Sep.3 (GMM) The ‘silly season’ will step into an even higher gear now that Oscar Piastri is definitely confirmed to make his Formula 1 debut with McLaren next year. Alpine definitely has a seat to fill alongside Esteban Ocon, and speculation linking Pierre Gasly with the Renault-owned team appears to be on the money. “We […]
McLaren not surprised about Piastri saga outcome
Sep.3 (GMM) Andreas Seidl says he isn’t surprised that the FIA’s contract recognition board (CEB) sided with McLaren over the Oscar Piastri affair. After a week’s delay, the CRB declared late on Friday that Australian Piastri’s “only” valid contract is the one he signed in July with the Woking based team. McLaren promptly confirmed the […]
Alonso, Hamilton put Spa crash saga behind them
Sep.2 (GMM) Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have ended their latest on and off-track spat with a friendly get-together in the Mercedes motorhome at Zandvoort. Alonso, who was locked in a bitter partnership with Hamilton at McLaren way back in 2007, called his former teammate an “idiot” after they crashed on lap 1 at Spa-Francorchamps […]
Leclerc ‘not angry’ about Verstappen tear-off incident
Sep.2 (GMM) Charles Leclerc thinks Formula 1 needs to re-think the way drivers simply throw unwanted helmet visor strips out of the cockpit during grands prix. The Ferrari driver had to stop for an unscheduled pitstop at Spa-Francorchamps last Sunday after a plastic tear-off thrown out of the cockpit by championship rival Max Verstappen got […]
Sick Jos Verstappen to miss Dutch GP
Sep.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen will be without the support of his famous Dutch father at their home grand prix at Zandvoort this weekend. Jos Verstappen, who the championship leader will honour over the Dutch GP with a tribute helmet livery, has tested positive to covid. “I feel fine, but of course I stayed at home […]
Vettel slammed over Formula E rebuke
Sep.2 (GMM) A former F1 driver has slammed Sebastian Vettel for dismissing the value of the all-electric open wheeler series Formula E. This week, the German weekly Die Zeit asked the retiring quadruple world champion if – given his environmental activism – he might consider a move to Formula E. “No, I’m not going to […]
VW CEO confirms Porsche-Red Bull talks not over yet
Sep.2 (GMM) New Volkwagen CEO Oliver Blume has confirmed that Porsche’s negotiations with Red Bull about a works Formula 1 collaboration from 2026 are still ongoing. We reported this week that the deal is currently on hold, seemingly because Red Bull is concerned about the control it may lose by selling 50 percent of the […]
Gasly denies Alpine ‘contract’ rumours
Sep.2 (GMM) Pierre Gasly has found himself at the centre of the 2023 ‘silly season’. Although already officially confirmed at Alpha Tauri for next year, the Frenchman was heard on video at Spa last weekend telling Charles Leclerc and George Russell that his team is “working on the final details of the contract”. Most assume […]
Last races not a ‘farewell tour’ – Vettel
Sep.1 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has baulked at the claim that the last grands prix of 2022 will be his “farewell tour” to Formula 1. The quadruple world champion, 35, is definitely retiring from the sport as a driver after November’s Abu Dhabi season finale. But he thinks he will see his F1 friends again. “I […]
Verstappen opposed to F1 sprint race expansion
Sep.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted his opposition to adding more ‘sprint race’ weekends to the Formula 1 calendar. Three sprint race weekends are on the 2022 calendar, with normal qualifying held on Friday, a short grid-deciding race on Saturday, and the main action on Sunday. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, however, wants to expand the […]
Haas not commenting on Ferrari-Schumacher split
Sep.1 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has backed away from reports that Haas driver Mick Schumacher has lost the support of Ferrari’s driver development ‘academy’. The deal, which began in 2019 prior to 23-year-old Schumacher’s 2021 debut in Formula 1, is set to naturally expire at the end of this year and reports indicate that it will […]
Marko confirms Porsche talks ‘not over yet’
Sep.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has essentially confirmed reports that negotiations between Red Bull and Porsche about a works deal for 2026 and beyond have stalled. When announcing that fellow VW brand Audi will be on the grid in 2026, CEO Markus Duesmann indicated last week in Belgium that Porsche is definitely coming to Formula […]
Verstappen doesn’t need to win at Zandvoort
Sep.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says the pressure is lifting off Max Verstappen’s shoulders to target victory at every remaining grand prix in 2023. That is because the Red Bull driver’s advantage over Charles Leclerc is now approaching 100 points, which is made even more bitter for Ferrari given the sheer dominance of Verstappen last […]
No 2024 deal for popular Dutch GP yet
Sep.1 (GMM) The future of the highly popular Dutch GP seems unclear beyond the end of the current contract through 2023. That is despite the fact that even Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali admits that the event at Zandvoort is, after just a single season back on the calendar, the stand-out in Europe. “In the […]
Albon, Red Bull partnership now fading
Sep.1 (GMM) Alex Albon is now emerging from his close partnership with Red Bull, having been loaned to the British team Williams from the 2022 season. While the driver ‘silly season’ is shifting into a higher gear ahead of 2023, the British-born Thai driver seems to be firmly in Williams’ plans for next season. At […]
Red Bull not ruling out Gasly-Alpine move
Aug.31 (GMM) Red Bull is not ruling out releasing Pierre Gasly from his contract at Alpha Tauri. In the past days, the Frenchman – although already confirmed at Red Bull’s second team for 2023 – has been strongly linked with the vacant seat at Renault-owned Alpine to create an all-French lineup with Esteban Ocon. Some […]
Audi facing uphill struggle in F1
Aug.31 (GMM) Audi is facing an uphill struggle to produce an engine competitive enough to take on Formula 1’s long-established main players. That is the view of former driver Christian Danner, who warned those who are excited about the now-confirmed 2026 entry of the VW-owned marque. “How realistic is it for them to make such […]
Schumacher-Ferrari deal not axed yet – report
Aug.31 (GMM) It is premature to report that Mick Schumacher is leaving Ferrari’s driver development ‘academy’. That is the view of Felix Gorner, a correspondent for the German broadcaster RTL, after a specialist auto racing publication said Schumacher’s entire F1 career is now in the air following the Ferrari split. Gorner says the only fact […]
Alonso ‘right’ to rebuke Hamilton – pundit
Aug.31 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s old rivalry with Fernando Alonso is back in the spotlight after the Belgian GP. As they duelled towards the front of the field on lap 1 at fabled Spa-Francorchamps, their Mercedes and Alpine cars collided – and Alonso vented his fury. On the radio, the Spaniard told his team that seven […]
Binotto, Steiner to ‘sit down’ for Schumacher talks
Aug.30 (GMM) Mattia Binotto isn’t sure if Mick Schumacher will still be on the Formula 1 grid next year. The 23-year-old German made his debut for Haas last year and impressed alongside Nikita Mazepin, but his performances have been more mixed when paired with the experienced Kevin Magnussen in 2022. Schumacher is tentatively linked with […]