Nov.9 (GMM) Max Verstappen is “weak technically”, according to Red Bull’s former engineering boss. Guillaume ‘Rocky’ Rocquelin, who currently runs Red Bull’s driver development academy, says the new back-to-back world champion “still has a lot of progress to make” in that area. “I think Sebastian (Vettel) was a more complete driver than Max when he […]
Category: Recent stories
Piastri up and running in secret McLaren test
Nov.8 (GMM) Oscar Piastri has got his career with McLaren up and running in France. Auto Hebdo, a specialist French car magazine, claims the 21-year-old Australian privately tested a McLaren at Paul Ricard last Wednesday and Thursday. Earlier this year, Piastri was the subject of an intense legal dispute between Alpine and McLaren, with McLaren […]
Marko denies Alpha Tauri to be sold
Nov.8 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits Red Bull’s affairs are currently up in the air in the wake of founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s death. However, he scotched wild rumours that one of the first moves by the energy drink company’s new sports-related CEO Oliver Mintzlaff will be to sell Alpha Tauri. “The group is doing well,” […]
Hamilton to challenge Verstappen in 2023 – Marko
Nov.8 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has tipped Lewis Hamilton to be Max Verstappen’s strongest championship challenger in 2023. This year, the early strong challenge came from Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, but ultimately Red Bull’s Verstappen wrapped up the title with races to spare. “Leclerc was very strong in qualifying,” Red Bull official Marko, 79, told […]
Marko, Horner say ‘six teams’ over 2022 budget cap
Nov.8 (GMM) The budget cap saga may be about to boil over, Red Bull’s top Austrian official Dr Helmut Marko warns. In the days before the Brazilian GP, it emerged that Sky Sports’ Formula 1 producer Billy McGinty visited Red Bull’s UK factory to smooth over strained relations as a result of allegedly biased budget […]
2023 calendar likely to shrink to 23 races
Nov.7 (GMM) Formula 1’s unprecedentedly-long 2023 calendar looks set to shrink by one race. The sport has unveiled its 24-event schedule for next year, including the return of China – with Shanghai having been absent since the onset of covid in early 2020. But according to Auto Motor und Sport, China’s ongoing ‘covid zero’ policies […]
Leclerc refuses to publicly criticise Ferrari
Nov.7 (GMM) Charles Leclerc insists he will not be caught publicly criticising Ferrari. The Maranello team emerged with a highly competitive car in 2022 but amid performance, strategic and reliability problems is only narrowly in front of Mercedes for second overall. When asked if Ferrari and boss Mattia Binotto have been criticised too harshly, Leclerc […]
F1 legend tells drivers to stop ‘snitching’
Nov.7 (GMM) German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has told Formula 1 drivers to stop “snitching” on their rivals. The phenomenon has emerged largely due to the ongoing ‘track limits’ controversy, with drivers complaining on the radio about transgressions they witness whilst at work in the cockpit. “I don’t agree with what they’re doing because of […]
Ricciardo ‘possible’ for McLaren reserve role
Nov.7 (GMM) Another team has emerged as a potential home for Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 – McLaren. Currently, it is believed the Australian is in talks with both Mercedes and Red Bull about potentially serving as reserve driver next year. Having lost his McLaren race seat, the 33-year-old Australian turned down a move to Haas […]
Newey got early handle on ‘porpoising’ problem
Nov.7 (GMM) The foundation to Red Bull’s near-unprecedented success in 2022 was getting an early handle on the ‘porpoising’ phenomenon. While reigning champions and Ferrari struggled with the violent aerodynamic ‘bouncing’ caused by the new ground-effect floors, Red Bull’s technical boss Adrian Newey had key experience of the phenomenon. “I studied ground effect aerodynamics and […]
F1 team to keep ‘independence’ under new CEO
Nov.7 (GMM) Red Bull Racing will continue to enjoy “independence” under new management in the wake of the energy drink company’s founder Dietrich Mateschitz. The successful Formula 1 team was the late Mateschitz’s brainchild, but it has now passed into the hands of his 29-year-old son Mark. It emerges that the CEO role will be […]
2023 will feel like F1 ‘rehab’ – Vettel
Nov.7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel thinks his first year without Formula 1 will feel like “rehab”. The quadruple world champion, now 35, made his debut in 2007 as a teenager. He admits to Der Spiegel that “my purpose in life for 16 years” was F1. “Now I secretly expect myself to be able to cope without […]
F1 moving towards ‘Christmas shutdown’ agreement
Nov.4 (GMM) Formula 1 teams are moving to install a forced shutdown period during the winter off-season to cope with the sport’s now ever-expanding race calendars. Already, the regulations require that all teams observe a strict “shutdown period” of two full weeks during the now customary three-week calendar gap in August. And with this year’s […]
Adrian Newey’s wife slams ‘toxic’ F1 journalist
Nov.4 (GMM) Even family members are now wading into the campaign of derision aimed at Red Bull in the wake of the budget cap controversy. Matthew Syed, a journalist for the major British newspaper The Times, lashed out at the energy drink-owned team after the Mexican GP, insisting Lewis Hamilton was “robbed” of the 2021 […]
Alonso eyes Verstappen for next Le Mans bid
Nov.4 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he would like to take on the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race with fellow double world champion Max Verstappen as his teammate. The Spaniard caused a stir recently when he suggested that Verstappen’s back-to-back title wins in 2021 and 2022 were worth more than some of Lewis Hamilton’s dominant […]
Marko tips Haas to replace Schumacher with Hulkenberg
Nov.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks Haas will replace Mick Schumacher with a “veteran” Formula 1 driver for 2023. As the weeks and days roll on, it is becoming increasingly clear that the small American team intends to oust the 23-year-old son of F1 legend Mick Schumacher. “When a team publicly criticises a driver so […]
F1 in ‘middle’ of new Verstappen era – Steiner
Nov.3 (GMM) Formula 1 has entered the Max Verstappen era, according to Haas boss Gunther Steiner. Although the 2021 season finale and this year’s budget cap scandal muddied the Dutchman’s achievements, Steiner says the Verstappen era is similar to the Hamilton, Vettel and Schumacher eras that preceded it. “Every era has its champion. In this […]
Penalties won’t throw Red Bull ‘off course’ – Marko
Nov.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down the impact that Red Bull’s budget cap penalties will have on the team’s competitiveness going forward. One element of the fine for the ‘minor’ 2021 overspend is a $7 million fine. “Seven million dollars is a lot of money. But it won’t hurt them,” Gunther Steiner, boss […]
F1 equipment ‘arrived’ amid Brazil protests
Nov.3 (GMM) Brazil’s automobile federation CBA has responded to reports that Ferrari equipment was stuck in transit to the Interlagos circuit. Since Jair Bolsonaro reportedly lost the presidential election to left-wing candidate Lulu, huge protests and almost 400 road blockades have swept Brazil. We reported on Wednesday that a truck carrying fabled Formula 1 team […]
Steiner ‘a fool’ to oust Schumacher – Stuck
Nov.3 (GMM) Gunther Steiner would be a “fool” to show Mick Schumacher the exit door at Haas, according to German motor racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck. With the small American team reportedly planning to name Kevin Magnussen’s 2023 teammate prior to Brazil next weekend, Steiner admits it is a 50-50 toss-up between Schumacher and Nico Hulkenberg. […]