Jun.23 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has indicated he would be happy if Alpine extends its contract with Formula 1 legend Fernando Alonso. Currently, the Renault-owned team is reportedly tossing up between the 40-year-old Spaniard and reigning Formula 2 champion and rookie Oscar Piastri for 2023. There are also signs of disagreements between Alonso and Alpine team […]
Category: Recent stories
Locals opposed to proposed F1 race in Nice
Jun.23 (GMM) Proposed plans to take Formula 1 to Nice, France, are hitting an early roadblock. When he heard about reports that the current French GP at Paul Ricard, or possibly even the iconic Monaco GP, could relocate to Nice, French driver Esteban Ocon admitted he was a supporter. “It’s a pity if we lose […]
Ocon influenced FIA in Montreal – Magnussen
Jun.23 (GMM) F1 drivers can “effortlessly” influence the FIA during grands prix, according to Haas’ Kevin Magnussen. The Dane was ordered to pit during the recent Canadian GP after Esteban Ocon, who was following Magnussen in his Alpine, complained on the radio that a piece of the Haas’ front wing could fly off and hit […]
Melbourne happy with later calendar date
Jun.23 (GMM) Australian GP chief Andrew Westacott says he knows Melbourne will no longer always be the season-opening grand prix. Until quite recently, the race at Albert Park was the traditional season opener, but this year F1 reverted to Bahrain as the first race after a winter test in the island Kingdom. And with Melbourne […]
Growing camp tells F1 drivers to toughen up
Jun.23 (GMM) A camp is forming in the Formula 1 paddock among those who think the sport’s drivers should toughen up about ‘porpoising’. Former driver David Coulthard, now a highly respected broadcaster, says he is from an era in which F1 drivers “take the pain” of their job in the cockpit. “What I would say […]
F1 refunded Russian GP race fee – Mazepin
Jun.22 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin says he thinks the former promoter of the Russian GP has now received a refund from Formula 1. The Russian driver, who was axed by Haas early this year amid the widespread western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict, vowed this week to sue the American team for unpaid wages. We reported […]
Ferrari, Leclerc will not win title – Ecclestone
Jun.22 (GMM) Max Verstappen is having an “easy time” en route to his second consecutive drivers’ world championship, according to former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. The 91-year-old, who ran Formula 1 for decades until the Liberty Media era began five years ago, has always consistently said that a competitive Ferrari is crucial to the sport’s […]
Axed Mazepin suing Haas over unpaid wages
Jun.21 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin has confirmed that he is proceeding with legal action against Haas. The Russian driver, and his father’s company Uralkali that was the American Formula 1 team’s title sponsor at the time, were instantly expelled from the paddock early this year amid the wave of western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict. Mazepin, […]
F1 set to drop legendary Spa-Francorchamps race
Jun.21 (GMM) The legendary Formula 1 circuit at Spa-Francorchamps is tipped to be missing from the 2023 calendar. On the sidelines in Montreal last weekend, team bosses heard F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s news that the schedule could be set to grow yet again – to a record 24 races next year. “It’s not a big […]
2022 title outcome already ‘clear’ – expert
Jun.21 (GMM) The outcome of the 2022 world championship is already “clear”, according to a well-known Formula 1 expert and pundit. Kees van de Grint, a Ferrari and Bridgestone engineer in the Michael Schumacher era, thinks world champion Max Verstappen’s almost 50 point lead over Charles Leclerc and dominance in Montreal means the title is […]
F1 teams revolt over ‘porpoising’ clampdown
Jun.21 (GMM) Formula 1 team bosses are revolting against the FIA’s technical directive against the ‘porpoising’ phenomenon in 2022. Among them are Ferrari and Red Bull, who may even suspect that Mercedes had advance notice of the contents of the directive – including permission for teams to add a second ‘stay’ to the floor. “The […]
Sauber, Audi ‘hiding’ 2026 F1 buyout – boss
Jun.21 (GMM) Sauber and Audi are “hiding” the fact that they will team up in a works collaboration in Formula 1 from 2026. That is the word from an unnamed rival team boss, as the Volkswagen Group holds off on announcing the details of its F1 foray with both the Audi and Porsche brands. Red […]
Red Bull car can get even faster – Marko
Jun.20 (GMM) As Max Verstappen continues to build his world championship lead, boss Christian Horner warned on Sunday that Red Bull must not become complacent. Following power unit-related grid penalties for Charles Leclerc, another win for reigning world champion Verstappen in Canada pulled his points lead out to almost 50. “We’ve now won a few […]
Wolff slammed rival bosses in Montreal meeting
Jun.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff went “full Abu Dhabi-spec” as he lost his temper with fellow Formula 1 team bosses during a meeting in Montreal. That unnamed source was referring to the Mercedes chief’s legendary outbursts following the highly controversial outcome of the 2021 world championship. After the Canadian meeting, convened to discuss pertinent issues including […]
Vettel goes quiet after dropping ‘climate’ helmet
Jun.20 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel on Sunday was in no mood for questions about his suddenly-missing “climate crime” helmet. Earlier in Montreal, the quadruple world champion was slammed by Alberta’s energy minister Sonya Savage after Vettel blasted the mining of “tar sands”. He had ridden a rainbow-coloured bicycle into the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve paddock with a […]
Verstappen ‘a second faster’ in Canada – Marko
Jun.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s dominance of Formula 1 is hitting new heights in Canada. That is the view of Red Bull top official Dr Helmut Marko, who is delighted that the Dutch racer looks set to further extend his 34 point lead over Charles Leclerc on Sunday. Leclerc, one of many Ferrari-powered drivers suddenly down […]
Energy minister slams Vettel ‘hypocrisy’
Jun.19 (GMM) A Canadian politician has slammed Sebastian Vettel for “hypocrisy” as the quadruple world champion continued his environmental activism in Montreal. The German rode into the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve paddock on a rainbow-coloured bicycle wearing a t-shirt accusing Canada of “climate crime”. “Stop mining tar sands,” the t-shirt declared. He told the media: “What […]
Domenicali to get ‘quick answer’ on African GP
Jun.19 (GMM) Formula 1 is preparing to reveal another unprecedentedly-long race calendar for 2023. “30 grands prix would not be reasonable,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. “Our preferred option would be to stay at 23 or 24 races,” he told France’s L’Equipe. The latest buzz in the Montreal paddock is about two potential new races […]
Mercedes removes controversial floor ‘stay’
Jun.19 (GMM) Mercedes in Montreal removed an additional ‘stay’ on the floor of its struggling 2022 car following the suspicions of rival Formula 1 teams. The rivals wondered how the uncompetitive reigning constructors’ world champions knew in advance about the new FIA technical directive on porpoising that opened the door for teams to add the […]
‘No hurry’ to rule out 2022 Latifi-Piastri swap
Jun.19 (GMM) Formula 1’s traditional ‘silly season’ is now in full swing, as the occupants of the race seats for 2023 begin to emerge. Pierre Gasly, for instance, has been told in no uncertain terms by Red Bull that he must honour his contract all the way to the end of next year. “He will […]