Feb.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has all but ruled out a return to Red Bull for Sebastian Vettel. While his own Ferrari contract runs out this year, Vettel’s teammate Charles Leclerc has been re-signed through 2024. So it was interesting that at the recent Kitzbuhel skiing world cup event, Vettel – who won all four […]
New ‘double diffuser’ likely in 2021 – Green
Feb.3 (GMM) Racing Point technical boss Andy Green is expecting a surprise innovation like the ‘double diffuser’ of 2009 to affect Formula 1 once again in 2021. He admitted to Auto Motor und Sport that all teams will be scouring the new regulations for grey areas to exploit. “I think the regulations are pretty fragile. […]
F1 looking to delay 2020 China GP
Feb.3 (GMM) F1 appears poised to delay April’s Chinese GP. The sport’s governing FIA has announced that the Formula E race in the coronavirus-struck country, scheduled for 21 March, has been cancelled. “Formula E has taken the necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of its travelling staff, championship participants and spectators, which remains […]
Honda vetoes Alonso’s Indy 500 deal
Feb.3 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s plans to contest his third Indy 500 this May are reportedly in tatters. We reported last week that the Spaniard had agreed to make his latest attempt to complete the ‘triple crown’ with Michael Andretti’s top outfit. An announcement was apparently imminent, but new reports indicate that the deal has now […]
Racing Point to be Aston Martin in 2021
Jan.31 (GMM) Racing Point will become the works Aston Martin team in Formula 1 from 2021. The British luxury carmaker, which has struggled financially in 2019, has agreed an initial $237 million buy-out deal with Racing Point owner and billionaire Lawrence Stroll and a consortium. Aston Martin confirmed that Racing Point will be renamed Aston […]
Expert ‘not optimistic’ about 2020 China GP
Jan.31 (GMM) A disease expert says he is not “optimistic” about whether China will be able to host its Formula 1 race as scheduled in April this year. The spread of the deadly coronavirus, whose epicentre in Wuhan is 800 kilometres from Shanghai’s F1 track, is worsening by the day. Foreign offices are advising against […]
Pirelli says teams cannot scrap 18-inch tyres
Jan.31 (GMM) Formula 1 teams cannot veto the move to 18-inch wheels for 2021. That is the insistence of Mario Isola, the boss of F1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli. Pirelli tried to introduce a modified version of the current 13-inch tyres for 2020, but the teams voted to scrap the move and stick with the […]
Red Bull may protest Ferrari engine in 2020 – Marko
Jan.31 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull will “definitely protest” if the legality of Ferrari’s engine once again becomes a hot topic in 2020. The German broadcaster RTL quotes team boss Christian Horner as suggesting F1’s governing body struggled to stay on top of the “very complex” engine technology last year. “I think the […]
Paul Ricard has ‘offers’ to sell French GP venue
Jan.31 (GMM) Paul Ricard CEO Stephane Clair has played down speculation the French GP venue will soon be sold. The famous circuit, which returned to the F1 calendar in 2018 after a long absence, is actually owned by Bernie Ecclestone’s ex-wife Slavica. And reports suggest the 61-year-old Croatian former model, who inherited ownership of the […]
F1 sponsor says Mercedes exit rumours ‘not new’
Jan.31 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ former long-time sponsor says rumours Mercedes could quit Formula 1 have been circulating in the paddock for “a couple of years”. The big story in F1 this week is that Daimler – Mercedes’ parent – may choose to withdraw its works support beyond 2020 at a board meeting on February 12. […]
Marko admits Red Bull misses Ricciardo
Jan.31 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he is happy with Max Verstappen’s new teammate Alex Albon, even though the top Red Bull official admits he misses Daniel Ricciardo. “It was a bit of a shock to the whole team when he went to Renault,” he told Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com, referring to Ricciardo. Red Bull has struggled […]
Marko says Red Bull does not miss Renault
Jan.31 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has dismissed Renault engineer Remi Taffin’s recent claim that Red Bull’s engine supplier Honda is “one step behind” all of the other engine manufacturers in F1. “I don’t know what part of the season he was thinking about,” Marko, a top official at Red Bull, told Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com. After a […]
2020 Red Bull to debut at Silverstone
Jan.31 (GMM) Red Bull will run its 2020 car for the first time on February 12, Dr Helmut Marko has revealed. The energy drink-owned team was among the last to reveal a launch date, but Marko has now told Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com: “After bench testing of the new car is completed, we will run it in […]
Boss says McLaren ‘definitely’ not writing off 2020
Jan.30 (GMM) Andreas Seidl insists McLaren will not write off the forthcoming F1 season in order to focus fully on the sweeping rule changes of 2021. Key rival Renault is openly admitting that it is directing the bulk of its resources this year not to the 2020 project, but to the big opportunity presented by […]
Alonso’s Indy 500 deal set to be announced
Jan.30 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s deal to contest the Indy 500 in May will be announced imminently, according to sources. On January 10, the Spaniard – who failed even to qualify for last year’s race at the fabled American oval with McLaren – said he wants to be with “the best possible team” for 2020. In […]
Correa says FIA did not ‘look after’ him after Spa crash
Jan.30 (GMM) Formula 2 driver Juan Manuel Correa says the FIA did not “look after” him as he fought for his own life in the wake of Anthoine Hubert’s fatal crash at Spa last year. The 20-year-old Ecuadorian-American told the German broadcaster n-tv that he recalls “the whole accident” until he lost consciousness when he […]
Hamilton denies arguing with Mercedes over money
Jan.30 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has rejected speculation that he is arguing about the monetary value of his next contract with Mercedes. Reports have suggested that Mercedes is offering the new six-time world champion about $50 million a year for 2021 and 2022, with Hamilton firing back with a $66m counter-offer. The 35-year-old denies it. “Toto […]
Renault must ‘do better’ in 2020 – Ricciardo
Jan.30 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo says Renault needs to “do it better” in 2020. The Australian switched from top team Red Bull to the French works outfit last year amid fanfare and consternation, and Renault ultimately missed its target of fourth in the constructors’ championship. Not just that, Renault was only 6 points away from not […]
Leclerc will win title ‘soon’ – Alesi
Jan.30 (GMM) Former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi thinks Charles Leclerc will win the world championship “soon”. In 2019, during his first season in red, 22-year-old Leclerc got the upper hand over Sebastian Vettel, including confirmation that he is staying for the next five seasons. Speed Week even reports that Leclerc, but not quadruple world champion […]
F1 ‘monitoring’ coronavirus situation in China
Jan.30 (GMM) The Formula 1 organisation and its governing body are continuing to “monitor” the worsening situation surrounding the Chinese coronavirus outbreak. With 170 now dead and that number climbing every day, the world is reacting with alarm to the epidemic, as international sporting events in China are cancelled and major airlines begin scrapping flights. […]