Feb.3 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali is upbeat about the future of Formula 1, despite the ongoing covid crisis and claims the races are increasingly “boring”. “Boring races?” Italian broadcaster Rete4 quotes the sport’s new F1 CEO as saying. “I see the numbers and last year the audience was growing.” Domenicali, the former Ferrari and Lamborghini boss, […]
Category: Recent stories
Perez ready to shine for Red Bull – Grosjean
Feb.3 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has tipped Sergio Perez to shine this year as he switches to Red Bull. Grosjean, the former Haas driver, is expected to announce his move into Indycar with the Dale Coyne team on Wednesday. The Frenchman is leaving Formula 1 with his head high after his fiery Bahrain crash late last […]
Hamilton contract to be clear by March 2
Feb.3 (GMM) Mercedes has announced that its “drivers” will be available to speak to the media at the launch of the 2021 car in “exactly one months’ time”. The forthcoming March 2 event, announced by the title winning team on Tuesday, should therefore finally end the uncertainty about Lewis Hamilton’s unsigned 2021 contract. Mercedes said […]
F1 ‘fears’ about covid situation ‘justified’ – Wolff
Feb.3 (GMM) “Fears” that Formula 1 will not be able to race through its currently-scheduled 2021 calendar “are justified”. That is the view of Toto Wolff, who admits that with the coronavirus pandemic still raging, the sport will have to continue to adjust and adapt for now. Another boss worried about the situation is Beat […]
2022 Honda engine plan still alive – Marko
Feb.2 (GMM) Red Bull remains confident rival Formula 1 teams will agree to an engine development ‘freeze’ from 2022. Top official Dr Helmut Marko insists the measure is the only way Red Bull’s plan to take over the works Honda operation can go ahead following the Japanese manufacturer’s departure at the end of the year. […]
Senna was also ‘alone’ in F1 system – Hamilton
Feb.2 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has likened his experiences in Formula 1 to those of his childhood hero and F1 legend Ayrton Senna. Currently the subject of intense speculation about his 2021 contract, the seven time world champion told La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Sportweek publication that Senna also conspicuously stood apart during his time in F1. […]
Vaccine plan for F1’s Imola spectators
Feb.2 (GMM) A push is on to ensure that spectators are able to attend Imola’s Formula 1 race in April. The fabled Italian circuit was drafted onto the 23-race schedule following the removal for now of Shanghai’s round. Emilia Romagna president Stefano Bonaccini said he hoped the coronavirus situation would allow spectators to attend at […]
Rio mayor nixes F1 circuit project
Feb.2 (GMM) A bid to launch a Formula 1 race in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro has now collapsed. Earlier, former F1 CEO Chase Carey reached a deal in principle with race organisers for a race in the Deodoro region, with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro saying the chances of it going ahead were […]
Haas unable to fire up 2021 Ferrari engine
Feb.2 (GMM) Haas is currently unable to fire up its Formula 1 engines in preparation for the 2021 season that begins with testing and the opening race in Bahrain next month. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that the small American team, which will field rookie Mick Schumacher this year, has received its customer engines […]
Vettel had to leave Ferrari – Wolff
Feb.1 (GMM) Toto Wolff has tipped Sebastian Vettel to “succeed” after switching to Aston Martin for 2021. Quadruple world champion Vettel admits he contemplated retirement before rescuing his career with Lawrence Stroll’s new Aston Martin project. Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, is a minor shareholder. “This project is just beginning and Sebastian is one of […]
Kubica eyes LMP2 move for 2021
Feb.1 (GMM) Robert Kubica is eyeing a move into Le Mans’ second-tier LMP2 category in 2021. The Pole is staying as Alfa Romeo’s reserve driver this year, but he is definitely leaving the DTM – and contemplating what else he will do next. “The fact is, I’m involved with Alfa Romeo, so I already have […]
Sainz denies Ferrari lineup is too young
Feb.1 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has played down claims that Ferrari’s youngest driver lineup in decades could hurt the Maranello team. Ferrari slumped in 2020, and yet continued to proceed with the plan to replace quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel with 26-year-old Carlos Sainz. Together with 23-year-old Charles Leclerc, it is Ferrari’s youngest lineup in five […]
Stroll slams Aston Martin sale rumours
Feb.1 (GMM) F1 team owner Lawrence Stroll has slammed rumours that the Aston Martin brand may be sold once again. A media report last week claimed that although billionaire Stroll’s new acquisition will only see his team re-branded this year, Aston Martin may already have a Chinese buyer on the horizon. “Lawrence Stroll himself describes […]
Raikkonen ‘still enjoys driving’ in F1
Feb.1 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he is staying in Formula 1 because he still enjoys it. Many were surprised when the 41-year-old, who is clearly the oldest and most experienced driver on the grid, signed up for 2021 after Alfa Romeo struggled for pace last year. “Even if you drive for a top team, there […]
2021 title tilt ‘not realistic’ – Seidl
Feb.1 (GMM) It is not “realistic” to expect McLaren to charge for the 2021 title. That is the admission of team boss Andreas Seidl, after world champion Lewis Hamilton said McLaren’s switch to Mercedes power could make his former team an immediate frontrunner. “It was great to see them with a good car in 2020 […]
Mercedes not blocking Red Bull-Honda deal
Feb.1 (GMM) Mercedes will not stand in the way of Red Bull’s engine plans for 2022. Red Bull has said its plan to take over the departing Honda’s engine operations depend entirely on whether rival teams support a 2022 development ‘freeze’. “If the freeze is necessary to keep Red Bull Honda in business, we will […]
‘Too early’ to reveal Indycar news – Grosjean
Feb.1 (GMM) It is “too early” to reveal whether Romain Grosjean will race in Indycar in 2021. Indycar team owner Dale Coyne last week admitted his interest in signing up the former Formula 1 driver, whose burnt hands from the fiery Bahrain crash are now almost fully recovered. “I posted pictures when I decided that […]
Vettel to have ‘usual hair’ in Bahrain
Feb.1 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel should be back to his “usual longer hair” by the start of the season in Bahrain. That is the news from the German newspaper Bild, referring to the F1 world’s shock and amusement at recent footage of the quadruple world champion’s newly half-bald head. Correspondents Jens Nagler and Silja Rulle claim […]
‘Tokens’ won’t make big difference in 2021
Feb.1 (GMM) The new system of limited development ‘tokens’ will not make a big difference to the 2021 pecking order, according to Jody Egginton. The technical director at Alpha Tauri was asked by motorsport-total.com to comment on the regime that will limit non-aerodynamic changes to the cars amid the covid crisis. “I don’t think it […]
Magnussen says end of F1 career ‘boring’
Feb.1 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says the experience of racing in Formula 1 became “boring” for him in the past few seasons. The former Haas driver was speaking after taking part in the first race of his post-F1 career – the Daytona 24 hour event for Chip Ganassi’s team. “In recent years, Formula 1 became the […]