Jan.21 (GMM) Taking a big step forward in 2021 “will not be easy” for Ferrari, according to the Maranello team’s former boss Stefano Domenicali. Domenicali has now taken over from Chase Carey as Formula 1’s CEO, but he was asked by Italy’s Sky Sport 24 to comment on his former employer’s notably poor performance in […]
Category: Recent stories
F1 must be ‘flexible’ with 2021 calendar – Domenicali
Jan.21 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali says he has “cautious optimism” that Formula 1 will get through a full and unprecedentedly-long 23-race calendar in 2021. That is despite the fact that Shanghai has already been replaced by Imola, the season opener in Melbourne has been postponed, and the continuing corona crisis also hangs over several other scheduled […]
Ocon-Alonso battle ‘will be very close’ – Sirotkin
Jan.20 (GMM) Esteban Ocon will give new teammate Fernando Alonso a run for his money early in 2021, according to team reserve driver Sergey Sirotkin. As Renault becomes Alpine for the new season, F1 legend Alonso is returning to the Enstone based team and Formula 1 to replace Daniel Ricciardo. Sirotkin told Russia’s Championat that […]
Giovinazzi didn’t take Ferrari seat news ‘well’
Jan.20 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi has admitted he didn’t take news of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari seat for 2021 “all that well”. The 27-year-old has been retained by Alfa Romeo and remains a part of Ferrari’s driver academy, but he admits the Maranello team opting to replace Sebastian Vettel with former McLaren driver Sainz was disappointing. “Of […]
Hockenheim joins list of potential 2021 circuits
Jan.20 (GMM) Hockenheim has joined the list of circuits that could step in if Formula 1 is forced to make more changes to its 2021 schedule. A spokesman for the other former German GP venue at the Nurburgring confirmed this week that it is open to discussions with Liberty Media as uncertainty continues to hang […]
Tennis in Melbourne ‘a template’ for F1 – Ricciardo
Jan.20 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is watching current events in Melbourne with great interest. At present, the world of international tennis is holed up in the city ahead of the Australian Open, observing a strict 14-day hotel quarantine. It was Australia’s quarantine rules that forced the postponement of Formula 1’s 2021 season opener in Melbourne. “I’m […]
Red Bull doesn’t need Perez sponsors – Horner
Jan.19 (GMM) Red Bull doesn’t need the financial backing that can be brought from Mexico by Sergio Perez. That is the insistence of team boss Christian Horner, who says Red Bull only decided to sign Racing Point refugee Perez for 2021 because he thinks “he can push Max more than Albon was able to last […]
Ferrari president Elkann ‘doesn’t like racing’
Jan.19 (GMM) Ferrari president John Elkann “doesn’t like racing”. That is the claim of highly-respected Italian F1 insider Leo Turrini, who mused on his Quotidiano blog about Ferrari’s performance crash of 2020. “The current situation is a consequence of the mistakes that Ferrari has made over the past ten years,” he insisted. “And Binotto certainly […]
Gasly sure Honda won’t ‘give up’ before F1 exit
Jan.19 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says he is sure Honda won’t “give up” in 2021, despite it being the Japanese manufacturer’s last official season in Formula 1 for now. Indeed, Honda is preparing a new engine for 2021, with technical boss Toyoharu Tanabe saying the goal is the world championship. “We will withdraw from Formula 1 […]
Brivio’s F1 inexperience ‘doesn’t matter’ – de Meo
Jan.19 (GMM) Renault CEO Luca de Meo has defended his decision to appoint a MotoGP boss to a high-ranking managerial position at the newly-rebranded Alpine team. Brivio, who famously worked with Valentino Rossi, arrives at Alpine as the F1 team’s ‘racing director’, just as Marcin Budkowski is promoted and Cyril Abiteboul ousted altogether. “He comes […]
Badoer ‘won’t say a word’ about Schumacher health
Jan.19 (GMM) Luca Badoer says he “won’t say a word” about the current medical condition of his friend Michael Schumacher. As Schumacher’s son Mick prepares to make his Formula 1 debut in 2021, Badoer told Corriere dello Sport that his relationship with the seven time world champion has always been close. “We used to go […]
2021 aero rule changes are ‘drastic’ – Wolff
Jan.19 (GMM) Those who think 2021 will be a carbon copy of last year may be mistaken, according to dominant Formula 1 team Mercedes’ boss Toto Wolff. Although the sweeping new rules have been delayed until 2022 because of covid, Wolff said mandatory aerodynamic changes for this year could shake up the pecking order. Not […]
Vettel must ‘answer’ critics in 2021 – Ecclestone
Jan.19 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says his friend Sebastian Vettel needs to “answer” his critics in 2021. Vettel, a quadruple world champion from his Red Bull days, has been ousted by Ferrari – with Eddie Jordan describing his final two years at Ferrari as “pathetic”. “Until recently, Sebastian was first in every session, and now no […]
Nurburgring open to 2021 replacement race talks
Jan.19 (GMM) The Nurburgring is open to once again serving as a substitute venue on the Formula 1 calendar. Last year, the former German GP venue stepped in as scheduled races fell victim to coronavirus restrictions. When asked if the Nurburgring might again be in the running for a replacement race slot, a spokesman said: […]
Promoter says Monaco GP will go ahead
Jan.19 (GMM) Monaco has moved quickly to scotch rumours its fabled grand prix will once again disappear from the Formula 1 calendar for a second consecutive year. There are reports that street circuits like the ones in Monte Carlo, Baku and Montreal will again fall victim to the coronavirus restrictions. But race promoter Automobile Club […]
‘Good’ that Schumacher not at winning team – Stuck
Jan.19 (GMM) It is “good” that Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 debut will take place at the rear of the field in 2021. That is the view of German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck, who says he relates to the 21-year-old as he also had a famous father in motor sport – Hans Stuck. “My parents raised […]
Hamilton’s contract plan ‘shattered’ – Albers
Jan.19 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s plan to boost his financial and influential power at Mercedes has been “shattered”. That is the view of former F1 driver Christijan Albers, as seven time world champion Hamilton finally breaks his 2021 silence on his long-delayed new contract for this year. Albers told De Telegraaf that he thinks the biggest […]
Hamilton contract drama ‘all for show’ – Ecclestone
Jan.18 (GMM) The drama surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 contract is “all just for show”. That is the view of former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who questions the reasons behind rumours of difficult negotiations between Hamilton and Mercedes. “Apparently they disagree on the terms,” former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan told Auto Bild, revealing that one […]
Bottas won’t take Rosberg’s approach to beat Hamilton
Jan.18 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he will continue to “drive fairly” rather than emulate Nico Rosberg’s tactics in trying to beat Lewis Hamilton. 1996 world champion Damon Hill is quoted as saying: “The only way to beat Lewis is to do what Nico did and make him feel uncomfortable.” But Finn Bottas, who has now […]
Red Bull may have chosen Vettel over Perez
Jan.18 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel may have had a shot at replacing Alex Albon for 2021 if he had not signed up with Aston Martin. That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, who advised the quadruple world champion to take 2021 off rather than quickly sign for another team in the wake of his Ferrari […]