Mar.18 (GMM) It’s not just the ongoing covid crisis that is endangering the 2022 Formula 1 season. All the race promoters got together in Bahrain last week to discuss the potential impact on the sport of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has already caused the cancellation of the Sochi race. “Yes, some countries are closer to […]
F1 cars no longer ‘incredible’ – Stroll
Mar.18 (GMM) Three Formula 1 drivers have opened their 2022 accounts by aiming fire at the sport’s highly anticipated new technical rules. Seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton fired his criticism at Pirelli’s new 18-inch tyres. “They slide more and the grip is worse than before,” the Mercedes driver said. Hamilton, 37, also said the […]
Ferrari’s engine has caught up – Binotto
Mar.18 (GMM) Ferrari has caught up with the other manufacturers in terms of engine performance, according to team boss Mattia Binotto. In 2019, an engine advantage became a major disadvantage for the Maranello team after it was accused of ‘cheating’ and forced by the FIA to make key design tweaks. Finally, that advantage appears to […]
Bottas gives thumbs-up to F1 rule reforms
Mar.18 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has given the thumbs-up to Formula 1’s reform process after the highly controversial 2021 season finale. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has kicked off the new season by rigorously denying ongoing claims that Max Verstappen’s success over Lewis Hamilton was “rigged”. “If I thought it was, I wouldn’t be here,” the Italian […]
Drivers call for end to F1’s covid era
Mar.18 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he’s feeling “fine” despite being sidelined for the season opening Bahrain GP this weekend. Just as Daniel Ricciardo returns to action after a week off with covid-19, quadruple world champion Vettel has succumbed to the same infection – and F1’s strict ‘no race’ policy that applies for the third season […]
Bottas admits Hamilton ‘better than me’
Mar.17 (GMM) After five years alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas has a frank admission. “We had a meeting at the factory in December 2021,” the Finn, who lost his seat for 2022 and has relocated to Alfa Romeo, told the Swiss newspaper Blick. “Everyone was there and I said it very loudly to […]
‘Porpoising’ will be short-lived in F1 – Binotto
Mar.17 (GMM) Mattia Binotto thinks all the fuss about so-called ‘porpoising’ will soon go quiet in Formula 1 circles. Actually, the aerodynamic phenomenon caused by the radical reversion to ground effect cars this year appears to have caught many teams by surprise – including Mercedes. “It seems like Red Bull and Ferrari have managed to […]
Verstappen title ‘also my success’ – Albon
Mar.17 (GMM) Alex Albon says he feels proud to have helped Max Verstappen become 2021 world champion. The British-born Thai is returning to the grid in 2022 after a gap-year as Red Bull’s official reserve and development driver, whilst racing in DTM. “It’s strange to suddenly do all the work in the simulator at the […]
2022 could be Hamilton’s last season – experts
Mar.17 (GMM) 2022 could be Lewis Hamilton’s final season in Formula 1. That is the suspicion of a couple of renowned experts – including a top official of the team whose driver beat the seven time world champion to the 2021 title. “Hamilton knows the opponent Max (Verstappen) has grown into,” Dr Helmut Marko told […]
Mercedes has ‘big problems’ in 2022 – Gasly
Mar.17 (GMM) Pierre Gasly thinks reports that Mercedes may not be in a winning position early in 2022 may be true. The Alpha Tauri driver revealed that he was able to practice some nose-to-tail racing with the new ground effect cars after coming across Lewis Hamilton on track in the Bahrain test. “I didn’t think […]
‘Green light’ for Canada GP return – promoter
Mar.17 (GMM) It will be a case of third time’s the charm for the Canadian GP in 2022. Both in 2021 and again when the pandemic broke out in 2020, Formula 1’s popular race in Montreal was cancelled. “I can confirm it to you,” Canada GP promoter Francois Dumontier told Le Journal de Montreal on […]
‘Progress’ in search for Uralkali replacement
Mar.17 (GMM) Gunther Steiner admits he is on the hunt for a new replacement sponsor for the axed Uralkali deal. Unwittingly embroiled in the fallout of the Russia-Ukraine crisis and subsequent western sanctions, Haas terminated its deal with Uralkali, headed by Nikita Mazepin’s father Dmitry. “Of course it leaves a big gap,” team boss Steiner […]
Tost wants Tsunoda to remain ‘wild’
Mar.17 (GMM) Franz Tost insists he doesn’t want to take the “wild” nature out of Yuki Tsunoda. Last year, when the diminutive Japanese made his F1 debut for Alpha Tauri, he eventually found himself rebuked for a series of accidents and incidents. But team boss Tost insists that Tsunoda, 21, had a much better start […]
Second F1 boss eyes budget cap increase
Mar.16 (GMM) A second Formula 1 team boss thinks the sport may need to pivot to adjust to the latest alarming global developments. Inflation, for instance, is sharply on the rise amid the post-covid era and the alarming situation in Ukraine, resulting in Russian oil and gas sanctions and skyrocketing prices. That’s bad news for […]
Bottas admits struggling with ‘dominant’ Hamilton
Mar.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas admits he struggled to compete with the “dominant” character of seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. After five successive one-year contracts at the dominant Formula 1 team, Finn Bottas is keeping his career alive at Alfa Romeo – where he finally has a longer term contract. “The most important […]
Masi successor facing ‘completely different’ F1 role
Mar.16 (GMM) Formula 1’s new race director faces a transition period as he adjusts to a “completely different” environment. Niels Wittich, the former DTM race director who will alternate the role with Eduardo Freitas this year with Herbie Blash’s advisory support, is someone former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher says he knows. “The two of us […]
Haas’ Ferrari ‘copy’ a ‘concern’ for F1 rival
Mar.16 (GMM) Haas will leap into the Formula 1 midfield thanks to racing a Ferrari “copy” in 2022. Indeed, throughout the 2021 season the small American team was busily setting up a location on the grounds of Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters in Italy. The result is the new white and red Haas car, which has proved […]
Szafnauer left Aston Martin over Stroll
Mar.16 (GMM) Otmar Szafnauer says he left Aston Martin because of interference from the team owner. The 57-year-old, who was at the helm throughout the Force India, Racing Point and Aston Martin transition, has switched over the winter to Renault-owned Alpine. When asked in Bahrain why that happened, Szafnauer answered: “Two Popes is not possible. […]
Four F1 drivers slam official Netflix series
Mar.16 (GMM) Four more drivers are speaking out about the latest edition of the official Netflix series about Formula 1. As the fourth season of Drive To Survive hits screens all over the world, Max Verstappen once again snubbed any active participation, describing Netflix’s narratives as “fake”. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz agrees. “The fans who […]
Ferrari’s Russian sponsor in political spotlight
Mar.16 (GMM) Ferrari has removed the logo of its Russian sponsor, the Moscow-based cybersecurity multinational Kaspersky Lab, from the front wing of its 2022 F1 car. The move comes after BSI, the German federal cybersecurity authority, warned of the “significant risk of an IT attack” due to Kaspersky’s operations in the west. “The actions of […]