Jul.12 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is not ruling out a change of chassis ahead of this weekend’s British GP at Silverstone. Earlier in 2021, the Frenchman had the upper hand over his two-time champion teammate Fernando Alonso, who returned to Formula 1 this year with Alpine. “I am more happy and comfortable now,” 39-year-old Alonso said […]
Spectators get green light for Zandvoort, Hungary
Jul.12 (GMM) While some remaining Formula 1 venues this year are under a dark cloud, the Dutch and Hungarian grands prix appear to have the green light for big crowds. British Sky commentator Martin Brundle thinks venues like Mugello and the Nurburgring are potential replacements for the cancelled Melbourne race and perhaps also Brazil. “There […]
Mercedes set to announce Russell for 2022
Jul.12 (GMM) Mercedes is poised to announce the signing of George Russell for 2022 and beyond, according to a growing number of authoritative sources. British commentators Martin Brundle and David Croft, as well as 1996 world champion Damon Hill, all admit they are expecting the news to be made official at the British GP this […]
Ricciardo to use home simulator to improve
Jul.12 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo may be changing his tune about e-sports. A year ago, before switching to McLaren, the highly regarded Australian driver said of the growing trend for at-home, online racing: “I’ll leave that to the younger generations.” One of those younger, e-sports-savvy drivers is Ricciardo’s 21-year-old McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who is easily […]
Hamilton will not choose 2022 teammate – Alonso
Jul.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso doubts that his former teammate Lewis Hamilton will have a say about who he will be teamed up with next year at Mercedes. It is suggested that while Toto Wolff would like to promote George Russell for 2022 and beyond, seven time world champion Hamilton is pushing hard to keep Valtteri […]
Verstappen rumours were about ‘creating unrest’
Jul.9 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has rubbished speculation that Mercedes’ latest news has ‘closed the door’ to the German team for star Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. Marko, the top Austrian official at Red Bull, admitted he was surprised when Toto Wolff announced at the Red Bull Ring last weekend that Lewis Hamilton is staying […]
Gasly re-promotion a risk for Red Bull – Rosberg
Jul.9 (GMM) It would be a risk for Red Bull to re-promote Pierre Gasly to the Red Bull seat currently occupied by Sergio Perez. That is the view of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, hot on the heels of speculation that Frenchman Gasly is pushing hard for another chance at the premier team. “You have […]
Alonso predicts sprint qualifying format ‘tweaks’
Jul.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso thinks Formula 1 will introduce “tweaks” to the new sprint qualifying format after it debuts next weekend at Silverstone. Seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton has already warned that the short 17-lap race to determine the order of the British GP grid will probably be processional. “I always like to try […]
Seidl admits ‘risk’ of Norris race ban
Jul.9 (GMM) Andreas Seidl admits there is a “fundamental risk” that McLaren could lose its most competitive driver for a race. In Austria, a penalty for the on-form Lando Norris moved the British driver dangerously close to the maximum 12 super licence penalty points. Once his tally reaches 12, a race ban is mandatory. “It […]
Mercedes will not ‘give up’ 2021 title – Wolff
Jul.9 (GMM) Mercedes will not “give up” the fight with Red Bull for the 2021 world championship. Team boss Toto Wolff admits it is a “new experience” for the reigning champions to have been so roundly beaten by championship leaders Red Bull and Max Verstappen throughout the Paul Ricard-Austria-Austria triple header. “It is a very […]
F1 should re-think ‘triple header’ races
Jul.9 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says Formula 1 should consider abandoning the concept of back-to-back-to-back triple-header races. With the cancellation of the Australian GP, and more races in 2021 remaining under a covid-shaped cloud, the proposed solutions could mean even more clusters of three races grouped together. “We are continuing to negotiate with FOM, and as […]
Ferrari lacks ‘charismatic leader’ – engineer
Jul.8 (GMM) Former Ferrari engineer Luigi Mazzola thinks the biggest problem at the fabled Maranello team today is the lack of a “dominant” leader. Since Stefano Domenicali was ousted in 2014, the Italian team has been run by a sequence of team bosses. Even the upper management of the company at large has been in […]
Struggling Ocon analysing Alonso ‘style’ – Budkowski
Jul.8 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is now fully up to speed at Alpine, according to the team’s executive director Marcin Budkowski. On the face of it, it means Esteban Ocon has now lost his status as the Renault-owned team’s fastest driver. Ocon, 24, left Austria last weekend suspecting there may in fact be something wrong with […]
Gasly could return to Red Bull in 2022 – Tost
Jul.8 (GMM) A return to Red Bull for Pierre Gasly next year cannot be ruled out. That is the view of Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost, even though his own boss – Red Bull top official Dr Helmut Marko – seems more inclined to keep Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate. However, Marko was critical […]
Next-gen F1 engines must be louder – Horner
Jul.8 (GMM) The next generation of Formula 1 cars should be louder, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. He argues that the sport lost a key ingredient when the screaming normally-aspirated engines of the past were replaced with turbo hybrid ‘power units’ in 2014. “We always have to remember that racing needs to […]
Seidl ‘disappointed’ with Ricciardo form
Jul.8 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo’s boss thinks things will start to “click” for the Australian driver soon. Since switching from Renault to McLaren for 2021 and beyond, the 32-year-old Australian has trailed the pace of his impressive young teammate Lando Norris by some margin. The form has earned Norris, who is over a decade younger than […]
Australia to lose season-opening race date
Jul.8 (GMM) Melbourne looks set to lose its spot as the scene of Formula 1’s traditional season opening race. Due to covid restrictions, the Australian GP has been cancelled for a second consecutive year – but officials insist they are already looking beyond the 2025 contract. “We are very keen to extend it,” said Martin […]
Hamilton not expecting exciting ‘sprint qualifying’
Jul.8 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is expecting Formula 1’s first ever ‘sprint qualifying’ race to be a fizzer. Next weekend at Silverstone, drivers will head into a traditional-style qualifying session not long after a single practice session on Friday. The fastest driver will then start on pole for the short, 17-lap race on Saturday evening that […]
F1 in race to fill vacant ‘covid’ calendar spots
Jul.7 (GMM) While Dutch organisers at Zandvoort are pushing ahead with plans for their September race, much of the remainder of Formula 1’s 2021 calendar is in doubt. The position of Australia’s state Victorian government, for example, made pushing ahead with the postponed and rescheduled race in Melbourne this November impossible. “Before we achieve significantly […]
Ferrari will not resume 2021 car development
Jul.7 (GMM) Ferrari has played down the likelihood of resuming 2021 car development in order to catch up in the fight for third in the constructors’ world championship. While locked in the teams’ battle behind title contenders Red Bull and Mercedes, Ferrari has vowed to stick to its almost exclusive focus on preparing a new […]