Oct.22 (GMM) It’s “Max’s time” in Formula 1 at present – and everyone may need to get used to that for some time to come. That is the word from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, having already ruled out intervening with rules to rein in Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s dominance. Lewis Hamilton finished second […]
No F1 race axe despite Azerbaijan war – FIA
Oct.21 (GMM) Azerbaijan’s grand prix is safe – despite the large-scale military offensive against the Armenian breakaway state of Artsakh in the last few days. In early 2022, Nikita Mazepin and his Russian sponsor were axed by Haas and the Russian GP at Sochi was scrapped by Formula 1’s governing FIA following the outbreak of […]
Russell insists modern F1 drivers not ‘soft’
Oct.21 (GMM) George Russell has slammed a trio of former Formula 1 drivers who are opposed to moves to make racing in the heat much easier for today’s racers. The FIA is already looking into potential measures following the oppressive Qatar GP, where several drivers suffered massively in the heat. “If we can find a […]
FIA should help stop Verstappen dominance – Hamilton
Oct.21 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has called on the FIA to help ensure Red Bull’s dominance doesn’t become locked in for the next several years. With Max Verstappen having wrapped up his third consecutive drivers’ title early and in an unprecedentedly-dominant style, attention is now turning to whether Red Bull’s rivals can close the big gap […]
Marko admits ‘differences of opinion’ at Red Bull
Oct.21 (GMM) There is no problem with a supposed power struggle at the otherwise dominant Red Bull team, world champion Max Verstappen insists. In Austin, the Dutchman had already dismissed the rumours of potentially terminal disagreements between bosses Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko as “BS”. But some sources believe Verstappen’s intervention, given his close […]
Stewart ‘moved’ by Gasly’s Cevert helmet tribute
Oct.21 (GMM) Sir Jackie Stewart has vowed to follow the career of French driver Pierre Gasly more closely. The F1 legend and triple world champion, 84, sat down with Gasly on the verge of the US GP in Austin to check out the Alpine driver’s tribute helmet to the late Francois Cevert. Cevert, Stewart’s Tyrrell […]
‘Mystery’ why F1 teams opposing Andretti team bid
Oct.21 (GMM) Michael Andretti says it’s a “mystery” why the existing ten teams are so opposed to his General Motors-linked bid to enter Formula 1. Andretti-Cadillac has been green-lit by the FIA, and the former McLaren driver revealed in Austin that his goal is to get the team up and running for 2025. “We’ll have […]
Wolff plays down effect of F1 absence
Oct.21 (GMM) Toto Wolff is back in the Formula 1 paddock to restore order to his Mercedes team. “All good,” he said ahead of the US GP in Austin. “Just a ligament replacement. “Difficult to walk but it’s ok.” While recovering from knee surgery, the Austrian skipped his least favourite races – in faraway Japan […]
Mazepin takes ‘step forward’ in reviving F1 career
Oct.20 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin insists he is still trying to revive his Formula 1 career. The Russian was not only ousted by Haas at the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis early last year, but sanctioned by western powers – stopping even his freedom to travel to Europe and beyond. However, he then won some key […]
Political party wants to revive German GP
Oct.20 (GMM) Moves are afoot to revive the defunct German GP. Public interest in F1 in the country has collapsed in recent seasons, with Nico Hulkenberg now the only active driver and neither Hockenheim nor the Nurburgring on the calendar. “I don’t think we’ll see a grand prix in Germany for a long time,” retired […]
Verstappen slams ‘BS’ Red Bull rumblings
Oct.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen has slammed rumours of a political power struggle at the otherwise dominant Red Bull team as “BS”. Team boss Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko have also played down the speculation suggesting they are clashing over how much influence they each wield over the energy drink company’s Formula 1 projects. “I […]
Perez ‘laughs’ at F1 retirement rumours
Oct.20 (GMM) Sergio Perez is hopeful that better preparation for this weekend’s US GP should help him recover from a slump in form. The performance slump has revved-up speculation about the Mexican’s future at Red Bull – including rumours he might announce his retirement from Formula 1 at his home race in Mexico next weekend. […]
Alpine says Schumacher can succeed at Le Mans
Oct.20 (GMM) Alpine boss Bruno Famin thinks Mick Schumacher would succeed if he makes the switch from Formula 1 to Le Mans-style racing. The Haas refugee and current Mercedes reserve tested the Renault-owned concern’s new world endurance championship prototype car at Jerez this week. “It went well,” Famin told Sport1. “But it wasn’t about pure […]
Alonso denies Aston Martin developments failing
Oct.20 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has hit back at suggestions that Aston Martin’s efforts to aggressively develop its 2023 car have proved a failure. The Spaniard started the year with a string of podiums, with the team admitting that it has made some “mistakes” with subsequent upgrades. Aston Martin has more upgrades in Austin, while other […]
Drivers furious at ‘obscene’ EUR 1m penalty limit
Oct.20 (GMM) Formula 1 drivers have reacted with astonishment to the news that they stand to be fined as much as EUR 1,000,000 by the governing FIA. Previously, the upper limit for financial penalties for infractions was just EUR 250,000. “Then maybe we can also sponsor the bottles of wine (on the podium),” joked world […]
F1, not FIA, will make Andretti call – Domenicali
Oct.20 (GMM) Formula 1 rights holder Liberty Media will make the final call about whether Andretti-Cadillac will be permitted onto the grid. That is the insistence of the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali, amid a power struggle with the governing FIA amid president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s desire for an eleventh team as soon as 2025. Ben […]
Raikkonen moves to Italy for son’s racing career
Oct.19 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen appears to be getting very serious about the karting career of his eight-year-old son. Earlier this year, the retired 2007 world champion set up a dedicated social media page for Robin Ace Matias Raikkonen, who runs the number 91 kart for the factory CRG karting concern. Italian-based CRG is well known […]
Father, team owner defends under-fire F1 son Lance Stroll
Oct.19 (GMM) Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll has leapt to the defence of his struggling and embattled son. Team driver Lance Stroll was warned by the FIA after being instructed to apologise in writing for violently shoving his trainer in Qatar – following his fourth consecutive failure to even get out of Q1. According […]
Horner denies trying to oust Marko
Oct.19 (GMM) Christian Horner has denied that he is trying to oust the controversial Dr Helmut Marko from Red Bull’s Formula 1 activities. Amid the premier team’s utter dominance at present, rumours of a power struggle broke out this week – with Horner reportedly making moves to improve his influence at the parent company in […]
Red Bull Ring calm over FIA president warning
Oct.19 (GMM) Organisers of the Austrian GP seem calm about FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s warning that the race at the Red Bull Ring could be axed. The ‘track limits’ situation and festival of often-delayed rulings about deleted laps was nothing short of farcical at this year’s Austrian GP, but Ben Sulayem lost his cool […]