Feb.19 (GMM) The FIA’s intensifying clampdown on driver swearing could be about to be diluted. Dubbed the sport’s new ‘swearing ban’, Max Verstappen said on Tuesday he will cope with the harsh new restrictions – which can now include race bans or docked championship points – by “not saying much” in 2025. “I didn’t say […]
Category: Recent stories
Verstappen, Marko, play down $1bn Aston Martin rumours
Feb.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen and Dr Helmut Marko have played down speculation the quadruple world champion will leave Red Bull after this season. Recently, a British newspaper suggested Aston Martin is prepared to offer Verstappen, 27, a remuneration package that over a period of years could net him $1 billion. “That’s a lot of money,” […]
Felipe Massa hits out at Alonso’s ‘two faces’
Feb.19 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is a Formula 1 driver and person with “two faces,” according to his former teammate Felipe Massa. Now-retired Brazilian Massa told Relevo that he is “not giving up” in his legal pursuit against the sport to rectify the outcome of the crash-gate marred 2008 championship. In that year, prior to Alonso […]
Ocon much happier after Alpine-to-Haas move
Feb.19 (GMM) Esteban Ocon admits switching from Alpine to Haas has been a breath of fresh air. The Frenchman’s soured relationship with Alpine, formerly Renault, ended abruptly even before the season finale in Abu Dhabi late last year, when his successor Jack Doohan stepped into his cockpit. Even teammate Pierre Gasly, definitely not close friends […]
Colapinto pressure intensifying for Jack Doohan
Feb.19 (GMM) Jack Doohan on Tuesday insisted he is not feeling any extra pressure despite being barraged by questions about Franco Colapinto. With new Alpine reserve Colapinto’s sponsor Mercado Libre, a South American e-commerce site, revealed to be on the team’s 2025 livery, speculation is only intensifying that rookie Doohan’s career on the grid could […]
McLaren not worried about new wing flex tests
Feb.19 (GMM) McLaren insists it is not worried about the new wing flexibility tests in Formula 1. The team was at the centre of the flexibility controversies of 2024, and a month ago the FIA issued a technical directive tightening up the testing measures for the new season. After the F1 Commission meeting in London […]
Red Bull’s likely F1 reserve secures super license
Feb.18 (GMM) The next in line for a seat at Red Bull’s second Formula 1 team, Racing Bulls, is clearly Arvid Lindblad. With Liam Lawson stepping up to become Max Verstappen’s teammate this year, and rookie Isack Hadjar replacing Lawson at Racing Bulls, the energy drink-owned F1 concern is notably missing an obvious reserve driver […]
F1 launch event not for ‘hardcore fans’ – Wolff
Feb.18 (GMM) “Hardcore fans” may not be looking forward to Tuesday’s unprecedented collective launch for the 2025 season at a sold-out O2 arena in London. Instead of the usual approach, where the ten teams individually take the wraps off their new cars, F1 owner Liberty Media organised a massive event that all teams, drivers and […]
Mick Schumacher admits ‘shyness’ hurt F1 career
Feb.18 (GMM) Mick Schumacher believes his shyness partly explains his reputation in Formula 1 as a crash-prone driver. After two seasons on the Mercedes reserve bench in the wake of his two-year Haas career, the German has set aside his F1 dream for now to totally focus on the WEC with Alpine. However, he thinks […]
Mercedes engine a key reason for Sainz move
Feb.18 (GMM) Carlos Sainz openly admits that a key reason for choosing Williams as his new Formula 1 home is the Mercedes engine. Already with a title-winning power unit in the current regulations era, Mercedes’ customer engine program is also clearly a success given that McLaren won the constructors’ championship in 2024. So with the […]
Leclerc ‘reputation’ on the line in 2025 – Allievi
Feb.17 (GMM) One of Italy’s most celebrated Formula 1 journalists thinks Charles Leclerc’s reputation is on the line in 2025. Although just 27, this year will be Leclerc’s eighth consecutive season on the grid. He retains a reputation as one of F1’s very best drivers, but some have begun to question whether he will ever […]
Barcelona ‘not considering’ Spa-style F1 rotation
Feb.17 (GMM) A top official insists Barcelona is “not considering” joining Spa-Francorchamps in agreeing to take part in Formula 1’s new race rotation scheme. With a ten-year contract in its pocket, Madrid is joining the F1 calendar from 2026 – the last year of existing Spanish GP host Barcelona’s race contract with the sport. Nonetheless, […]
Williams not ‘flat’ despite ‘low’ expectations – Sainz
Feb.17 (GMM) Carlos Sainz admits his expectations for good results in 2025 are very low. For the past four years, the Spaniard was half of a very effective driver lineup at Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc. He was replaced for 2025 and beyond with seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Sainz, 30, was diplomatic when asked […]
FIA president wants Chinese manufacturer on F1 grid
Feb.17 (GMM) Mohammed Ben Sulayem admits he already has a preferred contender to move into the final team garage in the Formula 1 pitlane. Having fought hard against Liberty Media and the existing ten teams, the FIA president ultimately got his wish of welcoming Cadillac as the eleventh team for 2026 and beyond. Now he’s […]
Schumacher admits clinging to F1 dream ‘too tightly’
Feb.17 (GMM) Mick Schumacher admits he may have “clung too tightly” to the idea that he may return to the Formula 1 grid. After losing his Haas seat at the end of 2022, the German patiently served as Mercedes’ full-time reserve driver for two years. For 2025, he has been replaced by Valtteri Bottas, with […]
Doohan ‘certainly’ facing in-season 2025 axe – driver
Feb.17 (GMM) One former driver is anticipating an early end to Jack Doohan’s brand new Formula 1 career in 2025. With Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon locking out the Williams race lineup for now, and the team needing money more than another driver, boss James Vowles agreed to a reported five-year ‘loan’ of Franco Colapinto […]
Teams to ‘take stock’ very early in 2025 – Vasseur
Feb.17 (GMM) Some teams may upgrade their cars only once this year, Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur admits. Anticipation is now building for a closely-fought 2025 championship, with Williams and Haas now joining McLaren in getting their new cars out on track. Even title contender McLaren’s 2025 car is strongly reminiscent of its constructors’ championship-winning 2024 […]
Mika Salo unlikely to continue as F1 steward
Feb.17 (GMM) Mika Salo doubts he will be serving as an occasional Formula 1 steward this year. Fellow former F1 driver Johnny Herbert was actually scheduled to serve as a steward at the opening grand prix of 2025 in Melbourne next month. But the FIA performed a u-turn, concluding that Herbert’s parallel media work – […]
F1 finally admits reason for scrapping bonus point
Feb.14 (GMM) Formula 1 axed the bonus point for fastest lap for the 2025 season because it was “controversial”. Last October, the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council ratified the removal of the extra point for a top-10 finisher – but did not explain why. Many suspected it was directly related to a highly controversial incident […]
Red Bull, Audi, Aston all rejected Vettel – report
Feb.14 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that he issued a clear “no” to Sebastian Vettel’s desire to return to Formula 1 in 2025 with Red Bull. Amid the swirling rumours about Sergio Perez’s uncertain future last year, advisor Marko admits the team’s former quadruple world champion Vettel picked up the phone. That is despite […]