Sep.13 (GMM) Formula 1 is facing a reserve driver shortage this weekend at Baku. Kevin Magnussen is not in Azerbaijan this weekend as he serves his controversial one-race suspension for accumulating 12 penalty points on his super license. His Haas teammate Nico Hulkenberg stridently defended the absent Dane on Thursday, insisting stewards are too quick […]
Month: September 2024
Red Bull could lose Verstappen to Aston Martin – Marko
Sep.13 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits the risk that Red Bull will lose Max Verstappen to Aston Martin is very real. Verstappen’s management, including his mercurial father Jos, have already been flirting with a switch to Mercedes for 2026. But now, Aston Martin has secured Red Bull’s technical genius Adrian Newey from March of next […]
Marko chuckles at McLaren team order decision
Sep.13 (GMM) Top figures at Red Bull admit they are keeping a keen eye on developments at 2024 championship rival McLaren. Following a fortnight of speculation about the ‘team orders’ situation at McLaren, the British team now admits Oscar Piastri may have to play a supportive role to teammate Lando Norris for the 8-race dash […]
Final Audi-owned Sauber seat now a two-horse race
Sep.13 (GMM) The final real vacancy on the 2025 grid is turning into a clear two-horse race between Valtteri Bottas and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. Not too long ago, it seemed obvious that Bottas, 34, was set to lose his race seat at Audi-owned Sauber – reportedly leading to exploratory talks with Indycar teams. But when […]
Newey aims fire at British F1 media, Sky coverage
Sep.12 (GMM) Adrian Newey has aimed fire at the role played in Formula 1 by “the British media”. The 65-year-old is British himself, and he is switching from Milton-Keynes based Red Bull to Silverstone-based Aston Martin next year – having also designed all of his title-winning F1 cars on British soil. However, he insists British […]
Series owner says Hamilton wants to buy MotoGP team
Sep.12 (GMM) The CEO of Formula 1’s owner Liberty Media has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton is interested in buying a MotoGP team. A few months ago, when it emerged that Liberty was also acquiring the two-wheeled equivalent of F1, rumours began to swirl that Hamilton is eyeing the Ducati-linked MotoGP team Gresini. The seven time […]
Verstappen already linked with Aston Martin switch
Sep.12 (GMM) Fresh on the heels of Adrian Newey’s decision to sign with Aston Martin, Max Verstappen is already being linked with a similarly-sensational move from Red Bull. Italy’s Autosprint magazine believes Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll is already in negotiations with the triple world champion, whose father Jos has already been flirting with […]
Nerves may spoil Norris’ F1 title quest in 2024
Sep.12 (GMM) A former Red Bull driver predicts that the Formula 1 hierarchy will undergo a formal changing of the guard this weekend at Baku. Red Bull’s long and dominant grip on the top of the pecking order has been clearly waning over recent weeks and months, with the gap over McLaren in the constructors’ […]
Honda, Renault could be fined for F1 budget breaches
Sep.12 (GMM) It is possible Formula 1 engine suppliers Honda and Alpine (Renault) will be fined for breaching last year’s budget cap. In a statement, the sport’s governing body, the FIA, said every team successfully complied with the complex cost limit rules last year. However, with separate cost restrictions now also applying to engine manufacturers, […]
Government to wind down Belgian GP backing
Sep.11 (GMM) Organisers of the Belgian GP think they are “making progress” to keep their Formula 1 race at the fabled Spa-Francorchamps circuit alive. Late last year, the sport’s owners agreed to a mere one-year extension to the previous race contract – meaning 2025 is currently scheduled to be the final Belgian GP. It is […]
Newey will have instant impact at Aston Martin – Schumacher
Sep.11 (GMM) Two well-known Formula 1 figures are divided over just how quickly Adrian Newey can have a major impact at Aston Martin. Christian Horner recently insisted that although the sport’s most renowned technical brain stepped away from active duty at Red Bull some months ago, his absence could not possibly explain the team’s fall […]
Newey will no longer work only ‘part time’ in F1
Sep.11 (GMM) Adrian Newey has committed to ramping up his Formula 1 workload back to “full-time”. Although widely credited for Red Bull’s recent successes and dominance, the 65-year-old has not worked full-time on F1 for several years now. “He is going to be full-time,” Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll declared on Wednesday, as Newey’s […]
Norris needs to get ‘more aggressive’ in ’24 – Montoya
Sep.11 (GMM) Juan Pablo Montoya thinks Lando Norris needs to sharpen his elbows if he wants to be given clear ‘number 1’ status for the 2024 championship fight. Despite the 62-point gap, Norris is the suddenly-struggling Max Verstappen’s closest and most realistic rival for the drivers’ title this year. In the sister McLaren, Oscar Piastri […]
Bortoleto given ‘green light’ to negotiate with Audi
Sep.11 (GMM) McLaren has reportedly cleared the path for Gabriel Bortoleto to make his Formula 1 race debut in 2025. Audi officials specifically named the 19-year-old Formula 1 frontrunner as featuring prominently on their short-list to join Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber next year. However, the young Brazilian joined McLaren’s driver development program just at the […]
Mexican support makes criticism easier – Perez
Sep.10 (GMM) Sergio Perez admits the support of “millions” of Mexican compatriots makes all the criticism so far this year a lot easier. Despite his recently-signed Red Bull contract for 2025 and 2026, the 34-year-old entered the August break under an ongoing cloud of career uncertainty, raging speculation and widespread criticism. But at the last […]
Ferrari figures admit another win unlikely at Baku
Sep.10 (GMM) Ferrari is not confident it can now take on new Formula 1 pacesetter McLaren at every grand prix. With Red Bull falling from F1 dominance during the course of 2024 so far, McLaren has emerged as the most consistent new force – although Mercedes and Ferrari have also won races. It was Ferrari’s […]
Vasseur could not get on ‘same page’ as Newey
Sep.10 (GMM) Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur admits he recently held talks with Adrian Newey. Most Formula 1 teams, if not all, also explored the golden opportunity of snapping up the sport’s most coveted technical brain since he announced earlier this year that he will be progressively stepping away from Red Bull. In the end, Newey’s […]
Hulkenberg admits first Sauber stint was a mistake
Sep.10 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg admits his first decision to join the Sauber team in Formula 1 over a decade ago was a mistake. New 100 percent Sauber owner Audi has snapped up the German from 2025 and beyond to spearhead its transition to full works status. But when asked this week by DPA news agency […]
Helping McLaren teammate will be Piastri ‘investment’ – boss
Sep.9 (GMM) McLaren’s task is to “balance” the interests of the team with the “selfishness” of its drivers, Oscar Piastri has admitted. Having now overtaken Red Bull as the fastest car in 2024, McLaren is facing widespread criticism for not elevating Lando Norris to clear ‘number 1′ status for his drivers’ championship quest. Dutch GP […]
Partial sale to value Aston Martin team at $2.6bn
Sep.9 (GMM) Aston Martin is set to capitalise on its rising prominence in Formula 1 by selling up to a quarter of the team. On Tuesday, F1 journalists will congregate at Aston Martin’s rapidly developing Silverstone factory where they are expecting to be officially told that Adrian Newey has signed up for 2025 and beyond. […]