Autobayng News Team
Welcome to Friday’s edition of the RaceFans round-up.
Comment of the day
McLaren’s new title sponsor will forever be associated with another, much less memorable team for Neil:
It’s weird how some sponsorships stick. It’s been almost 30 years, and they only entered (and failed to qualify) for one race, but I still immediately associate Mastercard with the Lola failure. Every time I see the logo, I see the car.
The same happens with a few other companies, which I immediately associate with certain cars or teams (West I link with McLaren, JPS with Lotus, Gulf with the GT40). But they’re all either iconic, highly successful or long-lived partnerships that it’s likely many motorsport fans, even fairly casual ones, would immediately know of.
I have no idea why Mastercard and Lola are burned together into my brain in the same way, but they are. I see that logo on a bank card and my mind pictures a boxy, multicoloured milkfloat wallowing its way around Albert Park.
Maybe this McLaren deal will finally break the link.
Neil (@Neilosjames)
Social media and links
Marko: Kein Palou und ein Telefonat mit Perez bei Red Bull (Kleine Zeitung – German)
‘There’s absolutely ‘no truth’ to the rumours that Red Bull is in negotiations with US IndyCar driver Alex Palou. ‘That’s not true.”
Why Cadillac F1’s American dream doesn’t include an American driver (Las Vegas Sun)
‘Towriss said in May at the Miami Grand Prix there remains a desire to get an American driver in one of the seats, but only when one is ready. Herta doesn’t have the super license required to compete in F1, Towriss noted, and a new team learning a new car requires experienced and steady drivers.’
Phoenix, Mexico and a relocated Toronto all poised to feature on IndyCar’s 2026 schedule (Racer)
‘The leading location for IndyCar’s lone trip to Canada is the town of Markham, located approximately 45 minutes north of the current course. A downtown street race in Markham, which has more than 300,000 residents and rates as Canada’s 16th-largest city, has been proposed.’
Cusick Motorsports announces expansion into Indy Nxt for 2026 (Formula Scout)
‘Its venture into IndyCar’s primary support series will be made possible by collaborating with HMD Motorsports, which currently runs six cars full-time and a further three part-time. For 2026 it will downscale to four cars.’
Team uses electric power to transport W16 cars to Zandvoort (Mercedes)
‘The 673km journey from the team’s base in Brackley to Zandvoort – the home of one of the most sustainable races on the calendar – follows an initial pilot at the 2025 British Grand Prix, and makes us the first on the grid to use an electric truck to transport its cars to a European race weekend.’
Introducing the More than Equal Advisory Board (More than Equal)
‘Our Advisory Board members include: Andrea Wong– Board Member, Liberty Media; Former President, Sony International Television, Annastiina Hintsa – CEO, Hintsa Performance, Chris Welch – F1 Sponsorship Broker, Investor and Fundraiser, David Alfrey – Global ESG & sports law expert and More than Equal Advisory Board Chair, Ellen Lohr – Director Motorsport at AVL Racetech and Former DTM Driver, Jamie Chadwick – Three-time W Series Champion and Williams F1 Development Driver, Karen Webb – Chair of Aquatics GB and Former Vice President Image & Marketing Communications, International Olympic Committee, Kate Beavan – Former F1 Director of Hospitality and Experiences, Susie Wolff – Managing Director, F1 Academy and Zak Brown – CEO, McLaren Racing’
Petra Ecclestone: ‘I feel safe in Dubai. London’s not the same place it was’ (The Times)
‘The Monaco Grand Prix was always so busy, so fun, so chaotic — and great for people watching. There were so many celebrities, really cool footballers and basketball players — I was a huge Lakers fan and remember being so excited when I saw Kobe Bryant and Shaq.’
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