The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, A2RL, has announced its international racing debut will take place on September 5, 2026, in Imola, Italy, with up to five fully autonomous race cars based on the Dallara Super Formula SF23.

Organized by ASPIRE, the grand challenges arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council, A2RL has evolved from a bold public testbed for AI under extreme race conditions into a competitive racing series.

Reigning A2RL champion TUM (Germany) will compete alongside Unimore Racing (Italy) and PoliMOVE (Italy) at the iconic racetrack in Imola, having qualified through their performances during the 2025 season. Two additional teams, Kinetiz (UAE) and Constructor Racing (Germany), will compete in qualification events ahead of race weekend for the remaining spots on the grid.

Faisal Al Bannai, secretary general of the Advanced Technology Research Council, said, “A2RL began in Abu Dhabi with a clear conviction: the future of mobility must be tested openly, rigorously and at the limits of performance. Its international debut at Imola demonstrates how the UAE is translating bold R&D ambition into globally relevant technology platforms that can accelerate progress in autonomous mobility.”

Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE, added, “Taking A2RL to Imola is a major milestone in our ambition to build the world’s first international championship for fully autonomous racecars. Few circuits carry the heritage and global standing of Imola, making it a powerful stage for our first international race. This is an important step for autonomous motorsport as both a technology platform and an emerging global sporting format.”

Building on two seasons in Abu Dhabi, A2RL has evolved from a world-first four-car autonomous race into a six-car Grand Final featuring wheel-to-wheel racing at speeds of more than 250km/h.

The league has also become a defining platform for human vs AI competition, with the performance gap between autonomous systems and professional drivers shrinking dramatically from 10 seconds in 2024 to just 1.58 seconds in 2025.

Alongside the on-track progress, A2RL has also built a growing global audience and strengthened Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading hub for autonomous mobility and AI innovation.

Imola

The Imola circuit is known for its elevation challenges, narrow racing lines with limited run-off areas and difficult overtaking zones. Its technical corners and narrow margins will test how autonomous systems manage grip, traffic, positioning and overtaking under constant pressure. For competing teams, the event represents a highly demanding competitive environment where performance will depend on the precision of software, sensor integration, engineering strategy and real-time autonomous decision-making.

Alessandro Tucci, executive director, house of grand challenges at ASPIRE, said, “Imola is the perfect testbed for the top A2RL teams to demonstrate their racing capabilities on an extremely challenging track. Imola does not allow for half-measures. It rewards precision, control and courage, which makes it the right circuit for autonomous racing to show what it can do under real pressure. Every car on track carries the work of engineers and coders pushing AI from simulation into real competition.”

From sim sprint to the circuit

Before testing on the Imola Circuit in August, teams will prepare through A2RL’s virtual racing ecosystem, with the Sim Sprint series running from May 19 to July 17 across high fidelity digital twins of Yas Marina, the A2RL Autodrome, Suzuka and Imola, before concluding on the Yas Marina North Circuit.

In the previous season, Sim Sprint delivered more than 5,000 hours of collective simulation testing and racing across 11 teams.

The platform provides teams with a controlled environment to develop and validate their algorithms ahead of real-world autonomous competition. Across the series, teams will face multi-car racing, overtakes, incident response scenarios and edge cases that are difficult to replicate safely on track. By giving teams more competitive mileage before Imola, Sim Sprint helps prepare AI systems for the speed, pressure and unpredictability of live autonomous racing.

Following Imola, A2RL will return to Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the final round of the 2026 season. The circuit has hosted A2RL since the series launched in 2024 and remains its primary venue as the championship continues to develop.

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Following a joint tender process conducted by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), Goodyear has been selected to remain the exclusive tire supplier to the FIA World Endurance Championship‘s LMGT3 class for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons.

The tender evaluation considered a range of criteria, including tire performance across varying track and weather conditions, safety, sustainability, cost, the manufacturer’s experience in supplying tires for LMGT3 competition and the level of technical and operational support provided to teams.

The refreshed range will continue Goodyear’s current single-specification philosophy, with one Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium slick and one wet-weather tire developed around three key priorities: instant confidence, a wide operating window and an enhanced range of sustainable materials.

Both the slick and wet compounds will contain 66% sustainable materials, which will make them the tires with the highest sustainable content in top-level endurance racing.

The new compounds combine recycled and bio-based materials, including recycled steel, rice husk silica, recycled zinc oxide and ISCC-certified polymers and carbon black, with bio-based processing aids and sustainable natural rubber.

The tires will also debut new Eagle-branded sidewalls, bringing Goodyear’s Eagle performance identity more prominently to the track.

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The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Extreme H World Cup will return to Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia, for its second edition from October 29-31, 2026.

The competition features hydrogen-powered, purpose-built fuel-cell race cars, with equal male and female driver pairings and an off-road format designed to test performance, reliability and clean hydrogen energy technology under demanding conditions.

The event will take place in a purpose-built off-road environment in Qiddiya City, and will combine technical terrain, short-format racing and close head-to-head competition.

At the center of the World Cup is the Pioneer 25, Extreme H’s hydrogen-powered race car. Designed for high-performance off-road competition, it uses hydrogen fuel cell technology to showcase the potential of alternative energy systems in demanding motorsport conditions. The World Cup aims to test the limits of motorsport and related industries while encouraging investment in hydrogen infrastructure and supporting progress toward a low-carbon future.

The 2026 edition will feature a multistage competition format combining time trials, head-to-head racing and wheel-to-wheel finals. Teams will first complete timed runs to establish seeding positions, before progressing through knockout duels and close-format racing.

The return of the FIA Extreme H World Cup reflects the FIA’s broader commitment to using motorsport as a testbed for innovation. By combining hydrogen technology with an international competition format, the second edition will continue to demonstrate how motorsport can support the development and understanding of alternative energy solutions.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, said, “The return of the FIA Extreme H World Cup for its second edition marks another important step in the development of hydrogen-powered motorsport. This competition provides an important platform to test hydrogen fuel cell technology in a demanding, high-performance environment, while supporting the FIA’s wider commitment to innovation, sustainability and safety.”

He continued, “Equally, its sporting format remains an important part of its identity, with male and female drivers competing together for the same honors. This reflects the FIA’s continued ambition to support competitions that explore new technologies while promoting greater opportunity and inclusion across motorsport.”

Ali Russell, the managing director of Extreme H, added, “In 2025, we launched a completely new form of motor racing, leading the way in technology, sustainability and equality. This year, together with the FIA, our partners and the support of our host, Qiddiya City, we will go faster, further and harder. Sustainable motorsport has never looked so good.”

In related news, FIA Affordable Cross Car project underway in Egypt

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The Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt (ATCE) has begun work to bring the FIA Affordable Cross Car to Egypt, the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to adopt the project.

The Egyptian FIA Affordable Cross Car will be manufactured using locally sourced materials and offer accessible, entry-level motorsport to people across the country. The FIA Affordable Cross Car was launched by the FIA to expand the base of the road sport pyramid and offer an accessible route for new competitors to participate in events such as Rally or Rallycross.

Training has already begun in preparation for the introduction of an Egyptian National Cross Car Championship using cross cars manufactured elsewhere.

Ali Eissa, president of ATCE, said, “Thanks to the initiative of the FIA president and through his Development Fund, ATCE was able to introduce the FIA Affordable Cross Car project in Egypt, marking a major step forward in developing grassroots motorsport.”

He continued, “This initiative will expand the access to entry-level competition, strengthen the foundation of the motorsport pyramid, and create a clear pathway for new drivers, achieving a breakthrough in enhancing, promoting and improving motorsport in Egypt; not only that but it will make it possible for ATCE to avail of this low-cost racing car for the local market, the countries of the MENA region and eventually the whole African continent. We look forward to seeing it come to fruition in the coming months.”

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Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) and Extreme H have announced a strategic commercial partnership as part of their joint efforts to advance innovation in sustainable technologies and establish Saudi Arabia as a global motorsport hub.

Extreme H organizes the FIA Extreme H World Cup, a hydrogen-powered racing series featuring mixed-gender teams competing in a three-day program in remote, challenging environments. The partnership will see SMC and Extreme H work closely to strengthen the World Cup’s commercial presence across the kingdom.

Commenting on the partnership, Mansour Almokbel, chief executive officer of SMC, said, “Following the success of the inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup, we are stepping into the future with even greater ambition. As the races continue to evolve from electric to hydrogen power, they reflect a shared commitment to innovation and to advancing sustainable solutions for future generations.”

He added, “We are proud of our strategic partnership with Extreme H, which marks an important step in advancing our vision to support clean energy and drive meaningful innovation. Saudi Arabia will continue to lead in this journey, helping to shape a new era of sustainable motorsport.”

Ali Russell, managing director of Extreme H, commented, “I am incredibly excited to continue our extensive relationship with Saudi Motorsport Company. We have built a fantastic foundation together over the years, and I am proud for Extreme H to be a key part of Saudi Arabia’s vibrant motorsport landscape. As we move into this next era of hydrogen power, our partnership with SMC will be vital in demonstrating the potential of sustainable technology on a global stage.”

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The Lotus Cup China has appointed Giti Tire as official race tire supplier. The 2026 season will run across five rounds from April to December, featuring 17 teams, 58 drivers and 44 cars. Competitors will run the GitiCompete GTR1 slick tire in sizes 240/650R18 and 300/650R18.

The season opener took place last weekend (April 3-5) at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, which is known for its high temperatures and demanding layout, placing significant emphasis on tire durability, consistency and thermal performance. Round 2 will take place in Shanghai.

The GitiCompete GTR1 has been developed specifically for motorsport use, with a focus on grip, stability, and predictable handling under race conditions. Giti states that the tire’s construction and compound are designed to maintain performance under sustained load, while heat management characteristics support consistent lap-to-lap behavior. The tire has been engineered to deliver responsive steering feedback, enabling drivers to extract performance in high-speed and high-load cornering situations.

Giti uses motorsport as a development tool for its wider product portfolio, with data from tire wear, heat cycles and grip performance feeding into future product development and refinement.

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The Azimut Automobile Heritage Enhancement fund has renewed its partnership with Ferrari Hypercar ahead of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship opener in Imola on April 19. The collaboration in the Hypercar class began in June 2023, shortly before Ferrari’s win at the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Azimut-AHE will be the official Ferrari Hypercar team partner, and its redesigned logo will be displayed on the number 50 and 51 Ferrari 499P cars fielded by the official Ferrari-AF Corse team in the top class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership will also extend to the safety car livery in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli single-marque series, where the same logo will feature.

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Bridgestone will supply Battlax motorcycle tires to seven teams in the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC), up from five teams in 2025, as it continues a partnership with the series that began in 2017.

The announcement follows a successful 2025 season in which the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team secured the championship at the Bol d’Or. Bridgestone-equipped teams also filled five of the top six positions in the overall standings, with the company extending its title-winning streak in the series with the fifth consecutive year that a Bridgestone-equipped team has won the championship.

“The FIM Endurance World Championship represents the ultimate proving ground for tire performance, durability and innovation. The 2025 season once again demonstrated the consistency and capability of Bridgestone tyres under the toughest racing conditions,” said Nico Thuy, director motorcycle at Bridgestone EMEA. “Following this success, we are proud to offer our expertise and top-performing tires to seven teams for 2026.”

Bridgestone Battlax racing tires are engineered with advanced materials and construction technologies that deliver maximum grip, consistent performance and exceptional durability throughout race distances. Designed to perform across varying weather and track conditions, they provide riders with “the confidence to push to the limit”, the tire maker said.

For 2026, Bridgestone will support AutoRace Ube Racing Team, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, F.C.C. TSR Honda France, Kawasaki Webike Trickstar, KM99 Yamaha, Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team and Yoshimura SERT Motul.

Bridgestone uses racing as a mobile laboratory to refine its tire technology under extreme conditions, with these innovations then transferred to future tires available to all riders. The FIM EWC includes races that last between eight and 24 hours, which places immense and sustained stress on tires, creating ideal conditions to test and develop advanced compounds, construction technologies and durability solutions.

Technologies developed in EWC competition have contributed to products such as the Racing Battlax V03 slick and the Racing Battlax Street RS12 road-legal performance tire, which the company says brings race-derived performance to broader motorcycle applications.

The 2026 EWC season will begin at Le Mans, France, on April 18 and conclude with the Bol d’Or at Circuit Paul Ricard in September.

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Scotland’s dramatic landscapes and world-class forest roads are set to take center stage when the FIA World Rally Championship returns to the UK in 2027 in a new Rally Scotland event.

Developed in partnership with Motorsport UK, the proposed gravel event will be based in northeast Scotland, with rally headquarters and service park facilities located at the P&J Live complex in Aberdeen. Stages will run across the surrounding regions of Aberdeenshire and Moray.

The agreement forms an initial three-year deal beginning in 2027 and ends an eight-year absence for the championship in the UK, following the most recent running of Wales Rally GB in 2019.

The rally has been secured through a partnership between Motorsport UK, WRC Promoter and the Scottish government, with support from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils.

The next step to make WRC Rally Scotland a reality will be for a candidate event to be held later this year, where the FIA will work with Motorsport UK and event organizers to evaluate and prepare for a return to World Championship-level competition. The event will then be submitted for approval on the WRC calendar by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said, “The United Kingdom is famed for its motorsport heritage and passionate fans, and the return of the FIA World Rally Championship to its shores is a huge opportunity for the continued growth of our sport.”

Malcolm Wilson OBE, FIA deputy president for sport, added, “This is a huge announcement for the FIA World Rally Championship, and it really shows the positive direction of travel we are now taking.

“The UK has an incredible heritage and passion for our sport, and the return of a flagship world championship event is the start of the next chapter in this long history.

“As we enter a new era for the WRC in 2027 with new regulations, more accessible cars and more crews fighting at the sharp end, it’s fantastic to see the appetite is there from organizers, governments and, of course, the fans to put together new WRC events.”

Simon Larkin, senior events director at WRC Promoter, commented, “Since the FIA World Rally Championship last visited the UK in 2019, Motorsport UK and WRC Promoter have worked closely together to find the right pathway for its return. We have nothing but praise for the determination and hard work shown by Motorsport UK in bringing this project to life.”

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The opening round of the FIM Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships, the Thai Grand Prix, will take place on February 28-March 1 at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, with Pirelli beginning its third year as exclusive single-tire supplier for both categories. Although the compound specifications are the same as those used in the previous two editions of this Grand Prix, the Moto2 class will feature new rear tires this year.

For 2026, Moto2 riders will have the same soft SC1 and medium SC2 for the front, but the soft SC0 and medium SC1 on the rear will be different from those used over the past two years. The former E0125 development specification is now the 2026 SC0, which uses the same compound but a revised carcass compared to the previous standard soft.

The 2026 SCO will be familiar to riders, having been used in 11 Grands Prix in 2025 – including Silverstone, Aragón, Assen, Brno, Balaton, Barcelona, Mandalika and Portimão – where it was nearly universally chosen.

The new medium SC1 was previously the D0286 development specification and has now been promoted to a standard range option. For 2026, regulations mandate a minimum rear tire pressure of 1.65 bar (24psi).

While Moto2 will see these changes at the rear, Moto3 continues with familiar compounds, providing teams and riders with continuity and predictability. Moto3 will have two front and as many rear slick solutions, both soft SC1 and medium SC2. The rear will have to comply with a minimum pressure of 1.50 bar (22psi).

“Pirelli begins its third season as exclusive tire supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships, on the one hand focusing on an already strong and consolidated tire range and on the other hand confirming its strategy of continuous product development,” said Giorgio Barbier, motorcycle racing director at Pirelli.

“The goal remains the same as always: to further optimize performance on the track through solutions capable of guaranteeing more and more consistency, predictability and versatility. This is exactly the work we carried out last year with the Moto2 rear tires in E0125 and D0286 specification, which were upgraded from development tires this year to the new standard soft SC0 and medium SC1 tires, respectively.

“A distinctive element of Pirelli’s involvement in these championships is the direct transfer of the technologies used in the race to the tires destined for the market: the Diablo Superbike solutions used for racing are in fact identical to those marketed, thus making the link between racing activities and road products direct.

“As far as the allocation for this Grand Prix is concerned, the standard configuration adopted in the last two seasons is confirmed: the soft SC0 rear solutions for Moto2 and SC1 for Moto3, mainly in combination with the soft SC1 front for both classes, will probably represent the reference choice for this year’s races as well because the Buriram circuit lends itself well to the use of soft solutions capable of offering greater levels of grip with the usually high asphalt temperatures that are found at this time of year in Thailand.”

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