Sep.10 (GMM) Mugello has thrown its hat into the ring as a future venue for the Italian GP. The track in Tuscany, which is owned by Ferrari, is eyeing a spot on the F1 calendar for when Monza’s newly-inked contract expires in 2024. “The first objective will be to renew the agreement with MotoGP,” Mugello […]
Hamilton warns Leclerc over future duels
Sep.10 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has warned that he may not always be as compliant when he gets in a duel with rising F1 sensation Charles Leclerc. Asked what would have happened if he wasn’t thinking about his sixth world championship, the Mercedes driver said after the Monza race: “We would have collided.” Hamilton says Leclerc […]
McLaren set to focus on 2020 car
Sep.10 (GMM) McLaren says it will not compromise development of its 2020 car. The once-struggling British team is a strong ‘best of the rest’ fourth in the constructors’ championship, but Renault had a notably better weekend at Monza. However, team boss Andreas Seidl says McLaren will continue to push ahead with its plans for an […]
‘No idea’ about Vettel’s future – Marko
Sep.10 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has once again dismissed rumours that Sebastian Vettel could resurrect his F1 career at Red Bull. After another bad race for the quadruple world champion at Monza, the specialist F1 media says Spa and Monza winner Charles Leclerc is the new de-facto Ferrari number 1. “His triumph was like a […]
Haas splits with title sponsor
Sep.10 (GMM) The F1 team Haas has finally split with its controversial title sponsor. The final chapter in the American outfit’s farcical collaboration with Rich Energy, a mysterious British energy drink brand, was a statement on Monday announcing that they have split “amicably”. Haas confirmed to news sources that it will keep its current black […]
Latifi to replace Kubica in 2020 – source
Sep.9 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi looks set to replace Robert Kubica at Williams for 2020. Kubica, having returned to Formula 1 this year but clearly struggling, said at Monza that he doesn’t know if he has done enough to keep the race seat. Williams has kept supporting the 34-year-old despite his struggle, but boss Claire Williams […]
Ocon ‘gave up sleep’ for F1 return
Sep.9 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he has worked hard to return to Formula 1 in 2020. The Frenchman was gutted to have lost his Force India seat at the end of 2018, but after spending this year as Mercedes’ reserve driver he has secured his return to the grid with Renault. “Especially at the beginning […]
‘New Villeneuve’ Rosberg vows to ease driver criticism
Sep.9 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has vowed to “change” the way he critiques Formula 1 drivers. At Monza, Max Verstappen dubbed the 2016 world champion the “new Villeneuve”. It was a reference to 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who is now known for being brutally outspoken on F1 issues. Lewis Hamilton, who was Rosberg’s teammate at […]
Alonso ‘yet to decide’ about 2020, 2021
Sep.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has once again refused to rule out returning to Formula 1. Visiting Monza as a McLaren ambassador, the Spaniard said earlier last weekend that he could consider a comeback after completing “a couple of different challenges out of F1”. Indeed, he then told the Spanish broadcaster Movistar that he has been […]
FIA did not want to upset Ferrari fans – Wolff
Sep.9 (GMM) Toto Wolff has suggested Charles Leclerc avoided penalty on Sunday because the FIA was afraid to disappoint Ferrari’s supporters. Lewis Hamilton complained about the aggressiveness of back-to-back winner Leclerc’s defence as the 21-year-old raced to victory at Monza. “I guess the stewards woke up on a different side of the bed this morning,” […]
Manager to discuss Leclerc contract ‘at right time’
Sep.9 (GMM) Monza may have marked the turning point in Ferrari’s driver hierarchy. All season, pundits have speculated about whether Charles Leclerc will eventually unseat Sebastian Vettel as the clear number 1 driver. That moment may now have arrived. “10 for Leclerc. 0 for Vettel,” said the Spanish sports daily Marca as it ranked the […]
Ferrari worried about ‘risks’ to F1 future
Sep.9 (GMM) Ferrari has identified two potential risks to the future of Formula 1. One is the behind-the-scenes debate about the 2021 rules, which will run until the extended deadline in October. Ferrari, the only team with the power to veto, has identified some of the planned standardisation of parts – designed to cut costs […]
Ferrari planning EUR 9m contract for Leclerc
Sep.8 (GMM) Ferrari is reportedly working on a new contract for Charles Leclerc. Many believe the momentum is clearly switching from current ‘number 1’ driver Sebastian Vettel to Leclerc, the 21-year-old Spa winner and Monza pole sitter. At Monza, Vettel was vocally upset about having not been given a slipstream in Monza qualifying by Leclerc, […]
Schumacher needs another F2 season – Brawn
Sep.8 (GMM) F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn thinks Mick Schumacher needs another season in Formula 2. He echoes the words of former Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, who said earlier this week of Schumacher: “He is growing up now, but we still have to give him time.” Schumacher, the 20-year-old son of F1 legend Michael […]
Real F1 fans like ‘gladiator’ Verstappen – Villeneuve
Sep.8 (GMM) Max Verstappen is among the last of the “gladiator” drivers in Formula 1. That is the view of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who found himself at the centre of another controversy at Monza. Verstappen had arrived at Monza calling retired Nico Rosberg the “new Villeneuve” for criticising his first-lap crash with Kimi […]
F1 world now thankful for ‘Halo’ safety
Sep.8 (GMM) The F1 world is rapidly adjusting to the sport’s ‘Halo’ era. The cockpit protection system was introduced last year amid great scepticism, but it has since proved its worth in a series of scary-looking incidents. In the fatal Anthoine Hubert crash in F2 last weekend, another driver was struck on the Halo by […]
Verstappen wants Honda to take ‘more risk’
Sep.8 (GMM) Max Verstappen has urged engine supplier Honda to take “more risk” with its engine. Already at the back of the grid due to an engine change, the Dutchman then sat out the bulk of qualifying at Monza when his Spec 4 Honda delivered “no power”. “There’s no damage, it seems more like just […]
Farcical qualifying ‘not a good look for F1’
Sep.8 (GMM) The strong slipstream effect of the 2019 F1 cars led to a farcical final qualifying segment at high-speed Monza on Saturday. The top ten cars waited until the final moment to attempt their last qualifying runs in Q3, with no driver wanting to be the lead car. The result was that, of the […]
Kubica unsure he can keep Williams seat
Sep.7 (GMM) Robert Kubica says his future will become clearer “sooner or later”. The popular Pole returned to F1 this year after an eight-year break following his near-fatal rallying crash of 2011. But he has struggled, not just with Williams’ slowest-in-2019 car, but notably against his teammate George Russell. “Unfortunately this season is much harder […]
Alonso admits 2021 return possible
Sep.7 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has flagged the possibility of a return to Formula 1 in 2021. Having retired at the end of last year, the double world champion is back on the pitwall this weekend at Monza as a McLaren ambassador. “Let’s see,” he told Britain’s Sky when asked about his future in F1. “I […]