Jun.12 (GMM) Honda will take its second engine upgrade of the 2019 season to Paul Ricard next weekend. In April, just a few races into the long season, the Japanese manufacturer introduced its first upgrade of 2019 for partner teams Red Bull and Toro Rosso. Dr Helmut Marko had said at the time that the […]
Bottas calls Canada GP a ‘wake-up call’
Jun.12 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has described the Canadian GP race weekend as a personal “wake-up call”. With his new beard on show after a lacklustre 2018, the Finnish driver came out of the box with surprisingly strong form early in 2019. But more recently, his championship lead has become a 29-point deficit to Mercedes teammate […]
Binotto admits Ferrari made another strategy error
Jun.12 (GMM) Ferrari has admitted to making yet another strategy error in 2019. Already criticised by the Italian press for a range of strategy mistakes this year, boss Mattia Binotto has confirmed that another oversight took place last Sunday in Canada. When Sebastian Vettel was given his now highly controversial five second penalty, Charles Leclerc […]
Grosjean scared off home intruders – wife
Jun.12 (GMM) Romain Grosjean endured an ordeal at home after returning from the Canadian GP. On social media, his wife Marion – a former F1 presenter for French television – declared the Haas driver a “hero” for scaring off two intruders who had broken into their home at night in Geneva. “Sportsmen are often called […]
Signs of reliability trouble at Mercedes
Jun.12 (GMM) There are signs of reliability trouble coming out of the Mercedes camp. On Saturday in Montreal, the brand new Mercedes engine fitted to Lance Stroll’s Racing Point failed spectacularly. The following day, before the Sebastian Vettel penalty controversy erupted, Lewis Hamilton’s grand prix was almost spoiled by a pre-race problem. He said afterwards: […]
Marko hints Mercedes getting preferential treatment
Jun.12 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has admitted he wonders if Mercedes is being unfairly favoured by F1’s authorities. The Red Bull official hit out at the penalty that cost Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel victory in Montreal. He even defended Vettel, who won all of his four titles at Red Bull, for what is being described as […]
Ferrari pushing ahead with Vettel penalty appeal
Jun.12 (GMM) Ferrari is pushing ahead with its appeal against the controversial stewards decision that cost Sebastian Vettel victory in Canada. There has been uncertainty about whether an appeal against the verdict would be heard by the FIA unless new evidence emerges. But ahead of the Thursday deadline for the appeal being formally lodged, a […]
Team order left Hulkenberg ‘angry’ – Abiteboul
Jun.11 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg left Canada “quite angry,” Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul has admitted. In Montreal, it was German Hulkenberg’s teammate Daniel Ricciardo in the limelight, having qualified fourth and then finishing sixth. But boss Abiteboul revealed after the race that he issued a team order to Hulkenberg to remain behind Ricciardo to the […]
Bottas’ performance slump ‘strange’ – Salo
Jun.11 (GMM) Former F1 driver Mika Salo has admitted he is worried about the flagging form of his fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas. With his new beard on show after a lacklustre 2018, Bottas came out of the box with surprisingly strong form early this year. But more recently he has slipped behind Lewis Hamilton once […]
‘So much politics’ over F1 rules debate – Verstappen
Jun.11 (GMM) Max Verstappen says “so much politics” is floating around in the F1 paddock at present. That was particularly noticeable in Canada last weekend, when the draft 2021 regulations started doing the rounds. The FIA has now summoned the major players, reportedly also including the drivers, to a summit in Paris this week to […]
Kubica ‘clearly slower’ than Russell – Villeneuve
Jun.11 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve has not changed his controversial view about Robert Kubica’s return to Formula 1. Just after the Pole’s return race in Melbourne, 1997 world champion Villeneuve called it “terrible” for the sport. “Formula 1 should be the pinnacle of racing, so it’s not good for the sport if someone with a disability […]
Raikkonen admits Alfa Romeo ‘lack speed’
Jun.11 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has admitted Alfa Romeo “lack speed” as the 2019 championship races towards mid-season. After a good start for the former Sauber team with its new Ferrari-linked branding, Alfa Romeo has slumped and is currently ahead only of struggling Williams. “Hopefully we will be back to a more normal position here,” Raikkonen […]
F1 remains split over Vettel penalty controversy
Jun.11 (GMM) Two days after the Canadian GP, Formula 1 remains split over whether the penalty that cost Sebastian Vettel victory was right or wrong. Nico Rosberg, who had a difficult relationship with his fellow German during his career, has fiercely sided with the stewards and backed Lewis Hamilton’s win. “He (Vettel) always think he […]
Father ‘retweets’ article about Verstappen leaving Red Bull
Jun.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has ‘retweeted’ a news article about the Dutchman potentially leaving Red Bull. On Sunday, we reported Dr Helmut Marko’s quote in La Gazzetta dello Sport that said the Red Bull boss was “worried” about losing Verstappen to a rival. “At the moment there is only one car that is winning […]
Todt invites drivers to Paris for rules meeting
Jun.10 (GMM) Jean Todt has invited F1 drivers to the FIA’s Paris headquarters to discuss the 2021 rules. In Montreal, the draft regulations for 2021, championed by Liberty Media, began doing the rounds. But five time world champion Lewis Hamilton says the changes made since he debuted in 2007 have been largely negative. “I think […]
Ferrari’s impressive car update schedule emerges
Jun.10 (GMM) Ferrari’s impressive schedule of forthcoming car updates has emerged. Written off by some prior to Canada, Sebastian Vettel actually met Montreal’s chequered flag first before losing the victory with the controversial stewards’ decision. “It was important for us to get back on the pace here,” team boss Mattia Binotto said. “As a team […]
Magnussen clarifies criticism of Haas team
Jun.10 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has backtracked after comments made during the Canadian GP were interpreted as harsh criticism of his Haas team. On the radio, the Dane said he suffered the “worst experience I have ever had in a racing car, ever”. It was too much for team boss Gunther Steiner, who told Magnussen “enough […]
Criticism of 2019 tyres ‘totally wrong’ – Pirelli
Jun.10 (GMM) Pirelli has hit back at claims its 2019 tyres only suit the dominant Mercedes car. Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko goes so far as to call the thinner-treaded Pirellis for this year “Mercedes tyres”, telling Auto Bild: “Unfortunately our drink cans are not delivered with tyres.” Mario Isola, Pirelli’s F1 boss, told Italy’s […]
F1 ‘no longer the sport I fell in love with’ – Vettel
Jun.10 (GMM) F1 is rallying behind Sebastian Vettel after the German accused FIA stewards of “stealing” his race victory in Canada. The Ferrari driver was livid after receiving a time penalty for unsafely returning to the track in front of Lewis Hamilton following a mistake in Sunday’s race in Montreal. Although Vettel met the chequered […]
Perez defends Stroll and billionaire father
Jun.9 (GMM) Sergio Perez has defended teammate Lance Stroll and the Canadian driver’s billionaire father. Last year, fashion mogul Lawrence Stroll bought the ailing Force India team, renamed it Racing Point for 2019 and installed his own son Lance as a race driver. Stroll, 20, was this week criticised by fellow Canadian Alex Tagliani, also […]