Sep.25 (GMM) Pierre Gasly very publicly dissented from Alpine team management’s decision to instruct him to give up a place and a championship point at Suzuka. Earlier at the Japanese GP, the team’s new-in-2023 recruit, fresh from escaping Red Bull’s driver program, insisted that despite a past spat with fellow Frenchman Esteban Ocon, the pair […]
Schumacher denies Alpine deal already done
Sep.25 (GMM) A confused-looking Mick Schumacher on Sunday had to deny that his move to world endurance sportscar racing is already set in stone for 2024. Alpine’s interim team boss Bruno Famin confirmed at Suzuka that “we are talking with Mick” about a potential deal to see the 24-year-old Mercedes reserve driver race the new […]
Sargeant will not be axed in 2023 – Vowles
Sep.25 (GMM) As new questions are asked about Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull, another driver further down the grid also seems to have a questionable future with his current team. The last open cockpit on the 2024 grid is currently occupied by Logan Sargeant at Williams – who suffered another crash at Suzuka on […]
New ‘very dark’ cloud hangs over Perez future
Sep.25 (GMM) As Max Verstappen celebrated his return to form and Red Bull celebrated the 2023 constructors’ title on Sunday, a new dark cloud gathered over Sergio Perez. For Verstappen, following the performance dip in Singapore, Suzuka was his successful return to personal dominance of Formula 1. “I wanted to give an answer after Singapore,” […]
Sainz says he and Ferrari ‘aligned’ over future
Sep.24 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he and Ferrari are “quite aligned” on the topic of a contract extension beyond 2024. Team boss Frederic Vasseur is keen to delay any contract talks until at least the end of the season, but there are whispers that Audi is knocking on Sainz’s door as the VW-owned brand prepares […]
Even better Honda engine coming for 2024
Sep.24 (GMM) Red Bull should benefit from an even better Honda power unit in 2024. McLaren CEO Zak Brown said at Suzuka that because Red Bull has essentially stopped developing its 2023 car, the fact that the next car may be even better is “scary”. Honda’s latest news will not cheer him up. “We cannot […]
Toyota linked with F1 return with McLaren
Sep.24 (GMM) Wild new rumours at Suzuka suggest Toyota could be on the way back into Formula 1. McLaren stunned the Japanese GP paddock this weekend by announcing out of the blue that Ryo Hirakawa will be the famous F1 team’s reserve driver in 2024. Hirakawa currently races for Toyota in the world endurance championship […]
No ‘energy’ to think about F1 future now – Sargeant
Sep.24 (GMM) Logan Sargeant may have ended his Formula 1 career at Suzuka. Although the well-financed Felipe Drugovich, Mick Schumacher and Red Bull-backed Liam Lawson are all loudly knocking on the door, Williams appeared determined to give its American rookie another chance in 2024. It is the final vacancy on next year’s grid, with Sargeant […]
Verstappen ‘the fastest and the best’ – Marko
Sep.24 (GMM) Max Verstappen left no doubt about it at Suzuka – the Singapore performance crisis is over. The Dutchman was not just seven tenths ahead of the McLarens in qualifying, but approaching a full second faster than the sister Red Bull of Sergio Perez. “All I can say is that our cars are equal,” […]
Tost doubts Vettel will return to F1
Sep.23 (GMM) One veteran Formula 1 figure doubts Sebastian Vettel will return to the grid. The quadruple world champion is at Suzuka this weekend, watching from turn 2 where on Thursday all of F1’s active drivers attended his ‘bee hotel’ launch. German Vettel, 36, even put on a trackside bib to watch the action at […]
Drivers ‘disappointed’ with Alpine car in 2023
Sep.23 (GMM) Alpine is working hard to stabilise its Formula 1 team and keep pushing towards success. That is the word from the Renault-linked outfit’s two drivers, who gave interviews at Suzuka to Agence France-Presse. For Alpine, 2023 has been nothing short of tumultuous – with fluctuating performance, repeated mechanical breakdowns, and management turmoil including […]
Red Bull ‘working again’ at Suzuka – Verstappen
Sep.23 (GMM) Singapore was just a mysterious blip in Red Bull’s otherwise dominant 2024 season. That is now clear, as Max Verstappen has dominated the practice sessions at Suzuka mere days after his record-setting run of ten consecutive grand prix wins came to a screeching halt on the streets of Singapore. “Our car is working […]
Andretti clears another hurdle on road to F1
Sep.23 (GMM) Andretti has cleared another hurdle in its quest to race in Formula 1 from 2025. The same, however, cannot be said of another interested new entrants, including Rodin Carlin and Hi-Tech, who are believed to have now been told by the FIA that their applications amid the tender process were rejected. Also rejected […]
Le Mans no ‘replacement’ for Schumacher – Hulkenberg
Sep.23 (GMM) A Le Mans seat is “no replacement” for Formula 1, according to 2015 Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg. Alpine confirmed at Suzuka that it is in talks with Mick Schumacher about a seat for the 24-year-old German in the Renault-owned camp’s new prototype project in world endurance racing. That is because Logan Sargeant, […]
Lawson could still secure 2024 race seat
Sep.23 (GMM) For Liam Lawson in Japan, there is both good news and bad news. The good news is that he looks set to hold onto his Alpha Tauri seat for a little longer yet, as team regular Daniel Ricciardo continues to recover from his broken hand. “I’d say we’re still talking a while away,” […]
Alpine confirms talks with Mick Schumacher
Sep.22 (GMM) Interim Alpine team boss Bruno Famin admits he is in talks with Mick Schumacher. Responding to recent rumours, Schumacher’s current boss Toto Wolff said last week that if the 24-year-old German wants to race at Le Mans next year, he can still keep his Mercedes reserve seat. Famin admitted at Suzuka on Friday […]
Alpha Tauri driver decision not taken yet – Marko
Sep.22 (GMM) Team chiefs insist the decision about Alpha Tauri’s driver lineup for 2024 is yet to be taken. With the injured Daniel Ricciardo’s short-term replacement Liam Lawson currently performing so well, team owner Red Bull now has three viable candidates to slot into the two race seats. It was believed the extension of Yuki […]
Qualifying pace ‘sh*t’ in 2022 and 2023 – Hamilton
Sep.22 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton admits he needs to up his game in qualifying. On paper, the seven time world champion is actually the best qualifier in Formula 1 history – with more poles even than the great Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. But Hamilton, 38, has struggled alongside current teammate George Russell with the first […]
Leclerc won’t get Ferrari ‘demotion’ – Marko
Sep.22 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has backed Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to hit back at his on-form teammate Carlos Sainz. Sainz, a former protege of Red Bull and Marko, has edged ahead of Leclerc’s performance since the summer break – culminating in back-to-back poles and a breakthrough second career victory in Singapore last week. “He is […]
Verstappen win at Suzuka almost guaranteed – Norris
Sep.22 (GMM) Red Bull looks set to leave its Singapore dip in the past by returning to full speed this weekend in Japan. However, Sergio Perez admitted at Suzuka on Thursday that engineers “don’t understand fully” what went wrong on the floodlit streets. But on paper, Red Bull’s highly efficient car should utterly dominate at […]