Jan.21 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has warned that unresolved questions over how Formula 1 measures engine compression ratios could hand rivals a decisive early advantage, on the eve of a crucial FIA meeting with power unit manufacturers. Speaking as Audi unveiled its 2026 livery on Tuesday, the former Ferrari boss – now leading Audi’s F1 project […]
Month: January 2026
Hulkenberg’s Audi deal includes lucrative points bonus
Jan.21 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg’s new contract with Audi is set to pay off handsomely as the German transitions with the team from Sauber into its full factory era. According to Austria’s Osterreich newspaper, the 38-year-old is earning a reported and modest base salary of around EUR 5 million per season – but that is only […]
Aston Martin exits F1 safety car role
Jan.20 (GMM) Aston Martin will no longer supply Formula 1’s safety and medical cars from 2026, ending a five-year arrangement at a moment when the team itself is ramping up ambitions under the new regulations. From this season, Mercedes will once again be the sole provider of both vehicles, bringing an end to the shared […]
Alonso tipped for 2026 title as Marko eyes Mercedes edge
Jan.20 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has emerged as an unlikely early favourite for the 2026 Formula 1 world championship, with a growing number of paddock voices pointing to experience – and Mercedes power – as decisive factors under the new rules. Former grand prix winner Heinz-Harald Frentzen raised eyebrows a few days ago when he named […]
Marko rules out F1 return but hints at TV role
Jan.20 (GMM) Helmut Marko says his time in an official Formula 1 role is over for good, despite what he describes as ongoing interest following his departure from Red Bull. Speaking to ORF, the long-time Red Bull powerbroker dismissed persistent rumours linking him to a return elsewhere in the paddock. “Yes, it’s absolutely out of […]
Verstappen future clouds Ford debut as Merc links intensify
Jan.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s long-term future is again under scrutiny just days before the first group test of the 2026 cars, with fresh reports suggesting his Red Bull contract could open the door to a departure as early as 2027. According to Sport Bild, a performance clause negotiated by the now-departed Dr Helmut Marko would […]
Sutil-linked firm insolvent, ex-F1 driver still in custody
Jan.19 (GMM) The legal and financial troubles surrounding former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil have deepened, with a luxury car company closely linked to him now declared insolvent. According to WirtschaftsWoche, Munich-area firm DS Motoren GmbH has filed for insolvency following Sutil’s arrest late last year. The 42-year-old former F1 racer has been in pre-trial […]
Red Bull plays down pre-test engine row ‘noise’
Jan.19 (GMM) Red Bull Powertrains-Ford technical director Ben Hodgkinson says the growing pre-season focus on alleged engine loopholes is being driven more by rivals’ “nervousness” than substance, as Formula 1 edges closer to its first full 2026 group test. With the FIA due to meet engine manufacturers this week, Mercedes and Red Bull remain under […]
Ford, Cadillac clash as US rivalry ignites early
Jan.19 (GMM) Formula 1’s expanding American footprint is already producing sparks, with Ford and Cadillac trading pointed words over who is really doing the hard work behind their respective 2026 projects. Cadillac, backed by General Motors, will join the grid this year and has already completed an initial shakedown of its 2026 car at Silverstone. […]
Ferrari removes Hamilton engineer as ‘disaster’ looms
Jan.19 (GMM) Ferrari has ended the strained relationship between Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer Riccardo Adami, confirming the Italian has been moved out of a trackside role ahead of the crucial 2026 reset. In a statement, Scuderia Ferrari announced that Adami will take up a “new role” within the Ferrari Driver Academy. “His extensive […]
Wolff ends Mercedes side projects amid title drought
Jan.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Mercedes is shutting down its diversification experiments and returning to a single-minded focus on Formula 1, as the team prepares for a decisive reset under the 2026 regulations. Speaking to Forbes, the Mercedes boss confirmed that ventures beyond F1 – including involvement in the America’s Cup and technology consulting – […]
Dunne explains McLaren exit amid Red Bull intrigue
Jan.12 (GMM) Alex Dunne has played down speculation surrounding his shock decision to leave McLaren’s driver development program last year, insisting the move was a calculated step toward his ultimate goal of reaching Formula 1. The Irishman’s mid-season exit in October raised eyebrows across the paddock, coming after a breakout rookie Formula 2 campaign with […]
Wittich ‘still doesn’t know’ why FIA sacked him
Jan.12 (GMM) Former Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich says he was dismissed by the FIA without explanation, describing his sudden removal as “the disappointing truth” of how senior officials are treated under the governing body’s leadership. Speaking to DPA news agency, Wittich recounted being summoned to Geneva during a race-free window late in the […]
Rovanpera’s early deficit ‘not surprising’
Jan.12 (GMM) Kalle Rovanpera’s first full race weekend in formula cars ended abruptly in New Zealand, but senior figures close to the Finnish star are playing down suggestions of early trouble. Rovanpera’s Oceanian Formula Regional weekend at Hampton Downs concluded with a first-lap retirement on Sunday after contact in a multi-car incident, sending his Hitech-run […]
FIA sets January 22 meeting as engine tensions rise
Jan.12 (GMM) The FIA has confirmed a January 22 technical meeting with Formula 1 engine manufacturers amid growing unease over the interpretation of the new 2026 power unit regulations. Controversy has been building around a Mercedes concept that rivals believe delivers a real-world advantage while remaining technically legal under current measurement methods. The focus is […]
Million-euro super licence bills await F1’s top drivers
Jan.12 (GMM) The FIA’s super licence fees for 2026 are pushing the sport’s biggest names past the million-euro mark. Every F1 driver must renew a super licence annually, and the cost is tied directly to World Championship points scored the previous season. The structure is simple but brutal – a base fee of EUR 11,842, […]
Audi becomes first team to run real 2026 Formula 1 car
Jan.12 (GMM) Audi has quietly become the first Formula 1 team to put a genuine 2026-spec car on track, completing a private rollout behind closed doors in Barcelona last Friday. Grainy videos and spy shots circulating online show an all-black machine running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with no sponsors and only Audi’s four-ring logo […]
Horner comeback talks widen as hurdles emerge
Jan.8 (GMM) Christian Horner’s path back to Formula 1 is proving far more complex than early winter rumours suggested, with talks understood to be underway on two separate fronts. Since his shock departure from Red Bull Racing last July, Horner has been repeatedly linked with a return in time for the new regulation cycle. Alpine […]
Ferrari to test two 2026 car concepts as rethink begins
Jan.8 (GMM) Ferrari is planning an unusual split approach to the opening phase of its 2026 preparations, with two different car specifications set to be run before the season begins. According to f1-insider.com, the Scuderia will deliberately separate its early testing program into two distinct concepts as it seeks a clean reset after a disappointing […]
Audi could run first 2026 car this week – report
Jan.8 (GMM) Audi’s all-new Formula 1 project could take its first tentative steps onto the track as early as Friday, according to a report in Germany. Auto motor und sport says the German manufacturer has reserved the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for January 9, well ahead of the first group test, raising the prospect of a […]