May 20 (GMM) Pierre Wache has denied that he is feeling the “pressure” of effectively replacing the great Adrian Newey as Red Bull’s top technical guru. Although Wache was already technical director before Newey decided to leave, team figures have repeatedly pointed out that Red Bull should continue to remain competitive because of the 49-year-old […]
Wolff admits ‘human factor’ hurting Mercedes
May 20 (GMM) Toto Wolff is not worried that Mercedes’ formerly dominant team structure appears to be in a state of collapse. Just before Imola, it emerged that leading team personnel Jerome d’Ambrosio – team boss Wolff’s deputy – and head of chassis performance Loic Serra were defecting to Ferrari. And then at Imola, news […]
Hulkenberg would ‘love’ Sainz to sign for Audi
May 20 (GMM) Audi-Sauber is continuing its charm offensive to attract Carlos Sainz to the team. Currently racing under the ‘Kick’ or ‘Stake’ monikers, the Swiss team – already 100 percent owned by the German carmaker – will become Audi’s new works Formula 1 team from 2026. Nico Hulkenberg recently signed up as one driver […]
Aston Martin progress at risk of stalling – Alonso
May 20 (GMM) Fernando Alonso agrees with his mentor and advisor Flavio Briatore that Aston Martin is at risk of being left behind in the Formula 1 midfield. In the midst of a difficult weekend for Alonso, including a crash and a “boring” run to an abysmal 19th in both qualifying and the race, Briatore […]
‘Air getting thinner’ as Red Bull dominance fades
May 20 (GMM) McLaren only needs “a little something” more and Max Verstappen will be legitimately beatable. That’s the view of former Formula 1 driver Timo Glock, after Red Bull’s exhausted Verstappen only managed to beat Miami winner Lando Norris to the chequered flag by less than a single second. “The air is getting thinner,” […]
Bottas spotted visiting Williams motorhome at Imola
May 19 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas was spotted making a solo visit to the Williams motorhome at Imola. With Nico Hulkenberg already under contract to Audi-owned Sauber for 2025 and beyond, and the team also openly courting Carlos Sainz, Bottas admits he’s searching for a new Formula 1 home. “We are still talking,” the popular 34-year-old […]
Alonso’s advisor says Aston Martin ‘going backwards’
May 19 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s key advisor says the Aston Martin team is “going backwards”. The two-time champion is having a dire weekend at Imola, including a big practice crash and then a technical problem in Q1 that leaves him on the very last row on the grid. “When I went for my last attempt, […]
Audi admits signing Sainz an ‘important objective’
May 19 (GMM) Audi-owned Sauber is now openly describing the possibility of signing Carlos Sainz for 2025 and beyond as an “important objective”. Earlier, it was believed Audi had set a decision deadline for the Ferrari-departing Spaniard. But now, given that Nico Hulkenberg has already signed on, team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi said at Imola […]
Niki Lauda’s widow wins dispute with Lauda Foundation
May 19 (GMM) Niki Lauda’s widow is now emerging from a legal dispute over about 30 million euros of the late F1 legend’s estate. The case first emerged a year ago, when Lauda’s wife at the time of his death, Birgit Wetzinger, sued the Lauda Foundation. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Birgit, 45, won […]
Media ‘overestimated’ Ferrari upgrade – Sainz
May 19 (GMM) Max Verstappen emerged from his Imola struggles on Saturday to equal the great Ayrton Senna’s record of eight consecutive pole positions. The triple world champion had earlier complained of chronic handling problems – with his subsequent qualifying triumph prompting some of his rivals to roll their eyes. “They always use lower engine […]
Two candidates shape up to replace Ocon, Gasly
May 18 (GMM) Alpine can thrive even without its two current race drivers, team boss Bruno Famin insists. Although the Renault-linked team is showing signs of emerging from its deep performance slump, there is no doubt that Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon have been looking around on the driver market. Ocon hinted at Imola that […]
Newey ‘closer and closer’ to Ferrari contract
May 18 (GMM) Adrian Newey is inching “closer and closer” to a sensational move to Ferrari. From Imola, Britain’s Daily Mail claims the departing Red Bull technical guru has even put pen-to-paper on a forthcoming switch to Ferrari, where he will be united for 2025 and beyond with Lewis Hamilton. Italy’s Corriere della Sera is […]
Red Bull upgrade not working well yet – Marko
May 18 (GMM) Ferrari has become a “serious opponent” for the dominant Red Bull team, the latter’s top F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko admitted at Imola. Maranello-based Ferrari brought a major upgrade to this weekend’s race, with Red Bull technical boss Pierre Wache admitting the new components on his drivers’ cars are less “visible”. La […]
Bearman cruising towards 2025 Haas race seat
May 18 (GMM) Oliver Bearman appears to be marching towards a full-time Haas race seat for 2025. It emerged recently that the small American team will lose the services of its on-form German driver Nico Hulkenberg to the newly Audi-owned Sauber project. Team boss Ayao Komatsu admits it is a bitter pill to swallow. “Of […]
Alonso wants F1 unity to make penalty rules ‘simple’
May 17 (GMM) Fernando Alonso insists he’s not alone in his criticism about the way Formula 1 races are currently being managed. The 42-year-old was particularly outspoken two weeks ago in Miami, seeking face-to-face talks with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem about alleged anti-Spanish bias in the issuing of penalties for on-track infractions. But there […]
F1 driver silly-season now a ‘waiting game’
May 17 (GMM) Formula 1’s driver market silly-season has now becoming a “waiting game”. Those are the words of Alex Albon, who despite being linked with several other teams decided to re-pledge his medium-term future to Williams this week. “It seems like it’s a waiting game now and everyone is just postponing their decision,” he […]
Newey’s Williams talks now on ‘pause’ – Vowles
May 17 (GMM) Formula 1 is waiting with bated breath to discover Adrian Newey’s next move. The 65-year-old, arguably the most famous and sought-after technical mind and car designer in F1 history, has now stepped back at Red Bull and is vowing to take a break as he’s “tired”. But he said in a new […]
Williams now F1’s only overweight car in 2024
May 17 (GMM) Williams boss James Vowles admits the team needs to work hard to slim down the team’s 2024 car. Just this week, the Grove based team re-signed Alex Albon into the new regulations era beginning in 2026, with the British-born Thai driver revealing at Imola that he had other options. But Vowles managed […]
Verstappen hits back at online racing criticism
May 17 (GMM) Max Verstappen has hit back at those criticising him for entering an online sim race this weekend – clashing with the Formula 1 race at Imola. On the track, Red Bull’s rivals appear to be closing in – with Lando Norris winning in Miami in the heavily-upgraded McLaren, and now Ferrari unveiling […]
Son thinks Lauda would have ended Mercedes slump
May 16 (GMM) The great Niki Lauda may have ended Mercedes’ three-year performance slump by now. That’s the view of the former Mercedes co-owner and non-executive chairman’s son Mathias Lauda, as the once-dominant team continues to struggle in the current ‘ground effect’ rules era. 43-year-old Lauda thinks the problem is clearly the chassis. “The most […]