Oct.24 (GMM) Sergio Perez thinks those pedalling rumours about his future the hardest have an “agenda”. Less than a month ago, amid a previous wave of speculation that he is preparing to announce his retirement or be ousted by Red Bull, the Mexican hit out at one particular journalist on social media with a Wolf […]
Month: October 2024
Hamilton may not use Austin-spec floor in Mexico – Wolff
Oct.24 (GMM) Bosses at two Formula 1 teams were scratching their respective heads in the few days between the US and Mexican grands prix. While Mercedes’ upgrade package showed impressive speed at times in Austin, both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton also suffered significant crashes. “Lewis apologised, but he wasn’t even driving at the limit,” […]
Red Bull happy with Lawson’s ‘fight’ with Alonso
Oct.23 (GMM) Red Bull is unfazed by Formula 1 rookie Liam Lawson’s very public and extended spat with two-time champion Fernando Alonso in Austin. The US GP was 22-year-old Lawson’s first race since replacing the ousted Daniel Ricciardo at the Red Bull junior team RB – and he impressed. The New Zealander is clearly a […]
Colapinto linked with race seat at RB for 2025
Oct.23 (GMM) Another way for Franco Colapinto to stay on the Formula 1 grid in 2025 is emerging. Recently, Williams boss James Vowles – who has the Argentine rookie firmly under contract but with no race cockpit availability for next year – offered to loan Colapinto to Audi-Sauber for 2025. It is believed that deal […]
No big laptime drop for F1 cars in 2026 – Tombazis
Oct.22 (GMM) Formula 1 cars will be “hardly any slower” once the radical new rules are in force in 2026. That’s the claim of FIA single seater boss Nikolas Tombazis, allaying fears that the move to even more electrical engine energy will cost several seconds per lap in laptime. At the latest F1 Commission and […]
Hulkenberg has no regrets about Audi move
Oct.22 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he has no regrets about leaving the rapidly improving Haas team. After the Abu Dhabi finale, the 37-year-old German will switch from 2025 and beyond to Sauber – in anticipation of the team’s full works transition to Audi for 2026. But Hulkenberg’s decision to move was before it became clear […]
Marko says ‘let’s see’ to Perez retirement rumours
Oct.22 (GMM) Liam Lawson appears to be on the right track to becoming Max Verstappen’s new teammate at Red Bull Racing for 2025. Despite Sergio Perez’s repeated denials, equally persistent rumours that the Mexican might announce his retirement from Formula 1 at his home race this weekend continue to swirl. “It’s a rumour,” team advisor […]
French federation powerless to stop Renault F1 engine axe
Oct.22 (GMM) France’s motor racing federation, the FFSA, says it cannot do anything to prevent Renault from scrapping the works Formula 1 engine program for Alpine. Pierre Gosselin, president of the FIA-affiliated Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile, told Le Figaro newspaper that he is upset there will no longer be French-made engines on the grid. […]
Why Pirelli withdrew designer F1 trophies in Austin
Oct.22 (GMM) Race sponsor Pirelli, and US GP organisers, had to hurriedly backtrack on its plans for novel designer trophies for the F1 winners in Austin. The Pirelli-commissioned trophies, penned and constructed by Italian designer Matteo Machiavelli and affectionately named ‘Heroo’, were revealed with much fanfare in the days before the US GP. To some, […]
Mexico will be ‘more difficult’ for Red Bull – Marko
Oct.22 (GMM) Red Bull is bracing for a “more difficult” task this weekend in Mexico. Amid a mid-season performance slump, the reigning champions worked hard over the three-week break between Singapore and Austin and even managed to extend Max Verstappen’s points gap over Lando Norris in the US GP. Dutch personality Tom Coronel thinks it […]
Audi allowed to spend more than F1 rivals from 2026
Oct.21 (GMM) Audi will be allowed to spend more under Formula 1’s budget cap provisions from 2026. Bosses at the Sauber team, now 100 percent owned by Audi ahead of the start of the German carmaker’s official F1 project from 2026, have argued they should be permitted to spend more because of higher wage bills […]
Austin wants new F1 race contract beyond 2026
Oct.21 (GMM) Organisers of the US GP in Austin want to safeguard their place on the Formula 1 calendar. The event at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) was first held in 2012, prior to the Liberty Media era and having ended the drought of American races in Formula 1. But since Liberty Media took […]
Verstappen not promising to attend FIA award gala
Oct.21 (GMM) Max Verstappen is not completely committing to attending December’s FIA awards ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda. Rwanda is not only a leading contender for a future African GP, it has been named as the scene of the end-of-season FIA prize giving – mandatory for high-achieving drivers like the triple world champion. Verstappen’s relationship with […]
Bottas could be Mercedes test driver in 2025
Oct.21 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ Formula 1 racing career may either be over, or it will be safeguarded for multiple more seasons. After Singapore, the Finn seemed to be heading for a new one-year deal with Audi-owned Sauber – but the situation changed dramatically over the subsequent three-weekend break. During that time, younger options Mick Schumacher, […]
Verstappen has ‘great relationship’ with Zak Brown
Oct.21 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he’s staying out of the escalating off-track battle between Red Bull and McLaren. As the triple world champion battles on track with his friend Lando Norris, their bosses are at war on the sidelines. Red Bull got McLaren’s ‘mini DRS’ rear wing banned after Baku, and McLaren returned fire with […]
Norris’ Austin penalty ‘strange and bizarre’ – Wolff
Oct.21 (GMM) Toto Wolff is siding strongly with McLaren, over the penalty that prevented Lando Norris from narrowing the championship points gap on Sunday. Norris and championship leader Max Verstappen were locked in a spectacular battle for the last podium place in Austin when the McLaren driver left the track limits as he overtook Verstappen. […]
Ricciardo wanted low-key final race, RB CEO insists
Oct.20 (GMM) The CEO of Red Bull-owned RB says Daniel Ricciardo actually asked for the news about his team axe to be delayed until after the Singapore GP weekend was over. Fans, rival drivers, and even Max Verstappen and RB team boss Laurent Mekies said the way Red Bull did not allow Ricciardo’s final race […]
Marko versus Brown ‘war of words’ rumbles on
Oct.20 (GMM) Red Bull versus McLaren is no longer just a wheel-to-wheel and technical battle – it’s descended into an ongoing war or words. Prior to the US GP weekend, Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko pointed out what he regards as Lando Norris’ mental weaknesses, culminating in bad race starts and pre-race nerves and […]
Marko admits Perez may be dropped at season’s end
Oct.20 (GMM) Red Bull is clearly contemplating dropping Sergio Perez at the end of the season. Both before and after the Mexican driver signed a new contract for 2025 and 2026, Perez’s ongoing place as teammate to Max Verstappen has been under a cloud. That cloud is now turning grey, as Liam Lawson has replaced […]
T-tray scandal ‘no longer a story’, declares FIA
Oct.20 (GMM) F1’s governing body has moved to draw a line under the ‘T-tray’ scandal at the US GP. It emerged in Austin that several teams, most prominently title rival McLaren, had questioned the way the ride height on Red Bull’s car could theoretically be adjusted from the cockpit even under parc ferme conditions. “Every […]