Nov.29 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is in the midst of a swirl of off-track rumours as he delivers one of his strongest qualifying performances of the year. Spanish sports daily Diario Sport reports growing speculation that the 44-year-old Aston Martin driver and his partner Melissa Jimenez, 38, may be expecting a child. The couple – together […]
FIA rejects call for instant change after meeting
Nov.29 (GMM) Formula 1’s long-running standoff over the sport’s hated driving-standards guidelines entered a new phase in Qatar, with the FIA issuing a formal statement after a key GPDA meeting – but confirming no changes will be made for Qatar or Abu Dhabi. GPDA directors George Russell and Carlos Sainz have led the charge against […]
Drivers count down sessions as ground-effect era ends
Nov.29 (GMM) The current 2022-25 ground-effect generation is almost over – and the drivers can’t wait. Max Verstappen may have dominated the era, but he’s among the most relieved to see it gone. “It has not been comfortable at all in recent years,” he told Dutch media. “My back falls off and my feet actually […]
Hamilton shuts down in Qatar as Ralf questions future
Nov.29 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has retreated into full radio silence mode in Qatar, offering some of the shortest and frostiest answers of his career after another bruising day. Asked to explain a dismal P18 in sprint qualifying, the seven-time world champion replied simply: “Same as always.” When asked about whether experimenting with the higher-downforce wing […]
Sutil arrested in international fraud raid
Nov.29 (GMM) Former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil has been arrested in a coordinated international police operation, with Bild newspaper revealing that investigators are accusing the 42-year-old of serious fraud and embezzlement. According to the German newspaper, raids took place simultaneously at Sutil’s properties in Monaco, Switzerland and Sindelfingen, with officers from the Stuttgart State […]
McLaren so good title should be long over – Verstappen
Nov.29 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s championship bid slipped further out of his hands on Friday in Qatar, as the Red Bull driver could manage only P6 in sprint qualifying – even ending up behind Yuki Tsunoda for the first time. “Yeah, not good,” Verstappen admitted, blaming understeer and “bouncing” for his lack of pace. Red Bull […]
McLaren’s Stella pushes for floor DQ rule review
Nov.28 (GMM) McLaren has arrived in Qatar still dealing with the fallout from its double disqualification in Las Vegas, with team boss Andrea Stella revealing the FIA is already examining whether the floor-wear regulation needs adjusting. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – who suffered an identical plank-wear DSQ in China – publicly backed McLaren’s argument that the […]
Red Bull in good ‘psychological’ shape – Marko
Nov.28 (GMM) Oscar Piastri has hinted that McLaren quietly asked whether he might consider helping Lando Norris secure the 2025 world championship – and says he immediately shut the idea down. “We’ve had a very brief discussion and the answer is no,” Piastri confirmed in Qatar. “I’m still equal on points with Max and got […]
Belgian GP boss slammed for Qatar trip
Nov.28 (GMM) Fresh controversy in Belgian politics has unexpectedly placed the future of the grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps back in the headlines. Georges-Louis Bouchez – president of the MR party and newly appointed vice-president of the Spa Grand Prix organisation – skipped a key budget vote in the Federal Parliament on Thursday to travel to […]
Wolff ‘surprised’ by soaring Mercedes valuation
Nov.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he was shocked by how much Mercedes’ value has exploded – but insists selling a slice of his stake doesn’t mean he’s stepping away. The Mercedes CEO and team boss recently sold 15 percent of his holdings to CrowdStrike founder George Kurtz, trimming his share from 33 to 28 percent. […]
‘Impossible’ to beat Verstappen in equal car – Hadjar
Nov.28 (GMM) Isack Hadjar says he has no illusions about what awaits him if – as widely expected – he is promoted to Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen for 2026. Team boss Laurent Mekies says the driver decision will be announced straight after this weekend’s Qatar GP, but Hadjar admitted in Lusail that even disaster […]
Marko doubts Newey to make good Aston boss
Nov.28 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has poured cold water on the shock decision to make Adrian Newey Aston Martin’s next team principal – while Fernando Alonso insists the legendary designer was already functioning as de-facto leader behind the scenes. Speaking to Kleine Zeitung, Marko – one of Newey’s closest former colleagues at Red Bull – […]
Bearman shrugs off rumours amid Ferrari turbulence
Nov.28 (GMM) Oliver Bearman says he “backs himself” amid wild speculation triggered by Ferrari’s turbulent week – rumours linking Lewis Hamilton with an early exit, Charles Leclerc with Aston Martin, and even suggestions the Haas rookie could be fast-tracked into red. Asked in Qatar whether he would be “ready” if Ferrari suddenly needed him, Bearman […]
Drivers push for change, TV analysts called ‘ideal’
Nov.28 (GMM) Formula 1’s highly anticipated GPDA-FIA meeting finally took place in Qatar, with drivers again urging the federation to scrap the controversial “driving guidelines” and move toward a system built on permanent, expert stewards. It follows months of frustration over inconsistent penalties and unpopular interpretations – with many drivers publicly questioning whether the current […]
Shock as Newey becomes Aston Martin team boss
Nov.27 (GMM) Aston Martin has stunned the paddock by announcing that Adrian Newey will take over as team principal from 2026, with Andy Cowell moved into a new strategy role. The upheaval follows weeks of internal tension and high-profile departures inside the Silverstone outfit. Auto Motor und Sport’s Tobias Gruner reported that “seven key engineers” […]
Sacked race director slams FIA over marshal incidents
Nov.27 (GMM) Former Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich has publicly criticised the current race management after a second marshal-on-track scare in just a few weeks – this time during the Las Vegas GP. Footage from Turn 1 in Vegas showed marshals running across the run-off area while drivers were arriving at full speed. Speaking […]
Vowles returns to racing in Abu Dhabi
Nov.27 (GMM) Williams boss James Vowles will return to competitive racing next month in the Gulf 12 Hours, driving a McLaren GT3 Evo for Garage 59. The 46-year-old last raced for the team in the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series and has carried out testing this year to prepare for his comeback – including a […]
FIA warns over plank wear as title battle tightens
Nov.27 (GMM) The FIA has reportedly issued an “official warning” to teams about plank wear ahead of this weekend’s Qatar GP, following McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas. Austria’s Osterreich newspaper claims the governing body will “closely monitor” the race pace and ride-height behaviour of both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after their breached skid […]
Norris under more pressure than Verstappen – Arnoux
Nov.27 (GMM) Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux believes Max Verstappen remains a real threat in the 2025 title fight, arguing the Dutchman enters the Qatar-Abu Dhabi finale with “nothing to lose” – while Lando Norris carries the weight of expectation. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arnoux said only Verstappen could overturn a 24-point deficit […]
Ferrari scraps Hamilton-linked ‘F44’ project amid tension
Nov.27 (GMM) Fresh tension has emerged at Ferrari as reports in Italy claim the team has scrapped a special road-car project linked to Lewis Hamilton – the so-called “F44”. According to the Terruzzi Racconta podcast, Hamilton privately requested a bespoke special-edition model that was initially approved before being quietly abandoned. Giorgio Terruzzi, a well known […]