Apr.4 (GMM) The jury is out as to whether Mercedes really narrowed the gap to Red Bull’s dominance in Melbourne. “You shouldn’t have any illusions,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said after Lewis Hamilton finished second behind back-to-back world champion Max Verstappen on Sunday. “The Red Bulls are still in a league of their own,” he […]
F1 slammed as ‘animator of chaos’ in Australian GP
Apr.3 (GMM) Formula 1 is facing near-unanimous backlash after “the show” overtook the sport at the Australian GP. World champion and Melbourne winner Max Verstappen warned earlier in the weekend that he “won’t be here long” if F1 pushes ahead with initiatives like the proposed sprint format shakeup for qualifying. “This does not help in […]
Leclerc backtracks after sarcastic Sainz jibe
Apr.2 (GMM) Tension between Ferrari’s race drivers spilled out into the public after qualifying in Melbourne. Having qualified just seventh, two places behind his teammate, Charles Leclerc criticised Carlos Sainz for blocking him on a fast lap. “Thanks to Carlos for the slipstream through turns 3 and 4,” he sarcastically told the French broadcaster Canal […]
Nobody knows Schumacher’s health status – Todt
Apr.2 (GMM) Nobody except Michael Schumacher’s closest confidantes knows anything about his medical condition. That is the word from former FIA president Jean Todt – who is undoubtedly among the privileged few who have been allowed into the inner sanctum in the wake of Schumacher’s skiing crash a full decade ago. In those almost ten […]
Wolff says Schumacher a proper reserve driver
Apr.2 (GMM) Mick Schumacher will definitely race a Mercedes this year if the regular drivers are unable to. That is the clear message from team boss Toto Wolff, who denied that the ousted Haas driver’s new role at Mercedes is more symbolic than actual. Indeed, when Lewis Hamilton had covid in 2020, Wolff chose to […]
Hulkenberg lost 7 kilos for F1 comeback
Apr.2 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg is taking his return to Formula 1 very seriously. Haas brought the 35-year-old out of a three-year sabbatical this season to replace his struggling and much younger German countryman Mick Schumacher. “We got exactly what we wanted,” team boss Gunther Steiner confirmed. “I think he’s enjoying life here. He works hard, […]
Former driver questions Bottas’ F1 ‘hunger’
Apr.2 (GMM) Well-known racing driver Toni Vilander has criticised his fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas. Since losing his Mercedes seat at the end of 2021, 33-year-old Bottas has seemed much more relaxed. He even strolled into the Melbourne paddock this weekend with a local ‘mullet’ hairstyle, Australian style ‘flip flops’ and a self-styled ‘tank top’. He […]
Red Bull contradicts Perez twice in Melbourne
Apr.2 (GMM) Red Bull has contradicted Sergio Perez for the second time this weekend in Melbourne. First, the Mexican driver suggested that Red Bull is not used to running “two cars” equally. “Before I came, basically they were just going racing with two cars because they had to,” he said. Team boss Christian Horner hit […]
New Mercedes is ‘best’ and ‘worst’ for drivers
Apr.2 (GMM) While George Russell is happy with his Mercedes, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton admits he has a fundamental problem with it. With the pair qualifying just behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in Melbourne, Fernando Alonso scoffed at Mercedes’ claim that the car concept is a dud. “They are always fast,” said the Spaniard. […]
Perez denies Jos Verstappen snub
Apr.1 (GMM) Sergio Perez has hit out at those who slammed teammate Max Verstappen’s father for snubbing the victory celebrations in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago. As Perez celebrated with his mechanics in parc ferme, the cameras zoomed in on Jos Verstappen and Max’s manager Raymond Vermeulen – who appeared to ignore the Mexican. “I […]
Tsunoda could replace Perez in 2025 – Tost
Apr.1 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda could be ready to be Max Verstappen’s teammate by 2025. That is the view of Franz Tost, boss of the second Red Bull-owned team Alpha Tauri. Japanese Tsunoda, 22, has been a rough diamond since his debut in 2021, leading many to surmise that 2023 may be his third and final […]
New Red Bull CEO lacks F1 ‘expertise’ – Marko
Apr.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is continuing to play down speculation of a power struggle at the very top of Red Bull’s Formula 1 program. It appears as though rumours of the second team Alpha Tauri’s sale were prompted by Oliver Mintzlaff – the new Red Bull CEO in the wake of founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s […]
Hamilton ‘weaknesses’ showing in 2023 – Alonso
Apr.1 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has hit back at Lewis Hamilton’s claim that the 2023 Red Bull is the fastest-ever Formula 1 car. “He has a short memory. He’s getting old!” the 41-year-old laughed to France’s L’Equipe. Alonso and Hamilton, 38, were infamously paired together at McLaren in 2007 – but the latter went on to […]
Leclerc’s F1 career ‘slipping through his fingers’
Apr.1 (GMM) Ferrari is in “crisis”, according to the Maranello team’s former and highly-successful president Luca di Montezemolo. “You put a knife in the wound,” he said on the LA7 program Piazzapulita, “because together with my family, Ferrari has been the most important thing in my life. “I’m sorry to see it in this state […]
F1, MotoGP could share single race weekend in Madrid
Apr.1 (GMM) Formula 1 and its two-wheeled equivalent MotoGP may be exploring the idea of sharing a single race weekend. Recently, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali admitted talks are underway with potential organisers of a new Formula 1 race in the Spanish capital Madrid. And now, MotoGP rights holder Dorna’s CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta revealed that – […]
Bridgestone eyeing F1 return – report
Apr.1 (GMM) Japanese tyre marque Bridgestone may be considering a return to Formula 1. Recently, it emerged that F1’s governing FIA had kicked off a new mandatory tender process to determine the identity of the sole tyre supplier for 2025, 2026, 2027 and possibly 2028. The successful applicant will also supply Formula 2 and F3. […]
Red Bull to vote for second qualifying session
Apr.1 (GMM) Formula 1 teams are set to be invited to vote for a shakeup of the already-controversial ‘sprint race’ weekend format within mere days. Having already revealed his desire to scrap most practice sessions in Formula 1, the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali is now proposing that a second qualifying session be added to the […]
Michael Masi ‘open’ to chat with Hamilton, Wolff
Apr.1 (GMM) Former race director Michael Masi says he is “done” with Formula 1. After the highly controversial outcome of the 2021 world championship, Australian Masi, 44, was ousted by the FIA and subject to waves of hostility on social media. He relocated to his native Australia, now has prominent roles in local motor racing, […]
F1 capable of 30-plus races per season – CEO
Mar.31 (GMM) Formula 1 is capable of organising more than 30 grands prix per season, according to CEO Stefano Domenicali. Currently, there are 23 races – more than ever before – with plans for 24 next year thanks to China’s expected return. But Domenicali admits that demand from potential promoters is through the roof. “We […]
Vettel not ruling out F1 comeback
Mar.31 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is not ruling out a potential return to Formula 1. The quadruple world champion, 35, retired at the end of last season – and now admits it’s “a bit strange” to see Fernando Alonso doing so well in the Aston Martin cockpit he used to occupy. “But it is outweighed by […]