Apr.15 (GMM) The national automobile club wants two grands prix in Italy to become the annual norm once again. Earlier, Monza and Imola were both permanent F1 race hosts – and 2021 marks the second year in a row in which the latter circuit east of Bologna is back on the calendar. However, in both […]
Category: Recent stories
Schumacher must be ‘patient’ with Haas – Danner
Apr.15 (GMM) It is crucial that Mick Schumacher is “patient” this year as the young German tackles his first season in Formula 1 with backmarker Haas. That is the advice of former driver Christian Danner, who said the reigning Formula 2 champion put in a “great” performance in comparison with rookie teammate Nikita Mazepin on […]
Indycar ‘more physical’ than Formula 1 – Grosjean
Apr.15 (GMM) It is “more physical” to drive an Indycar compared to the Formula 1 cars he has raced for the past decade, according to Romain Grosjean. Despite the horror and fiery crash in Bahrain that topped off his final season in F1 with Haas last year, the 34-year-old has re-emerged for 2021 in Indycar […]
Seidl can only ‘smile’ at 2021 ‘rake’ narrative
Apr.15 (GMM) Andreas Seidl says he can only “smile” at all the talk about ‘high rake’ and ‘low rake’ aerodynamic philosophies early in 2021. According to the narrative, Formula 1’s rule changes between 2020 and this season benefitted Red Bull-like ‘high rake’ cars whilst punishing the previously-dominant ‘low rake’ Mercedes concept. “I have to smile […]
Schumacher estate on sale for EUR 58m – report
Apr.14 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s famous estate located in Gland, on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva, has reportedly been put up for sale. According to Bunte, a German people magazine that is well-known for reporting behind-the-scenes news about the Schumacher family, the F1 legend’s wife Corinna has listed the 20,000 square metre property for EUR […]
Verstappen gave Sainz ‘confidence’ to shine in F1
Apr.14 (GMM) Going wheel to wheel with Max Verstappen gave Carlos Sainz the “confidence” to know that he belonged in Formula 1. The pair both made their debuts for Toro Rosso in 2015, and Spaniard Sainz now admits that “it was immediately clear that Max had extraordinary gifts”. “Being able to stand up to him […]
Quebec may not ‘need’ 2021 Canada GP – premier
Apr.14 (GMM) Quebec’s premier is worried the country could lose its Formula 1 race over the covid crisis. Amid fears authorities will not allow spectators to attend the Montreal street event, Quebec’s director of public health suggested that a race behind closed doors may be a possibility. “There is a way to organise it behind […]
Dutch GP needs ‘help’ if spectators limited
Apr.14 (GMM) Zandvoort will need “help” if spectators are locked out of the circuit for September’s Dutch GP. It emerged a week ago that 12,000 spectators will be allowed at Euro 2020 football games at the Johan Cruijff Arena later this year – representing 25 percent capacity. If that same metric is used by the […]
‘Hard to imagine’ not racing – Hamilton
Apr.14 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has given the clearest sign yet that he intends to stay in Formula 1 beyond 2021. The seven time world champion, and his employer Mercedes, surprised the F1 world when a mere one-year extension to Hamilton’s existing contract was announced. But the 36-year-old now tells La Gazzetta dello Sport that there […]
Albon keen to keep F1 return hopes ‘alive’
Apr.13 (GMM) Alex Albon says he is only using his new race seat in DTM as a springboard for returning to Formula 1. After losing his F1 seat at Red Bull, the British-born Thai will be reserve driver this year and also race an Alpha Tauri-livered Ferrari in the revamped German touring car series. When […]
Red Bull’s Marko unsure about 2021 Austrian GP
Apr.13 (GMM) Organisers of the 2021 Austrian GP must “wait and see” before pushing ahead with plans to allow spectators into the Red Bull Ring. That is the news from Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, who blamed the Austrian government for the uncertainty. “Unfortunately we are very bad with the vaccination in Austria,” he told […]
‘Normal’ 2021 Belgian GP ‘looks very difficult’
Apr.13 (GMM) A cloud is hanging over this year’s Belgian GP at the fabled Spa Francorchamps circuit. The event has a late August date on the calendar, but commercial director Stijn de Boever admits the current covid situation “looks difficult”. “We are organising everything for a normal grand prix, but it looks difficult. Really very […]
Imola ‘won’t be easy’ for Vettel – Schumacher
Apr.13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel needs to be both careful and fast this weekend at Imola in order to get the “acceptance” of his new team. That is the view of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who was outspoken about Vettel’s horror opening race for Aston Martin in Bahrain. “I think Sebastian apologised (to Esteban Ocon),” […]
F1 must be stricter with track limits – Alesi
Apr.13 (GMM) Formula 1 must consider enforcing ‘track limits’ strictly and consistently, according to former driver Jean Alesi. He told France’s Auto Hebdo that the season opener in Bahrain was very confusing for the fans. “I don’t think they understood why Lewis (Hamilton) can go way out beyond the limits of the track without being […]
Formula E and F1 could race on same circuit – Todt
Apr.13 (GMM) Jean Todt has hit out at the media for “not giving Formula E the attention it deserves”. The FIA president hailed the all-electric series’ development but says the media is almost exclusively interested in Formula 1. “All the ingredients for a strong championship, which cannot be compared to any other, are there,” Todt, […]
Russell ‘proud’ to become GPDA director
Apr.13 (GMM) George Russell says he wants to look back on his Formula 1 career and be “proud” of the contribution he made outside of the cockpit. Recently, it emerged that because of Romain Grosjean’s departure from F1, 23-year-old Williams driver Russell had taken over as one of the few directors of the Grand Prix […]
No ‘sprint qualifying’ at every race in future – F1 CEO
Apr.13 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali insists that ‘sprint qualifying’ will never take place on each and every grand prix weekend in the future. The new format will almost certainly be trialled over three races in 2021, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff warning that it is a risk for Formula 1. “We are in a world driven […]
F1 covid crisis ‘more complicated’ in 2021
Apr.13 (GMM) The covid crisis in Formula 1 is “much more complicated” in 2021 compared with last year, according to the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali. He told Auto Motor und Sport that while 2020 was all about surviving the sudden crisis, F1 must now navigate a world with highly complex new rules. “The situation this […]
Negative F1 reputation makes Alonso ‘laugh’
Apr.12 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has hit back at the continuing narrative that he is difficult to work with in Formula 1. Alpine advisor Alain Prost last week said the team needs to be “very careful” to manage the new dynamic between two-time world champion Alonso and his teammate Esteban Ocon. “You have to be very […]
F1 CEO may not support $30m driver spending cap
Apr.12 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali has suggested that Formula 1 may in fact not support moves to install an annual $30 million per team limit on driver salary spending. We reported last week that the FIA and Liberty Media are poised to circulate such a proposal among F1 teams. However, F1 CEO Domenicali has now told […]