Oct.2 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has admitted to having some “regrets” about his Formula 1 career. It looks possible that after a decade in the sport, the 32-year-old Renault refugee will fail to find another race seat for 2020. German Hulkenberg has never even been on the podium, but he said he has even lost opportunities […]
Red Bull can still win five races – Marko
Oct.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has moved to play down Jos Verstappen’s concerns about progress at Red Bull. Jos, who is Max Verstappen’s father and co-manager, said after a string of uncompetitive races for the team: “They really need to change things otherwise next year will be lost as well.” But following Verstappen’s comments, Marko […]
Leclerc contributing to Ferrari tension – Marko
Oct.2 (GMM) Charles Leclerc is contributing to the tension at Ferrari. That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, at the same time as F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn said the Leclerc-Vettel driver pairing is “potentially explosive”. Marko thinks Ferrari is also to blame. “Vettel was ahead (at Sochi), so Leclerc complained and […]
Brawn can imagine Russian F1 team
Oct.2 (GMM) Ross Brawn can imagine there being a Russian team on the Formula 1 grid. At Sochi, Russia’s trade minister said a Russian F1 team is “not far off”. The man closest to making that happen is Boris Rotenberg, the billionaire behind the SMP Racing operation. “I think the more teams there are, the […]
Haas not pulling out of F1
Oct.2 (GMM) Formula 1 team Haas has no immediate plans to pull out of the sport. The American outfit has had a tumultuous 2019 season, with its car struggling to cope with the Pirelli tyres and controversial title sponsor Rich Energy pulling out. But F1 business journalist Christian Sylt has found in Haas’ financial statements […]
FIA not ruling out action over Steiner criticism
Oct.1 (GMM) Gunther Steiner may be in trouble with the FIA for criticising the stewards in Russia. The Haas team boss told Kevin Magnussen on the radio about a “stupid idiot steward” who penalised the Dane for the way he rejoined the Sochi track after an incident. But according to Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com, the criticism has […]
Red Bull eyes ‘strong second driver’ for 2020
Oct.1 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat might be back in the running to return to Red Bull in 2020. Recently, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko said the only candidates to be Max Verstappen’s teammate next year are Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly. But Marko told the Russian news agency Tass that he is also happy with Kvyat, […]
Schumacher surgeon denies working ‘miracles’
Oct.1 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s surgeon has denied he recently carried out “experimental” treatment on the stricken Formula 1 legend. Amid great secrecy about the 50-year-old former Ferrari and Mercedes driver’s brain injuries, Schumacher was recently hospitalised in Paris under the care of cardiac expert professor Philippe Menasche. The world’s media speculated that the great German […]
Jos Verstappen says Red Bull progress ‘not good enough’
Oct.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father says he is “really worried” about Red Bull’s performance. Verstappen, who turned 22 this week, has won two races for Red Bull-Honda in 2019, but his father says progress has slumped since the summer break. “Since then we have stood still a bit while the others made progress,” Jos Verstappen […]
Leclerc leaves girlfriend to focus on F1
Oct.1 (GMM) Charles Leclerc’s former girlfriend has revealed that the Ferrari driver “left me” in order to focus on his Formula 1 career. Vanity Fair said the 21-year-old has been dating Italian model Giada Gianni, who is also 21, since 2015. “Charles left me,” she is quoted as saying. “He wants to devote himself only […]
Team orders ‘part of F1’ – Michael Masi
Oct.1 (GMM) The FIA will not look into Ferrari’s controversial team orders of Sochi. Fans and pundits were unhappy with the Italian team for ordering Sebastian Vettel aside for Charles Leclerc after they coordinated the ‘slipstream’ at the start of the Russian GP. Vettel did not comply, but some wondered if Ferrari was skating close […]
Vettel plays down meaning of ‘V12’ outburst
Oct.1 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he would think about quitting Formula 1 if a better racing series existed. When he retired at Sochi with a complex power unit problem that meant he had to do a ‘safety jump’ from the Ferrari, he said on the radio: “Bring back the f*cking V12s.” “The power units are […]
Kubica saying ‘nothing’ after Sochi retirement
Sep.30 (GMM) Robert Kubica says Sochi was the worst race weekend of his entire career in motor racing. Days after the Pole announced he is leaving Williams at the end of the season, his father Artur told a Polish newspaper that the team’s “financial situation is bad”. “Williams is definitely looking for money to survive.” […]
Rotenberg not ruling out Russian F1 team
Sep.30 (GMM) Russian billionaire Boris Rotenberg has admitted he could set up a Formula 1 team. At Sochi, Russia’s visiting trade and industry minister Denis Manturov told Ria Novosti news agency: “I think a Russian team will appear. It is not far off.” The man closest to making that happen is Rotenberg, whose SMP Racing […]
Verstappen not promising Honda ‘magic’ at Suzuka
Sep.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen is not promising a great result for Honda’s forthcoming home race at Suzuka. Red Bull and Toro Rosso’s Japanese engine supplier opted to use the Sochi round to fit new engines, resulting in grid penalties including one for Max Verstappen. But after the Russian GP, Verstappen admitted that fourth place was […]
Wolff denies McLaren to be new Mercedes works team
Sep.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down suggestions that Mercedes could quit Formula 1 after 2020. When McLaren’s new long-term Mercedes engine deal from 2021 was announced at Sochi, many suspected it could be a hint about Mercedes’ future with its own works team. Prior to the formation of its own works team, Mercedes’ works […]
F1 could revisit helmet livery change rule
Sep.30 (GMM) F1’s governing body may revisit the rule banning drivers from using different helmet liveries. There was controversy at Sochi when local driver Daniil Kvyat was prevented from wearing a special helmet for his home Russian GP. The ban fell after the FIA told Toro Rosso that Kvyat had already used his allowed ‘one […]
Mercedes to bring car upgrade to Suzuka
Sep.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Mercedes is preparing an upgrade for the 2019 car. Although the German team finished one-two at Sochi, it is Ferrari with arguably the fastest car now after a big upgrade in Singapore. Lewis Hamilton is poised to win the world championship, but he has called on Mercedes to keep updating […]
Vettel ‘has no future at Ferrari’ – Marko
Sep.30 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has “no future at Ferrari”, according to his former boss Dr Helmut Marko. Despite having arguably the fastest car at present, Ferrari is now embroiled in a new team orders scandal after repeatedly asking Vettel to let Charles Leclerc past him at Sochi. Leclerc, who started on pole, says he had […]
McLaren turned down ‘strategic partnership’ with Renault
Sep.29 (GMM) McLaren split with engine supplier Renault over a disagreement about Formula 1 strategy, according to Cyril Abiteboul. “It was apparent that Renault and McLaren have different ambitions for the future,” he said. The Renault team boss was speaking after it was announced at Sochi that McLaren will switch to customer Mercedes power in […]