Jun.28 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has announced that he is in fact not ready to make a decision about his post-Ferrari career in Formula 1. Authoritative reports from Barcelona last weekend suggested the Spaniard was poised to imminently decide between Williams, Audi-owned Sauber, and the late contender for his signature – Alpine. Mercedes is no longer […]
Verstappen moves to end ‘silver switch’ speculation
Jun.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen has moved to put a final stop to lingering speculation that he may leave Red Bull at the end of the year. Backed by Toto Wolff, who is willing to leave a seat open for the triple world champion until as late as November, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius said in Barcelona […]
F1 drivers worried about losing seats for 2025
Jun.28 (GMM) The Formula 1 driver ‘silly season’ revved into a higher gear as the sport’s players congregated in Austria ahead of this weekend’s grand prix. Aston Martin confirmed that Lance Stroll has been re-signed by his father’s team, while Alpine – also as expected – revealed its new contract with Pierre Gasly. “We now […]
McLaren finds solution to burned-out ‘motorhome’
Jun.27 (GMM) McLaren has found a temporary solution to get the team through this weekend’s Austrian GP. Earlier, Dr Helmut Marko revealed that the Woking based team reached out to Red Bull hoping the energy drink company had a spare motorhome that McLaren could use at the Red Bull Ring this weekend. “They asked us,” […]
Alpine set to confirm Gasly contract extension
Jun.27 (GMM) Pierre Gasly looks set to definitely stay with the embattled Alpine team beyond 2024. His teammate Esteban Ocon will not be offered a new contract for 2025, but the authoritative French sports daily L’Equipe confidently exclaims: “Pierre Gasly will extend with Alpine. “He will be reappointed on Thursday to the team that welcomed […]
Engine penalty ‘inevitable’ for Verstappen in 2024
Jun.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s struggle to hang onto his championship lead for the rest of the suddenly much more contested 2024 season just suffered another blow. It almost went unnoticed in Barcelona, but the Red Bull driver had his fourth and final engine installed ahead of the Spanish GP, making a penalty for eventually using […]
Steiner ‘stands by’ latest Mick Schumacher criticism
Jun.26 (GMM) Gunther Steiner is refusing to back down amid ongoing spats with both the Schumacher family and the Haas team. Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver, is currently refusing to appear on screen with his fellow expert pundit Steiner on the German broadcaster RTL. Schumacher’s ban was imposed following the latest comments by Steiner […]
Red Bull ‘can’t afford’ latest Perez slump – Marko
Jun.26 (GMM) Red Bull “can’t afford” Sergio Perez’s latest performance slump, team consultant Dr Helmut Marko insists. In Barcelona, the rapidly disappearing dominance enjoyed by Red Bull throughout the 2022-2025 ground effect regulations so far continued to unfold. Marko told Speed Week that McLaren clearly had “the faster car” in Spain. “However, Max (Verstappen) drives […]
Red Bull solves ‘track limits’ issue for Austrian GP
Jun.26 (GMM) F1’s governing body and track owner Red Bull have moved to prevent the sort of ‘track limits’ chaos that marred last year’s running of the Austrian GP. In 2023, the Formula 1 event at the Red Bull Ring descended into farce with over 1000 ‘track limit’ violations, a hail-storm of penalties, and post-race […]
F1 drivers with mixed feelings about ‘booing’
Jun.26 (GMM) Two top Formula 1 drivers have mixed feelings about the increasing phenomenon of some of their on-track rivals being ‘booed’. Prior to the Spanish GP, ousted-for-2025 Alpine driver Esteban Ocon was booed at a fan event in Barcelona. “When the Alpine duo were announced, whistles and boos rang out around the circuit, and […]
Ferrari concerned about Verstappen’s Imola test
Jun.26 (GMM) Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has admitted he has some concerns about the way Red Bull now intends to use what have become known as ‘TPC days’. TPC stands for ‘Testing of Previous Car’, which is an arrangement in Formula 1 where teams are allowed some in-season testing but only in two-year-old cars. Last […]
Marko hints Lawson set to replace Ricciardo in 2025
Jun.26 (GMM) Liam Lawson looks set to replace and oust Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull’s junior team, RB, for 2025. Amid the current driver market ‘silly season’, it emerges that a key date relevant to many contracts and final deadlines is around the end of June. “I’m ready for next week,” nervous Sauber driver Valtteri […]
‘No crime’ in Hamilton sabotage accusations – police
Jun.26 (GMM) British police have ruled that no crime was committed as a rogue Lewis Hamilton fan accused Mercedes of sabotage ahead of the seven time world champion’s 2025 move to Ferrari. The accusations were made in an anonymous email, purported to have been sent by a disgruntled team member, sent to all F1 stakeholders […]
McLaren asked Red Bull for help after Barcelona fire
Jun.26 (GMM) McLaren reached out to Formula 1 rival Red Bull to help it through the remainder of the arduous current ‘triple header’ sequence of grands prix. In Barcelona, the start of a hectic three-week tour through Spain, Austria this weekend and Silverstone just another week on, McLaren endured an electrical fire in its grand […]
Mercedes ‘flexible’ for Verstappen until November
Jun.25 (GMM) Toto Wolff admits he is leaving Mercedes’ door wide open for Max Verstappen for as long as possible this year. Mere days ago, Mercedes CEO and chairman Ola Kallenius caused a stir when he admitted that his top pick to replace Lewis Hamilton next year is another multiple world champion. “The cards are […]
No regrets about 2025 Ferrari move – Hamilton
Jun.25 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton insists he has no regrets about choosing to move to Ferrari next year instead of sticking with the improving Mercedes team. Having struggled with Mercedes throughout the 2022-2025 ‘ground effect’ rules era so far, the seven time world champion hailed the team’s rapid progress last weekend in Barcelona. “Finally we’re starting […]
Climate activists threaten Austrian GP
Jun.25 (GMM) Protesters are reportedly planning to disrupt the Austrian GP this weekend. The Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung said of the Formula 1 race promoted by circuit owner Red Bull: “Emergency services are not ruling out the possibility that climate activists could throw the plans into disarray.” In anticipation of problems, race organisers at the […]
Silly season swirling as Alpine arranges ‘shootout’
Jun.25 (GMM) Even in the few days between Barcelona and Austria, and in the midst of an intense F1 triple-header, the 2005 driver ‘silly season’ continues to rumble. The big news is that two main contenders to replace Esteban Ocon at Alpine next year, Mick Schumacher and Jack Doohan, will test a 2022 car at […]
Alpine emerges as new F1 option for Carlos Sainz
Jun.24 (GMM) Alpine has suddenly emerged as Carlos Sainz’s potential new F1 team for 2025 and beyond. In Barcelona at the weekend, paddock insiders suggested the departing Ferrari driver is basically now ready to decide between Williams and Audi-Sauber – with an announcement due imminently. Charles Leclerc, upset about making contact with his Ferrari teammate […]
Haas insists it did not lose battle with Russian sponsor
Jun.24 (GMM) Haas has hit back at claims the small American F1 team lost a key legal battle against an embittered former sponsor. Last Friday, the axed-in-2022 Nikita Mazepin’s similarly ousted backer Uralkali, a Russian fertiliser giant with links to Vladimir Putin, declared that it won a Swiss arbitration case against the terminated title sponsorship […]