Feb.11 (GMM) Canadian GP promoter Francois Dumontier is “open” to Formula 1’s plan to trial a new Saturday sprint race format this season. Alongside Monza and Brazil, Montreal has been mentioned in connection with new F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s weekend shakeup trial for 2021. Media reports suggest that at these races, there will be one […]
Grosjean backs Alpine’s new F1 boss Brivio
Feb.10 (GMM) A third well-known F1 personality has backed Renault’s decision to install Davide Brivio in a leading managerial position at the newly-rebranded Alpine team. In January, former Renault boss Flavio Briatore said the fact MotoGP team Suzuki’s former boss has no experience in F1 will not be a problem. “I had no experience when […]
Raikkonen could return to Nascar after F1
Feb.10 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he could return to Nascar once he retires from Formula 1 for good. When he lost his Ferrari seat at the end of 2009, the 2007 world champion decided to leave F1 and dabbled for two years in world rallying and Nascar. When asked by the Dutch magazine Formule 1 […]
Teams to ‘quickly recover’ lost 2021 downforce
Feb.10 (GMM) Pirelli is expecting F1 teams to “quickly recover” the downforce that will be lost by the tweaked aerodynamic regulations for 2021. Late last season, drivers were unhappy when they got to try official supplier Pirelli’s proposed new tyres for 2021. Pirelli boss Mario Isola acknowledges that the drivers are still not happy, but […]
Domenicali looking beyond current F1 calendar
Feb.10 (GMM) Despite the uncertainty surrounding this year’s calendar amid the covid crisis, Formula 1 is looking to expand into other countries in the future. New F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says talks are back on with organisers in Miami, as the sport wants to have “more presence in the US” with a second race alongside […]
Lauda would have signed Hamilton ‘at any cost’
Feb.10 (GMM) Niki Lauda would have signed up Lewis Hamilton for 2021 “at any cost”, according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. F1 legend Lauda, who died in 2019, ran the German team alongside Wolff. And so the latter Austrian was asked what Lauda would have done amid the farcically-delayed recent contract negotiations with Hamilton. […]
Monaco-based team ‘ready’ to enter F1
Feb.9 (GMM) A Monaco-based prospective Formula 1 team is “ready” to proceed with an application to enter the world championship. In 2019, an entity headed by the late Adrian Campos and his business partner Salvatore Gandolfo declared that they were working on a new F1 team project. The foundation of the project is their driver […]
Magnussen ‘not interested’ in Haas reserve seat
Feb.9 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has issued a quick-fire ‘no’ to Haas boss Gunther Steiner’s invitation to become a team reserve driver this season. Steiner indicated this week that if rookies Mick Schumacher or Nikita Mazepin are unable to race at any point in 2021, Haas may invite its former drivers Magnussen or Romain Grosjean to […]
Up to Hamilton whether he stays in 2022 – Wolff
Feb.9 (GMM) He may now have signed a contract, but rampant media speculation about Lewis Hamilton’s future in Formula 1 looks set to rage on. “We have decided to extend the sporting relationship for another season and to begin a longer-term project to take the next step in our shared commitment to greater diversity within […]
Hamilton should ‘take it or leave it’ – Ecclestone
Feb.8 (GMM) Mercedes should issue a ‘take it or leave it’ demand to Lewis Hamilton as his 2021 contract negotiations roll on, according to Bernie Ecclestone. According to respected sources including Bild and La Gazzetta dello Sport newspapers, the seven time world champion is now poised to agree a new EUR 40 million deal for […]
Doping sanctions for Mazepin unfair – Petrov
Feb.8 (GMM) Vitaly Petrov has slammed the decision that will prevent F1 rookie Nikita Mazepin from racing under the Russian flag in 2021. The Russian automobile federation has confirmed that the World Anti-Doping Agency’s sanctions mean that every Russian competitor taking part in world championships for the next two years will have to do so […]
Tost opposed to new customer Renault deal
Feb.8 (GMM) Franz Tost has hinted that Red Bull’s entire F1 project could be in jeopardy if the sport doesn’t agree to an engine development ‘freeze’ for 2022. If the ‘freeze’ is imposed, Red Bull is poised to take over Honda’s operations and go it alone with its own engine program from 2022-2024 – ahead […]
Audi eyeing F1 move for 2025 – report
Feb.8 (GMM) Audi is reportedly eyeing a move into Formula 1, and according to a specialist media outlet, Red Bull’s current partner Honda is already aware of the rumours. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport claims that, pending the 2022 development ‘freeze’, negotiations between Red Bull and Honda about a handover of the engine operations for […]
Newey hits out at 2022 rules revolution
Feb.8 (GMM) Adrian Newey is not happy about Formula 1’s rules revolution for 2022. Although the sport is collectively looking forward to the closer racing that the new rules should deliver, Red Bull’s technical boss actually calls the move a “missed opportunity”. “I just think it’s a shame,” he told the Dutch publication Formule 1. […]
Ilott to get practice outings in 2021
Feb.8 (GMM) Callum Ilott will appear during some Friday practice sessions in 2021. That is the news from Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto, who has already announced that while the 22-year-old Briton missed out on a race debut this year, he will be Ferrari’s official test driver and reserve instead. Ilott, alongside Robert Shwartzman, is another […]
F1 eyeing Saturday ‘sprint races’ for 2021
Feb.8 (GMM) Formula 1 is looking to trial a ‘sprint race’ format in 2021. The teams earlier baulked at Liberty Media’s plans to radically spice up the weekend format, and new CEO Stefano Domenicali ruled out reviving the ‘reverse grid’ idea. “That is over,” international media reports quote the Italian as saying. “That is something […]
F1 won’t ‘jump the queue’ for vaccinations
Feb.8 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali has played down suggestions Formula 1 will try to fast-track a vaccination plan amid the ongoing covid crisis. The pandemic continues to prevent the normal functioning of the sport, prompting reports that ‘jumping the queue’ by getting the entire travelling circus vaccinated as soon as possible could be an option for […]
Ferrari rules out Indycar for now
Feb.5 (GMM) Ferrari has ruled out entering Indycar for now. Last year, the American series’ boss Roger Penske revealed that talks with the Maranello outfit were underway. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto had looked into whether an Indycar program may be a way for the fabled Italian team to avoiding sacking personnel amid the new F1 […]
Tost defends Tsunoda’s F1 test campaign
Feb.5 (GMM) Franz Tost is unapologetic about Yuki Tsunoda’s intensive pre-season of unofficial testing ahead of his 2021 Formula 1 debut. In the past days, the 20-year-old Honda and Red Bull-backed Japanese rookie has been testing a 2019 Alpha Tauri car at Imola and Misano – and he will reportedly return to Imola next week. […]
Vettel will enjoy F1 again with Aston Martin – boss
Feb.5 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel will rediscover his love of Formula 1 at Aston Martin. That is the view of the quadruple world champion’s new boss Otmar Szafnauer, as Vettel gets acquainted with his new team following his Ferrari ousting. “As always, he is very motivated. He is very curious, asks a lot. He compares what […]