Sebastien Ogier opened up a slender early lead over World Rally Championship title favourite Thierry Neuville after the opening two stages of the Central European Rally.  

The eight-time world champion made an impressive start to the 18-stage three-country asphalt rally to lead Neuville by 0.9s. The latter can seal a maiden world title this weekend. 

Ogier kicked off proceedings by winning the Velka Chuchle (2.55km) super special stage, held around a horse racing course near the Czech capital Prague.

The Toyota driver took the stage win by 0.6s from team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, making his return to the WRC after the team opted to bench the driver for last month’s Rally Chile.

Ogier then trailed Neuville by 1.1s when the crews tackled stage two (Klatovy, 11.78km) as darkness descended on the slippery asphalt road. The Frenchman’s run did include a minor excursion across a grassbank. 

Neuville made the most of starting first on the road to set the pace despite suffering cosmetic damage to the aero on the front right of his i20 N incurred after clipping a hay bale in the previous stage.

The Belgian was a second quicker than title rival and Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak, whom he needs to outscore by two points this weekend to lift the world title. 

Ott Tänak, Hyundai World Rally Team

Photo by: Romain Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport

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“I can’t be happy, to be honest. I took off the aero on the front right by stupidly touching a straw bale, it will handicap me for the whole day tomorrow. Let’s see, it wasn’t too much of a disaster,” said Neuville.

Andreas Mikkelsen making a welcomed return to the WRC piloting Hyundai’s third i20 N headed into Friday’s stages sitting third overall, 1.7s adrift.

Mikkelsen attributed his pace to taking a different set-up direction that suited his driving style, having previously copied the set-ups of team-mates Neuville and Tanak at previous asphalt events.

“It was fun, now is the first time I have enjoyed driving the car on Tarmac,” said Mikkelsen. 

“I changed a lot in my set-up and it was mind-blowing in there. It was really enjoyable to drive. It has been a long time since I have had that feeling. I’m looking forward to the weekend now.”   

Katsuta also enjoyed the feeling behind the wheel of his GR Yaris to end the day in fourth overall, two seconds off the pace.

“Time is very good. I didn’t push so much but I’m enjoying this car a lot, said Katsuta. “It was getting darker and darker all the time, but all the pace note information is going well. I need to be a bit steady tomorrow as it is the biggest day of the rally.”

Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

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Tanak rounded out the top five, three tenths faster than M-Sport-Ford’s Adrien Fourmuax, who finished ahead of Toyota’s Elfyn Evans (+3.1s) and Sami Pajari, competing in his first Rally1 outing on asphalt.

The top 10 was completed by M-Sport’s Gregoire Munster and WRC2 title contender Oliver Solberg, although the latter isn’t scoring championship points this weekend. 

Solberg’s WRC2 title rival Yohan Rossel was incredibly fortunate not to roll his Citroen when he ran wide and clipped a hay bale that sent the car onto two wheels, destroying the right rear. The Frenchman dropped 33.1s to class leader Solberg. 

Six stages in the Czech Republic await the crews on Friday before moving into Germany and Austria across the weekend.

It’s race week in Austin, Texas, a city that punches above its weight when it comes to both tourist offerings and entertainment — but you’ve got to know where to look. From wild hotel pool parties to food truck breakfast tacos, track-goers will have plenty of options near Austin and Circuit of The Americas (COTA) while the track action is quiet. 

Whether you’ve finished your Austin F1 weekend itinerary, or have yet to start filling those off-track hours in, Motorsport has pulled together a guide to some of the hippest spots in town for shopping, bar hopping, and, of course, barbecue. 

Pit stops

Start with a selfie at the R-rated, neon, erect Austin Motel sign, which cheekily beckons visitors to South Congress, a thoroughfare through South Austin that offers a zany hodgepodge of iconic, Instagrammable locations. Buy a day pass and cannonball into the motel’s pool for a wild pool party, energized by the poolside bar.

Photo by: Courtesy of Heritage Boot

Shoppers beware: it’s easy to get carried away during a visit to SoCo, as the street is called. Try on some of the finest cowboy boots in the country at Allens Boots — a place which both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo have graced and embraced their inner cowboys —  or Heritage Boot, just two of the boot sellers on the street. Then check out the YETI flagship store, which has its own bar so you can grab a drink while you ponder a cooler. The vintage shopping along here is great too: STAG Provisions for Men and Feathers Vintage are two SoCo classics. And don’t forget to pick up a treat at Big Top Candy Shop or Monkey See, Monkey Do!, a delightfully kitschy toy store for all ages.

While you’re on the south side of town, drop by Bouldin Creek Cafe, a vegan, all-day diner with a prime patio. The funky hub is a quick way to settle into true Austin-chill vibes, and their blueberry cornbread is one of the city’s proven hangover cures.

Sprint weekend BBQ

Certainly no Austin visit would be complete without a tray full of bones and a lap full of napkins. The famous Franklin Barbecue is delicious and worth a planned stop. Planned — as the problem is that the line to get their meat can stretch for hours, and will be even longer during the F1 race weekend. A savvy traveler will look for less-popular spots, and East Austin is a neighborhood with great options.

A full spread of Franklin Barbecue meats and sides.

Photo by: Wyatt McSpadden

Micklethwait Craft Meats is an East Side trailer with picnic tables out front — kind of the perfect setting for an Austin barbecue experience. Try their Tex-Czech sausages, which offer flavors hard to find in other regions. And don’t sleep on the citrus beet salad, the perfect counterpart for fatty cuts.

La Barbecue is another East Side barbecue gem and a rarity in the barbecue world: it’s owned by a woman. Even though it presents a bit of a shorter wait than at Franklin’s, there’s almost always a line here too. But the good news is that it’s possible to order ahead for pickup. If you’ve got a group of about 10, try to pick up one of their tailgate packages for a sampler of all of their best cuts — just be sure you’re getting the peppery, perfect brisket.

Party Fermé

After you’re done gorging yourself on Austin’s best barbecue, you’ll need to dance it off. Most people seeking nightlife fun in Austin end up roaming up and down 6th Street. And 6th is certainly worth a wander, because the scene during a Formula 1 weekend will be buzzing and cheerfully chaotic. 

Psst, race fans: a few blocks south, you’ll find Rainey Street, a strange little historic road that has become the city’s most unique hotspot stretch. The craftsman bungalows have been turned into patio-blessed bars, which are dwarfed by the new apartment buildings towering above. At night, this stretch is packed with people looking for a memorable night (you’re practically guaranteed to run into a bachelorette party). 

The Stay Put’s ‘dynamite IPA’ in an appropriately-themed boot-shaped glass.

Photo by: Courtesy of The Stay Put

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Start your Rainey experience with some bratwurst on the patio at Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden, the perfect spot to take in the Rainey scene. Once ready to carouse, proceed to bungalow hopping at Lucille Patio Lounge, a cozy bar with hammocks in the back. Then hit up The Stay Put, which brews a dynamite IPA, or hit up the Rainey classic Clive Bar, which has been expanded to meet the soaring demand of Rainey’s roaming partiers.

Final lap

In Austin, there is no such thing as a morning-after that doesn’t include a saucy, savory Mexican breakfast. Breakfast tacos are the town religion; having one every single morning is not just acceptable, it’s encouraged. 

Some local favorites include Vaquero Taquero and Veracruz All Natural, both with Downtown locations, or Pueblo Viejo, with an East Riverside location between Downtown and the track.

Revelers basking in the cosmopolitan nature of auto racing know that a unique joy of being an F1 fan is being able to immerse themselves in the local culture, whether it’s raincoats and lager at Silverstone or cowboy hats and barbecue in Austin.

Besides, you never know who you’ll bump into when off-track during an F1 weekend: drivers, mechanics, and celebrities have lives, too… .

Cars produced between 1991 and 2000 will be eligible for competition in historic events from next year, following an adjustment to the FIA’s International Sporting Code. 

It was announced following today’s meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council that a tweak to the ISC’s Appendix K, which covers historic racing, means cars built during the 1990s and in the last year of the millennium will be able to carry Historic Technical Passports that are required for eligibility in FIA-run championships.

The governing body has stated that it will conduct workshops in early 2025 to assist the owners of newly-eligible historic cars with applications for the required documentation to allow the cars to race.  

Further announcements are set to follow, the FIA has pledged.

F1 cars from the 3.5-litre era into the early years of the V10’s domination will notably be able to race, having previously only been approved for demonstration purposes.

Cars produced during the glory years of touring car racing’s fabled Super Touring era will qualify, as will cars built during the pinnacle of Formula 3000’s open-make era that concluded in 1995, and its first two single-make Lola chassis from 1996 and 1999.

Among the rally cars now eligible for historic competition are those from the early years of the World Rally Championship regulations that began in 1997, as well as the Group A era that preceded it, while revered sportscars including prototypes and GT cars that raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours and FIA GT championship may also return to racing.

Tarso Marques (BRA) DAMS Reynard 95D leads the field into the first corner on the way to his first ever Formula 3000 victory.

Photo by: Sutton Images

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Certain cars from the era already have series in which to compete. 

Group C and IMSA GTP machinery from 1982 to 1993 will be eligible for the newly created Masters Le Mans 80+ category organised by Masters Historic Racing next year.

The F1 ’90s Time Attack Mediterranean Challenge was set up this year in France for F1 cars built between 1986-2000 and 1985-2000 F3000 machinery.

Numerous club-level categories for Super Touring machinery have been organised, but have often struggled for entries due to the cost of running cars that, as the era progressed, used increasingly bespoke components.

Laurent Aïello, Vodafone Nissan Racing, Nissan Primera GT, leads Rickard Rydell, Volvo S40 Racing, Volvo S40, Jason Plato, Nescafé Blend 37 Williams Renault, Renault Laguna, and Peter Kox, Team Honda Sport, Honda Accord, at the start of the race.

Photo by: Malcolm Griffiths

Formula E organisers have been unable to find a 17th race for the upcoming season that leaves a two-month gap in the schedule, but plan to host an as-yet-unannounced event that will “maintain engagement with fans”.

A 17-race calendar was initially announced in June by the all-electric championship, with a TBD slot slated for the 8 March which would have been the fourth round in the schedule.

But at the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council meeting on Thursday, the governing body confirmed that only a 16-race season would be held, beginning with Sao Paulo in December and ending in London next July.

Motorsport.com understands that Chiang Mai in Thailand was originally proposed as the TBD venue but a change in government meant that the possibility of holding a Formula E race in the country for the first time fell through.

Other alternative options were also explored, including a second race in China with a return to Sanya alongside a visit to Shanghai on 31 May-1 June, as well as potentially hosting a third race in Berlin, which already has a double-header on 12-13 July.

Fans at the podium

Photo by: Andreas Beil

It means there is now a two-month gap between the third round in Saudi Arabia, using a truncated version of Jeddah’s Formula 1 layout on 14-15 February for the first time, and the inaugural race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in the US on 12 April.

It is also the second year in succession where a scheduled race has been lost from the initial schedule, after Hyderabad was removed from the 2023/24 calendar again due to changes in local government.

Following the WMSC meeting, a Formula E spokesperson said: “We are excited to deliver the calendar of 16 Formula E races in Season 11 that was announced earlier this year – the same number that led to record-breaking fan and broadcast audience growth globally.

“Across 10 events we’ll race at several long-standing favourites, with upgrades to double headers in some locations and some fantastic new venues in key markets.

“With the arrival of the new Gen3 Evo technology putting our drivers behind the wheel of the fastest cars ever raced in Formula E, we can’t wait to get the season started and couldn’t be more excited about the potential the championship has to thrill and attract new fans.

“Work is already underway to build and maintain engagement with fans all season long, with more details to be announced in the coming months.” 

Thierry Neuville doesn’t need any advice and knows “what he needs to do” to take a maiden World Rally Championship title this weekend, according to Hyundai boss Cyril Abiteboul. 

Neuville heads into this weekend’s penultimate round of the season in Central Europe knowing he will claim rallying’s ultimate prize if he extends his 29-point lead beyond 30 points.

Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak is his nearest rival, while Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans are still mathematically in the mix, albeit 41 and 46 points behind respectively, with 60 left on the table.  

Neuville has led the championship since winning the Monte Carlo opener in January. The Belgian has been locked in title fights before only to come up short, finishing as the runner-up on five occasions (2013, 2016-2019).

Heading into what could be a career-defining weekend, Abiteboul is confident his driver will handle the occasion correctly.

“He knows exactly what he needs to do,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com. “It doesn’t mean that we have not discussed [the situation].

“I think there things that I have simply kept on repeating because there is a bit of pressure from everyone from the system, from the media, to say ‘you can win this rally’. 

“’You can win this rally’ should not turn into ‘you must win this rally’ because again, there are 13 rounds, not 12. If you try to do a job that you’ve been assigned for 13 weeks and you are trying to make it in 12 weeks, that’s where you can underperform. 

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport

“Let’s not try to win at any cost or to outscore everyone at any cost. Let’s do what we’ve been doing so far and it’s a long game. We’ve been playing the long game actually [for] quite a while and we should not stop at the last moment. 

“I think his career has been full of amazing moments like that, but also of moments where mistakes were made also on the wrong time, so I think I want to protect him from himself, and removing unnecessary pressure is exactly what we need to do. 

“He needs to do his rally and manage his advantage. He’s got the advantage, he’s got the cards in hand, he should not give the cards to someone else.”

Despite being the closest he’s ever been to a WRC title, Neuville says he doesn’t plan to alter his approach on the Central European Rally asphalt stages he conquered last year.  

“I’m feeling okay so far. I’m looking forward as it is a tarmac rally ahead, which I enjoy, and it is going to be challenging but a nice weekend,” Neuville told Motorsport.com. 

“At the moment It feels quite calm to be honest, and maybe the pressure will come throughout the weekend. I don’t know, but at the moment I am just trying to stay focused.

“We don’t need to win the championship necessarily this weekend, but of course we want to and we hope. But we have had a good strategy so far this year, and there’s no reason to change that.”

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