May 2 (GMM) Ferrari has signed up two top Red Bull engineers – but Adrian Newey is not one of them. Corriere dello Sport reports that two top engineers at dominant Formula 1 team Red Bull will be heading to Maranello after serving a “full gardening leave” period. “Their names are not yet known,” the […]
Perez lacks ‘consistency’ to win 2023 title
May 2 (GMM) Sergio Perez lacks the “consistency” to mount a sustained challenge for the 2023 world championship. That is the view of former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, after the Mexican won not only Sunday’s Azerbaijan GP but also the ‘sprint’ race the previous day. The points gap between drivers’ title leader Verstappen, the […]
Verstappen insult was ‘psychological’ – Popov
May 2 (GMM) Max Verstappen was trying to land a “psychological” blow on one of his future opponents with an incident in Baku. That is the view of well-known Russian F1 commentator Alexey Popov, referring to Verstappen calling George Russell a “d*ckhead” after their clashes in the Azerbaijan sprint. Back-to-back world champion Verstappen, who like […]
New baby on the way for Magnussen family
May 1 (GMM) Although struggling to match Haas newcomer Nico Hulkenberg at times so far in 2023, there is good news in Kevin Magnussen’s world. His wife Louise has announced that, in addition to their two-year-old daughter Laura, the Magnussen clan will add a fourth family member in the summer. Magnussen’s father Jan, however – […]
Vasseur expects more ‘Leclerc gossip’ in 2023
May 1 (GMM) After his first podium of 2023, Charles Leclerc once again rejected weekend-long speculation that he is looking to escape his Ferrari contract. Team boss Frederic Vasseur, however, was first with the latest round of denials that the 25-year-old Monegasque has already kicked off talks with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff. “Leclerc is a Ferrari […]
Alonso, Sainz deny threat to F1 friendship
May 1 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has denied that his friendship with fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz is on the rocks following a string of on-track incidents. In Australia, Ferrari’s Sainz lost his points finish following a penalty for tapping Alonso into a spin – and they were again wheel-to-wheel this weekend at Baku. Aston Martin’s Alonso […]
F1 photographer speaks out after Ocon incident
May 1 (GMM) A Formula 1 photographer has called for “better headlines” after a scary incident in the pitlane at the end of Sunday’s Azerbaijan GP. The FIA summoned its own officials to explain the terrifying incident in which Alpine’s Esteban Ocon entered the pitlane at full speed to take a late pitstop – only […]
No team orders as F1 title battle heats up
May 1 (GMM) A lack of wheel-to-wheel action in Sunday’s Azerbaijan GP aside, the world championship battle is at least interesting. Sergio Perez is now just 6 points behind Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen following the Mexican’s sprint race-plus-grand prix double victory. “As long as it doesn’t harm the team, they can compete against each […]
Cars to blame for boring Baku GP – drivers
May 1 (GMM) Sunday’s main feature Azerbaijan GP was “not a thriller”. That was the summation of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Sergio Perez led home yet another Red Bull 1-2. Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director George Russell flagged the likely difficulty of overtaking at Baku earlier in the weekend when he chastised the FIA […]
Perez ‘closer than ever’ to first F1 title
Apr.30 (GMM) As the points gap shrank to 13 points with his sprint race victory at Baku, Sergio Perez declared that he is charging for his first drivers’ title in 2023. Some believe that reigning back-to-back world champion and 2023 drivers’ championship leader Max Verstappen is the clear ‘number 1’ at Red Bull – especially […]
Tost defends ‘aggressive’ Mekies announcement
Apr.30 (GMM) Franz Tost has defended Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri’s “aggressive” decision to announce Laurent Mekies’ impending departure from Ferrari. Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said Alpha Tauri releasing a statement about Mekies replacing long-time team principal Tost sometime next year was “aggressive” because the terms of his release have yet to be finalised. “They were […]
Wolff insists he does not ‘hate’ Verstappen
Apr.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hit back at the idea that he doesn’t like reigning back-to-back world champion Max Verstappen. The notion goes at least as far back as 2021, when Verstappen and Wolff-led Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton were locked in an ultra intense and ultimately highly controversial title battle. But Wolff says he was surprised […]
Verstappen tells F1 to ‘scrap’ sprint format
Apr.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen says Formula 1 should “scrap” the entire sprint race weekend concept. The world champion’s disdain for the “artificial” idea was worsened on Saturday when he finished only third behind Charles Leclerc and his own Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. But seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton put his thumbs up to […]
Verstappen calls Russell ‘princess’ in Baku
Apr.30 (GMM) Having called George Russell a “d*ckhead” on live television, world champion Max Verstappen then upped the ante by also describing the Mercedes driver as a “princess”. Red Bull’s Verstappen was furious about finishing only third in the Baku sprint race – a format he already despises – with sidepod damage caused by the […]
Russell slams FIA for ignoring F1 drivers
Apr.29 (GMM) George Russell has slammed Formula 1’s governing body for not listening to the drivers. When Romain Grosjean lost his Haas seat, 25-year-old Mercedes driver Russell replaced him as a director of the F1 drivers’ union – the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. So as GPDA director, Russell aimed his ire at the FIA for […]
Bottas could be five-time champion – Alonso
Apr.29 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas could have become a five-time Formula 1 world champion, according to Fernando Alonso. Last year after a clash at Spa, two-time title winner Alonso called Lewis Hamilton an “idiot” who “only knows how to drive and start in first”. Seven time world champion Hamilton responded: “It’s nice to know how he […]
Ferrari has F1’s ‘most powerful engine’ – Marko
Apr.29 (GMM) Ferrari has “the most powerful engine” in Formula 1. That was the word from Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko following Charles Leclerc’s surprise pole position on the high-speed Baku street circuit. “We knew Ferrari would be fast on one lap,” the 80-year-old told the Austrian broadcaster ORF in Azerbaijan. “Everything needed to work […]
Bottas wants to stay in F1 after 2024
Apr.29 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has played down rumours that 2023 could be his final season in Formula 1. Many are sensing that the 33-year-old Finn’s interest in other projects is rising at the very same time that his competitiveness appears to be on the wane. “No limit has been reached,” Bottas insisted to Iltalehti newspaper. […]
Wolff denies contract talks with Leclerc
Apr.29 (GMM) Toto Wolff has backed Charles Leclerc’s claim that not even a “single conversation” about the Ferrari driver switching to Mercedes has taken place. “As he said, we didn’t have a single conversation, except maybe at the airport about whether to go to Starbucks,” Mercedes boss Wolff said. “I don’t know where this rumour […]
Allison ‘in his element’ back in F1 paddock
Apr.29 (GMM) James Allison is “in his element” back in the Formula 1 paddock. That is the view not only of 55-year-old Allison himself, who has returned to the top technical job at Mercedes after an absence, but also team driver George Russell. “Mike (Elliot) is absolutely in his element in his new role,” Russell […]