Sep.19 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has admitted that Haas could be an option for him in 2020. The American team is expected to announce Kevin Magnussen’s next teammate in Singapore. Team boss Gunther Steiner has said Haas is choosing between Hulkenberg, who has lost his place at Renault, and Magnussen’s current teammate Romain Grosjean. “Gunther and […]
Kubica linked with Racing Point move
Sep.19 (GMM) Robert Kubica is now being linked with a move to Racing Point. Earlier this week, the boss of the customer Audi team WRT said the Pole is “naturally an interesting name” for a potential DTM race drive for 2020. But now, the specialist Polish fan publication Powrot Roberta is reporting that F1 team […]
Berger rates Verstappen above Leclerc for now
Sep.18 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc are clearly F1’s “stars of tomorrow”. Although 2019 was initially billed as a clear Lewis Hamilton versus Sebastian Vettel battle for the title, it is the two younger drivers who have been attracting the most recent plaudits. “Hamilton is slightly different as he […]
Briatore blasts Horner over Alonso comments
Sep.18 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has blasted Red Bull boss Christian Horner for making critical comments about Fernando Alonso. Amid speculation the two-time world champion might one day want to return to Formula 1, Horner recently said the Spaniard typically brings “chaos” to the teams he drives for. “I heard Horner speak negatively about Alonso and […]
Audi’s DTM boss plays down Kubica reports
Sep.18 (GMM) Audi’s DTM boss has played down reports linking Robert Kubica with the German outfit. A specialist publication this week said Audi has had talks with the struggling Williams driver’s management about switching to the German touring car series. But Audi boss Dieter Gass told Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com: “Robert Kubica is not in discussion with […]
Renault, Mercedes ‘pointing finger’ at Ferrari – Marko
Sep.18 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has denied claims that Red Bull is pushing the hardest for the FIA to look into the legality of Ferrari’s 2019 power unit. Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Auto Motor und Sport this week: “We sent a number of questions to the FIA, but have not received any answers.” […]
No early start to Ocon’s Renault career
Sep.18 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is unlikely to get an early start to his new 2020 tenure with Renault. The Frenchman is happy about returning to the grid next year, but he might also be forgiven for being slightly disappointed about missing out on a Mercedes seat. “Not at all,” Ocon insists. “As I’ve said, Renault’s […]
‘No decision’ about Renault seat for 2021 – Ricciardo
Sep.18 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not yet committing to Renault beyond 2020. The Australian shocked the F1 world last year by deciding to leave Red Bull. Recent court documents revealed that the two-year deal is worth at least $55 million. But Ricciardo has at times struggled with his new life in the midfield. Talking with […]
Leclerc manager plays down political influence
Sep.18 (GMM) F1 driver manager Nicolas Todt has denied using his political influence to promote Charles Leclerc’s status above ‘number 1’ Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari. Some have made the connection between Todt’s father – FIA president and former Ferrari boss Jean Todt – and the apparent change in hierarchy at the Italian team. “I’m not […]
Red Bull questions FIA over Ferrari engine
Sep.17 (GMM) Rival top teams are dubious about the performance of Ferrari’s 2019 engine. At Spa and Monza, where Charles Leclerc secured his first two victories back-to-back, the superiority of the Maranello-made power unit was clearer than ever. “Right now, Renault, Honda and ourselves are at about the same level,” Mercedes’ Toto Wolff told Auto […]
Alonso ‘doing well’ in off-road rallying – Sainz
Sep.17 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is doing “very well” as he adjusts to the world of off-road rallying, according to his friend Carlos Sainz. In the last days, The two-time world champion raced a Toyota Hilux in the Lichtenburg 400 rally-raid event in South Africa. The event resulted in Alonso’s first rollover crash. “My father says […]
Era of less driver penalties ‘correct’ – Sainz
Sep.17 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is happy that stewards are being more lenient with driver penalties. Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone thinks Sebastian Vettel’s penalty in Montreal this year has contributed to his current slump. “It was completely wrong and unnecessary and it damaged Sebastian’s faith in the sport,” he told Auto Motor und […]
Hulkenberg denies Haas deal now signed
Sep.17 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has played down rumours he has now signed a deal to join Kevin Magnussen at Haas for 2020. Despite their 2017 “suck my balls” run-in, Magnussen insists he would have no problem teaming up with the German, who has been dropped by Renault. “Nico is fast, experienced and respected,” Magnussen told […]
New rule will stop qualifying farce – Todt
Sep.16 (GMM) Jean Todt says Formula 1 will put a stop to the sort of antics that turned qualifying at Monza into a farce. No top runner completed more than an out-lap in the final stages of qualifying at Monza as none of the closely-bunched Q3 group wanted to create a slipstream for his rivals. […]
Binotto rules out Leclerc-Verstappen pairing
Sep.16 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has ruled out signing Max Verstappen to be Charles Leclerc’s future teammate at Ferrari. With quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel struggling at present, many see youngster Leclerc as the obvious new number 1 at the famous Maranello team. Like Vettel, Verstappen is out of contract at Red Bull-Honda after 2020, and […]
Little known about Schumacher or treatment – doctor
Sep.16 (GMM) A top neurosurgeon says almost nothing can be inferred by Michael Schumacher’s recent hospitalisation. The F1 legend was last week at a Paris hospital, triggering rumours he was receiving experimental stem cell therapy to help heal his brain injuries. But stem cell expert Michel Puceat said he thinks it is more likely the […]
Zandvoort already selling tickets for 2021
Sep.16 (GMM) An injunction is being sought against construction works at Zandvoort, the venue for the returning Dutch GP for 2020. RTL reports that an environmental group is seeking the injunction, with documents having been submitted to a court in Haarlem. Despite the potential setback, the Dutch GP looks set to be a massive success. […]
New F1 team confirms 2021 ambition
Sep.16 (GMM) A new team is hoping to make its Formula 1 debut in 2021. During the summer break, reports emerged that a new outfit called Panthera has set up camp near the British GP venue at Silverstone. “I would welcome them,” Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost said at Spa. Germany’s Auto Bild now has […]
Leclerc can ‘lead’ Ferrari like Schumacher – Todt
Sep.16 (GMM) Jean Todt has likened Charles Leclerc to Ferrari’s greatest ever champion, Michael Schumacher. Todt was team boss at Ferrari during the team’s ultra-successful Schumacher era. Now, Todt’s son Nicolas manages Leclerc, the young Spa and Monza winner who looks set to usurp Sebastian Vettel as Ferrari number 1. “Charles is extremely strong mentally,” […]
Vasseur happy with Alfa Romeo progress
Sep.16 (GMM) Boss Frederic Vasseur says he is happy with Alfa Romeo’s progress in 2019. For this year, the Ferrari-linked former Sauber team made a bold step forward by signing up Kimi Raikkonen. Vasseur told France’s Auto Hebdo that he is happy with the results. “Last year, we were behind in pure performance by 2.6 […]