Jun.17 (GMM) Formula 1 teams are set to vote against heading to Barcelona early next year for pre-season testing. In recent times, Bahrain has been the chosen and logical destination for the critical and limited winter period – given the dry and warm weather and the fact that the same Sakhir circuit hosts the opening […]
French government enforces tobacco ad ban on F1 TV
Jun.17 (GMM) French Formula 1 fans are digesting the bad news that watching old grands prix has suddenly become much more difficult. According to L’Equipe, F1’s official streaming and broadcast service, F1 TV, has been forced by the French government to block archival footage that features cigarette advertising. As of July 11, “replays, summaries, and […]
Ocon not ready to announce 2025 Haas move
Jun.17 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is not ready to confirm that his Formula 1 future looks secure for 2025. The Frenchman’s relationship with Alpine has soured just as his contract is set to expire, but he is being strongly linked with a move to Haas to replace Nico Hulkenberg. However, Ocon said at Le Mans as […]
Bottas rules out 2025 return to Mercedes
Jun.17 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas admits rival Carlos Sainz holds the key to his endangered Formula 1 career. It appears almost certain that new team owner Audi is not interested in retaining the Finn – or his Sauber teammate Guanyu Zhou – for 2025. Ferrari refugee Sainz, however, is Audi’s top pick to pair with Nico […]
Mercedes still opposed to 2026 engine rules tweaks
Jun.17 (GMM) Toto Wolff is staunchly opposed to making any tweaks whatsoever to the 2026 engine rules. After the FIA released the blueprint for the next set of chassis regulations in Montreal, teams and drivers insisted it was just a “draft”. They also expressed grave concerns about the radical chassis innovations required to compensate for […]
Antonelli could replace Sargeant within 2024 season
Jun.17 (GMM) Former F1 team boss Gunther Steiner thinks it’s possible Logan Sargeant could be ousted even before the 2024 season is complete. The FIA has shown a green-light to teenagers like Kimi Antonelli to make their F1 debuts, nixing a rule that required drivers to be at least 18. Now, 17-year-olds who have “consistently […]
Ricciardo ‘spurred on’ by Villeneuve criticism – Marko
Jun.14 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo may not even make it to the end of the 2024 season, according to the latest Formula 1 rumour. The 34-year-old Australian headed to Montreal last week whilst Red Bull F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko was declaring that Yuki Tsunoda has done a much better job so far this year. Tsunoda […]
Aston Martin boss admits F1 team ‘behind the plan’
Jun.14 (GMM) Team boss Mike Krack admits Aston Martin is “far behind the plan” with performance progress in 2024 so far. Last year, the rapidly-developing and growing Silverstone based team surprised and impressed with Fernando Alonso’s string of podium finishes. But in 2024 so far, Alonso admits Aston Martin is no longer among Formula 1’s […]
Another former F1 driver slams Gunther Steiner
Jun.14 (GMM) Another former F1 driver has joined Ralf Schumacher in slamming ex-Haas team boss Gunther Steiner. Following his continuing criticism of his nephew Mick, 6-time grand prix winner Ralf declared recently that he is refusing to appear on screen with Steiner, despite the fact that they are both pundits for RTL. Another former German […]
Canada GP officials react after ’embarrassing’ F1 event
Jun.14 (GMM) Canadian race organisers and local officials have spent the week in damage control. Formula 1 fans may have revelled in the close and exciting race in changeable conditions last weekend in Montreal, but off the track, problems abounded. Not only did the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve officials attract the FIA’s ire with the post-chequered […]
Red Bull concerned about F1 rivals’ front wings
Jun.14 (GMM) “Heated discussions” have been playing out behind the scenes in Formula 1 as concerns emerge about the legality of certain front wing designs. In the most recent grands prix, it has become clear that the formerly-dominant Red Bull team’s major rivals – Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes – have dramatically closed the gap. “Max […]
F1, MotoGP owner Liberty now buys Formula E
Jun.14 (GMM) Liberty, the John Malone-controlled group of entities, has added another premier motor racing category to its roster – Formula E. The first major motorsport acquisition, Formula 1, has been transformed since it was taken over in 2017 by Liberty Media. “The success factor in recent years is that we understood that if you […]
F1 world ‘bummed’ about sport’s radical rules for 2026
Jun.13 (GMM) One former Formula 1 driver is “bummed” that the sport is once again making the “strange” decision to completely overhaul the technical regulations. In Canada, the FIA unveiled the blueprint for its all-new 2026 regulations, featuring moveable aerodynamics, a boost-button, and a radical ‘hybrid’ engine formula. Some of the top active drivers, however, […]
F1 ‘silly season’ still churning before Spanish GP
Jun.13 (GMM) Even in the break between the Canadian and Spanish grands prix, the driver rumour-mill is still churning. One rumour, reported by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, is that Alpine has not ruled out ejecting Esteban Ocon before the end of the season. With Ocon definitely set to leave after the 2024 finale, the […]
Marko thinks Mercedes has now signed Antonelli
Jun.13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has moved to play down continuing rumours that Red Bull really could lose Max Verstappen’s services at the end of 2024. It is well known that, at least until mere days ago, Toto Wolff was still waiting for the possibility that the power struggle at Red Bull might see Verstappen […]
Rivals’ inconsistency is good news for Red Bull – Marko
Jun.13 (GMM) The formerly dominant Red Bull team’s 2024 rivals are steadily closing the remaining gap. Max Verstappen actually extended his championship lead in Montreal, but Mercedes’ George Russell was on pole and the triple world champion only narrowly won over McLaren driver Lando Norris. Red Bull F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko admits the 2024 […]
Mercedes poised to name Antonelli as Hamilton’s successor
Jun.12 (GMM) Mercedes’ driver lineup for 2025 is complete and ready to be announced, according to the major German newspaper Bild. In Canada, team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff dropped a huge hint, revealing he had told Carlos Sainz that Mercedes would instead be focusing on “young drivers” for its future. The Austrian personally manages […]
Norris shaping up as Verstappen’s top 2024 challenger
Jun.12 (GMM) McLaren, rather than Ferrari or Mercedes, could be shaping up as Red Bull’s most serious challenger for world championship glory in 2024. It is clear that Red Bull’s long period of dominance is now over, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown also keen to pile on the pressure away from the actual track. “There’s […]
Magnussen admits he could lose F1 race seat
Jun.12 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen admits he is at risk of losing out in this year’s hectic driver ‘silly season’. In 2024, not a single rookie made a Formula 1 debut – but it will be a different story for the 2025 season with the likes of Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, and perhaps Liam Lawson and […]
Hakkinen ‘amazed’ Red Bull re-signed Perez for 2025
Jun.11 (GMM) Two former Formula 1 winners have hit out at Red Bull for re-signing Sergio Perez for 2025 and perhaps beyond. The team announced that the Mexican’s new deal is for two years, but consultant Dr Helmut Marko has already admitted that the deal includes certain “clauses”. “Perez still has to perform in the […]