A devastating seven-car pile-up has forced an indefinite suspension of the 24h Nurburgring race in Germany as emergency medical teams scramble to treat several injured drivers.

Max Verstappen is among the high-profile competitors involved in the endurance event, though the reigning Formula 1 champion was not behind the wheel when the incident occurred.

The multi-car collision triggered an immediate red flag, bringing the renowned motorsport race to a sudden and alarming halt.

Emergency rescue operations launched

Race control quickly confirmed the severity of the situation, stating that urgent medical assistance was required directly on the circuit.

“Rescue operations for several injured riders are currently in full swing,” an official statement from race control read.

“We will provide an update from Race Control as soon as further information becomes available.”

The exact cause of the extensive pile-up remains unconfirmed, but officials noted that seven distinct vehicles were tangled in the wreckage.

Frustrating start for Verstappen’s crew

Prior to the indefinite suspension, the three-time world champion’s team had already endured a difficult start to their endurance campaign.

Verstappen’s co-driver, Lucas Auer, had completed the opening hour of racing in their Mercedes before the major track incident brought proceedings to a stop.

The Austrian racer had earlier received a three-place grid penalty following an unsuccessful overtaking attempt that resulted in contact with a Team Adrenalin entry.

“The driver of car #03 stated that he saw the gap and misjudged the situation,” a stewards’ report explained regarding the earlier clash.

That specific infringement dropped the Mercedes crew from their initial qualifying position of sixth down to ninth on the starting grid.

Multiple vehicles involved in collision

Event organisers have since released the official list of the seven cars that were caught up in the race-stopping crash.

The extensive wreckage spans multiple classes and manufacturers competing in the gruelling German event.

Mercedes driver George Russell insists Formula 1 will thrive without Max Verstappen following the reigning world champion’s recent threats to leave the sport.

The Dutch driver has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the current generation of cars following a challenging start to the season for Red Bull.

While acknowledging that losing a four-time world champion would be a commercial setback, Russell remains pragmatic about the sport’s enduring appeal.

A sport bigger than any individual

Speaking to the media during a recent web call, the British racer offered a blunt assessment of the ongoing speculation surrounding his rival.

“Formula 1 is bigger than any driver.”

However, the Mercedes star was quick to clarify that the current grid would lament the absence of their most successful contemporary opponent.

“You wouldn’t want to lose Max, because I think we all enjoy racing against Max.”

Contrasting performance perspectives

Russell also suggested that the current complaints from the titleholder stem primarily from no longer possessing a dominant racing machine.

“I didn’t enjoy driving the ’22 car when it was porpoising up and down, killing everybody’s backs. But he didn’t have the same complaint because he was winning.”

He noted that Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren are currently enjoying life at the front end of the grid with much more compliant cars.

“You understand and recognise the frustration, but he’s achieved what most drivers dream of, which is winning a championship.”

Release clauses and racing joy

The frustrated Red Bull driver is widely understood to possess a performance-related exit clause in his current contract, which officially runs until 2028.

If the prominent competitor finds himself outside the top two in the drivers’ standings by the summer break, he could reportedly activate a release option between August and October.

This contractual mechanism would permit the highly decorated racer to entirely walk away from his career at the pinnacle of motorsport.

Alternatively, the experienced driver could seek a seat with a rival constructor capable of providing a more competitive package.

In the meantime, the Dutch star has been seeking competitive joy outside of his primary duties, recently competing in a GT3 event at the legendary Nordschleife circuit in Germany.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris insists McLaren will not give up on their 2026 title defence despite falling 47 points behind Mercedes.

The British driver has failed to record a podium finish in the opening three races of the sport’s new era.

However, team-mate Oscar Piastri secured a promising second-place finish at the recent Japanese Grand Prix to boost morale within the camp.

Turning the tide in Miami

Formula 1 returns from an enforced five-week break with a Sprint weekend at the Miami Grand Prix in early May.

The Woking-based outfit have utilised this extended gap to address early reliability issues affecting their chassis and power unit.

“I think we can have a good season, even if we’re not where we want to be right now,” said Norris.

“This isn’t a case of giving up and focusing on next year – I’m not sure if that approach ever really works.”

Overcoming the Mercedes deficit

The 26-year-old currently trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who has spearheaded a dominant start for the Silver Arrows alongside a resurgent Ferrari.

McLaren possess a proven track record of mid-season recoveries, having successfully overhauled significant performance deficits during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

“We’ve been there, done it, learned from it and I trust that this team knows how to do it again,” he added.

Securing valuable track time remains the primary objective as the reigning constructors’ champions attempt to unlock the ultimate pace of their new machinery.

“Tiny, tiny margins make significant differences,” the championship hopeful explained.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been “reinvigorated” by Ferrari’s 2026 Formula 1 car following his first podium finish for the Italian team, according to Nigel Mansell.

The British driver ended a 16-month podium drought by finishing third at the recent Chinese Grand Prix.

He has looked visibly more comfortable compared to his difficult debut campaign with the Scuderia in 2025.

The 41-year-old is now closely matching the pace of highly-rated team-mate Charles Leclerc under the sport’s new technical regulations.

A new era suits the veteran

Former world champion Mansell believes his compatriot could even challenge for race victories later this year.

“Lewis is fired up again. Lewis has had a brilliant career and it’s fantastic what he’s doing.”

Nigel Mansell

Mansell noted that Ferrari have done a fabulous job over the winter, placing themselves firmly in contention behind early forerunners Mercedes.

The former Mercedes star admitted in Japan that rigorous physical and mental preparation played a crucial role in his resurgence.

Overcoming a difficult transition

The sport’s most successful driver struggled to adapt during his first year at Maranello after inheriting a car designed before his arrival.

Strict budget caps prevented the team from making fundamental suspension changes to suit his specific driving style last season.

Instead, development was halted early to focus entirely on the sweeping regulation changes introduced for the current campaign.

His extensive work in the simulator has yielded a 2026 challenger that features several of his requested upgrades.

“We come to this year’s car and it’s a completely new start for everybody but we have a couple things I asked for, which I’m grateful that they listened to.”

Lewis Hamilton

He added that both he and Leclerc have tested the new components and are delighted with the early results.

The FIA has banned a qualifying engine loophole used by Mercedes and Red Bull in Formula 1 following safety and competitive concerns raised by Ferrari.

Exploiting the regulations

Mercedes High Performance Powertrains and Red Bull Powertrains recently discovered a method to deploy additional electrical energy for extended periods during a flying lap.

By avoiding the standard ‘ramping down’ of power at the end of a lap, both manufacturers sustained top speed for longer periods before crossing the finish line.

This aggressive trade-off required deactivating the MGU-K component of the power unit immediately afterwards, making the strategy completely unviable for race conditions.

Safety concerns at Suzuka

Existing regulations permitted teams to shut down the MGU-K system in an emergency to protect other critical components from imminent failure.

However, the intentional practice was exposed during practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix when several cars were left crawling dangerously slowly around the circuit.

Alex Albon’s Williams, which is supplied with a Mercedes power unit, even ground to a complete halt following a qualifying simulation run at Suzuka.

Ferrari prompts rule change

The sport’s governing body initially warned manufacturers about the hazardous side-effects of slow-moving traffic but ruled the tactic legally compliant after the Japanese event.

That regulatory stance has now shifted following direct dialogue with Ferrari regarding both the inherent safety risks and the performance advantage.

Revised technical guidelines have now been formally issued to all engine suppliers explicitly outlawing the extended deployment practice.

Aston Martin’s disastrous start to the 2026 Formula 1 season is unlikely to be resolved quickly following a point-less opening three races, according to Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle.

The Silverstone-based outfit have endured a torrid introduction to the sport’s new regulatory era.

Their struggles come despite high expectations surrounding their new works engine partnership with Honda and the arrival of renowned designer Adrian Newey.

Neither of their cars has managed to challenge for the top 10 so far this year.

A solitary 18th-place finish for Fernando Alonso in Japan represents their only full Grand Prix completion across the opening three weekends.

‘Neither speed nor reliability’

The Spanish veteran and his team-mate Lance Stroll qualified an alarming four seconds off the leading pace at Suzuka.

Canadian driver Stroll later joked that the duo were competing in their own internal championship at the back of the grid.

Former racer Brundle described the situation as a nightmare that will prove exceptionally difficult to rectify under current cost cap restrictions.

“It’s a nightmare, whichever way you look at it, they’ve got neither speed nor reliability,” Brundle stated on The F1 Show podcast.

“In the days of relentless Formula 1 championship calendars and cost caps, it’s going to be very difficult to turn that around in the time.”

Long road to recovery

The British team are battling severe engine vibrations that have drastically limited their early-season track time.

Brundle believes the fundamental issues surrounding the power unit mean a comprehensive solution may not arrive until 2027.

“They’ve got to get the right people in at Honda, get the right direction,” Brundle added.

“It’s a horror show, and we’re just going to have to observe that pain.”

Both the constructor and their Japanese engine supplier remain focused on delivering immediate fixes ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in early May.

Technical chief Newey remains confident the AMR26 chassis holds intrinsic promise once power-unit performance finally improves.

Ty Gibbs earned his maiden NASCAR Cup Series victory by outdueling two former champions in a dramatic overtime finish at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday.

The 23-year-old grandson of Hall of Fame team owner Joe Gibbs claimed the milestone win in his 131st career start.

Driving the No. 54 Toyota, the emerging talent fended off Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson during a tense two-lap shootout.

Emotional breakthrough for the Gibbs family

The victory carried profound personal significance for the entire racing organisation.

His breakthrough arrived nearly two years after the sudden passing of his father, Coy Gibbs, who died unexpectedly in November 2022.

“This is one of my best experiences,” said Joe Gibbs.
“When I think about Coy, he brought Ty up the entire time. I know he’s probably watching.”

The rising star graduated to the premier division shortly after his father’s death and had previously recorded frustrating runner-up finishes at Darlington and Chicago.

Late strategy gamble pays off

The decisive moment arrived when the Joe Gibbs Racing team opted to keep their driver on the track during a late caution period.

Race leaders Blaney and Larson chose to pit for fresh tyres, handing over the advantage for the final 25 laps.

A late yellow flag on lap 498 then forced the first overtime restart at the Tennessee short track in 11 years.

Despite facing competitors with tyres nearly 100 laps fresher, the sophomore driver held his nerve against the seasoned veterans.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know or care if I was going to win or not,” the triumphant driver reflected.
“I thought the race was awesome. I really appreciate always racing Ryan Blaney and Kyle, too.”

Champions fall short in pursuit

Pole-sitter Blaney, who led 190 laps in his Ford, ultimately had to settle for second place.

“Gave it my best shot on the last restart, was close but just couldn’t get it done,” the 2023 series champion conceded.

Series veteran Larson dominated by leading a race-high 284 laps, but crossed the line in third to extend his winless drought to 32 races.

Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe completed the top five to cap off a strong showing for the Toyota contingent.

Briscoe praised his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate’s impressive performance on older tyres to beat two competitors who had controlled the entire afternoon.

With this landmark result, the newest Cup Series race winner becomes only the sixth driver in NASCAR history to secure their maiden victory at the iconic circuit.

Toyota driver Takamoto Katsuta has claimed the World Rally Championship lead after securing a dramatic victory at Rally Croatia following Thierry Neuville’s devastating last-stage crash.

The defending 2024 champion, Neuville, had established a commanding advantage of one minute and 15 seconds heading into the final stage.

However, the Belgian slid wide on a treacherous bend, shattering his Hyundai’s suspension against a concrete block.

This late heartbreak forced the former rally leader to retire, immediately gifting the win to his Japanese rival and Northern Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston.

Evans salvages vital championship points

The unexpected triumph marks a second consecutive WRC victory for the rising motorsport star, following his maiden success in Kenya.

Consequently, Welshman Elfyn Evans relinquishes his spot at the top of the standings, trailing his in-form Toyota team-mate by seven points.

Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin had previously crashed out of contention on Friday following an uncharacteristic error.

Despite the severe setback, a resilient performance during Super Sunday and the closing power stage allowed the duo to claw back crucial points in the title battle.

Heartbreak for Neuville and Breen tribute

The sudden retirement denied Neuville a highly sought-after first win of the current campaign.

A victory would have held profound emotional significance for the Hyundai garage, who were running a special livery paying tribute to the late Craig Breen.

The popular Irish driver tragically lost his life aged 33 in a testing accident before the 2023 edition of this exact event.

Mixed fortunes for M-Sport contingent

Elsewhere in the field, Sami Pajari and Hayden Paddon successfully navigated the intense attrition to complete the podium places.

Motorsport Ireland’s Josh McErlean suffered a deeply frustrating weekend, missing out on a career-best finish after sustaining a Friday puncture from fifth place.

A subsequent electrical fire in his M-Sport Ford Puma on Saturday ultimately dropped him entirely out of the points-scoring positions.

The gruelling asphalt series will next give way to the Canary Islands rally, scheduled to commence on 23 April.

Rally Croatia top three

Current WRC standings