Dec.4 (GMM) It would be “better for Formula 1” if Lewis Hamilton fails to win a record eighth world championship next Sunday. That is the view of 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve, who told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that he is enjoying the intense 2021 battle that has now entered its final two rounds […]
Category: Recent stories
No benefit from Mercedes-style ‘rocket’ – Verstappen
Dec.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen has once again played down rumours Honda is working on its own Mercedes-style ‘rocket’ engine specification for the 2021 title showdown. The world championship leader, who is being chased down in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi by Lewis Hamilton and his fresh engine that was described by Dr Helmut Marko as […]
Wolff apologises for new Mercedes sponsorship
Dec.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff has publicly apologised for announcing a new sponsorship deal with Irish building materials company Kingspan. The announcement triggered widespread social media backlash, due to Kingspan having been implicated in last year’s official inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. During the inquiry, it emerged that one Kingspan director had at […]
Aston Martin could build own F1 engine
Dec.4 (GMM) Aston Martin is not ruling out ‘doing a Red Bull’ by building its own Formula 1 engine. The newly-rebranded former Racing Point and Force India team signed Sebastian Vettel for 2021 but has struggled, with the four time world champion admitting in Saudi Arabia: “Our car has too much drag, not enough downforce”. […]
‘Everyone’ wants Verstappen to win title – Ecclestone
Dec.3 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he and “everyone I speak to” hopes that Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the first time either this or next Sunday. The former F1 supremo insists that is nothing against seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton – he thinks it’s simply time Formula 1 had a new winner. […]
Management turmoil at Alfa-Sauber as chairman quits
Dec.3 (GMM) There is turmoil behind the scenes at the Formula 1 team known as Alfa Romeo. The team is actually owned and controlled by Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport, who came tantalisingly close to selling to US racing legend Michael Andretti recently. “It was very disappointing that the contract wasn’t signed,” the former McLaren driver said […]
2022 Red Bull may have Honda logo
Dec.3 (GMM) Honda logos may still feature on Red Bull’s cars next year, a spokesman for the Japanese engine manufacturer admitted in Saudi Arabia. Officially, next Sunday’s 2021 finale – in which Max Verstappen could be crowned champion – is Honda’s last grand prix before pulling out of the sport. However, to support Red Bull […]
No ‘special emotions’ as longest F1 career ends
Dec.3 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he feels no special emotions except perhaps impatience as his longest-ever Formula 1 career finally draws to a close next Sunday. The 42-year-old is also the oldest active driver on the grid, having won the title in 2007 and 21 grands prix victories for top teams including McLaren and Ferrari. […]
Verstappen ‘like Tyson Fury’ amid Hamilton pressure
Dec.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen “doesn’t give a f***” about efforts to destabilise his effort to win the 2021 world championship. That is the view of the Dutchman’s Red Bull boss Christian Horner, as arch rival Lewis Hamilton touched down in Saudi Arabia and pointed out the “egos” involved in the title battle. “There is defence, […]
Bottas almost quit F1 amid mental struggles
Dec.2 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has admitted he found himself in a deep psychological hole early in his Formula 1 career. The 32-year-old Finn, whose five year stint at Mercedes comes to an end this month, revealed that he became depressed just one year into his career in 2014. “I was getting on a flight and […]
2021 world championship crash ‘can happen’ – Ecclestone
Dec.2 (GMM) Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone admits a championship-deciding crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is a real possibility over the next week and a half. “Sure it can happen,” said the 90-year-old. “We’ve waited a long time for a duel like this. “It’s why the fans watch Formula 1,” Ecclestone told RTL. […]
Psychological edge is with Verstappen – Schumacher
Dec.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen may have the psychological edge as his championship battle with Lewis Hamilton enters its decisive final double-header of 2021. That is the view of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who thinks seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton is actually the one under the greater pressure. “At the end of the day, […]
No fresh Honda ‘rocket’ for Verstappen in Saudi
Dec.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down reports Max Verstappen may benefit from his own “rocket” engine this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Off the back of news that championship challenger Lewis Hamilton’s fresh power unit in Brazil will now return for the final Saudi-Abu Dhabi double header, rumours did the rounds that Honda is […]
Giovinazzi ‘confused’ after first Formula E test
Dec.1 (GMM) As he switches from Formula 1 to the all-electric series Formula E, Antonio Giovinazzi admits his learning curve will be steep. Although he will round out his F1 career for Alfa Romeo in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi over the next fortnight, the Italian got his first taste of life in his Dragon-Penske […]
VW entry could re-ignite push for German GP – Domenicali
Dec.1 (GMM) Formula 1 may introduce a race rotation scheme in order to sign more deals with grand prix hosts. Already at 23 scheduled races for 2022, Formula 1 teams argue that the calendar is now at bursting point. But one way around that is to sign more race deals on the basis of a […]
Marko plays down Verstappen’s early title chances
Dec.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has brushed away any suggestion that Max Verstappen could be crowned world champion this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Red Bull’s Dutch driver is 8 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton with just two races to run, but Mercedes is widely expected to keep its performance edge at the brand new Jeddah […]
Williams loved F1 ‘more than anything’ – Ecclestone
Nov.30 (GMM) The late Sir Frank Williams “loved Formula 1 more than anything”. That was the fitting tribute by Bernie Ecclestone to the retired Williams co-founder and long-time team boss, who lost his battle after a long period of ill health on Sunday. “Frank was the toughest fighter I knew,” said former F1 supremo Bernie […]
Barcelona close to F1 testing agreement
Nov.30 (GMM) Barcelona is close to securing its return to being Formula 1’s official winter test venue. It was already known that the sport has pencilled in two separate test venues for early running of the all-new 2022 cars – in Barcelona and Bahrain. And with the Circuit de Catalunya now signed up to keep […]
Manager Webber says Piastri will make it to F1
Nov.30 (GMM) Oscar Piastri will eventually make his debut in Formula 1. That is the view of former F1 driver and fellow Australian Mark Webber, who manages 20-year-old Piastri’s career alongside his partner Ann. The Formula 2 championship leader was linked with the recently-vacant Alfa Romeo seat for 2022, but that was ultimately secured by […]
Red Bull shouldn’t worry about Hamilton ‘rocket’
Nov.30 (GMM) Red Bull should not be overly focused on Lewis Hamilton’s so-called “rocket” engine at the penultimate round of the intense 2021 title battle this weekend. That is the view, ahead of the first Saudi Arabian GP, of Kees van de Grint, a well-known former Bridgestone engineer who worked alongside Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. […]