John Digest — Sunday, June 21, 2026

Red Bull brings second 2026 upgrade to Austria but team boss doubts it will close the gap

Red Bull is bringing its second major upgrade package of the 2026 season to the Austrian Grand Prix at the circuit the team’s energy drink brand sponsors. Team leadership has stated the package alone will not be sufficient to put Max Verstappen into genuine contention for race victories against Mercedes and Ferrari. The team has been reducing the RB22’s excess weight — it was six kilograms above the 768-kilogram FIA minimum after Miami — and a further reduction is expected at the Red Bull Ring. Verstappen has yet to win in 2026 and sits seventh in the drivers’ championship with 55 points.

Sources: Crash.net

Mercedes traces costly 2026 retirements to common battery module fault

Mercedes has identified a recurring fault within the same broad section of the battery module as the root cause of a series of retirements this season. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli lost second place at Barcelona to the issue, and George Russell retired while leading in Canada, both failures linked to battery components. In a team video released Saturday, a Mercedes engineer confirmed most areas of risk have been identified and that fortunes as a fleet should improve as new battery modules are phased in. Russell’s failed unit from Montreal is still in sea freight en route back to the factory for analysis.

Sources: Motorsport.com

Jak Crawford to take over Stroll’s Aston Martin for Austrian GP opening practice

Aston Martin has confirmed reserve driver Jak Crawford will drive Lance Stroll’s AMR26 in the first free practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix on June 26. The Red Bull Ring outing will be Crawford’s fourth FP1 appearance for the team and his second of the 2026 season, fulfilling one of the two mandatory rookie sessions the team must complete with each car this year. Crawford joined Aston Martin as reserve driver ahead of 2026 after finishing second in the 2025 Formula 2 standings. Stroll will return to the AMR26 for FP2 and remain in the car for the rest of the weekend.

Sources: Aston Martin F1

FIA’s Tombazis calls ADUO engine safety net a worthwhile objective for Formula 1

FIA single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis has described a potential FIA-managed engine concept as a very worthwhile objective that could protect Formula 1 if the number of manufacturer participants fell too low. Speaking in an interview published Sunday, Tombazis confirmed the FIA’s primary focus remains securing involvement from major automotive manufacturers but that internal discussions are ongoing about how exactly such a fallback engine would be structured. The ADUO framework currently distributes development tokens to manufacturers running below the Red Bull benchmark, with Ferrari, Mercedes and Audi all receiving additional spending allowance ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Sources: RaceFans

Audi tests new ADUO-funded engine package at Neuburg ahead of Austria

Audi ran its R26 at the team’s Neuburg facility in Germany this week in what is understood to be a shakedown of the upgraded power unit it plans to introduce at the Austrian Grand Prix. Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto completed a 15-kilometre demonstration run during the test. Audi qualifies for ADUO development tokens as a manufacturer running well below the benchmark power unit, granting it additional spending to close the performance gap. The team is in its debut Formula 1 season and has scored just two championship points in 2026, both earned by Bortoleto at the Barcelona Grand Prix.

Sources: GPFans

WORLD TOURSTAGE RESULT

World Champion Reusser Takes Tour de Suisse Women Lead with Commanding Time Trial

Marlen Reusser (Movistar), the reigning world time trial champion, rode a dominant Stage 4 individual time trial at Aarburg on Saturday to win the stage and seize the overall lead at the Tour de Suisse Women. Reusser completed the 23.7 km course in 29:36, beating Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) by 11 seconds. Previous race leader Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) finished in 30:41 and admitted time trialling was “a significant weakness” for her this season, ceding the jersey to Reusser by 10 seconds. With the five-stage race concluding Sunday, Reusser will defend a slender margin on the final mountain stage in Villars-sur-Ollon.

WORLD TOURSTAGE RESULT

Paula Blasi Dominates La Molina Queen Stage to Claim Volta a Catalunya Feminas Lead

Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) delivered a commanding solo attack on the 130 km Stage 2 queen stage of the 5th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Feminas on Saturday, conquering the climb to La Molina at 1,691 m to distance rivals and claim both the stage win and the race leader’s jersey. Racing on home roads in Catalonia, Blasi rode away from the lead group on the final ascent from Sant Vicenç de Castellet to take a domineering solo victory. The result moves the Spanish rider into the general classification lead and marks a significant statement of intent from UAE Team ADQ ahead of Sunday’s final stage.

WORLD TOUR

Elphingstone and Ryan Claim Criterium Titles at US Pro Road Nationals in Charleston

Luke Elphingstone (Project Echelon Racing) claimed the men’s elite criterium national title at the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships in Charleston, West Virginia on Saturday, as an early breakaway held to the finish ahead of Brody McDonald and Gavin Hlady. In the women’s event, Kendall Ryan successfully defended her criterium crown despite a late-race crash that reduced the field, securing back-to-back national titles. Earlier in the championships, Taylor Knibb claimed the elite women’s time trial title and Artem Shmidt defended the men’s TT crown. The elite road race titles, the premier events of the championships, are scheduled for Sunday.

ANALYSISGRAND TOUR

Tour de France Boosts Sprint Points in Bid to Keep Green Jersey Out of Pogačar’s Hands

With the Tour de France starting in Barcelona on July 4, organisers have further adjusted the green jersey points system to reduce the risk of Tadej Pogačar collecting a fourth different classification jersey. Sprint stages will now award a winner’s maximum of 70 points — up from 50 previously — with second and third place also receiving more points than before. The change follows Pogačar coming within 78 points of Jonathan Milan’s (Lidl-Trek) green jersey at the 2025 Tour, having briefly led the classification mid-race after winning atop the Mûr-de-Bretagne. ASO intends the revision to keep the points competition firmly in sprinter hands.

PLAYOFFSANALYSIS

By the Numbers: Hurricanes’ 16–3 Playoff Run Among Most Dominant Since 1988

As Carolina celebrated its championship parade Saturday, the numbers from the Hurricanes’ postseason run tell a historic story. Carolina finished the 2026 playoffs at 16–3 — the fewest losses by a Stanley Cup champion since the 1987–88 Edmonton Oilers went 16–2. The Hurricanes swept Ottawa in Round 1, then swept Philadelphia, before eliminating Montreal in five games in the Eastern Conference Final. The Cup Final concluded June 14 with a 3–0 shutout by rookie Brandon Bussi, who became only the third goaltender in NHL history to record a Cup-clinching shutout in his first NHL season, joining Earl Robertson (1937) and Andy Aitkenhead (1933).

Sources: CBS Sports, NHL.com

NHL

Hockey Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2026 on Monday — Bergeron, Price Lead Candidates

The Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee meets Monday in Toronto to announce the Class of 2026, with the selection broadcast live at 3 p.m. ET on TSN. Patrice Bergeron headlines the candidates in his first year of eligibility — the Boston Bruins center holds the NHL record with six Selke Trophy wins and was a finalist for twelve consecutive seasons. Goaltender Carey Price is eligible for the second consecutive year and remains a strong contender after missing the call in 2025. Rod Brind’Amour, who won the Stanley Cup as both captain and head coach of Carolina, is also among this year’s notable candidates.

Sources: NHL.com

DRAFT

NHL Draft Opens in Five Days: Maple Leafs to Take McKenna First Overall in Buffalo

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft opens at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Friday, June 26, with Round 1 beginning at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the first overall pick and have confirmed to Penn State forward Gavin McKenna that he is their selection. McKenna, 18, recorded 51 points in 35 games at Penn State and projects as an elite offensive playmaker. The San Jose Sharks select second overall, with Frölunda forward Ivar Stenberg and Brantford center Caleb Malhotra projected among the top five choices. Rounds 2–7 follow Saturday, June 27 at 11 a.m. ET.

Sources: NHL.com, Bleacher Report

TRADE

Panthers Make Formal Offer for Larkin: Lundell, Ninth Pick, and Cossa on the Table

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request took a significant step forward this week, with the Florida Panthers emerging as the frontrunner ahead of the June 26 NHL Draft in Buffalo. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Panthers have submitted a formal offer to Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman. According to NHL Trade Rumors, the framework centers on forward Anton Lundell, Florida’s ninth overall pick, a 2026 second-round selection, and goaltender Sebastian Cossa. Larkin, 29, carries an $8.7 million annual cap hit through 2030–31 and holds a full no-trade clause. Florida, Vegas, and Minnesota remain the three preferred destinations on his initial list.

Sources: The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Rumors, ClutchPoints

NHLTRANSACTIONS

Captain Forever: Jonathan Toews Retires After 16 NHL Seasons and Three Stanley Cups

Jonathan Toews, one of the most decorated captains in NHL history, announced his retirement Friday at the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex in Winnipeg, the city where he grew up. The 38-year-old finished his career with three Stanley Cup championships — all with the Chicago Blackhawks — and 921 points in 1,149 NHL games. After missing two full seasons managing Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and Long COVID, Toews signed with the Winnipeg Jets for one final campaign, recording 29 points in 82 games in 2025–26. He won Olympic gold with Canada in 2010 and 2014, and led Canada to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey title.

Sources: ESPN, NHL.com / Jets, Washington Times