Formula 1 and the Dutch Grand Prix promoter have agreed a one-year contract extension that will keep Circuit Zandvoort on the Formula 1 calendar until the 2026 season. The promoter has decided not to continue on the schedule after 2026, following extensive thought and debate.

The resumption of the Dutch Grand Prix in 2021 coincided with an era of dominance for local star Max Verstappen, who has won the race three times and been named World Champion in each of the event's four editions. The event has become well known for its experience, with Dutch and foreign tourists alike converging to see the thrill of Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy and other teams battle around the circuit's famed banked bends. It has also established itself as a premier sustainable sports event, pioneering technology that are now utilised throughout the Formula One season.

The 2025 edition of the event is scheduled to take place from 29 to 31 August. The date for the last race in 2026, which will feature a Sprint for the first time at the Dutch Grand Prix, will be confirmed next year. Tickets for the 2025 race are already being sold, and details on the 2026 final event will be released soon.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1, said, “I am incredibly grateful for the work that the team at the Dutch Grand Prix have done in recent years. They raised the bar for European Grands Prix in terms of event spectacle and entertainment, supported the development of young talent by hosting F2, F3 and our F1 Academy series and have also pioneered sustainable solutions that have inspired our events around the world as we drive towards being Net Zero by 2030. All parties positively collaborated to find a solution to extend the race, with many options, including alternation or annual events on the table, and we respect the decision from the promoter to finish its amazing run in 2026. I want to thank all the team at the Dutch Grand Prix and the Municipality of Zandvoort who have been fantastic partners to Formula 1.”

Robert van Overdijk, Director, Dutch Grand Prix, said, “The Dutch Grand Prix is the result of a unique collaboration between SportVibes, TIG Sports and Circuit Zandvoort, who shared the ambition of bringing the race back to the Netherlands. What we have achieved so far is undoubtedly a huge success. The appreciation from our visitors, drivers and teams has been unprecedented, and we are incredibly proud of that. While today’s announcement signals the end of a monumental era, we are confident there is plenty more for fans to look forward to at the Dutch Grand Prix in 2025 and 2026, including the Sprint in 2026. We are a privately owned and operated business, and we must balance the opportunities presented by continuing to host the event, against other risks and responsibilities. We have decided to go out on a high with two more incredible Dutch Grands Prix in 2025 and 2026. We wanted to take this step while our event is adored and supported by passionate fans, residents and the Formula 1 community. I want to thank Stefano Domenicali and all the team at Formula 1 for the hard work that has seen multiple contract extensions realised and the Dutch Grand Prix be such a success.”

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GreenCell Mobility (GCM), the electric bus platform backed by Eversource Capital, has completed a USD 89 million mezzanine funding round. The investment was provided by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), British International Investment (BII) and Tata Capital. The capital is designated to support the expansion of GCM’s electric vehicle operations across India.

The company currently operates a fleet of more than 1,200 electric buses and 270 charging stations. This funding will facilitate the growth of the fleet to 3,700 units. The expansion includes buses secured through the National E-Bus Programme and the PM Seva E-Mobility initiative. These vehicles will serve routes in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Puducherry.

The mezzanine financing structure is intended to catalyse private and institutional capital for the transport sector. By increasing the number of electric buses on intra-city and intercity corridors, GCM aims to address air quality and carbon emission targets. The project also focuses on establishing payment-security models and financing structures that can be replicated in urban transport markets.

GCM functions as an OEM-agnostic platform, allowing it to integrate various bus models into its network. The investment will also fund the development of charging infrastructure required to support the larger fleet, specifically targeting connectivity in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Dhanpal Jhaveri, Vice-Chairman of Everstone Group and CEO of Eversource Capital, said, "Through this funding round for GreenCell Mobility, we are deepening our partnership with IFC, BII and Tata Capital (leaders in sustainable investments). The transaction exemplifies the catalytic role that private, development and institutional capital can play in accelerating India’s clean transport revolution. GCM’s expanded operations will drive transformation efficient transportation to cities and commuters while delivering returns."

Devndra Chawla, Managing Director & CEO, GreenCell Mobility, said, "This fundraise marks a significant milestone in GreenCell Mobility’s journey to build electric mobility as a mainstream, scalable public transport solution for India. The participation of IFC, BII and Tata Capital reflects strong conviction in our platform, our operating model, and our ability to execute at scale. As we expand our fleet and charging infrastructure across states under programmes such as PM Seva E-Mobility, our focus remains on delivering reliable, cost-efficient and zero-emission transport for cities and intercity corridors."

Katherine Koh, Regional Industry Manager, IFC, added, “Electrifying buses is central to India’s urban transformation agenda, and our mezzanine investment in GreenCell will accelerate the rollout of sustainable public transport for thousands of people across India’s tier-2 and tier-3 cities. It will create jobs while catalyzing private capital through innovative financing and payment-security models.”

Shilpa Kumar, Managing Director and Head of India, BII, said, “Climate action is a key priority for BII in India, with electric mobility as a key pillar of our climate investment strategy. Electric buses are a critical lever for decarbonising public transport at scale. Our investment in GreenCell Mobility reflects our commitment to supporting proven platforms that accelerate clean mobility.”

Manish Chourasia, Chief Operating Officer, Tata Capital, noted, "Tata Capital is pleased to participate in this strategic investment that accelerates India’s transition to cleaner, more efficient transport. GCM’s innovative approach aligns with our vision for sustainable urban development and inclusive growth.”

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ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions recently hosted its landmark ZEISS Quality Innovation Worldwide forums in New Delhi and Pune. These events, integral to a global series originating from the flagship summit in Berlin, positioned India as a central architect in the evolving narrative of worldwide metrology. Focused squarely on ‘The Future of Metrology’, the gatherings engaged key manufacturing sectors – from automotive and electric mobility to medical technology and electronics – on overcoming modern precision and quality challenges.

A core insight emphasised metrology's transformative shift from merely assessing outcomes to proactively predicting performance. This evolution empowers manufacturers to accelerate innovation while adhering to rigorous quality standards. The forums established a pioneering national platform, merging strategic dialogue with exhibits of advanced technology. Attendees engaged with cutting-edge innovations across optical, tactile and X-ray measurement, explored connected digital ecosystems like ZEISS PiWeb and witnessed AI-driven and automated inspection solutions aligned with smart industry principles. Practical, hands-on demonstrations bridged these technologies with real-world production scenarios.

Notably, the India editions amplified the voice of local industry, with leading manufacturers detailing their own journeys in quality transformation. They shared experiences in building resilient quality cultures, pioneering process innovation and implementing best practices in complex environments. This highlighted a collaborative model for progress, where the future of Indian metrology is being jointly shaped by global technology leaders and domestic industrial innovation.

By selecting two of India’s premier industrial hubs, ZEISS reinforced its deep commitment to the nation's manufacturing ascent. The initiative frames India not merely as a growth market but as a vital contributor to global manufacturing excellence. Ultimately, the events united industry leaders and quality champions to collectively define how predictive intelligence and precision will forge the next decade of manufacturing.

Aveen Padmaprabha, Head of Industrial Quality Solutions, ZEISS India, said, “As manufacturing continues to transform, the expectations from metrology are expanding rapidly – from speed and accuracy to data-driven decision-making. ZEISS Quality Innovation Worldwide in India, which witnessed a humbling participation of 350+ individuals from the manufacturing fraternity, demonstrated how advanced metrology solutions can empower the industry to achieve higher productivity and quality consistency. Our focus remains on enabling our customers with future-ready technologies and deep application expertise.”

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BASF Coatings has released its latest Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings, revealing a shift in global vehicle colour preferences for 2025. The data indicates that green has become the fastest-growing chromatic colour, while gray has increased its share within the achromatic category.

The report finds that while white remains the dominant choice in India, there is a growing shift towards individual expression. Globally, the report identifies green as the fastest-growing chromatic colour and gray as a primary riser in the achromatic category.

According to the report, Indian consumers continue to favour white for its traditional appeal and resale value, yet nature-inspired aesthetics are gaining traction. Green now ranks among the top three chromatic colours globally, trailing only blue and red. While blue dropped by one percentage point and red declined to 3 percent of the total market, green continued a steady rise. Gray recorded an increase of two percentage points worldwide, whereas white saw a slight decline in other markets despite its stronghold in India. Solid finishes have also decreased globally, now representing 18 percent of the total market.

Florina Trost, Head of Design EMEA, BASF Coatings, said, “The green trend was already making waves in EMEA a few years ago. Different shades have been featured in our Automotive Color Trends collection, hinting at the huge variety of shades we see fitting to this movement today.”

The Americas showed an increase in chromatic paints by nearly two percentage points. While red and blue remain historically significant in this region, colours such as green, beige, brown and violet are gaining momentum.

Mark Gutjahr, Global Head of Automotive Color Design, BASF Coatings, said, “In 2021, brown and beige have been key colours of our trend collection. The sales now validate these early predictions and illustrate, how long-term trends continue to shape the market.”

In the Asia Pacific region, gray is trending upwards as white declines. Green is expanding its presence with a range extending from light tones to natural shades.

Chiharu Matsuhara, Head of Automotive Color Design for Asia Pacific, BAF Coatings, said, “In our past trend forecast, we have introduced a solid-like gray with subtle colour interference and highlighted an urban nuance green for adaptability. Today, gray strengthens while green expands across the region.”

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The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), in partnership with the Delhi Traffic Police and Maruti Suzuki India, has completed road safety refresher workshops in New Delhi. The sessions were organised as part of National Road Safety Month and targeted commercial vehicle and three-wheeler drivers.

The initiative, part of the ‘सुरक्षित सफर (Safe Journey)’ programme, involved over 200 participants. Workshops took place on 12 January 2026 at the Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTR) in Loni/Burari and on 15 January 2026 at IDTR, Sarai Kale Khan.

The workshops provided health check-ups for drivers, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and eye examinations. Eyewear was distributed to drivers through support from the Eicher Group Foundation and Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital.

Following the medical checks, faculty from IDTR and the Delhi Traffic Police delivered training on traffic regulations, defensive driving, and on-road behaviour. The curriculum focused on safety messages through participant engagement and learning.

Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, said, “Road safety is a shared responsibility, and sustained awareness among drivers is critical to reducing road accidents. Through our ‘सुरक्षित सफर" initiative, SIAM, along with its member companies and enforcement authorities, remains committed to promoting safer driving practices and strengthening road safety culture across the country.”

Vinay Dhingra, Vice-President, SAFE, said, “Drivers are the lifeline of our nation. It is through their hard work and dedication that we are able to support and strengthen our country. Consistent training and awareness programmes are crucial in building a strong culture of road safety. These initiatives equip drivers with a better understanding of traffic regulations, encourage safer driving habits, and help create safer roads for everyone.”

Officials from the Delhi Traffic Police and representatives from Honda Motorcycle & Scooters India also attended the sessions to interact with the drivers.

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