Motorsport

German automotive giant Volkswagen, the dominant force in the World Rally Championship (WRC), is set to exit the motor racing series at the end of the current 2016 season, according to multiple reports.

Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit (SIC) will continue to stage a MotoGP event until at least 2021 after a new five-year agreement was reached between local organisers and Dorna Sports, the motorcycle-racing series’ commercial rights-holder.

The World Endurance Championship (WEC) has maintained it is still in a strong position after German automotive manufacturer Audi elected to sever its historic ties with the motor racing series in favour of stepping up its interest in Formula E.

Malaysia is considering ending the hosting of its annual Formula One grand prix after its contract ends in 2018 due to falling ticket sales and TV viewership.

German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has agreed a deal to enter the Formula E electric car-racing championship from the 2018-19 season.

BMW has announced it will enter the LMGTE category of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) motor racing series from the 2018 season, while the German automotive manufacturer has also agreed a new partnership with Formula E Championship electric car racing team Andretti.

The World Rallycross Championship motor-racing series has announced that it will stage its first event in Africa after agreeing a multi-year deal with the Killarney race circuit in Cape Town, South Africa.

Zak Brown is to exit his role as group chief executive of the CSM Sport & Entertainment division of marketing services group Chime Communications at the end of the year, amid speculation over a move to the Formula One motor racing championship.

Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei has highlighted gaming, digital media and the sports betting market as key areas for exploitation as the US mass media company seeks to build its strategy for the future of the Formula One motor racing championship.

The Formula E electric car-racing series has opened up a process for cities to bid to stage events from its 2017-18 season onwards.

Nascar has labelled a $500m (€447.2m) race discrimination lawsuit filed against the North American stock-car racing series and its teams as “publicity-seeking” and entirely without merit.

Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has said he has been asked to stay on for three years after the impending takeover of the motor racing series is completed by the Liberty Media group.

Renewed uncertainty has emerged surrounding the future of Formula One’s Italian Grand Prix after it was revealed a Rome court will in October hear a complaint raised over the issue of government funding for the motor racing event.

Media industry veteran Chase Carey is set to be named as the new chairman of Formula One this week ahead of a takeover of the motor-racing world championship by Liberty Media, according to reports.

The British round of the MotoGP motorcycling championship will be held at Silverstone in 2017, with the Northamptonshire circuit also on stand-by to stage the 2018 event as delays continue to hit the Circuit of Wales project.

Monza has agreed a deal with Formula One for the motor-racing championship’s Italian Grand Prix to remain at the circuit until at least 2019.

German automotive company Audi will step up its backing of Formula E electric car-racing team ABT Schaeffler during the upcoming 2016-17 season before making a full-factory commitment to the series during the 2017-18 campaign.

Monza is set to remain as the home of Formula One’s Italian Grand Prix after a new race deal was agreed with the motor racing championship’s organisers, Italian officials said today (Wednesday).