Jul.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says returning to Williams would be a “very interesting” challenge. At Silverstone, both the Finn and his potential 2022 Mercedes successor, George Russell, played down suggestions an official announcement is now looming. “As I have said before, my goal is to keep my seat,” Bottas insisted. However, the 31-year-old knows that […]
Category: Recent stories
Mazepin to be Haas team boss is ‘nonsense’ – Steiner
Jul.16 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has dismissed as “nonsense” suggestions his role as Haas team principal is under threat. It was reported recently that Nikita Mazepin’s billionaire father Dmitry, whose Uralkali company is already the team’s title sponsor, is shaping up to take over from Steiner. Steiner told RTL on Thursday that it is all “nonsense”. […]
Spa closed after flooding damages Belgian GP venue
Jul.16 (GMM) Spa-Francorchamps, the fabled host of this year’s Belgian GP next month, is currently closed. The circuit was already battered by flooding recently, and now it has been hit with another round of abysmal weather. In a statement, Spa-Francorchamps admitted that “the related infrastructures of the circuit” have been damaged, including the “collapsed” paddock […]
Leclerc slams Red Bull reports as ‘gossip’
Jul.16 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has rubbished “gossip” suggesting his management has been in touch with Red Bull. The reports said the 23-year-old, who is widely regarded as Ferrari’s number 1 driver, is disappointed with the Maranello marque’s progress and exploring his options for the future. “It’s just rumours – gossip,” Leclerc is quoted by Italy […]
Vasseur, not Alfa Romeo, to decide 2022 drivers
Jul.16 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says he hasn’t decided who will drive Alfa Romeo’s two cars in 2022. The first piece of next year’s puzzle for the Hinwil based team was the extension of the naming agreement between Sauber and the Italian luxury carmaker. “There was a lot of talk about it but now everyone can […]
Ricciardo not better than Sainz – Norris
Jul.16 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is no better a driver than Carlos Sainz, according to McLaren driver Lando Norris. At the Woking team last year, 21-year-old Norris was paired with Spaniard Sainz and they were closely matched on the track. But this year, after Sainz moved to Ferrari, Norris was paired with the highly experienced former […]
Teams’ 2022 cars to look like F1 show car – Alonso
Jul.16 (GMM) The official Formula 1 show car, revealed by the drivers on the Silverstone grid on Thursday, is an accurate depiction of what next year’s racers will look like. That is the view of Fernando Alonso – even if his Australian rival Daniel Ricciardo is unimpressed with what he saw. “It’s terrible. It’s sh*t. […]
Vettel backs Ecclestone over sprint race criticism
Jul.16 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has backed former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s criticism of the new ‘sprint qualifying’ format which debuts at Silverstone this weekend. Ecclestone, 90, said his major objection to the format is that it is “mucking around” with history – given that the purity of a pole position will now be compromised. “People […]
Norris ‘not in perfect condition’ for British GP
Jul.16 (GMM) Lando Norris is struggling to sleep and “not in perfect condition” after being mugged for his expensive watch last Sunday after the European football final. McLaren supremo Zak Brown, who has contracted covid-19, revealed earlier that his 21-year-old star driver is “traumatised” after the incident at Wembley. “I’m alright,” Norris said at Silverstone. […]
Father says Stroll ‘on par’ with Vettel
Jul.15 (GMM) Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll thinks his son is “on par” with quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel in 2021. The Silverstone based team is on an aggressive recruitment and development drive at present, with billionaire Stroll admitting the target is to get to Mercedes-like status. “We share Mercedes’ wind tunnel, but it […]
Ferrari not dismissing VW’s F1 engine demands
Jul.15 (GMM) Ferrari will “look at” Volkswagen brands Audi and Porsche’s suggestions for the future of the engine regulations in Formula 1. After the recent meeting in Austria, it emerged that the German luxury carmakers – who are eyeing F1’s plans regarding the new engine rules for 2025-2026 – are keen on switching to four-cylinder, […]
Haas plays down ‘Schumacher to Alfa Romeo’ rumours
Jul.15 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has played down reports that Haas could be set to lose Mick Schumacher. It has been reported that, despite ever-closer ties between Haas and Ferrari, the fabled Italian marque might see Alfa Romeo as a better place for Schumacher to learn the ropes in Formula 1. Indeed, the Hinwil based team […]
‘No surprises’ when Red Bull reveals 2022 drivers
Jul.15 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hinted there will be “no surprises” when Red Bull announces the driver lineups across its two Formula 1 teams for next year. Amid reports Sergio Perez is set to be retained at least for 2022, Marko admitted that Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly has recently impressed – but he stopped […]
Norris ‘traumatised’ before British GP
Jul.15 (GMM) McLaren’s star driver is “traumatised” after an incident that followed the European championship football final at London’s Wembley stadium on Sunday. In the chaotic aftermath of England’s loss to Italy, 21-year-old Lando Norris was mugged as he returned to his McLaren sports car, and left “shaken” after his expensive watch was torn from […]
Red Bull to keep Perez for 2022 – report
Jul.14 (GMM) Sergio Perez looks set to stay at Red Bull in 2022. According to Spain’s Marca sports newspaper, any claims that Pierre Gasly might be re-promoted to the senior team were wide of the mark. “The only question now is whether the agreement (with Perez) will be for one year, as the team wants, […]
No Bottas-Russell announcement at Silverstone
Jul.14 (GMM) Team sources, and even George Russell himself, have scotched rumours that Mercedes will make a driver announcement at Silverstone this weekend. It has been claimed that Valtteri Bottas, who has perhaps already been told that his services are not needed beyond 2021, will have the news made official at the British GP. His […]
Leclerc still has ‘confidence’ in Ferrari
Jul.14 (GMM) Charles Leclerc insists he still has “confidence” in Ferrari, even though some media outlets believe he has been in talks with rival Red Bull. After receiving the prestigious Lorenzo Bandini award this week, the Monaco-born driver admitted Ferrari is “struggling at the moment” but is working hard for a better future. “There is […]
Chinese driver Zhou linked with Williams seat
Jul.14 (GMM) Formula 1 could get its first Chinese driver in 2022. In Austria, Alpine gave its driver academy member and Formula 2 championship leader Guanyu Zhou a Friday practice outing. And as Formula Scout reports, if the 22-year-old Shanghai-born driver wins the F2 title, he will be unable to return to the support category […]
VW wants four-cylinder engines in F1 – Marko
Jul.14 (GMM) Volkswagen is pushing for Formula 1 to switch to four-cylinder engines for 2025-2026, according to Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko. Already this week, it has emerged that VW brands Audi and Porsche – whose CEOs attended the engine meeting in Austria recently – are also arguing that the sport should consider four-wheel drive […]
Verstappen’s father no fan of F1 ‘sprint race’
Jul.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has revealed he is no fan of Formula 1’s ‘sprint qualifying’ experiment. With his Red Bull-driving son having raced into his first ever world championship lead, Jos Verstappen is worried about the altered format which will debut at Silverstone this weekend. Monza will host the second sprint qualifying weekend later […]