Oct.10 (GMM) With ‘ghost races’ still fresh in the memory, and multiple races cancelled in 2021 due to covid, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has a different message about the health of Formula 1. He says the “beautiful and exciting” championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is now being made even better by huge […]
Mazepin says Schumacher ‘closest’ friend in F1
Oct.10 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin has nominated a surprising choice as his closest friend in the Formula 1 paddock. All season, the Russian has been at loggerheads with his fellow Haas rookie teammate Mick Schumacher, including several on and off-track clashes. Nonetheless, when asked who his closest friend is in F1, 22-year-old Mazepin told Ziggo Sport […]
‘Something strange’ about Hamilton engine – Horner
Oct.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen gave a stinging retort to claims Red Bull should not have tinkered with his usual car livery ahead of the Turkish GP. In a tribute to departing works engine partner Honda, and on the occasion of the original date for the cancelled Japanese GP at Honda-owned Suzuka, Red Bull arrived in […]
2022 calendar critics should quit F1 – Tost
Oct.9 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has lashed out at Formula 1’s plans for more triple headers and an unprecedented 23 grands prix reportedly scheduled for 2022. Although the calendar is yet to be published, most F1 insiders have sighted copies of the arduous plan signed off by the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali. The victims, according to […]
New F1 gloves to minimise Grosjean-like burns
Oct.9 (GMM) Several Formula 1 drivers are testing prototype gloves designed to prevent the sort of permanent hand burns suffered by Romain Grosjean last year. During practice in Turkey, world champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel and three other drivers tested the more protective gloves for “comfort and dexterity”. “Since the beginning of 2021, the […]
Vettel admits to making ‘mistakes’ in F1 midfield
Oct.9 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has openly admitted that he makes “mistakes” when buried in the Formula 1 midfield. Both the quadruple world champion and Aston Martin clearly hesitated when it came to the extension of Vettel’s contract, but the 34-year-old was ultimately convinced that “good things are about to happen”. Indeed, under billionaire Lawrence Stroll’s […]
Hamilton would ‘risk career’ for F1 activism
Oct.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he would “risk his career” before abandoning his new commitment to social and political activism. The seven time world champion has led the incursion of contemporary political conversation and policies in Formula 1, and he says that has become more important to him than mere on-track success. “When I got […]
Andretti driver linked with 2022 Alfa Romeo seat
Oct.9 (GMM) Formula F1 driver Michael Andretti “has already taken over 80 percent” of the Swiss-based Formula 1 team currently known as Alfa Romeo. That is the claim of veteran Swiss F1 journalist Roger Benoit, whose report in Blick newspaper mirrors widespread rumours in the Istanbul paddock. Team boss Frederic Vasseur, who runs Sauber Motorsport […]
Both title chargers face Turkey GP setbacks
Oct.9 (GMM) Both 2021 world championship contenders have reason to feel nervous in Turkey. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who is two points behind, is concerned that he is struggling for handling and pace on the newly-grippier Istanbul surface. “I hope that from here to tomorrow we will improve, because otherwise it doesn’t look good at […]
Honda boss thinks full F1 return possible
Oct.9 (GMM) Honda may already have regrets about pulling out of Formula 1 at the end of the year. Red Bull emerged in Turkey this weekend with a special white livery in tribute to its departing works engine partner. At the same time, the energy drink and Japanese companies issued a statement outlining the “new […]
Raikkonen plays down part-time F1 role rumours
Oct.8 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen may not even be interested in a part-time role in the category once he hangs up his Formula 1 helmet. Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur is keen on retaining the 42-year-old in an advisory role to help guide the Sauber-run outfit’s “mid-term development”. But a new book by Finnish journalist Heikki […]
Leclerc hopes Piastri secures 2022 F1 seat
Oct.8 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has thrown his weight behind reports F2 championship leader Oscar Piastri could be on his way to Formula 1 in 2022. Although F2 rival Guanyu Zhou’s reported $30 million in annual backing had made him the favourite, it is believed Alfa Romeo is reluctant to agree a multi-year agreement with the […]
Schumacher yet to respond to Mazepin invitation
Oct.8 (GMM) Mick Schumacher is yet to respond to controversial teammate Nikita Mazepin’s invitation to visit Moscow. Amid the tension of their intense rivalry as Haas teammates, Russian Mazepin revealed at Sochi that he invited German Schumacher to his home. “I think it’s a nice gesture and I know he has some big boy’s toys […]
Imola F1 deal awaits Domenicali signature
Oct.8 (GMM) Imola has moved another step closer to a permanent spot on the Formula 1 calendar, as reports emerge of a race contract for 2022-2025. Late last month, we reported that the Italian circuit – having re-emerged in F1 amid the covid crisis – could now nudge France’s Paul Ricard off the schedule next […]
Norris not ruling out Ferrari move
Oct.8 (GMM) Lando Norris is not ruling out a move to Ferrari some day. However, the impressive 21-year-old – who almost won the recent Russian GP from pole – says he is fully committed to McLaren for now. Last week, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko revealed that he has had “talks” with the British driver. […]
Ecclestone’s wife could be FIA vice-president
Oct.8 (GMM) The Ecclestone name could return to prominence in the governance structure of Formula 1. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabiana Ecclestone – the current wife of 90-year-old former F1 supremo Bernie – has thrown her hat into the ring as a potential FIA vice president in the December elections. The report suggests […]
Ferrari talks ‘didn’t last long’ – Hamilton
Oct.8 (GMM) Talks about potentially switching to Ferrari some years ago “didn’t last long”, according to Lewis Hamilton. This week, F1 CEO and former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed reports that the Maranello team “discussed” snapping up Hamilton prior to his decision to move to Mercedes. “It was an option in the past, when I […]
Hamilton unsure about Istanbul engine penalty
Oct.8 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has played down the chances he will have to tumble down the Turkish GP grid as a result of an unscheduled engine change. After title rival Max Verstappen took a similar grid hit at Sochi, it is now reported that Mercedes may soon need to fit a fourth power unit to […]
Alonso alleges F1 bias over driver penalties
Oct.8 (GMM) Two-time champion Fernando Alonso has hit out at Formula 1 officials for alleged bias in their decisions to penalise certain drivers. The Alpine driver criticised the way journalists pressed him about his driving tactics in Russia, insisting he is only matching the style of some of his rivals. “I’ve been the idiot many […]
McLaren not happy with F1’s 23-race plans for 2022
Oct.7 (GMM) Andreas Seidl is not so sure Formula 1 will really publish a 23-race calendar for 2022. While the schedule is yet to be officially released, leaked draft versions lay out an unprecedented 23 grands prix within a timeframe of just 245 days. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali doesn’t deny that. “The season will start […]