Two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner as top pitcher Tarik Skubal will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove loose bodies, Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers announced on Monday.

The move came after an elbow injury flared up on Sunday, with neither the Tigers nor the 29-year-old left-hander putting a timetable on his return from an injury that typically requires a two- or three-month recovery.

Skubal was pulled from a scheduled Monday start against Boston five days after an injury scare last Wednesday against Atlanta and sent to the injured list.

Skubal shook his left arm and grabbed his foream in Atlanta. He prepared for his next start but suffered a setback in work on Sunday.

"I thought I was progressing in a very positive manner," Skubal said. "Yesterday's catch play just didn't really go great, which led to getting scans and getting the information."

Skubal won a record $32 million arbitration decision to pitch this season and will be a free agent after the campaign.

"This is something I've kind of been dealing with," Skubal said. “But then again, it was progressing in a positive manner, so I wasn't very concerned about it."

Skubal has no ligament damage and is likely to pitch again this season.

"From my understanding, you just go take (the loose bodies) out," Skubal said. "I'm going to come back and be the same guy. I'm not really too worried about that."

Skubal is 3-2 this season with a 2.70 earned-run average and 45 strikeouts in 43.3 innings for the Tigers, who share the AL Central division lead with Cleveland at 18-17.

Skubal had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery and missed the 2017 college season, then had left forearm tendon surgery in August 2022 and missed 11 months.

Since then, Skubal has gone 41-15 with a 2.41 ERA in 511 innings over 84 starts. He led the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA in 2024 for the pitching Triple Crown.

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After 267 laps of racing and seven cautions, just four tenths separated Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin at the checkered flag as the two drivers finished 1-2 for the second time this year.

It was a race with a lot of movement throughout the field and ever-shifting strategies. Stage finishes were hectic, fast cars were eliminated in strange ways, but in the end, it was some of the top drivers in the championship standings all battling it out for the win.

Here's a look at the biggest winners and losers from Texas:

WINNER: Chase Elliott for delivering Team Hendrick another win

Watch: Elliott breaks down how No. 9 team controlled the race

This is the earliest in a season Elliott has earned multiple wins, and so far, he is the only member of Hendrick Motorsports to reach Victory Lane this year. The ever-consistent driver of the No. 9 is now third in points, and knocking on the door of second in the standings. Despite starting 14th at Texas, he led the most laps (87) in a very impressive drive. He never really put a wheel wrong, held off Denny Hamlin in a tense final restart, and the strategy from the pit box was on point even with the chaotic nature of Sunday's race.

Read Also: Chase Elliott holds off Denny Hamlin to win Texas NASCAR Cup race This is the best Chase Elliott has looked this early and there's more to come

LOSER: Christopher Bell after shocking Stage 1 exit from the lead

Terrible luck for Christopher Bell in Texas as Todd Gilliland goes around right in front of him. https://t.co/YOhS9lqYWKpic.twitter.com/p4Luizl5w7

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 3, 2026

Bell thought he had a car that could compete for the win at Texas, and for good reason. He led 22 laps early, and was battling teammate Denny Hamlin for the Stage 1 win. However, that's when it all came apart as Todd Gilliland spun just in front of the leaders. Bell tried to go low, but that's where the spinning car was heading. He got clipped and the No. 20 slammed the wall, leaving him with a last-place finish and just a single point on the board. The disastrous exit dropped him four spots in the standings, making him this week's biggest loser in the championship.

Read Also: Christopher Bell wrecks from lead in Stage 1 at Texas, ending his race

WINNER: Erik Jones as the biggest mover in points after stage win

Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., HYAK Motorsports

How about the No. 43 car? Jones stayed out with four other cars near the end of Stage 1, and managed to hang on to secure a stage win for the first time in his entire career. Those points were critical in making him the biggest mover in the championship standings this week, jumping for positions from 26th to 22nd.

Read Also: Complete NASCAR Cup points standings after Texas 2026

LOSER: Kyle Busch after great day comes apart in Nemechek clash

"And then he just wrecks him."

Here's what happened between John Hunter Nemechek and Kyle Busch coming to the white flag at Texas. pic.twitter.com/yoiFoZYtl7

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 3, 2026

What a bad ending to such a positive weekend for the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet. Busch qualified sixth, and ran inside the top ten for most of the race. However, after restarting 11th with four laps to go, he ended up getting tangled up with John-Hunter Nemechek. Nemechek believes Busch cleared himself off his nose, while Busch believes Nemechek came down off the wall. Regardless, the result was the same, and Busch suffered some damage. Moments later, he intentionally door-slammed Nemechek and wrecked him into the outside wall. Busch limped on to finish 20th, a far cry from where he was running all day.

Read Also: Kyle Busch reacts to Nemechek clash at Texas: "I did not start this"

WINNER: Spire as Hocevar and Suarez bring home double top ten

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports, Daniel Suárez, Spire Motorsports, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Buescher, RFK Racing

After their first front row sweep, this writer was eager to see if the Spire cars could stay up front all day. It wasn't that simple, as Carson Hocevar lost the lead early, and Daniel Suarez just cratered down the order. However, they persevered, and Suarez fought back to finish sixth while Hocevar was seventh. This is the third time Spire has secured a double top ten in the first eleven races of the 2026 season.

Read Also: NASCAR Cup Texas starting lineup: Spire sweeps front row with Hocevar and Suarez

LOSER: Joey Logano after his race ends in pit road crash

There's contact between @joeylogano and @ColeCuster on pit road.

Watch from the No. 22 Ford. pic.twitter.com/EnQhf9MhMs

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 3, 2026

Logano went from feeling relief after narrowly avoiding a direct hit with a spinning William Byron to watching his day end in a pit road collision. During a set of pit stops after a near-miss on track, Logano was working his way down pit road when he came upon a near-stopped Cole Custer, who was attempting to squeeze into his pit box. Things were crowded, and Logano ended up running directly into the back of the Haas car, destroying both machines. Logano, whose last win came at Texas one year ago, was unable to continue, and finished 37th. The DNF has dropped the three-time series champion outside of the Chase for the time being.

Read Also: After lucky escape, Joey Logano’s car gets destroyed in pit road incident

WINNER: Corey Heim ... despite late-race crash

Corey Heim

It's strange to count a crashed car among the 'winners,' but we have to give Heim some credit. The part-time Cup driver was making his tenth start at the top level and his first at Texas. After qualifying 17th, he ran well, and ended up on an alternate strategy that saw him controlling the race through multiple restarts like a veteran, and leading 69 laps! Only Elliott ended up leading more. Unfortunately, his race came to an end late when he backed it into the wall. Even still, it was a glimpse at what Heim could do at the sharp end of the Cup grid.

LOSER: Ross Chastain for making an unforced error, spoiling solid day

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing

Trackhouse was in desperate need for a good day. Outside of drafting tracks, Chastain entered the weekend with zero top 15s. However, he had a decent day going at Texas, where he has finished second twice before. Approaching the final set of green-flag pit stops, Chastain was running eighth and had the pace to climb a little bit higher up the order. Unfortunately for him, he never got the chance due to a costly mistake. He sped on pit road, ruining the day for the No. 1 team and leaving him with 26th-place finish.  

Read Also: Official race results: NASCAR Cup 2026 at Texas Motor Speedway

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John Sterling, whose voice became synonymous with the New York Yankees, has died at the age of 87.

Sterling, a native New Yorker, started broadcasting Yankees games on radio in 1989 and continued until he retired in April 2024. During that span, he called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 in the postseason. He rarely missed a game and worked 5,060 consecutive games between 1989 and 2019. During one memorable game in 2023, he was hit by a foul ball during a broadcast and returned to work the next day.

Related: The world’s most expensive losers: the New York Mets are very rich … and very, very bad

“We are devastated to hear about the passing of John Sterling, a WFAN and Yankees radio icon whose voice was synonymous with an entire generation of Yankee fandom,” WFAN Sports Radio said in a statement.

Sterling’s career coincided with an era of immense success for the Yankees: he was on the call when the team won five World Series titles. He was known for his passion, knowledge and exclaiming “The Yankees win!” after victories.

“Through his unique style and passionate play-by-play calls, Sterling endeared himself to generations of players and fans as radio voice of the Yankees from 1989 to 2024,” Major League Baseball said in a statement. “His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling the final out of five World Series championships.”

Sterling, a father of four, won 12 Sports Emmys during his long career.

Max Verstappen may continue to follow in his father’s footsteps after Formula 1 – as he joked about being ready for rally after his 360-degree spin at the start of the Miami Grand Prix.

Verstappen was battling for the lead with Charles Leclerc exiting the first corner when he uncharacteristically spun under acceleration at Turn 2, creating a dramatic start to the Miami GP.

The four-time F1 world champion skilfully got his Red Bull car back under control after a 360-degree spin, with the pack sprawled behind him, as he avoided any lasting damage.

Verstappen, whose father Jos transitioned into rallying after his career in single-seaters and suffered a heavy crash in a rally in Belgium the weekend before Miami, felt the save was more rally than F1, but was pleased to avoid hitting the wall.

“I lost the rear in Turn 2 and then of course I tried to minimise the time loss by doing a 360,” Verstappen said. “Yeah, I thought I was going to crash but then I floored it, so I managed to do a good 360. If F1 doesn't work out I can always go rally!”

Attacking the apex of Turn 2, Leclerc closed the line on Verstappen and the two came inches away from contact, but the Red Bull driver had no complaints over Leclerc’s move as he held his hands up over the spin.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

“We just pushed into the corner but I just lost suddenly the rear,” he said. “It just started to slide and once it goes, with heavy fuel, it's hard to catch.”

After the spin Verstappen dropped to the lower reaches of the top 10, which forced him into the “jungle” of the midfield fight, pulling off some feisty moves against Williams pair Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.

Having switched on to the hard tyres during the safety car, Verstappen was ultimately powerless to stop the frontrunners coming by on fresher tyres during the second stint, but took fifth place after Leclerc’s own spin on the last lap.

“I think the pace was not too bad on the medium but as soon as I swapped to the hard compound it was just a lot more difficult,” Verstappen said. “I think now after the race it's easy to say of course but I think that stint was just a bit too long.”

Verstappen also picked up a post-race five-second penalty for crossing the white line at the pitlane exit, but it didn’t impact his final result of fifth place given Leclerc’s 20s penalty for cutting corners in his damaged Ferrari on the final lap.

Read Also: Max Verstappen given penalty for crossing pit exit at F1 Miami GP Charles Leclerc handed huge Miami GP penalty after battle with Max Verstappen and George Russell

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Aaron Hardie’s brilliant all-round performance ensured Peshawar Zalmi clinched their second Pakistan Super League cricket title with a five-wicket win over newcomers Hyderabad Kingsmen, despite an early wobble in the run chase in the final.

Hardie grabbed 4-27 to bowl out Hyderabad for a below-par 129 all out in 18 overs and then hit a fluent 56 not out off 39 balls to anchor Peshawar to 130-5 in 15.2 overs, in front of a packed crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.

It completed a redemption arc for Peshawar’s captain Babar Azam, who finished the franchise-based T20 tournament as its leading run-scorer after finding himself in and out of Pakistan’s T20 squad in recent years.

“It’s a very big achievement for me, for Peshawar Zalmi and all the fans,” Babar said after winning his first PSL title as skipper.

“Throughout the tournament, we’ve performed really well as a team … Every player executed the plans they were given in batting, bowling, and fielding. Our plan was to go match by match.”

The crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium in Babar’s hometown chanted his name and erupted in joy when Hardie scored the winning runs for the team in yellow and pink kits.

Peshawar, who won the toss and chose to chase, had slumped to 40-4 inside the first five overs after losing Babar for a golden duck, while Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis, and Michael Bracewell also fell for single-digit scores.

But Hardie, who smashed nine fours, then combined in a match-winning stand of 85 runs with Abdul Samad (48), who missed out on his half-century before holing out in the deep when Peshawar needed only five runs for victory.

“It was just a great game of cricket,” Hardie said. “Kingsmen came out of the blocks really hard. They’ve certainly had a lot of momentum from the last couple of games and they carried that in, but I’m really proud of the way the boys were able to fight back.”

Peshawar were favourites for the title after losing only one game in the tournament, with Babar, who scored two centuries, equalling Fakhar Zaman’s PSL record of 588 runs in one edition of the tournament.

Earlier, Saim Ayub (54) scored a fighting half-century to help Hyderabad post 129.

Hyderabad had a productive power play of 69-2, despite Hardie having captain Marnus Labuschagne (20) caught behind off a rising delivery, and Maaz Sadaqat’s early aggression was cut short to just 11 runs when he half-heartedly pulled pace bowler Mohammad Basit to deep backward square leg in the first over.

However, Hyderabad lost momentum and crashed to 73-6 in the space of nine balls after the power play for just two runs.

The slide began when Usman Khan, coming into the final with half-centuries in the last three successive games, was trapped leg before wicket by the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Sufyan Moqim (1-23).

Irfan Khan and Kusal Perera were run out due to some sharp fielding by Bracewell, and between those dismissals, Glenn Maxwell was undone by Nahid Rana’s (2-22) pace and got caught first ball while going for a pull against the Bangladesh fast bowler.

Ayub stretched the total beyond the 100-run mark with a knock of 54 off 50 balls before he fell in Hardie’s last over as he top-edged a pull to mid-on, before the fast bowler wrapped up the innings by having No 11 batter Akif Javed caught behind.

The Australian batter, who was visibly moved to tears after leading Hyderabad into the final in a dramatic last-over win over Islamabad United in the second qualifier on Friday, admitted that his team did not post an imposing target.

“As a batting group, we probably left a few runs out there,” Labuschagne said. “We showed once again that belief in the side and what we can do, putting them four for 40, but just not enough runs on the board tonight.”

Hyderabad had a fairytale run in the tournament when they came back strongly after losing their first four league games, and also knocked out both former champions Multan Sultans and Islamabad United in the playoffs.

“Tonight hurts,” Labuschagne said. “But reflecting on what an amazing tournament we’ve put together, coming from four losses to winning four in a row, getting bowled out for 80 then winning by 100, and then winning two games to get into the final, we’ve made so many great memories and I’m just so proud of the team, it’s been an awesome effort.”

The first weekend in Formula 1 went almost like a fairy tale for Audi. Gabriel Bortoleto managed to break into Q3 right away in qualifying and immediately bagged the first points with a ninth-place finish in the race – all under the watchful eyes of CEO Gernot Dollner.

Dollner had travelled all the way to Melbourne, despite having to attend a Volkswagen Group supervisory board meeting on Friday – meaning he spent more time in the air than on the ground with his new premium product.

But it was worth it: Audi celebrated its first points, and upon his return to Ingolstadt, Dollner didn't miss the chance to speak to the employees at the Audi plant about the significance of the Formula 1 programme for the brand.

Audi seemed to have arrived.

Two months later, however, one has to admit: those two points from Melbourne remain the manufacturer's only highlight of the Formula 1 season so far.

Positive headlines the corporation can actually sell? Nowhere to be found.

A stricken Audi is an all too familiar sight

Instead, it abruptly lost its team principal, Jonathan Wheatley, the man who was supposed to lead the brand into this new era. On top of that, there are numerous technical issues that are more reminiscent of the mockingly titled "Silver Torches" of McLaren’s 2004 season.

At least Audi’s cars are silver, too. And as for how to throw a proper American barbecue – we got to see plenty of that from the R26s of Nico Hulkenberg and Bortoleto in Miami.

Let’s be honest: the fact that in half of the (sprint) races this season, only one Audi was even able to make the start, simply doesn't fit the self-image of a major manufacturer.

Hulkenberg missed the season opener in Australia, Bortoleto missed the next race in China, and now it was Hulkenberg again who couldn't take part in the Miami sprint because his car went up in smoke on the way to the grid.

By the way, Audi likes to refer to such incidents as "technical issues" without really making an effort to provide clarity – at least that’s my impression. While other teams usually provide information via X or WhatsApp distribution lists about what went wrong, Audi remains tight-lipped.

Of course, the team must be allowed to find the cause before releasing information, but even two weeks after his DNS in Australia, all we heard from Hulkenberg was: "No, I can't say anything more about that. No details, sorry."

Gabriel Bortoleto was disqualified from the Miami sprint race

But back to Miami, because we haven't even hit rock bottom yet: besides Hulkenberg, who couldn't participate in the sprint, there was also Bortoleto, who managed to bring his R26 to the finish line – only to be disqualified after the session.

The reason: the engine intake air pressure exceeded the prescribed limit of 4.8 barA. Admittedly, that’s creative, that’s new. "I’ve rarely heard of that mistake," remarked Sky expert Timo Glock, looking quite stunned.

And yet, in Mattia Binotto, Audi has an experienced engine engineer as project leader – a man who, given the frequent breakdowns and the recent unrest at the top of the team, is surely anything but well-rested right now.

Audi has definitely filled its bingo card of mishaps in the sprint. The results for the two short races so far read: 1x DNS, 1x DNF, 1x DSQ – only Hans Heyer did it better, and he only needed one race for that. The only countable result was Bortoleto's 13th place in China.

But for anyone who thought a DNS and a DSQ were enough for one day: think again!

For a long time, it was uncertain whether Bortoleto would be able to participate in qualifying afterwards. The Brazilian had a gearbox problem, and the men and women in the garage had a mountain of work.

Mattia Binotto has a lot of work ahead of him

Double praise here: Audi actually communicated what the problem was and got the car back on track in time. However, it wasn't enough for Bortoleto to set a competitive time – and on the cool-down lap, his car ground to a halt again and caught fire. The second barbecue of the day. And they say we don't give the Americans a show!

At least Hulkenberg had a good starting position for Sunday: thanks to Isack Hadjar’s disqualification, the German was allowed to start from the top 10. But already in the first lap, he suffered front wing damage and had to pit for a change. A few laps later, he parked the car in the garage (Reason: "technical issue").

Binotto still has a lot of work ahead of him at Audi. Six retirements, non-participations, or disqualifications in as many sprint and grand prix races is hardly a badge of honour.

Of course, Audi has to find its feet in Formula 1 first, but even total newcomers Cadillac only has two retirements on its list.

And, careful, now it gets really bitter: Aston Martin has managed more finishes this season than Audi. I’ll just leave that there (and Audi knows a thing or two about being left standing).

Naturally, Audi much prefers the fact that at least the pace is there. And you can’t argue with that. Unlike Cadillac and Aston Martin, it at least has a shot at points. Reliability is something that can be worked on, so that eventually it can reap the rewards instead of leaving the basket behind before they even start.

Read Also: Winners and losers from F1's eventful Miami Grand Prix How Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes defeated Lando Norris and McLaren in Miami's F1 thriller F1 Miami GP: Kimi Antonelli defeats Lando Norris to grab hard-fought win

Maybe someone should buy Dollner a flight ticket to Montreal already. Then things might just click again.

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The Detroit Pistons routed the Orlando Magic 116-94 on Sunday to cap a remarkable NBA playoff comeback and book an Eastern Conference semi-final clash with Cleveland.

Cade Cunningham scored 32 points and handed out 12 assists and Tobias Harris added 30 points with nine rebounds as the Pistons, who trailed 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, wrapped up a 4-3 triumph.

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers weathered a hot start from Toronto to beat the Raptors 114-102 and secure a 4-3 win in a series in which the home team won every game.

The Pistons, who locked up the top seed in the East with the third-best record in the league, notched their first playoff series victory since 2008.

"It's great," Cunningham said after the Pistons became the 15th team to climb out of a 3-1 hole -- one day after the Philadelphia 76ers accomplished the feat against Boston.

"We had a great regular season, we built a lot of momentum going into these playoffs," Cunningham said. "To lose in the first round would have really stung.

"To come back from 3-1, odds against us, and to come back and win it at home -- it feels good."

Detroit had already fended off elimination with victories in games five and six against the Magic -- erasing a 24-point deficit on Friday to force Sunday's decider.

It's the second time the Pistons have rallied from 3-1 down to top the Magic, having accomplished the feat in the first round in 2003.

"They really pushed us to the limit," Cunningham said. "We've grown a lot because of this series, because of that team."

Paolo Banchero scored 38 points with nine rebounds and six assists for Orlando but got precious little scoring support.

Banchero scored the Magic's first 11 points and Orlando emerged from a tight first quarter with a two-point lead.

The back-and-forth action continued early in the second, Detroit finally creating some separation behind a 17-point second-quarter outburst from Harris.

They led 60-49 at halftime and pushed their lead to as many as 25, taking full advantage of 16 Magic turnovers that led to 19 Pistons points.

"We're excited for what's to come," Cunningham said. "We want to win games, win series and (our) ultimate goal is a championship."

That quest continues with game one against Cleveland on Tuesday.

- Allen masterclass -

The Cavs, behind a masterclass from center Jarrett Allen, notched the franchise's fifth straight game-seven triumph as they vanquished the Raptors for the fourth time in four post-season meetings.

Cleveland erased an early 10-point deficit to go into halftime tied at 49-49 and opened the third quarter on a 9-0 scoring run.

They out-scored the Raptors 38-19 in the third, Allen scoring 14 of his 22 points and pulling down 10 of his 19 rebounds in the period.

"I just wanted to show my teammates that we can win this game," said Allen, who added two steals and three blocked shots.

His dominance on the boards helped the Cavs win the rebounding battle 60-33.

"Energy and effort, that's what I believe wins games," Allen said. "If you do it on the defensive end, everything translates to the offense.

"Every single possession, it means a lot," he added of the game-seven intensity. "Every single possession means it could be the end of the season."

Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for Cleveland and emerged unscathed from his own energetic leap for a ball which landed him in the third row of Rocket Arena seats early in the third quarter.

Veteran James Harden chipped in 18 points.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with a game-high 24 points, but Toronto's ability to respond in the second half took a hit when foul trouble sent him to the bench for extended minutes.

bb/sla

This is the best that Chase Elliott, Alan Gustafson and the Hendrick Motorsports team have ever looked to start a NASAR Cup Series season and that makes them a very serious threat in the new Chase for the Championship.

Sure, Elliott has led the standings early in a season through his trademark consistency and penchant for finishing races and having good points day but now he’s won twice over the first 11 races.

That’s the earliest he has reached multiple wins, by the way, and now sits third in the championship standings. It’s the best of both worlds regarding what makes a great Cup Series contender.

“I think having a win early at Martinsville, and I said it then … it's not like, ‘oh, hey, the pressure is off, we have a win.’ It's, ‘man, we have a lot longer period of time to build on that.’ That's genuinely where my mind was at.”

There are so many parallels from Elliott to his direct supervisor, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and four-time champion Jeff Gordon, but it’s mostly in how they put together seasons.

Even when Gordon wasn’t winning in bulk, especially when paired with Gustafson, the No. 24 still frequently contended for championships on pure consistency. But Gordon will also tell you that the consistency without winning multiple races is something that gnawed at him in those seasons.

“Consistency helps because you're not trying to reinvent the wheel,” Gordon said. “You're fine-tuning. You're, like, ‘hey, we're good but we need to be better.’  We would want to keep working in certain areas because we must be doing something right.

“At least the consistency keeps you in kind of a flow and a direction that I think you can build on and only get better. But if you don't win every once in a while, like I've always said, if you don't win every eight to ten races, man, just the hard work drains you, the whole team, driver, team, everybody, pit crew.

“You got to have these victories.”

But Gordon also said, if not winning races, they need to be winning ‘mini-races’ on pit road or in consistency, all the little ways that Elliott and Gustafson have continued to be in the mix every season.

“It could be not just a win of a race, but those race wins are so critical I think to a team's season and success because that builds the confidence to another level that not only are we heading in the right direction, but we're capable of winning it all,” Gordon said.

“If you win on a consistent basis, then again, that's what adds to a championship-caliber team.”

Not only does Gustafson think this is a championship level team this season, but the crew chief of over two decades also thinks Elliott could win this title starting from 16th with 10 races left to go … not that it will actually come down to that.

Of course, he thinks anyone could realistically win too, but he does like his chances sitting at third right now.

“Okay. Do the math, right,” Gustafson said. “After 10 (races) Tyler Reddick had over a 100-point lead. Theoretically, if you repeat those races, he could start 16th and win the championship, right? So I think anything is possible.

“I do think, look, everybody wants as many points as you can get. Certainly, the best teams are going to position themselves towards the top. I'm not sleeping on anybody. I mean, somebody can figure something out and get hot. I don't think 100 points makes anybody safe.”

And perhaps the most telling thing about where the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 is right now is that they have married two wins with consistency while it seems like all of Chevrolet is still trying to maximize their new body style for this season.

In other words, this is not the best Hendrick Motorsports will be all year either, and Elliott was quick to credit ‘the guys at the shop’ for getting them closer each week.

“I mean, I think it's always about the effort and the conversations that go on during the week and during the weeks leading up to the races and how that work is put into our race cars at the shop,” Elliott said. “These races are certainly -- yes, they're won on the racetrack and how well you execute and all those things, but you sure are hedging your bet a lot by how you prepare and what your car is like before it loads up in the truck.

“I can't emphasize that enough. I understand that. I don't know that a lot of people understand just how important that is to the overall performance, but it is a huge piece. Really fortunate and proud of everybody at Hendrick Motorsports for their continued efforts to just dig in.

“We have a gritty group back home that they just don't take no for an answer. They'll just work and work and work. Whatever has got to be done, get done. Friday, Saturday, midnight, 2:00, whatever. They want to win, and the boss wants to win, and we'll do whatever we got to do to try our best for that.”

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Football legend Lionel Messi congratulated Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes hospitality unit after his Miami Grand Prix triumph.

The Italian driver delivered another strong performance around the Miami International Autodrome, converting his third pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season into his third win.

Mercedes shared a video of the 19-year-old back with the team as he recovered from the grand prix. "It was tough. So hot. So humid," he told the camera. "Oh, it was intense. At some points, I looked at the screen when I was on hard, I saw 20 laps left. I was like, 'No, I just want this race to be over'.

"I was like, 'Please, please, just be over, please be over quickly.'"

As he made his way back through the hospitality unit, Antonelli was met with cheers. Messi, who was a guest of the Brackley outfit with his family, approached the driver to congratulate him. 

"Little Kimi making Messi smile, a rare sight," one fan commented on the video, while another added: "How much talent and humility together... You can't help but feel happy that Kimi wins."

Miami magic. An unforgettable day 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vWQ83VQq1s

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 3, 2026

Antonelli extended his lead in the drivers' championship at the Miami Grand Prix. After just four rounds of the season, he now has a 20-point lead over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell. He has also become the first driver to convert his first three pole positions into wins.

"This is just the beginning. The road is still long. We are working super hard and the team is doing an incredible job," Antonelli said after the race.

"Without them, I wouldn't be here, so thanks to them and my family. I'm going to enjoy this one then get back to work."

The next race is the Canadian Grand Prix on 22-24 May.

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Hendrick Motorsports now has two wins in the 2026 season, and both are courtesy of Chase Elliott. The driver of the No. 9 HMS Chevrolet now has 23 career wins, and his second Texas win in the last three years.

He finished just ahead of Denny Hamlin in second and Alex Bowman in third. Tyler Reddick, who was charging with two fresh right-side tires, finished fourth, with Chris Buescher fifth.

Daniel Suarez, Carson Hocevar, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, and Ryan Blaney filled out the remainder of the top ten.

"Everybody's just been digging in really hard."- Chase Elliott thanks everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for getting him to Victory Lane @JoshRSims | @TeamHendrickpic.twitter.com/YT7VYBBZhO

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 3, 2026

"Man, I think, first off, thanks, everybody, for coming out," said Elliott. "You are awesome. Great crowd as always. I have not been a huge fan of this place, and I've made that very obvious, but you know, to continue to work hard, and I really think this is a testament to the whole team, but not just the 9 team, but everybody at Hendrick Motorsports.

"We have not been where we've wanted to be throughout portions of the season. Man, everybody has just been digging in very hard, from the engine shop to Hendrick Motorsports to all the setup shops, to everybody at Team Chevy. Appreciate our partners with Napa and Prime on the car this week. Really cool to have them back. Obviously they're coming to Charlotte races in a few weeks, to Charlotte.

"Yeah, man, just crazy. You know, to say as much as we struggled out here to have won two races here now in the last few years is pretty wild. So just super grateful for all the people that helped make this possible. Yeah, looking forward to celebrating with them."

Stage 1

Hocevar led the race from pole, but Hamlin and Briscoe passed him about 20 laps into the race. 

About halfway through the stage, green-flag pit stops got underway, and Briscoe jumped Hamlin with an undercut.

After the pit stop cycle, it was a three-way fight for the lead between the Gibbs drivers. Ultimately, Bell passed both Hamlin and Briscoe, taking command of the race.

With just 12 laps left in the stage, a shocking incident unfolded as Todd Gilliland spun at the exit of Turn 4. He slid down the track in a terrible spot, clipping the race leader, Bell. Bell slammed the outside wall, ending his race.

Hocevar won the race off pit road with a two-tire call, but five cars opted to stay out in a big gamble for stage points.

Jones held the lead for the restart, and he had enough of a buffer to keep it. He held on to win Stage 1, followed by Hocevar, Stenhouse, Gibbs, Briscoe, Busch, Allmendinger, Elliott, Byron, and Hamlin.

Stage 2

At the start of the second stage, it was Hocevar vs. Gibbs for the race lead, with Hocevar clearing him. 

Byron went spinning at the exit of Turn 4, and slid down the track like Gilliland earlier. This time, the field avoided him, including a lucky escape for Joey Logano.

Unfortunately, his luck ran out soon after. On pit road, Logano slammed into the back of Cole Custer, who had come to a near-stop while trying to get into his box. Larson and Briscoe also made contact in the pits.

The damage to Logano's car was significant, resulting in a DNF for the defending Texas race winner.

The running order again got turned on its head, and Heim was now leading a group of cars that had stayed out. 

The next incident was for Gibbs, who slammed the wall after contact from Preece.

Heim continued to control the race until he finally had to pit, giving the lead to Elliott.

With just a few laps left in the stage, Larson spun on his own and slammed the Turn 2 wall.

The entire field came down pit road, except for the RFK duo of Keselowski and Preece. They led the way for a one-lap dash, hoping to gain some stage points.

Elliott blew by, winning the stage over Reddick and Hamlin, while Keselowski held on for fourth and Preece fifth. It was then Suarez, Buescher, Herbst, and Hocevar.

Stage 3

Elliott led Reddick after the restart, and things calmed down out on the track. With 60 to go, another round of green-flag pit stops got underway.

Ross Chastain, who had driven up inside the top ten, was handed a speeding penalty, and the unforced error upended a decent day for the Trackhouse driver.

Elliott finally returned to the lead with 29 laps to go as Heim pitted from the lead. 

With 11 laps to go, Heim backed into the wall, bringing the entire field back together.

Reddick, running third, was the first to pit. Elliott and Hamlin stayed out, with a total of eight lead lap cars deciding not to pit. Reddick, who only took fresh right-sides, restarted ninth.

The race resumed with just four laps left. Reddick immediately went three-wide, passing several cars through Turns 1 and 2. Hamlin attempted to hang onto the door of Elliott, but the No. 9 got clear and that was essentially the race.

Coming to the white flag, Kyle Busch and John-Hunter Nemechek tangled together and the No. 42 fully crashed, but the race remained green. Nemechek got the car off the racing surface, and the event finished under green-flag conditions with Elliott taking the win.

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Charles Leclerc has been handed a 20-second post-race time penalty for a last-lap incident at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.

Leclerc suffered a high-speed spin on the final lap of the Miami race, avoiding a huge accident but still suffering front-left car damage after tapping the Turn 3 wall.

As a result Leclerc lost a podium finish to Oscar Piastri, and he then desperately attempted to fend off Mercedes' George Russell and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

But because he suffered steering arm damage Leclerc cut several corners and pushed the lapped car of Arvid Lindblad out of the way. He also made slight contact with Russell at the hairpin as he lost places to both the Mercedes man and Verstappen at the line.

After the race the FIA race stewards investigated the contact with Russell as well as Leclerc allegedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Leclerc was handed a drive-through penalty for the latter, which was converted into a 20-second penalty post-race.

As a result Leclerc drops to down to eighth behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Alpine's Franco Colapinto, who nets his best-ever grand prix result as a result.

More to follow

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Teenager Kimi Antonelli extended his lead in the drivers' world championship with a historic victory for Mercedes ahead of McLaren world champion Lando Norris in Sunday's dramatic Miami Grand Prix. 

The 19-year-old Italian became the first F1 driver to claim his first three wins in a row from his first three pole positions, after triumphs in China and Japan had hoisted him to the top of the title race. 

Driving with determination and elan, Antonelli struggled for ascendancy in the first part of the race before enjoying an undercut pit stop to win his duel with Norris in the closing stages.

In the first race following a five-week hiatus due to the conflict in the Middle East, Antonelli came home 3.264 seconds clear of Norris.

Norris's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished third, 23.828 seconds adrift. 

Mercedes driver George Russell, who began the season as championship favorite and won the opening race in Melbourne, finished fourth ahead of Red Bull's fiery and rejuvenated four-time champion Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who spun on the penultimate lap. 

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of Franco Colapinto of Alpine and the two Williams drivers, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.

Mercedes had dominated the opening three Grands Prix and arrived in Miami as the only top team without an upgrades package. But despite losing to Norris in Saturday's sprint race, they showed they remain on top. 

"What a race, man, woo!" exclaimed Antonelli on team radio after winning, "Oh my God!"

He later said: "The team did a great strategy and we had a massive undercut -- and I was able to bring it home. It was a tough race.

"I was a bit lucky when I locked up at the start behind Charles and then I did a mistake with energy management."

Norris described the result as "a mixed bag."

"We just got undercut. We should have boxed first, but Kimi did a good job and hats off to him and Mercedes," he said.

"A good race. He didn't make any mistakes and I'm gutted not to win, but I didn't have the pace."

- 'Just the beginning' -

The weather was significantly cooler than for Saturday's sprint, but without the forecast rain that had brought forward the start by three hours. 

Antonelli made a clean start from his third consecutive pole, but was passed on the inside by Leclerc as Verstappen hit a curb and spun, creating chaos.

Leclerc resisted Antonelli, with Norris third, until lap five when the teenager passed him, only for Leclerc to regain the lead. 

Almost immediately, Pierre Gasly lost control, half-rolled and hit the wall after a collision with Liam Lawson, and a safety car was deployed. 

Verstappen, who had fallen back, pitted on lap nine for hards, returning in 16th. 

Racing resumed on lap 12 with Leclerc resisting Norris until the champion powered by to become the third different leader as light rain arrived. 

Driving with fury, Verstappen, who had crossed a pit lane exit line and faced a post-race investigation, climbed back to sixth by lap 21 when Russell pitted for hards. 

Norris then led Antonelli by 3.2 seconds in the duel to define the race. 

Leclerc pitted for hards and retuned 10th, behind Russell -- much to the Frenchman's frustration.

Antonelli and Norris then also pitted, the champion losing the initiative to the young Italian.

This left the precocious Silver Arrows boy in front, with his team calming his nerves as McLaren's defending champion stalked him.

The pair were separated by less than a second after 40 laps.

After the frantic yo-yo passing of the early stages, the field stretched out when Leclerc passed Verstappen, on his long-worn tyres, before the Ferrari star's late spin gifted Piastri third place.

"This is just the beginning," said Antonelli, shrugging off the mounting excitement and expectation in his homeland.

He added: "I'm going to enjoy this one and then get straight back to work because Canada is in two weeks' time."

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Liam Lawson has explained that he "lost the gearbox" before colliding with Pierre Gasly during the Miami Grand Prix.

While the Alpine driver attacked Williams' Alex Albon and fought off Lawson, the Racing Bulls driver lost control at Turn 17 and clipped the rear of Gasly. The nudge caused the Frenchman's car to flip before it crashed into the barriers. 

Fortunately, Gasly was OK, but both he and Lawson were out of the race. 

"Yeah, it sucks for both of us, obviously," Lawson told the media after the race. "I just went into the last corner, and when I braked, I lost the gearbox and I went to neutral.

"So I basically had no gears, and I couldn't stop, so it's not something I've had before. Obviously, it's quite a big issue for us and it's what meant we had to retire the car, but it's a shame because it's obviously taken out Pierre as well."

The incident came after a strong first lap for the New Zealander. He started 11th on the grid and was up into ninth by lap four.

"Yeah, we haven't really been quick enough this weekend and we had a good start," Lawson added.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

"First lap was really, really good, made up a lot of places and was well inside the top 10 and fighting the balance a lot at the start of the race, which is why I was actually defending so that's quite frustrating and obviously a mechanical to take us out is disappointing. Hard luck."

Lawson currently sits 10th in the drivers' standings with 10 points, and Gasly is ninth with 16 points. 

Kimi Antonelli went on to win the Miami Grand Prix after starting from pole position. The Italian was joined on the podium by McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who finished second and third, respectively.

Photos from Miami GP - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chandan Khanna / AFP / Getty Images

Rain at the Hard Rock Stadium

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes

Brett Farmer / LAT Images via Getty Images

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Kym Illman / Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Rafael Nadal and Jon Rahm visit the Aston Martin F1 Team garage.

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Cam'ron with the Audi F1 Team R26 on the grid.

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Hector Vivas / Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Clive Mason / Getty Images

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sona Maleterova / Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Rafael Nadal waves the checkered flag for Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Rebecca Blackwell / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates after winning

CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Peter Fox / Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Hector Vivas / Formula 1 via Getty Images

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Mercedes man George Russell have all been summoned to the stewards at the end of Formula 1's Miami Grand Prix.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli defeated McLaren's Lando Norris to take his third consecutive grand prix win, expanding his championship lead on Russell to 20 points.

Read Also: F1 Miami GP: Kimi Antonelli defeats Lando Norris to grab hard-fought win

Behind the duo and third-placed Oscar Piastri, the likes of Verstappen, Russell and Leclerc fought out a thrilling battle for fourth, with Russell ultimately prevailing.

But all three will have to report to the stewards for various potential infractions which could yet alter the end result.

Verstappen will have to report to the stewards for crossing the pit exit line after his only pitstop. A five-second time penalty would drop the Red Bull driver to sixth behind Leclerc.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

But Leclerc is also under investigation for both leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and for continuing with a car in a potentially unsafe condition after he survived a scary spin in Turn 3 on the final lap. Leclerc avoided a huge accident as he lost control over his Ferrari but still tapped the wall on exit and appeared to damage the front-left steering arm.

The Monegasque driver then cut several corners as he slumped to sixth behind Russell and Verstappen. Leclerc will also be investigated for tagging Russell at the Turn 17 hairpin.

Finally, Russell is being looked at for making contact with Verstappen in their final lap battle, with the Red Bull driver reporting: "I think he hit my tyre" as he tried to survive on old hard tyres.

Photos from Miami GP - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chandan Khanna / AFP / Getty Images

Rain at the Hard Rock Stadium

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes

Brett Farmer / LAT Images via Getty Images

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Kym Illman / Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Rafael Nadal and Jon Rahm visit the Aston Martin F1 Team garage.

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Cam'ron with the Audi F1 Team R26 on the grid.

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Hector Vivas / Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Clive Mason / Getty Images

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sona Maleterova / Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Rafael Nadal waves the checkered flag for Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Rebecca Blackwell / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates after winning

CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Peter Fox / Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Hector Vivas / Formula 1 via Getty Images

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Nyck de Vries insists he was not to blame for a multi-car collision in Sunday’s Berlin E-Prix after Nick Cassidy labelled him an “idiot” over team radio.

In an intense pack-style Formula E race at Berlin, Cassidy and de Vries were fighting for third place when they came to blows at Turn 6, forcing both of them immediately outside the top 10. The incident also involved Sebastien Buemi and Edoardo Mortara, with all four cars converging at the tight hairpin.

Citroen driver Cassidy was fuming in the immediate aftermath, telling his team on the radio: “This De Vries is such an idiot, man. Why does he drive like this? We’re four-wide under braking and he moves. It’s funny he gives me shit about Imola [where Cassidy made a mistake on cold tyres] and says he never makes a mistake in WEC." 

De Vries, however, disputed that version of the events, pointing to how Buemi triggered a chain reaction that ended with him pushing Cassidy wide.

Showing an onboard video of the clash to Motorsport.com, the Mahindra driver said: “The incident wasn't really between us, it was on the inside. Seb Buemi came in hot, and he hit Edo, and Edo hit me, and I hit Cassidy.

“I'm here on the outside, Seb is here, and Seb just... So, I don't really understand why…

“The contact is between Seb and Edo, and then myself and Cassidy. We were just four wide, we were just... It's wide enough, but I guess I was just in this sandwich.”

A tight battle for space as three cars enter the corner, forcing Nyck de Vries to retire in Round 8 🫣@Hankook_Sport#BerlinEPrix#FormulaEpic.twitter.com/mFgt96wAOT

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 3, 2026

Replays showed Cassidy and de Vries banging wheels while braking, before a separate clash between Buemi and Mortara at the apex sent Mortara into the path of his team-mate de Vries, who then pushed Cassidy wide. 

The incident forced de Vries to retire with suspension damage, dealing another blow to him in what has been a challenging season so far.

De Vries has also come under fire for his driving standards this year, most notably after running team-mate Mortara wide at the start of the Sao Paulo season opener. However, he hasn’t always been at fault, and was unlucky to pick up a 60-place grid penalty in Jeddah after Mahindra replaced several parts on his car.

Buemi suggested he was hit from behind before he made contact with Mortara, which ultimately triggered the sequence of events.

“I had the feeling I was on the inside but I feel like I got touched and then I touched the other guys. I need to see better,” he told Motorsport.com.

Pressed further if another driver hit him first, he said: “I have the feeling, yeah. But I don't know who hit what first. When you drive four wide at some point, it's bad.”

Cassidy initially emerged unscathed from the four-way incident, albeit with his race severely compromised, before another clash with Buemi later in the race left him with a damaged front wing.

The Kiwi could not appear for his post-race media commitments after being selected for routine anti-doping tests.

Read Also: Formula E Berlin E-Prix: Mitch Evans scores remarkable Race 2 win from 17th

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FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has promised to end the ongoing 13-year hiatus of V8 power units from Formula 1 by 2031 at the latest.

The V8 was ditched for a V6 turbohybrid in 2014 and F1 has now entered its third regulation cycle since the electrified power units were introduced. However, the 2026 ruleset is proving contentious.

That’s because of the move towards a power unit that has a near-50:50 split between combustion and electric energy, which has significantly changed the racing with battery management being key.

There are various reasons as to why this has caused problems, and just four rounds into the 2026 campaign tweaks have been made to reduce the reliance on energy harvesting - and to increase safety.

Talks are now underway about the 2027 power unit regulations, with a move towards a 60-40 split between combustion and electric power being mooted, ahead of the next full rule change in 2031.

“It’s coming. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of time,” Ben Sulayem told Reuters. “In 2031, the V8, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the PUMs.

“That’s the regulations. But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone now is asking for. “

Start action

To introduce V8s for 2030, four of the six power unit manufacturers - Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, General Motors, Audi and Red Bull - must vote in favour of the change, otherwise the FIA can force it for the following year.

This is not the first time Ben Sulayem has called for the return of the louder and more powerful engines witnessed in previous years, as 2025 saw him raise the idea of V10s coming back to F1 - last used in 2005

But manufacturers were not in favour, particularly with it being so close to the changes for 2026, so the concept was put on the backburner to make this year’s rules a success.

Speaking about why now V8 and not V10, Ben Sulayem said: “You get the sound, less complexity, lightweight. You will hear about it very soon and it will be with a very, very minor electrification.

“I’m positive, they want it to happen. But let’s say the manufacturers don’t approve it, the next year it will happen. In 2031 it’s done anyway. It will be done. V8 is coming.”

Yet the constant involvement of power unit manufacturers is one of the reasons why the current ruleset has inherent flaws, as they were decided in 2022 when the automotive industry was set on electrification.

As a result, the championship went down that road to persuade the likes of Audi and Honda. But now with the industry no longer so keen on fully electric cars, F1’s engine suppliers are open to the idea of an increase in emphasis on combustion power once again.

Regardless, F1 and its governing body have both recently confirmed that it must no longer be dictated by the automotive industry for its next rules cycle in 2031. 

Read Also: Why OEM involvement has caused vast problems for F1 and the FIA FIA agrees with F1: "We cannot be hostage to automotive companies"

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All the ways to watch Man Utd vs Liverpool live streams online and from anywhere, as two Premier League heavyweights collide at Old Trafford.

Alex Marquez says he still needs to understand if he has made a genuine breakthrough after bouncing back from a tough start to the 2026 MotoGP season to win the Spanish Grand Prix.

Having finished runner-up in the standings last year and received a factory-spec bike for 2026, the expectations were high for the younger Marquez this season.

But the Gresini rider struggled for performance at the beginning amid a wider dip within the Ducati fold, scoring a best Sunday result of seventh across the opening three flyaway races.

He was so unsure about his prospects that even a return to Jerez, the track where he scored his maiden MotoGP win last year, did little to lift his expectations.

But the Spaniard went on to dominate his home grand prix on Sunday, grabbing the lead on the second lap en route to a monumental two-second victory. 

The result ended Marco Bezzecchi’s five-race winning streak in MotoGP, putting Ducati back at the front for the first time since last October’s Malaysian GP. He would have likely claimed a double win at Jerez had there not been a sudden rain shower when he was leading the sprint.

Marquez’s comeback win was down to a combination of factors, including his natural affinity with Jerez. But he also benefited from an upgraded Ducati package and a change in mentality that allowed him to ride around the bike’s problems.

However, he remains adamant its too early to draw firm conclusions about his form. The post-race test at Jerez, where he and other Ducati riders tested a new aero package, among other things, offered only some answers about the sudden upturn in form.

“We suffered a lot in the first three rounds this year, and then we are here and suddenly we are really, really fast and we are really flowing,” he said.

“Le Mans, Montmelo and Mugello will be important to understand if this step that we did here is real or it's just one weekend.

“I think we were [performing] in a really good way [at Jerez]. I think that in many ways we still need to improve, and it's what we focused on in this test, trying different aero packets and trying different things on the bike.

“Some are positive, some are negative. It's difficult to make conclusions on the aerodynamic side just at one track, because Jerez is a really good track to test, but maybe we need a little bit more fast corners. 

“But some things are positive, and now we'll have a lot of work at home on Ducati and also on Gresini to analyse the things.”

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Despite having ruled out a victory in the build-up to the Spanish GP, Marquez insisted he was always certain that he would be able to return to the front.

“We tried it and I said already in Austin that, ‘OK, we are suffering but our time will come.’ 

“I think we keep working in a really good way, just trying to not panic and just trying to analyse the things. We started with last year's bike set-up and just tried to do other things, and then suddenly we were really, really fast again.

“So we work in a really good way and we tried a few things that were working.”

There has been a stark contrast between the performance of Ducati’s factory team and its satellite squads this year. While both Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia have largely struggled for results, VR46 rider Fabio di Giannantonio led the marque’s charge in the opening races before Alex Marquez took over the baton in Jerez.

With MotoGP visiting three different tracks in May, Alex believes the coming races will offer a better gauge of the pecking order.

 “I don't know the work that they are doing in the official team,” he said. “I think they are working super well and they know everything that we did. 

“For us also, it will be a really good test in the next two or three rounds to see if we can keep up this performance. Le Mans is a really different track.”

Read Also: Should there be a tear-off rule following Marco Bezzecchi's Jerez incident? How MotoGP’s energy drink landscape could shift 

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