AI Summary
5 min readMax Verstappen finally won his first race of the Formula One season at the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was bizarrely held in Malaysia. But the biggest story of the weekend in American motorsport was the sudden, shocking departure of Brad Keselowski from RFK Racing, the team he co-owns and helped rebuild. Meanwhile, the World Rally Championship delivered a finale for the ages, and IMSA crowned its champions at Petit Le Mans.
WRC: A Title Decided on the Penultimate Corner
The 2026 World Rally Championship came down to a single stage in Sardinia. Three Toyota drivers—Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari, and Oliver Solberg—arrived with a shot at their first title. The fight went to the final power stage, where Solberg, driving the weekend of his life, held a nearly two-second lead over Evans. The crown was his. Then, at the penultimate corner, he ran wide, handing the championship to Evans. It was a devastating, split-second mistake after 4,000 kilometers and 13 rallies.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:45) **World Rally Championship Title Decided on Final Corner** - Will Buxton opens the show with the dramatic conclusion of the 2026 WRC season in Sardinia.
- 2 (05:13) **Harvick and Buxton Reflect on Rallying's Unique Appeal** - The hosts discuss the trust and bravery required in rallying, sparked by the WRC finale.
- 3 (07:17) **IMSA Petit Le Mans: Vanthor's Masterclass and Aitken's Championship** - The IMSA season ends at Road Atlanta with a historic GTP win and a title sealed early.
- 4 (11:49) **Keselowski Out at RFK: A Sudden and Shocking Split** - The biggest NASCAR news of the weekend: Brad Keselowski will not drive the #6 car for RFK Racing next year.
- 5 (14:45) **F1 Returns to Sepang: Verstappen's First Win of 2026** - The "Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia" delivers a dominant performance from Max Verstappen.
- 6 (16:12) **The "Intimidator" Comparison: Is Verstappen F1's Dale Earnhardt?** - A listener voicemail sparks a debate on whether Verstappen's style mirrors the late NASCAR legend.
- 7 (19:10) **The Software Glitch That Delayed the F1 Race** - A bizarre technical issue caused a lengthy delay before the start of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Will Buxton and Kevin Harvick breakdown one of the most intense weekends in motorsport history! From an unfathomable final-corner title shocker in the World Rally Championship to Red Bull firing back in F1, NASCAR in Vegas and 1,200 horsepower super trucks in Spain, SPEED has you covered.
In this episode:
Elfyn Evans secures a historic WRC title after Oliver Solberg’s heartbreaking error on the penultimate corner in Sardinia. Chase Briscoe conquers Las Vegas while Brad Keselowski addresses his upcoming departure from RFK Racing. Max Verstappen takes his first win of the season in Bahrain following pre-race rain, formation lap red flags, and Mercedes heartbreak. Is Max becoming the Dale Earnhardt of F1? Porsche Penske Motorsport completes the IMSA endurance crown jewel sweep in a 1.2-second finish. And we go Around the Racing World where 5.3-ton FIA European Trucks hit 100mph, Maddi Gordon sets another NHRA record, CARS Tour action featuring Kevin & Keelan Harvick and MotoGP dominance from Marc Márquez.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Wild WRC Championship Finale
10:03 - IMSA Petit Le Mans & Champion Crowned
17:05 - NASCAR Cup Series Las Vegas Recap
19:24 - Brad Keselowski Leaving RFK Racing?
30:41 - F1 Bahrain GP Recap & Red Bull Surge
37:01 - Comparing Max Verstappen's Legacy to Dale Earnhardt
41:00 - F1 Formation Lap Red Flag & Driver Reactions
47:07 - Is Fred Vasseur the Right Man for the Job?
50:04 - MotoGP Japanese GP Double Sweep
50:44 - ACO & FIA 10-Year Endurance Deal
51:25 - Christian Lundgaard Joins Chip Ganassi Racing
53:14 - Buxton Reacts to Lundgaard's Big Move
55:53 - NASCAR O'Reilly Series Vegas Battle
57:55 - NHRA Midwest Nationals Highlights
1:00:43 - CARS Tour Late Model Action & Keelan Harvick
1:04:45 - 1,200 HP FIA European Truck Championship
1:09:00 - GT World Challenge Rain & Chaos
1:10:28 - Driver of the Week
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