Jun.5 (GMM) A top FIA official has played down “noise” suggesting Madrid is in pole position to replace the current Spanish GP host at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. “There’s a lot of noise but the circuit has not been approved and there is no firm proposal,” said Carmelo Sanz de Barros, who is also president […]
Lack of money preventing W Series revival – driver
Jun.5 (GMM) The female drivers signed up to race in the all-female ‘W Series’ are still waiting to see if the financial problems can be resolved. Although the FIA is now pushing ahead with its own female-only ‘F1 Academy’ series, the original concept – W Series – collapsed late last year. One of the drivers, […]
Sauber admits eye on Sainz for Audi future
Jun.5 (GMM) The Swiss team Sauber, to drop the Alfa Romeo name at the end of the season, admits it has its eye on Formula 1’s two on-form Spaniards for the future. New CEO Andreas Seidl’s face has been absent from the paddock in 2023 so far as Sauber prepare for the future, where by […]
Leclerc has ‘lost his way’ at confused Ferrari
Jun.5 (GMM) Charles Leclerc may have “lost his way” at the struggling Ferrari team, according to well-known Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel. The Maranello team brought a visibly-upgraded car to Barcelona, but despite qualifying second behind Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz slipped to fifth at the chequer. “I did a very careful first stint but after […]
Hamilton, Wolff, set for contract talks on Monday
Jun.5 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton will sit down with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff for contract talks on Monday. In Barcelona, rumours of tension between the seven time world champion and his teammate George Russell bubbled up as the pair collided at high speed in Q3. Mercedes played it down, but former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher […]
Red Bull tried to slow dominant Verstappen – Marko
Jun.5 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull tried to slow runaway championship Max Verstappen en route to yet another victory on Sunday in Barcelona. The Spanish GP was one of the Dutchman’s most dominant displays ever, as he completed the ‘grand slam’ of P1 in every single session. He completed the grand slam with […]
Schumacher backs Steiner over F1 steward saga
Jun.4 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has found an odd ally in his criticism of the stewarding system in Formula 1. The Haas boss was summoned to the stewards in Barcelona on a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute with his criticism of the entire steward system. Steiner, furious with Nico Hulkenberg’s penalty in Monaco, called […]
Rival Madrid, Barcelona bids good for Spanish GP – CEO
Jun.4 (GMM) The Circuit de Catalunya needs to up its game in order to keep the Spanish GP. That is the warning of F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, with the paddock abuzz this weekend about the Spanish GP moving from Barcelona to Madrid for the future. For this weekend, the Circuit de Catalunya scrapped the slow […]
Peter Sauber ‘proud’ of Audi takeover
Jun.4 (GMM) Peter Sauber says he is “proud” that the Formula 1 team he founded in the 90s is now in the process of being taken over by Audi. The retired 77-year-old Swiss is enjoying a rare visit to a grand prix in Barcelona this weekend. He was asked about Sauber – currently known as […]
Dakar legend says FIA too entangled in politics
Jun.4 (GMM) International motorsport has become too entangled with the world of politics, according to Dakar legend Vladimir Chagin. The Russian and multiple Dakar rally winner and his team bowed out of the 2023 edition because of the Ukraine crisis, as Kamaz provides armoured vehicles to Vladimir Putin’s war effort. But Chagin said the FIA, […]
Ferrari tried to sign Christian Horner – Marko
Jun.4 (GMM) Ferrari also tried to poach Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner, according to Dr Helmut Marko. This weekend, F1’s most famous technical mind – Adrian Newey – finally confirmed long-lasting rumours that Ferrari have made several offers to him over the years. Marko now goes one step further to reveal that Newey, now […]
Marko ‘surprised’ Red Bull’s rivals can’t catch up
Jun.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he is still “surprised” that Red Bull’s rivals can’t figure out how to catch up with Red Bull’s current dominance. In Barcelona, runaway championship leader Max Verstappen strolled to pole position despite Mercedes and Ferrari’s latest major car upgrades. But even the challenge of Verstappen’s own teammate Sergio Perez […]
Alonso wants ‘a few more years’ at Aston Martin
Jun.3 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has given the strongest indication yet that he will extend his deal with Aston Martin beyond 2024. The 41-year-old Spaniard is enjoying a second spring of major competitiveness in Formula 1 this year – and has fully revived ‘Alonso-mania’ at the Circuit de Catalunya this weekend. “It’s the whole circuit and […]
Hamilton admits 2024 talks ‘taking a little longer’
Jun.3 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has once again denied rumours he may be shaping up for a sensational move to Ferrari. The rumours have been swirling for some time, raising doubts that Ferrari will extend its current deals with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz beyond 2024. “I think you asked me the same question one week […]
Dutch GP, Verstappen, not worried about sponsor exit
Jun.3 (GMM) The boss of the Dutch GP says he isn’t worried about the departure of major race sponsor Jumbo. We reported on Friday that the Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo had terminated all of its sports sponsorships, including with the cycling team Jumbo-Visma and world champion Max Verstappen. But another high profile Jumbo sponsorship was […]
Newey admits rejecting Ferrari moves
Jun.3 (GMM) Adrian Newey has confirmed that he turned down multiple offers to work in Formula 1 for Ferrari. Last month, founder Enzo Ferrari’s son Piero, who is vice chairman of the Maranello based company, revealed that Ferrari tried to lure 64-year-old Newey to Italy. “He said no to (Luca di) Montezemolo and to Jean […]
Verstappen could lap entire field in Spain – report
Jun.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen looks set to utterly dominate this weekend’s Spanish GP. Ferrari has newly-shaped sidepods and various other developments in Barcelona, Mercedes is again running its ‘B’ car, and even Aston Martin has new front and rear wings. And yet championship leader Verstappen’s Red Bull was easily fastest in P1 on Friday, with […]
Red Bull engine linked with Marshall switch
Jun.3 (GMM) There could be more than meets the eye to Rob Marshall’s move to McLaren. Behind the scenes, Red Bull and Ferrari are still arguing and negotiating over the release of Laurent Mekies to become Alpha Tauri’s new boss in 2024. So far, no agreement has been made after Ferrari described Red Bull-owned Alpha […]
‘Not easy’ amid swirling Ferrari rumours – Sainz
Jun.2 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has repeated his call for an end to rumours surrounding his Ferrari race seat. The Spaniard had already said this week that he wants speculation linking other drivers with his seat, like Lewis Hamilton, to be resolved by the beginning of next season at the latest in the form of a […]
Haas confirms F1 talks with Alfa Romeo
Jun.2 (GMM) Haas could become the new Formula 1 home for Alfa Romeo. Alfa Romeo is leaving Sauber – where the Ferrari-linked Italian carmaker is currently naming sponsor – at the end of the year because the Swiss team is in the process of being taken over by Audi. In Barcelona, Haas boss Gunther Steiner […]