Mar.23 (GMM) The president of Italy’s automobile club is hopeful the race at Monza can go ahead in September. The country is currently the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but Automobile Club d’Italia chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani has an upbeat outlook for racing fans. “I think and hope that the Monza race is in […]
Month: March 2020
Vettel seeing ‘beyond’ F1 career
Mar.23 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted he has started to “see beyond” the end of his Formula 1 career. Speculation that the quadruple world champion may not have his deal extended at Ferrari, or that he might either retire or switch to another team, has been constant. “It is not that my passion has diminished […]
Verstappen says no to new F1 virtual series
Mar.23 (GMM) Max Verstappen has counted himself out of the new official virtual F1 series. The Dutchman is an avid gamer, taking part in one of the high-profile unofficial replacement events for the postponed Australian GP. But although earlier named as a contender, Verstappen did not take part in the online replacement events for Bahrain, […]
Virus won’t stop ‘silly season’ – Ricciardo
Mar.23 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo does not think the halted 2020 season will affect the ‘silly season’. Former F1 driver Mika Salo said recently that because of the coronavirus pandemic, contract talks – like the actual grands prix – will also be delayed. “Everything’s messed up right now and it’s hard to say, but my best […]
Ocon doubts Mercedes used DAS in 2018
Mar.23 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has played down suggestions that Mercedes has been using the ‘DAS’ steering system since 2018. On-board footage has emerged of Lewis Hamilton apparently pulling on the controversial steering system as long ago as Hungary 2018. But former Mercedes driver Esteban Ocon denies he knew about it. “Either they were very, very […]
Kubica tells world to ‘stay at home’
Mar.23 (GMM) Robert Kubica has urged Formula 1 fans to take care during the unprecedented global pandemic. “Today, many people are focusing on work and making money, but now health is the most important thing,” the Pole told Przeglad Sportowy. “Without it, everything else goes to the background. “I urge us to join our forces […]
Haas quitting F1 is ‘a possibility’ – Grosjean
Mar.23 (GMM) Romain Grosjean admits there is a “possibility” Haas will be closed down after 2020. Team owner Gene Haas and boss Gunther Steiner have been hinting that deliberations are currently taking place over the future of the American team. “It’s a possibility that must be taken seriously,” team driver Romain Grosjean told Canal Plus. […]
Red Bull still planning to host Austrian GP
Mar.23 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says race promoter Red Bull wants July’s Austrian GP to go ahead. The opening seven races of 2020 have already been postponed or cancelled, and now Baku is set to join them. As for the Red Bull-promoted Austrian GP, though, Marko told Osterreich: “Our marketing activities will start in mid-May. […]
Mercedes switch to go ahead – McLaren
Mar.23 (GMM) McLaren says it will press ahead with switching to Mercedes power for 2021. Some had wondered whether the move from Renault to Mercedes power would go ahead, now that the teams will use their 2020-spec cars next year as well. A McLaren spokesperson told France’s Auto Hebdo: “We will be using Mercedes engines […]
Vasseur worried about future of motorsport
Mar.23 (GMM) The latest decisions made by Formula 1 may have saved some of the smaller teams, according to Frederic Vasseur. The Alfa Romeo boss said bringing forward the August summer break to now is right “because I would have had trouble putting everyone into telework”. The Alfa Romeo team he leads shuts down for […]
F1 launches new virtual series
Mar.23 (GMM) Formula 1 has quickly jumped aboard the new trend of virtual racing. Separate to the existing F1 Esports Series for gamers, the sport’s new series will feature “a number of current F1 drivers”, Formula 1 announced. It follows the immediate launch after the cancellation of the Australian GP of two high-profile non-official series, […]
Now Baku set to be postponed
Mar.23 (GMM) Baku, which until now looked set to host the new 2020 season opener, is now expected to be postponed as well. With the opening seven races on the original schedule now cancelled or postponed, Azerbaijan’s June 7 event then looked set to be the first this year. But international media reports now say […]
Hamilton turned down coronavirus test
Mar.23 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he turned down the opportunity to be tested for coronavirus. Concerns about the Mercedes driver’s health did the rounds after he was photographed with actor Idris Elba and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s wife Sophie, who both subsequently tested positive. Hamilton is now self-isolating, but he turned down the chance to […]
F1 teams to make ventilators to fight virus
Mar.20 (GMM) F1 teams have agreed to get actively involved in the fight against coronavirus. Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and Williams have responded to the calls from governments to lend their technological and engineering power to the global pandemic. “Among the technologies the teams could help develop are […]
Teams unlikely to ‘risk’ Alonso comeback – Lehto
Mar.20 (GMM) Fernando Alonso may struggle to find a team willing to host his return to Formula 1 in 2021. That is the view of former F1 driver JJ Lehto, after doors for the mercurial Spaniard at Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and even McLaren reportedly all closed. Lehto thinks the last straw for most bosses […]
New F1 team Panthera pushing on with plans
Mar.20 (GMM) Even amid the coronavirus crisis, a new Formula 1 team project is pressing on. Last September, it emerged that a prospective new outfit called Panthera Team Asia had set up camp near Silverstone. Co-founder Benjamin Durand said then: “Our goal is Formula 1 in 2021.” And even now, Durand says the project is […]
Paul Ricard ‘on stand-by’ amid virus crisis – Boullier
Mar.20 (GMM) Paul Ricard is “on standby” for news about the F1 venue’s scheduled late June race date for the French GP. Every race until June – seven so far – has either been postponed or cancelled, meaning that on the original calendar, France is now technically round 3. But Zandvoort boss Jan Lammers doubts […]
Wolff, Stroll absent from F1 coronavirus talks
Mar.20 (GMM) Two conspicuous absences from F1’s crisis conference calls are sure to ramp up speculation about the future of Toto Wolff. The Daily Mail reports that both Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, and Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll did not take part in two separate rounds of talks this week that discussed the sport’s […]
2021 Ferrari deal ‘in Vettel’s hands’ – boss
Mar.20 (GMM) Talks with Sebastian Vettel about a new Ferrari contract for 2021 are underway. That is the news from Mattia Binotto, the Ferrari boss. Currently, the factory at Maranello is closed as Italy is battered by the coronavirus pandemic. “The health of our employees is important. It’s our top priority,” he told F1’s official […]
Zandvoort says delayed August race may not be ‘ethical’
Mar.20 (GMM) Organisers of the Dutch GP say it is the right thing to postpone the May 3 race at Zandvoort. On Thursday, it was decided that Zandvoort and Barcelona will be delayed, while the prestigious Monaco GP, scheduled for May 24, has been cancelled outright. Jan Lammers, representing Zandvoort, told the Dutch broadcaster NOS […]