Motorsports
Lettenbichler Rules Erzberg Rodeo Again
Manuel Lettenbichler dominated the 2025 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, winning the prestigious event for the fourth consecutive year. The German hard enduro champion finished the grueling Austrian race in 2 hours, 49 minutes, and 17 seconds, a full 11 minutes ahead of his closest rival, Billy Bolt.
Held in Eisenerz, Austria, the Erzbergrodeo is famously difficult, with only 14 out of over 1,000 participants managing to cross the finish line within the four-hour time limit. The race takes place in a massive iron ore quarry known as the “Iron Giant,” testing riders’ endurance and skill on brutal terrain and severe obstacles.
Bolt initially took control early on, setting a fast pace through the early checkpoints. However, Lettenbichler made a decisive move just before the ‘George Avenue’ checkpoint, overtaking Bolt among massive boulders. Weather further complicated conditions as heavy rain reduced traction, forcing riders to adjust their strategies.
Lettenbichler remained unfazed by the challenges, showcasing a near-perfect performance through the latter part of the race. Bolt finished in second place, acknowledging the fierce competitiveness of the event after missing last year’s race due to injury. Bulgarian rider Teodor Kabakchiev took third, earning his first-ever Erzbergrodeo podium finish.
With this latest victory, Lettenbichler is now just one win away from equalling Tadeusz Błażusiak’s record of five Erzbergrodeo wins. Reflecting on his performance, Lettenbichler admitted the immense pressure he faced but was satisfied with his ability to overcome Bolt’s initial advantage and difficult track conditions.
Spielberg, Austria | Marc Marquez returned from MotoGP’s mid-season break showing no signs of slowing down, setting the pace in Friday’s practice sessions at the Red Bull Ring.
The six-time MotoGP champion, who has already racked up five straight victories this season, is chasing more than just another win. Marquez has never triumphed in Austria, a rare blank spot in his decorated career.
“I’ve been super close here many years,” Marquez said. “I always lose against the red bikes—but now I’m on the red bike, so let’s see if we can finally do it.”
Now riding for Ducati’s factory team, Marquez has looked nearly untouchable, completing five consecutive weekends with both sprint and race wins. He leads the championship by a commanding 120 points over his younger brother Alex Marquez, who races with Ducati’s Gresini satellite outfit.
Alex sits second in the standings, holding a 48-point cushion over Francesco Bagnaia, last year’s champion and a specialist in Austria with three consecutive wins at Spielberg. But the younger Marquez faces an uphill task this Sunday after being handed a long-lap penalty for his collision with Honda’s Joan Mir in Brno.
“The challenge will be to do a perfect weekend and lose the least time on the long lap,” Alex admitted. “We need to qualify well and try to make up ground before the penalty.”
Friday’s action confirmed Marc’s dominance, topping the morning session by three-tenths of a second over Bagnaia, and edging KTM’s Pedro Acosta by two-tenths in the afternoon. Qualifying takes place Saturday, followed by a 14-lap sprint. The main 28-lap race happens Sunday.
Meanwhile, Honda LCR’s Somkiat Chantra will sit out both Austria and Hungary. The Thai rider underwent surgery for ligament damage in his right knee, an injury sustained during training after the Dutch round. He has already missed races in Germany and Brno.
“Imagine a scooter faster than your car—160 km/h on EDSA. Would you ride it, or would you run from it?”
If this hits our roads, it’s either the coolest thing you’ll see this year… or the quickest way to trend on Facebook for all the wrong reasons.
UK-based Bo is building the Bo M Turbo, an electric scooter aiming to break the world speed record at over 160 km/h. That’s faster than most cars in Metro Manila traffic—if you can even reach full throttle before hitting a jeepney.
The Turbo packs a 24kW dual-motor system, a 1.8kWh battery, Formula 1-inspired cooling, and quad-piston disc brakes. It even has a power-to-weight ratio higher than a Bugatti Veyron.
Bo’s team includes former Formula 1 and Bloodhound Land Speed Record engineers. They’re taking the Turbo to Bonneville Speed Week in Utah to prove it’s the fastest scooter in the world.
Built for Speed, Priced for the Rich
- Top speed: 160+ km/h
- Range: Up to 241 km at cruising speed (28 km/h)
- Price: Around $29,500 (~₱1.7M)
Not exactly a GrabBike replacement—this is for someone with a Mercedes-AMG in the garage who wants a smaller toy.
The Cheaper Option
Bo also sells the Model M for about ₱94,000, with a 35 km/h top speed and 48 km range. Good for city commutes without scaring pedestrians.
Would you ride a 160 km/h scooter in Manila, or should it stay on the race track?
Spain’s Alex Palou clinched his third consecutive IndyCar season title — and fourth in five years — after finishing third at the Portland Grand Prix on Sunday. The race win went to Australia’s Will Power, with Denmark’s Christian Lundgaard in second.
Palou joins Ted Horn, Sébastien Bourdais, and Dario Franchitti as the only drivers in series history to win three straight championships. The 28-year-old now sits third on the all-time title list, behind A.J. Foyt’s 10 and Scott Dixon’s six.
“This has been an amazing season, an amazing five years with Chip Ganassi Racing,” Palou said. “I couldn’t be happier. I tried everything to overtake Lundgaard but couldn’t make it today.”
With 626 points — 151 clear of Pato O’Ward — Palou secured the title with two races left. O’Ward’s hopes ended early after an electrical failure on lap 21 left him eight laps down, forcing him to settle for 25th place, his worst finish of the season.
Palou’s 2025 campaign has delivered eight wins, including the Indianapolis 500, and he still has a chance to match the single-season record of 10 victories with Milwaukee and Nashville remaining.
Power’s triumph was his second straight and 45th career win. “It’s a big win for the team. We’ve had a rough year, but this one was hard-fought,” he said.
