Dec.23 (GMM) Marcus Ericsson looks set to take another step away from the Formula 1 paddock in 2020. This year, the Swede split his time between a full-time Indycar race seat and a reserve role at Alfa Romeo. After F1’s summer break, Ericsson had to pull out of an Indycar race when Alfa Romeo ordered […]
Month: December 2019
Lawrence Stroll hails ‘fighter’ Kubica
Dec.23 (GMM) Robert Kubica appears to be headed towards a third driver role for 2020 at Racing Point. Earlier, with the Pole looking likely to combine an F1 role with a DTM race seat with BMW, it appeared that Haas would be his 2020 destination. But Poland’s sport.pl claims that Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll […]
Ferrari ‘getting used to’ driver rivalry
Dec.23 (GMM) Ferrari is “getting used to” to the inter-team battle between Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc. The traditional Ferrari strategy is to appoint a clear number 1 driver and a solid supporting act, and for 2019 the hierarchy began in quadruple world champion Vettel’s favour. Leclerc’s speed and ambition, however, soon became obvious. “Believe […]
Vasseur not dreaming of different Alfa Romeo lineup
Dec.23 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur admits he is not dreaming of attracting bigger-name star drivers to Alfa Romeo. The Hinwil based team will continue to field Ferrari’s 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who is 40, alongside Ferrari junior Antonio Giovinazzi in 2020. And team boss Vasseur told Blick newspaper that it is pointless to dream about […]
Todt wants 12 teams on F1 grid
Dec.23 (GMM) Jean Todt says he would like to see two new teams in Formula 1. Throughout 2019, there have been rumours of new teams expressing interest in the sport, including one linked to Formula 2 team owner Adrian Campos that is lining up Pascal Wehrlein as a driver. FIA president Todt admitted, however, that […]
Most F1 drivers would win with Mercedes – Verstappen
Dec.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen says the majority of the drivers in Formula 1 would become world champion in a Mercedes. However, the 22-year-old Red Bull-Honda driver, who is targeting the title for 2020, insists that his claim is not a jibe at six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. “I am just confident to say that it […]
Leclerc wants title battle with Vettel in 2020
Dec.20 (GMM) Charles Leclerc insists that his relationship with teammate Sebastian Vettel is still good. The pair had a fraught 2019 season as quadruple world champion Vettel struggled to hang onto his number 1 status, which culminated in the crash in Brazil. But Vettel revealed this week that he will still give Leclerc a Christmas […]
Carey says F1 wants to ‘increase diversity’
Dec.20 (GMM) Chase Carey denies that Formula E, the all-electric racing series, is a threat to Formula 1. The F1 CEO admitted that F1 competes with many sports, but some think Formula E – now filled with top drivers and carmakers – is the biggest threat. “No, actually, it certainly wouldn’t be Formula E,” Carey […]
Gasly thinks 2020 seat ‘completely deserved’
Dec.20 (GMM) Pierre Gasly thinks his 2020 seat at Toro Rosso, to be renamed Alpha Tauri next year, is “completely deserved”. Off the back of a strong first full season with Toro Rosso last year, the Frenchman was promoted to be Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2019. He told the Dutch publication Formule 1 that he […]
2021 ‘not right’ for Hamilton’s Ferrari move – Berger
Dec.19 (GMM) 2021 might not be the right time for Lewis Hamilton to switch to Ferrari. That is the view of F1 legend Gerhard Berger, who actually had two separate stints at the fabled Maranello team in the 80s and 90s. “For Lewis, I could not recommend to any driver more than if you can […]
Ferrari to keep matte livery for 2020
Dec.19 (GMM) Ferrari’s 2020 car, to be revealed to the public eight days before winter testing on February 11, will continue to feature a matte livery. Team boss Mattia Binotto said the special paint was put on the 2019 car for “weight-related reasons”. Corriere della Sera newspaper claims it saves two kilograms. And Binotto says […]
Wolff ridicules Ferrari switch rumours
Dec.19 (GMM) Toto Wolff has ridiculed ongoing speculation that his future could be in red. When the Mercedes boss sat out the race in Brazil, it fired up speculation that he might either replace Chase Carey as F1 CEO or join Lewis Hamilton in a 2021 switch to Ferrari. “Sounds like a good plan,” Wolff […]
Sainz eyes new McLaren contract for 2021
Dec.19 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has indicated he will want to stay at McLaren beyond the end of his 2020 contract. In an official Formula 1 poll voted on by the drivers themselves, Spaniard Sainz was named the fourth best of the 2019 season. And the 25-year-old wants to continue to push ahead in 2020. “There […]
Racing Point says 2021 cars to be ‘unstable’
Dec.19 (GMM) Racing Point has hit out at the new rules for 2021. Although designed in part to help the smaller teams compete with their bigger rivals, team boss Otmar Szafnauer said he is “not yet satisfied with the rules”. “They are the way they are but I do not think we will put a […]
Alfa Romeo to turn on new F1 simulator
Dec.19 (GMM) Alfa Romeo will start using its brand new driver simulator in earnest next week. “We started the project a year ago,” team boss Frederic Vasseur revealed to Blick newspaper. “It is part of the development of the team. Next week it opens but things will really get going in the first quarter of […]
No 2020 test for Schumacher – Vasseur
Dec.19 (GMM) Team boss Frederic Vasseur says Mick Schumacher is not currently scheduled to test for Alfa Romeo in 2020. Schumacher, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, tested the Swiss based team’s 2019 car in Bahrain, but he then struggled in Formula 2 and finished the championship just twelfth overall. “There will be no […]
Marko ‘lost money’ on 2019 predictions
Dec.19 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits he lost some bets in 2019. It seems the Red Bull official actually put money down when he claimed early this year that the team would win five races in 2019. “That we only won three races cost me some money on a number of bets,” Marko smiled as […]
Max’s career ‘more fun than my own’ – Jos Verstappen
Dec.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father says he is proud to have helped the Red Bull driver become one of the top stars of Formula 1. “Max was my life project, yes,” Dutchman Jos, who also raced in F1 but did not win a race, told the Dutch publication Formule 1. “I wanted to win with […]
Alfa Romeo chassis ‘destroyed’ in 2020 crash test
Dec.19 (GMM) Alfa Romeo has reportedly failed a mandatory crash test, and in the process “completely destroyed” the first of its chassis for the 2020 season. According to Sky Italia and Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com, the test took place at the CSI facility in Milan. “This could lead to delays in the team’s schedule,” Sky Italia claims. […]
Mercedes must be ‘a lot faster’ for 2020
Dec.19 (GMM) Mercedes needs to make its car “a lot faster” in order to beat both Ferrari and Red Bull-Honda in 2020. That is the view of James Allison, the reigning world champion team’s technical boss. Mercedes won its sixth consecutive double world championships this year, but Ferrari now has the best engine and Max […]