Sep.2 (GMM) Momentum is continuing to build behind the idea that Lando Norris could become Max Verstappen’s next teammate at Red Bull. The duo are friends, and world champion Verstappen suggested at Monza that only Briton Norris’ long McLaren contract is a barrier. “Look, Lando is a great driver, there’s no doubt about that, and […]
Only Ferrari should break winning streak – Marko
Sep.2 (GMM) If a team is going to break Red Bull’s perfect winning streak in 2023, it should be Ferrari. That is the view of Dr Helmut Marko, as Carlos Sainz set the pace in Friday practice on Ferrari’s home soil at Monza – with Max Verstappen just fifth. “They (Ferrari) are strong in one […]
Bridgestone still pushing for 2025 F1 tyre deal
Sep.1 (GMM) Bridgestone is still pushing hard to replace Pirelli as Formula 1’s exclusive tyre supplier from 2025. Many in the paddock expected the FIA to have already announced the results of the current tyre supplier tender process. Some teams think it is already too late for Bridgestone to be prepared enough for 2025. “I […]
Boss ends rumours of Stroll’s imminent F1 demise
Sep.1 (GMM) Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack has ended speculation about the looming end of Lance Stroll’s Formula 1 career. Krack laughed at a wild recent rumours that because he has struggled alongside Fernando Alonso this year, 24-year-old Stroll – the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll – might launch a professional tennis career […]
Lawson will ‘probably’ race at Singapore too – Marko
Sep.1 (GMM) Liam Lawson “probably” has two more chances to show Red Bull he is ready for the Formula 1 grid. The 21-year-old New Zealander, currently backed by Red Bull as a frontrunner in the Japanese series Super Formula, was called up at Zandvoort to replace the newly-injured Daniel Ricciardo. Lawson admits it is his […]
Massa sets looming deadline over F1 legal threat
Sep.1 (GMM) Felipe Massa has imposed a looming deadline for Formula 1 and its governing FIA to react to his threat of legal action. The former Ferrari driver’s lawyers recently sent a letter to the sport’s authorities alleging their inaction in 2008 cost him the world championship over the ‘crashgate’ affair. Now 42, the legal […]
FIA cracking down on flexible F1 wings
Sep.1 (GMM) F1’s governing body is cracking down on flexible wings. It is a topic that rears its head every now and then in Formula 1, as teams can get an aerodynamic advantage by pushing the limit in terms of the wings’ ability to deform under load. According to f1-insider.com, the FIA suspects that some […]
Schumacher admits F1 return plans could fail
Sep.1 (GMM) Mick Schumacher admits he might need to start to contemplate a plan-B in the event that his return to the Formula 1 grid doesn’t work out. The German insists that, after being dumped by Haas at the end of last year, he has improved by serving as Mercedes’ official reserve and simulator driver […]
Monza must do more to secure new F1 deal – Domenicali
Sep.1 (GMM) Monza needs to offer more to spectators in order to qualify for a new Formula 1 race deal beyond 2025, the sport’s CEO insists. Italian automobile chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani admitted this week that he is in a “hurry” to sit down with talks with Liberty Media. And Stefano Domenicali, who runs F1 […]
Contract talks with Leclerc ‘starting’ now – Vasseur
Sep.1 (GMM) Talks between Ferrari and Charles Leclerc have now begun. That is the news from the Maranello based team’s new boss Frederic Vasseur, despite him declaring recently that talks will only take place at the end of the season. Some believe Leclerc is much less keen than his teammate Carlos Sainz to start negotiating […]
Verstappen bristles at Perez struggle theory
Sep.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen used an expletive when asked about the theory that Red Bull has developed its 2023 car to the detriment of Sergio Perez’s driving style. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said at Zandvoort recently that the big gap between Perez’s pace and that of his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen is “bizarre”. His […]
No ‘job guarantee’ for Perez, warns Marko
Sep.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has repeated his warning that Sergio Perez does not have a “job guarantee” at Red Bull. Ahead of the Italian GP at Monza, the Mexican brushed off speculation he might lose his seat alongside Max Verstappen due to poor performance. “From my side there is still a year and a […]
Brad Pitt in Monza despite Hollywood film strike
Aug.31 (GMM) Brad Pitt will be back in the Formula 1 paddock and grid this weekend at Monza. That is despite the fact that filming for the forthcoming film about Formula 1, which began at Silverstone, had to pause for the Hollywood strike. Lewis Hamilton, whose production company is involved with the Apple-backed project, says […]
Focus on the car, not the driver lineup – Ferrari CEO
Aug.31 (GMM) Ferrari’s current focus is on speeding up its Formula 1 car – not thinking about a change of drivers, according to CEO Benedetto Vigna. In recent weeks, and despite Carlos Sainz’s eagerness to enter talks about life beyond his 2024 contract, team boss Frederic Vasseur says the lineup for 2025 will only be […]
Red Bull’s interest in Norris ‘natural’ – Stella
Aug.31 (GMM) McLaren boss Andrea Stella says it’s “natural” that the impressive Lando Norris is being linked with other Formula 1 teams. Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko has hinted that he has his eye on the on-form 23-year-old Briton, while Max Verstappen is obvious friends with Norris and says only his long McLaren contract may […]
Palou ‘not disappointed’ about F1 setback
Aug.31 (GMM) Alex Palou insists he is “not disappointed” that a legal spat with McLaren may have derailed his ambitions to switch to Formula 1. After winning the title in 2021, the 26-year-old Spaniard is now on course for his second Indycar championship this year. He was even a hot tip for a promotion to […]
Stewart doubts Hamilton can win eighth F1 title
Aug.31 (GMM) Former triple world champion and F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart doubts Lewis Hamilton will ever win another world championship. He told the German magazine Sport Bild that one factor is the 38-year-old’s “hunger” after a record-equalling run of seven titles that ended with his loss to Max Verstappen in 2021. “It also depends […]
‘Intelligent’ Perez should quit Red Bull – Berger
Aug.31 (GMM) F1 legend and long-time Red Bull ally Gerhard Berger thinks Sergio Perez should consider a change of teams. Although Mexican Perez, 33, is already under contract for 2024, his form has slumped in recent months and there have been rumblings about Red Bull wanting to slip out of the deal. Berger, once a […]
Lawson could steal injured Ricciardo’s F1 thunder
Aug.30 (GMM) Liam Lawson has gone from near-uncertainty to a prime position in Formula 1 almost instantly. As recently as late July, when Red Bull was dumping struggling Alpha Tauri rookie Nyck de Vries, Dr Helmut Marko said it would have been “certainly wrong” to pull 21-year-old New Zealander Lawson out of the Super Formula […]
Perez confirms ‘bizarre’ theory about form collapse
Aug.30 (GMM) Sergio Perez has confirmed that his performance began to slide in 2023 just as teammate Max Verstappen got more comfortable with the same Red Bull car. Verstappen, who has won a record-equalling nine races on the trot in recent months, admitted this week that it initially took him “a few races” to “fine-tune” […]