Jul.13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has defended his decision to immediately oust rookie Nyck de Vries after just ten races at Alpha Tauri. “Why wait?” the 80-year-old Austrian is quoted by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. So far, the general reaction to Red Bull’s decision is that it is premature – and unfair of Marko […]
Candidates to replace Perez keep mounting up
Jul.13 (GMM) The candidates to potentially replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull are mounting up. This week, as Dr Helmut Marko said McLaren’s Lando Norris is the “strongest of the young drivers”, rumours were also swirling connecting the disaffected Charles Leclerc with the energy drink company’s top team. That is on top of Max Verstappen […]
New Alpine F1 boss denies he will replace Szafnauer
Jul.12 (GMM) The new vice president of Alpine’s racing programs has denied he will effectively replace current Formula 1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer. Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi recently launched a blistering attack on the Enstone and Viry-based team’s progress in 2023 – shortly before selling 24 percent of the team to a US-based investor group. […]
Macron gives green light for French GP revival
Jul.12 (GMM) French president Emmanuel Macron has given a green light to the revival of the country’s Formula 1 race. After the race at Paul Ricard fell off the calendar after last year’s race, new circuit boss Jean Alesi said the event lacked the support of the French president. “The presidents of other countries are […]
Ferrari now working on 2024 car – Vasseur
Jul.12 (GMM) Ferrari has already turned its attention to producing a new Formula 1 car for 2024. Carlos Sainz said at a sponsor event in London on Tuesday that after a “tough start to the season”, Ferrari has succeeded in “improving” the 2023 car. The Spaniard said Ferrari’s goal is “coming back to fight for […]
Audi slashes non-F1 racing programs from 2024
Jul.12 (GMM) Audi appears to be getting very serious about its Formula 1 program – as the VW-owned German carmaker slashes its other motor racing activities. With the marque entering F1 via a buyout of the Sauber team by 2026, Audi’s motorsport boss Rolf Michl said there will be no more financial support for customer […]
Marko admits Red Bull eyeing Lando Norris
Jul.12 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has now admitted he would like to attract Lando Norris to Red Bull. At Silverstone, as 23-year-old Norris impressed in his improved McLaren, Marko was spotted in conversation with the British driver’s agent Mark Berryman. Marko has now told Kleine Zeitung newspaper: “He has a contract with McLaren in 2025, […]
Climate activists hospitalise DTM marshal
Jul.11 (GMM) Although the British GP escaped the impact of radical climate protesters last weekend, it was a very different story at a DTM race in Germany. After the disruption at Silverstone a year ago, and a recent spate of actions at British sporting events recently including the Ashes and Wimbledon, British GP organisers were […]
F1 complains to UK gov’t about Brexit impact
Jul.11 (GMM) Formula 1 teams and officials have appealed to the British government to make their lives easier due to the consequences of ‘Brexit’. France’s Auto Hebdo reports that a major F1 delegation was welcomed to 10 Downing Street last week to meet with sport minister Lucy Frazer. Seven of the 10 F1 teams are […]
Marko admits Verstappen could quit F1
Jul.11 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits the risk is real that Max Verstappen will quit Formula 1. The likely-in-2023 triple world champion actually has a contract through 2028, but Verstappen has warned that he could quit as the F1 calendar swells and the controversial new 2026 regulations loom. “Max doesn’t just say something like that,” […]
Alpine must ‘find solutions’ amid slump – Gasly
Jul.11 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says Alpine has to “find solutions” to the Renault-owned team’s stalled progress in Formula 1. The Frenchman left the Red Bull family to replace Fernando Alonso at Alpine this year, but the British GP basically summed up the result so far: P10 in qualifying, contact and DNF in the race. Afterwards, […]
Red Bull’s Marko met with Lando Norris’ manager
Jul.11 (GMM) According to Dr Helmut Marko, there is “no question” about whether Sergio Perez will hold onto his Red Bull seat for now. He acknowledges that the Mexican has struggled even to get out of Q3 for five consecutive grands prix now, but Marko insists Perez is still quick enough for the seat. “He […]
Claire Williams dodged F1 after team ousting
Jul.10 (GMM) Williams’ former boss says she hasn’t watched Formula 1 since she lost her job in late 2020. But Claire Williams, the daughter of team co-founder Sir Frank Williams, says her late father would actually approve of the latest changes at the Grove based team. “It is nice that Williams as a name still […]
Wolff, Hakkinen say Eau Rouge must be changed
Jul.10 (GMM) Two more prominent Formula 1 figures agree that the treacherous Eau Rouge-Raidillon section at Spa-Francorchamps may need to be changed. Following the recent t-bone fatality of junior category driver Dilano van ‘t Hoff in almost an identical replay of the death of Anthoine Hubert in 2019, it has been proposed that Spa revert […]
Marko hints Ricciardo could replace de Vries
Jul.10 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down rumours former Red Bull driver Alex Albon could be a contender to replace Sergio Perez. For the fifth consecutive grand prix, Mexican Perez, 33, failed to even get into Q3 at Silverstone – while his teammate Max Verstappen has won the last five races from pole. Marko, […]
Too early to judge Vasseur as Ferrari boss – Arrivabene
Jul.10 (GMM) It is too early to shine a spotlight on Frederic Vasseur’s performance as Ferrari team boss so far. That is the view of Maurizio Arrivabene, who lasted four years in the exact same role until he was replaced by the also now ousted Mattia Binotto. Binotto’s successor this year is Frenchman Vasseur, and […]
Red Bull will respond to improving rivals – Verstappen
Jul.10 (GMM) Red Bull is responding to the improvements made by rival Formula 1 teams in recent weeks. At Silverstone, Williams and particularly McLaren demonstrated the effectiveness of their recent upgrades by leaping up the pecking order – challenging the ‘best of the rest’ credentials of Red Bull’s usual rivals Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin. […]
2025 talks already starting for Belgian GP
Jul.9 (GMM) Just days after signing up for 2024, Belgian GP promoters are already looking towards the next Formula 1 race contract for Spa-Francorchamps. Until the 2024 calendar was revealed with an unprecedented 24 grands prix, speculation was rife that fabled Spa might be a victim of F1’s push into new markets. At Silverstone for […]
Magnussen not stressed about expiring contract
Jul.9 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he’s not getting stressed about his expiring contract at Haas. The Dane has been outclassed so far in 2023 by his new teammate Nico Hulkenberg – the 35-year-old German who returned after a forced three-year break. Magnussen told DAZN he acknowledges how well Hulkenberg has done. “I feel like he’s […]
Drivers, Vasseur play down Ferrari tension
Jul.9 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur has moved to douse the flames of obvious rising tension between Ferrari’s two drivers. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s bickering heated up in British GP qualifying, with both drivers complaining about the other and Leclerc sarcastically declaring “Nice Carlos, nice” when his teammate passed him at Silverstone. “Maybe my message came […]