Apr.14 (GMM) Aston Martin boss Mike Krack admits he would be “lying” if he tried to say two key appointments haven’t given the team a major performance boost. Much of the credit for Aston Martin’s sudden performance surge in 2023 has been attributed to Dan Fallows and Eric Blandin – high-profile aerodynamics signings from Red […]
Lewis Hamilton could ‘fix’ Ferrari – Berger
Apr.13 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger thinks Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 future is up in the air. Publicly, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and seven time world champion Hamilton, 38, are declaring their intention to ink a new contract beyond 2023. But Berger thinks it’s possible that Hamilton will actually make an audacious move to Ferrari. […]
Vasseur gives sprint qualifying tweak thumbs-up
Apr.13 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur has given the thumbs-up to Formula 1’s sudden qualifying format change in 2023. In Melbourne, it emerged that the ‘sprint race’ weekend format was set for an immediate tweak, with a second and separate qualifying session added. Now, for the sprint weekends, there will be just a single practice session before […]
Leclerc ‘motivation’ still intact – Vasseur
Apr.13 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur insists the “motivation” of Ferrari’s star driver Charles Leclerc is still intact despite a horror start to his 2023 campaign. Not only is Ferrari’s new car lagging Red Bull whilst closely matched by Aston Martin and Mercedes, Leclerc is just tenth in the drivers’ championship. “The retirement in Bahrain, the penalty […]
Claims of Verstappen favouritism ‘a lie’ – Perez snr
Apr.13 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s father has played down any suggestion that Red Bull has a policy of favouritism in the direction of world champion Max Verstappen. Perez, 33, is under contract both this year and next, but there have been claims of tension in the relationship amid rumours Verstappen is the clearly-preferred driver. Perez’s father […]
Piquet never intended to ‘harm’ Massa
Apr.13 (GMM) Former F1 driver Nelson Piquet jr says he never intended for his actions to deprive fellow Brazilian Felipe Massa of the 2008 title. Retired Massa, 41, is looking into his legal options after former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone admitted both he and then FIA president Max Mosley knew about Piquet’s deliberate crash in […]
Alonso eyes new Aston Martin contract for 2025
Apr.13 (GMM) If Fernando Alonso keeps racing beyond 2024, it will be at the wheel of an Aston Martin. The 41-year-old Spaniard is enjoying a renewed stint near the very top of Formula 1, with three consecutive podiums after switching from Alpine over the winter. He is not even ruling out wins and even a […]
Alpha Tauri top speed ‘terrible’ – Tsunoda
Apr.13 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda is expecting Alpha Tauri’s car to struggle even more than ever on the streets of Baku. With rookie Nyck de Vries still getting up to speed, Japanese Tsunoda’s one point is all the Red Bull-owned team has to boast so far in 2023. “Our top speed is terrible,” he is quoted […]
Malaysia cannot afford F1 race comeback
Apr.12 (GMM) Malaysia cannot afford to bring Formula 1 back to the Sepang circuit. Between 1999 and 2017, the circuit near Kuala Lumpur was highly regarded by the drivers. But as Malaysia’s F1 adventure ended, then sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin said: “I think we should stop hosting the F1. At least for a while. “Cost […]
Rumours of Verstappen conflict overblown – Perez
Apr.12 (GMM) Reports of conflict between Red Bull’s two drivers have been overblown, according to Sergio Perez. The Mexican signed a new two-year deal last year, but that was before his relationship with teammate and world champion Max Verstappen appeared to take clear backwards steps. However, as some predict that new team reserve Daniel Ricciardo […]
Schumacher couldn’t perform like Hulkenberg – Stuck
Apr.12 (GMM) German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck isn’t sure Mick Schumacher would have been able to keep up with countryman Nico Hulkenberg in 2023. Hulkenberg, 35, was out of Formula 1 for three full years until he was signed by Haas to replace struggling 24-year-old German Schumacher this season. “I can’t have a driver who […]
Alonso ‘not thinking’ about quitting F1 – physio
Apr.12 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is not even “thinking” about retiring from Formula 1. That is the word from the Spaniard’s long-time and loyal physiotherapist Fabrizio Borra – an ever-present paddock companion. Speaking after 41-year-old Alonso’s back-to-back-to-back podiums so far in 2023, Borra told the Italian magazine Autosprint: “I think it’s great when someone of Fernando’s […]
No full-time F1 return for James Allison – Wolff
Apr.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff has denied rumours the team’s former technical boss James Allison has now returned to Mercedes full-time. In late 2021, Allison took on a new role in America’s Cup yacht racing, with Mercedes and team shareholder Ineos collaborating for Ineos Team UK Britannia. But after Mercedes’ disappointing start to the 2023 season, […]
‘Boredom’ no reason to change F1 rules – Steiner
Apr.12 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says Formula 1 must resist the temptation to react to Red Bull’s dominance by changing the rules. The new-in-2022 aerodynamic regulations were introduced in a bid to close up the field and produce better racing – but a spanner in the works at present is how far ahead Red Bull is. […]
Rookie de Vries ‘fighting to survive’ in F1
Apr.12 (GMM) Nyck de Vries has admitted he is under “pressure” to get up to speed in Formula 1. The 28-year-old Dutch rookie arrived at Alpha Tauri this year with a strong reputation – but he is so far lagging teammate Yuki Tsunoda in qualifying and yet to open his points account. He admits that […]
Belgian GP ‘more optimistic’ about race future
Apr.11 (GMM) Belgian GP promoter Vanessa Maes says she is “much more optimistic” about the clouded future of Formula 1’s fabled annual race at Spa-Francorchamps. In February, we reported that Maes was in Bahrain during pre-season testing for meetings with Formula 1 authorities about the event’s expiring contract. But after that, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali […]
Podiums ‘not enough’ for team owner Stroll
Apr.11 (GMM) Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll is not happy to rest on the laurels of Fernando Alonso’s back-to-back-to-back podiums so far in 2023. “It’s very simple,” team boss Mike Krack is quoted by Spain’s AS sports newspaper. “Lawrence’s comment is quite clear. “It hasn’t taken long for him to ask us when we’re […]
Widow sues Niki Lauda’s foundation for 30m
Apr.11 (GMM) Niki Lauda’s widow is suing for a big chunk of the late triple world champion’s net worth. It is believed that at the time of his death in 2019, the 70-year-old and former Mercedes team shareholder was worth somewhere in the range of $200-500 million. And according to the Austrian newspaper Kurier, two […]
Piastri is faster than Ricciardo – Norris
Apr.11 (GMM) Lando Norris says his new teammate is a tougher challenge than the ousted Daniel Ricciardo. The Woking based team decided to slip out of its contract with Australian Ricciardo at the end of last year, replacing him with his much-younger rookie countryman Oscar Piastri. “He’s doing really well, honestly,” Norris is quoted by […]
Ferrari wants Sainz penalty scrapped
Apr.11 (GMM) Ferrari is pushing to overturn the penalty that left Carlos Sainz distraught at the end of the recent Australian GP. The Spanish driver’s devastated radio and visual reaction to the 5-second penalty, which dropped him from fourth to twelfth place, went viral. He called it the “most unfair penalty” he had ever seen, […]