Oct.11 (GMM) Gerhard Berger has rubbished the suggestion that F1’s governing body needs to intervene to protect the health of the drivers in extreme heat. Multiple drivers really struggled throughout the Qatar GP, involving vomiting in their helmets, extreme dehydration and heat exposure. George Russell said many of his rivals admitted they were “close to […]
Marko says Alonso only real alternative to Perez
Oct.11 (GMM) Sergio Perez might find himself with a contractual “problem” if Red Bull had better immediate opportunities to replace him. That is the word from powerful Red Bull figure Dr Helmut Marko, who admits that the 33-year-old Mexican has a signed a sealed deal for 2024 involving multiple sponsors. However, Perez has also entered […]
Stroll in ‘exceptional situation’ amid F1 dramas
Oct.11 (GMM) Lance Stroll has found himself at the centre of multiple intersecting narratives in Formula 1 – as it emerges that the FIA is now investigating his behaviour. Amid the Canadian’s performance slump, and after his calamitous participation in the most recent race weekend, an FIA spokesman said the body’s compliance department is in […]
F1 drivers should prepare better for extreme heat
Oct.10 (GMM) Formula 1 drivers should be looking at their training regimes after the scorching Qatar GP. That is the opinion of former driver turned pundit Christian Danner, after the FIA released a statement about the multiple drivers who suffered medical issues with dehydration and heat exposure last Sunday. “While being elite athletes, they should […]
Sainz fuel leak ‘probably’ due to Qatar kerbs
Oct.10 (GMM) The new ‘pyramid’ kerbs in Qatar may have posed trouble for more than just the tyres last weekend at Qatar. After qualifying, Lewis Hamilton was actually complimentary of the pyramid-shaped kerbs at the refurbished Losail circuit, believing they might solve the track limits issue. “They look quite big, but when you go beyond […]
‘Idiotic’ to expect miracles with B-car – Magnussen
Oct.10 (GMM) It would be “idiotic” to predict a giant step forwards for Haas at the team’s home race in Austin next weekend. That is the warning of team racer Kevin Magnussen, who is nonetheless looking forward to the end of a long development delay for Haas at the US GP with the introduction of […]
FIA boss wants full grid of teams and fewer races
Oct.10 (GMM) If Mohammed Ben Sulayem had his way, F1 would say ‘yes’ to Andretti-Cadillac and one more brand new entrant – whilst slashing some of the 24 race dates on future calendars. According to France’s L’Equipe, the FIA president’s chat with a select handful of journalists in his office at the Qatar GP was […]
Red Bull ‘want’ to respect Perez’s 2024 deal – Marko
Oct.10 (GMM) The signs are growing by the day that Sergio Perez should be very worried about the validity of his Red Bull contract for 2024. Red Bull bigwigs Dr Helmut Marko and Christian Horner are now making consistently pessimistic public comments about Mexican Perez’s flagging form. “We have a contract and we want to […]
Marko names McLaren as likely 2024 title challenger
Oct.10 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has named McLaren as perhaps the biggest challenger to Red Bull’s current dominance of Formula 1 for 2024. His prediction comes after McLaren’s major resurgence this season following a less impressive start to 2023, with Oscar Piastri winning the sprint race at Qatar from pole and his teammate Lando Norris […]
Bridgestone tipped for F1 return – in 2029
Oct.10 (GMM) Bridgestone is tipped to return to Formula 1 – but only in 2029. Earlier this year, the sport’s governing body launched a tender process to determine the next contract to supply all F1 teams with tyres until 2027, with an option for an additional year after that. Former F1 supplier Bridgestone joined the […]
Wolff absence leads to Mercedes driver clash
Oct.9 (GMM) Toto Wolff has a task on his hands once he returns from his absence to lead the Mercedes team at grands prix again. Team boss and co-owner Wolff began his absence with the Japanese grand prix recently – ostensibly to recover from knee surgery. But thousands of kilometres away from him, Lewis Hamilton […]
Verstappen ‘on the same level’ as Senna – Berger
Oct.9 (GMM) With the championship now all decided and a full five grands prix left to run in 2023, column inches will be full of the proposition: Is Max Verstappen the best Formula 1 driver of all time. F1 legend Gerhard Berger, a friend of the Red Bull team, is arguably best known for being […]
FIA boss sure F1 owner Liberty will admit Andretti
Oct.9 (GMM) Mohammed Ben Sulayem says he will be pushing hard for Formula 1 to find a place on the grid for the new Andretti-Cadillac team. The FIA president has always been supportive of Andretti’s ambition to become the eleventh team as early as 2025, with the Paris-based federation officially approving the bid last week. […]
Stroll, boss, play down violent Qatar tantrum
Oct.9 (GMM) Lance Stroll and his boss played down the Qatar shoving incident. Amid swirling rumours about his future at his father’s Aston Martin team, and as he failed to even get past Q1 on Friday for the fourth consecutive time, the 24-year-old got out of his car and was seen violently shoving his trainer […]
Marko hints at scrapped 2024 contract for Perez
Oct.9 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull and in Formula 1 is on shakier ground than ever following yet another sub-standard outing – this time in Qatar. It was the off-form Mexican’s sprint race crash on Saturday that mathematically sealed the lid on teammate Max Verstappen’s third consecutive drivers’ title. Had had qualified a […]
F1 has questions to answer after Qatar GP
Oct.9 (GMM) Formula 1 has some questions to ask itself after the swelteringly-hot Qatar GP. Even as he arrived at the Middle Eastern venue on Thursday, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz said he thought the sport had made a mistake by travelling to Qatar in the desert location’s hot season. “I know there is a different date […]
Audi denies rumours of 2026 F1 entry cancellation
Oct.8 (GMM) Audi has denied reports it could be set to cancel its intention to enter Formula 1 in 2026. Officially, the Volkswagen-owned German carmaker’s plan is to take over Swiss-based Sauber, the F1 team currently known as Alfa Romeo, and run works Audi engines under the sport’s next set of regulations. But Radio Le […]
Alpha Tauri breaks ranks to oppose expanded budget cap
Oct.8 (GMM) Alpha Tauri has broken ranks with other bottom-four Formula 1 teams by questioning the $20 million relaxation in strict budget cap rules. Based on the results of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons, the four least-performing teams – Williams, Haas, Sauber and Alpha Tauri – have been allocated special ‘catch-up’ spending outside the […]
No hangover for triple-champ Verstappen in Qatar
Oct.8 (GMM) Max Verstappen promised not to race with a hangover after securing his third consecutive drivers’ title in Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar. The dominant Dutchman finished second behind Oscar Piastri, but it was actually Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez who closed the deal with his latest crash. Championship parties on Saturday night, […]
Good and bad news for Pirelli in Qatar
Oct.8 (GMM) According to the latest whisper in the Qatar paddock, Pirelli has beaten off a challenge from Bridgestone to secure the Formula 1 tyre deal for another few years through 2028. It is good news for the Italian company, however, that the official announcement isn’t due until a few days after this weekend’s grand […]