Jan.18 (GMM) George Russell says it felt “strange” when he was unable to keep racing for Mercedes in Lewis Hamilton’s place after his near-win in Bahrain. The 22-year-old Mercedes junior was called up at short notice when Hamilton tested positive for covid-19 – but had to return to his back-of-the-grid Williams cockpit a week later. […]
Category: Recent stories
Portugal ‘optimistic’ about 2021 F1 calendar return
Jan.18 (GMM) Portugal’s motor racing chief is “optimistic” that Portimao could return to a second consecutive covid-affected Formula 1 calendar this year. The sport has already made amendments to its earlier-planned schedule, shifting Melbourne to November and removing Shanghai for now. Imola, also a substitute circuit in 2020, was appointed as a replacement, and now […]
Covid opens World Rally window for Bottas
Jan.18 (GMM) The ongoing covid crisis may provide Valtteri Bottas with the chance to contest Finland’s forthcoming round of the World Rally championship. The Mercedes driver has just finished sixth in the Arctic Lapland Rally, and thinks covid restrictions may now open up a window for him to stay in the country for the WRC […]
Mazepin ready for more ‘hate’ in Formula 1
Jan.18 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin thinks he is receiving more “hate” than any other Russian driver who came before him in Formula 1. However, he thinks fans and the media also treated Vitaly Petrov, Daniil Kvyat and Sergey Sirotkin unfairly. “They are all top racers, professionals, and some things that were said about them were undeserved. […]
Rosberg not interested in racing return
Jan.15 (GMM) Nico Rosberg says he has no intention of returning to active motor racing competition – even for his new off-road team in the Extreme E series. Now 35, the German quit Formula 1 immediately after beating then Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to the 2016 title. When asked why he will not appoint himself […]
Hamilton contract talks now ‘a game of chess’
Jan.15 (GMM) Mercedes is not commenting on reports about the status of Lewis Hamilton’s reportedly difficult negotiations over a new contract. Some believe the parties are arguing essentially over money, while Autosprint’s Alessandro Gargantini believes Mercedes is only putting a one-year deal worth EUR 35 million on the table. One of the sticking points could […]
Alpine eyes consistent podiums in 2022
Jan.15 (GMM) Alpine is eyeing consistent podiums in Formula 1 – in 2022. Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon achieved three podiums for Renault in 2020, before this year’s rebranding as blue, white and red Alpine. The new project will involve the return to Formula 1 of Group Lotus. Groupe Renault announced that it and Group […]
Schumacher wanted season to start in Australia
Jan.15 (GMM) Mick Schumacher admits he had been “looking forward” to making his Formula 1 debut in Australia. With the covid crisis still raging, the sport has had to postpone the opening Melbourne round until November. It means 21-year-old Schumacher’s first grand prix with Haas will now be in Bahrain. “Of course I was looking […]
Ricciardo would prefer Le Mans over Indy 500
Jan.15 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has indicated he is more likely to try his hand at Le Mans as opposed to the equally-fabled Indy 500. The Australian has moved from Renault to McLaren for 2021 – with his new team also fielding an Indycar team, and looking ahead to future outings at Le Mans and possibly […]
Title sponsor to return to Ferrari livery in 2021
Jan.15 (GMM) The controversial logos of Ferrari’s title sponsor may return to Formula 1 in 2021. Last year, although the 2020 was launched and tested with prominent Mission Winnow branding, PMI – Philip Morris International – withdrew the branding when some accused the tobacco giant of promoting smoking. But Philip Morris’ communications boss, Tommaso di […]
Less overtaking in 2020 compared to 2018, 2019
Jan.15 (GMM) Max Verstappen says it’s “basically impossible” to overtake in modern Formula 1 – and the situation got even worse in 2020. German publications Auto Motor und Sport and Auto Bild have found that while there were 32.6 and 38.9 overtakes per race on average in 2018 and 2019 respectively, that number dropped to […]
Next F1 engines could be 2000hp – Berger
Jan.14 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger has raised the tantalising prospect of 2000 horsepower engines in Formula 1. While a continuation of ‘green’ engines is a certainty beyond 2025, the sport is currently in a period of reflection about what precisely will replace the current turbo hybrid power units. “I’ll be in trouble for this, […]
Alfa Romeo’s future in F1 in doubt – report
Jan.14 (GMM) The future of the Alfa Romeo brand in Formula 1 depends on forthcoming decisions at the boardroom level, according to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. Respected correspondent Luigi Perna is questioning the future of the Italian brand’s naming partnership with Sauber in the wake of the Fiat-Peugeot merger. The new carmaker giant will […]
‘No regrets’ about not signing Hamilton – Binotto
Jan.14 (GMM) Ferrari has no “regret” after failing to make a serious bid to snap up Lewis Hamilton for 2021. That is the claim of the Maranello team’s boss Mattia Binotto, as reports about difficult contract negotiations between the seven time world champion and Mercedes persist. Technically, 36-year-old Hamilton is a free agent for 2021, […]
Stop kicking Mazepin ‘in the face’ – Steiner
Jan.14 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has moved to end the controversy surrounding new Haas recruit Nikita Mazepin by suggesting kicking the Russian “in the face” is “not right”. 21-year-old rookie Mazepin, already a controversial figure in his Formula 2 days, enraged the world of social media last month when video emerged of him allegedly groping a […]
Honda chief admits F1 exit a ‘real shame’
Jan.14 (GMM) Honda’s F1 chief says it is a “real shame” that the Japanese manufacturer is pulling out of the sport at the end of this year. Although the carmaker is tipped to help Red Bull run the operations of the current works engine program from 2022 and beyond, Honda will no longer be officially […]
Mercedes to sign new F1 junior driver
Jan.14 (GMM) Mercedes may be on the cusp of signing another youngster to its Formula 1 driver development program. Ekstra Bladet newspaper claims that Danish 19-year-old Frederik Vesti and his manager Dorte Riis Madsen, who used to work with Kevin Magnussen, have been in talks with the title-winning team for “several months”. “A contract is […]
F1 denies 2022 rules facing another delay
Jan.14 (GMM) Formula 1 has flatly denied suggestions the sweeping new rules for 2022 could be delayed yet another year. Last year, as the sport scrambled to cope with economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus shutdowns, the teams agreed to delay the planned introduction of sweeping new technical rules from 2021 to 2022. But with […]
Quarantine rule forced Melbourne postponement
Jan.13 (GMM) It was Australia’s 14-day mandatory quarantine requirement that triggered the postponement of the season opening grand prix in Melbourne. Although the tennis grand slam event in the same city is going ahead, state sports minister Martin Pakula said that is only because those international travellers – including all the players – will observe […]
Zandvoort not worried as 2021 calendar changes
Jan.13 (GMM) Dutch GP organisers remain confident they will be able to welcome spectators to Zandvoort’s first F1 race in the modern era in September. Jan Lammers, a former F1 driver who is now the Dutch GP’s sporting director, said the postponement of Melbourne and the demise of the race in Shanghai does not affect […]