May 28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton thinks he has been driving on only an “average” standard in 2019. In one sense, it is a remarkable claim given that the five time world champion has won four of the opening six races and is leading the championship. But Valtteri Bottas is comparatively much stronger this year than […]
Category: Recent stories
Stewards not Verstappen’s ‘biggest fans’ – Marko
May 28 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks the F1 stewards are too hard on Max Verstappen. Verstappen was penalised after a pitlane clash with Valtteri Bottas in Monaco, with the time penalty costing him a spot on the podium. Not only that, his tally of ‘license points’ now stands at seven, meaning he will receive […]
Ferrari makes first changes amid 2019 crisis
May 28 (GMM) In Monaco, Mercedes’ impressive run of 1-2 finishes finally ended, even though Lewis Hamilton won and Valtteri Bottas was third. One reporter joked that the dominant team had therefore entered a crisis, and boss Toto Wolff played along: “Yes, and I assume full responsibility.” The actual crisis, according to the Italian media, […]
McLaren failure was ‘biggest lesson’ – Yamamoto
May 28 (GMM) Masashi Yamamoto says the failed McLaren collaboration was Honda’s “biggest lesson” since the Japanese marque returned to Formula 1. In Monaco, the Honda-powered Red Bull of Max Verstappen diced for the race lead with winner Lewis Hamilton. He didn’t even finish on the podium, but Yamamoto says it is one of the […]
No more red Halo after Monaco – Wolff
May 27 (GMM) Mercedes’ new red Halo will not feature on the 2019 car beyond Sunday’s Monaco GP. In Monaco, there were tributes all around for Niki Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman and F1 legend who died at the age of 70 last Monday. One of Mercedes’ tributes was the red Halo, but boss Toto […]
Hamilton jumped into Monaco pool with ‘chemicals’
May 27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton had to immediately shower after leaping into the famous Monaco swimming pool after winning on Sunday. Footage shows the Mercedes driver jumping in with his Mercedes overalls on, and immediately getting out of the well-known public pool. What the footage didn’t show was Hamilton’s immediate rinse-off. “He had to go […]
Perez shaken after Monaco marshal near-miss
May 27 (GMM) Sergio Perez said he would talk to the FIA after almost hitting two marshals with his F1 car during the Monaco GP. Onboard footage from the Mexican driver’s Racing Point shows him narrowly avoiding the marshals during the safety car period. “What was wrong with those marshals?” he exclaimed on the radio. […]
F1 should simplify tyre supply – Briatore
May 27 (GMM) Flavio Briatore thinks one of the main problems in F1 this year is the tyres. Indeed, many teams – including Ferrari – are struggling to understand the very different Pirelli tyres for 2019. Former Renault boss Briatore, who was in Monaco, told Italy’s Automoto that there are too many compounds, with selections […]
Boss in Monaco but 2020 Monza deal still not done
May 27 (GMM) A 2020 deal for Monza’s Italian GP is not yet done. Earlier in May, we claimed the race looked “completely safe” until 2024, after the Italian automobile club (Aci) agreed a deal with Liberty Media. However, the official F1 website clarified that “a formal signature” has actually not yet been put on […]
Kubica queried preferential treatment for Russell
May 27 (GMM) Robert Kubica suggested in Monaco that he feels Williams teammate George Russell is getting preferential treatment. Amid much fanfare, the Pole returned to F1 from a long injury layoff in 2019, but it has been reigning Formula 2 champion Russell setting the pace. Kubica, though, got a good start in Monaco and […]
Canada not Ferrari’s last hope in 2019 – Binotto
May 27 (GMM) Mattia Binotto says Ferrari is working on a plan to get back up to speed with Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel managed to break Mercedes’ run of 1-2 finishes in Monaco, but it was actually Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who was fighting wheel to wheel for victory with winner and runaway championship leader Lewis […]
Kvyat driving ‘better than ever’ in 2019
May 27 (GMM) Former Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat says he is driving better than ever in 2019. The 25-year-old Russian had a meteoric start to his F1 career in 2014, earning a swift promotion from Toro Rosso to the senior Red Bull team. But he was demoted back to Toro Rosso in 2016 and […]
Hamilton defends ‘taking time’ with Lauda comments
May 26 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has defended his silence until now about the death of Niki Lauda. Lauda, the F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman, died late on Monday and Hamilton immediately posted a tribute on social media. But he then sat out his duties at the FIA press conference on Wednesday, causing Lauda’s contemporary […]
Raikkonen not ruling out 2021 contract
May 26 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says it is possible he will keep racing beyond the end of his current contract. Having debuted in 2001, the Finn says reaching the 300 grand prix mark this weekend in Monaco is “just a number”. But only Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello had marginally longer […]
Ferrari, Mercedes sign up for F1 Netflix series
May 26 (GMM) F1’s two top teams will appear in the next ‘Drive to Survive’ Netflix series. Ferrari and Mercedes were the only two teams that refused to take part in the popular series that was filmed last year and debuted in 2019. The second Netflix series is currently being filmed at the grands prix. […]
Magnussen will quit F1 if title hopes fade
May 26 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he doesn’t want to be “best of the rest” for his entire Formula 1 career. “I will only race in Formula 1 as long as I believe I can become world champion,” the Dane told BT newspaper. Magnussen, who drives for the small American team Haas, is indeed ‘best […]
Ferrari a ‘young team’ like in 1995 – Binotto
May 26 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has likened Ferrari’s current situation to the days immediately before Michael Schumacher joined the great Maranello team and started dominating. After a dominant winter, the entire paddock expected Ferrari to finally be in a position to win its first world championship in over a decade. But Mercedes has scored five […]
Ferrari taking ‘risks’ to catch up – Binotto
May 26 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has denied that Sebastian Vettel got preferential treatment that resulted in Charles Leclerc being stranded near the back of the Monaco grid. “No, not at all,” said the Ferrari boss when asked if it was a move to favour Vettel. “We have got two full teams, one per driver, so […]
Williams says Villeneuve comments ‘irritating’
May 25 (GMM) Claire Williams has admitted comments made recently by the team’s last world champion Jacques Villeneuve were “irritating”. Under her leadership, the once-great British team is having a season even more woeful than in 2018. And things are even worse in Monaco. “Monaco emphasises the weaknesses of our car,” Robert Kubica said. “Here, […]
Binotto admits designer could return to Ferrari
May 25 (GMM) Ferrari could recall its former chief designer from Alfa Romeo. Mid last year, it emerged that Simone Resta would move from Maranello to Sauber, the Swiss team that this year became Alfa Romeo. Now, after Ferrari failed to win a single grand prix so far in 2019, Resta could return from the […]