Mar.29 (GMM) F1 can cope with the aftermath of Charlie Whiting’s sudden death. That is the view of Max Verstappen, as the governing FIA scrambles to put in place an emergency succession plan for the late race director and starter, who died suddenly in Melbourne. We already reported that, as in Australia, Michael Masi will […]
Month: March 2019
Todt responds to reports about jailed F1 protester
Mar.29 (GMM) Jean Todt has responded to a controversy about a jailed protester in Bahrain. Earlier, the FIA vowed to “investigate” the case about Najah Yousif, who was reportedly jailed by the Bahrain regime for protesting about the race. Some had even called for F1 to boycott this weekend’s Bahrain grand prix. But FIA president […]
Vettel plays down Marko’s analysis about Ferrari pace
Mar.29 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has played down suggestions made about Ferrari’s problems by his former Red Bull boss Dr Helmut Marko. Vettel admits that, after Ferrari surprisingly struggled in Australia, it has been an “intense” fortnight leading into Bahrain. “We found some answers, but whether we have them all, we don’t know,” he said in […]
Alonso to test Le Mans car one day after Bahrain
Mar.29 (GMM) He may have quit F1, but Fernando Alonso’s schedule for 2019 remains busier than ever. McLaren announced in Bahrain that the Spaniard will test for the team and Pirelli on both days of the forthcoming post-Bahrain GP test. Alonso has just returned from South Africa where he was testing a Dakar rally car, […]
Bratches warns Zandvoort to sign 2020 deal
Mar.29 (GMM) Sean Bratches has warned Zandvoort that the venue needs to secure its place on the 2020 calendar. Earlier this week, Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers said a widely reported March 31 deadline is actually more of a “guideline”. But Bratches, Liberty Media’s commercial boss, told the Dutch publication Formule 1: “Let me put […]
No ‘new Bottas’ in 2019 – Hamilton
Mar.29 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he has not seen a big change in Valtteri Bottas in 2019. “For me it’s the same Valtteri as before, except that now he has a beard,” the Mercedes driver smiled. However, after a full winter of being criticised for his poor performances in 2018, amid speculation he will be […]
F1 says ‘no hurry’ over 2020 Dutch GP deal
Mar.28 (GMM) There will be “no news” about the fate of the 2020 Dutch grand prix on March 31. That is the official word from Formula One Management, even though Dutch reports have said the last day of March is the deadline for Zandvoort to ink a race deal with Liberty Media. Days ago, the […]
Verstappen ‘extremely narcissistic’ – Rosberg
Mar.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen is “extremely narcissistic”. That is the view of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, but he doesn’t think that egotistic personality trait is necessarily a problem for the Red Bull driver. “If you take Verstappen, he is like a ‘narcissist’ like you see it in the dictionary,” Rosberg told his Beyond Victory […]
Ferrari may have cooling problems – Marko
Mar.28 (GMM) Ferrari’s 2019 car could be struggling with cooling problems. That is the claim of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, who floated the theory as an explanation for why Ferrari was suddenly the third fastest team in Australia. “We have no problem with temperatures at all, and as far as we have seen, Mercedes […]
Villeneuve-Kubica tension dates back to 2006 – friend
Mar.28 (GMM) A friend and former colleague of Robert Kubica has hit out at claims the Pole should not be in F1. 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has enraged Kubica’s fans by suggesting the pinnacle of motor sport is no place for a driver with a “disability”. Lucas di Grassi, a former F1 driver, said […]
DRS could remain on F1 cars in 2021
Mar.28 (GMM) DRS, the ‘drag reduction system’ which helps overtaking in F1, looks set to remain on the cars even after 2021. That is despite the fact that the newly leaked ‘India’ ground-effect concept car for 2021 is designed to radically improve natural overtaking chances. “I think we can keep that (DRS) in our pocket,” […]
Masi to again replace Whiting in Bahrain
Mar.28 (GMM) Michael Masi will once again replace F1’s late race director Charlie Whiting this weekend in Bahrain. Whiting, also the sport’s long-time race starter, died suddenly in Melbourne on the eve of the 2019 season opener. “The FIA does not yet have a long-term plan to fill the position Whiting held at the time […]
Alonso set for ‘formidable’ Dakar Rally challenge
Mar.28 (GMM) Fernando Alonso looks set to take on the “formidable challenge” of contesting the famous off-road Dakar Rally. The Spaniard, who quit F1 at the end of last year, is this week testing a Toyota Hilux in South Africa. “Fernando is now at a point in his life when he is open to any […]
Details of ‘ground effect’ 2021 car concept leaked
Mar.28 (GMM) Technical details about the proposed 2021 cars have leaked in the days since highly secretive meetings took place in London. While the meetings themselves were not secret, it is believed all the leading players have agreed with Liberty Media to maintain radio silence. It is amid a particularly tense time, with the 2021 […]
Schumacher can handle hype of debut F1 test
Mar.27 (GMM) Mick Schumacher says he can deal with all the hype surrounding his meteoric rise to formula one. Ferrari and Alfa Romeo have now confirmed reports that the 20-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher will test for both teams on consecutive days in Bahrain next week. Schumacher said he can handle all the […]
Honda makes Red Bull ‘a threat’ in 2019
Mar.27 (GMM) Honda is turning Red Bull back into a true world championship contender. That is the view of Toto Wolff, the Mercedes boss who had expected the German team’s battle to be only with Ferrari in 2019. But it was a Honda-powered Max Verstappen sharing the podium with the two Mercedes in Melbourne, prompting […]
Ecclestone backs Wolff over budget cap
Mar.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has backed Toto Wolff’s position over the proposed F1 budget cap. Amid tense negotiations between Liberty Media, the FIA and the teams over the 2021 Concorde Agreement and rules, the parties got together in London on Tuesday. Afterwards, F1’s official website declared that the meetings moved the sport “a step closer” […]
Villeneuve slammed over Kubica comments
Mar.27 (GMM) Former F1 driver Lucas di Grassi has slammed Jacques Villeneuve over comments about Robert Kubica’s return to the sport. The always-outspoken 1997 world champion Villeneuve said it is “terrible” that “someone with a disability” can race at “the pinnacle of racing”. Di Grassi, who raced for the Virgin team in 2010, called Villeneuve’s […]
Alonso hits out at official F1 podcast
Mar.27 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has kept himself in the F1 headlines by lashing out at the sport’s official podcast. The latest Beyond The Grid podcast is with former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, who made some comments about the Spaniard’s time with the team. Montezemolo said Alonso was “less close to the team” than were […]
Wehrlein not interested in uncompetitive F1 return
Mar.26 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein says he “definitely” is not angling to return to formula one with a back of the grid team. The former Manor and Sauber driver now races in Formula E, but he has also been signed up for 2019 by Ferrari, where he will be a simulator driver assisting the championship charge […]