French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, will race for the RB F1 team in 2025.

• The 20-year-old Hadjar will partner with Yuki Tsnoda on Red Bull's junior team, replacing Liam Lawson.

  Lawson is replacing Sergio Perez in the senior Red Bull team alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

  Hadjar joined the Red Bull family in 2022. He recorded four wins and nine podium finishes in 54 F2 starts from 2023-24.

  "This is huge for myself, my family and all the people who have believed in me from the beginning," Hadjar said. "The journey from karting through the ranks in single-seaters, to now being in Formula 1 is the moment I've been working towards my whole life, it is the dream.

  "I feel like I'm stepping into a whole new universe, driving a much faster car and racing with the best drivers in the world. It'll be a huge learning curve, but I'm ready to work hard and do the best I can for the team. I look forward to working with and learning from Yuki, I've always looked up to him, he went through the Red Bull Junior Program, like myself, and we've shared a similar path to F1. He's very experienced and will be good to learn from."

  Hadjar's arrival, confirmed by the team Thursday, means the lineups are now complete for all 10 teams on the 2025 grid.

  "We're excited to have Isack with us next year, bringing a new and fresh dynamic to the team alongside Yuki in 2025," RB team principal Laurent Mekies said.

  "His journey to Formula 1 has been nothing short of outstanding, he has shown remarkable growth, with a series of impressive results in the junior single-seater ranks. He has the talent and drive necessary to compete at the highest level, and we have every confidence that he will adapt quickly and make a significant impact."

  --Field Level Media

Valtteri Bottas is rejoining Mercedes as a reserve driver in the 2025 Formula One season.

• Bottas won 10 races with Mercedes as a teammate of Lewis Hamilton from 2017-21. In 2022, he joined Alfa Romeo -- which became the Sauber team -- when Mercedes passed him over in favor of George Russell.

  The 35-year-old Bottas finished 22nd in the driver standings in 2024, failing to score a point. Bottas, from Finland, parted ways with the Sauber team earlier this month following the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

  He joins Russell and 18-year-old newcomer Kimi Antonelli on the 2025 team with hopes of a full-time driver spot with a team in 2026. Antonelli takes over for Hamilton, who departed for Ferrari.

  Hamilton and Bottas together won five constructors' championships for Mercedes.

  "Returning home to the Mercedes family as third driver for 2025 is what's next and I couldn't be more pleased," Bottas said.

  "Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know that I've still got so much more to contribute to F1," he added. "Since I was a 5-year-old kid growing up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on achieving success in the top tier of motorsport.

  "I've been fortunate to have enjoyed many incredible moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 so far. As I return to the place where so many of those moments were achieved, I'm looking forward to using all the knowledge I've gained to help the team to perform and progress towards our goal of fighting for world championships."

  --Field Level Media

Sergio Perez and Red Bull Racing reached an agreement to part ways, marking an end to a tumultuous period for the Mexican driver and the F1 team.

• The move comes after Red Bull finished third in the 2024 constructors' championship as Perez struggled in his worst campaign since joining the team.

  Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive drivers' championship, but Perez finished eighth overall. The 34-year-old racer had finished second in the 2023 standings.

  Perez joined the Red Bull team in 2021 and signed a two-year contract extension in June, but his downward trajectory since caused Red Bull to explore options for his replacement.

  "I'm incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team," Perez said in a statement on social media.

  "Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I'll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I've had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way."

  Perez reportedly had an offer to take on ambassador-type role with Red Bull but opted to walk away from his contract altogether

  Red Bull team boss Christian Horner expressed his thanks for Perez's contributions to the team the past four years.

  "From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary team player, helping us to two constructors' titles and to our first one-two finish in the drivers' championship," Horner said.

  "His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit. While Checo will not race for the team next season, he will always be an extremely popular team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo."

  Perez has recorded six wins and 39 podium finishes since making his F1 debut in 2011. His last victory was the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

  Though no official announcement has been made, Perez's reported replacement is 22-year-old Liam Lawson, who had been on the Red Bull junior team since 2019. The New Zealander took over Daniel Ricciardo's seat for Red Bull's RB team (formerly AlphaTauri) this season and has 11 F1 starts to his credit.

  Isack Hadjar, a dual citizen of France and Algeria, is expected to take Lawson's spot with the RB team alongside Yuki Tsunoda of Japan. Hadjar finished second on the F2 circuit in 2024 with Campos Racing.

  --Field Level Media

Red Bull's Sergio Perez is expected to lose his seat to Liam Lawson as soon as the coming days, multiple outlets reported Monday.

• The move comes after Red Bull saw its run of consecutive constructors' championships come to an end in 2024 when McLaren finished on top.

  Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive drivers' championship, but Perez finished eighth overall. The 34-year-old Mexico native finished second in the 2023 standings and has won six races in 14 seasons.

  Lawson, 22, had been on the Red Bull junior team since 2019 and was a backup Red Bull driver the past two seasons. He took over Daniel Riccardo's seat for Red Bull's RB team (formerly AlphaTauri) this season and has 11 F1 starts to his credit.

  Isack Hadjar, a dual citizen of France and Algeria, is expected to take Lawson's spot at for the RB team alongside Yuki Tsunoda of Japan. Hadjar finished second on the F2 circuit in 2024 with Campos Racing.

  Perez still is signed with Red Bull through 2025 and could stay on as an team ambassador or leave entirely, although all 20 F1 seats are set for 2025.

  --Field Level Media

The latest twists and turns in an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR now include Michael Jordan accusing NASCAR of victim-blaming.

• Jordan, as the co-owner of 23XI Racing, is once again seeking a temporary injunction against NASCAR to let them proceed in the 2025 season as chartered teams despite not signing a charter.

  In a request for preliminary injunction this fall, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports sought to be recognized as chartered teams while they pursue an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The two racing teams refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it charter agreement presented to them in September, which the other 13 organizations racing in the Cup Series signed. 23XI and Front Row called NASCAR "monopolistic bullies" for its business practices in the suit.

  They were initially denied the injunction by U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney in North Carolina. On Wednesday, the court announced Whitney was no longer assigned to the case, replaced by Judge Kenneth D. Bell, with no explanation as to why.

  Come Thursday, 23XI and Front Row wrote in a new court filing that NASCAR is "blaming victims for asserting their antitrust rights."

  Further, Front Row general manager Jerry Freeze asserted in an affidavit that NASCAR said it would reject their purchase of a new charter to expand to three full-time cars unless the teams dropped their lawsuit.

  Freeze said he had signed an agreement with NASCAR on purchasing a new charter in April that NASCAR only began objecting to in December.

  23XI and Front Row can compete in NASCAR next year as open teams, but without chartered protection, they aren't guaranteed entry to certain races nor will they receive the benefits of revenue sharing. The teams argue that their businesses may lose sponsors and fans as a result, but NASCAR has countered that that was merely speculative.

  NASCAR has urged the court to deny the motion for an injunction. NASCAR previously filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the antitrust suit altogether. NASCAR and chairman Jim France are the defendants in the case.

  --Field Level Media

Chris Lawson is reuniting with NASCAR Cup Series driver Todd Gilliland as crew chief for Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 Ford, the team announced Thursday.

• They previously partnered up in the ARCA Menards Series West, winning consecutive championships from 2016-17.

  Lawson, 39, also worked for Front Row Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series before moving to Rick Ware Racing in 2024.

  Gilliland, 24, finished 22nd in the Cup Series standings in 2024 after recording four top-10 finishes in 37 starts in Front Row Motorsports' No. 38 Ford.

  It was previously announced that Gilliland would be moving to the No. 34 in 2025, replacing Michael McDowell.

  --Field Level Media

NASCAR Cup Series drivers will have a little more time to prepare for the 2025 Daytona 500, thanks to a 50-minute pre-qualifying practice being added to the schedule.

• The extra session will take place on the morning of Feb. 12, kicking off the activities ahead of the 67th running of the "Great American Race" on Feb. 16.

  Cup Series director Brad Moran said the additional practice period will give rookies and new team/driver combos more time for on-track orientation.

  "With the Daytona 500 being the biggest race of the NASCAR season and our first race, we felt that the extra practice would be good," Moran said in a news release Thursday. "We have new drivers coming up that are going to be running Cup full-time as well as some drivers who might just show up to run the Daytona 500. It's a good opportunity to get out on the track, get some track time, shake the cars down prior to qualifying that night, a little more content for the fans and just to get us set up for a great week of racing with everything going on. It's just going to set the tone for the entire week."

  The complete 2025 Daytona Speedweek schedule (all times ET):

  Wednesday, Feb. 12:

  10:05-10:55 a.m. -- Cup Series opening practice

  Noon-7 p.m. -- Daytona 500 Media Day

  8:15 p.m. -- Cup Series pole qualifying

  Thursday, Feb. 13:

  4:05-4:55 p.m. -- ARCA Menards Series practice

  5:05-5:55 p.m. -- Craftsman Truck Series practice

  7 p.m. -- Cup Series: Duel 1 qualifying race (60 laps, 150 miles)

  8:45 p.m. (approx.) -- Cup Series: Duel 2 qualifying race (60 laps, 150 miles)

  Friday, Feb. 14:

  1:30-2:15 p.m. -- ARCA Menards Series qualifying

  3 p.m. -- Craftsman Truck Series qualifying

  4:35-5:25 p.m. -- Xfinity Series practice

  5:35-6:25 p.m. -- Cup Series second practice

  7:30 p.m. -- Craftsman Truck Series race: Fresh From Florida 250 (100 laps, 250 miles)

  Saturday, Feb. 15:

  10 a.m. -- Xfinity Series qualifying

  Noon -- ARCA Menards Series race (80 laps, 200 miles)

  3:05-3:55 p.m. -- Cup Series final practice

  5 p.m. -- Xfinity Series race: United Rentals 300 (120 laps, 300 miles)

  Sunday, Feb. 16:

  2:30 p.m. -- Cup Series race: 67th Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles)

  --Field Level Media

Carlos Sainz knows the process of moving Williams up the Formula 1 grid will take some time, but the 30-year-old Spaniard said his motivation to do so is "unbelievable."

• Sainz jumped in his Williams car for end-of-season testing on Tuesday, and posted the second-fastest time behind Charles Leclerc as teams tinkered with setups and run plans. Sainz and Leclerc have been teammates for the past four years at Ferrari, where they helped claim second place in this year's constructors standings.

  Podiums and team successes of that nature are still a long way off for Williams, but Sainz said that is of no concern to him as he embarks on his biggest project after racing for Ferrari (2021-24) and McLaren (2019-20).

  "I'm not worried about that," Sainz told DAZN Spain, per f1.com. "I've got that. I've done that with Ferrari."

  While Ferrari was overtaking Red Bull and battling McLaren to end the season in Abu Dhabi, Williams finished ninth out of 10 teams in the constructors standings. While 17 points left the team 29 behind RB Honda for eighth place, Williams has been making steady strides since investment firm Dorilton Capital bought the team in 2020.

  The highly respected James Vowles brought in Sainz, who was replaced at Ferrari by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, to provide a veteran driver pairing alongside Alex Albon. The trio are part of a comprehensive plan to return Williams to its glory days.

  "Honestly, people won't believe it and can't imagine how much I'm looking forward to what's to come," Sainz said.

  "It may seem strange to people but it's a project that motivates me a lot. It's in my mind to be able to help a legendary team like Williams in F1 to become a top team again. Being part of that motivates me a lot."

  Sainz is a four-time winner in Formula 1, with his most recent victory coming at the Mexico Grand Prix in October. It was his second win this season, following his March victory in Australia. He has known he would be out of a ride with Ferrari since the Hamilton news broke in February, and Sainz took his time before signing with Williams five months later.

  The split with Ferrari was amicable, including the team releasing him early to participate in the end-of-season testing, but Sainz admitted it was a challenge racing the full season knowing it would be his last with the legendary Italian outfit.

  "I think the way to face a year like this is never ideal," he explained. "All the great years of the best sportsmen in history come with a 100 percent team, a project for the future and everyone pushing in the same direction.

  "And yes, I have noticed that Ferrari has supported me at all times and all season long. But whether you like it or not, when you know you're leaving at the end of the year, it's complicated to manage.

  "We have all managed to stay out of it and keep giving it our all. The end of the season has been very nice and a sign of strength that I think will help me in my next projects."

  --Field Level Media

Lando Norris held off a pair of Ferrari drivers to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, giving McLaren its first constructors' championship since 1998.

• McLaren entered the race with a 21-point lead over Ferrari, and Norris did enough to hold on as his teammate, Oscar Piastri, endured a rough race and finished 10th.

  Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc joined Norris on the podium as McLaren won the title by 14 points.

  Norris went about his business to secure the win by nearly six seconds as mayhem played out behind him on the course.

  Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen made contact early on, with Verstappen receiving a penalty to drop him in the field. Piastri later collided with the car of Franco Colapinto of Williams and was assessed a penalty.

  Shortly after the race, McLaren praised its drivers on social media for their efforts on Sunday.

  "What a way to end the season. Congratulations @LandoNorris and @McLarenF1 Racing for P1! We also witnessed a mega effort from @OscarPiastri

  after a tricky start," McLaren posted to its X account. "You both had every #McLaren fan in the world on the edge of their seats today and all year."

  Leclerc started 19th on the grid and steadily made his way to the front of the pack and the podium.

  And in his final race for his Mercedes team before his move to Ferrari next season -- replacing Sainz -- Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, squeezing past his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, who took fifth.

  Hamilton was 16th on the grid after a difficult qualifying race on Saturday yet finished just off the podium.

  After the race, he reflected on his time with Mercedes, the team with which he won six of his seven drivers' championships.

  "What started as a leap of faith turned into a historic journey !!! It's been real, I love you all," he wrote on X.

  For McLaren, the last constructors' championship title was led by drivers Mike Hakkinen and David Coulthard 26 years ago. It is the ninth crown for McLaren in its 58 years in F1.

  Norris, who finished second to Verstappen in the drivers' standings, won four races and finished on the podium 13 times this season. Piastri was fourth in the standings with eight podium finishes and two victories.

  --Field Level Media

Lewis Hamilton will be starting from the rear of the grid on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -- his final race with his Mercedes team.

• Hamilton qualified in 18th place after his car caught a track bollard that had been dislodged by the car driven by Haas' Kevin Magnussen. The bollard, a vertical post, became stuck under Hamilton's car after he drove over it.

  The Brit will start in 16th after penalties to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Williams' Alex Albon.

  "I mean, you couldn't have timed it more perfectly -- that bollard," said Hamilton, who is finishing his 12th season with Mercedes before moving to Ferrari next year.

  "I was really hopeful. I really thought that we had a chance at getting a podium," he continued. "The car was feeling good, but it wasn't meant to be in the end.

  "I know I did everything right and I'm confident that I've taken the right steps this weekend."

  Hamilton, 39, won six of his seven world championships driving for Mercedes.

  Lando Norris earned the pole position and will be joined in the front row by his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri. McLaren is attempting to win the constructors' title and enters the race with a 21-point lead over Ferrari.

  --Field Level Media

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton revealed that his final year with Mercedes has been "emotional" after he announced last winter that he was leaving the team to join Ferrari in 2025.

• At a news conference ahead of Sunday's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton said he didn't fully grasp the difficulties he would face during his final season with the Silver Arrows.

  "I think ultimately, definitely I anticipated it would be difficult, but I massively underestimated how difficult it would be," said Hamilton, who has spent the past 12 years with Mercedes. "It was straining on the relationship very early on. It took time for people to get over, get past it."

  Hamilton said it was emotional from the start of the season and his decision put a strain on his camaraderie with his teammates and team principal Toto Wolff.

  "The first meeting with Toto at the beginning of the year was awkward, of course," Hamilton said. "So it was awkward from the get-go.

  "The day after, I took some of the team paintballing and they had just found out. So there have been loads of moments through the year. I got lots of shots (from) people, I had loads of bruises. People went in on me that day."

  Hamilton, 39, has won twice this year, but his latest victory was July 28 at the Belgian Grand Prix. He has finished in the top 5 three times in the past nine races. He believes he has struggled to handle the emotional weight after his announcement.

  "I think this year, and so many of you have been here my whole career, so some of you I think you've all seen the worst of me and seen the best of me," Hamilton said. "I'm not going to apologize for either because I'm only human and I don't always get it right. And I would definitely say this year has been one of the worst in terms of handling that from my side, which I'll work on trying to be better at."

  Hamilton changed teams once before in his illustrious career, leaving McLaren after the 2012 season. But his success with Mercedes -- 84 wins and 78 pole positions -- makes his move much more emotional.

  "It definitely wasn't as painful and difficult as this year has been in terms of the emotions," said Hamilton, who has 105 victories in his career. "I think because it was at the end of the year, it was much quicker and there wasn't enough time for it to really settle in for anyone, I think, within the team.

  "So this one's much more emotional because I've been with the team so long and we've been through so much together."

  --Field Level Media

The Formula 1 drivers' championship has already been decided -- it's Max Verstappen's for the fourth year running -- but the constructor championship is still up for grabs entering the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

• Ferrari hit a major setback in its contention for the title when driver Charles Leclerc was assessed a 10-place grid penalty ahead of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

  Leclerc's car was dealing with a power unit issue that kept him out of the opening practice session in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari confirmed it ultimately had to replace Leclerc's energy store, his first time exceeding his allocation of permitted components, triggering the penalty.

  "No, it's not a surprise, because we are monitoring (the unit) for one or two events, and we knew that we were on the edge," Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur told Sky F1. "We took the decision before the start because we don't want to have a DNF or even to miss a session."

  Leclerc's second-place finish to Verstappen at the Qatar Grand Prix last week helped pull Ferrari 21 points behind McLaren.

  In what was already going to be a difficult task for Ferrari, Leclerc's penalty will make it all the tougher for the team to overtake McLaren on Sunday.

  --Field Level Media

The Chinese Grand Prix has secured its place on the Formula 1 calendar through at least 2030.

• F1 announced a new five-year deal on Friday ahead of Sunday's season finale in Abu Dhabi.

  The Chinese GP debuted at the 5.45-kilometer Shanghai International Circuit in 2004.

  It remained on the calendar through 2019, followed by a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  The Chinese GP returned on April 21, won by four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing.

  "Our return to China this season for the first time since 2019 was a fantastic moment for the sport, and it is incredible to see the levels of support that we enjoy in the country continuing to grow year-on-year," F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.

  "Shanghai is an incredible city, and the racetrack is a wonderful test for our drivers, so I am delighted that Formula 1 will continue its successful partnership with the Chinese Grand Prix for a further five years. I want to thank our promoter for their continued commitment and passion, and I look forward to returning to Shanghai in the new year."

  The Chinese GP will move up on the schedule in 2025, taking place on March 23 as the second race on the calendar.

  --Field Level Media

Tensions between Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen and fellow driver George Russell are heating up ahead of Sunday's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

• Addressing ESPN and a few other media outlets Thursday, Russell alleged that Verstappen threatened to "purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and 'put me on my (expletive) head in the wall,'" ahead of last week's race in Qatar.

  The Mercedes driver was responding to comments made by Red Bull's Verstappen in the stewards' room after an incident during last week's qualifying. Verstappen lost his pole position after receiving a one-place grid penalty for blocking Russell during qualifying.

  After Verstappen went on to win the race, he accused Russell of being two-faced during an interview for Dutch TV.

  "You know what it is? He acts decent in front of the camera here, but when you talk to him personally, he is a different person," Verstappen said. "... I can't stand that. In that case you can better (expletive) off."

  On Thursday, Russell said it was "quite ironic" that Verstappen would question his integrity.

  "I'm not going to sit here and accept it," Russell said. "People have been bullied by Max for years now, and you can't question his driving abilities. But he cannot deal with adversity.

  "Whenever anything has gone against him ... he lashes out. Budapest this year, the very first race the car wasn't dominant, crashing into Lewis (Hamilton), slamming his team. ... As I said, for me, those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary.

  "Because what happens on track, we fight hard, that's part of racing. What happens in the stewards' room, you fight hard, but it's never personal. But he's taken it too far now."

  Red Bull Racing did not immediately respond to ESPN's request for comment.

  Verstappen, 27, clinched his fourth consecutive world championship this season on the strength of nine wins and 19 top-five finishes.

  Russell, 26, ranks sixth in the F1 standings after recording two wins and 11 top-five finishes during the 2024 season.

  --Field Level Media

The Dutch Grand Prix will no longer be part of the Formula 1 calendar after 2026.

• F1 announced a one-year extension for the event at Circuit Zandvoort on Wednesday but confirmed that the 2026 race will be the last in the Netherlands.

  The Dutch GP, originally held from 1950 to 1985, returned to the F1 calendar in 2021.

  "I am incredibly grateful for the work that the team at the Dutch Grand Prix have done in recent years," F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali said.

  "They raised the bar for European Grands Prix in terms of event spectacle and entertainment, supported the development of young talent by hosting F2, F3 and our F1 Academy series, and have also pioneered sustainable solutions that have inspired our events around the world as we drive towards being Net Zero by 2030.

  "All parties positively collaborated to find a solution to extend the race, with many options, including alternation or annual events on the table, and we respect the decision from the promoter to finish its amazing run in 2026.

  "I want to thank all the team at the Dutch Grand Prix and the Municipality of Zandvoort who have been fantastic partners to Formula 1."

  Netherlands native Max Verstappen, who won his fourth straight world championship this year, won the Dutch GP in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Lando Norris finished first in this year's race on Aug. 25.

  --Field Level Media

Esteban Ocon did not get the chance to thank his former co-workers in person, so he took to social media to do so on Tuesday.

• Ocon, who has signed a multi-year deal to race for Haas beginning in 2025, had expected to close out this Formula 1 season with Alpine. However, the team decided to get a jump-start on next year, giving his replacement Jack Doohan the ride for the season-ending race at Abu Dhabi.

  Ocon was forced to retire from the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday following a crash in the first corner of the opening lap. It turned out to be the 28-year-old's final ride for Alpine after four seasons.

  "I would like to first and foremost thank the mechanics and engineers across all functions at the track, Enstone and Viry-Chatillon who have raced alongside me these last five seasons," Ocon posted on Instagram.

  "We have shared so much together, and I am proud to call many of you my friends. I leave Alpine/Renault with great memories and the pride of having been the driver who brought the team's best results since its return to the sport, climbing the top two steps of the podium in Bahrain, Hungary and Brazil.

  "It was also an honour to play a part in finishing P4 in the Constructors' Championship in 2022. I know how much all of those moments meant for everybody and feeling that sense of achievement and joy alongside the team is what I am taking away with me."

  Ocon signed in July with Haas, and the Frenchman will now get to take part in postseason testing with his new team next week. He finishes this season with just 23, as Ocon sits 14th in the driver's standings.

  Ocon's seat will now go to the 21-year-old Australian, with Doohan set to make his F1 debut at Abu Dhabi.

  "It has not been an easy year on track for the team and the second part of the season has been especially difficult," Ocon wrote. "For various reasons. I do not regret a single thing knowing I gave it 100% every single session. Like I always have.

  "To the hundreds of hard-working men and women at Enstone and Viry, I apologise that I will not be able come see you in person and have a proper farewell.

  "As you know, the plan was always to race one last time this weekend and personally say goodbye to you all next week. I was looking forward to both of those things. This is not how I wanted things to end.

  "That said, the world of F1 is small and I am sure I will see many of you again soon. I would also like to wish nothing but great things to my friend Jack as he takes this next big step in his career at this week's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. MERCI THANK YOU."

  --Field Level Media

NASCAR filed a motion in court on Monday asking for the dismissal of an antitrust lawsuit that accuses it of being "monopolistic bullies" that has not encouraged legitimate competition in racing.

• 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports joined together to file the suit on Oct. 2. NASCAR and chairman Jim France are the defendants in the case.

  "Plaintiffs' Complaint is a misguided attempt to dress up private business frustrations in antitrust garb," NASCAR's motion states. "Plaintiffs' bring claims barred by the statute of limitations and laches; they fail to plead any reduction in competition, meaning they do not have the required antitrust injury to establish antitrust standing; and they aim to renegotiate contractual terms rather than address anticompetitive behavior. Plaintiffs' claims should be dismissed."

  NASCAR gave four key reasons why the motion should be tossed.

  It first noted that "most of the Plaintiffs' claims are time-barred by the statute of limitations and laches because they concern conduct that occurred more than four years ago." All claims coming from Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing were focused on actions that NASCAR took no later than 2020.

  Secondly, NASCAR emphasized the fact that the plaintiffs were the only two teams to not sign the 2025 charter agreement, therefore preventing them from being challenged by the terms they disagree with. Per the defendants, if Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing really wanted to, they could race anywhere or begin their own league with no NASCAR provisions holding them down.

  NASCAR also claims that Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing have a "legally deficient" view of the proposed market because they've been analyzing it post-investment instead of pre-investment.

  Finally, NASCAR mentioned that it hasn't done anything to exclude the two plaintiffs -- the organization maintains it did not ignore Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing, both of which NASCAR contends haven't been able to prove that competition has been reduced by charter provisions.

  Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing must respond to NASCAR's motion by Dec. 16.

  --Field Level Media

Veteran driver Sergio Perez is leaving Red Bull Racing after this season, ESPN reported Monday.

• Perez, 34, sits in eighth place in the Formula 1 drivers standings with one race remaining.

  The 2024 F1 calendar concludes on Sunday with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

  Perez has zero wins this season and all four of his podium finishes came in the season's first five events.

  After Perez's 17th-place showing at Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix, team boss Christian Horner discussed the Mexican driver's future at Red Bull.

  "I'm going to let Checo come to his own conclusions; nobody's forcing him one way or another," Horner said. "It's not a nice situation for him to obviously be in."

  Perez signed a contract extension for 2025 earlier this year and can't be fired outright, according to ESPN. He can be moved into an ambassador's role, however, if he opts to remain at Red Bull.

  Perez, who joined Red Bull in 2021, has recorded six wins and 39 podium finishes since making his F1 debut in 2011. His last victory was the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

  --Field Level Media

Esteban Ocon is turning over his ride for Alpine in the Formula One season finale next weekend to Jack Doohan, who will replace him with the team in 2025, The Athletic reported Sunday.

• In July, Ocon signed a deal to join Haas next year. Two months later, Alpine promoted Doohan, a 21-year-old Australian, from reserve driver to full-time team member.

  Doohan will be making his F1 debut, which wasn't scheduled to occur until next year. The finale will be raced in Abu Dhabi.

  At the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend, Alpine and Ocon's representatives agreed to a deal that would allow Ocon to get an early start with Haas, driving in the Haas car in the postseason. As part of the deal, Ocon, 28, must leave Alpine early, per The Athletic

  Alpine told The Athletic that a deal still was in the works, although team principal Oliver Oakes confirmed the negotiations.

  "I don't think there's been a definitive answer yet, but it has been talked about," Oakes said, per The Athletic. "It's obviously slightly complex because as much as he is ours, he is contractually a Mercedes driver as well. And obviously, he'd like to be released early as well."

  "I guess you could say it's good to get Jack in early," Oakes said. "I think you could say from Esteban's side it's good to move on early. I think it suits everybody."

  Ocon has 23 points, putting him in 14th place and well behind points winner Max Verstappen (429 points).

  --Field Level Media

Charles Leclerc said he and Carlos Sainz have worked through any issues resulting from Leclerc's expletive-laden rant against his Ferrari teammate at the end of last Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix.

• "Whatever happened in Vegas, we discussed about it and we are all good, which is the most important thing," Leclerc told reporters ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. "I have no doubts about that because we've always had a really good relationship with Carlos."

  Leclerc and Sainz traded positions throughout the Vegas race, but at a critical point, Sainz passed Leclerc, who had just exited from a pit-stop and had just been told by race engineer Bryan Bozzi that Sainz was instructed not to put pressure on Leclerc or overtake Leclerc.

  Sainz ended up in third, with Leclerc behind him in fourth.

  Immediately after the race, Leclerc could be heard on the radio saying, among other things, "Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I did my job, but being nice (bleeps) me over all the (bleeping) time, all the (bleeping) time. It's not even being nice, it's just being respectful. I know I need to shut up but ..."

  Leclerc insisted Thursday that he and Sainz have cleared the air and that it won't affect future races.

  "Sometimes I have overstepped the lines and sometimes he did, and then it only requires a discussion between us two and we look ourselves in the eye," Leclerc said. "We know each other since a very long time now. We understand each other very, very quickly so I have no doubts. Sometimes we need these kind of things to reset a little bit."

  The race results didn't affect the constructors standings but Leclerc currently has 319 points, just 21 behind McLaren's Lando Norris for second overall for the drivers' championship. Sainz is in fifth with 259 points.

  "It's very clear for both of us that we just want to win the constructors'," Leclerc said. "It's by working as team that we'll achieve that and I'm sure there won't be any problems with it."

  Ferrari stand 24 points behind leaders McLaren with 103 left to win.

  --Field Level Media

The Italian Grand Prix will stay on the Formula One schedule through at least 2031 after the sides agreed on a six-year contract extension.

• The governing body announced the deal on Wednesday. It follows upgrades to the track in Monza, where 335,000 people watched Ferrari's Charles Leclerc win on Sept. 1.

  "I am delighted that the Italian Grand Prix will remain on the calendar until 2031," said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of F1. "Monza is at the very heart of Formula 1 history and the atmosphere each year is unique as the Tifosi gather in huge numbers to cheer on Ferrari and the drivers.

  The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, also known as The Temple of Speed, opened in 1922

  Five current F1 drivers -- Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Max Verstappen and Leclerc -- have won there.

  In 2020, Hamilton recorded the fastest lap in F1 history on the Monza course in terms of average speed -- 264.362 (164.2 miles) kilometers per hour.

  --Field Level Media

General Motors is coming to the Formula 1 grid in 2026 with a team branded GM/Cadillac, but that doesn't mean the cars will be all-American.

• Mario Andretti, who was named to the team's board of directors, said the GM/Cadillac team is hopeful for a deal with Ferrari for their power units.

  "That's what we're talking about," Andretti told NBC News on Tuesday. "That's not definite yet, but that's the objective. And that's the preference."

  While GM/Cadillac will have a place on the grid beginning in 2026, General Motors is not yet a power unit manufacturer for F1 and is targeting 2028 to begin providing them. The team will have to use another company's engines in the meantime.

  Andretti, 84, spent a portion of his decorated racing career driving for Ferrari. The Italian-born American won 12 Grands Prix and one F1 drivers' championship (1978).

  "My history with Ferrari, and my relationship with Mr. Ferrari -- all of it plays, plays tremendously. There's so many factors here that make a lot of sense. It will be best of all worlds."

  His involvement leaves some Andretti influence in the General Motors team after a bid by his son Michael Andretti was previously rejected by F1. The younger Andretti stepped back from Andretti Global, and GM was publicly approved Monday.

  Mario Andretti also hinted at the team's driver strategy when speaking to NBC News.

  "From our standpoint, I think the play at the beginning would be to have one experienced driver -- nationality doesn't matter -- and then a young American talent," he said. "These are the objectives at the moment."

  --Field Level Media

General Motors is officially coming to Formula 1, which announced Monday that it "reached an agreement on principle" to bring the American manufacturer on in 2026.

• The F1 grid will expand to 11 teams that year. It had been 10 teams since 2017.

  F1 previously rejected a bid by Andretti Global to partner with GM for an 11th team, but that didn't mean F1 was against expansion in general.

  "Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024," a statement on F1's website said.

  "Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process and will provide further updates in due course."

  There had been tension between F1 and Michael Andretti, who aggressively campaigned for a team and called F1 "greedy" for not accepting his bid. But he has stepped back from his role in Andretti Global this year, and his father, famed F1 driver Mario Andretti, was named a director on the GM/Cadillac team's board.

  Mario Andretti, 84, said in a statement that he is "absolutely thrilled" with the development: "To still be involved at this stage of my life -- I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming."

  "As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence," GM president Mark Reuss added in a statement. "It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world. This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level."

  --Field Level Media

George Russell seized his third pole position of the season for Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix.

• Russell, of Mercedes, overcame a brush with the Turn 5 wall on his first lap in Q3 on Friday to turn in a top qualifying time of 1 minute 32.312 seconds. He finished just ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sanz (1:32.410) and Alpine's Pierre Gasly (1:32.664).

  "Ultimately you've got to put it on the table sometimes," Russell said. "I felt confident in myself -- I knew if I did a clean lap, it would be enough to secure a front row, so to get pole position is incredible. Ultimately, we've had a few good qualifyings recently -- we need to convert that into a win now."

  Sainz was happy to finish as close as he did given the cold conditions.

  "It was a tight quali," Sainz said. "I'm a bit closer to pole than what I was expecting, really."

  Charles Leclerc (1:32.783), also of Ferrari, finished with the fourth fastest in qualifying.

  Dutchman Max Verstappen (1:32.797), who won the Las Vegas race in 2023, was fifth in qualifying, just ahead of rival Lando Norris (1:33.008).

  Verstappen, who is bidding for his fourth consecutive title, leads Norris of McLaren by 62 points with three races remaining. Verstappen needs to finish ahead of Norris in order to win the title.

  Williams rookie Franco Colapinto of Argentina finished 14th after crashing at the exit of Turn 16, forcing a 20-plus minute delay in racing.

  --Field Level Media

CHARLOTTE -- Chase Elliott continued to build his legacy as an undeniable NASCAR Cup Series fan favorite, winning the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award for the seventh straight season.

• Honored Friday night during the NASCAR Awards celebration at the Charlotte Convention Center, Elliott amassed 266,363 votes in competition for the only major NASCAR award determined solely by race fans.

  A driver representing Hendrick Motorsports has won the award for 17 straight years, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. earning the distinction from 2008-2017 and Elliott taking home the trophy ever since.

  In fact, in the past 40 years, only one driver not named Elliott or Earnhardt has earned the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award. That was Darrell Waltrip in 1989 and 1990.

  Bill Elliott, Chase's father, claimed the award a record 16 times; Earnhardt Jr. 15 times, all consecutive; Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001, posthumously; and Chase Elliott, now seven times.

  For Chase, the obligation inherent in winning the award extends to his family and its legacy.

  "They laid the foundation for me to be here and to have some of the opportunities I've had throughout my career," he said. "I look at it from that perspective more than anything.

  "I'm certainly grateful for the fans across the board. They've been great to me throughout my career. I've had the fortunate experience of seeing all that and living that first-hand. It means a lot to me. I'll never take that for granted. I certainly want to try to make those people proud as we move into next year and beyond."

  Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and Elliott's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, was runner-up in the voting, as he expected.

  Team Penske's Ryan Blaney, the 2023 series champion, was third in the Cup Series voting.

  Newly crowned champion Justin Allgaier won the Most Popular Driver Award in the Xfinity Series for the fifth time, giving JR Motorsports its 13th straight such recognition among six drivers -- Allgaier, Danica Patrick, Regan Smith, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Noah Gragson.

  Rajah Caruth won his first Most Popular Driver Award in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Driving for Spire Motorsports, Caruth became the third Black driver to win a NASCAR national series race when he triumphed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

  Earlier on Friday, NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano began the afternoon celebrating his third title with a special solid gold car given to each year's champion from Goodyear and then later finally being feted by the sport at the tuxedo-and-gown banquet.

  The 34-year old's three titles in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford are now most among all active drivers and he is one of only 10 competitors in the history of the sport to have ever earned a trio of championship trophies.

  Logano thanked his team, his team owner Roger Penske and the father of three gave a special nod to his wife Brittany, whom he praised for taking care of their young family and home -- allowing him to maintain championship focus.

  He thanked his family members, who were also in the audience, "remembering when I was a kid and got a go-kart for Christmas and now I'm sitting here a three-time Cup champion, it's just truly incredible."

  The NASCAR Xfinity Series and its first-time champion, JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier, along with Craftsman Truck Series first-time champion Ty Majeski and his ThorSport Raing team were celebrated.

  Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series champion Greg Biffle was recognized as the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers Award winner. Biffle, an avid pilot, flew rescue missions and dropped supplies to the residents in Western North Carolina following the devastating damage from Hurricane Helene in October.

  "I thought, if I didn't go, who's going to go," said Biffle, who said he received 12,000 messages for help and flew supplies into the area for 14 consecutive days after the storm hit.

  "I didn't do anything any different than anyone in this room would have," a humble Biffle added.

  In other awards presented on the night, David Wilson, the long-time president of Toyota Racing Development (TRD) was presented the Bill France Award of Excellence for his contributions to the sport. Wilson is retiring after leading the Toyota racing effort in NASCAR for 30 years -- a tenure that included Toyota's first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2015 and two more in 2017 and 2019.

  Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones was named the Comcast Community Champion Award winner for his work in promoting cancer screenings, raising money for breast cancer patients and longtime literacy advocacy, reading books to school children as he travels around the country racing.

  The NASCAR Foundation formally announced Judy Simmons, of Axton, Va., as the 2024 winner of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Simmons received a $100,000 donation from The NASCAR Foundation to her God's Pit Crew non-profit organization, which provides disaster relief help to families.

  --By Reid Spencer and Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.