual override mode the drivers can activate for extra power at higher speeds.  
But are these the right moves for the sport going forward? Jake Boxall-Legge joins Bryn Lucas on the Autosport Podcast to discuss what he thinks the regulation changes will mean for the racing product going forward. Are the fears about “trains” powered by manual overrides instead of the soon to be scrapped DRS a genuine concern? 
There’s also discussion about why some of the teams and drivers are pushing back on the regulation change, such as Sergio Perez and Lando Norris claiming that the cycle of changes every 4-5 years actively harms the sports competitiveness. And is it possible to take 30 kilograms out of the cars with the power units set to become even heavier in 2026? And JBL ponders, if the push for sustainable fuels means an eventual comeback for the V10’s of the 2000’s.  
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It’s almost time once again for one of the biggest races in the world, the 92nd Running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as 62 entrants from 13 different manufacturers head to the Circuit De La Sarthe for the ultimate test of speed, endurance, stamina and reliability!
Joining Steph Wentworth are Autosport Editor Gary Watkins and three-time Le Mans Winner and World Endurance Champion Allan McNish, and together they break down all the key contenders for the race. Will Porsche and their fleet of six cars get their twentieth win and Roger Penske’s first as a team boss? Ferrari will be in the mix but could be hurt by the new Power Gate restrictions taking away some of their top speed. Toyota’s experience and recent winning record will be a factor as well.
There’s also talk on the more fringe contenders like BMW, Lamborghini’s Le Mans debut, as well as full previews for the LMP2 class making a one-off appearance, and the LMGT3 class.
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Max Verstappen delivered a precise and commanding victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to take the top step of the podium for the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix, despite having to negotiate difficult changeable conditions as Montreal had multiple showers over the course of the race.  
Joining Bryn Lucas on the Autosport Podcast is Jake Boxall-Legge from the track, and US Editor Charles Bradley as the trio discuss Max’s calm and measured brilliance, but also ponder whether a gamble from McLaren’s Lando Norris running one extra lap on a drying track with an intermediate tyre, may have cost them a shot at the victory.  
There’s also a discussion on the recent strugglers in the Red Bull umbrella, with Sergio Perez had a horrible race, crashing from the rear of the field after failing to make it out of Q1 in qualifying for the second weekend in a row, and Daniel Ricciardo scoring points in a Grand Prix for the first time this season. 
And finally, there’s discussions about Ferrari and their horrible weekend as both cars failed to finish, and more drama at Alpine where despite a double points finish, team orders marred the occasion with Esteban Ocon venting his frustration to the media.  
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Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Kalle Rovanperä is one of the brightest young talents in Motorsport having rewritten the World Rally Championship record books, becoming the youngest ever champion aged 22 in 2022. Last year he joined an elite group of drivers to defend the crown that include Juha Kankkunen, Miki Biasion, Tommi Makinen, Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier.
The Finn may be familiar for tackling the world toughest roads but this year he is expanding his motorsport horizons, dovetailing a part-time WRC campaign with a move into circuit racing. But there is a lot more that makes the Finn tick as Autosport’s WRC reporter and host of the Gravel Notes Podcast, Tom Howard and rally journalist Luke Barry find out.
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