MotoGP sets a 2025 season launch date, as M-Sports retains Gregoire Munster in WRC, while F2/F3 will move to Madrid and Conor Daly completes JHR IndyCar line-up.

MotoGP –

SAVE THE DATE:

February 9th 2025! That’s when we’ll be descending on Bangkok for our first ever Season Launch event. Who? Every rider and team on the MotoGP grid. Why? To kick off the season in style with a brand-new fan event! It is free entry and will be streamed live around the world. Here’s everything you need to know – and how you can be part of it.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

MotoGP is taking over Bangkok! Our fan show will take place in One Bangkok, a new development in the centre of the city. There, every rider and team will take to the stage to greet the fans, alongside some extra chances to meet them and plenty of music and entertainment. We’ll have some photo ops in the city too, with MotoGP bike displays heading around the area throughout the day to show off these machines up close.

WHEN IS IT?

The fan event at One Bangkok will welcome the riders and teams on stage between 16:30 and 18:30 for interviews and to show off their 2025 colours. We’ll also have a Hero Walk where fans can see the stars up close, take some selfies and get some autographs signed. The whole show also has plenty of extra entertainment, including a Warm Up DJ from 15:30, and then a music show in the evening from 18:45 – featuring a well known local artist to be confirmed soon! As night falls, fans can get another glimpse at their heroes from the most exciting sport on earth. The riders will take to a red carpet from 20:30 – chance for fans to see them dressed their best – as they head to a private event on the rooftop.

HOW DO I WATCH?

The event will be streamed live across our social media channels, so it couldn’t be easier to tune in.

CAN I COME?

You can. If you show up, you’re in. It is free, there is no ticket required, and there is no need to apply for entry or anything else. Come to One Bangkok on February 9th and you can be part of the event for free.

IS THIS A LIVERY LAUNCH?

No, it’s a season launch. We’ll have seen most of the 2025 colours already by the time we arrive in Bangkok! This is an event for fans – there in person and watching around the world – to see the grid all together before another awesome season begins.

M-Sport –

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team is excited to confirm that Grégoire Munster and Louis Louka will continue with the team and the Ford Puma Rally1 for the full 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season. Now heading up the team after a valuable year of experience in the championship’s top tier, Munster and Louka will look to make further achievements across 14 rounds of the 2025 season, which spans four continents and three different surface types.

Munster, who will be 26 years old on Christmas Eve, has exemplified the value of the progression opportunities available within the sport, graduating from Belgian national championships into WRC2 in 2022, before making his Rally1 debuts at the end of 2023 and his first full season in the top flight during 2024. The Luxembourg and Belgian pairing delivered strong performances throughout 2024, building pace in their Puma Rally1 as the season progressed and their confidence grew.

They would claim a career-best result on Rally Sardegna, finishing fifth overall after a tough battle in demanding conditions. They would go on to finish fifth on two subsequent Tarmac events in Central Europe and Japan, adding a handful of top-five and top-three fastest stage times to their career rosters. Munster’s resilience is testament to his abilities as a driver in the top level of the championship.

Despite encountering challenges early in the season on unfamiliar events and surfaces, Munster has since made steady progression throughout his first full season in a Rally1 car. Now with another full season in the top-flight category ahead of them, Munster and Louka’s target will be a maiden podium finish in 2025. Determined to leverage their growing experience with the Ford Puma Rally1, the crew has already gained valuable insight into car setup, pace notes, and performance optimization, which they will carry forward as the championship transitions to new non-hybrid regulations in 2025.

Heading into 2025, Munster and Louka will lead M-Sport’s line-up alongside another promising junior crew, set to be announced tomorrow. With Rallye Monte-Carlo already on the horizon, the team at M-Sport are preparing for a busy season and look forward to supporting Munster and Louka to achieve more strong results in the upcoming season.

Richard Millener, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principial, said: “I have really enjoyed working with Grégoire and Louis this year, so to have them back again in 2025 is a big positive for me. They made some great progress over the course of their debut year, and although we must remain realistic with the goals and expectations for them in 2025, it is a great opportunity for them both. I am very happy to be working with them again for another full season and I believe they thoroughly deserve this opportunity.”

Grégoire Munster said: “I’m really looking forward to next year and to have the opportunity to drive the Puma again, especially in the good team structure and atmosphere at M-Sport. I’m happy to be continuing with Louis as well, with the aim to continue our progress in the top category, and improving from where we finished in 2024. Of course, that means aiming to break a top five finish with fourth overall, and hopefully eventually some podium places too. I’m excited to see what we can do.”

Louis Louka said: “I’m very happy to be back in the team for another year in 2025! I hope we will use the experience we got last year well to improve this year: that’s always the goal, to improve rally after rally and to continue like that for this upcoming season. It’s a real privilege to be one of the crews competing in the full championship, especially with a team like M-Sport with so much experience.

“For young crews like us it’s important to benefit from the experience that M-Sport has, so we can improve and keep learning. I’m really thankful to M-Sport and to Greg for trusting me to take on this adventure again! I’m really looking forward to Monte-Carlo and to take on this new season.”

F2, F3 in Madrid –

The Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, set to take place in Madrid from 2026 to 2035, will also feature the FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 Championships. This ten-year agreement brings the lower-tier F1 categories to Madrid, enriching the fan experience with not only the thrill of top-tier racing but also the opportunity to witness the emerging talents on the road to Formula 1.

This agreement was signed by FIA F2 and FIA F3 CEO Bruno Michel, José Vicente de los Mozos, President of the Executive Committee of IFEMA MADRID, Daniel Martínez, Executive Vice-President of IFEMA MADRID and Luis García Abad, General Director of F1 IFEMA Madrid. Having Formula 2 and Formula 3 racing on the same weekend as Formula 1 underscores the commitment of the Spanish GP organizers to deliver an unparalleled sporting and entertainment experience for fans.

The event will take place at the IFEMA MADRID Circuit, located around the Exhibition Centre and Valdebebas. The FIA F2 Championship was launched in 2017, succeeding the GP2 Series, which had been running since 2005. Originally created to support Formula 1 events and nurture young talent, the GP2 Series and its successor, F2, have been instrumental in producing F1 stars.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton entered Formula 1 after winning GP2 in 2006. Charles Leclerc (2017 F2 champion), George Russell (2018), Oscar Piastri (2021), and Franco Colapinto—who was promoted mid-season from F2 to Williams’ official F1 team —are further examples of this successful progression.

Similarly, the FIA F3 Championship has played a key role in identifying and promoting young talents in global motorsport. Since its inception in 2019, the category has seen notable winners George Russell (2017), Oscar Piastri (2021) and Gabriel Bortoleto (2023), all of whom progressed directly to F2 and beyond.

Bruno Michel said: “I am extremely happy to bring F2 and F3 to Madrid, at this exciting new venue. It’s important that the young drivers in both our championships get to race on as many F1 tracks as possible. With the addition of Madrid to the Formula 1 calendar, it was logical that F2 and F3 would follow suit. I am really looking forward to our cars providing the spectators with some thrilling racing.”

José Vicente de los Mozos highlights: “At IFEMA Madrid, we are very proud to bring F2 and F3 to our Grand Prix alongside F1, as our goal is to make the F1 Spanish Grand Prix 2026-2035 the best event possible. The FIA F2 and FIA F3 categories are fundamental for the future of the sport, as they produce the future stars of F1. This makes the Spanish Grand Prix 2026-2035 an even more unmissable event, offering fans a complete experience full of talent, spectacle, and excitement, with a unique motorsport offering.”

Conor Daly –

Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) is thrilled to announce the return of Conor Daly, completing the team’s 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES lineup. Daly, a proven talent with deep ties to the team, made an indelible mark during the second half of JHR’s 2024 campaign, securing the team’s first-ever podium finish with an impressive 3rd place at the Milwaukee Mile. His addition completes the team’s two-car roster as they prepare for an exciting and competitive season ahead.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the JHR team for the full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in 2025,” shared Conor Daly, the most recent addition to the Juncos Hollinger Racing driver lineup. “After the excitement and success we shared in 2024, including Milwaukee, it feels like the perfect next step. I’m grateful for Ricardo and Brad’s belief in me as I embark on the revitalization of my career. I look forward to pursuing podiums and wins with this incredible group. Thank you to everyone involved in making this happen – it’s been a team effort, and we’ll continue to build on this momentum together.”

“When Conor rejoined us last year, it felt like we seamlessly picked up right where we left off in 2010,” said Ricardo Juncos, Co-Owner and Founder of JHR. “I’m thrilled to have him back in the car full-time for 2025. With both seats now filled, the team is laser-focused on building momentum and delivering standout performances throughout the year, aiming for an exceptional season ahead for Juncos Hollinger Racing.”

Brad Hollinger, Co-Owner of JHR, shared, “Conor is an outstanding addition to our team. He is a fantastic ambassador for the sport and has proven his speed not only in our car, but also through his tested tenure in the series. Providing him with more opportunities to collaborate closely with our engineers and crew will undoubtedly enhance the team’s performance, and empower his own unrelenting drive for success.”

“Our main priority this year is to build upon the success we’ve seen in the team’s short three-year campaign,” explained Dave O’Neill, Team Principal of Juncos Hollinger Racing. “With Conor joining the team and Sting Ray already confirmed, we’re well-positioned to achieve that. This is just the beginning of a long-term process to build a stronger and more competitive foundation for the future.”

[The story is as per press release]