Sep.30 (GMM) Mercedes’ two drivers must try to avoid penalties in the forthcoming races, according to team boss Toto Wolff. Although the decision to add two more penalty points to Lewis Hamilton’s super licence at Sochi was rescinded, he admits he cannot afford to move any closer to a race ban. “We must not run […]
Verstappen has ‘door open’ to Mercedes move
Sep.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen will be “keeping the door open” for a shock potential switch to Mercedes. That is the view of former F1 driver JJ Lehto, off the back of wild rumours that Lewis Hamilton might in fact become Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. “I wondered what Eddie had been drinking,” said Red Bull […]
Vasseur not confirming Raikkonen contract rumours
Sep.30 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur has declined to say whether Kimi Raikkonen has already signed a contract to remain at Alfa Romeo in 2021. It is now increasingly expected that 40-year-old Raikkonen will stay at the Swiss team to be an experienced teammate for likely F1 debutant Mick Schumacher. Rumours at Sochi indicated Raikkonen has even […]
Domenicali knows F1 benefits from Schumacher debut
Sep.30 (GMM) Mick Schumacher has the support of the Formula 1 organisation as he moves closer to his expected 2021 debut, according to a well-known F1 figure. The young German’s Friday practice debut with Alfa Romeo at the Nurburgring has now been confirmed, as has a similar run for fellow Ferrari junior Callum Illot at […]
Politician steps in to save Spanish GP
Sep.29 (GMM) A prominent politician has stepped in with the goal of saving the Spanish GP. As recently as one week ago, the Barcelona circuit’s newly-installed boss Maria Teixidor said she was preparing to discuss a 2021 race deal with Liberty Media. She has suddenly stepped down, with La Vanguardia newspaper reporting that local politician […]
Mick Schumacher not as good as his father – drivers
Sep.29 (GMM) Two former F1 drivers do not believe Mick Schumacher is as talented as his famous father. At Sochi, rumours began to gain even more steam that the Formula 2 series leader is poised to make his F1 debut with Alfa Romeo next year. But that doesn’t mean he’s as good as seven time […]
Hamilton ‘playing poker’ with 2021 contract
Sep.29 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is “playing poker” over his next contract at Mercedes, according to a former driver. Valtteri Bottas is already signed up to keep racing for the dominant team in 2021, but Hamilton is reportedly yet to even sit down for talks with Toto Wolff. Some believe the six-time world champion and runaway […]
Steiner hits out at Grosjean’s car complaints
Sep.29 (GMM) Haas boss Gunther Steiner was notably annoyed with his driver Romain Grosjean after the Russian GP. Frenchman Grosjean went into the weekend admitting that his Formula 1 career was in doubt as Haas weighs up a list of about ten potential replacements for 2021. “It is clear that there are not many seats […]
Salo denies leaking Hamilton penalty verdict
Sep.29 (GMM) Mika Salo has hit back at claims he inappropriately leaked information about Lewis Hamilton’s Sochi penalties to a television broadcaster. Ten minutes before the FIA announced the stewards’ verdict on Sunday, Finnish commentator Niki Juusela told viewers of the live C More broadcast that Hamilton would receive ten seconds worth of penalties and […]
Little sympathy for Hamilton’s Sochi penalties
Sep.29 (GMM) The international media reacted with little sympathy after Lewis Hamilton suggested Formula 1 is trying to stop him dominating the sport. The six-time world champion received two five-second penalties for illegal practice starts before the recent Sochi race, and afterwards suggested he had been unfairly singled out. “How is it that such a […]
Bottas slams critic after ‘f*** you’ rebuke
Sep.29 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas issued a furious and sustained rebuke to his “critics” after winning Sunday’s Russian GP. After winning in Melbourne last year, the Finn said on the radio: “To whom it may concern, f*** you”. He made an almost identical rebuke on the slowing down lap at Sochi on Sunday, too. “I just […]
Hamilton wants Wolff to stay at Mercedes
Sep.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff on Sunday said he still isn’t sure what official role he will have in 2021. In recent days, weeks and months, there has been constant speculation that the highly successful Mercedes team boss could be on the verge of quitting. Some believe he was holding out to succeed F1 CEO Chase […]
‘Bigger update’ coming for Nurburgring – Leclerc
Sep.28 (GMM) An even “bigger update” for Ferrari’s uncompetitive 2020 car will be introduced at the very next race at the Nurburgring. That was the news from the upbeat Charles Leclerc after he finished a promising sixth at Sochi. The result came after Ferrari introduced an aerodynamic update for the Russian GP, headlined by new […]
Perez would accept Red Bull offer
Sep.28 (GMM) Sergio Perez says he would “without a doubt” accept an offer to become Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. At Sochi, two weeks after his ousting from Racing Point became official, rumours swept the paddock that the Mexican driver had inked a pre-agreement with Haas for 2021. The rumour indicated that the news […]
Sochi set to discuss new Russia GP contract
Sep.28 (GMM) Sochi is looking to extend its contract in order to keep hosting the Russian GP in 2021 and beyond. Recently, it has been suggested that a move to a new circuit in St Petersburg is a possibility for the future. There have also been rumours that the Sochi venue, situated on the site […]
Huge F2 crash may reveal 18-inch tyre flaw
Sep.28 (GMM) F1’s governing body will look into whether there is a safety problem with the sort of 18-inch wheels that are set to be introduced in Formula 1 in 2022. Although the corona crisis has put back the introduction into F1 until 2022, the Formula 2 field is using 18-inch Pirelli tyres for the […]
Steward Salo hits back at Hamilton accusations
Sep.28 (GMM) A well-known steward has hit back at Lewis Hamilton’s accusations that officials are trying to stop his dominance of Formula 1. Although the FIA later rescinded the two super license penalty points that brought him treacherously close to a race ban, Hamilton was given two five-second penalties at Sochi on Sunday that cost […]
Kvyat fends off Tsunoda ‘rumours’
Sep.27 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat says he is not bothered by “rumours” that a Japanese Formula 2 driver is set to replace him at Alpha Tauri for 2020. Yuki Tsunoda, who took pole at Sochi but lost the feature race to Mick Schumacher, is strongly backed by Alpha Tauri owner Red Bull’s engine partner Honda. It […]
Hermann Tilke could not attend Russian GP
Sep.27 (GMM) Hermann Tilke has become a third high-profile expected attendee who is in fact not present at the Russian GP this weekend. We reported earlier that Russian president Vladimir Putin and Bernie Ecclestone – both regular attendees at the event in Sochi – are not present in 2020. Another notable absentee is Will Buxton, […]
Wolff not ruling out Hamilton-Red Bull deal
Sep.27 (GMM) Toto Wolff is refusing to rule out a scenario in which Lewis Hamilton decides to leave Mercedes at the end of the season. Eddie Jordan, who is also predicting that Ineos will buy the works Mercedes team, claimed last week that Hamilton should team up with Max Verstappen at Red Bull. “I wondered […]