Oct.22 (GMM) Two Formula 1 drivers say the new ‘ground effect’ aerodynamic era has triggered an unexpected problem. The new rules were designed to make the racing closer and the cars easier to overtake, but an unintended side-effect became very clear recently at Suzuka. “We have to find a solution,” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc told the […]
‘More hours’ ahead for budget cap delay – Marko
Oct.22 (GMM) Red Bull has called off a scheduled team press conference that could have spelled an end to the current uncertainty surrounding the budget cap breach. Instead, team boss Christian Horner was seen in meetings at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the governing body’s controversial […]
Hamilton tells Formula 1 to bail-out W Series
Oct.22 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has called on Formula 1 to rescue the embattled ‘W Series’. The all-female series, won since 2019 by 24-year-old Jamie Chadwick, should have been supporting the US GP this weekend but has wrapped up early for financial reasons. Seven time world champion Hamilton thinks the FIA and Formula 1 should “100 […]
Formula 1 ousts another race director
Oct.22 (GMM) Formula 1 has ousted yet another race director. After the highly controversial 2021 championship finale in Abu Dhabi, the sport’s full-time race director Michael Masi lost his job. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is still furious. “Human error – or an error human,” the Austrian said when asked about the decisions surrounding the decisive […]
FIA confirms F1 door still open for Porsche
Oct.21 (GMM) Formula 1 has left the door open to Porsche, despite a deadline for manufacturers to sign up for the new engine rules in 2026 having now passed. We reported earlier this month that, following the collapse of the Red Bull-Porsche talks, the VW-owned German carmaker only had days to follow Audi into the […]
Reports of Indycar move ‘completely false’ – Latifi
Oct.21 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi has slammed the “poor journalism” that this week predicted a move from Formula 1 to Indycar for 2023. The Canadian has been ousted by Williams after three seasons, with his likely successor – American Logan Sargeant – rumoured to be announced in Austin this weekend. “Follow the news on Saturday,” team […]
Norris admits Red Bull talks
Oct.21 (GMM) Lando Norris has admitted he had talks with Red Bull before committing to McLaren with a reported $90 million deal that will run through 2025. The 22-year-old is one of the hottest young talents on the grid today, and in Austin he didn’t hide that he was approached by Red Bull before the […]
Haas sponsor won’t push for Schumacher seat
Oct.21 (GMM) Haas looks set to keep its current basic team colours in 2023 despite signing a new title sponsor for 2023 and beyond – a Texas-based payment transfer company Moneygram. “Their colours are white and red,” grinned team boss Gunther Steiner. “Just like ours. “Moneygram will allow us to invest more and hit the […]
All F1 champions win in ‘grey areas’ – Alonso
Oct.21 (GMM) All Formula 1 champions operate in “grey areas” of the regulations, according to two-time drivers’ title winner Fernando Alonso. He was speaking in the Austin paddock amid the budget cap scandal, in which Red Bull has reportedly now been offered a penalty deal by the FIA after being found in minor breach for […]
Steiner calls for budget cap breach ‘consequences’
Oct.20 (GMM) There “must be consequences” for Red Bull after the dominant Formula 1 team was found to have breached the 2021 budget cap. In Austin this weekend, a major talking point will be the likely penalties, which according to the FIA are “currently” being discussed behind closed doors. This week, it emerged that McLaren […]
New engine for Leclerc, Verstappen eyes F1 record
Oct.20 (GMM) Charles Leclerc will start Sunday’s US GP five places lower than he qualifies, as new double world champion Max Verstappen stands on the cusp of an all-time F1 record. La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that with the world championships now lost, it is “time for experimentation” for Ferrari in the final races of […]
De Vries needs half a season to adjust to F1
Oct.20 (GMM) Nyck de Vries should be given half a season to get up to speed as a full-time Formula 1 driver. That is the view of Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers, who says it’s “fantastic” that the Netherlands is enjoying an impressive moment in world motorsport. “We now have a second Dutch driver in […]
Latifi not ready to announce Indycar move
Oct.20 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi looks set to keep his racing career alive in the top American open wheeler series Indycar. Williams is yet to announce the 27-year-old Canadian’s 2023 replacement, but insiders expect it is a head-to-head between Mick Schumacher and Logan Sargeant. American Sargeant, 21, is Williams’ most prominent development driver who will make […]
Father-son F1 duo take on endurance race
Oct.19 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen and his father will team up in December in a bid to win the Gulf 12 Hours endurance sports car race in Abu Dhabi. It will be the second time the father-son team, featuring former McLaren and Stewart driver Jan Magnussen (49), have shared a racing car after they took on […]
Gasly will not be Alpine ‘number 1’ – CEO
Oct.19 (GMM) Esteban Ocon will not be Alpine’s ‘number 1’ driver next year as fellow Frenchman Pierre Gasly arrives from the Red Bull camp. Reportedly, the Renault-owned team paid a multi-million sum to extract Gasly from his 2023 Alpha Tauri deal – and also signed a whopping EUR 10 million per year deal with the […]
Steiner admits Haas ‘talking’ to Hulkenberg
Oct.19 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo looks to be heading for a “break” from racing in Formula 1 next year rather than take up an offer for talks with Haas. Haas boss Gunther Steiner said in September that he had sent a “text” to the struggling 33-year-old, whose final contract year at McLaren was bought out as […]
‘Plenty of time’ to sign F1 drivers – Audi
Oct.18 (GMM) Audi will reveal the name of its partner team for 2026 and beyond “later this year”. It is highly anticipated that a 75 percent buyout deal with Sauber, the Swiss-based team currently known as Alfa Romeo, has already been signed. Audi’s ‘Formula 1 project leader’ Adam Baker, however, is not yet ready to […]
Gasly ‘fastest available driver’ for Alpine – CEO
Oct.18 (GMM) Pierre Gasly was the “perfect” choice to replace two-time champion Fernando Alonso at Alpine next year. That is the view of the Renault-owned carmaker’s CEO Laurent Rossi, who had actually planned to pair Esteban Ocon with rookie Oscar Piastri from 2023. But Australian Piastri, 21, controversially rejected Alpine to drive for McLaren next […]
Newey at centre of Red Bull budget ‘cheating’
Oct.18 (GMM) Adrian Newey, one of the most successful and recognisable Formula 1 designers in history, is reportedly at the centre of the budget cap scandal. This week, McLaren supremo Zak Brown wrote a letter to FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem accusing Red Bull of “cheating” by spending above the budget cap limit en route […]
Russian driver asks FIA for Ukraine conflict reprieve
Oct.17 (GMM) Dakar rally winner Sergey Karyakin has called on F1’s governing body to scrap the hurdles preventing Russian drivers from participating in FIA-sanctioned events. The Russian, who won the fabled Dakar event in the quad category in 2017, told Tass news agency that he has written personally to new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem. […]