Jul.27 (GMM) Alex Zanardi is back in intensive care. After a full month in a hospital in Siena, Italy, following a horror hand-cycling crash, the Italian was moved to a rehabilitation centre last week. His son Niccolo said there had been “encouraging signs” since Zanardi’s sedation was stopped, and hoped the 53-year-old would soon be […]
Ferrari team tweak ‘not the solution’ – Schumacher
Jul.27 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher doubts Ferrari’s organisational shakeup will fix the struggling Italian team’s problems. Last week, following the Maranello outfit’s horror start to 2020, it was announced that a new Performance Development department had been created. “It sounds to me like they are trying to demonstrate to the outside world that something is changing,” […]
Promoter claims Canada GP health plan ‘was not even read’
Jul.27 (GMM) The promoter of the Canadian GP has hit out at local authorities for not supporting his push to bring Formula 1 to Montreal amid the corona crisis. After F1 announced that all races on the American continent – the US, Canada and Mexico – have been scrapped for this year, Francois Dumontier called […]
Alfa Romeo admits 2020 pace ‘a disaster’
Jul.27 (GMM) It will “take time” for Alfa Romeo to pull itself off the very bottom row of the Formula 1 grid. That is the admission of boss Frederic Vasseur, who admits that the team operated by Swiss-based Sauber travelled to Austria earlier this month “not knowing what to expect”. “We had a couple of […]
Red Bull will not develop own ‘DAS’ system – Marko
Jul.27 (GMM) Red Bull has decided against developing a Mercedes-like ‘DAS’ steering system. After the FIA rejected Red Bull’s protest against the innovative technology, Marko announced that although it is “difficult to reproduce”, the team is “discussing whether we will do it”. However, the Austrian official has now told Auto Motor und Sport that “DAS […]
Black racing driver calls Jackie Stewart ‘racist’
Jul.27 (GMM) The first black man to test a Formula 1 car has called triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart “racist”. It comes after reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton said Stewart’s recent comments about racism in Formula 1 – that there is not “as big a problem as there might seem” – were “disappointing”. “Sir […]
Portugal, Nurburgring hoping for F1 spectators
Jul.27 (GMM) It may not be long before spectators return to Formula 1 races. Although the sport’s three races on the American continent – Austin, Brazil and Mexico – have now been scrapped for 2020, another three races in Europe have just been announced. They will take place at the Nurburgring, Portugal’s Portimao circuit, and […]
Todt, Ecclestone respond to Hamilton over racism
Jul.24 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt says he wants to keep “political debate” out of Formula 1. Last week, Lewis Hamilton called out both Todt and F1 CEO Chase Carey for lacking “leadership” amid his Black Lives Matter activism. The Mercedes driver also criticised F1 legends Emerson Fittipaldi, Sir Jackie Stewart and F1 supremo Bernie […]
F1 wanted spectators at 2020 Hockenheim race
Jul.24 (GMM) Hockenheim will definitely not host a Formula 1 race in 2020. The former German GP venue had been in talks with Liberty Media about filling in for one of the cancelled races on this year’s coronavirus-affected calendar. “A decision has already been made,” Hockenheim boss Jorn Teske told Sport1. “There will be no […]
Priest says Zanardi ‘only sometimes conscious’
Jul.24 (GMM) Alex Zanardi is “only sometimes conscious” as he recovers from his serious head and facial injuries following a full month in hospital. That is the word of Father Luca Poli, a priest at the rehabilitation clinic where the former Formula 1 driver is now recovering. Zanardi’s son Niccolo said this week that he […]
Zanardi’s son says rehabilitation to be ‘long’
Jul.23 (GMM) Alex Zanardi’s son says there are “encouraging signs” after the former F1 driver left hospital this week. The former Lotus and Williams driver’s month-long sedation for severe head and facial injuries is now over and he has been moved to a rehabilitation clinic. But his son Niccolo told Corriere della Sera that his […]
Shwartzman should join Alfa Romeo for 2021 – Marko
Jul.23 (GMM) Ferrari should promote the less well-known member of its driver development academy into Formula 1 for 2021. That is the advice offered by Dr Helmut Marko, the architect and boss of Red Bull’s own highly successful driver programme. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto said this week that it’s “too early” to comment on whether […]
Vettel wants to reveal Ferrari ‘mistake’ – Berger
Jul.23 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel wants to show Ferrari that the Italian team made “a huge mistake” by deciding to drop him. That is the view of Gerhard Berger, the F1 legend who was the eventual quadruple world champion’s first team boss at Toro Rosso back in 2008. Berger told f1-insider.com that he could sense Vettel […]
DAS steering ‘not easy to reproduce’ – Marko
Jul.23 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks Mercedes will hold on to a significant advantage in 2020 by running the ‘DAS’ push-and-pull steering wheel system. Red Bull’s protest against the technology, which will be banned anyway in 2021, was rejected by the FIA at the opening round of the season in Austria. The energy drink owned […]
New ‘spy saga’ set to fire in Formula 1
Jul.23 (GMM) A new ‘spy saga’ could be about to break out in Formula 1. After a horror start to 2020, Ferrari has announced that it has “restructured its technical department”, with Enrico Cardile appointed to head a new Performance Development department at Maranello. But the statement also notably made reference to Rory Byrne, the […]
Nurburgring confirms F1 talks for ‘corona’ race
Jul.23 (GMM) The Nurburgring has emerged as a contender to host a race as Formula 1’s 2020 ‘corona calendar’ continues to take shape on the fly. Earlier, another former German F1 venue – Hockenheim – admitted it was in talks with the sport about filling in for one of the originally-scheduled races. A spokesman for […]
DTM to consider GT3 regulations – Berger
Jul.22 (GMM) Germany’s embattled DTM series may need to adopt GT3 regulations in order to survive. That is the admission of F1 legend Gerhard Berger, who is now boss of the German touring car series that will be down to just a single manufacturer in 2021 after Audi’s withdrawal. There are even rumours that BMW […]
Vettel better than Albon with Newey’s cars – Villeneuve
Jul.22 (GMM) Red Bull should re-hire Sebastian Vettel, because he is better equipped than Alex Albon to drive Adrian Newey’s difficult Formula 1 cars. That is the view of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who says Red Bull designer Newey typically makes cars that are “really difficult to drive”. Quadruple world champion Vettel is close […]
F1 insists anti-racism activism still ‘a priority’
Jul.22 (GMM) Racial activism will continue to be “a clear priority” for Formula 1. The sport’s latest official statement on the subject comes after Lewis Hamilton hit out directly at FIA president Jean Todt and F1 CEO Chase Carey’s alleged lack of action and leadership. The six-time world champion was furious that not enough time […]
Mercedes is not making F1 ‘boring’ – Haug
Jul.22 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hit back at the notion that Mercedes will easily cruise the 2020 title. That is despite the fact that, after the German team’s third consecutive win of the season last Sunday, the Mercedes team boss admitted that the 2020 car is “a weapon” with “a lot of power and a […]