SAMWISE
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Sunday, June 28, 2026
RACE RESULT
George Russell Claims Austrian GP Pole as Verstappen Crash Throws Q3 into Chaos
George Russell sealed pole position for Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix with a lap of 1m 06.113s, beating Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by 0.236 seconds. The result was briefly in jeopardy after Max Verstappen crashed his Red Bull at Turn 9 on his final Q3 run, bringing yellow flags out as Russell completed his own lap. Stewards cleared Russell after confirming he had lifted appropriately through the affected sector. Kimi Antonelli, leading the championship by 41 points, misread the flags as double yellows and aborted his lap, leaving him fourth on the grid. Lewis Hamilton completed the top three for Ferrari, with Verstappen salvaging fifth.
Red Bull Confirms Rear Wing Defect Caused Verstappen Q3 Crash, Issues Apology
Red Bull have issued a formal apology to Max Verstappen after confirming a rear wing defect caused his qualifying crash at the Austrian Grand Prix. Team principal Laurent Mekies revealed the failure robbed the RB22 of rear aerodynamic load as Verstappen entered Turn 9 during his final Q3 lap. “We lost aero performance on the rear of the car and it gave Max no chance to survive,” Mekies said, adding that the team takes full responsibility. Verstappen described the incident as an impossible slide to correct, saying the car simply disappeared beneath him the moment he turned in. He will start Sunday's race from fifth place.
Antonelli Championship Lead Survives Austrian GP Qualifying Scare After Yellow Flag Mixup
Kimi Antonelli heads into Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix still leading the Drivers' Championship after misidentifying yellow flags cost him a shot at pole position. The Mercedes driver misread single-waved yellow flags as double yellows following Max Verstappen's crash at Turn 9 and aborted his final Q3 lap, settling for fourth on the grid. “I heard ‘yellow yellow’ from my engineer, but I was looking at the marshal and probably saw wrong — I just saw two flags instead of one,” Antonelli said. He leads Lewis Hamilton by 41 points and team-mate George Russell by 50 points heading into Sunday's race at the Red Bull Ring.
Nine Drivers Lose Lap Times in Austrian GP Yellow Flag Mass Deletion Ruling
Nine Formula 1 drivers had lap times deleted during Austrian Grand Prix qualifying following the yellow flag incident triggered by Max Verstappen's Turn 9 crash. The FIA confirmed Russell's pole-setting flying lap was valid — the deleted time was his in-lap — after stewards determined he had respected the single-waved yellow by demonstrably reducing speed. A 22-second gap elapsed between the initial single yellow flag and the subsequent double-yellow deployment in that sector. Separately, Red Bull's Isack Hadjar was summoned for allegedly driving unnecessarily slowly but avoided a grid penalty, receiving only a warning and retaining his eighth-place qualifying position for Sunday.
Hamilton Targets Race Strategy to Challenge Mercedes at Red Bull Ring
Lewis Hamilton believes race strategy could give Ferrari a pathway to victory at Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix despite qualifying third behind George Russell and Charles Leclerc. Hamilton acknowledged he “left a little bit on the table” with his first Q3 run, which limited his final attempt. Starting third, Hamilton and second-placed Leclerc give Ferrari strategic flexibility to undercut or overcut rivals through tyre management over the 71-lap race at the Red Bull Ring. Hamilton trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 41 points. Ferrari sit second in the Constructors' Championship on 190 points, with Sunday's race offering the team a chance to pressure Mercedes.
Verstappen Reported in Secret McLaren Talks as Red Bull Exit Clause Trigger Looms
Reports emerged Friday that Max Verstappen is in secret talks with McLaren about a potential team switch for 2027. The negotiations reportedly involve a swap with Oscar Piastri, who would move to Red Bull. Verstappen holds an exit clause in his Red Bull contract that activates if he is outside the top two in the standings at the summer break. Currently seventh with 55 points, the trigger looks likely to activate. Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies insisted Verstappen remains part of the team's plans, but Verstappen's manager confirmed the clause is active, stating he “should have the chance to win” and “wasn't born to compete in midfield.”
McLaren Face Harsh Qualifying Reality as Norris and Piastri Start Sixth and Seventh
McLaren head into Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix from sixth and seventh on the grid after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified over four tenths behind pole-sitter George Russell. Norris ended Q3 just 0.009 seconds ahead of team-mate Piastri, acknowledging the gap to the front runners reflects McLaren's genuine competitiveness. “Realistically, this is probably where we currently are in the pack,” Norris said. The team were hampered by reliability issues in Friday practice when Norris was sidelined by hydraulic problems. McLaren sit third in the Constructors' Championship on 141 points, 121 points behind leaders Mercedes, with their race strategy relying on exploiting any opportunities that arise.
Verstappen Gives Russell Middle Finger After Tense Friday Practice Confrontation in Austria
Max Verstappen was captured on camera giving George Russell the middle finger following a tense on-track confrontation during Friday practice at the Austrian Grand Prix. The incident occurred as Verstappen overtook Russell at close quarters, with the Dutch driver venting his frustration immediately afterwards. Verstappen had grown increasingly frustrated during practice as the team's upgraded RB22 failed to match the pace of Mercedes and Ferrari. Tensions were heightened further on Saturday when Russell claimed pole position while Verstappen crashed out during qualifying. The two drivers have a well-documented rivalry, with incidents between them a recurring theme throughout their time as Formula 1 competitors.
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 156 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton — 115 pts
3. George Russell — 106 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 75 pts
5. Lando Norris — 73 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 68 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 55 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 41 pts
9. Isack Hadjar — 34 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 28 pts
11. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 16 pts
13. Arvid Lindblad — 13 pts
14. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
15. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
17. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
18. Fernando Alonso — 1 pts
19. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
20. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
21. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 262 pts
2. Ferrari — 190 pts
3. McLaren — 141 pts
4. Red Bull Racing — 89 pts
5. Alpine — 57 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 41 pts
7. Haas F1 Team — 21 pts
8. Williams — 11 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pts
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
IMSA
Blomqvist and Braun Win Watkins Glen Six Hours After Bamber Runs Out of Energy on Final Lap
Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun delivered Meyer Shank Racing’s second consecutive IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory with a dramatic win at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, after Action Express Racing’s Earl Bamber was forced to pit on the final lap having exhausted his Cadillac’s energy allocation. Blomqvist guided the No. 60 Acura ARX-06 to a 1.880-second margin over the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac of Louis Deletraz. The race featured a downpour and ten full-course cautions — breaking the series record for most yellows in a WeatherTech Championship round — making it one of the most chaotic editions in recent memory.
Catsburg Calls GTD Pro Result a ‘Lottery’ as Milner Loses Lead on Final-Lap Fuel Stop
Nicky Catsburg called the GTD Pro result at Watkins Glen a “lottery” after co-driver Tommy Milner appeared set for the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ first WeatherTech win, only to be caught out by fuel consumption on the final lap following a late full-course caution. The No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette stopping with suspension failure triggered the caution that disrupted fuel strategies of the leading GTD Pro cars, costing Milner and Catsburg what had looked like a certain victory. Catsburg leads the GTD Pro championship and had spoken before the race about the title being “more important” than a race win.
Mercedes-AMG Takes 24H Spa Lead at Hour 8 After Ferrari Suffers Race-Altering Puncture
The Mercedes-AMG machinery moved to the front of the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps at the Hour 8 mark, as the early race-leading Ferrari entries were shuffled backwards following a significant tyre puncture. The HRT Mercedes, which had run competitively throughout the opening hours, capitalised on the Italian marque’s misfortune to take overall control. Hour 8 represented a pivotal swing in the race narrative: Ferrari had established a clear advantage in the opening stint, but the tyre failure opened the door for the German manufacturer to establish themselves at the head of the field with sixteen hours of racing still remaining in the Belgian endurance classic.
Nielsen Steers Ferrari to the Front After the Opening Hour at 2026 CrowdStrike 24H Spa
Dennis Nielsen kept a Ferrari GT3 at the head of the field after the opening hour of the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, maintaining the advantage the Italian brand had established from the Superpole front row. Nielsen navigated the opening stint ahead of the chasing Mercedes-AMG and Porsche 911 GT3 R entries, with the entire Pro class field running at close quarters through the early phase of the Belgian endurance race. The early Ferrari dominance reflected strong pace in the warm summer conditions at the legendary Ardennes circuit, though teams were already executing their long-run fuel and tyre strategies as the race entered its second hour.
Ratel Warns GT3 Going ‘Straight to the Wall’ if Manufacturers Abandon Category’s Founding Pillars
SRO Motorsports Group founder and CEO Stéphane Ratel issued a stark warning to GT3 manufacturers at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, telling the assembled representatives that the category risks going “straight to the wall” if the trend toward race-developed machinery continues. Speaking after a private meeting with the ten manufacturers involved in GT3, Ratel referenced a Toyota GR GT3, a Mercedes-AMG concept, and a Genesis GT3 Concept as representing a dangerous departure from the founding premise of the category. He proposed renaming the class GT1 if manufacturers continue producing track-first designs, drawing comparison with the 1990s arms race involving the Porsche 911 GT1 and Mercedes CLK-GTR.
Aitken Makes Golden-Hour Dash to IMSA GTP Pole at Watkins Glen International
Jack Aitken claimed the GTP pole position for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International with a late qualifying effort, storming to the top of the timesheets in what Racer described as a “golden hour dash.” Aitken’s championship-leading campaign continued its momentum entering race day, with the Action Express Racing Cadillac fastest in the final minutes of the session. The Watkins Glen pole built on a strong form run that included leading both Friday practice sessions at the circuit. The qualifying result set up a front-row start heading into Sunday’s six-hour race — a result that proved pivotal in the dramatic energy-management thriller that followed.
Watkins Glen Post-Race Notebook: Energy Strategy, GTD Pro Fallout, and Outlook for CTMP
The Sportscar365 post-race notebook from the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen captures the paddock reaction to Sunday’s chaotic race at Watkins Glen International. Key themes include the controversial energy management that decided the GTP class result, the GTD Pro fallout from the final-lap caution sequence, and how teams are reading the championship picture ahead of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Among the subjects covered is the late caution for the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette’s suspension failure, which triggered the sequence that denied Earl Bamber what appeared to be a certain GTP victory and delivered the win to Tom Blomqvist’s Acura Meyer Shank Racing entry.
Makowiecki Confirmed for 24H Spa as Heinrich Joins Watkins Glen GTP Field
Two driver confirmations emerged on Friday, with Frédéric Makowiecki confirmed to drive at the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and GTP championship contender Maximilian Heinrich added to the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen starting grid at Watkins Glen International. Makowiecki — who has extensive experience at Spa and a long development relationship with Porsche GT3 machinery — returns to the Belgian circuit as an endurance entry. Heinrich’s Watkins Glen confirmation brought further depth to an already-competitive GTP field headlined by Jack Aitken’s championship-leading Action Express Cadillac, with the announcement part of a busy week of driver activity across both series.
WEC Hypercar — Drivers
After Rd 3 / Le Mans
1. Kobayashi / Conway / de Vries — 75 pts
2. Rast / Frijns — 71 pts
3. van der Linde — 61 pts
4. Hartley / Hirakawa / Buemi — 56 pts
5. Rovera / Nielsen et al (#51 Ferrari) — 39 pts
1. Toyota — 132 pts
2. BMW — 96 pts
3. Ferrari — 62 pts
4. Alpine — 38 pts
5. Cadillac — 32 pts
6. Aston Martin — 26 pts
Next Race
Rolex 6H São Paulo — Jul 10–12, 2026
IMSA GTP — Drivers
Pre-Watkins Glen
1. Aitken — 1760 pts
2. Heinrich — 1616 pts
3. Andlauer / Nasr — 1606 pts
Pre-Watkins Glen
1. Cadillac — 1797 pts
2. Porsche — 1772 pts
3. Acura — 1676 pts
4. BMW — 1628 pts
Next Race
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP)
DRAFT
Gavin McKenna Arrives in Toronto, Throws Blue Jays First Pitch After Being Drafted No. 1
A day after Justin Bieber announced his name at the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, new Maple Leaf Gavin McKenna arrived in Toronto and was cheered by fans before throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre on Saturday. The 18-year-old center, selected first overall out of Penn State, told reporters at his introductory press conference that the reception was more than he had imagined. McKenna scored 15 goals and set Penn State freshman records with 36 assists and 51 points in 35 games, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. He received congratulatory texts from Auston Matthews and John Tavares following Friday’s selection.
McTavish Heads to Blues, Ducks Rebuild as Post-Draft Trade Grades Favor St. Louis
The St. Louis Blues received strong trade grades from ESPN after acquiring center Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks on Friday in exchange for the 15th and 29th picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 23-year-old McTavish, who had been a healthy scratch in Anaheim, is expected to receive significantly more playing time with the Blues. McTavish has five seasons remaining on a six-year contract signed September 27, 2025. The Ducks used the 15th pick to select Nikita Klepov. The Blues entered the draft with 13 total picks—the most in the league—including four first-rounders, adding depth while acquiring an established NHL center.
Peterka to Bruins, Dorofeyev Signs Seven-Year Deal With Rangers in Draft Night Double-Swap
Two more high-profile forwards changed teams during Friday’s first round. The Boston Bruins acquired winger JJ Peterka, 24, from the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall pick and a top-10 protected 2028 first-rounder. Peterka posted 25 goals and 47 points for Utah last season. The New York Rangers landed Pavel Dorofeyev, 25, from Vegas for picks No. 26 and No. 92 plus a conditional 2028 first-rounder, with Dorofeyev then signing a seven-year extension at $11 million per season. The Golden Knights—constrained by just $4.625 million in cap space—traded away Dorofeyev despite his career-high 37 goals and 64 points in 82 regular-season games.
Stanley Cup Champions Carolina Hurricanes Acquire John Carlson’s Rights from Anaheim Ducks
The Carolina Hurricanes, who won the 2026 Stanley Cup, continued building their roster Saturday by acquiring the rights to unrestricted free agent defenseman John Carlson in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. Carolina sent defenseman prospect Kyle Masters and a sixth-round pick to Anaheim in exchange for exclusive negotiating rights to Carlson before free agency opens July 1. The 36-year-old Carlson finished the 2025–26 season with 14 goals and 60 points in 71 regular-season games split between the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks. Carolina will have until Wednesday to sign Carlson before he becomes eligible to sign elsewhere.
2026 NHL Draft Winners and Losers: Sharks Soar, Golden Knights Stumble After Dorofeyev Deal
The San Jose Sharks emerged as the top winner of the 2026 NHL Draft, according to ESPN’s post-draft analysis, which praised their selections as representing elite asset management and the ability to add talent at positions of need. The Toronto Maple Leafs also ranked as major winners, with evaluators describing their class as the best in franchise history from a pick-optimization perspective. The Vegas Golden Knights fell into the loser column by trading away 25-year-old leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers, while also forfeiting the 63rd overall pick after the league penalized the team for restricting media access during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL Free Agency Opens July 1 with Bobrovsky, Ovechkin, Carlson Headlining Deep Market
With free agency opening Wednesday, the 2026 NHL unrestricted free agent market features several high-profile names. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who won the Stanley Cup twice with the Florida Panthers, has played out his seven-year contract and could leave Florida. Defenseman John Carlson, whose rights were traded to Carolina on Saturday, is expected to sign before the market opens. Forward Alex Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September and posted 32 goals and 64 points in 82 games this season with Washington, has said he would “probably not” play for another NHL team. The salary cap rises to $104 million next season, an increase of $8.5 million.
2026 NHL Draft Grades: Blues and Leafs Lead Class as American Prospects Slide in Rankings
The Hockey News awarded top draft grades to the St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs following the conclusion of the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo. The Blues leveraged their league-leading 13 picks—including four in the first round—to add significant pipeline depth after trading veterans Jordan Kyrou and Mason McTavish earlier in the week. The Leafs earned high marks for selecting Gavin McKenna first overall and optimizing picks throughout the seven rounds. THN’s analysis also noted that American prospects fell below pre-draft projections across the board, with several rated players sliding past expected positions as European and Canadian skaters dominated the early rounds.
RECAP
Dodgers Crush Padres 15-3 With Nine-Run Sixth Inning at Petco Park
The Los Angeles Dodgers (53-30) demolished the San Diego Padres 15-3 Saturday at Petco Park, erupting for nine runs in the sixth inning to even the three-game series. Freddie Freeman opened the inning with a leadoff double and scored on an error. Tommy Edman tripled in a run, then Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing hit consecutive home runs before Mookie Betts added a three-run shot into the left-center bullpen for a 10-1 lead. Betts has now homered in three straight games and reached 11 home runs on the season. Randy Vásquez absorbed the damage, unable to retire a batter in the inning.
Devers Homers Twice for 800th Career RBI as Webb Deals One-Hitter vs. Braves
Rafael Devers hit two home runs and reached 800 career RBI as the San Francisco Giants shut out the Atlanta Braves 5-0 Saturday at Oracle Park. Devers drove a solo shot off Bryce Elder in the second inning, then crushed a three-run blast in the third to reach the milestone. Logan Webb was dominant on the mound, allowing just one hit and striking out six across seven innings while walking two and retiring the final 16 batters he faced. Webb improved to 5-1 against Atlanta. A loss would have dropped the Giants to 16 games under .500 for the first time since 2018.
Red Sox Win Third Straight Over Yankees as Bennett, Yoshida Lead Boston to 4-1 Victory
Jake Bennett allowed three hits over 6⅓ innings and Masataka Yoshida hit a leadoff home run off Gerrit Cole as the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 4-1 Saturday, winning their third consecutive game in the series. Willson Contreras added a two-run double and Anthony Seigler hit his first career major league home run in the seventh inning. Aroldis Chapman retired the final three batters for his 16th save and the 383rd of his career. Boston (35-46) has taken all three games of the series, while New York (48-34) has lost three straight and eight of its last 10.
Paredes’ Two-Run Double Spoils Hinch’s Bid for 1,000th Win as Astros Rally Past Tigers 8-6
Isaac Paredes hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-6 comeback win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, denying manager A.J. Hinch his 1,000th career managerial victory. Hinch entered the game one win shy of the milestone, but his bullpen surrendered the lead in the late innings. Houston trailed 6-5 heading into the eighth when Jeremy Peña's RBI single tied the score, and Paredes followed with a two-run double to right field for an 8-6 Astros advantage. Houston (41-44) held on from there, sending Hinch back to 999 career wins.
Lindor, Soto Power Mets to 6-2 Win in Andy Green’s First Game as Interim Manager
Francisco Lindor hit a two-run triple and Juan Soto added a triple as the New York Mets rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 Saturday, giving interim manager Andy Green his first win after Carlos Mendoza was fired Friday. The Mets had lost seven straight entering Saturday. Bryce Harper gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run off Christian Scott in the third — his 43rd career homer against New York, the most by any active player. Lindor tied the game in the sixth with a two-run triple off Alan Rangel, his first RBIs since April 22 after returning from a two-month IL stint with a left calf strain.
Hunter Goodman Belts Three Home Runs, Drives In Five as Rockies Top Twins 8-5
Colorado Rockies designated hitter Hunter Goodman launched three home runs and knocked in five runs to power Colorado to an 8-5 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Goodman hit solo shots in the first and third innings off Twins starter Mike Paredes, then connected with two runners on base in the seventh, hammering a high sinker 401 feet into left-center seats for a three-run blast. The three-homer performance came one day after Goodman crushed a two-out, two-run home run in the ninth inning to help Colorado take the series opener Friday. The Rockies (33-50) earned their second consecutive win in the set.
Seager Homers, Burger Drives In Two as Rangers Beat Blue Jays 7-4
Corey Seager hit a solo home run, Jake Burger collected three hits and drove in two runs and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 on Saturday, extending Toronto's losing streak to five games. Alejandro Osuna added a two-run hit for the Rangers (41-42), who have won six of their last nine. Yohendrick Piñango hit a two-run homer for Toronto and Alejandro Kirk added a solo shot, but it was not enough for the Blue Jays (39-44). Toronto's top three hitters — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Daulton Varsho and Kazuma Okamoto — went a combined 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts. Peyton Gray earned the win.
Edwards, Stowers Lead Marlins Past Cardinals 5-1 for Second Straight Series Win
Xavier Edwards had three hits and Kyle Stowers drove in two runs with a pair of RBI singles as the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Saturday night. The victory gave the Marlins (44-39) their second consecutive win in the series after beating St. Louis 4-0 on Friday, giving Miami a series advantage entering Sunday's finale. Edwards was productive at the top of the order with his multi-hit performance while Stowers provided critical run support. The Cardinals (42-38) managed just one run against a Miami pitching staff that has allowed only one combined run across the first two games of the series.
American League
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 47–33, —
2. New York Yankees — 48–34, —
3. Toronto Blue Jays — 39–44, 9.5 GB
4. Baltimore Orioles — 39–45, 10.0 GB
5. Boston Red Sox — 35–46, 12.5 GB
1. Chicago White Sox — 43–38, —
2. Cleveland Guardians — 43–40, 1.0 GB
3. Minnesota Twins — 39–45, 5.5 GB
4. Detroit Tigers — 35–48, 9.0 GB
5. Kansas City Royals — 34–50, 10.5 GB
1. Seattle Mariners — 42–42, —
2. Texas Rangers — 41–42, 0.5 GB
3. Houston Astros — 41–44, 1.5 GB
4. Athletics — 40–43, 1.5 GB
5. Los Angeles Angels — 35–49, 7.0 GB
National League
1. Atlanta Braves — 49–32, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 46–37, 4.0 GB
3. Miami Marlins — 44–39, 6.0 GB
4. Washington Nationals — 42–42, 8.5 GB
5. New York Mets — 35–48, 15.0 GB
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 50–30, —
2. Chicago Cubs — 45–38, 6.5 GB
3. St. Louis Cardinals — 42–38, 8.0 GB
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 41–42, 10.5 GB
5. Cincinnati Reds — 39–42, 11.5 GB
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 53–30, —
2. San Diego Padres — 43–38, 9.0 GB
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 41–41, 11.5 GB
4. San Francisco Giants — 34–48, 18.5 GB
5. Colorado Rockies — 33–50, 20.0 GB
AI
OpenAI limits GPT-5.6 rollout to small preview after U.S. government request
OpenAI has limited the rollout of GPT-5.6 following a request from the United States government. The model family includes three variants codenamed Sol, Terra, and Luna. Access is currently restricted to a small number of companies through a limited preview program, which OpenAI has described as part of ongoing engagement with U.S. government stakeholders. The restriction limits broader commercial access to the full GPT-5.6 family. Few additional details about the nature of the government’s request or the planned duration of the limitation were made available in reporting from June 26.
Asian AI startups launch Mythos-like models as Anthropic's export ban creates demand gap
Tokyo-based Sakana AI has launched a model called Fugu, and Chinese technology company 360 has unveiled a model called Tulongfeng, both positioned as alternatives for customers who can no longer access Anthropic’s Mythos 5 following U.S. government export restrictions. The restrictions were imposed on national security grounds, blocking foreign access to Mythos 5. Both Sakana AI and 360 have framed their new models as substitutes for Mythos 5 in markets affected by the export ban. TechCrunch reported the two launches on June 27, 2026, as demand for alternatives to the restricted model grew.
Chinese open-weight models claim 60% of OpenRouter usage, rewriting the AI competitive map
The framing of Anthropic and OpenAI as the dominant players in a two-company AI race has become obsolete, according to TechCrunch analysis published June 26. Chinese open-weight models now account for more than 60 percent of usage on the OpenRouter API, a platform widely used by developers to access and compare AI models. The data complicates the IPO narratives both Anthropic and OpenAI have been constructing. A third competitive force — Chinese open-weight models — has captured a substantial portion of developer workloads outside either company’s commercial offerings, challenging both firms as they move toward public listings.
Amazon Q Developer flaw lets malicious Git repos steal AWS credentials via MCP config files
Researchers at Wiz Research have disclosed a critical security vulnerability in Amazon Q Developer — tracked as CVE-2026-12957 with a CVSS score of 8.5 — that allows malicious Git repositories to steal AWS credentials. When a developer clones a repository containing a crafted .amazonq/mcp.json configuration file, Amazon Q Developer automatically launches an attacker-controlled MCP server, which can exfiltrate AWS access keys, CLI session tokens, and API secrets. Maor Dokhanian of Wiz Research discovered and reported the flaw on April 20. Amazon patched it in Language Servers for AWS version 1.69.0 on May 12. Public disclosure occurred June 26.
Apple's Vision Pro lead reportedly leaving to join OpenAI's hardware team
Paul Meade, Apple’s vice president responsible for Vision Pro, is reportedly leaving the company to join OpenAI’s hardware team, according to TechCrunch. Meade led development of the AI-powered smart glasses that Apple plans to launch next year. His move to OpenAI’s hardware division would place a key Apple hardware architect on a competing team at a time when both companies are building AI-integrated consumer devices. The report, published June 27, had not been confirmed by Apple or OpenAI. Meade’s departure would represent a significant personnel loss for Apple’s spatial computing and wearables hardware program.
Keragon founder fed cancer data into Claude and avoided unnecessary radiotherapy
Connor Christou, founder of Keragon, a company building medical practice automation software, was diagnosed with aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma — a tumour mass measuring 11 by 11 by 8 centimetres. Facing disagreement among his medical team about treatment, Christou fed all available data into Anthropic’s Claude: blood test results, imaging scans, wearable output, and daily journal entries. Claude identified a thymus gland reactivation phenomenon with approximately 90 percent probability, based on his age and scan characteristics, helping Christou and his doctors conclude that radiotherapy was likely unnecessary. The story was reported by Connie Loizos for TechCrunch on June 27.
India's NPCI chief sees AI as key driver of UPI's next digital growth era
India’s National Payments Corporation of India CEO believes artificial intelligence will be a central driver of the next era of growth for the Unified Payments Interface, the country’s main digital payments platform. The NPCI chief identified three specific areas where AI is expected to contribute: user expansion, fraud prevention, and credit distribution. The views signal that India’s central digital payments body is planning to incorporate AI capabilities as UPI pushes toward broader reach. The NPCI CEO shared these views in an interview published by TechCrunch on June 27, 2026, as part of reporting on AI’s expanding role in financial services.
CYBERSECURITY
One Medical legacy systems breached; ShinyHunters claims 8.8 TB stolen
ShinyHunters hackers breached legacy systems tied to One Medical’s former subsidiary Iora Health, accessing an archive untouched through three corporate transitions over five years. The threat group claims to have exfiltrated 8.8 TB of data during a June 8–11 access window, with a ransom deadline that passed June 22. Affected patients span clinics in Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Tucson, Seattle, and across Massachusetts and North Carolina. One Medical—now owned by Amazon—confirmed the breach involves inactive legacy infrastructure, not current systems. The incident underscores the lingering risk of orphaned data assets accumulated through M&A activity.
Health systems must shift AI investment from admin automation to clinical transformation
Health systems are investing in AI at two to three times the rate of other industries—but most of that spending targets administrative automation, not clinical transformation. That was the core message from a keynote by Dr. Michael Pfeffer of Stanford Healthcare and Dr. Eric Alper of UMass Memorial Health at the HIMSS AI in Healthcare Forum in Boston on June 25. The physicians warned that without a strategic pivot toward care redesign, AI will widen the digital divide between well-resourced academic medical centers and community hospitals. Edge computing was proposed as one path to cost-efficient AI deployment at scale.
Rhode Island passes ambient AI scribe opt-out law
Rhode Island is set to become one of the first states requiring healthcare providers to give patients an opt-out right for ambient AI scribe technology. The bill, sponsored by Senator Lauria and Representative Tanzi, passed June 11 and awaits Governor Dan McKee’s signature. The legislation responds to growing patient concerns about AI-powered clinical recording tools—tools that have expanded rapidly across health systems to reduce clinician documentation burden. A Verasight and University of Michigan survey of 3,000 adults found 54% preferred to control when clinical AI is used in their care. Industry observers expect other states to follow.
Telehealth volumes up 79% since 2019, but health systems still losing money on virtual care
Telehealth visit volumes have climbed 79% since January 2019, and remote patient monitoring usage has surged nearly 4,000%—yet most health systems are still losing money on digital care services. A new Strata Decision Technology analysis finds operating margins for virtual care programs remained negative across every payer category throughout 2025, with overall health system operating margins sitting at just 0.2% in April. Drug cost inflation, up 8.9% year-over-year, compounds the squeeze. For healthcare IT leaders, the data poses a strategic challenge: how to sustain and scale digital health infrastructure when the business case remains financially fragile.
AI-powered EHR tools cut clicks, speed payments, and reduce claim errors at Florida neurology group
Florida’s largest private neurology practice is realizing measurable returns from AI embedded in its existing EHR workflows. First Choice Neurology—100-plus providers across 60 locations, serving 1,600 patients daily—deployed eClinicalWorks’ Document AI Insights Assistant, a digital payment platform, and a Clinical Rules Engine. The documentation AI reduced per-task workflow complexity by nine clicks. Digital payments cut accounts receivable from 27 to 24 days, generating $8,000–$10,000 in monthly savings. The rules engine validates claims against 1,400-plus payer-specific requirements before submission. New Doximity data shows neurologists now lead all physician specialties in AI adoption at 64%.
Owensboro Health deploys OR supply capture AI, achieving 24% gross revenue increase
Owensboro Health in Kentucky is using AI to solve a persistent OR revenue problem: accurately capturing and billing for surgical supplies used during procedures. Deployed across more than 13,000 surgical cases, the AssistIQ supply capture platform achieves 98–99% accuracy, yielding a 24% increase in gross revenue and 12% increase in net revenue from surgical services. Inventory depletion errors dropped 90%. For OR administrators and health system CFOs, the results illustrate AI’s power in the revenue integrity space—an area where manual processes have long led to significant undercapture of billable items and lost margin.
Patient portal messages in Epic up 153% since 2020, phone calls down 6%, JAMA study finds
Patient portal messages sent through Epic increased 153% between 2020 and 2025, according to a large-scale analysis published in JAMA by researchers at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The dataset spans 140 million patient records across 2,067 hospitals and 47,100 clinics, capturing more than 8 billion interactions. Of Epic’s 42 million active portal users, 12.6 million sent at least one message in Q1 2025 alone. Traditional phone calls to providers fell 6% over the same period. The findings signal a fundamental shift in patient-provider communication with significant implications for clinician workload and EHR workflow design.
18% of college students use AI for mental health support, with heaviest symptom burden leading adoption
Eighteen percent of college students use AI tools for mental health support, according to a Mass General Brigham study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders—and those with the heaviest symptom burden are twice as likely to use AI as their peers. Students with moderate-to-severe depression, severe anxiety, or suicidality appear drawn to AI’s anonymity, availability, and zero cost over campus counseling. Asian students showed roughly double the odds of AI use compared to other groups. Lead researcher Dr. Cindy Liu called on developers, health systems, and universities to embed crisis detection and professional referral pathways into AI mental health platforms.
ELECTRONICS
Requiem For Long Wave, As The BBC Goes Silent
The BBC permanently switched off its 198 kHz Long Wave signal from the Droitwich transmitter on June 27, 2026, ending decades of UK national broadcasting. The high-power transmitter relied on specialist vacuum tubes no longer manufactured, making the shutdown inevitable once critical components failed. Long Wave, occupying the 153–279 kHz range, had served listeners in remote coastal areas, onboard ships, and across Europe where FM coverage is unavailable. The Droitwich signal was stabilised by an atomic-controlled frequency standard ensuring extraordinary long-term precision. Shortwave enthusiasts and radio preservationists mourned the loss of one of the last active Long Wave broadcasters in western Europe.
World's Biggest RC A380 Is A Big Deal
Builder Ramy RC completed what is likely the world's largest RC airliner: a 1/8-scale Airbus A380 stretching 29 feet in length with a 32-foot wingspan, weighing approximately 800 pounds (362 kg). The fuselage was CNC-cut from EPS foam and reinforced with fiberglass and carbon fiber layups. Acrylic windows were fitted with 3D printed frames replicating the A380's distinctive upper deck. Four turbine engines power the model in flight. The aircraft made its public debut on June 28, 2026, drawing large crowds. Ramy RC meticulously reproduced full-scale A380 exterior proportions, including the characteristic double-deck hump visible through the transparent windows.
Cramming A Mini-ITX Gaming PC Into A 3D Printed Steam Machine Sized Case
Linux gaming community member 3DCatt 3D printed a custom Small Form Factor enclosure that mimics the footprint of Valve's original Steam Machine, but accepts standard Mini-ITX motherboards, ATX power supplies, and full-length discrete GPUs. The original Valve Steam Machine used non-standard PCB dimensions and a proprietary power connector, preventing modern hardware upgrades. 3DCatt's redesigned case, published on Printables and developed in collaboration with AMD engineer Jacob Terkelsen, fits components including the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060. The project is fully open-source, offering a fresh chassis option for Linux SFF gaming enthusiasts who want Steam Machine aesthetics with modern PC hardware.
Make Your Own Loudspeaker From Scratch
Dutch maker rvanderouderaa published a step-by-step Instructables guide for building a complete loudspeaker entirely from scratch, covered in a June 28 Hackaday writeup. The design uses a 3D printed frame and cone, while the suspension surround is formed from papier-mâché — wet toilet paper pressed into a 3D printed mould and left to dry. The result is a functional acoustic membrane with variable impedance, an unusual characteristic for a DIY speaker that affects frequency response. All build files and measurement data are included. English-speaking builders should run the original Dutch Instructables through a browser translator for detailed step-by-step construction instructions.
A Quantum Magic 8-Ball
David Noel Ng built a genuine quantum random number generator housed inside a standard novelty Magic 8-Ball enclosure. A single photon is directed at a 50/50 beam splitter; detection by photomultiplier tube A or B — an outcome determined by quantum superposition — generates each random binary bit. Ng validated the output using the NIST Statistical Test Suite (STS) applied across 1.6 billion generated bits, passing all 15 standard randomness tests in succession. Unlike pseudo-random number generators, which produce deterministic sequences from fixed seed values, this device derives entropy from an inherently unpredictable quantum mechanical measurement, making it a legitimate hardware true-random-number generator.
Bringing Swift To The Apple II
Developer Yeo Kheng Meng has ported a Swift language interpreter to the Apple II, running through a bytecode virtual machine on the 8-bit MOS 6502 processor. The project targets Apple II through Apple IIe hardware. The original Apple II shipped with 4 KB of RAM, but the Swift VM requires a 48 KB RAM expansion to operate. Swift source code is compiled to a compact bytecode format, which the 6502 executes at runtime via the interpreter. The project joins a growing body of retrocomputing software ports, demonstrating that modern high-level languages remain accessible on 1970s-era 8-bit hardware given sufficient RAM.
Do Metal Roofs Turn A Bird House Into An Oven?
YouTuber 'Of Human and Nature', covered by Hackaday's Navarre Bartz on June 27, 2026, tested whether a metal roof makes a birdhouse dangerously hot, as part of an ongoing 500-birdhouse build marathon. Using thermocouples and a heat lamp simulating solar radiation, the experiment found the metal roof surface reached approximately 70 °C. Interior cavity temperatures remained in the mid-20 °C range — a critical difference explained by the air gap between roof and cavity walls, which dramatically limits heat conduction. The results suggest that metal-roofed birdhouses are safe for nesting birds provided the air gap is maintained and ventilation holes are present.
LAYOFFS
2026 Tech Layoff Pace Reaches 882 Workers Per Day as AI-Driven Restructuring Continues
The tech sector’s AI-driven workforce reduction continued this week, with TrueUp’s Layoffs Tracker recording 421 layoff events so far in 2026, affecting 157,807 workers at a pace of 882 per day — compared to 674 per day across all of 2025. This week’s entries include Oracle cutting 500 employees in Romania on June 25, Culture Amp trimming 70 workers — 9% of its staff — in its third layoff round in three years, and Elastic announcing 280 job cuts, or 7% of its workforce, citing AI transformation of the search and analytics market. CompanyCam and customer-data startup Amperity conducted reductions. The 2025 full-year total reached 245,953 workers across 783 events.
Lucid Motors New CEO Cuts 18% of Workforce and Eliminates COO Role in Company Overhaul
Lucid Motors CEO Silvio Napoli cut 18% of the company’s workforce on June 22 — approximately 1,500 employees — the company’s second mass layoff in four months, following an earlier 12% reduction in 2026. Napoli said the cuts are designed to “simplify the company, sharpen execution, and position Lucid to become more competitive over time.” The restructuring also eliminates the second production shift at Lucid’s Casa Grande, Arizona factory and removes the chief operating officer role entirely; Marc Winterhoff, who served as interim CEO for more than a year before Napoli’s appointment, departed the company. Lucid said the workforce reduction will generate annualized savings of approximately $158 million.
Engineering Roles Prove Most Resilient in Tech Downturn, Comprising 55% of New Hires in 2025
New data from venture firm SignalFire suggests AI fears about engineering job losses may be overstated: engineering roles declined 11% at large tech companies versus 2019 levels, while total hiring at those companies dropped 25%, TechCrunch reported June 24. Engineers comprised 55% of all new hires at major tech companies in 2025, up from 46% in 2019 — meaning companies are disproportionately protecting engineering headcount even as they cut other functions. TechCrunch attributed the trend to a Jevons paradox effect, where AI-driven efficiency gains increase demand for engineers rather than reduce it. The most sought-after capabilities in 2026 include AI-native development, data engineering, cloud infrastructure, and agent and model development.
Oracle Confirms 21,000 Job Cuts Over Past Year as AI Infrastructure Spending Targets $70 Billion
Oracle’s global workforce fell to 141,000 employees as of May 31, 2026, down from approximately 162,000 a year earlier — a reduction of about 21,000 workers, or 13% of its headcount, CNBC reported June 23. The company spent $1.84 billion on severance and exit costs tied to the restructuring. Oracle stated in a regulatory filing that its “adoption and deployment of AI technologies across our operations have resulted, and may continue to result, in reductions to our workforce.” The cuts come as Oracle targets $70 billion in capital investment for AI infrastructure and data centers in fiscal 2026, supporting customers including OpenAI.
LinkedIn: 93% of Talent Professionals Plan to Expand AI Use in Recruiting as Candidate Competition Doubles
Recruiters’ use of AI is accelerating: 93% of talent professionals plan to increase their AI use in 2026, up from 67% in 2025, according to LinkedIn’s 2026 Talent Velocity Advantage Report. Among those already using AI in hiring, 59% say it helps identify candidates they would not have found otherwise, and two-thirds plan to use AI for pre-screening interviews. Meanwhile, competition for jobs has intensified — LinkedIn data shows U.S. applications per open position have doubled since spring 2022, even as 52% of professionals globally say they are currently looking for a new role. The report identifies psychological safety as the biggest differentiator among high-performing recruiting organizations.
BOX OFFICE
Supergirl’s Disappointing $40M Debut Signals DC Franchise Fatigue
Supergirl , Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ second production under James Gunn and Peter Safran, opened to a disappointing $40 million domestic and approximately $75 million globally in its June 26 debut — far below earlier tracking of $50 million-plus. The $170–$186 million production, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, earned a B− CinemaScore and just 52% definite recommend on PostTrak. The underwhelming result comes despite a record DC promotional partner campaign exceeding $100 million in media value. The opening starkly contrasts with Superman ’s $125 million domestic debut from last summer.
Toy Story 5 Crosses $300 Million Domestic in Dominant Second Weekend
Toy Story 5 crossed the $300 million domestic threshold in its second weekend, earning an estimated $70 million from 4,425 theaters — a roughly 56% decline that tracks closely with Incredibles 2’s second-weekend drop from a record animated opening. The Disney/Pixar sequel, directed by Andrew Stanton, debuted to a franchise-record $159.7 million the previous weekend, the biggest domestic opening of 2026. A late-breaking marketing beat — Taylor Swift ’s soundtrack contribution “I Knew It, I Know You,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — helped accelerate audience awareness in the campaign’s final weeks.
Scary Movie Franchise Crosses $1 Billion Globally, 26 Years After Launch
The Scary Movie franchise has crossed $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts, 26 years after the Wayans Brothers launched the spoof comedy series. The milestone was driven by the current Paramount–Miramax reboot, which has earned $100.5 million domestically and $108 million internationally for a running worldwide total of $208.5 million in three weeks. The film cost just $30 million to produce and marks the first pure R-rated comedy to cross $100 million domestically since Girls Trip in 2017. The reboot reunited original creators Marlon Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall under director Michael Tiddes.
Prime Video Launches Obsessed Fest as Its YA Fan Ecosystem Takes Shape
Prime Video hosted its inaugural Obsessed Fest on June 27 at nya Studios in Los Angeles, positioning the streamer as the leading destination for young adult content. The all-day fan experience unveiled the teaser trailer for romantic comedy The Love Hypothesis starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, confirmed Season 2 renewals for Every Year After and Off Campus, and featured a surprise performance by Jennifer Lopez . The event anchored Amazon MGM Studios’ “Obsession Is in Session” campaign initiative, which marketing chief Sue Kroll framed as emotion-first storytelling. Elle, a Legally Blonde prequel series, premieres July 1.
Nolan’s The Odyssey Tracking for $80M–$100M Domestic Opening in July
Christopher Nolan ’s feature adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey is tracking for an $80 million–$100 million domestic opening when the Universal release arrives July 17, a notably wide range reflecting how unpredictable Nolan films perform at the box office. The $250 million production — starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Zendaya — has already sold out 70mm IMAX screens and holds a three-week large-format exclusive. First-choice tracking currently exceeds Oppenheimer ’s at the same point before that film opened to $82.4 million, itself far above its $40–$50 million forecast.
Jackass: Best and Last Debuts to Franchise-Low $8.5M Despite Strong Reviews
Jackass: Best and Last , a compilation of new and archival stunts, debuted to a franchise-low $8.5 million from 2,855 North American theaters — well below Jackass Forever’s $23.1 million debut in 2022 and far behind Jackass 3D’s $50.3 million franchise record. Paramount Pictures’ $10 million net production nonetheless earned an A− CinemaScore from franchise fans, the best grade in the series since the original 2002 Jackass movie, alongside an 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. West Coast markets led, accounting for over 30% of opening-weekend gross, with men representing 69% of the audience.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Second Trailer Nears 600 Million Views
Spider-Man: Brand New Day ’s second trailer has generated nearly 600 million views following its June 17 release, ranking as the No. 2 biggest trailer launch of all time behind the same film’s own first trailer. Released in March 2026 , that first trailer drew a record 718.6 million views in 24 hours — becoming the first trailer in history to cross 1 billion views — while first-day advance ticket sales ranked as the biggest since Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021. The Sony /Marvel Studios sequel starring Tom Holland and Zendaya opens July 31.
Curated daily by Samwise · samwise.agency