Motorsport news

Simone Faggioli secured his 20th Italian national hillclimb championship title at the 71st Coppa Nissena on Sicily, held at the 5km Caltanissetta circuit. The Italian driver, piloting a Nova NP 01-2 C Judd, delivered an impressive performance in challenging conditions to claim overall victory. The event was marked by a serious accident during the first run that forced a two-hour interruption; the second run was subsequently cancelled due to incoming rain. Faggioli also set a new track record at Caltanissetta, becoming the first driver to break the two-minute barrier on the high-speed course. Stefano di Fulvio finished second overall in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, securing vice-champion status in the Supersalita championship in his first attempt at the demanding circuit. Samuele Cassibba completed the podium in third place, driving a Nova NP 01-2 C Judd and claiming victory in the E2-SC sportprototype class. In the touring car category, Giuseppe Aragona won overall in his VW Golf MK.7 Proto, also setting a new E1 class record. Manuel Dondi finished second in an Alfa Romeo-powered Fiat X1/9, establishing a new E2-SH class record, while Kadija Mourtaji took third place in a Ferrari 296 Challenge on her debut in the car. Mourtaji was involved in a significant accident at the finish line during the first run but escaped with minor injuries; trackside officials were also slightly hurt in the incident. Other notable finishers included Mirko Torsellini in fourth overall (Norma M20FC Zytek, 0.17 seconds behind third), Achille Lombardi fifth (Osella PA30 Judd), and Luigi Fazzino sixth (Osella PA30 Zytek Evo, 0.31 seconds from fifth). Technical retirements affected potential contenders Francesco Conticelli and Michele Puglisi, both Sicilian drivers who had shown strong pace in practice.

The 2026 Clio Cup Bohemia season reached a critical phase at Brno Autodrom, where Polish driver Oskar Marszałkowski of JTS Racing Team scored eight points across the penultimate round. His performance in the second race proved particularly impressive, as he climbed from 16th on the grid to finish sixth—a gain of ten positions. Marszałkowski's weekend began with challenging conditions during Saturday's qualifying session, held in wet weather. The 18-year-old, who celebrated his birthday before the Czech round, initially showed strong pace on the slippery surface and ran near the top ten for JTS Racing Team. However, a red flag caused by a rival's accident cut short his final qualifying attempt. With only one lap remaining and 29 cars on track simultaneously, changeable conditions and heavy traffic worked against him; he was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and qualified 18th. The first race offered little opportunity to demonstrate his pace. Real racing lasted only two and a half laps before the safety car deployed, and a serious accident shortly after the restart brought out the red flag again. Marszałkowski managed one overtake and lined up 16th for the second start. Race two told a different story. Marszałkowski made an excellent start and gained five positions on the opening lap alone, breaking into the points-scoring top ten by lap two. He continued climbing the order consistently thereafter. However, another incident approximately five minutes from the finish brought out the safety car again, neutralising the field to the chequered flag and preventing further attacks. He crossed the line sixth, securing eight points and maintaining sixth place in the championship standings ahead of the season finale. "I'm genuinely proud of my performance in the second race," Marszałkowski said. "Starting from a distant position, I had good pace from the beginning and managed to gain a lot of ground. Five positions on the first lap gave me an excellent foundation, and then I could focus on further attacks. It's a shame about the neutralisation at the end, because I felt we still had a chance to fight for a higher position. Sixth place after starting 17th is definitely a result I can be proud of." The Clio Cup Bohemia season concludes in Budapest on the final weekend of October. Marszałkowski's next outing comes much sooner, however—this week at Spa-Francorchamps, where he will join the Clio Cup Series grid in his first appearance for JTS Racing Team in the European cup. He plans two Clio Cup Series starts this year: after Belgium, he will compete in the November round at Portimão.

The 2026 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Championship Series Playoffs continue this week at Texas Motor Speedway for Round 11, with defending champion Steven Wilson already secured in the Championship 4 finale after his dominant victory at Michigan. Nine drivers remain in contention for the three remaining spots at the season finale in Charlotte, with the stakes intensifying as the field narrows toward October's $500,000 championship race. Wilson's Michigan triumph marked his third win of the season and his second consecutive first-round playoff victory. Despite running the oldest tires in the field during the closing laps, Wilson held off Kollin Keister and Connor Yeroschak on fresher rubber to secure the win and his automatic berth to the Championship 4. Behind him, Bobby Zalenski, Wyatt Tinsley, and Connor Yeroschak currently hold the three provisional playoff spots, while Shawn Conklin (rookie), Tucker Minter, Garrett Lowe, Casey Kirwan, Parker White, and Vicente Salas remain within striking distance but face must-win scenarios to advance. Texas Motor Speedway's 1.5-mile oval presents a fresh challenge for the playoff contenders. The track, located north of Fort Worth, underwent significant reconfiguration in 2017 when Turns 1 and 2 were completely reprofiled, reducing banking from 24 to 20 degrees while widening the racing surface from 60 to 80 feet. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET on eNASCAR.com/live and iRacing's social media channels, with the Countdown to Green pre-race show starting at 7:45 p.m. ET. Following Texas, the playoff field advances to Kansas Speedway on September 22nd for the third and final round before the Championship 4 Finale. Last year's winner at Kansas, Steven Wilson, will look to repeat, though this year's race carries far greater significance as it will determine the final three competitors joining Wilson in the championship race for the Dale Earnhardt Jr Cup.

SIMAGIC has introduced three bundled configurations of its ZEUS direct-drive wheelbase system, with pricing starting at $1,099 and discounts reaching $387 across the range. The bundles feature three power variants: 12 Nm, 18 Nm, and 28 Nm direct-drive motors, each paired with complementary components to form complete entry and mid-level sim racing packages. The tiered approach allows buyers to select a configuration matching their performance requirements and budget.

Salvatore Tortora has secured a strong finish to the 2026 season, winning both the RS Cup class in the Italian Hillclimb Championship (Campionato Italiano Supersalita) and the CIVM Nord series. The driver from Cava de' Tirreni has now claimed three Italian national titles across his career, adding to two previous championship victories in the same class.

The V8 Power Pack DLC for Project Motor Racing is now available, introducing nine V8-powered race cars distributed across three separate categories. The expansion also adds Road Atlanta to the sim's circuit roster.

Ferrari has unveiled the 296 GT Modificata, a track-focused machine developed without the constraints of racing regulations, during Ferrari Racing Days at the Hungaroring in Budapest. Built on experience gained from the 296 GT3 Evo, the new model will be produced in strictly limited numbers and offered exclusively to clients in Ferrari's Club Competizioni GT programme. The 296 GT Modificata carries forward Ferrari's "Modificata" naming convention, which denotes specially engineered versions of existing models where performance takes absolute priority. The mid-mounted, turbocharged 2992 cc V6 engine—shared architecture with the 296 GT3 Evo but extensively modified—produces 730 hp at 7500 rpm and 800 Nm of torque at 5000 rpm, representing a 130 hp increase over the GT3 Evo unit. Power is transmitted via a six-speed sequential gearbox with a carbon clutch, with new ratios calibrated for track driving. Aerodynamic enhancements include a redesigned front splitter for improved airflow and downforce, a new bonnet with enlarged primary intake and refined hot-air extraction, and a completely reworked rear wing featuring a single central support, a 5 mm Gurney flap, and endplate designs inspired by the Ferrari 499P. Ferrari claims these modifications deliver approximately three seconds per lap improvement over the 296 GT3 Evo at Fiorano, partly because the Modificata operates free from Balance of Performance restrictions. Unlike single-seat track cars, the 296 GT Modificata seats two occupants, allowing owners to share driving duties with a passenger or instructor. Standard equipment includes data acquisition systems with additional sensors, onboard cameras, tyre pressure and temperature monitoring, professional safety harnesses, and enhanced cabin cooling. The car weighs 1330 kg (dry), measures 5033 mm long, 2230 mm wide (with mirrors), and 1082 mm tall, and features upgraded ventilated steel brake discs. Purchase of the 296 GT Modificata includes two years of participation in Club Competizioni GT, comprising 12 rounds across 2027 venues: Jerez de la Frontera, Misano, Fuji, Indianapolis, Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps, and the Finali Mondiali finale. The model extends Ferrari's family of client-focused cars drawing on motorsport technology, following the 488 GT Modificata and 499P Modificata.

Patrik Zajelsnik secured overall victory at the 57th Bergrennen Eichenbühl hillclimb in challenging conditions, piloting his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo to a commanding performance on the 3km-plus Unterfranken course. The German-Slovenian driver's spectacular pace impressed spectators throughout the weekend and delivered him another significant triumph of the season. Weather played a decisive role in the event's character. The day began under clear skies but a rain shower arrived before the sports car field took to the track, creating treacherous conditions for early runners. After several incidents and stoppages, organisers limited the meeting to two timed runs. The track gradually dried during the second run, allowing later competitors to tackle ideal asphalt. Despite the disruptions, strong crowds lined the circuit and witnessed high-calibre hillclimb racing. Thomas Strasser of Tyrol claimed second overall and dominated the touring car category in his VW Minichberger Corrado R Turbo, delivering a commanding display that earned him one of his career-best hillclimb results. Third overall went to Benjamin Noll (Germany), who impressed in his Osella FA30 Zytek LRM, also taking the E2-SS 3000cc class win. Charles Valentiny (Luxembourg) finished fourth in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI, while Mikko Kataja (Finland) rounded the top five in his Toyota Starlet V8 Hayabusa, just 0.18 seconds behind after two runs. In the E2-SS 2000cc formula class, Marco Lorig (Germany) won decisively in his Tatuus Formel Master S2000 Honda, with Bastian Voss second in an identical car and Patrick Rahn third in a Wolf GB08F1 Mistral PSA Turbo. The E2-SC 2000cc category saw Michael Bodenmüller triumph in his Norma M20FC Honda LRM, ahead of Peter Amann (Austria) in an Osella PA30/2000 Evo Honda and Dino Gebhard (Germany) in a Norma M20F Honda.

The first development blog for the upcoming rereleases of Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix series has revealed plans to modernise the classic simulation's technical foundation. The source code will be updated to run on DirectX 11, with a stated focus on making the games as moddable as possible. The decision to emphasise modding accessibility comes as the rereleases navigate licensing complexities surrounding the original titles. By opening the codebase to community modification, the developers aim to extend the longevity and appeal of the rereleased versions to the sim racing community.

The 42nd Pedavena–Croce d'Aune hillclimb will take place from 18–20 September, with over 170 drivers already registered for the event held on Monte Avena in northern Italy. The competition continues to attract thousands of motorsport enthusiasts annually. Entry registration remains open until the published deadline, with organisers expecting the field to grow further before the closing date.

Simone Faggioli has secured his 20th Italian Supersalita (hillclimb) championship title following victory at the Coppa Nissena in Caltanissetta, Sicily. Driving a Nova Proto NP01 Bardahl, the Tuscan driver needed only two points to mathematically confirm the crown, but opted to pursue an outright win to close the season decisively. Faggioli topped the morning hillclimb run ahead of Stefano Di Fulvio and Samuele Cassibba, both also piloting Nova Proto machinery. A sudden storm prevented the scheduled second run from taking place, but Faggioli's maximum points from the opening ascent had already secured the championship. The victory held particular significance for the driver, marking his return to the Coppa Nissena circuit where he made his hillclimb debut in 1997. The 2026 season proved demanding for Faggioli, who balanced the Italian Supersalita campaign with a competing commitment at Pikes Peak in the United States, forcing him to miss one domestic championship round. Speaking after the race, Faggioli reflected on a competitive year: "The level of competition was genuinely high this season, and it was far from certain we would secure the title given the ambitious programme we had set. I must congratulate Stefano Di Fulvio and Mirko Torsellini on their second and third-place finishes—it was rewarding to compete against them." He also represented ACI Team Italia, the Italian motorsport federation's official team, throughout the championship. Faggioli attributed the achievement to the collective effort of his team, technical staff, family, and sponsors. The title marks a significant milestone in a career spanning nearly three decades in European hillclimb racing.

The 71st Coppa Nissena Historic hillclimb in Caltanissetta was cut short last weekend after only Sunday's opening race, with adverse weather forcing early abandonment of the event. The 5.45 km course, laid out on the SS 122 between Ponte Capodarso and Villaggio Santa Barbara, hosted the fifth round of the Sicilian Historic Speed Hillclimb Championship, with mixed results for the three Island Motorsport drivers competing. Alfredo Altopiano delivered the strongest performance for the team, piloting an Opel Kadett GTE in the 3rd Grouping to fifth place overall and first in the SIL/2000 class. The result marked his second outing of the season, following his debut at the Monte Erice Historic just over a week earlier. Teammate Stefano Parisi struggled in his Lancia Delta Integrale, finishing in the top ten of the 4th Grouping but crossing the line with difficulty after a fuel pressure regulator malfunction. Meanwhile, Beppe D'Anca secured third place among the Classic category entries in his Osella PA20/S BMW, though he too was hampered by persistent fuel system issues throughout the weekend. D'Anca's return to competition marked the end of a 13-year absence from racing, following an initial test run at Erice.