Nov.11 (GMM) Team owner Gene Haas has “doubts” about the American team’s future in Formula 1. That is the admission of team boss Gunther Steiner, who says he had to discuss the team’s more-than-difficult 2019 season with owner Gene Haas in Austin. “The biggest problem he has is with our performance,” Steiner told Racer magazine. […]
Month: November 2019
Brawn admits F1 engine ‘freeze’ possible
Nov.11 (GMM) Ross Brawn has admitted that engine development in Formula 1 may be frozen. While the regulations are changing markedly for 2021, the hybrid ‘power units’ will not. “We know exactly where we are on 2021,” said Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul. “But fuel, bio-fuel, freeze, partial freeze, progressive freeze, complete freeze? In our opinion […]
2021 rules ‘a starting point’ – Brawn
Nov.11 (GMM) Ross Brawn suggests he doesn’t mind if the F1 teams see the newly-published regulations for 2021 as a draft. With the Maranello team having earlier expressed big concerns about the direction of the rules, the paddock was shocked recently when Ferrari voted in favour of them. But CEO Louis Camilleri then said: “What […]
2020 F1 debut ‘not realistic’ – Mick Schumacher
Nov.11 (GMM) Mick Schumacher says a 2020 Formula 1 race debut is not “realistic”. As reigning European F3 champion, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who is also a Ferrari academy driver, made his Formula 2 debut this year. But Schumacher, 20, looks set to finish the season just twelfth overall. “It was not […]
Female champion rules out 2020 Williams seat
Nov.11 (GMM) A female driver has dismissed suggestions she is a contender to step up to Formula 1 in 2020. 21-year-old Jamie Chadwick, a 21-year-old Briton, won the inaugural all-female W Series this year. She is also a Williams development driver. But after winning her title, Chadwick admits to thinking her F1 debut is actually […]
Frank Williams still supporting daughter as team boss
Nov.11 (GMM) As Williams’ abysmal 2019 season races on, boss Claire Williams is still insisting she will not quit. The daughter of founder Sir Frank Williams told Yahoo Sport that she has “of course” thought about giving up as the iconic team struggles to recover under her leadership. “I wasn’t prepared to give up because […]
Alonso in talks with Andretti about Indy 500
Nov.8 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is in talks with Michael Andretti’s Indycar outfit. In 2017, Alonso was charging for Indy 500 victory in an Andretti-prepared McLaren entry when his Honda engine failed. But last year, as McLaren went it alone without Andretti Autosport’s support, Alonso failed even to qualify. So it is interesting that according to […]
Dutch GP ‘proud’ to fend off environmental attacks
Nov.8 (GMM) Jan Lammers says he is “proud” that Dutch GP organisers have so far fended off strong environmental opposition to next year’s Zandvoort race. The former F1 driver is the spokesman of the Zandvoort organisers, who have managed to repel the legal and bureaucratic hurdles put in their path so far by environmental groups. […]
Raikkonen not worried about slower cars in 2021
Nov.8 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is not worried about Formula 1 being slower in 2021. Some have expressed fears that the 3-4 seconds per lap drop to accommodate cars that are easier to overtake with is a step backwards for the sport. But 40-year-old Raikkonen told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “It doesn’t matter if in 2021 […]
Vettel ‘not worthy quadruple champion’ – Irvine
Nov.8 (GMM) Former Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine thinks the Maranello team should make Charles Leclerc its number 1 driver. Irvine said at the start of the year that he thinks Vettel would be “a sitting duck” now that Leclerc is his teammate. “I thought Leclerc had a good chance of beating him because I don’t […]
Hamilton ‘thinking about’ Ferrari move – Villeneuve
Nov.8 (GMM) 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve thinks Lewis Hamilton is contemplating a move to Ferrari. Six time world champion Hamilton’s Mercedes contract expires next year, and Toto Wolff said recently it is “natural” that the Briton is attracted to Ferrari because it’s the “most important brand” in F1. “Lewis is chasing all the records […]
Hamilton can beat Schumacher records – Ralf
Nov.8 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton can beat all of Michael Schumacher’s records, according to the F1 legend’s brother Ralf Schumacher. In Austin, Mercedes’ Hamilton put the lid on his sixth drivers’ title. Only Schumacher, with seven world championships, won more. “Both of them achieved something incredible,” Ralf told Auto Bild. “I think Lewis can break Michael’s […]
2019 ‘year of learning’ for Honda – Verstappen
Nov.8 (GMM) 2019 was a “year of learning” for Red Bull-Honda, according to Max Verstappen. Earlier, it was rumoured the Dutchman was trying to get out of his 2020 contract. But now, he sounds upbeat about aiming for the championship next year. “We have already achieved some good results, but we want to take the […]
2021 rules ‘huge step forward’ – Prost
Nov.8 (GMM) Renault team advisor Alain Prost says the 2021 regulations can be a “huge step forward” for Formula 1. In the past days, rumours have suggested the embattled French team and carmaker could actually quit Formula 1 at the end of the season. But Prost told L’Equipe he sees a lot of positives about […]
Albon ‘very impressive’ at Red Bull – Horner
Nov.8 (GMM) Red Bull “can take our time” before officially confirming the identity of Max Verstappen’s teammate for 2020. That is the claim of team boss Christian Horner, even though Alex Albon is clearly the favourite to keep the seat. “After his accident and the front wing change, he was the fastest driver on the […]
Owner still supportive amid Haas struggles – Grosjean
Nov.7 (GMM) Gene Haas “understands” the struggles of his Formula 1 team in 2019, according to team racer Romain Grosjean. In Austin, the French driver got to test for the Nascar team co-owned by billionaire Haas and Tony Stewart. But of greater interest to many Formula 1 fans was whether Gene Haas is still fully […]
Hulkenberg linked with Indycar switch for 2020
Nov.7 (GMM) Having slammed reports he is set to switch to DTM, Nico Hulkenberg is now being linked with an Indycar drive for 2020. The experienced German has been left without a cockpit for 2020 after being dumped by Renault. Hulkenberg has also been linked with Formula E, but now Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport […]
Wolff admits F1 could scrap 2020 Pirelli tyres
Nov.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff has confirmed reports that Formula 1 could abandon Pirelli’s 2020 tyres. In Austin, the teams and drivers got their first taste of the 2020 tyres. “My first impression is very bad,” said McLaren driver Carlos Sainz. That view was widespread, triggering media reports that suggested the sport and Pirelli could simply […]
Austin does not ‘fear’ second US race in Miami
Nov.7 (GMM) A grand prix in Miami would only make the existing US GP in Austin “stronger”. That is the claim of Rick Abbott, the executive vice president of the Circuit of the Americas. Although there is strong opposition from local groups, Liberty Media is trying for a second time to launch a race in […]
Canada GP boss opposed two-day F1 weekend idea
Nov.7 (GMM) Francois Dumontier has admitted he campaigned against F1’s deliberations to slash the race weekend format to just two days. As Liberty Media looks to expand the calendar to as many as 25 races in the next few years, one idea was to combine practice and qualifying on Saturday before the race on Sunday. […]