Aug.25 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits it is not “100 percent certain” that Sergio Perez will still be in a Red Bull car in 2024. Kleine Zeitung newspaper in Austria is reporting that, during Formula 1’s August break, Daniel Ricciardo travelled to Graz to catch up with Marko. That is despite the fact that Mexican […]
Month: August 2023
Vasseur ‘knows nothing’ about Hamilton contract
Aug.24 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says he wants to negotiate with both of Ferrari’s current drivers before the end of the current season. Both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are under contract until the end of 2024, but it is Spaniard Sainz who is pushing hardest for talks. “That’s why we’re going to sit down with […]
Ferrari not supporting Massa’s 2008 title push
Aug.24 (GMM) Ferrari’s boss says he is not supportive of a push by Felipe Massa to be declared world champion. Massa, now retired, was racing a Ferrari in 2008 when Renault’s Nelson Piquet deliberately crashed during the Singapore GP. Ex-F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone admitted recently that the sport’s authorities knew about the deliberate act of […]
Max, not car, key to Red Bull dominance – Marko
Aug.24 (GMM) Max Verstappen is the component of Red Bull’s Formula 1 package that really makes the difference. That is the view of the team’s Dr Helmut Marko, who at the age of 80 is declaring that he sees no reason to step down any time soon. “As long as I am in good mental […]
Teams unclear over rookie rule approach in 2023
Aug.24 (GMM) How Formula 1 teams will handle a rule about using rookie drivers in practice sessions this season is unclear. It is now known that, to comply with the regulations requiring every race driver on the grid to give up his car on an official Friday, Robert Shwartzman will take the wheel of Carlos […]
Raikkonen kept big secret from F1 teams
Aug.23 (GMM) 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen admits he often used to race motorbikes – without his Formula 1 teams knowing. The Finn, now retired, raced for top teams including McLaren and Ferrari, and he now operates a highly successful motocross team with Kawasaki support. “I have always appreciated the challenges that motocross has for […]
Verstappen has no fears about post-F1 life
Aug.23 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he has no fears about his life beyond Formula 1. The ultra-dominant Red Bull driver has been outspoken recently about changes to the format in F1, and admits he is even looking forward to retirement. “It will be different, I am aware of that, but that might also be nice,” […]
Race boss admits 2025 Dutch GP in doubt
Aug.23 (GMM) Jan Lammers admits the Dutch GP does not have its future on the Formula 1 grid locked in. Zandvoort’s current race contract expires after next year, and the former F1 driver and Dutch GP boss admits talks with Formula One Management could be difficult. “FOM knows what they want and we know what […]
Expert slams climate ‘greenwashing’ in F1
Aug.23 (GMM) An urban mobility expert has questioned just how serious Formula 1 is about climate change. The sport says it wants to be carbon-neutral by 2030, and will start using totally synthetic fuel from 2026. “Formula 1 sees that it has to act on climate protection, but it only does so superficially,” Benjamin Stephan, […]
Aston Martin wind tunnel will be ‘radical’ game-changer
Aug.23 (GMM) There will be a “before and after” for the impressive Aston Martin team, according to team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa. The former F1 driver, who has also worked alongside fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso at both McLaren and Ferrari, is referring to the construction of a brand new wind tunnel at the team’s […]
Zhou not stressed about 2024 contract talks
Aug.23 (GMM) Guanyu Zhou sounds confident about his looming contract negotiations with Sauber, the Swiss team currently called Alfa Romeo. He entered Formula 1 with single-year deals at the team in 2022 and 2023, and – after scoring points twice this season just like his experienced teammate Valtteri Bottas – is now pushing for a […]
Gasly admits ‘turbulent times’ at Alpine
Aug.23 (GMM) Pierre Gasly admits he is still getting up to speed at chaos-struck Alpine. The Frenchman moved from the Red Bull camp to the Renault-owned team this year to complete an all-French lineup next to incumbent Esteban Ocon. He filled the big shoes left behind by impressive Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso. “I still […]
Sainz set for 2025 Ferrari contract talks
Aug.23 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says contract talks with Carlos Sainz are now looming. Like Charles Leclerc, Spaniard Sainz is under contract until the end of 2024. But unlike Monaco-born Leclerc, Sainz is open about being keen to ink a new deal as soon as possible. “That’s why we’re going to sit down with Carlos before […]
2024 deal still not ready for Hamilton
Aug.22 (GMM) Reports that Mercedes would finally announce a 2024 deal for Lewis Hamilton prior to this weekend’s Dutch GP were wide of the mark. It now seems clear that, despite the long delays whilst negotiating the new deal, there are still clear contractual stumbling blocks to jump. “I am not aware Lewis is having […]
Mercedes ‘heavily focused’ on 2024 car now
Aug.22 (GMM) Mercedes has followed hot on Ferrari’s heels by admitting the focus has now shifted to 2024. Red Bull is utterly dominating this year, prompting Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur to now admit that it is the 2024 car – not the current one – that is now in the wind tunnel. Mercedes’ chief technical […]
Alonso rejected Indy return because of the ‘risk’
Aug.22 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he decided to return to Formula 1 because Indycars are too dangerous. The Spaniard, now 42, stepped away from F1 after the McLaren-Honda debacle, but returned last year – and is now earning plaudits for being just as fast as ever whilst also having improved as a person. “The most […]
Vettel not in favour of petrol car bans
Aug.22 (GMM) Former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel says he is not in favour of banning petrol cars. Some of his fellow environmentalists are pushing hard for restrictions on things like plane and car travel in the name of climate change. Vettel, 35, agrees that some aspects of life must change going forwards. “Without wanting to […]
‘Own goal’ as Verstappen filmed speeding
Aug.22 (GMM) Max Verstappen has been captured on video speeding on the A8 motorway in France. The video, taken by the Red Bull driver’s friend Mark Cox, shows Verstappen at the wheel of the Adrian Newey-designed Valkyrie supercar doing 124kph in the 90kph speed zone. “Own goal for Max Verstappen,” reported Italy’s La Gazzetta dello […]
Teams should be banned for budget breach – Vasseur
Aug.22 (GMM) The next round of penalties for breaching Formula 1’s budget cap should be “much more drastic”. That is the view of Frederic Vasseur, amid rumours some top teams – again including Red Bull and Aston Martin – may once again be in trouble with the FIA for overspending. “I don’t want to make […]
Massa legal action a ‘disgrace’ – Popov
Aug.22 (GMM) Felipe Massa is preparing to “disgrace himself” by launching legal action against Formula 1. That is the view of well-known Russian F1 commentator Alexey Popov, after it emerged that Massa’s lawyers have now warned the sport and its governing FIA that he is pursuing them over the outcome of the 2008 world championship. […]