Mar.5 (GMM) Lance Stroll has admitted that he also broke a toe in his recent mountain bike crash. The Canadian sat out pre-season testing but was back in the newly-competitive Aston Martin for the Bahrain season opener. Stroll, 24, had his wrists bandaged following surgery for a fracture and recovery from a sprain – and […]
Magnussen says Haas a ‘better fit’ for Hulkenberg
Mar.5 (GMM) Gunther Steiner is having zero regrets about controversially ousting Mick Schumacher from the Haas team. “Finally we have a standard. Nico will pull Kevin with him,” he said in Bahrain. When asked if he has no regrets about ousting Schumacher, Steiner added: “Absolutely. “I’ve just said to my chief engineer ‘It’s so nice […]
Verstappen could ‘stop’ F1 after 2028 – Marko
Mar.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen is clearly “the most important part” of Red Bull Racing. That is the frank admission of Dr Helmut Marko, who insists that while the energy drink owned team is starting 2023 as the clear favourite, the season will also be “a challenge for us”. “The main part is still to come,” […]
Pirelli to bid for next F1 contract
Mar.5 (GMM) Pirelli wants to stay in Formula 1 for several more years. In Bahrain, it emerged that the sport’s governing FIA will launch its mandatory tender process to identity a sole tyre supplier for the next period. Pirelli already has the deal until 2024, with the next tender to cover 2025, 2026, 2027 and […]
Marko tips Mercedes to change direction ‘soon’
Mar.5 (GMM) Mercedes is at risk of falling out of Formula 1’s top three teams, Dr Helmut Marko has warned. “(Fernando) Alonso will annoy Mercedes if they don’t do something soon,” said Red Bull’s mercurial sporting boss after qualifying in Bahrain. Indeed, Alonso’s Aston Martin outpaced both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton on Saturday – […]
Alonso predicts ‘very fun championship’ in 2023
Mar.5 (GMM) World champion Max Verstappen says he’s not surprised that the pecking order in Formula 1 has started to converge. In Bahrain qualifying, the entire field – from Red Bull’s Verstappen to Pierre Gasly’s Alpine in dead last – was within not much more than a single second. “Not really,” the Dutchman said when […]
Mercedes admits car ‘concept’ may be scrapped
Mar.4 (GMM) Mercedes may finally be on the cusp of admitting its ‘no sidepods’ concept for the new-in-2022 ground effect regulations is a failure. Lewis Hamilton headed into the Bahrain season opener admitting that Mercedes may once again be trailing behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Now, even the Mercedes engine customer Aston Martin appears to […]
Red Bull confirms engine talks with McLaren
Mar.4 (GMM) McLaren and Red Bull officials have admitted they got together recently to discuss Formula 1 engines. Last year, McLaren supremo Zak Brown caused uproar when he wrote a letter openly accusing Red Bull of “cheating” by breaching the budget cap. But suddenly, in a new open letter, the American is backtracking. “While it […]
Massa considered suing F1 over ‘crashgate’
Mar.4 (GMM) Felipe Massa admits he thought about privately suing Formula 1 authorities for the right to be declared world champion of 2008. This week, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone stunned the sport by admitting that he knew about the 2008 ‘crashgate’ scandal long before it became public a year later. “Back then, there was […]
Hulkenberg not yet dreaming of Audi seat
Mar.4 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg is not yet putting his hand up for a works Audi seat. At the end of this year, the Swiss team Sauber’s naming rights deal with Alfa Romeo will end – as the 75 percent buyout by Volkswagen brand Audi ramps up in time for 2026. Currently, the only German driver […]
Easing Aston Martin hype ‘impossible’ – de la Rosa
Mar.4 (GMM) Pedro de la Rosa says it is now “impossible” to try to play down the hype surrounding Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso in 2023. After a winter of speculation about the Silverstone based team’s chances, and an eye-opening performance at the pre-season test, Alonso confirmed the hype by beating Max Verstappen to top […]
Mazepin sets ‘example’ with F1 ruling – Petrov
Mar.4 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin has set an “example” by fighting for his right as a Russian citizen to race in Formula 1. That is the view of Russia’s first-ever F1 driver Vitaly Petrov, following Friday’s news out of the court of justice of the European Union. In a ruling, the court agreed with axed Haas […]
Stroll may pull out of Bahrain GP – Schumacher
Mar.4 (GMM) A new question mark has emerged over Lance Stroll’s ongoing participation in the season-opening Bahrain GP. Just days after surgery for a fractured wrist, and with his other wrist also sprained following a mountain bike fall, the Canadian took part in Friday practice at Sakhir. And while teammate Fernando Alonso astonishingly set the […]
Norris does not regret long McLaren contract
Mar.3 (GMM) Lando Norris has responded to 2009 world champion Jenson Button “talking crap” about him. Last month, Button admitted he was “surprised” when – about this time last year – 23-year-old Norris extended his McLaren contract through to the end of 2025. Button made those comments before it became clear to what extent McLaren […]
Red Bull has reacted to budget cap scandal – Marko
Mar.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull made big changes over the winter to ensure last year’s budget cap scandal does not re-emerge. The reigning champions paid a $7 million fine for the ‘minor’ 2021 overspend and had a further 10 percent of their wind tunnel time taken away. “We have learned from the […]
Alpine smiling after mysterious test form
Mar.3 (GMM) Alpine’s place in the 2023 pecking order is perhaps less clear than any other Formula 1 team. Team boss Otmar Szafnauer admits that, at least publicly, the sole Bahrain test last week was an “inconspicuous” performance for the Renault-owned outfit. However, between the boss and the team’s French drivers Esteban Ocon and newcomer […]
Hamilton hits back over contract delay rumours
Mar.3 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has hit back at two fellow world champions who wonder if the Mercedes driver will sign another contract. Team boss Toto Wolff said recently that tentative talks are beginning, but Hamilton’s former McLaren teammate Jenson Button says the 38-year-old is probably waiting to see how competitive the 2023 car is. “Why […]
Apparent Red Bull dominance ‘dangerous’ – Berger
Mar.3 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says it is “dangerous” for Red Bull to assume it is the clearly dominant team heading into the 2023 season. As the sport’s players re-gathered in Bahrain on Thursday ahead of the first race, the feeling that back-to-back world champion Max Verstappen is the runaway favourite is unanimous. “I’m […]
Court gives green light for Mazepin’s F1 return
Mar.3 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin has been given the green light by Europe’s court of justice to return to Formula 1. At the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, the Russian driver and his sponsor Uralkali were ousted from Haas and the sport. The 24-year-old took his case to the Court of Justice of the European Union […]
Injured Stroll denies Bahrain return ‘not smart’
Mar.3 (GMM) Lance Stroll admits he has “a little pain” at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but he’s confident he will get through this weekend’s Bahrain season opener. The Canadian sat out pre-season testing at the same Sakhir circuit last week following a mountain bike crash – in which he broke one wrist […]