May 4 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has played down fears Haas team owner Gene Haas could be poised to pull the pin on his Formula 1 project. Speculation Haas could quit the sport was already doing the rounds last year, when the team was struggling badly with its 2019 car. “I can understand that Gene was […]
Paul Ricard disappointed by longer racing ban
May 4 (GMM) Paul Ricard boss Stephane Clair says he is disappointed that racing in France will not be able to resume until August at the earliest. The French GP organisers recently postponed their official date on the original 2020 calendar, even though they would have liked to join the ‘ghost racing’ action. However, events […]
Mercedes will sell team over corona crisis – Jordan
May 4 (GMM) Eddie Jordan says he is “convinced” that most manufacturers in Formula 1 could quit the sport over the fallout of the corona crisis. FIA president Jean Todt has already warned that in the period ahead, “teams, suppliers and manufacturers may have to review their program”. “The world has not only changed extremely […]
Manufacturers could quit over corona – Todt
May 4 (GMM) Jean Todt is worried that the upper tiers of motor racing could lose the support of car manufacturers amid the corona crisis. With countries locked down, racing series halted and an economic recession looming, the FIA president admitted the manufacturers may need to rethink their commitments. “I don’t think that the priority […]
Prost admits Renault could lose Ricciardo
May 4 (GMM) Alain Prost says it is very possible that Renault will lose Daniel Ricciardo at the end of 2020. In recent days, Renault junior Christian Lundegaard has admitted that he may be in a good position to replace the Australian if he does depart. “Daniel has a contract until the end of 2020,” […]
No racing in 2020 ‘impossible’ – Jos Verstappen
May 4 (GMM) It is “impossible” for Formula 1 to consider not racing at all in 2020, according to Jos Verstappen. “There will certainly be racing. I’m convinced of that,” the father of Red Bull star Max Verstappen told De Telegraaf. “A year without racing is impossible,” he added. Some are backing F1 and Red […]
No sim racing for Ricciardo
May 4 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has described the chances he will join in the new trend among real racing drivers to go wheel-to-wheel in the virtual world as “slim”. A heated controversy has broken out between Indycar and F1 fans after Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud was accused of deliberately taking out Lando Norris in […]
Eight races ‘not enough’ for 2020 season – boss
May 4 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone thinks Formula 1 should be able to organise “eight races with no problems” in 2020. Actually, the former F1 supremo’s successors at Liberty Media are hoping for many more races than that, starting with back-to-back weekends in Europe with no spectators present. Ecclestone told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, writing […]
Wolff not getting involved at Racing Point – boss
May 1 (GMM) Racing Point’s boss has played down speculation that Toto Wolff is set to get involved in the team. The Silverstone based team’s owner is Lawrence Stroll, who is also the new chairman of the Aston Martin road car company. Stroll will rename the team Aston Martin for 2021. So after it emerged […]
‘Difficult days’ for DTM future – Berger
May 1 (GMM) There are growing fears about the ongoing viability of the premier German touring car championship DTM. F1 legend Gerhard Berger runs the series, and he admits to have been shocked by Audi’s sudden decision to quit at the end of 2020. It will leave DTM with just one carmaker – BMW. “These […]
Ricciardo decision key to Lundgaard’s future
May 1 (GMM) An 18-year-old driver says Daniel Ricciardo’s looming decision could be the key to own his Formula 1 race career. Last week, we reported that Renault’s most prominent ‘academy’ driver, Formula 2 driver Christian Lundgaard, is in pole position for a race seat should Ricciardo decide to leave the French team at the […]
Pecking order unchanged by corona – Magnussen
May 1 (GMM) The pecking order in Formula 1 is unlikely to be changed by the corona crisis shutdown. That is the view of Kevin Magnussen, who drives for the small American team Haas. It is suggested that, because the size of the teams in the paddock will be limited once F1 returns with ‘ghost […]
F1 set to reduce downforce for 2021 despite ‘freeze’
May 1 (GMM) F1 is planning some technical changes for 2021, even though it was earlier decided to ‘freeze’ car design amid the coronavirus pandemic. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that following a video meeting of the technical working group, changes to reduce downforce and the forces exerted on tyres will be applied from 2021. […]
Draft 2020 calendar includes Spa, Hungary
May 1 (GMM) Spa-Francorchamps, Monza, Hanoi, Baku and other Formula 1 host venues have now emerged on a draft 19-race 2020 calendar set to begin in July. According to sources, the calendar was sent to certain members of the media by an unnamed F1 team. It follows earlier news that Spa and Monza may in […]
Ferrari may struggle in short 2020 season – Leclerc
Apr.30 (GMM) Ferrari may struggle to improve its car once racing gets underway in 2020 due to the shortened calendar, Charles Leclerc has admitted. Currently, the plan is for the first two ‘ghost races’ in July to take place in Austria, followed by Silverstone and then up to a dozen more rounds. Former F1 driver […]
Even late 2020 races in Japan, Brazil in doubt
Apr.30 (GMM) Even the 2020 Japanese GP is now in doubt. Earlier, there were hopes October’s Suzuka race could be safe, given Japan’s handling of the pandemic. Indeed, mere weeks ago, motorsport testing was still taking place in the country. But organisers of the Japanese GP have just announced that ticket sales for the October […]
Health minister says Austria GP depends on F1 plan
Apr.30 (GMM) Austria’s health minister says the strength of the “security concept” put in place by Formula 1 will determine whether the sport gets racing again from July. The current plan is for back-to-back race weekends to kick off at the Red Bull Ring from July 5, with measures including no spectators or media and […]
Corona crisis could claim Williams and Haas – Schumacher
Apr.30 (GMM) At least two teams are at risk of collapse as F1’s shutdown period for the coronavirus pandemic continues. That is the view of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who thinks the team he won all six of his grand prix wins with – Williams – is most directly endangered. When asked by Bild […]
Spa ‘ghost race’ still possible – promoter
Apr.29 (GMM) Spa-Francorchamps boss Vanessa Maes has denied that the Belgian GP will definitely not take place in 2020. Race promoter Spa Grand Prix announced recently that because all mass events in Belgium have been banned, the Formula 1 race cannot go ahead as scheduled. Indeed, a provisional F1 ‘corona calendar’ began doing the rounds […]
Hockenheim in talks for 2020 ‘corona calendar’ race
Apr.29 (GMM) Hockenheim has emerged as a potential race host on F1’s new ‘corona calendar’ for 2020. Germany was not scheduled to host a race this year, but the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper says Hockenheim circuit officials were recently approached by F1 chiefs. “There was a request from FOM, including questions about the necessary lead […]