Aug.30 (GMM) Sergio Perez has confirmed that his performance began to slide in 2023 just as teammate Max Verstappen got more comfortable with the same Red Bull car. Verstappen, who has won a record-equalling nine races on the trot in recent months, admitted this week that it initially took him “a few races” to “fine-tune” […]
Category: Recent stories
Italy GP boss in a ‘hurry’ for F1 contract talks
Aug.30 (GMM) Italian GP chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani says he is in a “hurry” to ink a new Formula 1 race deal with Liberty Media. With the highly popular Dutch GP at Zandvoort facing the prospect of having to annually alternate its calendar spot, it is clear that even the historic venue at Monza is […]
Leclerc denies negotiating with Mercedes’ Wolff
Aug.30 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has given another hint that he definitely sees his future in red. Ferrari, but particularly the Monegasque, driver had a poor weekend at Zandvoort, amid rumours he is not currently keen for contract talks beyond 2024. However, the 25-year-old denied in conversation with La Repubblica newspaper that he has had talks […]
Verstappen enjoying dominating more than 2021 battle
Aug.29 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is eyeing September’s Japanese GP as the ideal place for Max Verstappen to put the lid on his third consecutive drivers’ title. That would leave a full six grands prix left unraced in 2023, demonstrating just how dominant the Red Bull driver has been this year. “Let’s see if the […]
Aston Martin to keep developing 2023 car – Krack
Aug.29 (GMM) Mike Krack hopes Aston Martin has put its season back on track. After a surprisingly impressive performance and a string of podiums for Fernando Alonso in the first part of the season, the team admits to have slumped with some poor car developments more recently. But with a new upgrade package on the […]
Ferrari must ‘restructure’ struggling team – boss
Aug.29 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur admits there is a need for Ferrari to “restructure” its operations. The Italian press is once again scathing of the fabled Maranello marque’s progress after the Dutch GP, where poor pace was allied with driver and team errors. La Gazzetta dello Sport said it was a “shameful” showing, while Corriere dello […]
Verstappen has ‘talked’ about Norris for Red Bull
Aug.29 (GMM) Speculation that Sergio Perez’s days at Red Bull are numbered just will not go away. Before Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand at Zandvoort, rumours were rife that Red Bull’s plan was to find a way out of Perez’s 2024 deal. But now, with Liam Lawson at the wheel of Ricciardo’s Alpha Tauri for […]
Bad news for injured Ricciardo after surgery
Aug.28 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo received bad news after undergoing surgery on his broken hand. The Australian, who hit the wall at Zandvoort on Friday when he encountered the crashed McLaren of countryman Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, was initially diagnosed with a broken metacarpal in his left hand. He was put in a cast at a hospital […]
Stroll hits back at wild tennis switch rumours
Aug.28 (GMM) Lance Stroll has lashed back at reports suggesting he may hang up his helmet and attempt to launch a professional tennis career instead. Stroll, the 24-year-old son of Aston Martin owner and billionaire Lawrence Stroll, has been comprehensively outshone by new team recruit Fernando Alonso, 42, this season. And, over the recent summer […]
Schumacher admits ‘time running out’ for F1 return
Aug.28 (GMM) Mick Schumacher admits the time has come for his plans for 2024 to become clearer. At Zandvoort, what did become clear is that the Williams race seat alongside the on-form Alex Albon might be up for grabs, with rookie Logan Sargeant given a mission to up his game. “You have to earn your […]
‘Listless’ Leclerc brushes off Ferrari exit question
Aug.28 (GMM) Charles Leclerc brushed off suggestions he might need a change of environment in Formula 1. The highly-rated Monegasque driver had a notably lacklustre weekend at Zandvoort, as Ferrari’s overall performance slumped even more. “Williams, McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin, they’re all quicker than us here,” his teammate Carlos Sainz admitted. Leclerc, however, […]
Albon will not return to Red Bull – Marko
Aug.28 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down suggestions Red Bull should reunite with the on-form Alex Albon. At the wheel of a Williams, the British-born Thai driver was in the top 5 or 6 throughout the Dutch GP weekend, before finishing eighth in the race. The performance comes at an awkward time for Max […]
Verstappen ‘best ever F1 driver’ – Marko
Aug.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen is now one of the best Formula 1 drivers “of all time”. That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, as Dutchman Verstappen matched Sebastian Vettel’s old record with his ninth win on the trot at home at Zandvoort. Even F1 legend Fernando Alonso – second in his resurgent […]
‘Small details’ holding up new Hamilton deal
Aug.27 (GMM) Only “small details” are still to be ironed out of Lewis Hamilton’s new Mercedes contract for 2024. Some fans had expected the Brackley based team to finally end the long-running saga of the seven time world champion’s delayed negotiations this weekend at Zandvoort. But Hamilton, 38, told reporters “No” on Thursday when asked […]
Marko insists 2024 Red Bull lineup ‘clear’
Aug.27 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has brushed aside new claims suggesting Sergio Perez may be ousted at the end of the season. At Zandvoort, Mexican Perez was a massive 1.3 seconds slower than dominant teammate Max Verstappen’s pole position time. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Auto Motor und Sport that the result is bizarre. “Perez […]
Leclerc delighted Ferrari will scrap 2023 car
Aug.27 (GMM) Charles Leclerc is delighted that Ferrari will essentially scrap the current 2023 car at the end of the season. The 25-year-old crashed out of qualifying at Zandvoort, amid speculation in the paddock that the Italian team arrived at the Dutch GP with a fundamentally incorrect choice of aerodynamic settings. “There are no excuses […]
Brown slams Palou for burning F1 chance with McLaren
Aug.27 (GMM) Zak Brown thinks Indycar star Alex Palou has hurt his chances of taking the step up to Formula 1. Brown is the CEO of McLaren, who tried to poach Spaniard Palou – the 2021 champion, current Indycar leader, and recent McLaren F1 reserve driver – from Chip Ganassi to McLaren’s own Indycar squad. […]
CEO hits back at Verstappen’s criticism of F1
Aug.27 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali has defended all the changes that are being made to Formula 1’s traditional format. World champion Max Verstappen has warned that he could actually quit F1 prior to the expiry of his 2028 contract – with rule changes made for the ‘show’ given as a main reason. “I think it’s good […]
F1 CEO admits Dutch GP may need to alternate
Aug.27 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali has played down fears about the future of the highly popular Dutch GP – even though he admits it may cease to be run every year. Zandvoort’s contract with Formula 1 runs only until 2025, with circuit director Robert van Overdijk admitting this weekend that negotiations about the future may be […]
F1 CEO defends utter Verstappen dominance
Aug.27 (GMM) F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has defended Max Verstappen’s utter dominance of the sport this year. The Red Bull driver’s closest challenger in Zandvoort qualifying was Lando Norris, whose McLaren was half a second adrift. When asked if he was surprised at the big gap, Norris said: “No, no. It’s never a surprise anymore. […]