Sep.13 (GMM) Mike Krack says Alpine made it “easier” for Aston Martin to secure the services of two-time champion and Formula 1 legend Fernando Alonso this year. So far, the 42-year-old Spaniard’s latest team move has been an overwhelming success, although team boss Krack admits he initially had his doubts. “First of all, you have […]
Red Bull-Ford could power four F1 teams – Horner
Sep.13 (GMM) Christian Horner says it’s possible up to eight cars could eventually be powered by Red Bull-Ford’s own Formula 1 engine after 2026. He says the only initial plan is to supply the power units to Red Bull Racing and Alpha Tauri. “If our engine is attractive to customers, we would be open to […]
Vettel plays down chances of F1 return
Sep.13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has played down reports that he might try to launch a return to the Formula 1 grid. The quadruple world champion called it a day at the end of last year, but Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko this week said of the 36-year-old: “I’m not sure he knows exactly what he […]
Schumacher still not ruling out 2024 F1 return
Sep.13 (GMM) Mick Schumacher admits he may need to revert to his ‘plan B’ for 2024, as his options to return to the Formula 1 grid dwindle. “Hopes dies last,” Mercedes’ 24-year-old reserve driver, who was dumped by Haas after two seasons, told the SID news agency. Toto Wolff, Schumacher’s current boss, blames Haas for […]
Marko to stay quiet on Perez affair in Singapore
Sep.13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he will be making no further comment about Sergio Perez’s cultural origins in Singapore this weekend. After Monza, Red Bull’s notorious team advisor caused a major stir by inaccurately referring to Mexican Perez as “South American” and declaring that it explains his lack of focus compared to Max Verstappen […]
Stroll doing ‘miserable job’ in 2023 – Villadelprat
Sep.12 (GMM) Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll should consider sacking his own son. That is the view of veteran former F1 mechanic, engineer and manager Joan Villadelprat, who thinks 24-year-old Lance Stroll is costing the team badly in the constructors’ championship. In the other car, two-time champion Fernando Alonso has secured a series of […]
Massa lawyers ask Hamilton for ‘crashgate’ help
Sep.12 (GMM) Lawyers are seeking the backing of both Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton as they push ahead with Felipe Massa’s bid to be named 2008 world champion. When Massa – now retired from Formula 1 and 42 – was racing for Ferrari some fifteen years ago, Nelson Piquet deliberately crashed his Renault in Singapore. The […]
Dark cloud moves above Tsunoda’s F1 future
Sep.12 (GMM) A cloud has suddenly moved above the Formula 1 fortunes of Yuki Tsunoda. Mere days ago, the 23-year-old Japanese looked set to be confirmed for a fourth consecutive season at Red Bull’s second team Alpha Tauri. Team boss Franz Tost had said at Monza: “I definitely see Yuki in the team next year. […]
Flex clampdown could shake up F1 pecking order
Sep.12 (GMM) F1’s pecking order could be shaken up in Singapore as a new FIA technical directive takes effect. The sport’s governing body is concerned that some teams in 2023 had found a loophole in the rules prohibiting aerodynamic ‘flex’ – especially with regards to front noses, rear wings and floors. Some think the FIA’s […]
Wolff accused of ‘political grandstanding’
Sep.12 (GMM) An unnamed Formula 1 boss has accused Mercedes team principal and co-owner Toto Wolff of “political grandstanding”. A report in BusinessF1 magazine said Wolff is being “disruptive” in recent F1 Commission meetings – including taking one position prior to a meeting and another in the meeting itself. Wolff’s most recent on-again, off-again positions […]
Singapore tweaks could hurt Alpine – Gasly
Sep.12 (GMM) Circuit changes in Singapore will probably not play into Alpine’s hands, Pierre Gasly has admitted. The Renault-linked Formula 1 team is not only struggling with an underpowered engine this year but also management turmoil – having ousted boss Otmar Szafnauer just before the summer break. Zandvoort and Monza were the first races overseen […]
Vettel ‘still in contact’ with Red Bull team
Sep.12 (GMM) It’s possible that Sebastian Vettel will launch an audacious return to Formula 1, according to Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko. At the weekend, the newly-retired quadruple world champion demonstrated his title-winning 2011 Red Bull at the Nurburgring – and applauded the dominance of the team’s current champion, Max Verstappen. “One can only applaud,” […]
F1 owner admits Verstappen a ‘challenge’ to sport’s appeal
Sep.11 (GMM) The CEO of the company that owns Formula 1 admits it is becoming hard for the sport to sell Max Verstappen’s utter dominance this year. With Red Bull winning every race so far this year, and Verstappen on a record-breaking ten-race winning streak and counting, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said recently it’s the […]
Vettel admits Schumacher comeback now unlikely
Sep.11 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel admits that his friend and protege Mick Schumacher will probably spend another year on the Formula 1 sidelines in 2024. Axed Haas driver Schumacher, 24, settled for the reserve role at Mercedes this year in the hope of returning to a race cockpit next season. But the young German and Mercedes […]
Renault CEO says axed Szafnauer broke F1 ‘promises’
Sep.11 (GMM) Renault’s CEO has justified his decision to dump Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer. The Renault-owned Formula 1 team shocked the paddock at Spa-Francorchamps just before the summer break by announcing that Szafnauer would be departing after a mutual decision. Szafnauer denied it was mutual. “I don’t know why this decision was made,” he […]
Ferrari ‘squeezed’ engines at Monza – Marko
Sep.11 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has backed Fernando Alonso’s suspicion that Ferrari’s sudden surge in performance at Monza last weekend might be short-lived. “It is the Ferrari circuit,” Spaniard Alonso, who raced for the Maranello based team for five years until 2014, said after Ferrari’s impressive outing at the Italian GP. “For years they have […]
Marko hits reverse after Perez comments backlash
Sep.11 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hit reverse gear following backlash about his comments linking Sergio Perez’s nationality with his basic characteristics as a Formula 1 driver. The powerful Red Bull advisor had told the energy drink company’s own Servus TV broadcaster that because Mexican Perez is “South American”, he is “just not as completely […]
Haas to debut Red Bull-like ‘B’ car in Austin
Sep.11 (GMM) Haas is set to follow in Red Bull and McLaren’s wheel-tracks with a looming car update. After an abysmal performance for the small American team at Monza, drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen lamented a lack of car development this year. “It’s just a paradox that we have one of the weakest cars […]
F1 pressure is slowing Leclerc down – Fittipaldi
Sep.8 (GMM) Charles Leclerc may be struggling under the pressure at Ferrari, a two-time Formula 1 world champion has declared. Emerson Fittipaldi won titles in the early 70s for Lotus and McLaren, and he thinks Leclerc’s own push to become world champion is making his teammate Carlos Sainz look better at the moment. “I can […]
Europe may force F1 to open door to Andretti-Cadillac
Sep.8 (GMM) Formula 1 could be set to run up against European Commission laws that would effectively force the sport to open the door to Andretti-Cadillac. Michael Andretti’s US-based racing empire made waves this week by unveiling its full rebranding from ‘Andretti Autosport’ to ‘Andretti Global’. It’s another sign that the FIA has effectively green-lit […]