Apr.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko does not think Max Verstappen made a mistake by letting Lewis Hamilton re-pass him for the lead and victory in Bahrain last weekend. Bahrain GP steward Emanuele Pirro this week revealed that the “maximum” penalty the FIA could have given the Dutchman for his illegal pass on Hamilton was a […]
Haas can only race Williams in 2021 – Steiner
Apr.1 (GMM) Haas’ only goal for 2021 is to race Williams at the very back of the grid. That is the admission of boss Gunther Steiner, who openly admits that the small American team will not attempt to develop the 2020 car at all. “It will be good if we can compete with Williams,” he […]
Tost ‘sure’ Tsunoda will be world champion
Apr.1 (GMM) Franz Tost says he is “sure” Yuki Tsunoda will go on to become the first world champion from Japan. “He’ll be world champion one day. I’m sure of that,” the Alpha Tauri boss told Sport1’s AvD Motor und Sport Magazin. It’s been a similar tune coming from Alpha Tauri team owner Red Bull […]
Montreal mayor wants F1 race to go ahead
Apr.1 (GMM) Montreal’s mayor says she wants the Canadian GP to proceed in June. At present, the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is among the most endangered on the 2021 calendar due to the government’s mandatory quarantine rules. “For us, Formula 1 is important,” Montreal mayor Valerie Plante told Canadian media. “So the important […]
Vettel never good under pressure – Berger
Apr.1 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is still struggling with pressure, according to his first Formula 1 team boss Gerhard Berger. The quadruple world champion was ousted by Ferrari but switched to Aston Martin for 2021 and beyond – and had a dire pre-season test and first race in Bahrain. “At Ferrari it was the same thing,” […]
No spectators at Imola again in 2021
Mar.31 (GMM) The next grand prix of 2021 will be a ‘ghost race’, Emilia Romagna regional president Stefano Bonaccini has revealed. Last year, the covid-19 substitute race at Imola was also held behind closed doors, and Bonaccini said the situation must remain the same for 2021 as well. “The grand prix on April 18 will […]
First Ferrari race not time to ‘attack’ – Sainz
Mar.31 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he took a calmer than usual approach to his first race with Ferrari in Bahrain. The Spaniard, who switched from McLaren to replace the ousted Sebastian Vettel for 2021, qualified four places behind new teammate Charles Leclerc and also finished his first grand prix wearing red in eighth place. “In […]
Mercedes may not be ‘good enough’ to win at Imola
Mar.31 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton may have won in Bahrain, but his Mercedes team is worried the situation could be different once the racing resumes next month at Imola. “It was awfully hard work and we had quite a tough time,” admitted engineering boss Andrew Shovlin after the 2021 season opener. “If you look at Red […]
No technical boss at Williams was ‘crazy’ – Russell
Mar.31 (GMM) George Russell thinks Williams is finally moving in the right direction in Formula 1. The once-great British team has been the sport’s permanent backmarker in the recent past, but in 2021 appears to have moved away from the very rear of the grid. It comes after the Williams family departed Formula 1 last […]
Steward says Verstappen could have won in Bahrain
Mar.31 (GMM) Bahrain GP steward and former F1 driver Emanuele Pirro says Max Verstappen may have won last Sunday’s race if he had refused to hand back the lead to Lewis Hamilton. The ‘tracks limits’ issue is back with a bang early in 2021, after Mercedes’ Hamilton ran wide at turn four on 30 different […]
‘Criticism’ may have hurt Mazepin in Bahrain – boss
Mar.30 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has admitted Nikita Mazepin’s tumultuous pre-season could have contributed to his horror first race weekend in Formula 1. The 22-year-old Russian rookie was one of the most prominent figures of the 2021 pre-season, as he was the subject of a vitriolic and constant social media hate campaign. Then, as the season […]
Vettel ‘won’t be on the grid in 2022’ – Watt
Mar.30 (GMM) “Time has run out” for Sebastian Vettel in Formula 1, according to former racing driver Jason Watt. After losing his Ferrari seat, the quadruple world champion switched to Aston Martin for 2021 but had a miserable pre-season test and first race in Bahrain. Team boss Otmar Szafnauer defended the beleaguered 33-year-old. “The car […]
F1 putting ‘finishing touches’ on sprint races – CEO
Mar.30 (GMM) Formula 1 is putting “the finishing touches” on its plan for the three-race sprint qualifying format trial in 2021. “In the coming days, we will be putting the finishing touches on the sprint race plan,” confirmed F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. The teams have agreed to experiment with the 30-minute Saturday sprint qualifying race […]
Hamilton can win in ‘inferior car’ – Albers
Mar.30 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton proved that he doesn’t need the best car to win grands prix. That is the view of Christijan Albers, a Dutch former Formula 1 driver who admits that “I think we all wanted Max (Verstappen) to win” the Bahrain season opener. “To be honest, Hamilton ruined that party by himself,” he […]
Wolff ‘knew’ Honda would ace final F1 engine
Mar.30 (GMM) Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has hailed Red Bull engine partner Honda for producing a more potent power unit than the reigning champion team for 2021. Although Lewis Hamilton pipped Max Verstappen at the post in Bahrain, it was the Red Bull-Honda that dominated with pace throughout the season opening weekend. Wolff gives much of […]
Red Bull could win ‘a lot more’ in 2021 – Hamilton
Mar.29 (GMM) Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton may have pipped Max Verstappen at the post after the Red Bull otherwise dominated the 2021 season opener in Bahrain. But the Dutch driver’s boss Christian Horner was looking on the bright side late on Sunday. “There were a few rule changes this winter that apparently brought the teams at […]
Ferrari can ‘finally’ rely on both drivers – Binotto
Mar.29 (GMM) Ferrari can “finally” rely on two competitive drivers in Formula 1. That is the controversial claim after Bahrain of team boss Mattia Binotto, having decided to oust Sebastian Vettel and replace him for 2021 with Carlos Sainz. “It’s a good starting point,” Binotto told Sky Italia, after Charles Leclerc and Sainz finished sixth […]
Mazepin ‘doesn’t belong’ in F1 – Salo
Mar.29 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin “just doesn’t belong” in Formula 1. That is the blunt assessment of a former F1 driver and regular FIA steward, after Russian rookie Mazepin’s tumultuous pre-season period spilled into the 2021 season opener in Bahrain. Indeed, the 22-year-old repeatedly spun during qualifying, was consistently outpaced by teammate Mick Schumacher, and he […]
F1 talks with new manufacturers taking place – CEO
Mar.29 (GMM) “Many conversations” are taking place behind closed doors as Stefano Domenicali admits manufacturers other than Porsche are looking into Formula 1. While many worry about how many of the 23 scheduled races will fall victim to covid-19 this season, new F1 CEO Domenicali is sounding upbeat. “We have a contract with the teams, […]
Vettel’s Aston Martin ‘not that good’ – Tost
Mar.29 (GMM) Aston Martin’s 2021 car is “not that good”, according to rival Alpha Tauri’s team boss Franz Tost. Sebastian Vettel joining the former Racing Point outfit after being ousted by Ferrari had been billed as a return to a happy environment for the beleaguered quadruple world champion to thrive in. But Vettel struggled massively […]