Jan.26 (GMM) World champion Max Verstappen has bad news for Red Bull’s newly-signed test driver for 2023. In a move interpreted as clear pressure on the Dutchman’s current teammate Sergio Perez, the energy drink-owned team decided to sign former team driver and McLaren refugee Daniel Ricciardo as a tester and brand ambassador. Verstappen, however, doesn’t […]
Ferrari must avoid Vasseur ‘revolution’ – Pirro
Jan.26 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur and Ferrari need to resist the urge to bring “revolution” to Maranello, former Formula 1 driver Emanuele Pirro insists. Last year, the fabled Italian team looked set to mount a real challenge to eventual champions Red Bull – but repeated strategy errors in particular ultimately led to team boss Mattia Binotto […]
Hamilton not ‘begging’ for new contract – Wolff
Jan.26 (GMM) Toto Wolff denies that Lewis Hamilton is effectively ‘begging’ for a new Mercedes deal. For the past several weeks, rumours and reports have abounded as negotiations between the seven time world champion and Mercedes prepare to rev up. One interpretation, as outlined by the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, is that 37-year-old […]
Tost plays down Red Bull-Ford rumours
Jan.26 (GMM) Franz Tost has played down speculation Red Bull is preparing to announce a partnership with Ford. Some believe the fact that both Red Bull and sister team Alpha Tauri, which is run by Austrian Tost, intend to launch in New York early next month as a sign that the deal with the American […]
FIA ‘only rented out’ F1 rights – president
Jan.26 (GMM) FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem insists that Formula 1’s governing body will have a say on who controls the commercial rights. This week, F1’s American owner Liberty Media lashed back at Ben Sulayem after he said the FIA is “cautious” about reports that Saudi Arabia is interested in buying the sport for $20 […]
F1 warns FIA president over buyout comments
Jan.25 (GMM) The current owners of Formula 1 have lashed back at the president of the sport’s governing body. After it emerged that commercial rights holders Liberty Media had fielded a reported $20 billion offer from Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem sounded off on Twitter. “As the custodians of motorsport, […]
Vowles ‘taking engineers’ from Mercedes – Marko
Jan.25 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko does not think Williams is becoming a Mercedes ‘B team’. Recently, it was announced that Mercedes’ famed strategist James Vowles was leaving the former world champions to become team boss at Williams this year. And given Toto Wolff’s historical connection to Williams team, and the Oxfordshire-based outfit’s use of Mercedes […]
Marko unsure Ricciardo still at F1 level
Jan.25 (GMM) It is “difficult to judge” whether Daniel Ricciardo is still good enough for Formula 1. That is the frank admission of Dr Helmut Marko, who despite Ricciardo losing his McLaren seat decided to snap up the former Red Bull driver to be a test and ambassadorial driver for 2023. When asked how the […]
Sim outburst no ‘harm’ to Verstappen – Marko
Jan.25 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s passion for simulator racing does not “harm” Red Bull. That is the insistence of Dr Helmut Marko, the man most directly in charge of the energy drink company’s Formula 1 driver program. At the top of that program is back-to-back reigning world champion Verstappen, who recently lost his temper when computer […]
Germany’s ‘unbelievable’ F1 demise
Jan.25 (GMM) The demise of Formula 1 in Germany is “unbelievable”, according to top Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko. While German drivers, teams, two German grands prix and a huge public following once filled F1, the situation is vastly different today. Nico Hulkenberg is the last German driver, Hockenheim and the Nurburgring are absent […]
Haas boss to keep eye on Logan Sargeant
Jan.25 (GMM) Gunther Steiner admits he already has his eye on Logan Sargeant. Sargeant, fourth in Formula 2 last year, is stepping up to Formula 1 with Williams this season. But as boss of F1’s only American team, Steiner admits will keep a close eye on the American driver’s progress in 2023. “For us at […]
Alonso ‘most difficult’ F1 teammate – Massa
Jan.24 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is the “most difficult teammate” that Formula 1 veteran Felipe Massa ever had. Brazilian Massa, now 41, most famously paired at Ferrari with F1 legend Michael Schumacher, which he describes as a “great experience”. “He was an amazing driver,” he said. “The way he was working but we were very close […]
F1 sons rev engines on road to the grid
Jan.24 (GMM) Two youngsters with familiar names are revving their engines in the direction of Formula 1. Almost two decades ago, Kimi Raikkonen and Alex Wurz were teammates for a time at McLaren. Now, in 2023, their sons are racing towards F1. 17-year-old Charlie Wurz, who is Monaco-born, made his single-seater debut in 2021 in […]
Two carmakers poised to enter F1
Jan.24 (GMM) Two car manufacturers are poised to enter Formula 1. It appears that one of them is in fact not Porsche, after fellow Volkswagen-owned carmaker Audi signed up for the new engine rules from 2026. Porsche’s separate negotiations with Red Bull failed, and rumours of an alternative deal with Williams are now believed to […]
FIA worried about $20bn F1 buyout bid
Jan.24 (GMM) The president of F1’s governing body is concerned that the financial value of the sport is being dangerously inflated. Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the sport’s current American owners Liberty Media turned down an audacious $20 million buyout bid. The bid was made by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns the premier league […]
Alfa Romeo yet to name Vasseur replacement
Jan.23 (GMM) Robert Kubica and his Polish sponsor Orlen may be leaving Alfa Romeo. Polish oil company Orlen’s prominent backing of the Sauber-run team has been closely aligned with the outfit’s naming partner Alfa Romeo. But Alfa Romeo is leaving Sauber at the end of 2023, ahead of the Swiss team’s takeover and works collaboration […]
Ferrari ‘definitely’ needed 2023 shakeup – Alesi
Jan.23 (GMM) Ferrari needs to rely on a pair of French talents to put the fabled team back on track in Formula 1. That is the view of Jean Alesi, one of the most well-known former French F1 drivers who famously raced for the Italian team in the 90s. In an interview with Italy’s Autosprint, […]
George Russell the ‘revelation’ of 2022 – Andretti
Jan.23 (GMM) Up to five teams could be vying for race wins in 2023, according to Formula 1 legend and 1978 world champion Mario Andretti. The 82-year-old, whose son Michael is bidding to take an eleventh team to the grid in 2025 or 2026, was asked by RTL if he thinks Mercedes can improve enough […]
Tost wanted Schumacher for Alpha Tauri seat
Jan.23 (GMM) “Political reasons” stopped Franz Tost from rescuing Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 career. Schumacher, 23, lost his race seat at Haas after two initial seasons in F1, and will instead be the official reserve driver at Mercedes in 2023. But if Alpha Tauri boss Tost had his way, the young German may have been […]
‘Impossible’ to not replace Vowles – Petrov
Jan.23 (GMM) Former F1 driver Vitaly Petrov is shocked that Mercedes allowed its strategy boss James Vowles to become Williams’ new team principal. While some initially wondered if the strategy is to turn Williams into a Mercedes ‘B team’, others suspect Mercedes will in fact be significantly weakened by Vowles’ departure. When asked about Mercedes’ […]