Aug.4 (GMM) Mercedes has floored the throttle in terms of engine power in the battle for the 2021 titles, according to Dr Helmut Marko. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen appeared to be racing into a comfortable lead until Silverstone and Hungary, where incidents with Mercedes drivers left him 8 points adrift Lewis Hamilton. But also at […]
Tiktum denies leaving Williams over Latifi insult
Aug.4 (GMM) Dan Tiktum’s on-again, off-again flirtation with a career in Formula 1 has been flicked back into the ‘off’ position. The controversial 22-year-old Briton’s name first came to prominence as a member of Red Bull’s famous driver program, but he joined Williams’ similar program ahead of the 2020 season. Currently fourth overall in Formula […]
Bottas ‘bowling’ was not deliberate – Albers
Aug.4 (GMM) A former F1 driver has dismissed suggestions Valtteri Bottas may have deliberately taken out both Red Bulls at the first corner in Hungary. There is no doubt the Finn’s mistake contributed greatly to allowing his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to race past Max Verstappen in the world championship. It has also put Red […]
Hamilton duel not like great Schumacher battle – Alonso
Aug.4 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has played down any comparison between his thrilling duel with Lewis Hamilton in Hungary, and an iconic battle that took place over 15 years ago. The Alonso-Hamilton scrap in Hungary is being raved about in Formula 1 circles, and the Alpine driver and two-time champion admits he managed to keep Hamilton […]
Red Bull considers new Honda engines for Spa
Aug.4 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ five-place grid penalty for taking out both Red Bulls in Hungary is not severe enough, according to Dr Helmut Marko. Mercedes and Bottas admitted the blame for the misjudged first corner in Hungary that ultimately cost Max Verstappen the world championship lead. As for the subsequent five-place grid penalty for Bottas […]
Red Bull should ‘think about’ comments – Hamilton
Aug.4 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has pointed the finger at Red Bull after being loudly booed and jeered by spectators after the recent Hungarian GP. The seven time world champion, who has returned to his home in Monaco as the new championship leader, said he thinks comments made by Red Bull’s top bosses in the wake […]
Stroll could be Hamilton’s next teammate – Villeneuve
Aug.3 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve has floated a radical theory about who might race alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year. Team boss Toto Wolff is openly admitting that it is a two-horse race between the experienced incumbent Valtteri Bottas and young charger George Russell. 1997 world champion Villeneuve can at least imagine Bottas leaving the […]
Steiner slams Mick’s uncle over criticism rebuke
Aug.3 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has fended off a rebuke by former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher. In Hungary, the Haas team boss had hit out at Ralf’s nephew, team driver Mick Schumacher, for a practice crash that meant he sat out qualifying. “Mick has had too many accidents in the last few races,” Steiner said. […]
Red Bull hopes Verstappen’s engine can be ‘saved’
Aug.3 (GMM) Red Bull and Honda have not given up hope that Max Verstappen’s damaged engine from the 51G Silverstone crash can be “saved”. The team intended to use the unit from the crashed wreckage throughout the Hungarian GP weekend, but cracks were discovered after initial running on track. “The engine was no longer usable […]
Williams boss hopes Russell secures Mercedes seat
Aug.3 (GMM) Even George Russell’s current boss would like to see the increasingly impressive 23-year-old to take the big step into a full-time Mercedes seat for 2022. On the other hand, Jost Capito also admits he would “very much like to keep him” at Williams for another year. “But if he gets an offer to […]
Verstappen ‘absolutely sure’ he’s faster than Hamilton
Aug.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is “absolutely sure” he is capable of beating the most successful driver in Formula 1 history to the 2021 title. Until Hungary, where he was taken out by Valtteri Bottas at turn 1, the Red Bull driver was leading the drivers’ world championship. He lost the bulk of that […]
Bottas mistake won’t influence 2022 decision – Wolff
Aug.3 (GMM) The mistake described by Christian Horner as a “howler” on Sunday will not automatically cost Valtteri Bottas his Mercedes seat. That is the claim of Toto Wolff, even though he issued a public apology on behalf of Mercedes for Bottas’ first-corner mistake that took out both Red Bulls. Footage has emerged of Red […]
Vettel races F1 into Hungarian political storm
Aug.3 (GMM) Formula 1 has found itself at the centre of a political storm in Hungary. Quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel was reprimanded after Sunday’s Hungarian GP for having worn a rainbow-coloured, LGBT-themed t-shirt declaring ‘Same Love’ during the national anthem. The Aston Martin driver, however, was defiant, warning that he is prepared to “do […]
Apolitical Verstappen slams electric road cars
Aug.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he will not be leaping aboard the trend of buying and driving an electric road car. “They have no sound,” the Red Bull driver and Dutchman told Bild am Sonntag newspaper prior to Sunday’s Hungarian GP. “No, that’s not my style,” Verstappen, 23, added when asked if he will add […]
Prost hails Alonso’s ‘incredible self-sacrifice’
Aug.2 (GMM) F1 legend Alain Prost thinks Esteban Ocon is poised to now “move into a different dimension” in Formula 1. The eventual outcome of Sunday’s tumultuous, slippery and controversial Hungarian GP was Alpine’s French driver Ocon securing his first win. It comes hot on the heels of his new three-year contract with the Renault-owned […]
Wolff apologises after Bottas ‘takes out’ Verstappen
Aug.2 (GMM) “Taken out by a Mercedes – again.” That was how Max Verstappen reacted on Sunday after losing the lead of the world championship to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in Hungary. Some publications published post-race comments by the Red Bull driver that were strewn with expletives. “What kind of reaction do you expect?” he said. […]
Haas boss scolds Schumacher after Hungary crash
Aug.1 (GMM) Mick Schumacher earned a rare rebuke from his team boss Gunther Steiner following a big crash in Hungary. “It’s nothing to be proud of, but that was the biggest crash of my Formula 1 career,” the 22-year-old German admitted. However, it happened in the Saturday practice session, leaving Haas mechanics just shy of […]
Aston Martin to confirm Vettel deal for 2022
Aug.1 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel looks to be definitely staying at Aston Martin for 2022. While it was already known that the quadruple world champion’s new contract for 2021 and beyond was for multiple years, the extension into 2022 still needs to be formalised. “Seb is definitely happy with us,” team boss Otmar Szafnauer said in […]
Alfa Romeo to decide 2022 drivers ‘by September’
Aug.1 (GMM) Alfa Romeo will make a call about its 2022 driver lineup “by September”. After the Swiss based team recently secured an extended naming deal with the Ferrari-linked carmaker Alfa Romeo, attention is now turning to the drivers. Questions are being asked about the current speed and attentiveness of 41-year-old Kimi Raikkonen, while young […]
Domenicali told Hamilton to call Verstappen
Aug.1 (GMM) F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali had to convince Lewis Hamilton to give Max Verstappen a call following their highly contentious Silverstone clash. On Thursday in Hungary, the seven time world champion revealed: “I gave Max a call just to check if he’s ok and let him know the respect is still there. “Obviously he’s […]