Jul.1 (GMM) Even with a fascinating battle for the world championship in play, cultural politics are dominating the scene in Formula 1 for now. The paddock is now up in arms about the latest comments made by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, including that he would “take a bullet” for Russian president Vladimir Putin. He […]
All rookie drivers not good for Haas – Steiner
Jun.30 (GMM) Mick Schumacher is yet to secure his seat at Haas for the 2023 season, boss Gunther Steiner admits. Steiner found himself the subject of criticism for his handling of Schumacher’s difficult 2022 campaign to date, raising serious questions about whether the collaboration has a future. “We have not yet discussed the future,” he […]
Wolff won’t take back seat in F1 meetings
Jun.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff insists he won’t be taking a back seat at the next round of team bosses meetings this weekend at Silverstone. The Mercedes team principal took heat from many of his rivals after Canada for getting angry and ‘theatrical’ on the issue on porpoising in front of Netflix cameras. Wolff told Kronen […]
No ‘concrete talks’ with Vettel yet – Krack
Jun.30 (GMM) Aston Martin has reiterated its intention to keep racing with Sebastian Vettel in 2023. Team boss Mike Krack has already said this week that if the quadruple world champion “wants to continue” with the Silverstone based team, “we want to keep him for a long time”. Whether the 34-year-old German does want to […]
F2 team saves Vips’ career over racism scandal
Jun.30 (GMM) Juri Vips has been thrown a career-saving lifeline by his Formula 2 team. The 21-year-old Estonian was a Red Bull junior and F1 reserve driver until he was dumped by the energy drink company for uttering the ‘N-word’ during a live gaming stream. But his F2 employer, the Silverstone based Hitech team which […]
Verstappen to appear in next F1 Netflix series
Jun.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen will appear “a little more” in the next series of the controversial yet popular official Formula 1 documentary Drive to Survive. The reigning world champion withdrew from featuring prominently in the latest series because he sees the way it is produced is “fake”. “There were some things I wasn’t happy about,” […]
Piquet denies racism over ‘N-word’ storm
Jun.30 (GMM) F1 legend Nelson Piquet says he was not being racist when he called fellow multiple world champion Lewis Hamilton an ‘N-word’. The world of Formula 1 reacted in disgust when Brazilian Piquet, whose daughter Kelly is dating Hamilton’s 2021 title rival Max Verstappen, was quoted as referred to the Mercedes driver as “neguinho”. […]
Barrichello won’t say Sainz is new ‘number 2’
Jun.30 (GMM) Rubens Barrichello has refused to weigh in on the discussion about whether Carlos Sainz is his modern-day successor as Ferrari’s ‘number 2’ driver. The Brazilian was one of the sport’s longest-serving veterans with 11 career victories, but he is best remembered as the clear secondary driver during Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher era. He thinks […]
Ricciardo relationship not broken – Brown
Jun.29 (GMM) Speculation Daniel Ricciardo may lose his McLaren seat at the end of the season appears to be fading for now. Team CEO Zak Brown caused a stir recently when he said there were “mechanisms” to extract the struggling Australian from his 2023 contract, as he had “generally not met his or our expectations”. […]
Schumacher struggle ‘typical’ of Haas – Grosjean
Jun.29 (GMM) Mick Schumacher’s struggles in 2022 is part of a “typical” trend at Haas, according to his predecessor at the small Ferrari-linked American team. Romain Grosjean, who was replaced by young German Schumacher at the end of 2020 and now races in Indycar, agrees that it has “not been easy” for the 23-year-old so […]
Alonso could be five-time champion – Berger
Jun.29 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says he is “100 percent sure” Fernando Alonso would be charging for the title this year at the wheel of a Red Bull or Ferrari. The comments come as Renault-owned Alpine reportedly dithers over whether to re-sign the 40-year-old Spaniard for 2023 or instead promote young reserve driver Oscar […]
Marko expects biggest ever crowd in Austria
Jun.29 (GMM) More spectators than ever will flock to the forthcoming Austrian GP, which will take place just days after this weekend’s race at Silverstone. “Sunday was sold out long ago,” said Dr Helmet Marko, the top Austrian official for Red Bull – owner and promoter of the F1 race at the Red Bull Ring. […]
Schumacher camp hits back at Porsche reports
Jun.29 (GMM) The camp surrounding F1 legend Michael Schumacher have denied he ever drove a Porsche Carrera GT. In recent days, the auction of a Porsche reportedly driven ‘in secret’ by the seven time world champion attracted widespread media attention. It is alleged that, because of Schumacher’s then contract with Ferrari, the great German got […]
Rules not to blame for porpoising – Smedley
Jun.29 (GMM) Formula 1’s new ground-effect regulations have been a success, according to former long-time Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley. The Briton is now data systems director and technical consultant for the Liberty Media-owned Formula One Group, in charge of about 100 people charged with analysing information to improve the sport’s ‘show’. “We have transferred methods […]
Tension resurfaces in new F1 racism scandal
Jun.29 (GMM) A new line of tension has opened up in Lewis Hamilton’s relationship with 2021 championship rival Max Verstappen. Footage of triple world champion Nelson Piquet calling the seven time world champion “neguinho” after Hamilton and Verstappen’s Silverstone crash last year has emerged. Formula 1, the FIA and almost every F1 team came out […]
Hamilton wants Russell to do ‘experiments’
Jun.28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton wants to hand the mantle of experimental car setups to teammate George Russell ahead of the British pair’s home race this weekend. The seven time world champion called his Mercedes “undriveable” in Montreal practice recently but ultimately raced to the podium by Sunday. The problem on Friday appeared to be radical […]
Aston Martin hopes for quick Vettel decision
Jun.28 (GMM) Aston Martin is applying gentle pressure on Sebastian Vettel to sign up for 2023. The 34-year-old German, who was chided this week by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone for his political activism, is openly undecided about extending his career. Silverstone based Aston Martin, however, is keen to keep the quadruple world champion on […]
Mayor plays down Madrid’s F1 race bid
Jun.28 (GMM) The mayor of Madrid has played down reports the Spanish city could soon host a Formula 1 race. Days ago, it emerged that Madrid cabinet minister Enrique Lopez had written to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to “express our interest” in joining the sport’s ever-expanding annual calendar. “I would like to confirm our commitment […]
Brown worried Andretti F1 bid ‘dead’
Jun.28 (GMM) McLaren supremo Zak Brown is worried former team driver Michael Andretti’s bid to bring a new team into Formula 1 could be “dead”. Andretti Autosport is a big name not only in US-based motor racing but globally, including in the all-electric Formula 1 series. However, Formula 1 and the FIA appear reluctant to […]
F1, teams set to compromise over inflation crisis
Jun.27 (GMM) F1’s governing body has proposed to end the current budget cap argument by paying teams a fixed amount to counteract raging inflation. Although many of the smaller teams insist the $140 million budget cap should be strictly enforced this year, others – including Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari – argue that the inflation […]