Jul.24 (GMM) The FIA’s new secretary-general has laughed off claims her connections to Toto Wolff and Mercedes constitute a clear conflict of interest. Earlier this year, Shaila-Ann Rao – Wolff’s former lawyer and advisor – was controversially appointed in the top FIA role by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “Toto started all this nonsense about the […]
Marko applauds Ferrari for ‘clever’ Leclerc pole
Jul.24 (GMM) Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko applauded rival Formula 1 team Ferrari after Charles Leclerc secured pole position in France. “Ferrari played it very well,” he said, referring to the way Carlos Sainz gave his teammate an aerodynamic tow that ensured championship leader Max Verstappen could only start Sunday’s race at Paul Ricard from […]
Ferrari, Red Bull ‘on equal footing’ – Marko
Jul.23 (GMM) Mattia Binotto thinks the battle at Paul Ricard “will be about fractions of a second again”, even if Ferrari appeared to have its nose ahead in French GP practice. Championship leader Max Verstappen was beaten by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc two weeks ago in Austria, but Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko says he […]
Six teams reject ‘porpoising’ rule changes
Jul.23 (GMM) Up to six teams are resisting efforts for permanent rule changes next year to stamp out ‘porpoising’. Following the recent technical directive, Formula 1’s governing body is now pushing through permanent rule changes for 2023 – but top teams Red Bull and Ferrari are furious. “A significant rule change is being pushed through […]
Seidl rules out McLaren switch for Vettel
Jul.23 (GMM) Andreas Seidl has dismissed speculation Sebastian Vettel may make a shock switch to McLaren for 2023. Although quadruple world champion Vettel said at Paul Ricard that contract talks with Aston Martin have now begun, he was asked about rumours linking him to struggling Daniel Ricciardo’s seat. “I know some people there, but I […]
Vettel’s contract talks have begun ‘now’
Jul.22 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says talks with Aston Martin about a new contract for 2023 will kick off “now”. The Silverstone based team has made clear it wants to keep the quadruple world champion on board, but 35-year-old Vettel has also been linked with a shock switch to McLaren. “I think Lando (Norris) has a […]
Vasseur eyes ‘solution’ to Pourchaire dilemma
Jul.22 (GMM) Alfa Romeo is still looking for an opportunity to give highly-rated development driver Theo Pourchaire a run in the 2022 car. Many were surprised when it was announced that Robert Kubica would be taking over Valtteri Bottas’ car at Paul Ricard on Friday. That is because the Swiss team’s clear favourite, 18-year-old Pourchaire, […]
Ferrari ‘more dominant’ in 2022 – Verstappen
Jul.22 (GMM) Max Verstappen is not taking the 2022 world championship for granted, insisting he still feels as though he is “chasing” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. In reality, the reigning world champion is 38-points clear of Leclerc, but many in the paddock believe it is Ferrari with the outright fastest car. “It feels like we’re still […]
Sainz still charging for number 1 status
Jul.22 (GMM) Carlos Sainz insists he is still charging for number 1 status at Ferrari. Unofficially, most regard the Spaniard as subordinate to Charles Leclerc, with many calling on the Maranello marque to boost its title chances to making that status formal. “None of that has come from me,” Sainz, who secured his breakthrough win […]
French GP ‘not dead’ yet – Boullier
Jul.22 (GMM) The French GP is “not dead”, the Paul Ricard race’s director Eric Boullier has insisted. As Formula 1 gathered at the venue in Le Castellet on Thursday, most drivers were resigned to the fact that it may be their last in France. “It might not be on the calendar next year, so it […]
F1 divided over new era of political activism
Jul.22 (GMM) The Formula 1 paddock is becoming divided over the topic of how politically active the teams and drivers should be. The big issue at present is working on measures to reduce the alleged sexist and homophobic insults made against certain fans by other spectators at the recent Austrian GP. It is something world […]
Wurz says it’s unfair to ‘blame’ race director Wittich
Jul.21 (GMM) Alex Wurz admits it’s not fair to blame one of Formula 1’s new race directors for unrest in the driver camp at present. The former F1 driver now represents the entire grid as president of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, which recently sent a letter to the sport’s authorities outlining the drivers’ concerns […]
Mick Schumacher unwell for father’s award tribute
Jul.21 (GMM) Mick Schumacher on Wednesday did not accompany his family as the Haas driver’s legendary father Michael was honoured in his native Germany. Corinna, who is Mick’s mother and the wife of seven time world champion Schumacher, attended the ceremony along with Mick’s sister Gina-Maria and former FIA president Jean Todt. Corinna broke down […]
One Alpine driver ‘completely dedicated’ to team
Jul.21 (GMM) Esteban Ocon insists he is “completely dedicated to Alpine” – but the same may not be true of his famous teammate. “We have a long-term project,” Frenchman Ocon, 25, told RMC. “It’s rare to sign such a long contract in F1 but I’m happy with Alpine. “We are getting stronger so I hope […]
Ocon hopes French GP can be saved
Jul.21 (GMM) Esteban Ocon hopes a solution can be found so that this weekend is not his last home grand prix in Formula 1. The sport is at Paul Ricard this weekend, but most paddock insiders expect the Le Castellet venue to drop off the schedule for 2023 to make room for the likes of […]
Ricciardo ‘kept his distance’ from Verstappen – Marko
Jul.21 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career hangs in the balance because he wanted to “keep his distance” from young charger Max Verstappen. That is the forthright view of Dr Helmut Marko, whose Red Bull driver program brought the now struggling 33-year-old to F1 over a decade ago. Marko, 79, says the Australian has “outstanding […]
Top Russian official slams ‘dishonourable’ FIA
Jul.21 (GMM) Russia’s top motor racing official has slammed the “dishonourable” FIA for kicking the country out of Formula 1. Not only was F1’s contract for its annual race at Sochi axed over the Ukrain-Russia conflict, Nikita Mazepin and Uralkali were ousted at Haas and Ferrari tester Robert Shwartzman now competes under his Israeli license. […]
2022 rules mean upgrades no longer so powerful
Jul.21 (GMM) Formula 1’s new regulations are succeeding in helping the smaller teams to fight their most powerful rivals. That is the view of Gunther Steiner, boss of the small American outfit Haas. While rival small outfit Williams adopted Red Bull-like sidepods recently, as did Aston Martin with its so-called ‘green Red Bull’, Haas is […]
Suzuka boss confident of Japanese GP return
Jul.20 (GMM) Circuit boss Kaoru Tanaka says he is confident the Japanese GP will go ahead this year after a two-season absence from the Formula 1 calendar. Harsh covid restrictions in Japan meant the 2020 and 2021 editions could not go ahead at the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit. The sport is scheduled to return to the […]
Magnussen to keep Haas seat in 2023 – Steiner
Jul.20 (GMM) While Mick Schumacher’s seat is not yet safe for 2023, the same uncertainty does not exist for his experienced teammate Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen, 29, was ousted by Haas after the 2020 season along with Romain Grosjean to make way for the arrival of Schumacher and then rookie teammate Nikita Mazepin. And when Mazepin […]