Nov.5 (GMM) A new and unusual ‘mechanic’ could be on pitstop duty for Ferrari in Brazil. According to the French broadcaster Canal Plus, several red-clad mechanics have fallen ill in Brazil, triggering an unusual shortage of team members. So serious is the shortage that reserve driver Robert Shwartzman has been lending his assistance to fill […]
Sauber denies Audi doing F1 decision U-turn
Nov.5 (GMM) Sauber has finally issued a clear denial of swirling rumours suggesting Audi is about to perform a U-turn on its decision to enter Formula 1. The VW-owned German carmaker has already bought 25 percent of the Swiss team, with a further 50 percent share set to also change hands by the time a […]
Race engineer would quit Red Bull without Verstappen
Nov.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s high-profile race engineer hopes to keep working with him all the way to the end of the Dutchman’s Red Bull contract in 2028. Team advisor Dr Helmut Marko recently described Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase – otherwise known as ‘GP’ – as an “old married couple”, given how often they gripe and […]
’24 Red Bull return would be ‘fairytale’ – Ricciardo
Nov.5 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo admits it’s his “dream” to be told by his Red Bull bosses that he’s returning to the premier team for 2024. Those Red Bull bosses have insisted numerous times in past days, weeks and months that they will honour Sergio Perez’s contract for next year, despite his performance slump. But world […]
Marko admits sudden Mercedes slump ‘surprising’
Nov.5 (GMM) A recent surge in performance by Mercedes looks to have collapsed in Brazil. After Lewis Hamilton’s run of back-to-back second placed finishes with a new floor, hopes were high that the former champions might finally be closing the big gap to Red Bull. Heading into the weekend at Interlagos, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut […]
Haas threatens huge shake-up of US GP race results
Nov.5 (GMM) Haas is bidding to totally shake up the results of the recent US GP in Austin – amid a frantic battle for millions in official F1 prize money. At Interlagos, the small American team is still struggling badly with the performance of its new ‘B’ car – which made its debut in Austin. […]
Wolff ponders buying into Manchester United
Nov.4 (GMM) There’s a football flavour at Interlagos this weekend – with well-known former player Adriano wearing his old Inter Milan team shirt in the Ferrari garage. At the same time, Mercedes boss and one-third team co-owner Toto Wolff is now revealing that he is eyeing a stake in Manchester United. Another one-third of the […]
Liberty taking ‘time to analyse’ Andretti entry
Nov.4 (GMM) Andretti’s entry into Formula “would be good for the sport”. That is the claim not only of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, but also the Paris-based federation’s new-in-2022 CEO, Natalie Robyn. F1’s governing body has actually approved the Andretti-Cadillac bid, but it is now in the hands of the much-less-keen commercial rights holder […]
New wild rumour: F1 rival tries to poach Marko
Nov.4 (GMM) The rumours just keep on coming as the tail end of the 2023 Formula 1 season approaches. Fernando Alonso warned in Brazil that there would be “consequences” for those who dreamed up the lie about his potential retirement or 2024 switch to Red Bull. Spanish journalist Albert Fabrega has now apologised. “I want […]
Williams drops big hint about Sargeant future
Nov.4 (GMM) Williams has issued the clearest sign yet that Logan Sargeant will be offered a contract extension for 2024. It’s the final official vacancy on next year’s grid, with team boss James Vowles insisting Williams supports the rookie American but needs to see steady progress to the end of the season. Sargeant, whose crash […]
Perez ‘sure’ Verstappen will help in Brazil
Nov.4 (GMM) Sergio Perez says he’s “sure” teammate Max Verstappen will help him complete Red Bull’s perfect season by hanging onto second overall in 2023. Team chiefs have vehemently denied that the struggling Mexican has been told that unless he holds off the resurgent Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, he may lose his 2024 seat. Dr Helmut […]
Lawson will not race in any series in 2024
Nov.4 (GMM) Liam Lawson will focus exclusively on Formula 1 next year – even though he won’t be on the grid. With Daniel Ricciardo returning from his broken hand recently, rookie reserve Lawson duly exited the Alpha Tauri cockpit and returned to Japan in a bid to round out his year with the Super Formula […]
2024 Sauber car to be ‘completely new’
Nov.4 (GMM) Sauber, currently known as Alfa Romeo ahead of its Audi future, will launch an all-new car for 2024. The Hinwil based team has slumped from sixth overall last year to just 4 points from the very bottom of the constructors’ standings in 2023 so far. Roger Benoit, the veteran F1 journalist for the […]
Sprint shakeup heading to next F1 Commission
Nov.4 (GMM) Formula 1 looks set to go ahead and shake up the ‘sprint’ weekend format for 2024. Although intended to give spectators more action, the single practice session, qualifying for Sunday’s race occurring on Friday, ‘sprint shootout’ qualifying and a short race on Saturday are not universally loved. “Yeah, it’s been absolutely fantastic,” world […]
Stroll’s ‘plan’ is to stay at Aston Martin in ’24
Nov.4 (GMM) Lance Stroll says the “plan” is that he will still be at his father’s Aston Martin team in 2024. The struggling Canadian driver is back in the Formula 1 headlines – but this time for the right reasons after a solid but in many ways lucky top-3 qualifying performance in Brazil. It came […]
Travel problems for Magnussen before Brazil GP
Nov.3 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen will not miss this weekend’s Brazilian GP, despite his conspicuous absence at Interlagos on Thursday. The Dane, who insisted during the week that his hands are “fine” despite his hefty crash just a few days ago in Mexico, was absent from the FIA press conference – which is compulsory for summoned […]
Hamas war will not cancel Abu Dhabi GP – official
Nov.3 (GMM) Formula 1 has hit back at suggestions the sport’s 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi will have to be called off. As the Brazilian GP weekend kicked off on Thursday, whispers circulated the Interlagos paddock that the FIA may be forced to axe Abu Dhabi for now because of the situation in Israel-Palestine. […]
Massa sits out Brazil GP amid F1 lawsuits
Nov.3 (GMM) Sao Paulo native Felipe Massa will not be at the Brazilian GP this weekend, despite officially serving as a Formula 1 ambassador. The former Ferrari driver is in the midst of legal action against F1 and the FIA, citing recent comments by the sport’s ex-supremo Bernie Ecclestone suggesting key officials knew about the […]
Audi chief says F1 entry ‘schedule’ still on track
Nov.3 (GMM) “No other decision” apart from entering Formula 1 in collaboration with Sauber has been taken by the Audi board. That is the “clear” denial that has come from the mouth of Jurgen Rittersberger, the VW-owned German carmaker’s chief financial officer and board member said at a meeting with business-related specialist media. His comments […]
Alonso probably started Red Bull rumours – Marko
Nov.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks it might have been Fernando Alonso’s camp that triggered the latest firestorm of rumours about his Formula 1 future. The 42-year-old Aston Martin driver actually reacted with fury to the swirling speculation – involving potential retirement but also a sensational Red Bull seat-swap with Sergio Perez – when asked […]