Oct.3 (GMM) Fernando Alonso thinks Audi-owned Sauber is still mulling over its final driver decision for the 2025 season. The seat alongside the already-signed Nico Hulkenberg is the last official vacancy on next year’s grid, even though widespread reports suggest Valtteri Bottas has clinched the deal to remain at the Swiss-German team. Williams boss James […]
Real champagne to return to F1 podium
Oct.3 (GMM) Real champagne will soon return to the Formula 1 podium. Spraying genuine French champagne on the podium is a long-held tradition in the sport, but for the past several years, drivers have actually been spraying Italian sparkling wine courtesy of sponsor Ferrari Trentino. But that’s about to change. Liberty Media, F1’s commercial owner, […]
US GP happy Verstappen no longer winning
Oct.3 (GMM) Promoters of the upcoming US GP in Austin are happy that Max Verstappen is no longer dominating Formula 1. Bobby Epstein, executive chairman of the Texan track, says ticket sales for the race weekend later this month “took off” when Red Bull began to struggle. Reuters quotes him as saying he had expected […]
F1 ‘rookie race’ axe catches Marko by surprise
Oct.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko, like most others in Formula 1, was caught by surprise with the news that a ‘rookie race’ will in fact not take place later this year. On Wednesday, before the F1 Commission met at the headquarters of Red Bull’s second F1 team RB in Faenza, Italy, Speed Week published a […]
Ricciardo could make ‘massive’ Supercars switch – CEO
Oct.2 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo would be welcomed with “open arms” if he wants to keep his motor racing career alive in his native Australia. That’s the invitation of Supercars Australia boss Shane Howard, after Ricciardo was dropped with immediate effect by Red Bull’s F1 program. Red Bull is offering the 8-time grand prix winner a […]
Second places ‘not enough’ for Verstappen title – Marko
Oct.2 (GMM) A new wind tunnel should help Red Bull return to full competitiveness in the future, according to the brand’s top F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko. Amid the scandals of early 2024, preceding a loss of dominance and several top staff and raging speculation about the future, Max Verstappen’s father Jos says he “warned […]
Alpine F1 staff call on ‘public authorities’ to intervene
Oct.2 (GMM) Furious employees have called on French authorities to step in, after the Renault Group decided to scrap Alpine’s works Formula 1 engine program. The group of staff at the Viry-Chatillon site, strongly backed by the union, reacted to the seismic news by insisting they “regret and deplore” the decision. Alpine’s F1 team, also […]
Ecclestone predicts outcome of 2024 F1 title battles
Oct.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen will win the 2024 drivers’ title, but it will be McLaren victorious in the parallel constructors’ world championship. That’s the confident prediction of former Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who told sport.de that Lando Norris will come up short in his head-to-head with the reigning triple world champion. “He (Verstappen) […]
Aston Martin must improve before Newey arrival – boss
Oct.1 (GMM) Team boss Mike Krack insists he will not condone Aston Martin F1 employees who are prepared to wait for the impact of Adrian Newey’s 2025 arrival. The green-clad team appeared to be on a fast track to success early last year, with Fernando Alonso’s string of podiums. But since then, progress has stalled […]
Ex-manager doubts he will see Schumacher ever again
Oct.1 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s famous former manager doubts he will see the seven time world champion ever again. Willi Weber, now 82, was Schumacher’s manager when the great German entered Formula 1 in 1991. They were then inseparable throughout Schumacher’s initial grand prix career and only fell out in 2010 ahead of the comeback with […]
Colapinto hype could revive defunct Argentine GP
Oct.1 (GMM) Improving economic conditions and the meteoric debut of Franco Colapinto have breathed new life into Argentina’s Formula 1 aspirations. Backed by a bevy of Argentine sponsors paying about $500,000 per race to Williams, 21-year-old Colapinto recently replaced Logan Sargeant and made an immediate impact on the sport. And while reports suggest Sauber has […]
Ex-Renault boss says Alpine ‘wants to make F1 cheap’
Oct.1 (GMM) “The axe has fallen” on French-made engines in Formula 1. That’s the reaction of the country’s biggest and most influential sports publication, L’Equipe, as the Renault Group confirms that operations at Viry-Chatillon will no longer focus on F1 power unit manufacturing. “Formula 1 activities at Viry, excluding the development of a new engine, […]
Michael Andretti steps aside at racing empire
Sep.30 (GMM) Michael Andretti has ceded control of his motor racing empire, Andretti Global. Famed for its involvement and successes in mainly US-based series including Indycar, Andretti applied to be granted entry to Formula 1 early in 2022, simultaneously ramping up its operations and preparations. Early this year, despite FIA approval, Liberty Media-owned Formula 1 […]
‘Time will tell’ about Bottas news, says Mick Schumacher
Sep.30 (GMM) Mick Schumacher is not yet admitting that his Formula 1 comeback plans for 2025 have failed. It is widely believed that Audi-owned Sauber, now with the last remaining vacancy on next year’s grid, has decided to keep Valtteri Bottas on board at least for one more year. “You can understand Audi’s position,” former […]
Mazepin has ‘plans’ to return to Europe
Sep.30 (GMM) Axed former Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin has “plans”, now that the door to Europe has been re-opened to him. Two weeks ago, sanctions imposed on the 25-year-old due to his father’s links to Vladimir Putin were finally lifted, meaning the Russian can now freely travel to Europe. Tass news agency says Switzerland […]
Schumacher was ‘very likely’ at daughter’s wedding
Sep.30 (GMM) Michael Schumacher was “very possibly” present for the wedding of his daughter Gina-Maria in Mallorca at the weekend. A few years ago, Schumacher’s wife Corinna bought the property on the Mediterranean island formerly belonging to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez – amid rumours doctors advised that the warmer weather would help the stricken […]
Red Bull to offer Ricciardo non-driving F1 job
Sep.30 (GMM) Red Bull’s Formula 1 empire is offering Daniel Ricciardo a new job, Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed. Singapore was the 35-year-old Australian’s last-ever Formula 1 race, replaced by young New Zealander Liam Lawson at the energy drink company’s second team RB. Ricciardo admitted in Singapore that he is not interested in Indycar as […]
Lawson knew about replacing Ricciardo ‘weeks’ ago
Sep.30 (GMM) Liam Lawson admits he knew weeks before the rest of the world that Daniel Ricciardo would be ousted after the Singapore GP. The 22-year-old rookie New Zealander will be in Ricciardo’s RB cockpit from Austin onwards, telling local NZME radio that it’s a “very cool feeling”. But he has had plenty of time […]
McLaren turns spotlight on F1 rivals’ rear wings
Sep.27 (GMM) McLaren is turning its attention to technical elements of rival Formula 1 teams, in the wake of the ‘mini DRS’ controversy of Baku and Singapore. Images of the ingenious way the papaya-coloured 2024 car’s rear wing opened up drag-shedding gaps at the extreme ends caused a furore after the Azerbaijan GP. Backed unofficially […]
Steiner wins a round in Haas F1 legal battle
Sep.27 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has won a round in his battle with his former F1 employer Haas. After he was axed as long-time team boss ahead of the 2024 season, Steiner instigated legal action against Gene Haas’ small American team, claiming various breaches of his contractual agreement. But Haas hit back, filing a lawsuit in […]