Jul.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen is preparing for this weekend’s Hungarian GP with little more than a stiff neck, Red Bull top official Dr Helmut Marko has revealed. The team has been highly critical of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ behaviour surrounding the title contenders’ recent high-speed clash at Silverstone. “I feared it would take a little […]
Sprint race format could be permanent – F1 CEO
Jul.26 (GMM) Sprint races could be installed as a permanent replacement for traditional qualifying in Formula 1, CEO Stefano Domenicali has admitted. The format made its debut at Silverstone, with the second of three trial ‘sprint qualifying’ rounds in 2021 now confirmed for the Italian GP in September. “Do you know what the best thing […]
Ex-drivers doubt Bottas will lose Mercedes seat
Jul.26 (GMM) Two former F1 drivers have cast doubt on a widely-believed rumour suggesting Valtteri Bottas will definitely lose his Mercedes seat to George Russell for 2022. Prior to agreeing a new two-year deal for next year and 2023, seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton made it clear his preference is for Bottas to remain […]
F1 CEO not worried about Hamilton-Verstappen clash
Jul.26 (GMM) F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is not worried that the sport’s 2021 season could turn into a dangerous and controversial confrontation for the title. His comments come as F1 race director Michael Masi bans team bosses from appealing personally to the stewards during grands prix – just as Toto Wolff and Christian Horner did […]
Hamilton lacks Verstappen’s ‘charisma’ – Alonso
Jul.26 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s “charisma factor” makes him the most engaging driver in Formula 1. That is the view of two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who after also once starring as F1’s fiery young charger is now preparing to turn 40. The Spaniard says he will continue to race while his “body” allows it and “I […]
F1 to test and start 2022 season in Bahrain
Jul.26 (GMM) Winter testing will be extended from just one to two weeks ahead of the all-new rules for 2022. There were a mere 3 days of pre-season testing in 2021, but according to Auto Motor und Sport, two three-day tests – one in Barcelona and another in Bahrain – are provisionally scheduled for early […]
Domenicali plays down Qatar GP rumours
Jul.26 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali has played down rumours that he is lining up Qatar as a potential replacement venue for cancelled grands prix in 2021. With several earlier-scheduled races already postponed or called off due to the ongoing global covid crisis, the F1 CEO admits that this year’s 23-date calendar is not set in stone. […]
Spectators to return to 2021 Italian GP
Jul.26 (GMM) Spectators appear to be racing back to the fabled Italian GP in September. Last year, Pierre Gasly’s sensational maiden Formula 1 win played out before empty grandstands – but that looks set to change for 2021. Tickets are set to go on sale for this year’s event at Monza, according to the Automoto […]
Qatar emerges as 2021 F1 race alternative
Jul.23 (GMM) Qatar has emerged as a potential replacement race in 2021, as dark clouds gather over several scheduled grands prix in the second half of the season. Even at Zandvoort, where Dutch authorities have already given race organisers all the necessary permits to plan for a full house of 105,000 spectators per day in […]
Mercedes not favourite for Hungary – Wolff
Jul.23 (GMM) Toto Wolff admits that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will be the clear favourite at the next race in Hungary. “On paper, we can’t claim that we are among the favourites,” the Mercedes boss, whose title contending driver Lewis Hamilton controversially clashed with his Dutch rival at Silverstone and went on to win, told […]
Title battle could end with injury – Schumacher
Jul.23 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher is worried this year’s title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen could ultimately end in injury. At Silverstone, a high-speed crash after an uncompromising duel between the pair at the almost flat-out Copse corner left Verstappen briefly in hospital. Former F1 driver Schumacher thinks it could just be the precursor […]
New pitstop rules delayed until after F1 break
Jul.23 (GMM) The introduction of new pitstop rules in Formula 1 has been delayed. It emerged in June that the FIA will introduce minimum human reaction times for key moments during stops, in a move rumoured to be pointed most directly at championship leaders Red Bull. The rule was set to be enforced from next […]
Bottas to support Hamilton for 2021 title – Wolff
Jul.22 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas will fall in line behind Lewis Hamilton’s championship charge for the remainder of the 2021 head-to-head with Max Verstappen. At Silverstone, a slipstream from the Finn helped Hamilton onto the Friday pole position, and Bottas then obeyed Mercedes’ team orders to let the seven time world champion pass en route to […]
Ocon back up to speed after chassis change
Jul.22 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he is back up to speed after a notable recent performance dip. We reported after the two races in Austria that the Frenchman was asking for a new Alpine chassis, with Ocon having clearly dropped off teammate Fernando Alonso’s pace. 24-year-old Ocon, whose contract was recently extended, said after the […]
Beating Stroll should be ‘easy’ for Vettel – Schumacher
Jul.22 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel should put the bulk of his focus on consistently beating teammate Lance Stroll. So far in 2021, the quadruple world champion has attracted headlines for struggling to get up to speed at Aston Martin whilst also promoting his new eco-credentials. For instance, his pink helmet this year is in deference to […]
Raikkonen ‘doesn’t care’ who replaces him
Jul.22 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he doesn’t care who replaces him if Alfa Romeo decides against renewing his contract. At 41, the Finn is the oldest active driver and longest-serving in Formula 1 history, but he is being generally matched or outpaced by Antonio Giovinazzi this season. There are rumours that Valtteri Bottas, Mick Schumacher, […]
Honda admits cloud over October’s Japanese GP
Jul.22 (GMM) Honda’s F1 boss has admitted a dark cloud hangs over October’s Japanese GP. The world’s top athletes are currently congregating in Tokyo for the postponed 2020 Olympics, but the Japanese government has declared a covid emergency and largely banned spectators. Honda, Red Bull’s departing works engine supplier, owns the Suzuka circuit, and the […]
Honda’s Yamamoto ‘worried’ about Verstappen engine damage
Jul.22 (GMM) Even Honda is weighing into the controversy surrounding championship leader Max Verstappen’s high speed crash at Silverstone last Sunday. When asked by the specialist Japanese outlet As-Web what he will say when he bumps into Toto Wolff in the paddock in Hungary, Honda’s F1 boss Masashi Yamamoto admitted: “I would like to say […]
Wolff understands Verstappen father’s ’emotion’
Jul.22 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he understands the emotional reaction of Max Verstappen’s father in the wake of the incident with Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone. Jos Verstappen, whose relationship with Wolff actually dates back to Max’s days in the junior categories, said Mercedes’ jubilant celebrations whilst his son was still in hospital meant Wolff “no […]
2022 car already ‘a toddler’ in wind tunnel – Wolff
Jul.21 (GMM) Mercedes’ 2022 car is no longer a “baby” behind the scenes at Brackley, according to boss Toto Wolff. “It is a toddler, taking its first steps in the wind tunnel,” he told RTL, “where we can start to estimate where the performance is headed.” Indeed, whilst winding down development of the 2021 car, […]