Downforce & Divots — editorial for performance cars and golf
Apex, fairway, repeat. Daily reporting on motorsport, performance cars, golf equipment and the places the two worlds genuinely meet.
The Ball Variable: Why Your Launch Monitor Is Only as Honest as What You Hit
New testing and ball-structure research reveal that the biggest discrepancy on the launch monitor isn't the camera or radar—it is the compression core of the ball you feed it.
The Stick-Shift Compromise: Inside the 2027 Nissan Z NISMO Manual
Nissan finally granted purists their three-pedal NISMO wish, but a manual gearbox and extra grip cannot fully conceal aging bones.
From the paddock and the pro shop.
Family Business: Marcus and Hampus Ericsson Team Up for the Indianapolis 8 Hour
The 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner joins forces with his younger brother in a Random Vandals Racing BMW at the Brickyard.
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The Sepang Resurgence: Formula 1 Confronts the Heat Nine Years Later
As practice gets underway at the Sepang International Circuit, F1’s return to Malaysian asphalt brings severe weather tests and early technical chaos.
The Blank Check Bounces: Sergio Garcia, Kooyonga, and the Unraveling of LIV Golf's Mega-Contracts
As the breakaway circuit navigates high-stakes bankruptcy disclosures and a looming BC Partners deadline, foundational stars and host venues are desperately scrambling for the exit doors.
The Baku Margin: How Russell Snapped the Drought by 196 Milliseconds
Holding off Max Verstappen by less than two tenths in Azerbaijan, George Russell narrowed the intra-team gap to Kimi Antonelli and set up a late-season title showdown.
The Forty-Thousand Threshold: How Xiaomi Scaled China’s EV Crucible
September’s record-shattering delivery surge proves consumer tech giant Xiaomi isn’t just dabbling in electric mobility—it is out-manufacturing seasoned rivals.
The Twelve-Hole Heresy: Why Nick Faldo Believes Championship Golf Is Due for a Cut
Six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo predicts the professional game will break with 18-hole orthodoxy and stage a tour event on a 12-hole layout before the decade is out.
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The Compact Loft: Why Shorter-Shaft Fairway Woods Are Rewriting Long-Iron Strategy
By trimming shaft length for tighter dispersion, clubs like Callaway’s Mini Spinner seven-wood offer an uncompromising antidote to long-iron anxiety.
The Refined Scalpel: First Look at the 2027 Honda Civic Type R
Honda gives its benchmark front-drive titan a sharper cabin and subtler swagger without blunting its lethal edge.
The Succession War: How the Holy Trinity Became Classics in the Shadow of W1 and F80
As the original hybrid triumvirate heads to the auction block, McLaren's W1, Ferrari's F80, and Bugatti's Tourbillon inaugurate hypercar engineering's ruthless next chapter.
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The week in motorsport and golf, distilled from every story we publish. Delivered Saturdays at 7am, wherever the next tournament is.