Apr.4 (GMM) Formula 1 rookie Gabriel Bortoleto confronted Dr Helmut Marko after being described in the media as a ‘B-grade’ driver. 20-year-old Brazilian Bortoleto is the reigning F2 champion, but Red Bull advisor Marko pointed out recently that “he only had two wins”. “He’s a very intelligent driver who brings the car home, but I […]
Antonelli went karting with Valentino Rossi
Apr.4 (GMM) Before travelling to Japan, Kimi Antonelli spent a day with MotoGP legend and fellow Italian Valentino Rossi. Eurosport Italia reports that new Mercedes driver Antonelli, 18, joined Rossi to take part in a karting day for the retired nine-time world champion’s VR46 talent academy. “We went to train on the kart together, which […]
‘No Verstappen clauses’ triggered yet, says Marko
Apr.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko may disagree with the latest driver decisions at Red Bull. The 81-year-old Austrian is known in the Formula 1 paddock for primarily being concerned about driver selection and management. But he is now quoted by Osterreich newspaper as insisting he disagreed with the decision last year to re-sign Sergio Perez […]
Russell ‘not worried at all’ about 2026 Mercedes seat
Apr.3 (GMM) George Russell on Thursday insisted he is “not worried at all” about his forthcoming contract negotiations. Max Verstappen is increasingly linked with a move to Mercedes for the new rules era beginning in 2026. Despite Russell’s superb current form, hailed by team boss Toto Wolff, it is widely believed that if Mercedes did […]
More Honda titles possible in future – Verstappen
Apr.3 (GMM) It could be an innocuous comment, or it could be a strategic hint – but Max Verstappen has suggested he could still be Honda-powered in the future. Amid swirling rumours about his potential next move, the Dutchman attended a pre-Japanese ‘show-run’ with old Red Bull F1 cars in Tokyo and said of Honda: […]
Ferrari said ‘no’ to black F40 for Hamilton’s photo
Apr.3 (GMM) The iconic first photo of Lewis Hamilton at Maranello, flanked by the legendary F40 supercar, would have been different if the seven time world champion had his way. The photo, depicting the former Mercedes driver in a black suit and overcoat, has been ‘liked’ on Hamilton’s Instagram an astonishing 5.7 million times. “I […]
New Ferrari floor not ready until Bahrain
Apr.3 (GMM) Ferrari’s new floor for its 2025 car will not debut until next weekend in Bahrain, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. The authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting the same information, contradicting earlier claims that the new floor could be ready for this weekend’s Japanese GP. Technical journalist Paolo Filisetti, however, […]
Tsunoda confident about mastering Red Bull car setup
Apr.3 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda thinks mastering the troublesome 2025 Red Bull could be a matter of setup rather than its fundamental characteristics. With Liam Lawson now shuffled back to Racing Bulls, it’s up to Tsunoda to try to get closer to Max Verstappen in a car that completely suits the quadruple world champion’s style. Lawson’s […]
Montezemolo ‘appalled’ by Ferrari in China – Ecclestone
Apr.2 (GMM) Ferrari’s former president was “appalled” with the team’s double-disqualification after the Chinese GP. That’s the claim of Bernie Ecclestone, the ex-F1 supremo who caught up with Luca di Montezemolo at the 80th birthday party of rock legend Eric Clapton in London over the weekend. “I met up with Luca there,” Ecclestone, 94, told […]
Marko rules out switching to Mercedes or Aston Martin
Apr.2 (GMM) Formula 1’s notorious and annual driver ‘silly season’ has arrived incredibly early in 2025. Liam Lawson has already lost his seat at Red Bull Racing, rookie Jack Doohan is linked with the exit at Alpine, and driver rumours are swirling around the Mercedes, Aston Martin and Max Verstappen camps. “Red Bull is falling […]
Marko tips F1 return for Perez with Cadillac
Apr.2 (GMM) Mercedes really could emerge for the all-new regulations era from 2026 with an advantage, Dr Helmut Marko admits. Team boss Christian Horner has denied claims that the behind-the-scenes talk about delaying the new era and accelerating towards V10 engines is because Red Bull fears its own power unit project for the new era […]
Newey objected to Red Bull signing Tsunoda – Marko
Apr.2 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda might already have been a Red Bull Racing driver if not for Adrian Newey. With Liam Lawson’s tenure alongside Max Verstappen painfully short after an abysmal first two races of 2025, the team is heading into the Japanese GP with home-town hero Tsunoda at the wheel. It’s already well known that […]
Hamilton putting Ferrari under pressure – Steiner
Apr.1 (GMM) Ferrari finds itself under “enormous pressure” in 2025, according to former Haas team boss Gunther Steiner. Although he won the Shanghai sprint from pole, seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton is just ninth overall in the standings so far – albeit ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc. But off the back of all the […]
Piastri sure he can beat Norris to 2025 title
Apr.1 (GMM) Oscar Piastri is confident he can charge for the 2025 title. The wider perception is that Lando Norris – the current championship leader – is the team leader at McLaren, but it was Piastri who shone the brightest last time out in China. Norris thinks “only Ferrari” has a driver lineup that is […]
2026 will be ‘the end’ of Alonso’s F1 career – Schumacher
Apr.1 (GMM) Another former Formula 1 winner has joined Rene Arnoux in suggesting veteran Fernando Alonso is nearing the end of his competitive days on the grid. Arnoux, who like 43-year-old Alonso also raced for Ferrari, described the Spaniard as “one of the disappointments” the 2025 season so far in an interview with La Gazzetta […]
Red Bull should have signed Hulkenberg – Schumacher
Apr.1 (GMM) Red Bull’s current driver predicament can be traced back to an original mistake, according to former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher. When it became clear last year that Sergio Perez would not recover from his struggles, the team rejected the idea of snapping up the job-hunting Carlos Sainz. “I might have chosen an […]
Red Bull denies powering V10 return talk
Apr.1 (GMM) Christian Horner has denied it is Red Bull that is pushing hardest for the return of V10 engines in Formula 1. Pat Symonds, an engineering stalwart of the sport, now consults for the all-new Cadillac team – who he says may not even have a car to run at all if the scheduled […]
Amid sabbatical, F1 ‘doors open’ for Sergio Perez
Mar.31 (GMM) Sergio Perez has strongly hinted that he intends to return to Formula 1. F1 legend Mario Andretti, an advisor to the all-new Cadillac team for 2026, revealed in the last few days that the ousted Red Bull driver is an “option”. For now, 35-year-old Perez – not only a highly experienced grand prix […]
Alonso’s F1 career ‘nearing the end’ – Arnoux
Mar.31 (GMM) A famous former Formula 1 driver thinks Fernando Alonso is finally reaching the end of the road. Rene Arnoux, a former Ferrari driver like Alonso, said the 43-year-old Spaniard was “one of the biggest disappointments” of the recent Chinese GP. “When he’s not fighting close to (Lance) Stroll, it says a lot,” the […]
Wheatley era pushes Beat Zehnder out of F1
Mar.31 (GMM) Monday is Sauber stalwart Beat Zehnder’s last day in a prime management position at the Swiss team. From Tuesday, April 1, recently-departed Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley starts work as Sauber team boss, to lead the team into its new Audi-owned era. And for Zehnder, most recently sporting director but best known […]