Aug.8 (GMM) Aston Martin’s F1 team boss admits he will be “surprised” if copycat versions of a new rear wing concept do not appear after the August break. Alpine sporting boss Alan Permane thinks there will be “nine other teams” studying the idea after Hungary, where Aston Martin revealed an intriguing rear wing that appears […]
Money ‘likely’ reason for Alonso switch – Szafnauer
Aug.8 (GMM) It appears Aston Martin simply offered Fernando Alonso substantially more money than Alpine was willing to pay for 2023, according to Otmar Szafnauer. Szafnauer is uniquely qualified to comment on Alonso’s surprise 2023 team switch, as he was Aston Martin’s long-time team boss before he switched camps over the winter. It is believed […]
Alpine to claim ‘compensation’ for Piastri snub
Aug.8 (GMM) Alpine has a right to seek “compensation” if Oscar Piastri doesn’t make his Formula 1 debut for the Renault-owned team in 2023. That is the insistence of the Enstone based team’s new-in-2022 boss Otmar Szafnauer, whose former employer Aston Martin kicked off the latest ‘silly season’ shakeup by poaching Fernando Alonso for next […]
Prince involved in Monaco’s F1 contract talks
Aug.8 (GMM) The Prince of Monaco has intervened directly in the Principality’s troubled negotiations with Formula 1 over a new contract for 2023. That is the claim of long-time Monaco resident and 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, as the sport prepares to unveil what is expected to be a 24-race schedule for next season. F1 […]
Perez ‘too young’ to consider F1 retirement
Aug.8 (GMM) Sergio Perez says he is “too young” to be considering following Formula 1 rival Sebastian Vettel into retirement. At the age of 35, quadruple world champion Vettel has called time on his own F1 career at the end of the 2022 season. Mexican Perez is currently 32, but he will be almost 35 […]
Haas calls off Schumacher contract talks
Aug.5 (GMM) Haas has called off all contract talks with Mick Schumacher for the duration of the August break, according to German broadcasters RTL and ntv. Boss Gunther Steiner had flagged F1’s calendar break as the right time to consider the small American team’s driver lineup for 2023, with Kevin Magnussen already under contract. But […]
Ferrari doing ‘everything wrong’ in 2022 – Marko
Aug.5 (GMM) Ferrari is doing “pretty much everything wrong” in the battle for the world championship, according to Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko. Even though the Maranello-made car has arguably been quicker than Red Bull’s overall so far this year, Charles Leclerc is a whopping 80 points behind reigning champion Max Verstappen. When asked how […]
Mark Webber plays down Red Bull-Porsche link
Aug.5 (GMM) Charles Leclerc is “under a lot of pressure” because of Ferrari’s struggles with reliability and strategy blunders so far in 2022. That is the view of Mark Webber, who currently finds himself at the centre of Formula 1’s ‘silly season’ as manager of Alpine refugee Oscar Piastri. While his fellow Australian is linked […]
De Vries ‘flattered’ by Williams rumours
Aug.5 (GMM) Nyck de Vries says he is “flattered” that his name is being linked with the Williams race cockpit for 2023. It was rumoured that Alpine would ‘loan’ Oscar Piastri to Williams for the next two years, as the team privately acknowledges the need to move on from Nicholas Latifi. Dutchman de Vries, the […]
Vettel retirement ‘absolutely’ right decision – Marko
Aug.5 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he “absolutely” supports Sebastian Vettel’s decision to retire from Formula 1. Marko is head of Red Bull’s notorious driver program, which propelled the now 35-year-old German into Formula 1 and onto four drivers’ world titles. But after subsequent moves to Ferrari and Aston Martin, Vettel is now stepping back. […]
No Chinese sponsor boom at Alfa Romeo
Aug.5 (GMM) Alfa Romeo is yet to decide if Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou will remain Valtteri Bottas’ teammate in 2023. Recently, the Swiss-based team’s technical boss Jan Monchaux said 23-year-old Guanyu had been “a surprise of the season”. “If you read back some of the comments of journalists last winter, they were quite sceptical – […]
Domenicali to offer Vettel new F1 job
Aug.4 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel may be offered a new job by Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. The Italian admitted in Hungary that quadruple world champion Vettel’s decision to retire at the age of 35 late this year came as a surprise. “I read it on the news,” said Domenicali last weekend. “Now I will speak […]
‘No doubt’ Red Bull, Ferrari pushing rules – Russell
Aug.4 (GMM) “A lot of lobbying” is still taking place as Formula 1 decides what to do about the so-called ‘porpoising’ phenomenon. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the aerodynamic bouncing caused by the reversion to ground-effect regulations this year risks the health and safety of the drivers. But the complaints have coincided with Mercedes falling […]
‘No problem’ with Alpine return for Ricciardo
Aug.4 (GMM) Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer says it would be “no problem at all” for Daniel Ricciardo to consider returning to the Renault-owned team. In the Enstone based team’s previous Cyril Abiteboul-run era, Ricciardo disappointed Renault by leaving the team to join McLaren. Now, however, he faces the prospect of racing out of Formula 1’s […]
Aston Martin not ‘backwards step’ for Alonso
Aug.4 (GMM) Aston Martin “needed a driver like Fernando Alonso” to push towards the front of the grid, according to fellow Spaniard and friend Pedro de la Rosa. 41-year-old Alonso’s mission at Alpine became known as ‘El Plan’ – but he is now jumping ship to the Silverstone based F1 team. “‘El Plan’ continues – […]
Andretti’s F1 deadline for 2024 ‘very close’
Aug.3 (GMM) A deadline that will derail Andretti’s plans to enter Formula 1 is fast approaching. Former McLaren driver Michael Andretti is pushing hard to get the green light for a new American entry in F1, but meeting severe resistance from some existing teams. When asked about the status of the Formula 1 plans, Andretti […]
Dutch GP survives another F1 axe attempt
Aug.3 (GMM) The Dutch GP has survived yet another attempt to strike Zandvoort off the Formula 1 race calendar. According to local media reports, environmentalist organisations had asked the country’s Raad van State (Council of State) to revoke the circuit’s environmental permit until a final ruling in 2023. The revocation would have cast serious doubt […]
Mick Schumacher could leave F1 after 2022 – report
Aug.3 (GMM) Mick Schumacher risks falling out of Formula 1 in 2023, the major German newspaper Bild reports. Retiring quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel had recommended his 23-year-old countryman for the Aston Martin seat next year, but the team signed up Fernando Alonso. “Sebastian’s good words to Lawrence Stroll didn’t help,” RTL pundit Felix Gorner […]
Zanardi involved in house fire in Italy
Aug.3 (GMM) Alex Zanardi’s bad luck has continued to chase the former Formula 1 and Indycar driver into 2022. Two years ago, the now 55-year-old – who lost both legs in an horrific 2001 Indy crash – sustained head and facial injuries in a serious hand-cycling accident in Italy. Now, Italian media report that Italian […]
Former boss says Binotto must end turmoil
Aug.3 (GMM) Mattia Binotto’s new task is ending the turmoil that has derailed the 2022 world champion championship hopes of Charles Leclerc. That is the view of Cesare Fiorio, a former boss of the fabled Maranello team – as multiple pundits marvel at the ways in which Binotto-led Ferrari has upset its star driver. “I […]