As always, let’s take a look at today’s two main stories in Formula 1, Friday, August 22.

The face of the sport will change as FIA helps Red Bull make $550 million sale

The FIA has confirmed it will open a tender process to identify a buyer for major Red Bull motor racing asset.

A buyer for what asset precisely? Namely a new commercial rights holder for the World Rally Championship (WRC), with current owners Red Bull and KW25 exploring a sale valued at around $550 million (give or take €500m).

Red Bull and German investment firm KW25 have been weighing options for WRC Promoter GmbH over the past 12 months.

2026 F1 cars might reach monster straight-line speeds, claims Wolff

With only a few months left before 2026 ushers in sweeping new technical regulations set to redefine both the inner workings and outer design of the cars, Formula 1 is already turning a sharp eye toward the dawn of its next era.

As has long been known, the overhaul won’t be limited to aerodynamics and the floor — with the ground-effect concept set to be abandoned — but will also, and most importantly, involve the power units.  

Specifically, the new power units will deliver a 50–50 split between internal combustion and electric power, with the latter receiving a major boost — jumping from 120 to an impressive 350 kilowatts, nearly three times the current output.

The ICE, meanwhile, will see a reduction in power compared to today, but this will be largely offset by the increased electric output, maintaining a balance between the two systems.

On top of that, the cars will be lighter, slimmer, and shorter, with a redesigned aerodynamic package. All of this is expected to result in astonishingly high top speeds on the straights, as even Toto Wolff has acknowledged.

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