Dec.7 (GMM) Not only can Max Verstappen handle the pressure of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi finale – he will win it. That is the confident boast of former Dutch F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, as countryman Verstappen heads into the last race of the ultra-intense 2021 battle level on points with Lewis Hamilton. “I […]
Horner wants ‘clean and fair’ Abu Dhabi finale
Dec.7 (GMM) Christian Horner insists he wants this weekend’s thrilling showdown to the ultra-tense world championship battle to be “clean and fair”. He was speaking amid accusations that Max Verstappen is much more likely than Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to instigate on-track trouble that could lead to a title-ending collision. Although Red Bull’s Dutch driver and […]
‘Borderline’ Verstappen still ‘deserves’ 2021 title
Dec.7 (GMM) The big question ahead of Sunday’s crescendo to the fascinatingly intense 2021 world championship is whether it will come down to a crash. “No, I don’t think it will escalate further,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said after last weekend’s chaotic and controversial penultimate round in Saudi Arabia. “There are so many warning […]
Brother denies Vettel no longer in F1’s top five
Dec.7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel’s brother has defended the quadruple world champion amid suggestions he has dropped out of the top five best drivers in Formula 1. Former F1 driver and now legendary British commentator Martin Brundle made the comment about 34-year-old Vettel’s fading status since he left the winning Red Bull team to join first […]
Bottas preparing to leave Mercedes ‘pressure chamber’
Dec.6 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is looking forward to “less pressure” but “more responsibility” as he leaves behind his five-year stint at Mercedes. The 32-year-old Finn is being replaced by the promising Williams driver and Mercedes junior George Russell. “This has been quite a pressure chamber,” Bottas, speaking at his second-last race for Mercedes in Saudi […]
Red Bull will push for Hamilton penalty – Marko
Dec.6 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has vowed to keep fighting Mercedes as hard off the track as Max Verstappen is fighting Lewis Hamilton wheel-to-wheel on the track. The top Red Bull official hit out at Toto Wolff and Hamilton’s accusations of a “brake test” by Verstappen that resulted in contact and a penalty. According to […]
Verstappen thinks ‘rules don’t apply’ – Hamilton
Dec.6 (GMM) Max Verstappen doesn’t think “the rules apply” to him, bitter championship rival Lewis Hamilton said after perhaps the most intense and significant moment in their ultra-intense 2021 duel so far. The pair now head into the Abu Dhabi finale this weekend exactly level-pegging on points – 369.5 apiece. It is a stunning and […]
Piastri’s future depends on Alonso
Dec.5 (GMM) Oscar Piastri’s rise to the Formula 1 grid depends in part on Fernando Alonso. That is the news from Marcin Budkowski, Alpine’s executive director who does admit that the Mark Webber-managed Piastri is being fully supported by the Renault-owned team. Australian Piastri, who is leading the Formula 2 standings, has already been signed […]
Vasseur hits out at departing Alfa-Sauber chairman
Dec.5 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur has hit out after the chairman of Alfa Romeo’s team owner quit. “It was his own decision,” the Frenchman declared in Saudi Arabia, following reports that Pascal Picci – representing Sauber Motorsport’s owner Longbow Finance – recently quit in acrimonious circumstances. It is believed the final straw for Picci was the […]
Verstappen warns of ‘serious accident’ at Jeddah
Dec.5 (GMM) A “serious accident” could be just around the corner at Saudi Arabia’s new Jeddah street circuit – literally. That is the warning of Max Verstappen, even though he stunned onlookers with his sensational pace around F1’s newest, ultra high-speed, wall-lined track until his Q3 mistake. The Dutchman admitted, however, that his biggest worry […]
Verstappen targets win after Saudi setback
Dec.5 (GMM) Toto Wolff refused to gloat after Mercedes’ championship rival Max Verstappen made a key mistake on the last corner of Q3 in Saudi Arabia. “Red Bull has put a dominant package on the track here,” the Mercedes boss said after Dutchman Verstappen missed the front row of the grid due to striking the […]
2022 Belgian GP at fabled Spa circuit in doubt
Dec.4 (GMM) Historic Spa-Francorchamps’ place on the 2022 Formula 1 calendar may be in doubt. Stijn de Boever, the commercial director at the Belgian GP organiser, has reportedly admitted that it won’t be known until January whether the confirmed 28 August race date for 2022 can actually go ahead. The uncertainty seems to be linked […]
Verstappen’s father rules out Mercedes talks
Dec.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has ruled out a move to Mercedes for the 2021 championship leader, admitting their relationship with Toto Wolff has completely broken down. Earlier, Max Verstappen was regularly linked with a potential move to the reigning world champions – but his father Jos now effectively writes that possibility off. “We’re in […]
Prost admits Senna-like title crash ‘could happen’
Dec.4 (GMM) Alain Prost admits a title-deciding crash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen “could happen”. The F1 legend says he doesn’t mind that some are making comparisons between the current battle and his own intense and acrimonious championship scraps with Ayrton Senna. “No I don’t mind, because we made history in our sport,” said […]
Verstappen title win ‘better for F1’ – Villeneuve
Dec.4 (GMM) It would be “better for Formula 1” if Lewis Hamilton fails to win a record eighth world championship next Sunday. That is the view of 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve, who told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that he is enjoying the intense 2021 battle that has now entered its final two rounds […]
No benefit from Mercedes-style ‘rocket’ – Verstappen
Dec.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen has once again played down rumours Honda is working on its own Mercedes-style ‘rocket’ engine specification for the 2021 title showdown. The world championship leader, who is being chased down in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi by Lewis Hamilton and his fresh engine that was described by Dr Helmut Marko as […]
Wolff apologises for new Mercedes sponsorship
Dec.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff has publicly apologised for announcing a new sponsorship deal with Irish building materials company Kingspan. The announcement triggered widespread social media backlash, due to Kingspan having been implicated in last year’s official inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. During the inquiry, it emerged that one Kingspan director had at […]
Aston Martin could build own F1 engine
Dec.4 (GMM) Aston Martin is not ruling out ‘doing a Red Bull’ by building its own Formula 1 engine. The newly-rebranded former Racing Point and Force India team signed Sebastian Vettel for 2021 but has struggled, with the four time world champion admitting in Saudi Arabia: “Our car has too much drag, not enough downforce”. […]
‘Everyone’ wants Verstappen to win title – Ecclestone
Dec.3 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he and “everyone I speak to” hopes that Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the first time either this or next Sunday. The former F1 supremo insists that is nothing against seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton – he thinks it’s simply time Formula 1 had a new winner. […]
Management turmoil at Alfa-Sauber as chairman quits
Dec.3 (GMM) There is turmoil behind the scenes at the Formula 1 team known as Alfa Romeo. The team is actually owned and controlled by Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport, who came tantalisingly close to selling to US racing legend Michael Andretti recently. “It was very disappointing that the contract wasn’t signed,” the former McLaren driver said […]