Jul.31 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insists he is not under “time pressure” to decide his next career move. We reported that a July 31 deadline, tying in with an exit clause in Sergio Perez’s contract, had been set for the quadruple world champion to decide whether to move to Racing Point for 2021. “There is no […]
Category: Recent stories
Hulkenberg set to replace Perez at Silverstone
Jul.31 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg looks set to make a shock return to Formula 1 this weekend at Silverstone. It comes after Sergio Perez was sidelined after testing positive for coronavirus. Formula 1 insists, however, that the back-to-back races in Britain will go ahead. “The procedures set out by the FIA and Formula 1 have provided […]
Ocon finding his feet at Renault – Boullier
Jul.31 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is still finding his feet at Renault after a year out of the sport. That is the view of former McLaren boss Eric Boullier, who is now a leading official of the French GP. When asked by Ouest France to comment on fellow Frenchman Ocon’s return to F1 this year, Boullier […]
F1 should not be involved in ‘racism or politics’ – Ecclestone
Jul.31 (GMM) Formula 1 should not be involved “in racism or politics in general”, according to the sport’s former chief executive Bernie Ecclestone. Since the Black Lives Matter movement and anti-racism demonstrations the world over gained steam in the wake of George Floyd’s death, the issue spread even to the F1 paddock. It has been […]
‘Green light’ for Barcelona despite corona spike
Jul.30 (GMM) Formula 1 still has a “green light” to race in Barcelona later this month. There has been speculation that, because coronavirus cases are spiking near the scene of the August 16 Spanish GP, Silverstone may be asked to host a third consecutive race instead. “Despite the rise in corona numbers in Spain, we […]
Turkey GP venue says 2020 F1 race talks ‘confidential’
Jul.30 (GMM) Operators of the former F1 circuit in Turkey have admitted they are in a “confidentiality agreement” regarding talks about a 2020 race at Istanbul Park. We reported this week that the Turkish government has announced that the venue “continues to work for inclusion on the Formula 1 race calendar for 2020”. With a […]
Haas ‘should consider’ dropping Ferrari – Watt
Jul.30 (GMM) Haas is now battling among the slowest teams on the Formula 1 grid, driver Romain Grosjean has admitted. After a horror 2019, teammate Kevin Magnussen insists that the new Haas car is “very useable” in comparison to its predecessor. However, it’s not particularly fast. “We’re now fighting with Alfa Romeo and Williams just […]
Perez should replace Albon at Red Bull – van der Garde
Jul.30 (GMM) A familiar face is returning to the F1 paddock to help Alex Albon get up to speed. Having been promoted to the senior Red Bull team mid-way through his debut season last year, the British-born Thai driver is still struggling to keep up with Max Verstappen. It means speculation is swirling about the […]
Glock ‘sorry’ Vettel’s achievements being forgotten
Jul.30 (GMM) Timo Glock says he feels “sorry” that quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel’s achievements are being diminished. Eddie Jordan, a former F1 team owner turned outspoken television pundit, told the F1 Nation podcast that he would “probably not” sign up the Ferrari refugee for 2021. “Can he rekindle a kind of sparkle and a […]
Alonso back at Ferrari-era weight, fitness – physio
Jul.30 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s weight and fitness is back at the same levels as when he was at his peak. That is the news from his physio Edoardo Bendinelli, as the former two-time world champion this week turned 39 ahead of his 2021 return to F1 with Renault. Observers have noticed that the Spaniard is […]
Racing Point ‘dangerous’ at Silverstone – Marko
Jul.30 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is expecting Racing Point’s ‘pink Mercedes’ to be highly competitive over the next two race weekends at Silverstone. But the Red Bull official told Kronen Zeitung that he expects the black works Mercedes to be clearly out the front. “Hats off to them,” said Marko, referring to the reigning world […]
US, Mexico support F1’s decision to cancel races
Jul.30 (GMM) Race organisers in Austin and Mexico say they accept Formula 1’s decision to cancel their races for 2020. Brazil – the third cancelled race on the American continents – is threatening to sue Liberty Media over the decision, claiming the pandemic is not an instance of ‘force majeure’. Bob Bobby Epstein, chairman of […]
F1 ‘fully open’ to Russian team – Brawn
Jul.29 (GMM) Formula 1 is “fully open” to welcoming a new Russian team to the sport, according to sporting boss Ross Brawn. Rumours about Russian interest have been circulating for some time, especially since last September, when trade minister Denis Manturov said a Russian team is “not far off”. Around the same time, SMP Bank […]
Portimao to Imola logistics ‘insane’ – Zehnder
Jul.29 (GMM) Imola’s 2020 grand prix has been reduced to two days instead of three for logistical reasons. As the races in the US, Brazil and Mexico were cancelled due to the pandemic, Formula 1 also announced that new races at the Nurburgring, Portimao and Imola will all take place in October and November. Imola’s […]
Brazil, Mexico may sue F1 over axe of 2020 races
Jul.29 (GMM) F1 race promoters in Brazil and Mexico could sue Liberty Media over their cancelled 2020 races. Tamas Rohonyi, who fronts the race at Interlagos near Sao Paulo, told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that F1’s owner cancelled the race for an unacceptable reason. “The contract can only be cancelled for reasons of force […]
Wolff seeks answer to Mercedes’ smoky 2020 engine
Jul.29 (GMM) Mercedes wants to get to the bottom of a conspicuously smoky issue with its 2020 engine, according to team boss Toto Wolff. Just as Ferrari took a big step backwards in power following the 2019 engine legality saga, Mercedes stepped up its efforts over the winter to catch up with the Italian team. […]
Sainz, Leclerc to move to Maranello in 2021 – Elkann
Jul.29 (GMM) Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc will move to Maranello next year, Ferrari chairman John Elkann has announced. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Agnelli family heir defended Ferrari’s decision to oust Sebastian Vettel. “In the last decade we have had champions like Alonso and Vettel but it is more difficult […]
Wolff says talks with Mercedes ‘on right track’
Jul.29 (GMM) Toto Wolff says his talks with Daimler over his future at the top of Mercedes’ works team are “on the right track”. In the past weeks and months, and particularly since he bought into Lawrence Stroll’s Aston Martin project, there has been speculation the Austrian is on the verge of moving on. When […]
2021 ‘token’ system not fair on McLaren – Seidl
Jul.29 (GMM) McLaren has added its concerns to the complex ‘token’ system that will govern car upgrades for 2021. To cut costs amid the corona crisis, the teams will only be allowed to make minor modifications to limited areas of their 2020 cars for next season. But we reported recently that Racing Point and Alpha […]
Heidfeld says expectations on Leclerc ‘unrealistic’
Jul.28 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has not had a good start to 2020, according to former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld. Indeed, although he was a surprise second in the uncompetitive Ferrari in the first Austrian race, the 22-year-old took all of the blame for a crash with his teammate Sebastian Vettel in the second. And although […]