May 7 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says he would consider returning to Formula 1 under the right circumstances. But the former McLaren driver says he is enjoying his new career in Formula E – even though the entire world of motor racing is currently shut down. “I am really looking forward to doing my job again,” […]
Category: Recent stories
Another F1 sponsor ‘on standby’ amid crisis
May 7 (GMM) Another F1 sponsor has admitted its concern about the corona crisis. We have already reported that the Carlos Sainz and McLaren backer Estrella Galicia has “great concern” about the impact of the shutdown. And now, Heikki Hultunen, boss of the digital locking company Iloq, has added his worries to the topic. Iloq […]
Renault must ‘consider’ Ricciardo alternatives – boss
May 7 (GMM) Renault’s boss has admitted the French team could say goodbye to Daniel Ricciardo at the end of 2020. Cyril Abiteboul revealed that until the corona crisis struck, the plan for this year was to make an assessment about the Australian driver’s place on the team during the race season. “It is complicated […]
Liberty paying teams in full amid crisis – Brown
May 7 (GMM) Liberty Media appears determined to keep all ten of the current teams in business throughout the corona crisis. Williams finished dead last in 2019 and many fear that the once-great British team is most at risk of going out of business amid the sport’s shutdown. “It’s scary that you could not just […]
Bottas tipped to keep Mercedes seat for 2021
May 7 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is likely to stay at Mercedes beyond 2020, according to former F1 driver Karun Chandhok. Chandhok, an Indian driver who raced for Lotus and HRT, told the Finnish news agency STT that Bottas “has the best job in the world – he gets to drive for Mercedes”. “On the other […]
Ricciardo won’t be forced into sim racing – boss
May 7 (GMM) Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul says he will not force Daniel Ricciardo to get involved in online sim racing. Australian Ricciardo, sitting out the corona crisis at his family’s farm outside Perth, said this week that he does not think “spending hours” on a home simulator is a good idea. “Before you know […]
Racing ‘not important’ amid crisis – Ocon
May 7 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he is looking forward to simply going “outside again”, let alone returning to the F1 track. “It’s all very boring,” the Renault driver told Italy’s Autosprint amid the corona crisis and shutdowns. “I am more or less locked up with my family and fiance and there is not much […]
No Dutch GP ‘without a vaccine’ – Verstappen
May 7 (GMM) Jos Verstappen does not believe his native Holland will be able to host a race at Zandvoort in 2020. While other circuits like Austria, Silverstone, Hungary and even Monza are eyeing back-to-back ‘ghost race’ weekends amid the corona crisis, organisers at Zandvoort appear less keen. “The grand prix of the Netherlands was […]
2021 seat depends on Vettel’s motivation – Hakkinen
May 7 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen is sure that quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel’s Formula 1 career can carry on beyond 2020. It is reported that Ferrari has offered the German a new two-year deal, but only if he accepts a major pay-cut. “I think Sebastian’s future depends solely on his personal motivation,” two-time title winner […]
Ferrari offers Vettel new two-year contract
May 6 (GMM) Ferrari has reportedly made Sebastian Vettel a new contract offer for 2021. Recently, it emerged that the quadruple world champion had rejected the Maranello team’s first offer – a new one-year deal with a slashed pay-packet. Italy’s authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport is now claiming that Ferrari has come back with a […]
Other teams ‘more exposed’ to corona threat – Abiteboul
May 6 (GMM) Renault could be ‘exposed’ by the corona crisis and need to review its commitment, team boss Cyril Abiteboul has suggested. But the Frenchman is not jumping to any conclusions yet, insisting that Renault is “part of a sport with a lot of value and strength”. He told France’s Auto Hebdo that the […]
BMW has ‘no regrets’ after quitting F1
May 6 (GMM) BMW has no intention of returning to Formula 1, according to board member Klaus Frohlich. The German carmaker, the former owner of Sauber, suddenly pulled out of Formula 1 at the end of 2009 amid the global financial crisis. And Frohlich told Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that BMW, now involved in Formula E […]
Alonso has decided 2021 plans
May 6 (GMM) Fernando Alonso seems to have finalised his plans for 2021 – and a return to Formula 1 will apparently have to wait. The two-time world champion, who went on ‘sabbatical’ after the 2018 season and intends to do the Indy 500 this year, is quoted by El Mundo as saying he has […]
F1’s corona plan ‘pretty wild’ – Salo
May 6 (GMM) Mika Salo has described Liberty Media’s plans for 15-18 races amid the corona pandemic as “pretty wild”. The former driver, who is still involved in F1 as a pundit and steward, told Finland’s MTV that he is fascinated to see what happens next. “Health is a priority,” said the Finn. “This is […]
Sainz’s sponsor ‘concerned’ about corona crisis
May 6 (GMM) The CEO of Carlos Sainz’s personal sponsor, Spanish beer brand Estrella Galicia, has admitted he is “concerned” about the coronavirus crisis. CEO Ignacio Rivera’s warning comes amid a flurry of concerning reports about the potential financial impact of the sport’s shutdown for the pandemic. “We live the situation with great concern,” he […]
Montezemolo could be next FIA president – report
May 6 (GMM) Luca di Montezemolo has emerged as a candidate to be the next FIA president. Recently, current president Jean Todt confirmed that he will step down at the end of his expiring term in 2021 – his maximum tenure as the head of F1’s governing body. Italy’s Autosprint claims that Montezemolo’s candidacy is […]
FIA doctor says infection should not stop F1 races
May 6 (GMM) The Formula 1 show will go on even if a coronavirus infection is detected in the paddock, according to FIA Institute president Professor Gerard Saillant. In Australia, the season opener was called off when a McLaren mechanic tested positive. Now, F1 is planning to return with spectator-less back to back race weekends […]
Norris slams ‘selfish’ esports rival
May 6 (GMM) Drivers need to take virtual racing more seriously. That is the view of Lando Norris, one of the simulator world’s biggest stars who was taken out apparently deliberately by Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud in a recent race. “The big conversation is ‘yes, it’s a game’ and so on, so you shouldn’t […]
Back-to-back Austria GP plan ‘great’ – Verstappen
May 6 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is looking forward to the resumption of the 2020 season – even if the races have to take place behind closed doors for now. The Red Bull driver told Servus TV that he is not suffering too much amid the coronavirus shutdown. “Basically, I like to be at […]
No ‘orange Mercedes’ strategy for McLaren – Seidl
May 5 (GMM) McLaren will not adopt an ‘orange Mercedes’ strategy in order to return to the top in Formula 1. Racing Point has taken flak in 2020 for admitting that its new car is based on detailed photographs of Mercedes’ title winning machine of last year. But McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl said the […]