Dec.6 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted it took him “a long time” to accept Ferrari’s decision to oust him for 2021. Team boss Mattia Binotto phoned the quadruple world champion during the covid shutdown in May with the Maranello outfit’s shock decision to replace Vettel with Carlos Sainz next year. “It came out of nowhere,” […]
Month: December 2020
Russell can ‘win immediately’ – Verstappen
Dec.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen thinks George Russell can “win immediately” this weekend and put big pressure on Mercedes’ regular driver Valtteri Bottas. Team boss Toto Wolff on Friday denied that Bahrain this weekend is a “shootout” contest between rising youngster Russell – who is substituting for the ill Lewis Hamilton – and Bottas. “There is […]
Renault progress surprised Ricciardo in 2020
Dec.5 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is putting a brave face on his looming move from an ever-stronger Renault team to McLaren for 2021. Rather than extend his deal into next year and beyond, the Australian driver decided in May to accept an offer to move to McLaren. But once the covid-delayed 2020 season got underway a […]
Two manufacturers quit Formula E
Dec.5 (GMM) Two manufacturers are pulling out of Formula E. Honda’s decision to pull out of F1 at the end of next year will leave just Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault on the grid. But in Formula E, the all-electric series, there are currently six carmakers involved – Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan and BMW, as […]
Albon could spend ‘year on the bench’ – Horner
Dec.5 (GMM) Alex Albon will either be retained by Red Bull or he will spend “a year on the bench” in 2021. That is the word from boss Christian Horner, as Red Bull continues to assess whether Max Verstappen needs a faster teammate like Nico Hulkenberg or Sergio Perez. Verstappen caused a stir after last […]
Ferrari designer Resta to have ‘senior’ Haas role
Dec.5 (GMM) Ferrari designer Simone Resta will take up a “very senior position” at Haas. In 2018, Resta was loaned to Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo, another team that uses customer Ferrari engines and runs Ferrari junior driver Antonio Giovinazzi. Resta returned to Ferrari last year, but now – hot on the heels of Ferrari placing Mick […]
Grosjean supports TV replays of horror crash
Dec.5 (GMM) Romain Grosjean says he is “not against” Formula 1 deciding to show all the replays of his horror crash of last Sunday. Daniel Ricciardo led the criticism of the way Formula 1 handled the broadcast of the terrifying incident, accusing the sport of using it as a “Hollywood” moment. “I ran into Romain’s […]
Mazepin ‘not offended’ by pay-driver jibe
Dec.5 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin insists he is “not offended” that he is often regarded as just another pay-driver in Formula 1. The 21-year-old rookie, whose father Dmitry is a Russian oligarch and billionaire, has been signed by Haas to be Mick Schumacher’s teammate next year. Team boss Gunther Steiner is also not ruling out that […]
Vettel hits out at young driver test ‘theatre’
Dec.5 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has hit out at the “typical theatre” surrounding the forthcoming post-Abu Dhabi test. The event had been billed as a ‘young driver test’, but the FIA has given eleventh-hour approval for 39-year-old double world champion Fernando Alonso to drive the 2020 Renault. It is believed Renault successfully argued that because the […]
F1 chose short track for ‘entertainment’ – Verstappen
Dec.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen has accused Formula 1 of chasing mere entertainment value by running this weekend’s race in Bahrain on the short ‘outer’ perimeter layout. On Friday, drivers got used to the unfamiliar layout as they began immediately recording sub-60 second laptimes. “It’s not the most exciting track to drive,” Red Bull’s Verstappen said […]
No doctor clearance for Grosjean yet
Dec.5 (GMM) Romain Grosjean still isn’t sure if he will be able to round out his Formula 1 career next weekend in Abu Dhabi – and therefore has a ‘plan B’ up his sleeve. Although sitting out this weekend’s race, the Frenchman returned to the Bahrain paddock on Thursday along with his wife Marion, while […]
Defeat to Russell ‘wouldn’t look good’ – Bottas
Dec.4 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has acknowledged the pressure on him in Bahrain, admitting it is “an important weekend” for his status and future in Formula 1. With Lewis Hamilton sidelined with covid-19, Mercedes has pulled its development driver George Russell from his regular Williams seat to replace the seven time world champion. And while Russell, […]
Steiner hits back at angry Haas reserve
Dec.4 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has hit back at Haas reserve driver Louis Deletraz, who is upset that he was overlooked to replace Romain Grosjean this weekend in Bahrain. The small American team has instead selected F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi’s 24-year-old grandson Pietro – the second official Haas reserve. But Deletraz, a 23-year-old Swiss driver who […]
Ferrari junior Ilott set for 2021 sabbatical
Dec.4 (GMM) Callum Ilott says he may have to take a sabbatical in 2020. That is despite the fact that the Ferrari academy member and Formula 2 title contender was earlier in the running for a Haas or Alfa Romeo seat for next year. However, Ferrari has only promoted Mick Schumacher, leaving 22-year-old Briton Ilott […]
Magnussen not ruling out Indycar future
Dec.4 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen is not ruling out using 2021 as a springboard into America’s top open wheeler category Indycar. It was announced on Thursday that, having lost his Haas seat, the 28-year-old Dane will drive for Chip Ganassi’s IMSA sports car team next year. His first race next year will be Daytona at the […]
Haas not worried about Mazepin’s super licence
Dec.4 (GMM) Haas boss Gunther Steiner says he is not worried that he has signed up a driver for 2021 who does not currently have a Formula 1 super licence. Nikita Mazepin, the son of Russian billionaire Dmitry, is currently third in the Formula 2 standings. But if he drops back to eighth this weekend […]
Sainz hopes to test 2020 Ferrari in Abu Dhabi
Dec.4 (GMM) Carlos Sainz is hoping to join his countryman Fernando Alonso in being allowed to take part in the so-called ‘young drivers test’ in the days after next weekend’s Abu Dhabi finale. Sainz’s McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, on Friday hit out at the FIA’s decision to allow 39-year-old two-time world champion Alonso to test […]
Schumacher could replace Grosjean in Abu Dhabi
Dec.3 (GMM) Mick Schumacher could make his Formula 1 debut earlier than expected. Haas on Wednesday finally announced the highly-anticipated news about Michael Schumacher’s 21-year-old son being signed up for 2021 and beyond. The team promptly released images of Schumacher having a seat fitted in Haas’ 2020 car, ahead of his planned Friday practice outing […]
Newey to Aston Martin rumours resurface
Dec.3 (GMM) New reports suggest Aston Martin is making a big-money bid to lure famous F1 designer Adrian Newey from Red Bull. We first reported the rumour in September, but Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko told Sport1: “Adrian is definitely under contract with us. “Adrian was recently able to test a rare Aston Martin and […]
Grosjean could have ‘year off’ after crash
Dec.3 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has all but admitted he was to blame for his fiery crash in Bahrain last Sunday. “It went too fast but I didn’t know I had touched Kvyat,” the Frenchman, who left hospital on Wednesday with minor injuries – the worst of which is his burned left hand – told French […]