Feb.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down the fact that, just as Mercedes totally scrapped the ‘no sidepods’-style car concept after 2022-2023, Red Bull rolled out a similar car for 2024. “There are a few things they took over from our car,” the Mercedes team boss admitted to Austrian broadcaster ORF. “Not only the sidepods, […]
Honda hard at work on 2026 engine for Aston Martin
Feb.28 (GMM) Although currently powering the ultra-dominant Red Bull team, Honda is already working on its new works Formula 1 project with Aston Martin for 2026. With most power unit development forbidden, or ‘frozen’, until the all-new regulations take effect, Honda Racing Corporation boss Koji Watanabe insisted this week that HRC still works on “durability […]
Red Bull to race in Bahrain with Horner saga ‘clarity’
Feb.28 (GMM) Christian Horner is now counting down the hours before he learns whether his Formula 1 career is over or not. “I can’t imagine the season will begin without some form of clarity,” F1 journalist Louis Dekker, in Bahrain ahead of the start of opening practice on Thursday, told NOS. Indeed, every insider now […]
‘Steiner pulled the plug’ over $20m Haas dispute
Feb.27 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says he was fired by Haas team owner Gene Haas because he was asking for equity in the struggling back-of-the-grid Formula 1 team. The F1 world was stunned recently when Steiner, who led the American outfit from the beginning, was suddenly replaced by engineer Ayao Komatsu for 2024 and beyond. Until […]
Sainz ‘probably’ won’t wait for Red Bull decision – Marko
Feb.27 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko openly admits that at least three drivers, and potentially four or more, are eyeing Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat for 2025. However, the energy drink company’s top F1 consultant says Mexican Perez still has an opportunity to prove he deserves his contract to be extended. “Checo has to deliver consistent […]
Schumacher, Antonelli, to test F1 cars in 2024
Feb.27 (GMM) Mick Schumacher may be more likely to test a McLaren this year rather than an Alpine or Mercedes. The former Haas racer is an official Mercedes F1 reserve driver again in 2024, but he will also return to the race track – Alpine’s Le Mans-ready world endurance championship hypercar. Alpine boss Bruno Famin, […]
Hamilton visited Maranello ‘more than once’ – Ferrari
Feb.27 (GMM) The jury is out as to whether Lewis Hamilton has ever visited Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters or not. Still a hot topic in Formula 1 is the recent bombshell news that Hamilton, 39, will prematurely exit his Mercedes contract at the end of the year to switch to red overalls for 2025. He is […]
F1 owner Liberty Media now wants to buy MotoGP
Feb.27 (GMM) Liberty Media, the owner of Formula 1’s commercial rights since 2017, has set its sights on acquiring the sport’s two-wheeled equivalent, MotoGP. Recently, we have been reporting that F1 and MotoGP are open to the idea of staging a joint round of both world championships. That speculation has now stepped up a gear, […]
Russell defends F1’s Netflix ‘fakery’
Feb.27 (GMM) George Russell has leapt to the defence of the official Formula 1 Netflix series Drive To Survive, as the newly-released season 6 continues to divide opinions. For years now, despite the series being credited for contributing to F1’s soaring popularity, the sport’s ‘purist’ elements have blasted Netflix for on-screen fakery. But instance, one […]
Horner scandal outcome expected early this week
Feb.27 (GMM) The Christian Horner scandal is finally coming to its end, with Red Bull executives tipped to resolve his future in Formula 1 as he jets back to Bahrain on Wednesday. It is believed the investigation into Horner’s behaviour based on the accusations of a female team member is now complete, with Red Bull […]
‘More talk’ about 2025 than 2024 season – de la Rosa
Feb.27 (GMM) The 2024 season has not even begun, and yet one of the biggest talking points in Formula 1 at present is 2025. In part, it’s because Max Verstappen is expected to utterly dominate again this season – with Red Bull perhaps still half a second clear of the field, and the triple world […]
Sargeant’s 2023 form no longer acceptable – boss
Feb.27 (GMM) Logan Sargeant has been put on notice at Williams – up your game or be ousted. The American rookie struggled notably alongside teammate Alex Albon last year, but Williams team boss James Vowles has given him another chance for 2024. But he required that Sargeant, 23, improve both his physical condition and his […]
F1 moves to close budget cap loopholes
Feb.27 (GMM) Formula 1 is moving to close loopholes in the budget cap rules – but only in time for 2026. It was expected that by limiting spending, teams would become smaller. But the opposite has happened, with top team head-counts actually swelling from what was already alarming staff numbers of up to 1000 people. […]
Imminent end of Horner scandal will be ‘nice’ – Verstappen
Feb.26 (GMM) The collective F1 paddock is expecting the outcome of the Christian Horner scandal to be known before track action resumes in Bahrain this week. Even Max Verstappen, who has publicly stayed out of the saga involving Red Bull’s internal investigation into Horner’s alleged bad behaviour with a female staff member, now admits that […]
2025 contract still possible for Perez – Marko
Feb.26 (GMM) It is still possible that Sergio Perez will be offered a new contract to keep racing at Red Bull beyond 2024. That is the word from the team’s influential and notoriously merciless top Austrian consultant Dr Helmut Marko, even though Perez seems to still be struggling alongside Max Verstappen in 2024. Auto Motor […]
Gasly eyes team exit as Alpine slumps to dead last
Feb.26 (GMM) Pierre Gasly admits he sees himself as a player in the driver ‘silly season’ for 2025, as his current team Alpine slumps to the very rear of the grid. Ahead of the 2024 season that kicks off in Bahrain this weekend, it is believed the new Alpine could slip behind even Haas as […]
Bosses defend F1 team’s awkward new name
Feb.26 (GMM) New team CEO Peter Bayer has defended the decision to give the former Alpha Tauri team an awkward and controversial new name for 2024 and beyond. Officially, Red Bull’s second F1 team – originally renamed Toro Rosso after the Minardi acquisition – will be known as ‘Visa Cash App RB’ from now on. […]
Sacked Steiner accepts TV role in F1 for 2024
Feb.26 (GMM) Sacked Haas team boss Gunther Steiner will be in Bahrain for the 2024 season opener this weekend. The 58-year-old, who rose to global popularity for his charismatic portrayal in the Formula 1 Netflix series Drive To Survive, has accepted an offer to be an expert television pundit for the German broadcaster RTL. RTL […]
No plans to join F1’s tattoo craze – Verstappen
Feb.26 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he has no immediate plans to join the growing ranks of Formula 1 drivers with tattoos. Fellow multiple world champion Lewis Hamilton is extensively ‘inked’, while Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen also have tattoos. But when asked by Algemeen Dagblad if the tattoo bug might bite him […]
Sainz admits Mercedes, Red Bull options for 2025
Feb.26 (GMM) Carlos Sainz insists it is still his priority to secure his future in Formula 1 as soon as possible. The Spaniard headed into the winter break late last year insisting that he wanted a new Ferrari contract in his pocket ahead of the first race of 2024. Ultimately, Ferrari only told him that […]