Dec.6 (GMM) Former Ferrari spokesman Alberto Antonini suspects the rumour about Lewis Hamilton potentially switching to Ferrari was started by the six-time world champion himself. Journalist Antonini, who headed Ferrari’s press office until early this year, was referring to La Gazzetta dello Sport’s recent story about Hamilton meeting twice with Ferrari chairman John Elkann. Antonini […]
Gazprom denies plans to become F1 sponsor
Dec.6 (GMM) Russian natural gas giant Gazprom has denied reports that it is poised to re-enter Formula 1 as a sponsor. It was reported this week that Gazprom, a former Minardi sponsor last decade, was poised to back either Renault or Toro Rosso to the tune of EUR 35 million beginning next year. Russian driver […]
Red Bull prepared to protest Ferrari in 2020 – Marko
Dec.6 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has slammed Ferrari’s EUR 50,000 penalty for the fuel infringement in Abu Dhabi as “a joke”. The Red Bull-Honda official admitted that he spread the news about the FIA’s investigation into the incorrect fuel load declared by Ferrari prior to the race last Sunday “so that things are not swept […]
Kosachenko slams ‘Formula 2 team’ Williams
Dec.6 (GMM) Oksana Kosachenko, the former manager of Russian driver Vitaly Petrov, has slammed the struggling British team Williams. Williams not only finished dead last in 2019, the famous motor racing name was a long way off the pace of the next-fastest competitor and regularly criticised by its own driver Robert Kubica. “In my opinion, […]
Webber tips Hamilton to pip young rivals in 2020
Dec.6 (GMM) Mark Webber does not think the Ferrari or Red Bull-Honda drivers can beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to the 2020 title. Most pundits, including the former 9-time grand prix winner Webber, believe next year will be hotly contested between all three top teams. “Provided Leclerc and Vettel can score points at least regularly, I […]
Schumacher targets F2 title, F1 debut in 2021
Dec.6 (GMM) Mick Schumacher says he understands that Formula 1 will be the toughest assignment of his career. Former driver and now F1 commentator Christian Danner said this week that while the 20-year-old son of legend Michael Schumacher wanted to make his debut in 2020, he first needs to “improve a lot”. Schumacher will instead […]
Renault has ‘strongest engine’ in F1 – Abiteboul
Dec.6 (GMM) Renault has “the strongest engine” in Formula 1, according to team boss Cyril Abiteboul. That is despite the fact that some in the paddock think the French manufacturer has actually fallen behind the ever-improving Honda. But Abiteboul told Auto Motor und Sport that Renault has made big progress too. “According to our measurements, […]
Catching top teams will take ‘a while’ – Brown
Dec.6 (GMM) Boss Zak Brown says McLaren wants to “close the gap” to the top three F1 teams in 2020. The Woking based team’s supremo admitted he was surprised to beat rivals like Renault, which is McLaren’s engine supplier, to fourth overall this year. “We were hoping, but we did not necessarily expect it,” Brown […]
No official comment on Stroll-Aston Martin rumours
Dec.6 (GMM) No official comment is yet to be made amid rumours Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll also wants to take over the struggling British carmaker Aston Martin. Reports suggest Canadian billionaire Stroll, the father of team driver Lance Stroll, is leading a consortium that is eyeing Aston Martin and intends to re-brand his F1 […]
Abu Dhabi still good venue for F1 finale – Steiner
Dec.5 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says Abu Dhabi is still a good venue for F1’s annual season finale. Although the Yas Marina circuit’s celebratory night race atmosphere is a perfect way to round out a season, the layout itself does not always lend itself to exciting racing. “The racing here has never been particularly good due […]
Kubica could affect Fittipaldi’s Haas plans
Dec.5 (GMM) Pietro Fittipaldi has admitted Robert Kubica could throw a spanner in the works of his Formula 1 plans for 2020. Last month, we reported the 23-year-old grandson of F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi’s statement that “negotiations are well advanced” to continue as a development driver with Haas. But he also wants a more significant […]
Pirelli sets deadline for 2020 tyre decision
Dec.5 (GMM) Pirelli is sticking with a looming deadline to decide whether Formula 1 will use the Italian supplier’s 2019 or 2020 tyres next year. Given some high profile issues with the 2019 tyres, Pirelli worked on improvements for 2020. But after tests in Austin and now Abu Dhabi, drivers are complaining that they are […]
Pirelli CEO ‘hopes’ Vettel-Leclerc pairing works out
Dec.5 (GMM) “Everyone hopes” Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc can work together in 2020, according to Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera. The pair is staying together for 2020, but earlier team number 1 Vettel had his hierarchy challenged by the decade-younger Leclerc this year before they crashed in Brazil. Mark Webber, who was Vettel’s teammate […]
F1 fans ‘can’t follow’ complex rules – Carey
Dec.5 (GMM) F1 CEO Chase Carey says fans “really can’t follow” the sport’s overly complex rules. The ten teams have now agreed in principle with the brand new technical and sporting rules for 2021, but are still negotiating new commercial agreements with Liberty Media and the FIA. “We have got too many complicated penalties and […]
Ocon happy to fight Verstappen again in 2020
Dec.4 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he has no problem with the prospect of going wheel-to-wheel with Max Verstappen in 2020. On Tuesday, as the post-race Abu Dhabi test kicked off, Frenchman Ocon got his first taste at the wheel of the 2019 Renault ahead of his return to racing next year. “The biggest difference is […]
Rio secures $72m tax break for Brazil GP bid
Dec.4 (GMM) Rio de Janeiro’s efforts to snatch the Brazilian GP away from Sao Paulo are continuing apace. While Interlagos organisers want to keep the race at their historic circuit, the rival Rio bid has the support of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. And now, Rio has also secured the support of the state government too. […]
Pirelli will cope with Zandvoort banking – Albers
Dec.4 (GMM) Former F1 driver Christijan Albers thinks Pirelli will cope with the banked corners that are currently being installed at the new Dutch GP venue at Zandvoort. One of the corners will feature an audacious banking gradient that far outstrips the fabled Indianapolis Speedway, where in 2005 the US GP was badly affected by […]
Ferrari fuel breach ‘not an error’ – Jos Verstappen
Dec.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father does not think Ferrari made a “calculation error” with the fuel load aboard Charles Leclerc’s car in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari escaped with a EUR 50,000 fine for under-declaring to the FIA the amount of fuel that was aboard Leclerc’s car for the race start. Earlier, Max Verstappen accused Ferrari of […]
Ferrari duo ‘free to race’ in 2020 – Binotto
Dec.4 (GMM) Ferrari’s two drivers will be “free to race” in 2020. That is the claim of team boss Mattia Binotto, even though Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc crashed in Brazil and may be battling for the title next year. But he said: “If you look at the last races, they have been free to […]
2020 tyres ‘not what we dreamed about’ – Grosjean
Dec.4 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has joined those who do not think Pirelli’s proposed tyres for 2020 are an improvement. The Frenchman drives for Haas, which was the F1 team clearly most affected by the behaviour of this year’s controversial tyres. “It’s too early to judge,” Grosjean said after trying the 2020 tyres at the post-grand […]