Feb.14 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has indicated that he wants to extend his McLaren contract. After years in the Red Bull junior program and then a one-off season at Renault in 2018, McLaren signed the 25-year-old Spaniard on a two-year deal starting last year. “Obviously, it’s not a secret that I’m very happy here in McLaren,” […]
Red Bull quiet about 2020 car ‘nostrils’
Feb.14 (GMM) Red Bull is not letting out the secret about a new pair of distinctive ‘nostrils’ on the nose of its 2020 car. “It’s to make sure Max (Verstappen) is cool enough,” Dr Helmut Marko joked to Auto Bild. But when pressed for an explanation about what designer Adrian Newey has in mind for […]
Ocon to tell Renault some Mercedes ‘secrets’
Feb.14 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he will not reveal to Renault all of Mercedes’ “secrets” this year. After being dumped by Force India, the Toto Wolff-backed Frenchman became Mercedes’ official reserve driver at every grand prix for 2019. But he has now been signed by Renault for his 2020 return, and Ocon admits he will […]
Vettel denies being Ferrari ‘number 2’
Feb.14 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he is not heading into 2020 with the feeling of now being ‘number 2’ at Ferrari. Last year, the quadruple world champion was the Italian team’s declared number 1, but Charles Leclerc’s performance and new contract until 2024 changed that. However, 32-year-old German insists has not swapped status with the […]
Abiteboul thinks Renault will stay in F1
Feb.14 (GMM) Renault looks set to stay in Formula 1 “in the long term”, according to team boss Cyril Abiteboul. Rumours of an exit ramped up in 2019 as the works team’s car struggled, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn was brought down by a scandal, and interim replacement Clotilde Delbos said a departure from F1 at […]
Renault admits Ricciardo could leave
Feb.14 (GMM) Renault may not be able to convince Daniel Ricciardo to stay in 2021 based on the team’s performance this year alone. That is the admission of Renault advisor Alain Prost, who said there is a risk the Australian driver will not extend his expiring contract. The F1 legend said talks with Ricciardo will […]
Teams to ‘monitor’ potential Vietnam GP axe
Feb.14 (GMM) F1 teams are going to “monitor the situation” amid speculation the inaugural Vietnam GP could be the next victim of coronavirus. As deaths surge to almost 1400, F1’s Chinese round in April has already been postponed. But with Vietnam just across the border from China, there are also doubts about the viability of […]
Norris to portray more ‘focused’ image
Feb.14 (GMM) Lando Norris says he will portray a more “focused” image in 2020. On social media, in PR activities and in his jovial relationship with Carlos Sainz and his sim racing hobby with Max Verstappen, the 20-year-old has attracted a happy-go-lucky image. But as McLaren unveiled its 2020 car on Thursday, the British driver […]
Abiteboul defends ‘no car’ Renault launch
Feb.13 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul has defended the decision to proceed with Renault’s 2020 ‘launch’ without even revealing an actual car. Just days before Wednesday’s event in Paris, the French team admitted that the 2020 car would not actually be “physically present” in the room. Indeed, only obvious renderings of the 2020 car were shown on […]
Another Indy team says no to Alonso
Feb.13 (GMM) Another Indycar team has turned down the services of Fernando Alonso, as the Spaniard’s Indy 500 dream collapses for 2020. The former F1 driver had reportedly agreed a deal to attempt the final victory of his ‘triple crown’ with the top Andretti team. But engine supplier Honda, still reeling from Alonso’s highly critical […]
Vettel has ‘enough time’ to discuss F1 future
Feb.13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he and Ferrari have “enough time” to talk about a 2021 contract. Actually, the German is racing awkwardly into the new season, as his young teammate Charles Leclerc has gained equal number 1 status and a new contract through 2024. Team boss Mattia Binotto said he will begin to seriously […]
Leclerc admits to trying veganism
Feb.13 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has revealed he tried becoming a vegan over the winter break. F1’s six time world champion Lewis Hamilton has popularised the idea of veganism in the paddock, with Leclerc’s teammate Sebastian Vettel admitting he tried it in 2019. “The experiment lasted six weeks and I learned a lot,” the German said […]
Consumer group wants 2020 Ferrari car ‘seized’
Feb.13 (GMM) Italy’s best known consumer rights group is threatening to sue Ferrari and urging the government to “seize” the team’s newly-launched 2020 car. Following similar controversies a year ago, the inclusion of the ‘Mission Winnow’ branding on the new red car is once again causing a stir. Mission Winnow is a brand created by […]
Vietnam GP could be cancelled too – Magnussen
Feb.13 (GMM) F1 is facing the prospect of a gaping six-week hole in its 2020 calendar, with Vietnam’s new grand prix also in doubt because of the coronavirus. As expected, the FIA on Wednesday said the Chinese GP in April will be postponed, with F1 CEO Chase Carey saying a rescheduling is unlikely. “Clearly we […]
Hamilton deserves ‘super amounts’ of money – Wolff
Feb.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down suggestions he is clashing with Lewis Hamilton over the financial value of their collaboration beyond 2020. Amid suggestions Hamilton is asking for an incredible $70 million-plus per year, the six time world champion and Ferrari have been flirting with the prospect of linking up for 2021. But amid […]
Aston Martin wants to be F1 ‘top team’
Feb.12 (GMM) Aston Martin wants to be among the “top teams” in Formula 1. Recently, as the British luxury carmaker struggled with financial problems, it was bailed out by a group led by Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll. As a result, Aston Martin said it would stop being Red Bull’s title sponsor after 2020 and […]
Williams will not escape crisis – Villeneuve
Feb.12 (GMM) Williams “will never get out of this crisis”, according to the once-great F1 team’s last world champion, 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve. Villeneuve, outspoken on most F1 issues as he works today as a pundit for Italian television, has been highly critical of his former team as Williams slumped to the back of […]
Bottas helped Hamilton improve in 2019 – Villeneuve
Feb.12 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve thinks Valtteri Bottas deserves to be regarded as one of the best drivers in Formula 1. Actually, the Finn is often regarded as a comfortable Mercedes teammate for six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. But Villeneuve, F1’s outspoken 1997 world champion, thinks Bottas actually helped Hamilton to become an even better driver […]
Sirotkin may remain F1 tester in 2020
Feb.12 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin may remain in Formula 1 as a test driver in 2020. With the backing of the Russian program SMP Racing, the 24-year-old made his F1 debut in 2018 with Williams, but had to settle for a reserve role with both Renault and McLaren last year. For 2020, though, it looked likely […]
F1 set to officially postpone Chinese GP
Feb.12 (GMM) British newspapers claim that China’s Formula 1 race, currently scheduled for April, will be called off within the next 24 hours. F1’s authorities were already “monitoring” the alarming situation with the coronavirus epidemic, and the FIA has now issued a new statement. “The FIA will evaluate the calendar of its forthcoming races and, […]