May 11 (GMM) Formula 1 should seek a “simple solution” to the controversy about so-called track limits, according to Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto. The issue has been prominent in 2021 so far, with FIA officials now regularly accused of being too harsh, too lenient or too inconsistent with their rulings and penalties. Some believe […]
Category: Recent stories
Budkowski surprised Alonso return ‘so difficult’
May 11 (GMM) Marcin Budkowski admits he did not expect Fernando Alonso’s return to Formula 1 to turn out to be “so difficult” for the Spaniard. The two-time champion is not the only driver struggling so far in 2021 – in fact, every top driver who has moved teams over the winter is taking time […]
Zandvoort cannot be F1 ‘ghost race’ – Mol
May 11 (GMM) The Dutch GP cannot take place as a ‘ghost race’, according to well-known Dutch commentator Olav Mol. The recent messages from the race organisers at Zandvoort have been similar, as covid continues to cause cancellations like Montreal and now even endanger the recently scheduled Canadian GP replacement venue in Istanbul. As for […]
Is Verstappen really better than Gasly, Albon, Perez?
May 11 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s performance so far in 2021 is highlighting a problem that has affected all of Max Verstappen’s most recent Formula 1 teammates. That is the view of former Williams driver Sergey Sirotkin, referring to the fact that Mexican Perez qualified almost a second behind Verstappen in Barcelona in an identical Red […]
Former F1 driver slams Spanish GP TV coverage
May 11 (GMM) A former Formula 1 driver has hit out at the live television coverage of last weekend’s Spanish GP. “I’ve never seen such bad TV coverage of Formula 1 in my whole life,” Christjan Albers, a former Minardi driver, told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. “I don’t know who was pushing the buttons, […]
Wolff wants more than another one-year Hamilton deal
May 11 (GMM) Toto Wolff wants Lewis Hamilton to sign more than another one-year contract. Last weekend in Barcelona, 2021 world championship leader Hamilton indicated that he doesn’t want his forthcoming contract talks with Mercedes boss Wolff to drag on as long as they did last year and winter. And now Wolff admits that he […]
Hamilton is beating Verstappen ‘easily’ – Ecclestone
May 11 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton will “easily” beat Max Verstappen to the 2021 title, according to former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. When the new season kicked off in Bahrain, Red Bull appeared to have the edge over Mercedes. But after Hamilton won his second consecutive race last Sunday, which was his third victory out of […]
Red Bull facing long wait for engine staff – Wolff
May 10 (GMM) It will be “a long time” before many of Red Bull’s new engine department recruits can start work. That is the word from Toto Wolff, as Mercedes reels from the loss of at least 15 members of its ultra-successful F1 engine operations at Brixworth. “Some of them cannot to go the new […]
Red Bull’s ‘bendy’ rear wing is legal – Horner
May 10 (GMM) Red Bull’s new rear wing is perfectly legal, according to team boss Christian Horner. In Barcelona, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton referred to a new “bendy wing” on the Red Bull that supposedly gave Max Verstappen a straight-line advantage. Red Bull’s Horner suspects the idea might have been planted in the world championship leader’s […]
Undervaluing Ferrari progress ‘a shame’ – Binotto
May 10 (GMM) Mattia Binotto on Sunday lashed out at those who are minimising Ferrari’s progress as a team since the stark competitive slump of 2020. The Maranello team’s boss said he had been told that after the live broadcast of the Spanish GP, a Sky Italia commentator praised Charles Leclerc’s fourth place but said […]
Barcelona kneeling not for Black Lives Matter – Mazepin
May 10 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin stunned many observers before Sunday’s Spanish GP by joining those drivers electing to kneel during the pre-race grid procedure. However, the embattled Russian rookie clarified that it wasn’t a gesture in solidarity with Lewis Hamilton, who instigated the practice last year amid the Black Lives Matter protests. “I decided to […]
F1 not ruling out Barcelona chicane axe
May 10 (GMM) Formula 1 is not ruling out approving a major modification to the Barcelona layout in order to spice up the racing action. When heading into the Spanish GP weekend, new Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director George Russell suggested bypassing the slow chicane that in 2007 replaced the final two sweeping right-handers. “We […]
Austria could host second F1 race in 2021
May 10 (GMM) Red Bull’s Formula 1 circuit in Austria could once again step up for the sport amid the ongoing covid crisis. Although Istanbul was only just added to the 2021 calendar to replace the cancelled Canadian GP, there are now fears the Turkish event may not go ahead after the UK government added […]
Hamilton wants to start 2022 contract talks
May 10 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is suddenly keen on inking a new Mercedes deal before Formula 1’s August break. Earlier, the seven time world champion appeared to be in no rush to enter contract talks with Toto Wolff, despite last winter’s talks dragging on for months and only ending with a one-year deal. “Yeah, we […]
Perez leaves Verstappen ‘on his own again’
May 10 (GMM) Max Verstappen is “on his own again” within the Red Bull garage, according to Chinese-Dutch driver Ho-Pin Tung. The energy drink owned team has struggled to field a fully competitive second driver in recent years to support Verstappen’s push for the title. “A strong teammate is important in this case but Verstappen […]
‘Still a good chance’ of Verstappen title – Marko
May 10 (GMM) Max Verstappen still has “a good chance” of beating Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 world title. That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, even though his Dutch driver was adamant as to why he lost to Mercedes’ Hamilton for a second consecutive race on Sunday. “Too slow. That’s how […]
Red Bull needs more speed for 2021 title – Verstappen
May 9 (GMM) Red Bull “clearly” needs to add some pace in order to fight for the 2021 world championship, Max Verstappen has admitted. Although only trailing pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton by a tiny margin in Barcelona, the Dutchman’s latest comments are the first sign this year that he may be worried about not being able […]
Rookie Tsunoda ‘acting like a kid’ – Ericsson
May 9 (GMM) Yuki Tsunoda should stop “acting like a kid” as he gets up to speed in Formula 1. That is the scathing rebuke of former F1 driver Marcus Ericsson, referring to the way the 20-year-old Japanese rookie so commonly swears on the radio. “It was fun the first or second time,” Ericsson said. […]
Mercedes will struggle to replace engine staff – Marko
May 9 (GMM) Red Bull is counter-attacking after Mercedes moved to end the flow of specialist staff from Brixworth to Red Bull’s new engine operation. Dr Helmut Marko revealed in Barcelona that as news emerged of at least 15 Mercedes defections, Toto Wolff had countered the move by offering to double salaries. “We certainly do […]
F1 CEO not confirming Mugello, Nurburgring backup events
May 9 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali is working hard to tackle the latest problem with the 2021 Formula 1 calendar, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. Following the recent cancellation of the Canadian GP, F1 CEO Domenicali inked a last-minute replacement deal with Istanbul Park. However, the UK government has now put Turkey on its so-called […]