Motorsports
Marquez Masters Hungary Sprint for Seventh Straight Win
Marc Marquez tightened his grip on the MotoGP world championship after a commanding ride in Hungary, where he claimed his seventh consecutive Sprint victory at Balaton Park.
The Spaniard, already on a six-race winning streak in Sunday grand prix events, made light work of the short-format contest. Starting from pole on his factory Ducati, Marquez broke clear early and crossed the line nearly three seconds ahead of the chasing pack.
VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio settled for second place, while his teammate Franco Morbidelli completed the podium. Marquez now sits 152 points clear at the top of the standings, with younger brother Alex Marquez trailing in second after finishing eighth.
Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia endured another frustrating weekend, finishing only 13th and leaving Hungary without points. The two-time world champion had earlier struggled in qualifying, managing just the 15th-fastest time.
The race itself saw chaos unfold at the first corner. Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo attempted a late-braking move on Marquez but collided with KTM rider Enea Bastianini. Quartararo went down immediately, while Bastianini managed to stay upright but later ran into Johann Zarco’s Honda, forcing both out of the race.
Stewards handed out swift penalties. Quartararo was given a long lap penalty for “causing a dangerous situation and contact.” Bastianini, who had been able to continue, received two long lap penalties, doubled because of a previous offense, for “irresponsible riding causing a crash.”
Despite the drama, Marquez remained untouchable. “I felt someone really close on the first corner, but from there I quickly found a fast rhythm,” he said. “I’m very happy with this victory.”
With both consistency and momentum on his side, Marquez heads into Sunday’s main event as the heavy favorite, as his title lead continues to grow.
Toyota Motor Philippines has opened the 2025 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines eSports GT Championship qualifiers, inviting new and seasoned sim racers to take their first step into motorsports. The qualifying window runs until September 14, with options to set a time online or at select Toyota GR Performance dealerships.
Players compete in sprint races on Gran Turismo 7 for PlayStation 4 or 5. Online qualifiers require an active PSN account, a PS Plus subscription, and a copy of the game. Walk-in qualifiers at participating dealerships only need a valid government ID for verification. The Top 40 from qualifiers advance to the quarterfinals.
Registration is through the event form, after which racers can pick an online or on-site qualifier slot. The quarterfinals happen on October 11 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Pasay City, followed by the semifinals and national finals on October 12 at the same venue. The Top 3 in the country will represent the Philippines at the Asia Finals in Thailand later this year.
The championship is open to Filipino citizens or permanent residents based in the Philippines during the tournament. Minors 17 and below need guardian consent. Winners receive cash prizes, original GR merchandise, and an invitation to the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Academy.
Toyota notes that its e-motorsports ladder has already delivered real-world results. Past champions Russel Reyes and Luis Moreno progressed to the TGR Philippine Cup and won the Novice Class titles in 2024 and 2025. Assistant Vice President for Marketing Services Andy Ty said the live finals will bring the virtual action to life and encouraged fans to join or watch the on-site showdown.
The series is sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines. Petron serves as Official Fuel & Lubricants Partner and GT Radial as Official Tire Partner, with support from Seiko, Toyota Financial Services Philippines, Tuason Racing, AVT, 3M, Denso, OMP, ROTA, Autoplus, PIAA, Vinyl Frog Premier Vehicle Wraps, AutoQuix, Sparco, myTOYOTA Wallet, and Kinto One.
Cadillac is set to make a statement when it joins Formula One in 2026, signing seasoned drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas to lead its debut campaign.
The American marque, now officially the 11th team on the F1 grid, confirmed Tuesday that the two veterans, both sidelined this year, will return to the sport under its banner. Between them, Perez and Bottas carry more than 500 race starts, six wins for Perez, and 10 victories for Bottas, mostly during his time with Mercedes.
Perez, 35, was dropped by Red Bull at the end of last season despite still having two years left on his contract. Bottas, who turns 36 this week, raced for Sauber in 2024 before taking a reserve role at Mercedes this season.
Team principal Graeme Lowdon said their signing signals Cadillac’s intent to compete at the highest level from the start. “They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula One. But more importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team,” Lowdon explained.
Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, called the duo “a really good winning combination,” while TWG Global chief executive Dan Towriss emphasized their leadership and technical knowledge. “There is a young pool of drivers who are very exciting, but it was the leadership of these two that stood out,” Towriss said.
For Perez, the deal represents both pride and pressure. “Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport. To help bring them to Formula One is a huge responsibility, one I’m confident of taking on,” he said. Bottas echoed the sentiment, highlighting the project’s long-term vision. “It’s not every day you get to be part of something built from the ground up and help shape it into a proper F1 team,” the Finn said.
Cadillac’s F1 bid was approved by the FIA in March, following the rejection of a rival Andretti-linked proposal. The new outfit will start with Ferrari-supplied engines before switching to GM power units later. Operations will be split across three hubs, Indiana and North Carolina in the US, and Silverstone in England.
With two proven race winners at the helm, Cadillac is betting on experience to fast-track its way into F1 credibility.
Christian Rasmussen delivered the race of his career at the Milwaukee Mile 250, snatching his first-ever IndyCar win with a daring late push that denied newly crowned champion Alex Palou another place in the record books.
Palou, who had already secured his third straight championship — and his fourth title in five seasons — entered the penultimate round of the calendar chasing a slice of history. With eight victories this year, including the Indianapolis 500, the Spaniard was eyeing the all-time season record of 10 wins held by legends A.J. Foyt (1964) and Al Unser Sr. (1970).
But Rasmussen had other plans. The 25-year-old Dane, racing for Ed Carpenter Racing, took fresh tires during a late caution brought on by light rain. Restarting from sixth, he charged forward with aggressive intent, eventually pulling alongside Palou — who had stayed out on worn tires — and muscling past him on the front straight with just 15 laps to go.
From there, Rasmussen held his nerve, crossing the line 1.9 seconds clear to seal a breakthrough victory. It marked Ed Carpenter Racing’s first trip to victory lane since Rinus VeeKay’s win at Indianapolis in 2021.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin completed the podium in third, while Rasmussen’s teammate Alexander Rossi came home fourth.
Despite falling short of the single-season wins milestone, Palou’s dominance this year has been historic. He joins Ted Horn, Sebastien Bourdais, and Dario Franchitti as only the fourth driver to secure three straight IndyCar championships. With four total crowns, he now sits behind only Dixon’s six and Foyt’s unmatched 10 on the all-time list.
