Dec.12 (GMM) Sergio Perez insists he is “not too worried” about Daniel Ricciardo’s return to Red Bull. With Australian Ricciardo having lost his race seat at McLaren for 2023, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner last week said he thinks the 33-year-old was “stupid” to have left the energy drink owned stable in 2018. The […]
Month: December 2022
Mazepin preparing for motor racing return
Dec.12 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin could be preparing for his return to circuit-based premier motor racing in February. The Russian, ousted by Haas along with his controversial father and sponsor Dmitry (Uralkali) over the Ukraine conflict, won in his category in the Russian Silk Way Rally in November. And according to Endurance-Info, the 23-year-old will take […]
F1 still ‘interesting’ for Porsche
Dec.12 (GMM) Formula 1 remains “interesting” to Porsche, the Volkswagen-owned German carmaker’s sports boss Thomas Laudenbach insists. Prior to sister brand Audi announcing its tie-up with Sauber for the new powertrain rules in 2026 and beyond, Porsche was in detailed talks with Red Bull Racing. “The fact that the cooperation with Red Bull didn’t work […]
F1 eyes reduced DRS influence for 2023
Dec.12 (GMM) Formula 1 is considering shortening various DRS overtaking zones for the 2023 season. A goal of the new technical rules that debuted last year was to improve the quality of the racing and the chances of overtaking. But many think the existing drag reduction system (DRS) innovation, enabling chasing drivers to open their […]
Vasseur a ‘very good team boss’ – Leclerc
Dec.12 (GMM) Charles Leclerc says Frederic Vasseur, the clear favourite to become Ferrari’s new boss, is a “very good team principal”. It is believed Frenchman Vasseur is finalising his departure from Sauber-Alfa Romeo this week – and has even already bought a new house near Maranello. One complication, according to Blick newspaper, is his work […]
Sauber founder names candidate to replace Vasseur
Dec.12 (GMM) Ferrari is reportedly set to lift the lid on Mattia Binotto’s successor as team boss this week. It is believed Frederic Vasseur is set to finalise his departure from Swiss-based Sauber, currently known in Formula 1 as Alfa Romeo, in the coming days. When asked if he is surprised that the Frenchman is […]
Binotto successor must handle driver pairing
Dec.12 (GMM) Ferrari’s new team boss will need to prioritise the relationship between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in 2023, according to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Under the ousted Mattia Binotto’s leadership, although many in the Formula 1 world see Leclerc as the top Ferrari driver, Spaniard Sainz enjoyed equal number 1 status. “Lewis Hamilton […]
Hamilton ‘no longer number 1’ at Mercedes
Dec.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has lost his de-facto status as Mercedes’ ‘number 1’ driver in Formula 1. That is the view of Sascha Roos, the long-time commentator for Sky Deutschland’s coverage of the sport. For 2022, Mercedes replaced Hamilton’s teammate of the previous five years – Valtteri Bottas – with the younger charger George Russell. […]
Haas wrong to oust Schumacher – Grosjean
Dec.9 (GMM) Former Haas driver Romain Grosjean thinks the small American team should have kept Mick Schumacher for 2023. At the end of 2020, just after his near-fatal fiery crash in Bahrain, Frenchman Grosjean – now in Indycar – was ousted by Haas as the team replaced the existing lineup with rookies Schumacher and Nikita […]
Red Bull says ‘no’ to Verstappen MotoGP test
Dec.9 (GMM) Red Bull has blocked Max Verstappen from trying his hand at the controls of a MotoGP bike. At the recent end-of-year Honda ‘thanks day’ at Motegi in Japan, the reigning back-to-back Formula 1 champion met up with MotoGP star Marc Marquez and sat on his Honda two-wheeler. “I love watching MotoGP and I […]
New 2025 Dutch GP deal ‘not an easy decision’
Dec.9 (GMM) Extending the contract with Formula 1 to keep the Dutch GP on the calendar until 2025 was in fact “not an easy decision”. That is the revelation of Zandvoort circuit director Robert van Overdijk, even though F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is delighted with the news that one of the most popular grands prix […]
Abiteboul inches closer to F1 return
Dec.8 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul may be inching closer to his return to Formula 1. The 45-year-old Frenchman was team boss not only at Caterham until 2014 but more recently at Renault – although his tenure ended with the team’s switch to Alpine branding. Last year, Abiteboul re-emerged as motorsport advisor at Formula 2 engine supplier […]
Max Verstappen eyes Le Mans after F1 retirement
Dec.8 (GMM) Max Verstappen has dropped another hint that he may retire from Formula 1 at the youthful age of just 31. The reigning and back-to-back drivers’ world champion admits that – like former Le Mans winner Fernando Alonso – he is also eyeing the biggest prize in endurance sports car racing in the future. […]
Alonso ‘the same’ as in Minardi days – de la Rosa
Dec.8 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is “exactly the same” as he was at McLaren in 2007, according to fellow Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa. The pair worked together at both McLaren and Ferrari, but they are now reuniting yet again as de la Rosa takes on a non-driving role at Aston Martin. “He is ten years […]
McLaren happy with team’s budget cap management
Dec.8 (GMM) Andreas Seidl is proud of the way McLaren handled the Formula 1 budget cap so far. While Red Bull copped penalties for a minor overspend, and Aston Martin was chided for a procedural breach, McLaren boss Seidl says it was smooth sailing for the Woking based team. “We were in a position where […]
Axed Binotto not heading to Mercedes – Wolff
Dec.8 (GMM) Toto Wolff has ruled out speculation that axed Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto could be snapped up by Mercedes. It is believed one of Binotto’s final duties in his decades-long Ferrari career was Wednesday’s meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Bologna. FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem acknowledged that it was Binotto’s […]
No more F1 ban for unvaccinated people
Dec.8 (GMM) Unvaccinated members of the Formula 1 community will be able to return to the paddock in 2023. For 2022, the FIA and Formula 1 made getting fully vaccinated against covid-19 a requirement of attending grands prix. Medical car driver Alan van de Merwe and 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, a pundit for the […]
Turkey also ‘in the running’ to replace China GP
Dec.7 (GMM) The president of Portugal’s automobile federation admits Portimao is not the only contender to replace the axed 2023 Chinese GP. “Portugal is not the only interested country,” Fernando Machado Ni Armorim confirmed to Lusa news agency. “Turkey is also in the running,” he added. McLaren supremo Zak Brown, meanwhile, confirmed speculation that another […]
Rookie Piastri a ‘risk’ for McLaren – Steiner
Dec.7 (GMM) McLaren is taking a “risk” by putting rookie Oscar Piastri at the wheel in 2023. It has now emerged that the 21-year-old Australian has secured his Formula 1 super license, meaning he will definitely be on the Bahrain grid. It’s the opposite of the situation at Haas, where the inexperienced Mick Schumacher was […]
Ferrari to reveal Binotto successor by Christmas
Dec.7 (GMM) Ferrari reportedly intends to reveal the identity of Mattia Binotto’s replacement as team boss by Christmas. Italian specialist publications report that the Maranello based outfit has now made a decision, with current Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur believed to be the frontrunner. Also linked with the role was McLaren boss Andreas Seidl. […]