Motorsport news

The Master of Champions Cup (MOCC) season reaches its penultimate round with the Richard Burns 2001 Rally, where the championship battle could be decided before the final event. After six rounds, Novak Sedej of Slovenia leads the standings on 175 points, followed by Jurek Bogdanowicz on 155 points and Michał Walkowski on 147 points. With only two rounds remaining, the margins are tight enough that a single mistake could prove costly in the fight for the title. The rally itself presents a demanding challenge: competitors will face 15 special stages totalling approximately 130 kilometres across mixed surfaces, combining gravel and asphalt sections. Variable grip and difficult conditions will demand both raw pace and careful vehicle setup. The final stage, stretching over 18 kilometres, is expected to be the decisive moment where the championship battle may be settled. Sedej will attempt to defend his lead, while Bogdanowicz—fresh from a recent victory—looks to mount another attack on the top spot. Walkowski, meanwhile, remains within striking distance and could yet emerge as a contender. The winner of the Richard Burns 2001 Rally will also secure a professional co-drive with Miko Marczyk, the 2025 European Rally Champion, as the event's top prize.

Fanatec has launched the Eifel Trophy, a new esports initiative that bridges sim racing and real-world motorsport. The competition combines racing in iRacing and Assetto Corsa EVO with Porsche Cup events held at the Nürburgring. The format incorporates qualifying rounds and offers hardware prizes to competitors. The initiative leverages Fanatec's position as a leading manufacturer of sim racing peripherals while integrating two of the most popular racing simulators on the market.

iRacing is hosting the Britcar 24 presented by Cosworth this weekend as part of its Special Events calendar. The 24-hour endurance race will take place at Silverstone Circuit's Grand Prix layout, featuring GT3 and GT4 machinery in a multi-class team format. The event runs from September 18–20, with the race scheduled for September 19 at 3:30 PM. Dynamic weather is enabled. Participants must form teams of between two and 16 drivers, with all declared drivers required to meet a minimum lap threshold relative to the team's total distance. Teams must hold a Sports Car license at Class C or higher, or Class D with a 4.0 Safety Rating. Registration opens 60 minutes before the event, followed by a 30-minute warm-up and an eight-minute qualifying session (two laps). Splits are determined by iRating, with up to 60 teams per split. The disqualification limit is set at 250 incident points per team, with Stop and Go penalties administered after 100 incidents and every 20 thereafter. The GT3 field includes the Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO, Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3, BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO, McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020, and Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). GT4 competitors can race the Aston Martin Vantage GT4, BMW M4 G82 GT4 Evo, Ford Mustang GT4, McLaren 570S GT4, Mercedes-AMG GT4, and Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. All cars have been Balance of Performance adjusted; final figures may be updated on Wednesday before the event. Four time slots are available: Friday 22:00 GMT, Saturday 7:00 GMT, Saturday 12:00 GMT, and Saturday 16:00 GMT. The Saturday 12:00 GMT split (8:00 a.m. ET) will be broadcast live via RACESPOT on iRacing.com/live. The event is open setup, allowing teams to configure their cars freely. More details are available on the iRacing Special Events page and forums.

Assetto Corsa Rally version 0.6 has been assessed as a compelling single-player experience for sim racers seeking refuge from the competitive pressures of online multiplayer environments. The mod delivers visual fidelity and gameplay depth that appeal to drivers prioritising immersive rally simulation over networked competition. The latest build emphasises offline rally content, positioning itself as an alternative for those fatigued by the social friction and toxicity sometimes encountered in online racing communities. Early impressions suggest the mod maintains the technical foundation of Assetto Corsa while tailoring its focus toward solo campaign and practice-oriented play.

Herbert Perwein claimed overall victory at the 2026 Bergrallye Marktl/Straden hillclimb, establishing a new track record on the 1.3 km course in Austria. Driving a VW PR Golf 1 Turbo 4×4, the Salzburg-based driver set his first record in the opening race and improved it again in the decisive third run, securing a commanding win in favourable weather conditions. The event, organised by Stella's Racing Team under race director Jimmy Kahr, drew 87 competitors and was completed efficiently, finishing shortly after 16:30 despite minor delays during practice sessions. Reinhold Taus of Styria finished second overall in a Subaru Impreza P4 Turbo, claiming first place in the Pf Class 1 category despite grappling with a drivetrain issue during the races. Thomas Nöst, also from Styria, rounded out the podium in third with a VW Polo 6 HCR, taking second in Pf Class 1. Franz Kogler placed fourth overall with a newly prepared Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, securing third in Pf Class 1 in what he described as his biggest hillclimb success to date. Markus Binder completed the top five, just 0.96 seconds behind after two scored runs, winning Pf Class 2a in a Ford Escort Cosworth. Hannes Kaufmann finished sixth, a mere 0.2 seconds further back, taking Pf Class 2b honours in another Ford Escort Cosworth. Further down the order, Rupert Schwaiger placed seventh in a Porsche 911 3.5 Bi-Turbo with fourth in Pf Class 1, while Peter Probhardt took eighth in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 Evo 3, finishing second in Pf Class 2a. Heiko Fiausch claimed ninth overall and victory in Pf Class 3b with an Opel Astra STW, and Patrick Mayer rounded out the top ten with a VW Golf 1 16V 2.0, winning Pf Class 4a.

Gianluca Ticci has secured overall victory at the 2026 Garessio-San Bernardo hillclimb, piloting a Nova Proto NP 03 to the top step in a closely contested event organised by Team Supergara. The result marks Ticci's first win at the prestigious Italian climb and caps a strong season for the Ligurian driver, who has also triumphed at the Susa-Moncenisio and Cesana-Sestriere events earlier in the year. Competition remained tight throughout the three-run format, particularly in the Sport categories where multiple drivers battled for classification honours. In the decisive third run, Ticci posted his best time of 196.42 seconds, holding off Veldorale in a Radical SR4 (198.63) to secure the crown. Beppe Scozzafava (Radical SR4), Damiano Furnari (Elia Avrio ST 09) and Daniele Patete (Fiat X1.9) were among the other leading contenders, though Patete incurred a 10-second penalty for a cone infringement. In the Historic category, Silvano Bianciotto won aboard a Renault Clio Williams despite two 10-second penalties in the second run, ahead of Giacomo Stoppani (Kadett GTE) and Durante (Ford Sierra). Specialist class victories went to Sonia Castelli (Peugeot 106-Suzuki, Women), Gabriele Maiocco (Peugeot 208 VTI, Under 23), Capanna (Peugeot 208 GTI, RS Plus), Tuminello (Peugeot 106 S16, Group N) and Chiaberto (Skoda, Group A). Marco Riboni (Fiat 127-Renault) won Group E1 Italia, while Daniele Patete (Fiat X1.9) took Group E2 Silhouette honours. The event concluded the 2026 Italian Slalom Cup and Northern Trophy seasons. Final championship standings are under compilation, with Team Supergara confirming the 2027 calendar will continue the series' tradition of high-level grassroots competition.

Studio 397 has announced a significant update for Le Mans Ultimate scheduled for 15 September, with a focus on online performance optimisation and network code improvements ahead of the sim's inaugural official 24-hour Le Mans endurance race. The official 24-hour event is set for 24–25 October. To prepare the community, the developer will run a series of team-based test events featuring driver changes. On 15 and 17 September, a 90-minute race at Le Mans will be added to the weekly event schedule, featuring Hypercar, WEC LMP2 and LMGT3 classes. A separate 6-hour race at Silverstone is planned for 18 September, starting at 08:00 UTC, open to ELMS LMP2, LMP3 and LMGT3 machinery. The standard 4-hour Silverstone event will continue on other weekend days. The test series concludes with a 12-hour Le Mans race on 25 September at 08:00 UTC, accommodating up to 62 cars.

MOZA Racing has unveiled the first teaser for a new direct-drive steering wheel base featuring built-in PlayStation 5 support. The company plans to reveal full details of the device at Tokyo Game Show 2026. The development is part of a partnership between MOZA and Polyphony Digital, with both companies collaborating on hardware with native support for Gran Turismo 7. MOZA previously became an official partner of the Gran Turismo World Series. The key advantage of the new base is that PlayStation users will be able to operate MOZA's direct-drive wheel without additional adapters or converters. It remains unclear whether this will be an entirely new model or a modification of an existing base. Full specifications, pricing, and exact release date are expected to be announced at Tokyo Game Show 2026.

The Coppa del Chianti Classico is shaping up as a major draw for historic hillclimb racing in Italy, with strong competitor interest already evident ahead of the event. Scheduled for 18–20 September, the 43rd edition of the Tuscan hillclimb will host the eighth and penultimate round of the Italian Historic Hillclimb Championship, bringing together a field of significant quality across multiple classes. Organised by Targa Racing Club in collaboration with Siena Racing Driver and supported by the Automobile Club Siena, the event will run on the Chiantigiana 222 route through the Chianti Classico hills. The provisional entry list, still awaiting final confirmations, already signals a competitive gathering of established drivers and historically significant machinery. Among the anticipated starters in Group 4 BC are Denny Zardo (Giada T118), Salvatore Riolo (PCR A06) and Piero Lottini (Osella PA 9/90), representing the sport prototype category that typically provides some of the most spectacular performances in historic hillclimb competition. Group 3 entries include Giuliano Peroni (Osella PA 8/9), alongside classic road-based machinery such as Sandro Gironi's Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV and Guido De Rege Di Donato's Porsche 911 SC. Group 2 is expected to feature significant automotive heritage, with entries including the Alpine A110 of Ettore Falchetti, the Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm of Fosco Zambelli and the Ford Escort MK1 Twin Cam of Franco Ermini, alongside numerous Fiat Giannini and Abarth entries. Group 1 competitors are anticipated to include early-era hillclimb machinery such as Lola T212, Chevron B19 and Daren MK3 models, paired with Alfa Romeo, Mini Cooper and Abarth examples. The Classics category features Osella PA 20 entries for Giovanni Cassibba, Stefano Peroni and Mirko Torsellini, pending final confirmation.

Simone Faggioli secured his 20th Italian national championship title at the 71st Coppa Nissena hillclimb in Sicily, winning Race 1 on the technical SS122 course near Caltanissetta. Driving a Nova Proto NP01 for Best Lap, the Florentine driver set a new track record of 1'59.92 (with chicanes) to conclude the Italian Supersalita Championship season. Faggioli's victory marked his 11th success at the Nissena event, organised by the Automobile Club Caltanissetta. Stefano Di Fulvio of Scuderia Vesuvio finished second in a Turbo-spec NP01 on his debut at the event, while Samuele Cassibba from Ragusa claimed third place and top honours among Sicilian drivers. Race 2 was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions after the start. The event concluded the 2024 Supersalita Championship season and awarded titles across multiple categories. Giuseppe Aragona (Calabria) won the E1 group in a Volkswagen Golf 7 Audi, Marco Gramenzi (Teramo) took E2SH in an Alfa 4C, Salvatore Mondino (Cosenza) claimed the Racing Start Turbo title on a Seat Leon RS, and Salvatore Tortora (Salerno) won the Racing Start Cup in a Peugeot 308 RC. Selina Prantl secured the Ladies' Cup and Under 25 classification in TCR. A significant incident occurred during Race 1 when Kadija Mourtaji exited the track at the finish line in a Ferrari 296, striking the finish arch and touching the timing stand. The driver was unharmed, though three race officials sustained minor injuries. Competition resumed after a delay exceeding one hour. Despite the accident, Mourtaji finished first in the GT group with her Ferrari 296 Challenge GT Super Cup. Angelo Mercuri claimed his 12th Italian Two-Cylinder Championship title in a Fiat 500.

Falken Motorsports secured a commanding one-two finish at the 66th ADAC ACAS Cup (NLS9) on Sunday, with Tim Heinemann and Morris Schuring taking overall victory in their Porsche 911 GT3 R from pole position. The sister car of Nico Menzel and Flynt Schuring completed the team's double success, while Patrick Assenheimer, Tobias Müller, and Dylan Pereira rounded out an all-Porsche podium in the #48 LOSCH Motorsport by Black Falcon entry, securing the SP9 Pro-Am class win despite a turbulent race. Qualifying proved fiercely competitive, with pole-sitter Heinemann setting what he described as a "perfect lap." The top four cars were separated by just 0.460 seconds, with Tobias Müller trailing by a mere 0.020 seconds. Chaos erupted at the flying start in the AMG Arena when Ugo de Wilde's Schubert BMW attempted to pass Menzel on the inside; contact forced Menzel to open his line, and the BMW was subsequently hit and dropped back, eventually crashing out on lap eight at Brünnchen. As rain fell across the Eifel, the race became a strategic and physical ordeal. Müller endured a particularly dramatic afternoon: he missed a Code 60 board and rear-ended Thomas Schönfeld's VW Golf GTI, earning a drive-through penalty and a bent rim. Later, he spun on the wet track at the ultra-fast Mut-Kurve (Courage Corner) but miraculously caught the car without touching the track limits. "The spin, the drive-through penalty, and so on—I think we can be incredibly proud to be standing on the overall podium here," Müller said at the finish. By the final laps, the circuit had become treacherous; Tim Heinemann reported aquaplaning in every corner and straight, describing conditions as worse than anything he had previously experienced. Nico Menzel likened the closing stages to "driving a speedboat." Moritz Oberheim (#962 AVIA W&S Motorsport) was named Driver of the Day after a triumphant comeback: forced to sit out Saturday following a practice accident, he claimed pole position and a lights-to-flag victory in the CUP 3 class on Sunday. In the championship battle, the race proved pivotal: the Adrenalin trio of Edoardo Bugane, Yannick Fübrich, and Sven Markert—the season leaders—retired their BMW M240i with a technical failure, scoring no points for the first time this year. Alexander Fielenbach and Oskar Sandberg capitalized by finishing second in CUP3, closing the gap to the leaders to just four points. In the 2026 Production Car Trophy, Piet-Jan Ooms and Ionuc Catalin Timis (Toyota Supra, SRS Team Sorg Rennsport) took sole possession of the lead in the VT2-RWD class after winning Sunday's race ahead of the Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels BMW 330i, establishing a four-point advantage heading into the season finale. The NLS championship will be decided on October 10, 2026, at the 2nd NLS Sportwarte-Trophy (4h). Tickets start at 25 euros, with free admission for children up to age 14, available at VLN.de/tickets or at the box office on race day.

Angelo Mercuri has secured the 2026 Italian hillclimb championship in the twin-cylinder class, extending his record tally to 12 national titles. The driver from Lamezia Terme wrapped up the championship with races still remaining on the calendar. Mercuri's 2026 campaign has been marked by multiple class records, underlining his continued dominance in the twin-cylinder hillclimb category.