Oct.9 (GMM) Formula 1 has some questions to ask itself after the swelteringly-hot Qatar GP. Even as he arrived at the Middle Eastern venue on Thursday, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz said he thought the sport had made a mistake by travelling to Qatar in the desert location’s hot season. “I know there is a different date […]
Month: October 2023
Audi denies rumours of 2026 F1 entry cancellation
Oct.8 (GMM) Audi has denied reports it could be set to cancel its intention to enter Formula 1 in 2026. Officially, the Volkswagen-owned German carmaker’s plan is to take over Swiss-based Sauber, the F1 team currently known as Alfa Romeo, and run works Audi engines under the sport’s next set of regulations. But Radio Le […]
Alpha Tauri breaks ranks to oppose expanded budget cap
Oct.8 (GMM) Alpha Tauri has broken ranks with other bottom-four Formula 1 teams by questioning the $20 million relaxation in strict budget cap rules. Based on the results of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons, the four least-performing teams – Williams, Haas, Sauber and Alpha Tauri – have been allocated special ‘catch-up’ spending outside the […]
No hangover for triple-champ Verstappen in Qatar
Oct.8 (GMM) Max Verstappen promised not to race with a hangover after securing his third consecutive drivers’ title in Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar. The dominant Dutchman finished second behind Oscar Piastri, but it was actually Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez who closed the deal with his latest crash. Championship parties on Saturday night, […]
Good and bad news for Pirelli in Qatar
Oct.8 (GMM) According to the latest whisper in the Qatar paddock, Pirelli has beaten off a challenge from Bridgestone to secure the Formula 1 tyre deal for another few years through 2028. It is good news for the Italian company, however, that the official announcement isn’t due until a few days after this weekend’s grand […]
Piastri ‘best F1 rookie since Verstappen’
Oct.8 (GMM) On the day Max Verstappen wrapped up his third consecutive drivers’ title, a new Formula 1 race winner was crowned – Oscar Piastri. “I feel like Max has stolen Oscar’s limelight a little bit, but both deserve it today,” said Lando Norris, Australian 22-year-old rookie Piastri’s teammate at the resurgent McLaren team. The […]
Bottom F1 teams get $20m higher budget cap
Oct.7 (GMM) Formula 1’s bottom-four teams have been permitted to spend an extra $20 million each on improving their outdated infrastructure. Based on the results of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons, the four least-performing teams – Williams, Haas, Sauber and Alpha Tauri – have succeeded in a bid to be given special ‘catch-up’ spending […]
Verstappen is the best ever F1 driver – Ecclestone
Oct.7 (GMM) On the eve of Max Verstappen sealing up his third consecutive drivers’ title, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has named him the best driver – ever. Previously, the 92-year-old has always said that while Ayrton Senna was another obvious great, his overall pick for the best ever was Alain Prost. That’s because he […]
Absent Wolff to congratulate Red Bull by text
Oct.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff is missing in action at a second consecutive grand prix. It means he will be absent for the moment in which key rival Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will seal in place his third world championship on the trot. “I will congratulate Helmut (Marko) via WhatsApp,” the Mercedes boss told Osterreich newspaper. […]
Perez struggle means door ‘wide open’ for Norris
Oct.7 (GMM) A big dark cloud is still hanging over Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull. Just as the Mexican was determined to put his calamitous performance at Suzuka behind him, he fell afoul of ‘track limits’ in Qatar qualifying but was still a long way off Max Verstappen’s pace – and a dreadful P13. […]
Top F1 bosses agree over ‘track limits’ farce
Oct.7 (GMM) The farcical issue of ‘track limits’ is once again tainting Formula 1’s on-track action. Team bosses had hoped the phenomenon of often long-delayed lap deletions for track limits violations seen in Austria earlier this year would be solved with new kerbs in Qatar. But multiple drivers lost their fast laps in qualifying on […]
Ricciardo ‘definitely’ planning US GP return
Oct.7 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo’s return from injury looks all set for the upcoming US GP in Austin. After a mid-season return to Formula 1 following his McLaren sacking, the Australian has sat out several more grands prix recently with a broken hand. But Alpha Tauri substitute Liam Lawson’s 5-race run now appears to be coming […]
Magnussen not enjoying birthday weekend
Oct.7 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen is not having a good birthday weekend in Qatar. First, his teammate Nico Hulkenberg – with whom Magnussen had the infamous “suck my b*lls” falling out some years ago – revealed that he was giving the Haas driver an embarrassing birthday present. “It’s a toilet brush,” said the German. “Not sure […]
Boss Krack quiet over Lance Stroll tantrum
Oct.7 (GMM) Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack was reluctant to comment after Lance Stroll threw a tantrum at Qatar. Already in the paddock, there were rumours that his father Lawrence Stroll may be mulling over an offer to sell the team and potentially replace the struggling Stroll with Honda-linked Yuki Tsunoda. Tsunoda said when […]
Red Bull, Honda, not denying new Tsunoda rumours
Oct.6 (GMM) Amid rumours Lance Stroll may be on the way out at Aston Martin, a potential contender to replace him has already emerged. It is Yuki Tsunoda, despite the fact that he was recently named in Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri’s next race lineup for the fourth consecutive year. Dr Helmut Marko told Sport1: “Tsunoda […]
Stroll ‘approached’ over EUR 800m F1 team buyout
Oct.6 (GMM) Wild rumours are doing the rounds in the Qatar paddock about the potential sale of the Aston Martin team. According to Sport1, Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll is said to be mulling over a giant EUR 800 million offer lodged by the Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco – already the team’s title sponsor. […]
F1 stars break ranks to back Andretti entry
Oct.6 (GMM) Two of Formula 1’s top drivers have broken ranks to declare that they would like to see Andretti-Cadillac welcomed onto the grid. This week, the FIA gave Andretti’s bid for a place in pitlane the green light – but it now all depends on commercial negotiations with Liberty Media. The majority of the […]
Marko not surprised Perez ‘went under’ at Red Bull
Oct.6 (GMM) Sergio Perez shouldn’t be too downbeat about being easily defeated by his ultra-dominant Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in 2023. That is the view of Dr Helmut Marko, who said great drivers like Dutchman Verstappen always secure a clear upper-hand over their teammates. “My father always said ‘You have to destroy your teammate’,” […]
Verstappen hits out at ‘stupid’ best athlete titles
Oct.6 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he would like to be excluded from “stupid” athlete of the year awards nominations. Formula 1’s dominant Dutchman won a prestigious Laureus award last year, and also the Dutch sports federation’s athlete of the year title in 2016, 2021 and 2022. But the newly-26-year-old says he doesn’t want to be […]
Lawson will be back on grid in 2025 ‘at the latest’
Oct.6 (GMM) Liam Lawson will be a full-time Formula 1 racer “by 2025 at the latest”. That is the news from Red Bull’s notorious driver program czar Dr Helmut Marko, after New Zealand rookie Lawson admitted that being left out of Alpha Tauri’s race lineup for 2024 was “disappointing”. For now, he will get at […]