Nov.26 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he is “happy” to have lost a 500 euro bet to fellow Red Bull boss Christian Horner at the 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi. “Christian said Max would qualify on the front row; I predicted the second row,” he smiled after qualifying, explaining that Verstappen had struggled through […]
Alonso better than Hamilton, Verstappen – Kubica
Nov.25 (GMM) Aston Martin wants to sign a new contract with Fernando Alonso. On Thursday in Abu Dhabi, the Spaniard said his first year with the Silverstone based team was one of his best-ever performances in a long and successful Formula 1 career. His friend and former rival Robert Kubica agrees. “Alonso,” said the Pole […]
Toyota-McLaren rumours hit dead-end in Abu Dhabi
Nov.25 (GMM) Rumours Toyota could return to Formula 1 with McLaren were wide of the mark. Recently, the Zak Brown-led team signed up a new development driver – Japanese Toyota sports car driver Ryo Hirakawa, who was flanked by Toyota racing officials for the announcement. Hirakawa is trackside in Abu Dhabi this weekend. “I want […]
Hamilton ’emotionally drained’ at end of 2023
Nov.25 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton admits he is finding it “difficult” to cope with the latest developments in global instability. Whilst often outspoken on other political issues, Formula 1 figures have been notably quiet about the Israel-Gaza war – despite huge western protests and outcry. When asked by Arab News in Abu Dhabi if he thinks […]
No Sargeant-Vesti decision in Abu Dhabi – Vowles
Nov.25 (GMM) Rumours that Abu Dhabi is Logan Sargeant’s last Formula 1 race for now are building steam. Mercedes junior and top Formula 2 driver Frederik Vesti, a 21-year-old Dane, practiced in Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes on Friday – and is being linked with a debut for Mercedes-powered Williams in Sargeant’s place for 2024. When asked […]
‘Perez is our man for 2024’ – Marko
Nov.25 (GMM) In Abu Dhabi, Dr Helmut Marko insisted that Lewis Hamilton becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull won’t work for both “emotional” and “financial” reasons. But the biggest reason, he told Kleine Zeitung newspaper, is that both Mercedes’ Hamilton and Verstappen’s existing teammate Sergio Perez have contracts for 2024. Mexican Perez’s performance slumped […]
Verstappen, Hamilton cannot be teammates – Marko
Nov.25 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton really did approach Red Bull this year to explore the possibility of joining the dominant F1 team. The Hamilton-Red Bull saga is one of the hottest topics at the 2023 finale in Abu Dhabi, after team boss Christian Horner mentioned the seven time world champion’s […]
New sprint format for 2024 still taking shape
Nov.25 (GMM) Formula 1 has moved one step closer to tweaking the ‘sprint race’ weekend format for 2024. The F1 Commission met at the Abu Dhabi finale on Friday, where stakeholders gave “support for an update” to the format to better separate “sprint activities from those of the grand prix”. It is believed the main […]
Mercedes might deliberately lose in Abu Dhabi
Nov.24 (GMM) A wild rumour suggests Mercedes may actually want to be beaten by Ferrari to second overall in the 2023 constructors’ championship this weekend. While Red Bull has already wrapped up the championship, Mercedes heads into the Abu Dhabi season finale a mere four points ahead of Ferrari. Curiously, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said […]
Aston Martin team not set to be sold – boss
Nov.24 (GMM) Aston Martin’s commercial boss Jeff Slack has denied the Formula 1 team is set to be sold. It’s not the first denied sale rumour this year, but the latest follows the transfer of a slice of Lawrence Stroll’s team to venture capital firm Arctos, also with key interests in Liverpool FC and several […]
Schumacher insists F1 comeback still alive
Nov.24 (GMM) Mick Schumacher insists he is not giving up on his dream of returning to the Formula 1 grid. It has been announced that the German and ousted Haas racer will keep his Mercedes reserve seat in 2024 whilst also racing for Renault-owned Alpine in the top category of the Le Mans-centred world endurance […]
‘Old phone’ explains explosive Hamilton-Red Bull saga
Nov.24 (GMM) An “old phone” explains why explosive rumours of contact between Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is only now emerging. Horner dropped the bombshell on the eve of the 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi, as he suggested seven time world champion Hamilton was also in touch with Ferrari during […]
2024 ‘Racing Bulls’ car will not be Red Bull clone
Nov.24 (GMM) Alpha Tauri has confirmed that Red Bull’s second Formula 1 team will undergo a full rebranding for the 2024 season. Strengthening rumours suggest that the decision has now been made to drop the name of Red Bull’s fashion brand in deference to a more neutral name – as a new ‘Racing Bulls’ logo […]
‘No idea’ what 2026 cars will look like – Wolff
Nov.23 (GMM) Toto Wolff admits that he has no clear idea what Formula 1 cars will look like in 2026. Red Bull and Max Verstappen are utterly dominating in the new-in-2023 ‘ground effect’ era, but the rules are changing completely for 2026. “The engine rule has been agreed,” Mercedes boss Wolff told Kronen Zeitung newspaper. […]
Verstappen rivals ‘not good enough’ – Haug
Nov.23 (GMM) Red Bull should get no criticism for the way the team is utterly dominating Formula 1, according to former Mercedes boss Norbert Haug. He thinks Max Verstappen’s superiority over the entire Formula 1 field, including his own teammate Sergio Perez, is completely unprecedented in the history of the sport. “Such a clear superiority […]
New rookie could replace Sargeant in 2024
Nov.23 (GMM) Logan Sargeant’s seat at Williams is still not safe for 2024, according to a former Formula 1 driver. The American rookie is the last of the current drivers whose contract for next season is still not signed – but he appears to still be supported by team boss James Vowles. However, Sport1 reports […]
Ferrari has signed 2025 F1 lineup – insider
Nov.23 (GMM) A well-known Ferrari insider says the Maranello marque is almost ready to announce its post-2024 Formula 1 driver lineup. And the good news for fans of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz is that Ferrari looks set to continue to rely on their services beyond their existing contracts. “There will be official confirmation soon,” […]
Exhausted F1 travellers ‘delirious’ for Abu Dhabi finale
Nov.21 (GMM) As the dust settles after F1’s new Las Vegas centrepiece, plenty of discontent is brewing over the burden being placed on the human beings who make up the travelling circus. Several photos, for instance, have emerged depicting the driving stars of the sport yawning their way through the race weekend – due to […]
Drivers unhappy after Las Vegas GP oil spill
Nov.21 (GMM) Even as Max Verstappen’s Las Vegas GP negativity fades, it is clear that other drivers and officials remain unhappy with certain events over the recent race weekend. Pierre Gasly, for instance, admits that he even took the initiative to tell the FIA that he has a major grip with one incident that occurred […]
Schumacher revs up criticism of Haas attitude
Nov.21 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher says the Haas team’s attitude is increasingly at odds with the necessary culture of Formula 1. The former F1 driver has been an outspoken critic of Haas, F1’s smallest team, since the American outfit began to pressure his nephew Mick last year – culminating in the young German’s expulsion for poor […]