Jun.27 (GMM) Mercedes is not yet ready to put Max Verstappen “under pressure” for race wins, Toto Wolff has admitted. Brackley based Mercedes had a tough and soul-searching start to the 2023 season with another ‘no sidepods’ car concept – but that has now been scrapped mid-season. The team is now edging closer to Aston […]
Michelin ‘surprised’ Bridgestone eying F1 deal
Jun.27 (GMM) Michelin’s motorsport boss says he’d be “surprised” if Bridgestone really is serious about taking over from Pirelli as the sole tyre supplier in Formula 1. It is believed the FIA has now approved the technical applications of both Pirelli and Bridgestone for the contractual period beyond 2024, with commercial negotiations now set to […]
Groups scrambling to join F1’s billion-dollar moment
Jun.27 (GMM) Formula 1 teams are reportedly worth at least a billion dollars each – even back-of-the-grid Williams. On Monday, Renault-owned Alpine confirmed that it has sold 24 percent of the Enstone-based team – not including the Viry (France) engine HQ – for EUR 200 million. “The transaction values Alpine Racing Ltd around $900 million […]
Liberty gives hope to Andretti-Cadillac’s F1 team bid
Jun.26 (GMM) Greg Maffei, the CEO of the American company that owns Formula 1, has given a big boost to Michael Andretti’s bid to enter the sport’s 11th team. Speaking on the Walker and Dunlop Webcast, however, he admitted not only that many of the existing teams are pushing back on the idea, but that […]
Investment firm buying into F1 team Alpine – report
Jun.26 (GMM) Renault is in talks with a private investment firm about selling a “minority” share in the Formula 1 team Alpine. Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi caused major waves recently when he hit out at the Enstone and Viry-based team’s questionable progress in 2023. And now, Bloomberg claims team owner Renault is in talks with […]
Verstappen open to any Red Bull teammate – manager
Jun.26 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s manager says he’s not interested in helping another driver thrive in Formula 1. Raymond Vermeulen manages the back-to-back reigning world champion’s career in collaboration with Max’s father Jos – whom he also managed. But he told the Dutch magazine Formule 1: “I could never muster the energy I have for Max […]
Red Bull to ‘evaluate’ Ricciardo with F1 test
Jun.26 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo’s hopes of returning to Formula 1 have been given a major boost by Dr Helmut Marko. Marko signed up the axed McLaren driver, and former teammate to Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, to be Red Bull’s reserve, test and ambassadorial driver this year. Ricciardo, 33, has already been linked with […]
Parts of Alpha Tauri to move to UK – Marko
Jun.26 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has lifted the existential pressure off Red Bull’s second Formula 1 team Alpha Tauri, off the back of rumours suggesting the outfit will be sold. Marko says it is clear that the Italian-based team is still proving its worth as a training ground for Red Bull’s premier outfit. “We are […]
Pirelli admits Bridgestone F1 bid a ‘great challenge’
Jun.26 (GMM) Pirelli’s Formula 1 boss Mario Isola admits the Italian company is facing a “great challenge” in fending off the bid launched by rival tyre maker Bridgestone. It is now all but official that the Japanese marque Bridgestone has entered the tender process to oust Pirelli as F1’s sole tyre supplier from 2025. Isola […]
F1 to turn up engine volume in 2026 – CEO
Jun.26 (GMM) Formula 1 will turn up the engine volume with the new regulations from 2026, the sport’s CEO has announced. Seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton admitted recently that the old scream of the pre-2014 normally-aspirated engines is one thing he misses about the past. “If we can have clean efficient cars that make […]
Palou linked with two F1 teams for 2024
Jun.23 (GMM) The next hot rookie in Formula 1 could be Alex Palou. As well as taking pole at the Indy 500 this year, the 26-year-old Spaniard is also dominating the Indycar championship so far – with 3 wins from the 7 races. Fellow racer Stefan Wilson, the younger brother of the late F1 driver […]
Perez not ‘up to the task’ at Red Bull – Briatore
Jun.23 (GMM) Sergio Perez says he’s only struggling with the “braking” of his Red Bull car. The Mexican arrived in Montreal recently denying team boss Christian Horner’s claim that his drop in form was due to the pressure of trying to go head-to-head with Max Verstappen for the drivers’ title. “I don’t think so,” Perez […]
‘No interference’ as Sauber, Audi prepare for 2026
Jun.23 (GMM) Audi is already focused on preparing for its works Formula 1 foray for 2026, according to Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi. The Volkswagen-owned German marque, which will team up with the Swiss outfit currently known as Alfa Romeo for the new 2026 engine rules, has this week signed its first F1 driver. […]
Sauber, Williams want F1 budget cap rule changes
Jun.23 (GMM) Midfield and lower-level Formula 1 teams are pushing for changes in the budget cap system to enable them to catch up in terms of infrastructure. Before the Canadian GP, Williams boss James Vowles admitted the once-great team is now 20 years behind the top teams in terms of key infrastructure at the factory. […]
FIA looking into top F1 teams’ budget cap loopholes
Jun.23 (GMM) Mercedes claims it may be just a single upgrade package away from victory in 2023. Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher said after the Canadian GP that he thinks Aston Martin is currently “a tad ahead of Mercedes with these improvements”. Indeed, Aston Martin unveiled a major upgrade recently, prompting Schumacher to predict […]
‘Red hope’ for Ferrari as 2023 car improves – Briatore
Jun.22 (GMM) Flavio Briatore says some “red hope” emerged from the Canadian GP last weekend. The former Renault boss and Italian is still involved in the management of Fernando Alonso’s career – and the 41-year-old Spaniard finished just 9 seconds behind dominant world champion Max Verstappen in Montreal. In third place was yet another multiple […]
Ducati dominance will help Audi in F1 – boss
Jun.22 (GMM) The dominance of the Ducati team in MotoGP this year could ultimately flow into Audi’s works Formula 1 project for 2026. Although an iconic Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Bologna-based Ducati is actually owned by Lamborghini – which is in turn owned by Audi and Volkswagen. Audi is in the process of taking over the […]
2023 ‘must be frustrating’ for Vettel – Horner
Jun.22 (GMM) Christian Horner says watching the 2023 season unfold “must be frustrating” for former four-time Red Bull world champion Sebastian Vettel. On the one hand, with 35-year-old Vettel having retired at the end of last season, Red Bull’s new sensation Max Verstappen is now utterly dominating Formula 1. But even the German’s most recent […]
‘Top’ signing will work on 2025 Ferrari – Vasseur
Jun.22 (GMM) New boss Frederic Vasseur is putting a brave face on Ferrari’s latest troubled world championship campaign. In Canada, Charles Leclerc lost his cool with his engineer on the radio for the botched tyre compound choice, but Frenchman Vasseur says a subsequent discussion has cleared up the controversy. “We had a good discussion and […]
Perez still ‘good enough’ for Red Bull – Marko
Jun.22 (GMM) Sergio Perez is not in danger of losing his Red Bull seat. That is the reassuring message delivered to Max Verstappen’s struggling teammate by Dr Helmut Marko, after Perez’s string of disappointing performances. The team’s reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo this week told ESPN that returning to Red Bull to revive and then complete […]