Oct.7 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has revealed that his father Keke urged him to leave Mercedes as soon as Michael Schumacher was confirmed as his teammate for 2010. Rosberg told Der Spiegel that Schumacher’s arrival came as a major shock after he had only recently joined Mercedes from Williams. “That was a total shock!” the 2016 […]
Salo calls Bottas ‘crazy’ over Singapore bike ride
Oct.7 (GMM) Former Formula 1 driver Mika Salo has praised Valtteri Bottas’ extraordinary fitness while questioning his decision to cycle 350 kilometres from Malaysia to Singapore between races. Bottas, who drives for Cadillac, chose to make the journey on his gravel bike rather than fly or drive. “That’s a pretty wild ride,” Salo told Finnish […]
Bottas tax controversy could trigger major F1 legal battle
Oct.7 (GMM) The Italian tax controversy that prompted Valtteri Bottas to question a possible return to Imola could escalate into a major legal battle involving Formula 1 teams. Although F1 has now confirmed Qatar and Abu Dhabi as the final two races of 2026, the dispute over alleged unpaid Italian taxes remains unresolved. Bottas raised […]
Stella admits McLaren has lost ground after upgrades
Oct.7 (GMM) McLaren team boss Andrea Stella admits the team’s recent upgrades have failed to keep it at the front of Formula 1. World champion Lando Norris had appeared to be mounting a resurgence with victories in Hungary and Zandvoort and strong pace in Madrid, but McLaren’s momentum has since faded. The team introduced as […]
Coulthard tips Africa announcement as Rwanda deal emerges
Oct.7 (GMM) David Coulthard has hinted that Formula 1 is preparing to announce its long-awaited return to Africa, with subsequent reports claiming Rwanda has secured a grand prix from 2030. Speaking on his Up To Speed podcast before the latest reports emerged, the former Red Bull driver suggested an announcement was imminent. “I’m hearing rumours […]
Barnard slams ‘artificial’ American-style F1
Oct.7 (GMM) Legendary Formula 1 designer John Barnard has criticised the sport’s modern regulations, accusing its American-influenced approach to entertainment of making competition feel artificial. The 80-year-old Briton, who pioneered carbon-fibre chassis at McLaren and introduced paddle-shift gearboxes at Ferrari, spoke to Corriere della Sera in Turin at the Mauto exhibition ‘I Nemici del Drake’. […]
Russell faces grid penalty as title hopes collapse
Oct.7 (GMM) George Russell’s fading world championship hopes have suffered another major blow, with the Mercedes driver now expected to start Sunday’s Singapore GP from the back of the grid. According to Sky, Russell will need a new power unit following the failure that ended his race at Sepang while running third. The retirement allowed […]
Marko hits back at Horner over book claims
Oct.7 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at Christian Horner’s claims about Max Verstappen’s arrival at Red Bull, insisting it was actually Horner who initially opposed promoting the then teenaged Dutchman. Horner’s forthcoming autobiography, Drive, reportedly claims that Marko initially did not want Verstappen in the team. But Marko, now retired from his Red […]
McLaren eyes early Lambiase arrival amid upgrade doubts
Oct.6 (GMM) McLaren CEO Zak Brown hopes to bring Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to Woking a year earlier than initially expected – as doubts emerge over the team’s latest aerodynamic upgrade. McLaren has already confirmed Lambiase’s recruitment from Red Bull, with an arrival originally expected by 2028. But Brown told Sky at […]
Leclerc plane trouble as Bottas rides to Singapore
Oct.6 (GMM) Charles Leclerc endured an unusual journey from Malaysia to Singapore after his plane was forced to return – while Valtteri Bottas decided to make the same trip by bicycle. According to F1 photographer Kym Illman, Leclerc’s flight departed Malaysia on Sunday evening but missed its landing window at Singapore’s Seletar Airport. The Ferrari […]
Red Bull breakthrough surprises even Mekies
Oct.6 (GMM) Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies admits even the team did not expect Max Verstappen’s dramatic return to winning form, as he credited the late Dietrich Mateschitz for making the team’s historic engine breakthrough possible. Verstappen’s dominant Bahrain GP victory at Sepang was Red Bull’s first with its own power unit, developed in […]
Alonso set for shock Dakar return with Aston Martin
Oct.6 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s mysterious promise at Sepang of looming “surprises” appears to have been explained, with a report claiming the Aston Martin driver is preparing a sensational return to the Dakar Rally in 2027. Spanish publication Soy Motor reports that the two-time champion has agreed in principle to race a Prodrive-built car, previously entered […]
F1’s 2030 V8 engine could feature twin turbos
Oct.6 (GMM) Formula 1’s planned return to V8 engines in 2030 is taking a new direction, with reports suggesting the next generation of power units could feature twin turbochargers and a much smaller hybrid system. According to f1-insider.com, discussions are now focusing on a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V8 running on sustainable fuel, rather than the simpler […]
Williams to carry new chassis into 2027
Oct.6 (GMM) Williams will carry its recently introduced lighter chassis into 2027 as team boss James Vowles tries to avoid a repeat of the disastrous start to this season. The British team has endured a deeply disappointing 2026 campaign, with its latest upgrade at Baku delivering only limited improvement. Vowles revealed that the new chassis […]
Another leadership change at Honda F1
Oct.6 (GMM) Honda has announced another major management change as its troubled Formula 1 partnership with Aston Martin begins to show signs of improvement. Honda Racing Corporation confirmed on Monday that president and CEO Koji Watanabe will retire on January 1, with current executive vice president Keiichi Yasuda taking over. The announcement is amid the […]
Vigna appears at Sepang after Ferrari turmoil
Oct.5 (GMM) Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna appeared in the Sepang paddock after a turbulent week of speculation around team principal Frederic Vasseur, although he insisted his visit had already been planned. Vigna told Sky Italia that Ferrari remains united despite the recent noise. “I had already planned to come to Sepang,” he insisted. “The team […]
Pourchaire wants Mercedes F1 test chance
Oct.5 (GMM) Theo Pourchaire says his reserve and simulator role with Mercedes is valuable, but he now wants time in a real Formula 1 car. The 2023 Formula 2 champion was Mercedes’ reserve driver at Sepang this weekend because Frederik Vesti was racing in IMSA. “It’s great to experience the race weekend with the team,” […]
Malaysia opens talks for permanent F1 return
Oct.5 (GMM) Malaysia has formally opened discussions with Formula 1 about returning to the calendar permanently after Sepang’s successful one-off comeback this weekend. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Bernama after the race that talks with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali are now underway, although he stressed that no decision is close yet. “That we are discussing […]
Mercedes may scrap upgrade as Russell title hopes fade
Oct.5 (GMM) Mercedes is considering abandoning its major Sepang aerodynamic upgrade after the package appeared to make the W17 slower rather than faster. Toto Wolff admitted after the Bahrain GP in Malaysia that reverting to the previous specification is now a real possibility. “That’s not out of the question,” the team boss confirmed. “Now we […]
Software chaos exposes F1’s 2026 complexity
Oct.5 (GMM) Formula 1’s chaotic wet start at Sepang has triggered fresh criticism of the hugely complex 2026 regulations. Several cars suddenly lost power on the formation lap, forcing race control to halt the starting procedure while the FIA distributed an emergency software update. Top FIA official Nikolas Tombazis admitted the wet-weather software had barely […]