Apr.27 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has clarified that he only has “a small job” with Mercedes in 2021. The 33-year-old admits to feeling some pain about missing out on the plum Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen this year. “I prefer not to watch Red Bull this year or I’ll cry,” he joked to Ziggo Sport. […]
Sainz says he is ‘not slower’ than Leclerc
Apr.27 (GMM) Ferrari newcomer Carlos Sainz insists he is “not slower” than his teammate Charles Leclerc. When asked about the Maranello based team, former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore said he is concerned that Ferrari already seems to be focused on 2022. “We are just starting the championship and we are already talking about next […]
Canada GP news expected ‘this week’
Apr.27 (GMM) News about the 2021 Canadian GP should be forthcoming “this week”. That is the claim of Quebec’s economics and innovation minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, amid reports regional and federal health authorities consider the Montreal race too unsafe to go ahead amid the pandemic. “The sea freight to Baku and Montreal should have left already,” […]
Domenicali comments on ‘super league’ situation
Apr.27 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali says the world of football might do well to look at how Formula 1 settled major political disputes in the past. Amid the ‘European Super League’ affair, the F1 CEO said Formula 1 has been in a similar situation before. “We had situations like this twice, where there was the risk […]
No spectators in Portugal or Barcelona – F1 CEO
Apr.27 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali admits that spectators will be locked out of the first double-header of 2021 in Portugal and Spain. The F1 CEO said that while he is happy with the television figures so far this season, “there is also an incredible desire to be physically near Formula 1”. “The problem with the public […]
Russell ‘deserves a chance’ at Mercedes – Massa
Apr.27 (GMM) George Russell is a “super driver” who “deserves a chance” to race for the works Mercedes team. That is the view of former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, who gave an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport on the occasion of his 40th birthday. When asked about Valtteri Bottas, who is struggling to match […]
Barcelona not keen on F1 ‘rotation’ idea
Apr.27 (GMM) Circuit de Catalunya boss Ramon Tremosa wants the Spanish GP to remain an annual fixture on the Formula 1 calendar. There are suggestions that, as new hosts like Miami enter the sport, some existing European races may need to head into an annual ‘rotation’ scheme. Tremosa told El Mundo Deportivo newspaper that he […]
Mazepin expects to spend ‘years’ in F1
Apr.27 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin is expecting to spend “at least a few years” in Formula 1. The controversial Russian has had a tough introduction to the F1 world, under fire for both his on and off-track behaviour and incidents. However, 22-year-old Mazepin insists he is not “panicking” about that. “I am sure that I will […]
Marko hopes Porsche, Audi cooperation ‘possible’
Apr.27 (GMM) Red Bull is looking to sign up even more members of Mercedes’ dominant F1 engine operation, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. The claims come after the energy drink owned team announced that it has poached current and long-time Mercedes engineer Ben Hodgkinson to be technical director of the newly-formed Red […]
Ocon tells Alpine to listen to him ‘as much as Alonso’
Apr.23 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he has been assured that Alpine’s bosses and engineers will listen to him as well as returned two-time team champion Fernando Alonso. After Imola, where 39-year-old Alonso finished just behind his French teammate Ocon in tenth place, the Spaniard admitted he is still getting up to speed after two years […]
Zak Brown happy as McLaren sells F1 factory for $240m
Apr.23 (GMM) McLaren has sold its iconic headquarters, including the Formula 1 factory, for almost $240 million. A New York-based real estate investment company called Global Net Lease announced the deal earlier this week, revealing that it will acquire the full Woking facility and enter a “20-year, NNN lease”. A so-called ‘triple-net’ lease means the […]
New rules not attacking Mercedes, Aston Martin – Berger
Apr.23 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger does not think Mercedes and Aston Martin were targeted with the new aerodynamic rules for 2021. Aston Martin, whose Racing Point car last year was colloquially dubbed the ‘pink Mercedes’, is arguing alongside the works Mercedes team that the sport’s authorities wanted to hurt the cars with a so-called […]
GPDA boss Wurz would prefer ‘natural track limits’
Apr.22 (GMM) Formula 1 must fix the ongoing ‘track limits’ controversy by enforcing clear and strict rules, according to Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chief Alex Wurz. Like many in Formula 1 who lament the current inconsistent rules, former driver Wurz thinks the ideal solution would be to define the circuits’ limits with natural features. “I […]
Winning title could take Alpine ‘years’ – Alonso
Apr.22 (GMM) It could take Alpine as many as “seven years” to emerge at the top of Formula 1. That is the view of Fernando Alonso, the returning two-time champion who was recently described as the team’s “Godfather” by Renault CEO Luca de Meo. “I think what he meant is that, of everyone in the […]
Hamilton taking ‘big risks’ to beat Verstappen
Apr.22 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton now has to take “big risks” in order to defend his world title in 2021. That is the view of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who likens Max Verstappen’s charge this year to when he took on Michael Schumacher. “It’s going to be exciting,” the French Canadian told f1-insider.com. “We already […]
Two candidates emerge to replace FIA president
Apr.22 (GMM) Two candidates have emerged on the front row of the grid to succeed Jean Todt as FIA president. Todt’s third and final term expires in December, and f1-insider.com correspondent Michael Zeitler reports that United Arab Emirates representative and former rally driver Mohammed Bin Sulayem is one potential successor. “He wants to bring a […]
French GP ‘in negotiations’ for reduced F1 race fee
Apr.22 (GMM) Paul Ricard is in talks with Formula 1 about reducing the French GP hosting fee. Le Figaro newspaper reports that the circuit at Le Castellet will be limited to just 15,000 fans per day for its scheduled late June event. “We are fighting for the right to host the grand prix, which is […]
Domenicali admits European race could go
Apr.22 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali says a current European race could be scrapped to make way for the new Miami GP next year. However, the F1 CEO insists that the new race in the United States will not replace the country’s existing event in Austin. “A yes to Miami doesn’t mean a no to Austin,” Domenicali […]
2021 Canada GP now listed as ‘TBA’
Apr.22 (GMM) F1’s governing body is now listing the 2021 Canadian GP as ‘TBA’ – to be confirmed. It is now widely expected that the Montreal race will be scrapped for the second year in succession due to the covid pandemic. City mayor Valerie Plante, however, is not quite ready to confirm that. “It is […]
Ex drivers say Vettel ‘a finished man’ in F1
Apr.22 (GMM) Two former drivers have suggested Sebastian Vettel’s most competitive days in Formula 1 may be over. There were high hopes the quadruple world champion’s form would be boosted by his move from Ferrari to Aston Martin for 2021. Actually, after Vettel’s first two races for his new team, former F3000 driver Jason Watt […]