Dec.4 (GMM) Haas boss Gunther Steiner says he is not worried that he has signed up a driver for 2021 who does not currently have a Formula 1 super licence. Nikita Mazepin, the son of Russian billionaire Dmitry, is currently third in the Formula 2 standings. But if he drops back to eighth this weekend […]
Sainz hopes to test 2020 Ferrari in Abu Dhabi
Dec.4 (GMM) Carlos Sainz is hoping to join his countryman Fernando Alonso in being allowed to take part in the so-called ‘young drivers test’ in the days after next weekend’s Abu Dhabi finale. Sainz’s McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, on Friday hit out at the FIA’s decision to allow 39-year-old two-time world champion Alonso to test […]
Schumacher could replace Grosjean in Abu Dhabi
Dec.3 (GMM) Mick Schumacher could make his Formula 1 debut earlier than expected. Haas on Wednesday finally announced the highly-anticipated news about Michael Schumacher’s 21-year-old son being signed up for 2021 and beyond. The team promptly released images of Schumacher having a seat fitted in Haas’ 2020 car, ahead of his planned Friday practice outing […]
Newey to Aston Martin rumours resurface
Dec.3 (GMM) New reports suggest Aston Martin is making a big-money bid to lure famous F1 designer Adrian Newey from Red Bull. We first reported the rumour in September, but Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko told Sport1: “Adrian is definitely under contract with us. “Adrian was recently able to test a rare Aston Martin and […]
Grosjean could have ‘year off’ after crash
Dec.3 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has all but admitted he was to blame for his fiery crash in Bahrain last Sunday. “It went too fast but I didn’t know I had touched Kvyat,” the Frenchman, who left hospital on Wednesday with minor injuries – the worst of which is his burned left hand – told French […]
How good is Mercedes without Hamilton? – Schumacher
Dec.3 (GMM) Bahrain this weekend will show whether Lewis Hamilton is “worth every penny” to Mercedes. That is the view of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, speaking after Mercedes decided to replace the covid-stricken seven time world champion with Williams’ 22-year-old Mercedes junior. “George already knows the car as a test driver for Mercedes,” Schumacher […]
Verstappen covid-negative after Hamilton contact
Dec.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen has tested negative for covid-19 following concerns he was a ‘close contact’ of world champion Lewis Hamilton’s last week. The Dutchman shared podium celebrations and a press conference with the Mercedes driver last Sunday in Bahrain, one day before Hamilton tested positive for the famous virus. “Like all his previous tests […]
Ferrari made call to promote Schumacher to Haas
Dec.3 (GMM) Ferrari chose which one of its three ‘academy’ junior drivers would race for Haas in 2021, according to the American outfit’s boss Gunther Steiner. Haas finally announced on Wednesday that Mick Schumacher will make his F1 debut next year. “Of course it attracts a lot of worldwide attention, so we have to handle […]
Alonso shown green light for ‘young driver’ test
Dec.3 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has been shown the green light to test Renault’s 2020 car in the ‘young driver’ test after Abu Dhabi. Earlier, observers dismissed the notion that a 39-year-old two-time world champion could possibly be regarded as a ‘young driver’ – even after a two-year sabbatical. However, Spanish media sources report that F1 […]
Steiner better than Vasseur as Mick’s first boss – Ralf
Dec.3 (GMM) Gunther Steiner is the perfect first team boss for Mick Schumacher. That is the claim of 21-year-old Schumacher’s uncle Ralf, who knows both Steiner and Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost well. “Haas was the only choice Mick had, but it was a stroke of luck for me because of Gunther Steiner,” Ralf Schumacher […]
VW to quit motor racing completely
Dec.2 (GMM) Volkswagen is quitting motor racing – completely. While rumours over the years have even hinted at a Formula 1 program for the world’s second biggest carmaker, board member Dr Frank Welsch says VW will instead turn its full attention to “sustainable electromobility”. “To this end, we are pooling our strengths and have decided […]
Ferrari wants leniency as budget cap looms
Dec.2 (GMM) Ferrari is pushing for leniency as the budget cap looms for 2021. Big teams like Ferrari, with current budgets well above the $145 million allowed next year, will get a six-month period of leniency to minimise mass sackings. But team boss Mattia Binotto says that is not enough for Ferrari, especially amid the […]
Two candidates in running to replace Hamilton
Dec.2 (GMM) Two candidates have emerged at the front of the queue for Lewis Hamilton’s plum Mercedes cockpit this weekend in Bahrain. Seven time world champion Hamilton has just started a 10-day isolation period in the island Kingdom after testing positive for Covid with mild symptoms. Immediately, the candidates to replace him starting lining up, […]
Champions slam Ricciardo over F1 replay criticism
Dec.2 (GMM) Two former world champions have slammed Daniel Ricciardo for his stinging rebuke of the way Formula 1 handled the replays of Romain Grosjean’s fiery crash. Australian Ricciardo said he was “disgusted” with F1 for the way the official broadcast turned a serious accident into a “Hollywood” moment. But the Renault driver’s fellow Australian […]
Haas admits Mazepin’s father could sponsor team
Dec.2 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has defended his decision to sign Nikita Mazepin for 2021 and beyond – and denied that the Russian’s father Dmitry is buying the small American team. While Mick Schumacher’s expected deal is still yet to be announced, Haas finally revealed the open secret about 21-year-old Mazepin’s contract on Tuesday. “Mazepin is […]
Boss says Grosjean replacement Fittipaldi ‘not a mascot’
Dec.2 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has hit back at critics of Haas’ decision to replace the injured Romain Grosjean with Pietro Fittipaldi this weekend in Bahrain. Although 24-year-old Fittipaldi – the grandson of Brazilian F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi – has tested for the team several times, he has not driven a Formula 1 car in 2020. […]
French GP crowd capped at 15,000 for 2021
Dec.2 (GMM) French GP organisers have been granted approval for a crowd size of just 15,000 spectators for the race at Paul Ricard next June. Although many other European circuits hosted races with limited crowds or no spectators at all this year, the 2020 French GP was cancelled altogether amid the pandemic. “Our eyes are […]
No green light for Grosjean’s return yet – Steiner
Dec.2 (GMM) Romain Grosjean says he wants to return to action for his final Formula 1 race in Abu Dhabi next weekend “after a bit of psychological work”. “I really saw death coming,” the Frenchman said on Tuesday as he recalled his horror Bahrain crash. “The images I saw, even in Hollywood I don’t think […]
Journalist says Grosjean aims to race in Abu Dhabi
Dec.1 (GMM) Romain Grosjean is reportedly aiming to return to the cockpit of his Haas car in Abu Dhabi, for what will almost certainly be his last Formula 1 race. After team boss Gunther Steiner visited Frenchman Grosjean in hospital on Monday, the American outfit announced that he will be replaced in Bahrain this weekend […]
Drivers ‘not sissies’ after big crashes – Verstappen
Dec.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen has hit back at criticism of his claim that Formula 1 drivers should not have the choice to sit out a race after a horror crash involving one of their rivals. The Dutchman raised eyebrows when asked on Sunday if drivers shaken by accidents like that suffered by Romain Grosjean should […]