May 15 (GMM) Formula 1 could wave goodbye to the controversial ‘hybrid’ engine era from 2030. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is expecting a “closer battle” on the track at Imola this weekend, but also a busy event of off-track moves, rumours and talks. For instance, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the new Concorde Agreement […]
Month: May 2024
F1 not ruling out new race deal for Barcelona
May 15 (GMM) Formula 1 is not yet ruling out a new race deal for Barcelona. The future of the current Spanish GP venue has become particularly clouded since F1 agreed to transfer that official race title to Madrid for 2026 and beyond. The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona has an existing race deal for […]
Verstappen to race in real and virtual worlds from Imola
May 15 (GMM) Max Verstappen is planning a very busy weekend at Imola. According to the Belgian broadcaster RTBF, the world championship leader will not only be racing his Red Bull, but also taking part in a 24-hour sim race on the iRacing platform. Verstappen, 26, is a high profile part of the professional sim […]
Collectors paid $4 million for Schumacher’s watches
May 15 (GMM) The sale of part of Michael Schumacher’s personal wrist-watch collection tipped the scales at well over $4 million. The high-profile auction by Christie’s in Geneva actually got off to a rocky start, with Bloomberg reporting that the company’s website may have been hacked. The auction was therefore delayed until Tuesday “for security […]
F1 won’t be ‘bored’ with off-track news at Imola – CEO
May 15 (GMM) F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is expecting an interesting grand prix weekend in Imola this weekend – both on and off the track itself. He said he is keen to see how Ferrari’s major car upgrade fares, whilst also musing “the arrival of new reinforcements in the team” – a clear reference to […]
F1 unlikely to feature two Italian races in 2026 – CEO
May 15 (GMM) F1’s CEO admits that one of the two grands prix in Italy is unlikely to still be on the calendar beyond 2025. The sport races at Imola this week, just a few months before the historic and traditional Italian GP at fabled Monza. “Italy is a central part of our calendar,” Stefano […]
Hamilton, Leclerc now in ‘honeymoon’ period – Vasseur
May 15 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says he is confident Lewis Hamilton will get along with Charles Leclerc once the seven time world champion makes the switch for 2025 and beyond. The Ferrari boss told La Repubblica newspaper that deciding to oust Carlos Sainz was “not easy”, as both the Spaniard and Leclerc are “very competitive” […]
US congress should not influence F1’s Andretti decision
May 14 (GMM) Formula 1, not the US congress, should be in full control of which teams are permitted to race at the pinnacle of motorsport. That is the defiant position of Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the spokesman for the now 100 percent Audi-owned Sauber team. Recently, with Andretti-Cadillac currently locked out of F1 by the […]
Sauber-Audi defends ‘sudden’ Bottas change
May 14 (GMM) Audi-owned Sauber has defended its decision to appoint a new race engineer for Valtteri Bottas as of the last Formula 1 race in Miami. The Finn admits that he isn’t sure what his next move in F1 will be, having also declared that Audi signing Nico Hulkenberg for 2025 and beyond was […]
Schumacher to advise Vettel on Le Mans experience
May 14 (GMM) Ahead of his Le Mans debut next month, Mick Schumacher says he will report directly to his friend and mentor Sebastian Vettel. Despite a recent extensive test, Porsche left quadruple world champion Vettel out of its hypercar lineup for the fabled 24 hour endurance race this year. As he pushes to return […]
Red Bull ‘too slow’ as major F1 rivals close in
May 14 (GMM) Ferrari is setting up a major assault on Red Bull’s dominance of Formula 1, with even Dr Helmut Marko admitting that the rivals are closing the gap. In fact, Red Bull’s top F1 consultant confesses that McLaren driver Lando Norris beat triple world champion Max Verstappen last time out in Miami based […]
Marko now tips Ferrari move for Adrian Newey
May 13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko now thinks Adrian Newey will eventually re-emerge in Formula 1 at Ferrari. Red Bull’s top Austrian F1 consultant admits that the behind-the-scenes turbulence at the team throughout 2024 so far, including the Christian Horner scandal, contributed to the genius designer’s decision to quit. “It had been looming for some […]
Lawson replacing Ricciardo at Imola ‘nonsense’ – Marko
May 13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has warned F1 hopeful Liam Lawson not to hold out too much hope of an immediate leap into Formula 1. Recently, rumours have swirled that the Red Bull camp is so disillusioned with Daniel Ricciardo’s struggle to get back up to speed in F1 that he may be replaced […]
Porsche not slamming door after Vettel snub
May 13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel needs “more time” before he is ready to take on Le Mans with a car that is capable of winning the fabled 24-hour endurance race. The retired quadruple world champion, who had also been linked with a potential return to Formula 1, recently tested Porsche’s 963 top-tier hypercar. However, Porsche […]
Hulkenberg deserves Audi F1 seat – Verstappen
May 13 (GMM) Max Verstappen has backed F1 rival Nico Hulkenberg and Audi’s decision to team up. It has been claimed that the now 100 percent Audi-owned Sauber team – to transition to a full works Audi team for 2026 – will pay Hulkenberg, 36, 5 million euros to start racing for the Swiss-based outfit […]
FIA should not block Antonelli’s F1 debut – Verstappen
May 13 (GMM) Max Verstappen thinks F1’s governing body, the FIA, should not block 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli from entering the sport immediately. Recently, it emerged that a team – probably Mercedes-powered Williams – had applied to the FIA for special dispensation so that Antonelli can make his race debut prior to his 18th birthday in […]
Haas returns legal fire at sacked boss Steiner
May 13 (GMM) The Haas Formula 1 team has punched back at Gunther Steiner, after the sacked boss launched legal action earlier this month. Steiner, still present in the F1 paddock as a popular TV pundit, is suing Haas in North Carolina – where he lives and Haas is based – for continuing to use […]
GM won’t let Andretti’s F1 push ‘fail’
May 13 (GMM) General Motors, one of the world’s biggest carmakers, has pledged its ongoing loyalty to the quest to help Andretti enter the Formula 1 world. Recently, it emerged that the US congress is now looking into F1’s allegedly anti-competitive decision to lock Andretti out of the grid and pitlane. “It’s a fight that […]
Alpine may be eying Mick Schumacher for F1 seat
May 13 (GMM) A return to the Formula 1 grid for former Haas driver Mick Schumacher is becoming a real possibility. Since losing his seat at the end of 2022, the 25-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher has split his Mercedes test and reserve duties with a return to racing in 2024 with Alpine’s […]
Newey exit won’t hurt Red Bull until 2026 – bosses
May 10 (GMM) Adrian Newey’s departure will not hurt Red Bull – at least in 2025. That is the view of two well-known former Formula 1 team bosses, Gunther Steiner and Gian Carlo Minardi. Some are predicting that Red Bull is already beginning to lose its dominant edge in 2024, with Ferrari and McLaren winning […]