Aug.19 (GMM) The French carmaker Renault’s new group CEO had “reassuring messages” for the Formula 1 team when he visited the paddock in Barcelona last weekend. That is the news from the mouth of boss Cyril Abiteboul, after a tumultuous and uncertain period for the team’s parent company. Formerly with Volkswagen and SEAT, Luca de […]
Category: Recent stories
Wolff ‘frustrated’ by Concorde Agreement disunity
Aug.19 (GMM) The first three teams have signed up for the 2021-2025 Concorde Agreement – but one of them is not Mercedes. Ferrari, McLaren and Williams are the first to announce that they have officially agreed to Liberty Media’s proposed new regime. Prior to last weekend’s Spanish GP, Toto Wolff had indicated that Mercedes is […]
FIA looking into legality of energy recovery systems
Aug.19 (GMM) Formula 1 is looking into the legality of the engine manufacturers’ 2020-spec energy recovery systems, according to Auto Motor und Sport. The development follows the shock news in Barcelona last week that ‘party mode’ engine settings will be banned from Spa-Francorchamps, even though the precise wording of the technical directive is not yet […]
Kubica admits slow DTM pace ‘not normal’
Aug.19 (GMM) Robert Kubica has admitted his pace since switching from Formula 1 to DTM for 2020 is “not normal”. Having spent his entire comeback season in Formula 1 at the back of the grid last year, the Pole lost his Williams seat but signed up to race in the German touring car series for […]
Black suit not reason for hot Bottas – Wolff
Aug.19 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down Valtteri Bottas’ comments about his black racing suit for 2020. As the Finn admitted in Barcelona that his championship hopes are “drifting away”, he complained that he lost 3kg during the Spanish GP because his overalls are “f*****g hot”. Mercedes switched its car livery and driver suits to […]
Ex-Red Bull driver says Albon has ‘lost his way’
Aug.18 (GMM) Alex Albon has “lost his way” at Red Bull, according to former team driver Robert Doornbos. While the team is for now standing behind the struggling British-born Thai driver, it is clear that his shoulders have slumped in recent races. “It’s really tough for him,” Doornbos, who briefly raced for the energy drink […]
Danner slams Leclerc for driving without seatbelts
Aug.18 (GMM) Charles Leclerc is coming under fire for completing two full laps of the Spanish GP after unbuckling his seatbelts. When his Ferrari shut off on lap 37 in Barcelona, Leclerc undid his belts in anticipation of getting out the stricken car – only for it to re-fire. He then drove two full laps […]
Barcelona not a ‘boring’ race – Albers
Aug.18 (GMM) Sunday’s race in Barcelona was not “boring”, according to former F1 driver Christijan Albers. Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in Spain, prompting Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas to agree that the six-time world champion is on target for a seventh. But Albers told De Telegraaf: “I didn’t think the race was boring. For […]
Pink Mercedes affair is also ‘attack on Toto Wolff’
Aug.18 (GMM) The pressure is continuing to mount on Racing Point and Toto Wolff over the ‘pink Mercedes’ affair. With the case now set to proceed to the international court of appeal, more details of how Racing Point’s 2020 car was supposedly put together are coming to light. Colin Kolles, the former Spyker and Hispania […]
‘Too early’ to dream about 2021 F1 debut – Ilott
Aug.18 (GMM) Mick Schumacher may face some stiff competition for an Alfa Romeo race seat for 2020. While the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher attracts the most media attention, he is only fifth in the Formula 2 standings so far. His Prema teammate, Robert Shwartzman, is second, behind yet another Ferrari academy driver […]
Ocon happy if Turkey, Jerez added to calendar
Aug.18 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he would be happy if Istanbul and Jerez are added to the 2020 ‘corona calendar’. It is rumoured that Formula 1 is poised to add up to five more races to the already 13-round strong calendar for the virus-affected 2020 world championship. Bahrain is expected to host two races, with […]
‘Party mode’ ban could be postponed – Tanabe
Aug.18 (GMM) Honda F1 boss Toyoharu Tanabe says it is possible the ‘party mode’ ban will be postponed. In Barcelona, it emerged that the FIA intends to ban the way some engine manufacturers – notably the dominant Mercedes team – are able to significantly ‘turn up’ their engine power particularly in qualifying. Tanabe said the […]
Journalist criticises Hamilton’s ‘solidarity’
Aug.18 (GMM) A respected correspondent has accused Lewis Hamilton of being the one who is politically dividing the Formula 1 drivers. Throughout the ‘corona calendar’ races so far this year, the six-time world champion has been leading the Black Lives Matter-inspired moments of kneeling on the grid. 12 other drivers join Hamilton in kneeling, with […]
Bottas unhappy with Mercedes’ black overalls
Aug.18 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is not happy with Mercedes’ new black overalls for 2020. Actually, the reigning champions intended to race in silver as per usual this year – until Lewis Hamilton began to push for action with regards to the Black Lives Matter protests against the death of George Floyd. Finn Bottas said the […]
FIA pushing ahead with ‘party mode’ ban
Aug.17 (GMM) The FIA is pressing ahead with reported plans to ban so-called ‘party mode’ engine settings ahead of the next race at Spa-Francorchamps. Many see the move as a clear attack on Mercedes’ dominance – but not everyone thinks it will succeed. “Everyone talks about Mercedes being hurt more than the others,” said former […]
Ferrari has not ‘abandoned’ 2020 car – Binotto
Aug.17 (GMM) Mattia Binotto insists that Ferrari has not “abandoned” development of its 2020 car. Ferrari chairman John Elkann admitted recently that, given the depth of the 2020 package’s problems, wins and titles will have to wait until 2022. The obvious implication is that Ferrari has given up on this season. “We have not abandoned […]
‘Engineer’ Binotto should not be Ferrari boss – Kolles
Aug.17 (GMM) Former F1 team boss Colin Kolles does not think Mattia Binotto can steer Ferrari out of crisis and back to producing world championship-winning cars. Having replaced Maurizio Arrivabene as team boss from 2019, Binotto is now overseeing a worrying slump for the fabled Maranello team. “Binotto is a very good engineer,” Kolles, who […]
Grosjean slams ‘worst car I have ever driven’
Aug.17 (GMM) Romain Grosjean says he endured “one of the worst races of my career” in Barcelona on Sunday. Finishing two laps down and dead last was a far cry from the Frenchman’s pace on Friday, when he was fifth and sixth fastest in the two practice sessions. But L’Equipe quoted the Haas driver as […]
Vettel disappointed to be leaving Ferrari – Binotto
Aug.17 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has continued to play down the obviously fractured relationship between Ferrari and departing former number 1 Sebastian Vettel. After again publicly scolding the team’s strategic decisions on the radio during the Spanish GP, the quadruple world champion then told Sky Deutschland: “My opinion is no longer important.” Ferrari team boss Binotto […]
Verstappen plays down 2020 title chances
Aug.17 (GMM) Max Verstappen does not agree with his boss that he is still a major contender for the 2020 title. Having won at Silverstone, and with the ‘party mode’ engine setting ban now looming, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko said in Barcelona: “We haven’t given up our big goal yet. “We still want to […]