Nov.19 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher has questioned whether Mercedes should have been allowed to install an engine that Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko has described as a “rocket”. In Brazil, championship chaser Lewis Hamilton was pushed to the back of the grid because a fresh engine – outside of his original allocation of three for the […]
Category: Recent stories
Verstappen will ‘eventually’ beat Hamilton – Ickx
Nov.19 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton will “eventually” be beaten to the title by 2021 championship rival Max Verstappen. That is the view of Jackie Ickx, an iconic Belgian former Formula 1 driver who commented as the stewards delayed their verdict in Mercedes’ “right of review” hearing until Friday. Reports suggest the FIA officials deliberated for “hours” […]
Driver tests proposed new Eau Rouge layout
Nov.18 (GMM) A local racing driver and consultant has tested the proposed new trajectory through Spa-Francorchamps’ legendary Eau Rouge-Raidillon section. Following a spate of dangerous recent incidents at the fabled section, including the death of Anthoine Hubert in 2019, circuit organisers demolished the famous villa at the top of the hill to re-imagine the layout. […]
Red Bull gathering evidence for Hamilton protest
Nov.18 (GMM) Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko is worried that Lewis Hamilton’s current level of performance will cost Max Verstappen his first Formula 1 title. A fresh engine in Brazil – despite the back-of-the-grid penalty – powered Mercedes’ Hamilton to a dominant win, closing his points gap to the Dutchman to 14 points. “I’ve never […]
F1 drivers back Verstappen before Thursday hearing
Nov.18 (GMM) Formula 1’s governing body will hear Mercedes’ arguments about a ‘right of review’ to challenge Max Verstappen’s lack of penalty for his turn 4 move in Brazil. A video hearing has been scheduled for Thursday 5pm in Qatar, with the Red Bull driver’s newly-surfaced on-board video footage of his controversial defensive move against […]
Giovinazzi calls F1 ‘ruthless’ as Zhou signed for 2022
Nov.17 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi’s parting shot to Formula 1 is that the sport can be “ruthless” when it comes to the influence of money. The 27-year-old Ferrari-backed Italian has been dropped by Alfa Romeo for 2022, with the Swiss-based team opting instead to sign the well-financed Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou. The other candidates for the […]
Mercedes’ Verstappen move appeal ‘a shame’
Nov.17 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher says it’s “a shame” that the epic Mercedes versus Red Bull battle for the 2021 world championship is spilling into an off-track war. Reigning champions Mercedes has announced that it has lodged a “right of review” with the FIA regarding Max Verstappen’s controversial turn 4 driving in Brazil involving title chaser […]
Mercedes’ F1 rivals ‘always lose’ – Alonso
Nov.16 (GMM) Formula 1 is perhaps the most unfair sport on earth, according to two-time champion Fernando Alonso. “I was surprised on Saturday,” the 40-year-old Spaniard said, after Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton overcame multiple grid penalties by racing through the entire field to fifth. The seven time world champion then won the main race on Sunday. […]
Audi buying McLaren would be ‘wonderful’ – Haug
Nov.16 (GMM) McLaren has responded swiftly and clearly to reports the Formula 1 team and the entire Woking based company has been sold to Audi. It is well known that Audi, the Volkswagen-owned luxury German carmaker, is being linked with a Formula 1 foray for 2026 – as is sister VW brand Porsche. But those […]
Binotto plays down Mercedes ‘rocket’ engine claims
Nov.16 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has played down suggestions Mercedes will now race away with the 2021 title thanks to the freshly installed “rocket” in Lewis Hamilton’s car. Although Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went into the Brazil weekend as the clear championship favourite, Hamilton managed even to overcome a spate of penalties with the help of […]
Former boss backs Wolff after Brazil emotion
Nov.16 (GMM) Mercedes’ former racing boss has backed Toto Wolff after the Austrian’s particularly emotional weekend of behaviour in Brazil. The intensity of the 2021 title battle took its toll on Mercedes team boss and co-owner Wolff at Interlagos, as he railed against multiple incidents that ultimately did not stop Lewis Hamilton from winning the […]
Missing footage key to Mercedes protest
Nov.16 (GMM) Mercedes’ furious team boss Toto Wolff is reportedly considering authorising an official protest against Max Verstappen’s move in Brazil. Red Bull’s Christian Horner insists the Dutch world championship leader did nothing wrong in defending his position from charging Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton. “Penalty for what?” he said. “I mean, there is no gain, […]
Mazepin reveals ‘problems’ with Haas personnel
Nov.15 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin’s tears in Brazil were not just about a key mistake he made in Friday qualifying. The controversial Russian rookie surprised the Formula 1 world when he seemed incredibly emotional when speaking to reporters on Friday. By Sunday, having beaten his high profile teammate Mick Schumacher in the race, he admitted there […]
Red Bull not ruling out Mercedes protest
Nov.15 (GMM) It is “too early” to consider protesting against Mercedes, despite the reigning champions emerging suddenly with “incredible” straightline speed in Brazil. “We need to look at where that speed comes from,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “It’s not normal and we need to look at it, but it’s too early to protest.” […]
‘Everything against us’ in Brazil – Wolff
Nov.15 (GMM) A visibly and audibly furious Toto Wolff said Lewis Hamilton won on Sunday despite the fact that “everything was against us” in Brazil. The weekend was just a further escalation in the extreme intensity of the 2021 world championship battle between Mercedes’ chasing Hamilton and title leader Max Verstappen. “This team has always […]
F1 ‘needs’ Verstappen to win 2021 title – Massa
Nov.14 (GMM) Felipe Massa admits he is cheering for Max Verstappen to win the 2021 world championship. In 2008, in one of the most thrilling ends to a title battle in Formula 1 history, Massa came tantalisingly close to preventing Lewis Hamilton from winning his first championship. Now retired from F1, the 40-year-old Brazilian is […]
Verstappen eyes Le Mans bid with father
Nov.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen admits he is keeping an eye on Le Mans. Earlier this year, the Red Bull driver’s father and co-manager Jos, a former Formula 1 driver himself, launched a bid to return to GT-style racing. The end-game? It could be a bid to tackle the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race as […]
Mercedes engine problems ‘surprise’ Honda
Nov.14 (GMM) Honda’s F1 technical boss Toyoharu Tanabe admits he is “very surprised” about the engine problems suffered by championship rival Mercedes in 2021. According to Honda’s works partner Red Bull, the rear wing disqualification in Brazil and ongoing engine reliability problems show that Mercedes is “on the limit” after seven consecutive title triumphs. “They […]
Red Bull suspects flexible Mercedes rear wing
Nov.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he hopes Formula 1 stewards in Brazil enjoy “good expensive wine” after fining him EUR 50,000 for touching championship rival Lewis Hamilton’s rear wing with his bare hands in Brazil. The Dutchman said he wasn’t checking the overly wide DRS opening in parc ferme, but testing the wing for excessive […]
No more gentleman’s agreement in F1 – Wolff
Nov.14 (GMM) The intense 2021 title battle is only getting more fiery and controversial as the track action heats up in Brazil. On Saturday, the major talking point was the separate stewards investigations involving championship protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. After securing pole on Friday, Mercedes’ Hamilton was disqualified for a breach of the […]