Mar.26 (GMM) Even life in the Formula 1 paddock is no longer “fun”. That was the downbeat assessment of Red Bull’s 78-year-old Austrian official Dr Helmut Marko after hours of meetings that ultimately cleared the Saudi Arabian GP to be “safe” despite nearby missile strikes. “We have the pandemic, we have the war in Europe […]
F1 banned driver comments after missile attack
Mar.26 (GMM) Formula 1 banned drivers from making comment after a nearby Aramco oil facility was attacked by missiles and drones during free practice in Saudi Arabia. The second session was delayed after world champion Max Verstappen noticed a burning smell from his cockpit that turned out to be a huge explosion at the facility […]
Russell can’t see F1’s Netflix ‘problem’
Mar.25 (GMM) George Russell has broken ranks with those Formula 1 drivers who blast the official Netflix series Drive To Survive. Max Verstappen and some of his peers are reportedly now snubbing producers as they begin filming for the 2022 series, with the reigning world champion calling some narratives “fake”. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali acknowledges […]
Sainz denies Ferrari engine is ‘superior’
Mar.25 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has hit back at the early 2022 theory about Ferrari’s all-new power unit. After focusing all last season on the new set of revolutionary regulations, and then finishing 1-2 from pole in Bahrain, most agree that Ferrari is now leading the field with its 1000-plus horsepower engine. Carlos Sainz disagrees. “Our […]
Schumacher to ‘talk’ to other ‘top teams’
Mar.25 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen’s pace is good news, not bad news, for Mick Schumacher. That is the view of former driver Christian Danner, even though the experienced Dane Magnussen’s eleventh-hour return to replace Nikita Mazepin at Haas appears to have threatened Schumacher’s top-dog status. Indeed, the newly 23-year-old Schumacher is out of contract at the […]
Alonso ‘not worried’ about F1’s covid outbreak
Mar.25 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he’s “not worried” that covid could be about to wreak havoc on Formula 1 once again. Just as restrictions are easing across the world, including in the F1 paddock, the sport has been struck by two prominent covid-19 infections. First, Daniel Ricciardo missed the Bahrain test, and now Sebastian Vettel […]
‘No more emotion’ in Wolff-Horner rivalry
Mar.24 (GMM) Toto Wolff says his intense personal rivalry with his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner is now over. Last year during the intense Red Bull versus Mercedes title battle, but even before that, the pair were often at bitter loggerheads via the media. Horner called the Mercedes boss a “tax evader” for moving to […]
Domenicali expects Imola crowd ‘like the old days’
Mar.24 (GMM) The world of Formula 1 should be bracing for even longer race schedules, according to the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali. This year, an unprecedented 23 grands prix are scheduled – and the Italian says F1 is not done yet. “I think there’s potential to get to 24,” Domenicali is quoted by Sky Deutschland. […]
Sainz, Binotto say Ferrari not 2022 favourite
Mar.24 (GMM) Ferrari must not believe it is favourite to win the 2022 world championship, according to Carlos Sainz. It’s advice that the Spanish driver’s boss Mattia Binotto doesn’t need to hear, because he is keeping his feet firmly planted despite the impressive 1-2 finish in Bahrain last weekend. The Italian has his eyes firmly […]
Red Bull, Klien confirm team’s Bahrain fuel issue
Mar.24 (GMM) It is still not clear what caused Red Bull’s double-DNF at the 2022 season opener. World champion Max Verstappen’s team is dead last on the constructors’ table after failures in what Red Bull suspects is a fuel system-related problem. Former team driver Christian Klien believes he knows what the issue is. “The team […]
Renault ‘on par’ with other F1 engines – Rossi
Mar.24 (GMM) Renault’s new-for-2022 engine is up to speed with the other engine manufacturers in Formula 1. That is the claim of Laurent Rossi, president of the Renault-owned Alpine team. “We’re with the music now,” he told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. “Maybe not quite on Ferrari’s level, but on par with Mercedes and Honda. […]
Honda’s F1 employees switched to Red Bull
Mar.23 (GMM) Not much has changed in Red Bull’s on-track relationship with Honda – even though the name has officially departed. On the 2022 Bahrain GP entry list, the team is now referred to as ‘Red Bull Racing RBPT’, with the acronym referring to Red Bull Powertrains. On the face of it, the energy drink-owned […]
‘No idea’ if McLaren can improve – Norris
Mar.23 (GMM) Lando Norris says he has “no idea” if McLaren will still be among the slowest cars this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Having ridden a wave of recent form, culminating in third and fourth overall respectively in the 2020 and 2021 constructors’ standings, the orange-coloured team has slumped to ninth overall after the Bahrain […]
Mercedes driver lineup ‘won’t work well’ – Alesi
Mar.23 (GMM) Ferrari has the best driver lineup in Formula 1. That is the view of a driver who spent two separate stints during his long F1 career at the great Maranello marque – Jean Alesi. He says the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz duo, which finished first and second in that order in Bahrain, […]
Overtaking ‘not easy’ in new F1 era – Alonso
Mar.23 (GMM) Overtaking is “not easy” even with Formula 1’s all-new ground effect cars. That is the news from Fernando Alonso, as he explained that the problem of overtaking has not been completely solved by the 2022 rules revolution. “Following another car is easier now,” he said after the Bahrain season opener. “But overtaking is […]
Ricciardo not blaming covid for 2022 struggle
Mar.22 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has denied that his poor performance in Bahrain was caused by his covid infection. The Australian not only had to sit out the final pre-season test at the same Sakhir circuit due to his positive covid test, he was actually confined to bed for several days with the virus. He said […]
Mercedes problems could last ‘all year’ – Russell
Mar.22 (GMM) It could be “the summer break” – or even longer – before Mercedes manage to solve the problems that will keep the reigning champions behind Ferrari and Red Bull in 2022. The Brackley based team is suffering from two obvious problems so far in the new rules era – excessive ‘porpoising’ on top […]
Mick can learn from Magnussen success – Ralf
Mar.22 (GMM) “The air is thinner” near the very top in Formula 1. Those are the words of Haas boss Gunther Steiner, as he explained Mick Schumacher’s challenge in now fighting back against his new teammate Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen could barely keep the smile off his face all weekend in Bahrain – not just because […]
Red Bull denies running out of fuel in Bahrain
Mar.22 (GMM) Red Bull has rejected suggestions world champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez simply ran out of fuel last Sunday in the 2022 season opener. The duo was on its way to 2nd and 4th places in the closing stages of the Bahrain race until Verstappen began to complain of steering and battery problems. […]
Domenicali expects Volkswagen news ‘soon’
Mar.22 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali is expecting more news about Volkswagen entering Formula 1 in 2026 “soon”. The F1 CEO was speaking as Audi board member Oliver Hoffman told Automobilwoche that the VW-owned German luxury carmaker is actively considering a F1 foray. “We are in contact with the FIA and Formula 1,” he said. “For a […]