Mar.8 (GMM) Claire Williams has not been shut out by the Formula 1 team that bears her surname. That is the claim of Jost Capito, who took over at the helm after the sale of the Oxfordshire based team and the death of former boss Claire’s founding father Sir Frank Williams. It was believed the […]
Month: March 2022
Haas plays down crisis as test delay looms
Mar.8 (GMM) Haas’ pre-season problems continue to mount, as it emerges that a cargo plane breakdown means the American team is likely to miss the start of the final test in Bahrain. The 2022 cars, one of which is to be driven by Pietro Fittipaldi after the expulsion of title sponsor Uralkali and Nikita Mazepin […]
Alfa, McLaren asked to give up F1 weight advantage
Mar.7 (GMM) Formula 1 appears to be making an eleventh-hour move to increase the minimum weight of the all-new cars for 2022. Last week, we quoted Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko as declaring that only one 2022 car – believed to be Alfa Romeo’s – had successfully met the 795kg car-plus-driver weight limit. We also […]
New boss wants Vettel to sign 2023 contract
Mar.7 (GMM) Aston Martin’s new team boss says he wants to convince Sebastian Vettel to sign a new contract for 2023 and beyond. German Mike Krack, whose working relationship with Vettel dates back to his BMW days, has been drafted back into Formula 1 by Aston Martin to replace Alpine-bound Otmar Szafnauer. “I hope that […]
Leclerc eyes ‘five wins’ for 2022 season
Mar.7 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has responded to claims that Ferrari is a dark horse for the 2022 title by setting a goal for the start of the new era of regulations. “Five wins would be great,” he told the French broadcaster Canal Plus. Some believe Ferrari’s striking new car, the result of a full season […]
Schumacher ‘happy’ despite Mazepin ‘turbulence’
Mar.7 (GMM) Mick Schumacher insists he is “happy” at Haas – even though yet another pre-season controversy is affecting his preparations for a second consecutive year. “We’ve tried to keep the focus on racing,” said the German, whose Russian teammate Nikita Mazepin and the team’s title sponsor Uralkali have been kicked out over the Ukraine […]
Red Bull ‘not half a second behind’ in 2022
Mar.7 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at early analyses suggesting Ferrari and Mercedes may already be leaving Red Bull behind in 2022. A reporter for the Austrian newspaper Osterreich claims that, based on the Barcelona test, Red Bull appears to be half a second behind the top cars. “We’re not half a second […]
Russian athletes ‘paying for Putin’s war’ – Perez
Mar.7 (GMM) Sergio Perez is not so sure Formula 1 is on the right track by pushing Nikita Mazepin off the 2022 grid because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The American team Haas has severed its ties with title sponsor Uralkali, a Russian fertiliser company, whose figurehead is Mazepin’s father Dmitry. 22-year-old Mazepin’s “driver contract” is […]
German legend doubles down on scathing F1 rebuke
Mar.4 (GMM) A motor racing legend has doubled down on his scathing opinion about modern Formula 1. Immediately after the 2021 championship finale between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton ended in high controversy, German two-time rally world champion Walter Rohrl vowed to not “waste a minute” watching any more grands prix. “I can save time […]
Verstappen mega-contract ‘not rocket science’
Mar.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is not commenting on speculation about Max Verstappen’s new annual retainer other than to admit the Dutchman is “satisfied”. Reports suggest the 24-year-old Dutchman and reigning world champion has been retained on a five year, $50-plus million per season retainer to remain at Red Bull at least until the end […]
Alonso sets up driver management agency
Mar.4 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is branching into the world of race driver management. The two-time world champion already has a kart circuit, museum, academy and karting team in his native Asturias, but he has now told Spanish media that he is launching ‘A14 Management’. It will be a driver management agency to help drivers “achieve […]
Haas set for ‘complete separation’ from Russia
Mar.4 (GMM) Haas is about to execute “complete separation” from Nikita Mazepin, according to former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher. Australia’s motor racing federation is reportedly joining UK Motorsport in bucking the FIA’s decision to let the 22-year-old Russian race in 2022. “The matter is under review in consultation with federal authorities and the Australian […]
Hamilton ‘behaviour’ led to Masi axe – Marko
Mar.3 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s “behaviour” contributed to ousted F1 race director Michael Masi being “sacrificed”. That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, whose driver Max Verstappen became world champion last year after a highly controversial call by Masi in the dying moments of the 2021 season. Austrian Marko, 78, claims Mercedes’ Hamilton […]
F1 ‘all talk’ on female inclusion – Florsch
Mar.3 (GMM) Sophia Florsch has accused premier motor racing including Formula 1 of being all talk and little action when it comes to promoting female talent. The 21-year-old German rose to prominence at the iconic Macau GP in 2018, when she suffered a huge crash and was launched into a photographers’ bunker, fracturing her spine. […]
Mercedes taking ‘closer look’ at Red Bull sidepods
Mar.3 (GMM) Mercedes is vowing to “take a closer look” at top Formula 1 rival Red Bull’s “interesting” sidepod solution for the all-new 2022 regulations. While many expected this year’s field to all look similar, certain areas of more design freedom – including the sidepods – have led to a surprisingly diverse 2022 grid. For […]
Russia questions F1 ‘discrimination’
Mar.3 (GMM) Russia’s automobile federation (RAF) has questioned whether banning Russian drivers from Formula 1 and other categories is “discriminatory”. Although this year’s Sochi race has been cancelled and Haas must remove the Russian tricolours from its 2022 car, Nikita Mazepin was given a green light from the FIA to keep racing. Ultimately, the 22-year-old […]
New contract puts Verstappen on par with Hamilton
Mar.3 (GMM) World champion Max Verstappen has apparently also caught up with Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 earnings stakes. The respected Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claims the 24-year-old Dutchman and Red Bull have reached a ‘final agreement’ for a new contract. Verstappen’s existing deal was set to expire next year, but now it is […]
Red Bull ‘slightly ahead’ of Ferrari – Marko
Mar.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at claims that Red Bull’s overweight 2022 car is already lagging behind apparent early frontrunner Ferrari. He admits that the “first analysis” of the Barcelona test is that Maranello based Ferrari has managed to “join” Mercedes and Red Bull at the front of the grid. The Red […]
‘Things missing’ at Alpine in 2022 – source
Mar.2 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has answered “I don’t know” when asked if he is happy with his new car for 2022. Alpine, whose Formula 1 team has now been 100 percent acquired by Renault after Genii’s final shares were taken over, has pinned a lot of hopes on its car for the all-new regulations this […]
Ecclestone, Marko disagree over Putin
Mar.2 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has risked condemnation by describing Russian president Vladimir Putin as “straightforward and honourable”. Putin is being almost universally slammed for his incursion into Ukraine which is affecting every corner of the globe, including Formula 1. But Ecclestone, 91, defended the 69-year-old former KGB officer, with whom he conceived the current Russian […]