Mar.4 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg is not yet putting his hand up for a works Audi seat. At the end of this year, the Swiss team Sauber’s naming rights deal with Alfa Romeo will end – as the 75 percent buyout by Volkswagen brand Audi ramps up in time for 2026. Currently, the only German driver […]
Category: Recent stories
Easing Aston Martin hype ‘impossible’ – de la Rosa
Mar.4 (GMM) Pedro de la Rosa says it is now “impossible” to try to play down the hype surrounding Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso in 2023. After a winter of speculation about the Silverstone based team’s chances, and an eye-opening performance at the pre-season test, Alonso confirmed the hype by beating Max Verstappen to top […]
Mazepin sets ‘example’ with F1 ruling – Petrov
Mar.4 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin has set an “example” by fighting for his right as a Russian citizen to race in Formula 1. That is the view of Russia’s first-ever F1 driver Vitaly Petrov, following Friday’s news out of the court of justice of the European Union. In a ruling, the court agreed with axed Haas […]
Stroll may pull out of Bahrain GP – Schumacher
Mar.4 (GMM) A new question mark has emerged over Lance Stroll’s ongoing participation in the season-opening Bahrain GP. Just days after surgery for a fractured wrist, and with his other wrist also sprained following a mountain bike fall, the Canadian took part in Friday practice at Sakhir. And while teammate Fernando Alonso astonishingly set the […]
Norris does not regret long McLaren contract
Mar.3 (GMM) Lando Norris has responded to 2009 world champion Jenson Button “talking crap” about him. Last month, Button admitted he was “surprised” when – about this time last year – 23-year-old Norris extended his McLaren contract through to the end of 2025. Button made those comments before it became clear to what extent McLaren […]
Red Bull has reacted to budget cap scandal – Marko
Mar.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull made big changes over the winter to ensure last year’s budget cap scandal does not re-emerge. The reigning champions paid a $7 million fine for the ‘minor’ 2021 overspend and had a further 10 percent of their wind tunnel time taken away. “We have learned from the […]
Alpine smiling after mysterious test form
Mar.3 (GMM) Alpine’s place in the 2023 pecking order is perhaps less clear than any other Formula 1 team. Team boss Otmar Szafnauer admits that, at least publicly, the sole Bahrain test last week was an “inconspicuous” performance for the Renault-owned outfit. However, between the boss and the team’s French drivers Esteban Ocon and newcomer […]
Hamilton hits back over contract delay rumours
Mar.3 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has hit back at two fellow world champions who wonder if the Mercedes driver will sign another contract. Team boss Toto Wolff said recently that tentative talks are beginning, but Hamilton’s former McLaren teammate Jenson Button says the 38-year-old is probably waiting to see how competitive the 2023 car is. “Why […]
Apparent Red Bull dominance ‘dangerous’ – Berger
Mar.3 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says it is “dangerous” for Red Bull to assume it is the clearly dominant team heading into the 2023 season. As the sport’s players re-gathered in Bahrain on Thursday ahead of the first race, the feeling that back-to-back world champion Max Verstappen is the runaway favourite is unanimous. “I’m […]
Court gives green light for Mazepin’s F1 return
Mar.3 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin has been given the green light by Europe’s court of justice to return to Formula 1. At the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, the Russian driver and his sponsor Uralkali were ousted from Haas and the sport. The 24-year-old took his case to the Court of Justice of the European Union […]
Injured Stroll denies Bahrain return ‘not smart’
Mar.3 (GMM) Lance Stroll admits he has “a little pain” at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but he’s confident he will get through this weekend’s Bahrain season opener. The Canadian sat out pre-season testing at the same Sakhir circuit last week following a mountain bike crash – in which he broke one wrist […]
Stroll in Bahrain for FIA medical checks
Mar.2 (GMM) Lance Stroll has travelled to Bahrain ahead of this weekend’s 2023 season opener. The Canadian, whose father Lawrence owns the team, sat out pre-season testing for Aston Martin last week after a reported mountain biking fall in Spain. But according to Sky Italia, he successfully underwent surgery for a wrist injury and late […]
Steiner denies ‘bullying’ axed Schumacher
Mar.2 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has denied “bullying” ousted Haas driver Mick Schumacher. Prior to their Formula 1 split, it was clear that relations between team boss Steiner and 23-year-old Schumacher were strained. But the extent of the difficulties only became clearer in the latest edition of Drive To Survive on Netflix, with phone calls between […]
Wolff denies Mercedes still ‘porpoising’
Mar.2 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hit back at claims from the Red Bull camp that Mercedes’ new car is affected by ‘porpoising’. Last year, the former championship-dominant team struggled throughout the season as Formula 1’s new ‘ground effect’ era began. The biggest problem was the phenomenon described as ‘porpoising’ or jumping, caused by a constant […]
Liberty Media turned off F1’s German market
Mar.2 (GMM) Formula 1’s new “Hollywood recipe” is a turn-off for German fans, according to the sport’s former supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Just days before the 2023 season begins in Bahrain, not only is Nico Hulkenberg now the only German driver, there are no more German races – and Bahrain will not even be on free-to-air […]
Hamilton should only have six titles – Ecclestone
Mar.2 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton should only have six world championships, according to Bernie Ecclestone. Actually, many fans of the seven time drivers’ title winner think Hamilton, 38, actually deserves eight championships – due to the highly controversial outcome of the 2021 season. But as far as former F1 supremo Ecclestone is concerned, it is Michael […]
Journalist triggered Alpha Tauri sale rumours
Mar.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks rumours about Alpha Tauri’s potential sale were triggered by a single journalist. The Faenza based team, which like the premier outfit Red Bull Racing is also owned by the energy drink company, has now taken the step of issuing an official statement to deny the rumours. In the statement, […]
Hulkenberg defends Schumacher family’s silence
Mar.1 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has defended the ongoing decision of Michael Schumacher’s family to keep the details of his health condition secret. Eddie Jordan, who was the seven time world champion and F1 legend’s first boss in Formula 1, caused a stir this week by suggesting the 54-year-old is severely brain damaged. “It can’t be […]
De Vries learns lesson about F1 media
Mar.1 (GMM) Nyck de Vries says he is already learning lessons about Formula 1’s global media environment. For instance, he commented at the Bahrain test that one of his biggest problems was that – following a wash – his new Alpine suit had shrunk and no longer fit him. It is believed the suit manufacturer […]
Teams must be ‘careful’ with Netflix details
Mar.1 (GMM) Formula 1 teams may need to wise up about how Netflix puts together the sport’s official series Drive To Survive. With Max Verstappen returning to the newly-released season 5 following his boycott, it was hoped the new season would please some of F1’s more critical ‘purist’ fans. Esteban Ocon, however, broke that illusion […]