Giveaway Time! + Max Goes Platinum

I've spent more time tuning virtual suspension than I have tuning into actual adult responsibilities.

NEWS FLASH

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Max Verstappen just snagged the FIA's platinum rank: This is basically a VIP pass for the racing world, meaning he can now jump into legendary events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Interestingly, drivers have to apply for this top-tier status themselves, and Max even quipped he was secretly hoping for a lower bronze rating to appeal for silver! His dad, Jos, also got in on the action, landing a gold category license. This whole ranking system, with its four tiers from platinum down to bronze, is the FIA's way of categorizing drivers and keeping the competition spicy across different series.

Shuffling to a previous developer: The FIA World Rally Championship gaming franchise is drifting back to familiar hands, as Nacon and Kylotonn (KT Racing) have snagged the licensing rights once again. This five-year deal kicks off in 2027, sidelining EA and Codemasters, and marks a reunion after their seven-game run from 2015 to 2022. The developers are hinting at "an entirely fresh vision" for the upcoming games, possibly even a new game engine, which sounds like a serious upgrade. Coinciding with the real-world WRC's new car regulations in 2027, it looks like we're in for some epic virtual rally adventures.

Get ready to dive deep into the world of F1 Academy: A new seven-episode Netflix docuseries that's hitting the screens. This behind-the-scenes look at the personal journeys and intense pressures faced by the drivers and teams during the 2024 season. For everyone involved, this series is more than just racing—it's a pivotal moment to revolutionize the role of women in motorsport. The series will follow fifteen young women as they strive to break barriers in one of the most demanding sports globally, all aiming to see a female driver back on the Formula 1 grid.

SIM RACING SNIPPETS

• NACON (no not BACON 🥓) just dropped its new Revosim RS PURE Direct Drive bundle, hitting the shelves and virtual tracks for serious sim racers. They're not stopping there; a whole pit crew of new accessories like a hybrid gearbox, clutch pedal, and loadcell handbrake are slated for release by the end of 2025 to build out their Revosim ecosystem. This new gear, designed for maximum immersion with features like 9 Nm force feedback and a 100kg loadcell pedal, shows NACON is looking to give gamers a high-performance, ultra-realistic racing experience.

• The SimRacing Expo is roaring back to Dortmund from October 17th-19th, 2025, and it's shaping up to be a big one with over 50 exhibitors already on the roster. Expect to see some fresh faces like GT Omega, PXN, and MPI making their debut, alongside returning crowd-pleasers such as Thrustmaster, Heusinkveld, Fanatec, and Simucube. Plus, GIANTS Software, the brains behind Farming Simulator and the upcoming Project Motor Racing, will be there, giving attendees a firsthand look at the latest gear and games. Also check the stage guide here too from Traxion.

• The latest installment in the series, F1 25, hit the tracks with a revamped My Team mode, the return of the Braking Point story, and five new LIDAR-scanned circuits, some of which you can even race in reverse. Reviewers found the handling similar to last year but with more understeer, and were pleasantly surprised by how fun it was on a controller, while the updated MyTeam mode, taking cues from F1 Manager, also got a thumbs up. However, the AI opponents still have their clumsy moments, and the Braking Point story, while a cool concept, apparently serves up a healthy dose of cringe.

MOTORSPORTS REPORT

• IndyCar champ Álex Palou just snagged his first Indy 500 win, further cementing his dominance with a hefty 115-point lead for what's looking like a third straight title. While F1 bigwigs like Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso are giving him major props, saying he's got the goods for Formula 1, Palou himself seems increasingly cool on the idea, stating F1 "is not calling me anymore" and his desire for another Indy 500 win is growing. Despite testing for McLaren in F1 previously, Palou, now an IndyCar legend, appears content to keep conquering the American racing scene.

• Hot off the heels of a packed NASCAR and ARCA race weekend in April, the historic Rockingham Speedway is surprisingly up for grabs. Current owner Dan Lovenheim, instrumental in its recent revival, confirmed the 1.017-mile track is listed with hopes to pick a new owner by July 1st, though there's no public asking price yet. This sale marks another twist for the famed North Carolina oval, which has seen multiple owners, closures, and racing renaissances since its mid-1960s debut.

• Kyle Larson's highly anticipated "Double" attempt at motorsport glory took a nosedive when he crashed out of the Indy 500 on Lap 91 after a restart mishap. This unceremonious exit from his Indy dream immediately unleashed a social media frenzy, with Max Verstappen fans gleefully pouncing on Larson's previous claims of being a superior all-around driver. To cap off a truly brutal day, Larson then flew to the Coca-Cola 600, only to get caught in another crash, leaving his future "Double" aspirations in serious doubt..

THE SPOTLIGHT

F1's Grey Frontier - Where Rules Bend and Wings Flex

Beyond Just Speed Demons

So, you thought Formula 1 was just about strapping into a rocket and hitting the gas? Cute. It’s actually a relentless high-IQ chess match, a brain-bending "cat and mouse game" played at 200mph. On one side, you've got engineering wizards cooking up mind-bending tech. On the other? The FIA, the sport's sheriffs, trying to keep everyone playing nicely.

• The Mission (Should They Choose to Accept It): For teams, it's all about shaving off those precious milliseconds, even if it means tiptoeing right up to the absolute edge of the rulebook (and sometimes, maybe just a toe over).

• The FIA's Balancing Act: Their goal is to keep the playground fair, ensure the competition is fierce (nobody wants a one-horse race, right?), and most importantly, keep the drivers in one piece.

Living Life in the Loophole Lane

F1 teams practically have PhDs in Rulebook Interpretation. Seriously, these folks could probably find a loophole in a solid steel door. They thrive in the 'grey areas' – those juicy ambiguities in the FIA's extensive regulations where if a clever trick isn’t explicitly forbidden, they’ll argue with a straight face that it’s totally fair game. This is where the "spirit" of the law often gets a cheeky, high-speed wink from the "letter" of the law. It’s less about what the rules meant to say, and more about what they actually say (or, crucially, what they don't say).

The FIA's Herculean Headache

Now, imagine trying to police these automotive Einstein’s who are paid handsomely to outsmart you. It’s a monumental task, and here’s why it’s often tougher than executing a flawless 2-second pit stop:

• Sheer Brainpower on Demand: These teams are packed to the rafters with some of the smartest, most innovative engineering minds on the planet, all singularly dedicated to finding that next performance loophole or clever interpretation.

• The Static vs. Dynamic Deception: Here’s a classic. A car might look perfectly legal, passing all the checks when it’s standing still in the garage. But unleash it onto the track? Suddenly, components can twist, flex, and bend under extreme aerodynamic loads – a sneaky, performance-enhancing transformation at 300 km/h that static tests might completely miss.

Flexi-Wings: The Current Showdown

The latest chapter in this never-ending saga? The "flexi-wing" controversy. We’re talking about aerodynamic surfaces – specifically front and rear wings – that are ingeniously designed to deform beneficially under intense air pressure out on the circuit.

• The Alluring Payoff: What’s the big deal? Well, these flexing wings can slice through the air with significantly less drag on the straights (think free speed!) or magically add crucial downforce and grip in the corners. It's pure aerodynamic poetry in motion, if perhaps a little on the naughty side of the regulations.

• FIA's Counterpunch – Enter TD018: The FIA isn't just sitting back and watching. They've rolled out Technical Directive TD018, which came into force at the 2025 Barcelona Grand Prix. This is the FIA tightening the leash with significantly stricter load and deflection tests for these wing elements.

• Under the Microscope: The spotlight is now blazing, with klieg lights, on how all teams, especially the front-runners like McLaren with their MCL39 challenger, adapt to these tougher checks. Will their wings be effectively clipped, or will their clever engineers simply find a new way to make them fly within the new limits?

So, will TD018 finally put the flexi-wing genie back in the bottle, or are we just waiting for the next ingenious workaround to pop up?

AROUND THE WEB

During this month: Colin McRae, arguably the most gifted driver of his generation, and co-driver Derek Ringer dominated the 1996 Acropolis Rally, securing a win in their Subaru Impreza.

That’s neat: Prime Video's debut NASCAR race, the Coca-Cola 600, successfully nabbed 2.72 million viewers and notably attracted an audience over six years younger than NASCAR's usual TV crowd.

Wow: Kyle Larson’s Indy 500 crash followed by the Coke 600 crash on the same day.

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