Dec.20 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says Ferrari’s car for the 2025 season will be “completely new”. It’s a surprising statement, given the Maranello based team’s end-of-season competitiveness and the fact that 2025 is the final year of the existing regulations before the all-new chassis and engine rules for 2026. Christian Horner, for instance, was asked whether […]
Month: December 2024
Axed Perez eyeing Le Mans with Ferrari – report
Dec.20 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s next move in motorsport could already be imminent, sources have told an authoritative Spanish sports newspaper. With the Mexican driver and Red Bull agreeing to end his 2025 contract, 34-year-old Perez is said to be pocketing about $16 million – reportedly the full cost of his agreed retainer. His father, Antonio […]
F1 owner Liberty investigated over MotoGP deal
Dec.20 (GMM) A probe that could stall F1 owner Liberty Media’s plans to also acquire MotoGP has now been officially launched. When Liberty made its announcement in April, the American company said it expected the 4.2 billion euro deal would be completed by the end of 2024 – pending regulatory approvals. “We are making progress […]
Bottas already eyeing Cadillac seat for ’26
Dec.20 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas intends to use his new job at Mercedes as a launching pad to return to the Formula 1 grid. The team has confirmed the widespread rumours by announcing that the former Mercedes race winner, who was not retained by Audi-owned Sauber for 2025, will serve as the full-time reserve driver next […]
Tsunoda taking Lawson news ‘relatively’ well – Marko
Dec.20 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda “would have deserved” a promotion to Red Bull Racing, but lost out to Liam Lawson in key areas. That’s the explanation of team advisor Dr Helmut Marko, as Red Bull announced that rookie Lawson, 22, and not the much more experienced Tsunoda, will be replacing Sergio Perez for 2025. Marko says […]
Ferrari gifts Sainz his race-winning 2022 F1 car
Dec.19 (GMM) Carlos Sainz may be leaving the team, but he will at least put a Ferrari Formula 1 car in his garage at home. La Gazzetta dello Sport reveals that the Maranello based team’s parting gift to the Williams-bound Spaniard is the 2022 car with which he won his first career grand prix at […]
Hamilton to test ‘old car’ before 2025 Ferrari launch
Dec.19 (GMM) Ferrari isn’t setting a precise date for Lewis Hamilton’s first test at the wheel of a red Formula 1 car in January. Boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed that the fabled Italian team’s 2025 car will be launched at Maranello on February 19 – the day after all teams show off their 2025 liveries […]
Verstappen denies considering Aston Martin move
Dec.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen has denied he has ever considered a move to Aston Martin. This week, in wide-ranging interviews with the broadcaster Viaplay, the quadruple world champion confirmed he sat down for talks about the future with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff. But even though Aston Martin has successfully poached Red Bull’s highly respected technical guru […]
Verstappen not upset with ‘good person’ Norris
Dec.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he has no hard feelings after 2024 title rival and friend Lando Norris retracted a controversial comment. After Verstappen’s impressive run through the field in treacherous conditions to win the Brazilian GP and all but guarantee his title triumph, Norris suggested it had more to do with “luck” than “talent”. […]
‘No plan B’ for Perez after losing F1 seat
Dec.19 (GMM) Sergio Perez has “no plan B” after losing his Formula 1 race seat at Red Bull, his father reveals. The Mexican driver announced in a statement that he has “reached an agreement” with the team. Shortly afterwards, Red Bull Racing followed suit with its own statement. “Sergio Perez and Oracle Red Bull Racing […]
Multiple sources say Perez definitely leaving Red Bull
Dec.18 (GMM) Multiple highly respected broadcasters and publications are all reporting in unison that Sergio Perez is definitely departing the Red Bull Racing lineup for 2025. In Germany, Sky, RTL, NTV, Auto Motor und Sport and the major newspaper Bild all agree, as does the French broadcaster Canal Plus – Red Bull has managed to […]
Norris, Russell relationships still on track – Verstappen
Dec.18 (GMM) Max Verstappen says his relationships with two separate Formula 1 rivals are still on track. The quadruple world champion fell out badly with George Russell in Qatar, in which he alleges the Mercedes driver exaggerated an incident in qualifying that cost him pole position. Their argument escalated further in Abu Dhabi – the […]
Kerpen’s Michael Schumacher snub enrages brother
Dec.17 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher has slammed a political decision to deny his famous brother Michael an honorary citizenship of a town synonymous with his career. The siblings were born in Hurth, but their personal connection with nearby Kerpen is well known. For instance, it’s where they made their karting debuts, and father Rolf Schumacher was […]
F1 is regulating ’emotion’ out of the sport – Montezemolo
Dec.17 (GMM) Regulators should go easier on Formula 1 drivers to accelerate the “emotion” of the sport. That is the view of former long-time Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, whose reign at Maranello spanned the Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, and Fernando Alonso eras. He told Rai Gr Parlamento radio that Formula 1 is […]
Signing Hamilton ‘a risk’ for Ferrari – Montezemolo
Dec.17 (GMM) Ousting the on-form Carlos Sainz and replacing him with Lewis Hamilton for 2025 and beyond is a “risk”. That’s the view of former long-time Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, as anticipation builds ahead of seven time world champion Hamilton’s big move to Maranello. With the 2024 season now over, in which 39-year-old Hamilton […]
Verstappen plays down talks with Toto Wolff
Dec.17 (GMM) Max Verstappen has played down the likelihood that he will ever use his contract’s famous ‘exit clauses’. In an end-of-year interview with Viaplay, the new quadruple world champion was reminded of something he said earlier in 2024 – that “Toto (Wolff) has been very nice lately”. Indeed, prior to signing Kimi Antonelli as […]
Tsunoda ‘just one of many’ Red Bull talents – Marko
Dec.17 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda is “just one of many talents” among the Red Bull program, Dr Helmut Marko has warned. Appearing at a Honda event in Tokyo, the Japanese driver rated his chances of being promoted to replace Sergio Perez at the senior team next year at “50-50”. “Of course I would be happier if […]
Verstappen defends Perez amid raging speculation
Dec.17 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s career-endangering struggle with the 2024 Red Bull car “wasn’t always his fault”. That’s the view of Max Verstappen, who is facing the prospect of a new teammate for next year after Red Bull failed to win the constructors’ championship by a whopping 77 points. “That was a total failure for us,” […]
EU probe could stall Liberty’s MotoGP deal
Dec.16 (GMM) A major European Union probe into F1 owner Liberty Media’s planned acquisition of MotoGP looks set to be launched. A month ago, amid swirling rumours the EU may not allow the American company to own both F1 and MotoGP, departing Liberty CEO Greg Maffei said he was confident the deal would go through. […]
Tsunoda answers ‘no questions’ about Perez rumours
Dec.16 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda pre-empted a flurry of questions about his future whilst appearing at a Honda event in Tokyo. “No questions about next season, as we have been advised,” the Japanese told reporters. The Japanese, who tested the title-winning Red Bull Racing car just after the Abu Dhabi season finale, is considered an outside […]