Global Talents Approaching the Midpoint of 2025

Formula 1 – Barcelona

Oscar Piastri solidified his position at the top of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship standings, extending his lead to 10 points after an impressive performance at the Spanish Grand Prix. The McLaren racer clinched pole position and transformed it into his fifth win of the 2025 season, leading McLaren to their 52nd 1-2 finish in Formula 1 history.

Piastri’s race was marked by composure and control, maintaining his lead even after a late safety car grouped the competitors. The Victorian has now become the third McLaren driver to achieve eight consecutive podium finishes, joining the ranks of Ayrton Senna in 1988 and Lewis Hamilton in 2007.

Formula 1 will next set its sights on Canada for the tenth round of the season, taking place from 13–15 June.

FIA Formula 3 – Barcelona

James Wharton has made his mark on the FIA Formula 3 Championship scoreboard during the fifth round at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The ART Grand Prix competitor showcased solid speed, recording a 12th-place finish in practice and briefly holding third position in qualifying before ultimately starting from 13th.

During the Sprint Race, Wharton executed an impressive start, advancing from 13th to sixth place within the opening lap, ultimately finishing in eighth and securing his first points of the season. In the Feature Race, he battled to 11th place and was provisionally classified in the top ten post-race, however, a penalty for track limits pushed him back to 16th.

Nevertheless, it was a confidence-boosting experience for Wharton, who now heads to Austria’s Red Bull Ring, a venue where he clinched victory during last year’s FRECA series, scheduled for 27–29 June.

McLaren Trophy Europe – Monza

Jayden Kelly maintained his excellent form in the McLaren Trophy Europe alongside co-driver Michael O’Brien. The duo secured a second-place finish in Race 1, before clinching victory in Race 2 on Sunday. Kelly also recorded the fastest lap of the race in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Monza during the closing stages.

The next round of the McLaren Trophy is set to occur at Spa-Francorchamps from 26–29 June.

GB3 Championship – Spa-Francorchamps

Pat Heuzenroeder delivered an outstanding performance in the GB3 Championship, charging from last place to fourth in Race 3. After commencing from the pit lane on slick tyres following a last-minute decision during the formation lap, Heuzenroeder expertly navigated the early wet conditions before slicing through the field, overtaking 19 cars in just nine laps and setting the fastest lap nearly a second quicker than anyone else.

Earlier in the weekend, he finished seventh and 12th in Races 1 and 2, respectively. This final race haul keeps him firmly in title contention, sitting in second place in the standings, just eight points behind the leader.

The championship leader is fellow Australian Alex Ninovic, who also had a strong weekend. Ninovic converted pole position into a lights-to-flag victory in Race 1, successfully managing two safety car restarts and building a two-second gap by the time he crossed the finish line. He followed this with a third-place finish in Race 2 after leading briefly. However, in Race 3, Ninovic faced misfortune and did not finish due to a wheel loss after a pit stop. Nevertheless, his overall pace and consistency have seen him maintain the championship lead as the series heads into a four-week break.

Noah Lisle showcased potential, especially in Race 1 where he surged to a fourth-place finish after a bold final lap manoeuvre at Blanchimont. Race 2 was more challenging after an issue at the start dropped him through the pack, and a poor tyre decision in Race 3 hindered his performance, leaving him to finish 14th in both of the final races.

Gianmarco Pradel experienced a mixed weekend but still gathered valuable points. He finished sixth in Race 1 and seventh in Race 2. A strategic decision in Race 3 didn’t play out in his favour, resulting in a slip down to 16th. Despite a tough last race, it was another constructive step forward in his championship path, complete with essential learnings for the upcoming round.

GB3 will next travel to Hungary for the Hungaroring event on 5–6 July.

IndyCar & Indy NXT – Detroit

Will Power pressed on with his 2025 season, achieving a fourth-place finish at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The Queenslander is still very much in the running in the overall standings, currently placed fifth.

Meanwhile, Tommy Smith finished in 17th place in the Indy NXT race in Detroit, as he continues to gain valuable experience in the series.

IndyCar will return to oval racing in Madison, Illinois, for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on June 15.

IMSA SportsCar Championship – Detroit

In the IMSA SportsCar Championship, Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet qualified in fifth position, converting that into a commendable third-place finish after a steady and well-executed race.

GT World Challenge Europe – Monza

James Allen, alongside his Optimum Motorsport teammates Largim Ali and Michael Porter, executed a remarkable recovery at Monza, finishing 24th overall and fourth in the Gold Cup class with their McLaren 720S GT3 EVO.

The trio faced significant challenges after technical difficulties hampered their ability to set a competitive qualifying time, placing them 56th on the grid for the 83-lap endurance event. Despite the setback, Allen and his crew worked diligently and advanced an impressive 30 positions throughout the race.

Next on Allen’s agenda is the renowned CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa at the end of the month.

GT World Challenge Asia – Thailand

The Johor Motorsport Racing duo of Jordan Love and Prince Abu Baker Ibrahim revealed solid pace during qualifying, securing sixth in Qualifying 1 and ninth in Qualifying 2. Unfortunately, brake issues hindered their race performance, finishing 17th in Race 1 and subsequently being forced to retire from Race 2.

William Ben Porter and Andrew Macpherson experienced a mixed bag over the weekend, finishing 21st and 22nd in the two races. Despite qualifying in 16th and 30th positions, respectively, they managed to claim third place in the Am Cup for Race 1 and secured second in Race 2—a noteworthy achievement given their starting positions.

New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) – Canterbury

Larisa Biggar and driver Caleb Macdonald had a fantastic outing at the Lone Star Canterbury Rally, winning the NZRC Trophy Challenge, finishing third in the Mainland Rally Championship, and securing sixth in the overall NZRC standings. They also placed eighth outright for the event.

Neill Woolley and co-driver Josh Keighley finished second in both the NZRC Trophy Challenge and the Subaru H6 Cup and were 12th overall.

Meanwhile, Richard Galley and Claire Buccini achieved third in Class C with their BMW 320i, also finishing 12th in the Mainland Rally Championship and 25th overall.