Nov 5, 2025 | DTM
WEC rookie test raises question marks
Jack Aitken has been appointed by WEC for the rookie test at the season finale in Bahrain. He shares that role at Jota-Cadillac with Ricky Taylor. The test is scheduled for Sunday, at the end of the WEC season.
That announcement, along with his previously confirmed continuation with Action Express in IMSA, gives the impression that Aitken may no longer drive full-time in the DTM next season. This season, the 30-year-old Briton made it to the final for the DTM title with the Emil-Frey Ferrari team, but bad luck and mistakes in the closing stages set him back.
Emil-Frey reacts and prepares
Team boss Lorenz Frey-Hilti said he was surprised by the announcement, but also realistic. According to him, the chance of a double programme with Cadillac was always there. Emil-Frey has made it clear to Aitken that the team wants a driver who can fully focus on the DTM. If Aitken does indeed get a combined programme, Emil-Frey will look for a replacement.
Cadillac itself does not need to test Aitken for speed. He has been a work driver for General Motors for many years, driving the LMDh in the IMSA, including Le Mans, since 2023. The rookie test at Jota seems mainly intended to integrate him into the Jota works team, now that Jenson Button announced his retirement and the #38 Cadillac cockpit becomes vacant.
- What the announcement means: chances are Aitken will have a double programme at Cadillac and therefore be less available for DTM.
- Why that could be a problem: Emil-Frey wants a driver who can focus entirely on DTM testing and racing.
- What Cadillac wants: Aitken knows the V-Series.R and the test helps him settle in with the Jota work team.
- What next: Emil-Frey seeks an alternative and clarity is expected in the coming months.
Aitken himself said he would miss the DTM and that he would have preferred a fourth season with Emil-Frey. For now, it seems Aitken's future is heading towards the WEC and the Jota-Cadillac project, but a definitive confirmation is still missing.
Nov 5, 2025 | MotoGP
Roberts stays in Los Angeles
Joe Roberts will not return for the final two races of the season. After returning home to Los Angeles, he underwent additional tests. An MRI showed a small fracture in his left wrist, suffered during the Malaysian GP weekend. In order to fully recover and be ready for testing after Valencia, Joe and American Racing Team have decided that he will stay in LA for rehabilitation.
As a result, he is missing from the closing rounds in Portugal and Valencia of the Moto2 World Championship.
Who will take his place?
The team acquires Xabi Zurutuza from the American Racing JuniorGP programme. The Spanish rider, from Andifer American Racing, will thus make his Moto2 debut with the team. American Racing stresses that they wish Joe a smooth recovery and would like to see him back on the bike soon.
- Reason: minor fracture of left wrist after Malaysian GP
- Missed races: Portugal and Valencia
- Substitute: Xabi Zurutuza (American Racing JuniorGP / Andifer American Racing)
- Goal: ready for first test after Valencia
“Unfortunately, the MRI showed that Joe has a fracture in his left wrist, so he cannot ride for a few weeks,” Eitan Butbul said.
Nov 4, 2025 | Formula E
DTM champion tested Porsche Formula E car
Ayhancan Guven is in the spotlight. The Turkish driver recently became DTM champion. He impressed during a rookie test with the Porsche 99X Electric.
Guven only started his career at 19 in the national Porsche Carrera Cup. He has no experience in single-seaters. Nevertheless, he drove to second place in the test at Tempelhof at the end of the day.
Striking test results
His fastest lap was 57.654 seconds. That was 0.204 seconds faster than Pascal Wehrlein's fastest lap on the previous day. Track conditions were more favourable on the test day, though. Still, his pace surprised many engineers.
Porsche engineers especially praised his natural feel and the quality of his technical feedback. He remained faster than some drivers with much single-seater background, such as Jak Crawford, Frederik Vesti and Theo Pourchaire.
Why Porsche would be interested
Florian Modlinger, responsible for Porsche in Formula E, explains what he looks out for. First, he looks at a driver's background. Then he assesses driving style and adaptability. The latter is decisive.
Modlinger cites examples of drivers who switched well between disciplines. Think of Rene Rast, Gary Paffett, Nico Müller and Robin Frijns. Mattias Ekström was another example of someone who could quickly switch between a variety of cars.
What Guven shows
Guven appeared to quickly get used to the simulator and the electric car during the rookie test. That is exactly what Modlinger wants to see in potential switchers. Moreover, Guven showed great racing skills in the DTM in 2025. His bold overtaking move on Marco Wittmann earned him the title at Hockenheim.
Which is another barrier
Formula E requires more than just driving fast. The car requires a lot of attention to systems and functions during the race. Energy management is crucial. Constant communication with the engineer and quick car adjustments are also important.
Modlinger warns that these extra tasks can make or break races and careers. So a driver must not only be able to drive at the limit. He must also have mental space to oversee all systems and make decisions.
- Adaptability to new cars and simulators
- Careful technical feedback to engineers
- Smart energy management during the race
- Good communication and strategic insight
- Mentality to quickly handle multiple issues at once
Opportunities and constraints
There is a chance that Guven will have a role in Formula E during the Gen4 period, from the end of 2026. However, Porsche has already shown commitment to Nico Müller in the Gen4 developments. That makes direct moves more difficult.
Still, Guven's test performance is telling. If he wants to switch and maintains the same learning curve, a spot in Formula E is not inconceivable. His combination of racing talent and adaptability gives him a real chance.
Summary: Guven has the speed and adaptability to be seriously considered. But the transition also requires technical understanding and race management skills. Only then can he drive Formula E at top level.
Nov 4, 2025 | Formula 1
Confirmation expected before Brazil Grand Prix
Franco Colapinto is poised to continue as a racing driver for Alpine in 2026 as well. An official announcement could come as early as this week, even before the Brazilian Grand Prix.
He entered Alpine in January on a multi-year contract, transferred from Williams. Since the summer break, his form has been improving markedly. As a result, he quickly became the favourite for the race spot alongside Pierre Gasly.
What made the difference for Colapinto?
Colapinto showed better performances after the summer. That gave him more confidence and peace of mind. Support from Latin America, including sponsorship money, also played a role. He said earlier that he was eager to race without so much stress. That stability now seems within reach.
In Mexico, he finished just behind Gasly. At the Mexico circuit, he also left Paul Aron, his main competitor for the spot, behind in the first free practice session. Aron had impressed on Friday, but Colapinto still set the stronger time.
Colapinto's development and criticism
His season started falteringly after he replaced Jack Doohan. That led to criticism, especially from the returning team manager. The latter said earlier that Colapinto might have been upgraded too early. However, that spurred Colapinto to perform better. Since then, his level has clearly gone up.
Officially, Colapinto has yet to accumulate any World Cup points. In practice, before the summer, he was only twice faster than Gasly and finished behind him more often. After the summer, the result is more equal: three wins each in aggregate performances over the six races thereafter.
Alpine through a turbulent period
The past 18 months have been turbulent for Alpine. The team dropped far back on the track. In addition, many management spats and personnel changes happened.
- The former Renault chief returned as an influential leader.
- Renault discontinued its own Formula 1 engine programme.
- Esteban Ocon was replaced earlier than expected.
- Jack Doohan made way for Colapinto after just six races in 2025.
- Oli Oakes took over as team chief, but left within months.
- And the Renault ceo and major sponsor left mid-year.
Ahead of the new 2026 rules, Alpine chose to sacrifice a lot now. The hope is that that pain will be rewarded with big steps forward next year.
Consequences for Jack Doohan
If Colapinto is officially confirmed, Doohan's chances of a return to the racing grid with Alpine have been dashed. There had been talks for Doohan to possibly return this season. That depended on how the management felt about Colapinto.
Doohan remains Alpine's reserve driver. But he would rather have a permanent racing seat or at least drive a full programme. He has already missed full seasons since 2023. Therefore, he is now looking for alternatives.
- Possible teams talked about: Cadillac, Williams, Haas and Sauber.
- This usually involves test and reserve rolls.
- A real racing opportunity could emerge earlier in 2027.
- A combination of F1 roles and active racing (e.g. Super Formula in Japan) is attractive to him.
Summary
Colapinto has recovered after a difficult start. He will now get a longer-term opportunity at Alpine. This brings calm to the driver line-up as the team prepares for 2026. For Doohan, this raises new questions about his racing plans and subsequent career.
Nov 4, 2025 | Formula 1
Name changes, ambition remains
Williams gets a new team name for the 2026 season. The official name will be Atlassian Williams F1 Team. The word “Racing” thus disappears from the brand name. It is not a radical change. Still, the change has symbolic value for the team.
A logo with history returns
A familiar emblem also reappears on the car. The distinctive angled “Forward W” returns. That symbol dates back to 1977, the team's first season. The last time the W was on a Williams car was in 1999 before the team partnered with BMW.
Why it matters
The name and logo change should be more than style. Williams wants to signal its desire to return to the top of the sport. The team last won a Grand Prix in 2012. Historically, Williams has been one of the most successful teams in Formula 1, but that luster has waned.
What it exudes
- Recognisability: the “Forward W” refers to the past and successes.
- Ambition: the new name should signal Williams' desire to compete for wins and titles again.
- Audience outreach: the team wants to appeal to both old and new fans.
Comments from the team
Team boss James Vowles said he is proud of the new name and the return of the classic logo. According to him, the emblem connects the current team with the successes of the past. Vowles stressed that the team draws inspiration from the past, but works towards new championships with an eye on the future.
Marketing director Marcus Prosser stated that the rebranding reveals the drive to win again. He hopes loyal fans will appreciate the change. At the same time, he wants the new look to engage a younger generation with the brand.
Brief concluding remark
The name change may be small on paper. For Williams, however, it has a clear message: back to success, while respecting its own history.
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