Mar.15 (GMM) Giancarlo Fisichella believes Kimi Antonelli can challenge for the Formula 1 world championship after the 19-year-old became the youngest polesitter in history in Shanghai on Saturday, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s long-standing record. “Antonelli isn’t afraid – he can already win the world championship,” Fisichella, the former F1 driver and fellow Italian, told La Repubblica. […]
Leclerc admits new regs have killed his quali powers
Mar.15 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has admitted that the 2026 regulations have neutralised one of his greatest strengths, confessing he no longer enjoys qualifying after being outpaced by Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton in Shanghai on Saturday. “In the past, one of my strengths was that I simply took very big risks in Q3 to try and […]
Wolff slams Hadjar for brushing off Antonelli apology
Mar.15 (GMM) Toto Wolff has sharply criticised Isack Hadjar after the Red Bull driver waved away Kimi Antonelli’s attempt to apologise in parc ferme following their sprint collision in Shanghai. Antonelli, who received a penalty for the incident, approached Hadjar’s cockpit to shake hands. Hadjar brushed his hand away. “That’s unsportsmanlike,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff […]
Bahrain, Saudi races axed as Middle East crisis bites
Mar.15 (GMM) Formula 1 has confirmed the cancellation of its April rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with no replacement races to be scheduled, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East makes both events impossible to stage. The announcement came in Shanghai, days earlier than the March 20 deadline Formula 1 had originally set […]
Stroll’s one-word verdict on Aston misery
Mar.15 (GMM) Lance Stroll delivered a brutally concise summary of Aston Martin’s predicament in Shanghai on Saturday, answering three successive questions about the team’s form with a single word each time. Has anything changed compared to Melbourne? “No.” Any improvement? “No.” Pace? “No.” When one reporter pushed further and asked if there were any positives […]
F1 Gulf axe imminent as cancellation deadline passes
Mar.14 (GMM) Formula 1 is on the verge of officially cancelling its April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with the sport’s self-imposed ten-day decision deadline now expired and confirmation expected this weekend in Shanghai. Iranian missile strikes have rendered both venues untenable. Attacks on Bahrain hit a US military base, a residential building and […]
Briatore confirms Mercedes in frame for Alpine stake
Mar.14 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has confirmed that Mercedes is among the leading candidates to acquire the 24 percent Alpine shareholding being offloaded by American hedge fund Otro Capital, adding that three or four potential buyers are currently in the frame. The colourful Italian executive, speaking in Shanghai, was careful to draw a distinction between the […]
Russian driver suspects Alonso health story is exit strategy
Mar.14 (GMM) Mikhail Aleshin has suggested that reports of Fernando Alonso’s health problems may be laying the groundwork for an early Aston Martin exit – rather than reflecting any genuine medical crisis. The Russian racing driver questioned the timing of leaks linking Alonso to nerve and joint damage caused by Honda’s vibration problems. “I certainly […]
Wolff dismisses fuel allegations amid Mercedes dominance
Mar.14 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hit back at suggestions that Mercedes’ dominant advantage stems from illegal fuel, as George Russell cruised to another sprint victory in Shanghai to underline the scale of the Silver Arrows’ superiority. “You don’t find 10 horsepower in gasoline. That’s a load of rubbish!” the Mercedes boss told L’Equipe, responding to […]
Slow Verstappen says 2026 punishes fastest drivers
Mar.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen has delivered his most alarming assessment yet of Red Bull’s 2026 package, as analysts link the team’s struggles to the organisational chaos that engulfed the Milton Keynes outfit over the past two years. “The car’s undriveable. We never had anything this bad, with everything together,” Verstappen said in Shanghai, adding: “It […]
Gulf wipeout looms as F1 cancellation standoff drags on
Mar.13 (GMM) Formula 1 is edging towards the cancellation of its April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing conflict triggered by US-Israeli air strikes on Iran – but a financial standoff over who pulls the trigger is complicating and delaying any official announcement. Iranian missile and drone attacks on Bahrain have struck […]
Aston, Honda stonewall as battery crisis rolls on
Mar.13 (GMM) Aston Martin and Honda refused to confirm how many batteries they have available in Shanghai ahead of this weekend’s Chinese GP, as the crisis that crippled their Melbourne campaign shows little sign of easing. Vibration problems in the new Honda power unit damaged batteries throughout pre-season testing and early running in Melbourne, leaving […]
Sainz, Norris back bosses in Mercedes engine row
Mar.13 (GMM) Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris have added their voices to a bubbling dispute over the knowledge gap between Mercedes and its customer teams, backing the concerns raised by their respective team bosses after the Australian GP exposed a significant performance gulf. Williams boss James Vowles said Melbourne had “caught us off guard,” admitting […]
Marko warns F1 must adapt to keep Verstappen
Mar.13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has weighed in on growing speculation that Max Verstappen could walk away from Formula 1, warning the sport must urgently restore the primacy of the driver if it wants to hold onto its four-time world champion. The retired Red Bull adviser, speaking to outlets including f1-insider.com and Kronen Zeitung, said […]
F1 embraces its Mario Kart moment
Mar.13 (GMM) Ferrari posted a social media video from Shanghai of Charles Leclerc playing Mario Kart on his steering wheel display in the cockpit – a tongue-in-cheek embrace of the mockery that has followed Formula 1 since Melbourne. It preceded Max Verstappen doubling down on the gaming comparison in Thursday’s FIA press conference, where the […]
Aston simulator driver didn’t see crisis coming
Mar.12 (GMM) Aston Martin simulator driver Daniel Juncadella says the Honda power unit vibration crisis came as a complete shock – as ambassador Pedro de la Rosa warned of a “medium-term” fix at the earliest. “In the simulator it’s difficult to understand what happened because I didn’t see it coming,” Juncadella, who joined the team […]
Sainz’s father joins critics of 2026 regulations
Mar.12 (GMM) Carlos Sainz’s famous father has added his voice to the chorus of criticism over Formula 1’s new regulations, calling the racing “fake” and warning that the sport has lost its identity – as official F1 social media posts began attracting community notes accusing the series of censoring fan opinion. “I wasn’t there, but […]
Binotto mocks Ferrari after Audi debut points
Mar.12 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has taken a pointed swipe at his former employer Ferrari, dismissing the idea of using them as a benchmark and noting they have not won a world championship since 2008, as Audi celebrated a points finish on their Formula 1 debut in Melbourne. Gabriel Bortoleto finished P9 in Australia, giving Audi […]
Lindblad overcame celiac disease on road to F1
Mar.12 (GMM) Arvid Lindblad, the only rookie in this year’s Formula 1 field, scored points on his debut in Melbourne despite battling celiac disease as a teenager that stunted his growth for two years. And yet Auto Motor und Sport rated him on a par with race winner George Russell after the 2026 season opener. […]
Spa boss says losing annual F1 slot bad for region
Mar.12 (GMM) The managing director of Spa-Francorchamps has admitted that losing its annual Formula 1 slot is bad news for the Belgian circuit and the wider region, as the Ardennes track prepares to share its grand prix berth with Barcelona from 2028. Formula 1 confirmed last month that Spa will host grands prix in 2026, […]