Things have been difficult to predict in the 2026 motorsport season. Mercedes being on top at the start of the new Formula 1 era hasn’t been a surprise, but Kimi Antonelli’s consistently strong challenge to team-mate George Russell was not expected by anyone other than the biggest fans of the Italian teenager.
It’s tempting to say that the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix should provide a good opportunity for local star Charles Leclerc to take a win in the high-downforce, punchy Ferrari SF-26. But with the two Mercedes going at it for the title, McLaren not far away, Lewis Hamilton beginning to enjoy his time at Maranello and Red Bull making strides towards the front, it’s tough to be too confident.
The same can be said for the Le Mans 24 Hours, which we preview in this issue. Gary Watkins is your guide to the world’s greatest endurance race, including highlighting the factors why it’s harder than ever to pick a winner. Can Ferrari make it four in a row?
Another 24-hour race has already attracted more attention than usual. Max Verstappen’s efforts in GT3 reached a new high at the Nurburgring in May. The four-time F1 world champion not only starred against the cream of the category’s drivers on the finest race circuit in the world, but he brought an unprecedented number of fans to the event. Ed Hardy went along to follow the race and the Verstappen story.
The Dutchman has made it clear that his F1 future depends on the direction the rules take. While discussions about how the internal combustion/electrical power split should be in 2027, Stuart Codling looks further ahead to see what the next ruleset could be. Will V8s be on the menu?
Alpine also features strongly in this issue, with Jake Boxall-Legge plotting the F1 team’s recent improvement and the Le Mans-winning A442 getting our ‘Now that was a car’ treatment.
Elsewhere, Tom Howard interviews rising World Rally star Sami Pajari, Marcus Simmons covers the latest Ash Sutton versus Tom Ingram bouts in our British Touring Car debriefs, and we bring you the latest news and highlights from the club scene, including our National Rankings, which picks out the drivers with the most race wins in UK circuit racing
For the best motorsport coverage, from F1 to Britain’s club-racing scene via the Le Mans 24 Hours, why not get Autosport magazine delivered to your door each month? Subscribe today and never miss your fix of motorsport: autosportmedia.com/offer/Autosport
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– The Autosport.com Team
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