FERNANDO ALONSO

AUSTIN, Texas — (AP) — Fernando Alonso remembers the quiet times in Austin. Sunday will be the final race of the original 10-year agreement in Austin because the pandemic canceled the race in 2020. “I spent most of my adult life putting the pieces together for F1 to come to my hometown,” said Tavo Hellmund, the founder of the Texas race and its initial promoter. '”The Texas race has had its share of ups and downs. The Texas race also gets an annual boost in public money to help pay F1's rights fees.

Fernando Alonso remembers the quiet times in Austin.

Fernando Alonso remembers the quiet times in Austin. Back when the two-time Formula One champion could jog the city streets without being noticed, move through a hotel lobby with ease and drive to the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix without planning for traffic well ahead of time. If anything demonstrates the explosive growth of F1 in the U.S., it's the projections of more than 400,000 fans expected to pack the city and the circuit this weekend for the 10th anniversary of the Texas race that put the series' glamorous footprint back on American soil.

SINGAPORE — (AP) — The start of the Singapore Grand Prix was delayed by more than one hour to clear water off the Formula One track following heavy rainfall on Sunday. The 8 p.m. (1200 GMT) start time was pushed back with the formation lap set to start at 9:05 p.m. (1305 GMT) local time. F1 said a full start procedure was expected, rather than starting behind a safety car. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was starting from pole position with runaway championship leader Max Verstappen going from eighth place after a team blunder in qualifying cost him pole. The 41-year-old Alonso has won two F1 titles and made his debut in 2001.

Max Verstappen’s Formula One title celebration was put on hold after the Red Bull driver placed seventh at a chaotic Singapore Grand Prix won by his teammate Sergio Perez.

AlphaTauri is awaiting a decision from the FIA on Colton Herta’s eligibility to compete in Formula One next season.

Max Verstappen produced a brilliant final lap to take the pole position for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix just ahead of Charles Leclerc.

Mick Schumacher is declining to discuss his future in Formula One amid speculation he’ll be dropped by Haas at the end of the season.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — (AP) — Formula One points champion Max Verstappen quickly carved his way through the field from 14th to win the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday and widen his lead in in the title race. Verstappen was leading the race by lap 12, and he earned a bonus point for fastest lap. His third straight win was his ninth this season and 29th overall. Leclerc started 15th and finished fifth behind the Mercedes of George Russell, but Leclerc dropped to sixth after he was handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. As for his title race with Verstappen?

Formula One champion Max Verstappen quickly carved his way through the field from 14th to win the Belgian Grand Prix and widen his lead in the standings.

Carlos Sainz Jr. will start from the pole Sunday at the Belgian Grand Prix because runaway Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was among the many drivers to be hit with grid penalties.

So when Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement and Aston Martin needed a new driver, the Spaniard made a quick decision to switch teams. F1 is what I love and where I see myself, if I’m doing any racing,” Ricciardo said Thursday. When Vettel finally decided his future, Aston Martin wasted no time reaching out to Alonso. The decision stunned Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer, who has said he learned of Alonso's defection via the Aston Martin announcement. Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, where the F1 season resumes following its mid-season break, Alonso confirmed he did not alert Szafnauer.

When Aston Martin called Fernando Alonso to ask if was interested in replacing Sebastian Vettel, the Spaniard made a quick decision to leave Alpine.

Minutes later McLaren said it had signed Palou. With only four races remaining in the most watched IndyCar season in decades and a six-driver championship fight, the entire paddock is fixated on this contractual drama and who drives where next season. PATO O'WARD: Under contract to McLaren in IndyCar, expected to test in F1 next season. ALEXANDER ROSSI: Signed to leave Andretti Autosport and join McLaren IndyCar lineup next season. It’s not for the public to know.”But will he drive for another IndyCar team if Palou takes his spot at McLaren?

Silly season has gone mad in motorsports and the domino effects stretch three series, across the globe and into at least one courtroom.

Alpine said Tuesday that reserve driver Oscar Piastri would take over for Fernando Alonso in 2023. 2023 driver line-up confirmed: Esteban Ocon 🤝 Oscar PiastriAfter four years as part of the Renault and Alpine family, Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri is promoted to a race seat alongside Esteban Ocon starting from 2023. pic.twitter.com/4Fvy0kaPn7 — BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) August 2, 2022The announcement from Alpine didn’t have any quotes from Piastri. Hours after Ganassi’s announcement — an announcement that included a quote from Palou — Palou said it was incorrect and that he wouldn’t be with the team next season. Shortly after Palou's announcement, McLaren said that it had signed him to a deal for 2023 and beyond. 10 car at CGR since the McLaren announcement and appears to be set for the rest of the season despite a pending lawsuit.

Auto-Prix-F1-CAN-PRACTICE1 Alpine's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso (R) speaks to Aston Martin's German driver Sebastian Vettel at a press conference before the first practice session for the Canada Formula 1 Grand Prix on June 17, 2022, at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso is replacing four-time F1 champ Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin. Vettel said last week that he was stepping aside from Formula 1 after spending the last two seasons with Aston Martin. His move to Aston Martin to replace Vettel means the team will go into the 2023 season with Alonso and Lance Stroll as its drivers. The 2021 Formula 2 champion has six wins in 23 F2 starts and currently serves as Alpine’s reserve driver.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen overcame a spin and his worst starting spot of the season to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and stretch his lead to to 80 points in the standings over Charles Leclerc.

Daniil Kvyat's anguishing absence from racing will finally end Sunday at Indianapolis.

United Formula One drivers are determined to help stamp out abusive behavior from some fans with Lewis Hamilton saying F1 must fight harder together to combat this and Sergio Perez urging life bans for abusers.

Charles Leclerc has revived his Formula One title challenge by holding on to win the Austrian Grand Prix for a third victory of the season.

Max Verstappen comfortably won the sprint race from pole at the Austrian Grand Prix while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. almost collided as they scrapped behind him.

F1 Canadian Grand Prix Auto Racing Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, celebrates after winning the Canadian Grand Prix auto race Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Montreal. He noted he trailed Charles Leclerc by 46 points following the third race of the season. But there was no challenge and by the time Sainz cleared Alonso for second on Lap 2, Verstappen had already built a lead of 2.4 seconds. George Russell was fourth as Hamilton beat his new teammate for just the second time in nine races this season. Perez exited the race after just nine laps with a gearbox issue, the fourth Red Bull mechanical failure this season between Perez and Verstappen.

F1 Montreal GP Auto Racing Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, drives during the third practice session during the third practice session at the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jacques Boissinot)MONTREAL — (AP) — Max Verstappen overcame slick conditions to win his second pole of the season, and Fernando Alonso used the wet track to earn his first front row start in a decade in rainy qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix. The Saturday run for Verstappen, the reigning Formula One champion and current points leader, was no surprise even though its the Dutchman's first career pole at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Instead, it was 40-year-old Alonso who brought the crowd to its feet with a thrilling run to qualify second. Sergio Perez crashed his Red Bull in the second session and wound up 13th — the first time he'll start lower than fifth this year.

Helio Castroneves won his first race on Detroit's Belle Isle and celebrated that victory by exiting his car and climbing one of the fences surrounding the temporary street course.

Felix Rosenqvist sensed Swedish racing fans were increasingly becoming interested in IndyCar racing three years ago.

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez held on to win Sunday’s rain-marred and chaotic Monaco Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc positioned himself to reclaim the Formula One championship lead from reigning champion Max Verstappen by winning the pole for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen reclaimed the Formula One points lead as the reigning world champion won the Spanish Grand Prix for his third consecutive victory after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari broke down while he was comfortably in front.

Spain F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco waits in the pit during the third practice session at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Saturday, May 21, 2022. The Ferrari driver was just 0.072 seconds faster than Verstappen of Red Bull. Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, the best shot to win on home soil, was fifth-fastest Saturday morning in his Ferrari. He was 12th in Saturday morning practice for Alpine, accused the FIA of incompetence in race control, and was penalized during one of Friday's practices. Hamilton has won the Spanish GP six times, and for each of the past five years.

Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc has swept all three practices ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ferrari stormed to the front of the grid for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix as Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. locked up the front row in Saturday qualifying.

The Formula One team Red Bull has landed another billion-dollar American company as a sponsor.

F1 intends to keep racing in Saudi Arabia despite drivers' misgivings, Sky Sports reports.

NASCAR champion Kyle Larson is among those conflicted over the ending of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have qualified 1-2 for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix, setting up a showdown between the Formula One championship contenders at the very start of Sunday’s race.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen edged championship rival Lewis Hamilton for pole position in qualifying Saturday at the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton had the fastest qualifying time at the Turkish Grand Prix but a 10-place grid penalty prevented him from extending his record pole streak.

Lewis Hamilton has become the first Formula One driver to win 100 races with victory in the Russian Grand Prix to retake the championship lead from Max Verstappen.

Frenchman Esteban Ocon has won a chaotic Hungarian Grand Prix while an exhausted Lewis Hamilton moved up from third to second in the race after Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification.

Max Verstappen out-dragged Lewis Hamilton at the start of Formula One’s experimental first sprint qualifying race to take the pole for the British Grand Prix.

The race was effectively decided when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 53 of 56 but went too wide on a turn and off track limits. Verstappen still had a few laps to catch Hamilton and he almost did, finishing .74 seconds behind the Mercedes driver. Verstappen took a superb pole position on Saturday, the fourth of his career, and started immediately ahead of Hamilton under floodlights at the desert track. Hamilton was 1.5 seconds behind Verstappen when Mercedes took the bold strategy to switch him to hard tires on Lap 14. Bottas came in for the same tire change three laps after Hamilton, and Verstappen came in on Lap 18 but again for medium tires.

The Pagoda is seen before a practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS Andretti Autosport claimed the top of the speed chart midway through Indianapolis 500 qualifying, with former race winners Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi leading a strong Honda showing. Teammate Hunter-Reay was waiting on pit lane to make his run when Rossi radioed feedback from his four laps. Hunter-Reay made a quick adjustment then bumped Rossi with a qualifying run of 231.330 mph. We knew we had the speed, Hunter-Reay said.

Marco Andretti packs up his gear following practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS The horsepower boost sent speeds skyrocketing over 233 mph early on Fast Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Andretti Autosport cars quickly jumped to the top of the board with Marco Andretti logging a lap of 233.491 miles per hour (375.77 kilometres per hour). It's the fastest lap in a practice which is considered unofficial since Sebastien Bourdais went 233.116 mph in 2017. The first thing you need is speed and then you need to put the four laps together," Andretti said.

Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, pulls out fo the pits during a practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS Scott Dixon, already off to a tremendous start to the IndyCar season, quickly set the pace on the first day of practice for the Indianapolis 500. Dixon turned a lap of 224.047 mph (360.57 kph) around Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the two-hour session for veterans. He has won the Indy 500 once in his career. The day was scheduled to conclude with a 150-minute open practice session.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona kicks off in earnest Thursday as all classes take to the 3.56-mile course at Daytona International Speedway. But only a handful will enjoy a full payoff when they hop aboard the podium in Daytona International Speedways elusive Victory Lane. That comes from international racing superstar Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula One champion and, last year in his second effort, part of a winning Rolex 24 effort. WeatherTech, the car-mat company, sponsors IMSAs highest series, which will race the Rolex 24. Within the WeatherTech Series are four classes of cars: Daytona Prototype international (DPi); Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2); GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD).