Nov.11 (GMM) Formula 1’s ‘sprint race’ weekend format could be shaken up for 2023. This year and last, there were three sprint race weekends per season – with qualifying on Friday setting the order for a short race on Saturday. The results of the sprint then set the grid for Sunday’s main grand prix. And […]
Talks underway to tweak F1 license penalty system
Nov.11 (GMM) Talks are taking place about tweaking the ‘penalty points’ system in Formula 1. Pierre Gasly has been warned by his 2023 team, Alpine, to be “careful” over the next two races as he is dangerous close to a mandatory one-race ban on his F1 super license. “I’m not going to lie, it’s a […]
Alpha Tauri to ‘buy’ less Red Bull parts
Nov.10 (GMM) Alpha Tauri says it wants to make more of its own Formula 1 car components rather than simply taking as much as possible from Red Bull. The current rules allow teams to buy certain ‘customer’ parts from other teams, which Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri has traditionally exploited to the full. But with the […]
Fittipaldi backs Alonso over Hamilton spat
Nov.10 (GMM) F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi has sided with Fernando Alonso over a recent spat with Lewis Hamilton. Two-time champion Alonso recently suggested that Max Verstappen’s back-to-back titles were worth more than many of Hamilton’s seven world championships. “I have a lot of respect for Lewis, but still it is different when you win seven […]
Schumacher still in running for Williams seat
Nov.10 (GMM) Williams has emerged as a potential lifeline for the endangered Formula 1 career of Mick Schumacher. It is now widely believed that, after two seasons together, Haas will replace the 23-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher with another German, Nico Hulkenberg, for 2023. An announcement is now expected after the Brazilian GP. […]
Rivals back Hamilton staying in F1
Nov.9 (GMM) Two of Lewis Hamilton’s key rivals have backed his decision to keep racing in Formula 1 beyond 2023. In recent weeks and days, both Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and seven time world champion Hamilton, 37, have indicated a new contract will soon be negotiated. “The truth is, I find it exciting,” said George […]
Latifi admits ‘passion’ not high in 2022
Nov.9 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi admits to having mixed feelings about the looming end of his Formula 1 career. The Canadian has lost his seat after a third year with Williams, and says he is “still evaluating” what his next move will be. “Indycar is a category I am thinking about,” the 27-year-old told the Dutch […]
Renault CEO says Alpine wants F1 title shot by 2026
Nov.9 (GMM) Alpine aims to fight for the world championship by 2026, according to team owner Renault’s CEO Luca de Meo. It has been a mixed second season under Alpine branding for the Enstone based team, with Fernando Alonso leaving for Aston Martin and bemoaning his series of reliability problems. The team also lost its […]
Schumacher set to lose Haas seat – Ecclestone
Nov.9 (GMM) Mick Schumacher doubts Mick Schumacher will hang onto his Haas seat in 2023. The German broadcaster RTL now predicts that the small American team will not complete its lineup for next year until after this weekend’s Brazilian GP. But most pundits expect the news will be about 35-year-old Nico Hulkenberg’s full-time return to […]
FIA president says social media may ‘destroy’ F1
Nov.9 (GMM) Social media has the potential to “destroy” Formula 1, according to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Anyone who has been on social media in recent months will attest to the toxic atmosphere, which according to Ben Sulayem took the form of death threats against FIA steward Silvia Bellot recently. “Indeed a number of […]
F1 can cope with global recession – Domenicali
Nov.9 (GMM) F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali thinks Formula 1 can weather a forthcoming global recession. The sport’s revenues have recently dropped, but Liberty Media says that is due to factors like the axing of the Russian GP. “The attendance increase is just magnificent in terms of what Formula 1 is bringing mainly to new audiences,” […]
Engineer admits Verstappen ‘weak technically’
Nov.9 (GMM) Max Verstappen is “weak technically”, according to Red Bull’s former engineering boss. Guillaume ‘Rocky’ Rocquelin, who currently runs Red Bull’s driver development academy, says the new back-to-back world champion “still has a lot of progress to make” in that area. “I think Sebastian (Vettel) was a more complete driver than Max when he […]
Piastri up and running in secret McLaren test
Nov.8 (GMM) Oscar Piastri has got his career with McLaren up and running in France. Auto Hebdo, a specialist French car magazine, claims the 21-year-old Australian privately tested a McLaren at Paul Ricard last Wednesday and Thursday. Earlier this year, Piastri was the subject of an intense legal dispute between Alpine and McLaren, with McLaren […]
Marko denies Alpha Tauri to be sold
Nov.8 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits Red Bull’s affairs are currently up in the air in the wake of founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s death. However, he scotched wild rumours that one of the first moves by the energy drink company’s new sports-related CEO Oliver Mintzlaff will be to sell Alpha Tauri. “The group is doing well,” […]
Hamilton to challenge Verstappen in 2023 – Marko
Nov.8 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has tipped Lewis Hamilton to be Max Verstappen’s strongest championship challenger in 2023. This year, the early strong challenge came from Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, but ultimately Red Bull’s Verstappen wrapped up the title with races to spare. “Leclerc was very strong in qualifying,” Red Bull official Marko, 79, told […]
Marko, Horner say ‘six teams’ over 2022 budget cap
Nov.8 (GMM) The budget cap saga may be about to boil over, Red Bull’s top Austrian official Dr Helmut Marko warns. In the days before the Brazilian GP, it emerged that Sky Sports’ Formula 1 producer Billy McGinty visited Red Bull’s UK factory to smooth over strained relations as a result of allegedly biased budget […]
2023 calendar likely to shrink to 23 races
Nov.7 (GMM) Formula 1’s unprecedentedly-long 2023 calendar looks set to shrink by one race. The sport has unveiled its 24-event schedule for next year, including the return of China – with Shanghai having been absent since the onset of covid in early 2020. But according to Auto Motor und Sport, China’s ongoing ‘covid zero’ policies […]
Leclerc refuses to publicly criticise Ferrari
Nov.7 (GMM) Charles Leclerc insists he will not be caught publicly criticising Ferrari. The Maranello team emerged with a highly competitive car in 2022 but amid performance, strategic and reliability problems is only narrowly in front of Mercedes for second overall. When asked if Ferrari and boss Mattia Binotto have been criticised too harshly, Leclerc […]
F1 legend tells drivers to stop ‘snitching’
Nov.7 (GMM) German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has told Formula 1 drivers to stop “snitching” on their rivals. The phenomenon has emerged largely due to the ongoing ‘track limits’ controversy, with drivers complaining on the radio about transgressions they witness whilst at work in the cockpit. “I don’t agree with what they’re doing because of […]
Ricciardo ‘possible’ for McLaren reserve role
Nov.7 (GMM) Another team has emerged as a potential home for Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 – McLaren. Currently, it is believed the Australian is in talks with both Mercedes and Red Bull about potentially serving as reserve driver next year. Having lost his McLaren race seat, the 33-year-old Australian turned down a move to Haas […]