Dec.5 (GMM) Toto Wolff refused to gloat after Mercedes’ championship rival Max Verstappen made a key mistake on the last corner of Q3 in Saudi Arabia. “Red Bull has put a dominant package on the track here,” the Mercedes boss said after Dutchman Verstappen missed the front row of the grid due to striking the […]
2022 Belgian GP at fabled Spa circuit in doubt
Dec.4 (GMM) Historic Spa-Francorchamps’ place on the 2022 Formula 1 calendar may be in doubt. Stijn de Boever, the commercial director at the Belgian GP organiser, has reportedly admitted that it won’t be known until January whether the confirmed 28 August race date for 2022 can actually go ahead. The uncertainty seems to be linked […]
Verstappen’s father rules out Mercedes talks
Dec.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has ruled out a move to Mercedes for the 2021 championship leader, admitting their relationship with Toto Wolff has completely broken down. Earlier, Max Verstappen was regularly linked with a potential move to the reigning world champions – but his father Jos now effectively writes that possibility off. “We’re in […]
Prost admits Senna-like title crash ‘could happen’
Dec.4 (GMM) Alain Prost admits a title-deciding crash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen “could happen”. The F1 legend says he doesn’t mind that some are making comparisons between the current battle and his own intense and acrimonious championship scraps with Ayrton Senna. “No I don’t mind, because we made history in our sport,” said […]
Verstappen title win ‘better for F1’ – Villeneuve
Dec.4 (GMM) It would be “better for Formula 1” if Lewis Hamilton fails to win a record eighth world championship next Sunday. That is the view of 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve, who told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that he is enjoying the intense 2021 battle that has now entered its final two rounds […]
No benefit from Mercedes-style ‘rocket’ – Verstappen
Dec.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen has once again played down rumours Honda is working on its own Mercedes-style ‘rocket’ engine specification for the 2021 title showdown. The world championship leader, who is being chased down in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi by Lewis Hamilton and his fresh engine that was described by Dr Helmut Marko as […]
Wolff apologises for new Mercedes sponsorship
Dec.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff has publicly apologised for announcing a new sponsorship deal with Irish building materials company Kingspan. The announcement triggered widespread social media backlash, due to Kingspan having been implicated in last year’s official inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. During the inquiry, it emerged that one Kingspan director had at […]
Aston Martin could build own F1 engine
Dec.4 (GMM) Aston Martin is not ruling out ‘doing a Red Bull’ by building its own Formula 1 engine. The newly-rebranded former Racing Point and Force India team signed Sebastian Vettel for 2021 but has struggled, with the four time world champion admitting in Saudi Arabia: “Our car has too much drag, not enough downforce”. […]
‘Everyone’ wants Verstappen to win title – Ecclestone
Dec.3 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he and “everyone I speak to” hopes that Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the first time either this or next Sunday. The former F1 supremo insists that is nothing against seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton – he thinks it’s simply time Formula 1 had a new winner. […]
Management turmoil at Alfa-Sauber as chairman quits
Dec.3 (GMM) There is turmoil behind the scenes at the Formula 1 team known as Alfa Romeo. The team is actually owned and controlled by Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport, who came tantalisingly close to selling to US racing legend Michael Andretti recently. “It was very disappointing that the contract wasn’t signed,” the former McLaren driver said […]
2022 Red Bull may have Honda logo
Dec.3 (GMM) Honda logos may still feature on Red Bull’s cars next year, a spokesman for the Japanese engine manufacturer admitted in Saudi Arabia. Officially, next Sunday’s 2021 finale – in which Max Verstappen could be crowned champion – is Honda’s last grand prix before pulling out of the sport. However, to support Red Bull […]
No ‘special emotions’ as longest F1 career ends
Dec.3 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he feels no special emotions except perhaps impatience as his longest-ever Formula 1 career finally draws to a close next Sunday. The 42-year-old is also the oldest active driver on the grid, having won the title in 2007 and 21 grands prix victories for top teams including McLaren and Ferrari. […]
Verstappen ‘like Tyson Fury’ amid Hamilton pressure
Dec.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen “doesn’t give a f***” about efforts to destabilise his effort to win the 2021 world championship. That is the view of the Dutchman’s Red Bull boss Christian Horner, as arch rival Lewis Hamilton touched down in Saudi Arabia and pointed out the “egos” involved in the title battle. “There is defence, […]
Bottas almost quit F1 amid mental struggles
Dec.2 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has admitted he found himself in a deep psychological hole early in his Formula 1 career. The 32-year-old Finn, whose five year stint at Mercedes comes to an end this month, revealed that he became depressed just one year into his career in 2014. “I was getting on a flight and […]
2021 world championship crash ‘can happen’ – Ecclestone
Dec.2 (GMM) Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone admits a championship-deciding crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is a real possibility over the next week and a half. “Sure it can happen,” said the 90-year-old. “We’ve waited a long time for a duel like this. “It’s why the fans watch Formula 1,” Ecclestone told RTL. […]
Psychological edge is with Verstappen – Schumacher
Dec.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen may have the psychological edge as his championship battle with Lewis Hamilton enters its decisive final double-header of 2021. That is the view of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who thinks seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton is actually the one under the greater pressure. “At the end of the day, […]
No fresh Honda ‘rocket’ for Verstappen in Saudi
Dec.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down reports Max Verstappen may benefit from his own “rocket” engine this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Off the back of news that championship challenger Lewis Hamilton’s fresh power unit in Brazil will now return for the final Saudi-Abu Dhabi double header, rumours did the rounds that Honda is […]
Giovinazzi ‘confused’ after first Formula E test
Dec.1 (GMM) As he switches from Formula 1 to the all-electric series Formula E, Antonio Giovinazzi admits his learning curve will be steep. Although he will round out his F1 career for Alfa Romeo in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi over the next fortnight, the Italian got his first taste of life in his Dragon-Penske […]
VW entry could re-ignite push for German GP – Domenicali
Dec.1 (GMM) Formula 1 may introduce a race rotation scheme in order to sign more deals with grand prix hosts. Already at 23 scheduled races for 2022, Formula 1 teams argue that the calendar is now at bursting point. But one way around that is to sign more race deals on the basis of a […]
Marko plays down Verstappen’s early title chances
Dec.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has brushed away any suggestion that Max Verstappen could be crowned world champion this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Red Bull’s Dutch driver is 8 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton with just two races to run, but Mercedes is widely expected to keep its performance edge at the brand new Jeddah […]