Oct.19 (GMM) A respected Italian journalist has backtracked after claiming that top members of Ferrari’s management team are at war. Alberto Sabbatini, editor in chief at Autosprint, had reported rumours of “friction” between team boss Mattia Binotto and designer Simone Resta. But he now tells f1sport.it: “Resta has no quarrel with Binotto. This has been […]
Stroll ‘back to normal’ for Portugal
Oct.19 (GMM) Racing Point thinks Lance Stroll will be “back in the car as normal” this weekend in Portugal. 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve last week questioned the team’s explanation that Stroll had to sit out the recent Nurburgring race with a stomach bug. “Even with a stomach ache, you just go racing,” he said. […]
Hulkenberg thinks he can be close to Verstappen
Oct.19 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg thinks he could satisfy Red Bull’s requirements to become the new teammate for Max Verstappen in 2021. Continuing to support Alex Albon for now, Dr Helmut Marko said recently that even Hulkenberg or Sergio Perez would only be able to get within three tenths of Verstappen’s pace. Hulkenberg told motorsport-magazin.com: “On […]
Both Haas seats ‘more or less taken’ for 2021 – Marko
Oct.16 (GMM) Haas has “more or less” already decided who will drive for the small American team in 2021. That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, who also thinks Alfa Romeo has decided its 2021 lineup – Mick Schumacher alongside Kimi Raikkonen. Marko is no longer denying that he is exploring his […]
Rio hits back at Hamilton’s F1 project opposition
Oct.16 (GMM) A spokesperson has hit back at Lewis Hamilton’s opposition to a new grand prix going ahead near Rio de Janeiro. F1 CEO Chase Carey recently wrote a letter confirming the sport’s intention to support construction of a new circuit in Rio’s Deodoro neighbourhood. But there have been claims the project would affect the […]
Shwartzman hopes Friday debut goes ahead in Abu Dhabi
Oct.16 (GMM) Robert Shwartzman says he hopes his Friday practice debut in Abu Dhabi will go ahead as scheduled. Two other Ferrari junior drivers, Mick Schumacher and Callum Illot, could not practice for Alfa Romeo and Haas respectively because of the weather conditions at the Nurburgring. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto said their runs would be […]
Istanbul wants full-time return to F1
Oct.16 (GMM) Istanbul Park wants Turkey to return full-time to the Formula 1 calendar. After an absence, the popular circuit is back on the ‘corona calendar’ this year. But like the other stop-gap events including Mugello, Portimao and Imola, it is a one-off only for 2020. “Our goal is to sign a long-term agreement next […]
Binotto rules out reverting to 2019 Ferrari car
Oct.16 (GMM) Ferrari is focusing its efforts on improving the rear of its current car for 2021. Normally, teams produce brand new cars for a new season – but amid the corona pandemic, the FIA is allowing only two ‘tokens’ of development to be done ahead of 2021 for cost reasons. That is particularly bad […]
Abiteboul defends Ocon amid 2021 rumours
Oct.16 (GMM) Esteban Ocon “should not be ashamed” of his performance at Renault so far in 2020. That is the view of his boss Cyril Abiteboul, amid speculation the team might be looking at signing another French driver for 2021 – Monza winner Pierre Gasly. Ocon, who sat out 2019 after being dropped by Force […]
Wolff admits Mercedes’ 2020 car development stopped
Oct.16 (GMM) Toto Wolff has revealed that Mercedes has ceased development of its 2020 car. The dominant team and its multiple champion, Lewis Hamilton, will almost certainly continue to keep cruising towards both world championships this year. “We have not been making any improvements to the car for a long time,” team boss Wolff is […]
Daimler to slash Mercedes’ F1 budget
Oct.15 (GMM) Daimler, the dominant Mercedes team’s carmaker parent, intends to slash the amount of money it spends on Formula 1. It emerged recently that Mercedes spent a stagging $430 million to win last year’s championships – with a $145 budget cap coming in for 2021. Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius has rejected rumours that Mercedes […]
Portimao paying ‘much lower’ price for F1 race
Oct.15 (GMM) Portimao is paying a “much lower” price for joining the Formula 1 calendar in 2020. The Portuguese circuit, set to host its first ever grand prix next weekend, is one of several venues drafted in this year to fill the calendar gaps amid the corona crisis. “Each race in Europe costs EUR 30-50 […]
Still no engine talks with Red Bull – Abiteboul
Oct.15 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul says Red Bull is still yet to ask about a supply of customer engines for 2022. The energy drink-owned outfit needs to replace departing works partner Honda. “The decision should be taken at the end of year, because the engine is an integral part of the design of the car in […]
Honda’s F1 boss explains decision to stay in Indycar
Oct.15 (GMM) Honda has defended its decision to pull out of Formula 1 whilst at the same time extending its commitment to the Indycar series. The Japanese manufacturer cited its push for more future-oriented technology as a key reason for pulling out of F1. But at the very same time, Honda and Indycar announced that […]
Seidl denies McLaren needs prize money boost
Oct.15 (GMM) Andreas Seidl has defended McLaren’s latest car developments. Recently, the British team debuted a Mercedes-style nose alongside other new parts, but Carlos Sainz said at the Nurburgring that the older spec was faster. The Spaniard is switching to Ferrari next year but he doubts McLaren is hiding anything from him about the developments […]
Bottas needs ‘miracle’ to win 2020 title
Oct.15 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas admits he needs a “miracle” to beat his Mercedes teammate to the 2020 title. After starting on pole, the Finn admits he was “very, very disappointed” to have suffered an engine failure at the Nurburgring. It blows the points gap out to 69 in his inter-team battle with Lewis Hamilton. “I […]
‘Oversupply’ of drivers seeking seats – Hulkenberg
Oct.14 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg is not hopeful he will return to Formula 1 full-time next year. Now used three times by Racing Point in 2020, and also contacted by Red Bull at the Nurburgring, the out-of-work driver has become this year’s ‘super sub’. But 33-year-old Hulkenberg said a reserve role is “not really what I’m […]
Rumours of ‘conflict’ between Binotto and Resta
Oct.14 (GMM) Rumours of “conflict” between members of Ferrari’s senior management are emerging. Amid the Maranello based team’s competitive slump in 2020, the highly respected Italian journalist Alberto Sabbatini has been quoted as saying team boss Mattia Binotto and designer Simone Resta are at odds. “They say there is friction between Binotto and Resta,” he […]
Stewart denies ‘knocking down’ Hamilton
Oct.14 (GMM) Sir Jackie Stewart has denied having a ‘bee in his bonnet’ about Lewis Hamilton. As Hamilton raced to equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time victory record at the Nurburgring, he had earlier hit out at consistent critics like F1 legend and triple world champion Stewart. “They still have a bee in their bonnet, I don’t […]
Verstappen not ‘frustrated’ with 2020 season
Oct.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen insists he is not getting “frustrated” even if wins remain out of his reach at present. Red Bull appears to be inching ever closer to Mercedes, with the Dutch driver almost matching Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying time at the Nurburgring. And then in the race, Verstappen managed to post the fastest lap […]