Mar.5 (GMM) Yet another scandal is breaking out in Formula 1 – this time putting FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem under the spotlight. According to leading publications including La Repubblica (Italy), L’Equipe (France) and Britain’s BBC, the 62-year-old – already the subject of earlier F1 power struggles and accusations – is accused with interfering with […]
Month: March 2024
Briatore already working on ‘best option’ for Alonso in 2025
Mar.4 (GMM) Flavio Briatore, who still oversees the big-picture management of Fernando Alonso’s career, admits he is already scouring the paddock for opportunities for 2025. With Lewis Hamilton vacating his Mercedes cockpit at the end of the year, Alonso – with his expiring Aston Martin deal – is not yet ready to re-commit to the […]
Hamilton won’t take big secrets to Ferrari – Wolff
Mar.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he’s confident Lewis Hamilton will not take reams of secret information about Mercedes’ success to Ferrari next year. The Mercedes boss and co-owner admits that hearing about the seven time world champion’s decision to trigger an exit clause at the end of the season caught him off guard – but […]
Acceptable to call rebranded F1 team ‘RB’ – boss
Mar.4 (GMM) It’s acceptable for fans and the media to call the rebranded Alpha Tauri team ‘Racing Bulls’ or simply ‘RB’, CEO Peter Bayer says. Predictions that the newly-named Visa Cash App RB team would benefit so much from its closer collaboration with Red Bull Racing and end up on the podium in Bahrain proved […]
Struggling Alpine may be candidate for Andretti takeover
Mar.4 (GMM) Questions are now being asked about how long Alpine will maintain the support of Renault. In Bahrain, the stark reality of Alpine’s situation with its woeful 2024 car became clear. “There are the top four teams, then Aston Martin, the rest and then Alpine,” new Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu told Ekstra Bladet […]
Verstappen has ‘character’ to keep dominating F1 – Prost
Mar.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen can navigate the murky waters at the very top of Formula 1 for a long time to come, according to F1 legend Alain Prost. This collective F1 paddock overwhelmingly agrees that Verstappen, 26, will go on to match Prost’s impressive tally of four drivers’ world titles. It’s a massive blow to […]
Horner’s top job at Red Bull ‘untenable’ now – Schumacher
Mar.4 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher suspects Mercedes and the Verstappen camp are “already in negotiations” for a sensational switch from Red Bull to Mercedes. In Bahrain, the embattled Christian Horner orchestrated the appearance of unity, support and harmony – amid a scandal and alleged affair with a female staff member that threatens to end his entire […]
Alpine reaping ‘consequences’ of ‘bad decisions’
Mar.3 (GMM) Alpine are now paying the price of some “bad decisions” in managing the crisis-struck Formula 1. That is the claim of sacked former team boss Otmar Szafnauer, referring to the management turmoil that characterised the Renault-linked team’s 2023 season – and has now culminated in the woefully slow 2024 car. After Esteban Ocon […]
Horner scandal risks loss of Verstappen, Newey
Mar.3 (GMM) In the eye of the storm, Christian Horner put on a show of unity and harmony on Saturday – flanked by his wife Geri and Red Bull’s majority Thai shareholder, billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya. “I have great support within the team and the company,” said the embattled team boss. “But I will not comment […]
Wolff not ruling out Sainz for 2025 Mercedes seat
Mar.3 (GMM) Carlos Sainz got his quest for another top seat in Formula 1 off to a flying start in Bahrain by chasing home the dominant Red Bull one-two. Set to be replaced at Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton next year, the 29-year-old Spaniard is racing for his career – and eyeing a potential Audi future […]
Sacked Steiner lands a second new F1 job
Mar.3 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has added another new Formula 1 job to his ledger for 2024. Sacked as Haas’ team boss over the winter, the popular and charismatic 58-year-old accepted an alternative job in the paddock as an expert pundit for German broadcaster RTL. That is despite having had a difficult relationship with German media, […]
Verstappen already in ‘a different galaxy’ in 2024
Mar.3 (GMM) As Max Verstappen dominated the Bahrain GP having also secured the first pole position on offer in 2024, hopes began to fade among Red Bull’s rivals. A few days earlier, Fernando Alonso said that based on pre-season testing, “19 drivers” in the field knew they would not be world champion this year. “I’m […]
Wolff not ruling out Vettel as Hamilton replacement
Mar.2 (GMM) Toto Wolff has described Sebastian Vettel as a “giant” of Formula 1, as the quadruple world champion once again refuses to rule out the prospect of a sensational return. Since Lewis Hamilton decided to vacate his Mercedes seat for 2025 with a switch to Ferrari, rumblings that Vettel, 36, might see it as […]
Bottas would cut off ‘mullet’ for Mercedes return
Mar.2 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he would shave his moustache and cut his ‘mullet’ hairstyle in order to return to Mercedes. The Finn was paired at Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton until 2021, resulting in Bottas taking a big step down the grid with Sauber – and a big change in his personal branding and image. […]
Audi targets full 100pc takeover of Sauber
Mar.2 (GMM) Audi appears to be ramping up rather than wriggling out of its commitment to enter Formula 1 for 2026. Just a few days ago, there was talk of more upper management turmoil at the Volkswagen-owned German marque, but Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi affirmed the “strong commitment of the Audi Group”. Indeed, […]
Gasly ‘anticipated’ qualifying dead last in Bahrain
Mar.2 (GMM) Pierre Gasly admits he expected he might qualify dead last in Bahrain. After the overweight and slow 2024 car struggled through pre-season testing last week, many journalists’ pecking-order predictions thought Alpine may have slumped to the very back of the grid. Indeed, Gasly qualified dead last on Friday – a tenth or so […]
F1, FIA to decide if Horner action required
Mar.2 (GMM) As the Christian Horner saga rolls on, he met privately and separately with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Bahrain on Friday. Domenicali and the FIA boss then got together later on, to discuss current affairs in Formula 1 at the start of 2024 – and the Horner […]
European races likely to be alternated – F1 CEO
Mar.2 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali admits Formula 1 may begin to annually alternate some of the European grands prix from 2026. The sport’s ever-swelling 24-race calendar is now attracting widespread criticism, but yet another event has been added to the schedule for 2026 – Madrid. “Signing the contract to host the race in Madrid was very […]
Ricciardo only in F1 because of his ‘image’
Mar.2 (GMM) 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has lashed out at one of the sport’s most popular personalities. He thinks Daniel Ricciardo, the always-smiling and cheerful 34-year-old who has resurrected his career at RB after being dropped by McLaren in 2022, doesn’t deserve to be back in Formula 1 purely on merit. “Ricciardo is a […]
Red Bull chiefs give Perez an early boost in 2024
Mar.2 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s bosses have given his chances of securing a new contract for 2025 an early boost. The Mexican, under pressure to retain his place at Red Bull next year from suitors including Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz, qualified P5 in Bahrain – with his teammate Max Verstappen on pole. “The Checo Perez […]