Sep.2 (GMM) Alex Albon has made a “great” first impression on his new team boss Christian Horner. Just 12 races into his F1 career, the former Toro Rosso driver was drafted into Red Bull’s senior team to replace struggling Pierre Gasly from Spa. Red Bull says it will choose between Albon, Gasly and Daniil Kvyat […]
Barcelona boss says 2020 Spanish GP talks ‘not easy’
Sep.2 (GMM) Barcelona circuit boss Joan Fontsere says keeping the Spanish GP alive was not easy. The venue only secured a new one-year deal for 2020 after the F1 teams agreed to attend an unprecedented 22 races next year. “It was not easy,” Fontsere told Marcador Competicion. “There was the limitation of 21 races, but […]
Opinions must be respected after fatality – Vasseur
Sep.2 (GMM) Sunday was a difficult day for the F1 paddock, as the racing went on despite the death less than 24 hours earlier of Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert. Many drivers on the grid, including Pierre Gasly, George Russell, Mercedes reserve Esteban Ocon and race winner Charles Leclerc, knew Frenchman Hubert personally. “On the […]
Monza to be ‘happy weekend’ for Ferrari – Hamilton
Sep.2 (GMM) Ferrari will be strong again at Monza this weekend, according to Mercedes’ two drivers and boss Toto Wolff. Although Ferrari’s advantage in the race at Spa was not as great as in qualifying, the Italian team looks set to dominate the speed traps again at home. “Monza is going to be a happy […]
Monza even worse for Honda than Spa – Verstappen
Sep.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted that Monza next week will be another difficult weekend for Red Bull. Despite riding a crest of form prior to the August break, the Dutchman is just fifth on the Spa grid – and over a full second off pole. “During the vacation I already realised that things would […]
Modern F1 ‘so demotivating’ – Magnussen
Sep.1 (GMM) Haas is continuing to struggle with Pirelli’s 2019 tyres, according to Kevin Magnussen. The underlying pace of the American team’s car is good, but Haas has struggled all season to ‘turn on’ the 2019 tyres that feature thinner tread than last year. “The tyres feel like plastic,” Magnussen, tenth on the grid at […]
Giovinazzi seat looking safer for 2020
Sep.1 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi’s place at Alfa Romeo appears to be safe for 2020. Earlier, with Kimi Raikkonen having scored 31 of the team’s 32 points so far this year, it appeared likely that Giovinazzi could lose Ferrari’s backing for the seat. But La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the Italian’s fate is actually looking […]
FIA to give more warnings before penalties
Sep.1 (GMM) F1’s governing body will apparently use new measures to warn drivers on track about the risk of penalties. Since the issuing of some controversial penalties in 2019, including Sebastian Vettel’s lost victory in Canada, the sport has been discussing how to address the situation. It is believed the topic was discussed in the […]
Grosjean admits he has ‘options’ outside F1
Sep.1 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has admitted he has “other options” apart from Formula 1 for 2020. With Esteban Ocon returning to the grid next year and Nico Hulkenberg tipped to replace him at Haas, Frenchman Grosjean could be left standing without a seat. “The next two weeks will be crucial for my future,” Grosjean, who […]
Kvyat not ‘ignored’ by Red Bull
Sep.1 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat says he has “no problem” with having being overlooked as the replacement for struggling Pierre Gasly at Red Bull. Having resurrected his form and career following his own Red Bull and Toro Rosso oustings, Kvyat says he accepts the reasoning behind promoting Alex Albon instead. “The decision was understandable,” said the […]
Vandoorne not ruling out F1 return
Sep.1 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says he is not missing Formula 1. The Belgian, who lost his McLaren seat at the end of last year, is back in the paddock at Spa Francorchamps this weekend. “It’s nice to see old friends again,” he told the Sporza news agency. “But I don’t really miss it. I’m having […]
Marko rules out Hulkenberg for Red Bull
Sep.1 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has now ruled out Nico Hulkenberg for the second seat at Red Bull for 2020. Earlier, while insisting that the outfit would prefer to choose between Alex Albon, Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly to be Max Verstappen’s next teammate, team boss Christian Horner admitted Hulkenberg was a “conservative” choice that […]
Schumacher eyeing ‘right moment’ for F1 debut
Sep.1 (GMM) Mick Schumacher says he is more determined than ever to follow in his father’s footsteps into Formula 1. The 20-year-old German recently won his first Formula 2 race, and as a member of Ferrari’s driver academy has already tested the Maranello team’s F1 car. He told Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that the test in […]
F1 race to go ahead after Formula 2 death
Sep.1 (GMM) Sunday’s Belgian GP will go ahead following the death of Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert. Frenchman Hubert, a 22-year-old member of Renault’s driver programme, was killed in a sickening T-bone accident at the exit of the fabled Eau Rouge corner. Another driver in the F2 race, Juan Manuel Correa, is listed in a […]
Hamilton not worrying about engine reliability
Sep.1 (GMM) Championship leader Lewis Hamilton says he is not worrying about the health of his Mercedes engine ahead of the Belgian GP. The German marque introduced an engine upgrade at Spa, but Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll (Racing Point) and then Robert Kubica (Williams) suffered problems. “The guys from Mercedes will surely evaluate what’s going […]
Williams still ‘in our own league’ – Kubica
Aug.31 (GMM) Robert Kubica’s poor 2019 season is not getting any better in Belgium. In opening practice at Spa, even Nicholas Latifi – the son of McLaren shareholder Michael Latifi and tipped to make his F1 debut in 2010 – was faster than the struggling Pole. Latifi, reportedly funded to the tunes of tens of […]
Raikkonen involved in altercation at Spa
Aug.31 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has been involved in an altercation with a fan in the Spa paddock. “I don’t know,” the Alfa Romeo said when asked about the incident by Finnish broadcaster C More. A photo of the incident depicts an angry man wearing an orange Max Verstappen cap shouting at the 2007 world champion. […]
Renault engine upgrade disappoints Sainz
Aug.31 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has admitted he is disappointed with Renault’s latest engine upgrade. The McLaren driver is among others at Spa who will take grid penalties for engine changes. Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault have all introduced upgrades for Belgium. Sainz admits he “expected more” from the new Renault. “The new engine? I didn’t notice […]
F1 considering qualifying race experiment for 2020
Aug.31 (GMM) F1 is toying with the idea of experimenting with the race format in 2020. The sport’s all-new era is not arriving until 2021, but sporting boss Ross Brawn said the stable regulations for 2020 gives Liberty the freedom to experiment at one or two races next year. One idea is a race for […]
Red Bull not ruling out Hulkenberg for 2020
Aug.31 (GMM) Red Bull is not yet shutting the door on Nico Hulkenberg. It is believed Haas is in advanced negotiations with the Renault refugee, but reports indicate Hulkenberg is also interested in being Max Verstappen’s 2020 teammate. Red Bull has said that Alex Albon, who has replaced the struggling Pierre Gasly as of Spa, […]