Jul.31 (GMM) Max Verstappen is already a better driver than Lewis Hamilton. That is the claim of Gijs van Lennep, a former F1 driver who like Verstappen is Dutch. 77-year-old van Lennep, who raced 8 times in the 70s, thinks Verstappen is now ready to take on five time world champion Hamilton even at the […]
Ocon hopes for 2020 ‘answers’ during August break
Jul.31 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is expecting his mobile phone to have a busy August break. Most of the rest of the Formula 1 world will take a well-deserved break in August as the factories mandatorily shut down. But Haas boss Gunther Steiner thinks Mercedes reserve Ocon is the key to the 2020 silly season, as […]
Red Bull lacking Gasly alternatives – Villeneuve
Jul.31 (GMM) Pierre Gasly is only keeping his seat at Red Bull for now because of a lack of alternatives. That is the view of outspoken 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who thinks Red Bull has been surprisingly lenient on the struggling French driver in 2019. “It’s more than difficult,” he said when asked about […]
Mercedes names Lauda successor
Jul.31 (GMM) Mercedes has appointed a replacement for the late Niki Lauda. At the time of his death in May, the F1 legend was the team’s non-executive chairman, reporting directly to Daimler’s management board. Lauda was also a 10 per cent owner of the F1 team, but it is not known what will happen to […]
Williams says Russell ‘going nowhere’ for 2020
Jul.31 (GMM) Williams is not going to let George Russell flee to the Mercedes works team without a fight. At Hockenheim, Toto Wolff suggested that Valtteri Bottas’ 2020 seat is not secure because of the promise of Mercedes’ juniors Russell and Esteban Ocon. “We are very happy with their development. The aim is to make […]
Marko not ruling out Verstappen title
Jul.31 (GMM) Red Bull-Honda could soon close the gap completely to Mercedes. That is the view of Dr Helmut Marko, after Max Verstappen won two of the past three grands prix. “I would not rule it out,” the Red Bull official told Auto Motor und Sport when asked if the world championship is still a […]
Gasly ‘too weak when fighting’ – Marko
Jul.31 (GMM) Pierre Gasly is still under the microscope at Red Bull. Early season struggles for the Frenchman triggered rumours he could be ousted within his first season with the premier energy drink owned team. But then he bounced back with a strong showing at Silverstone — before crashing twice at Hockenheim. “In (German GP) […]
Renault claims to have broken 1000hp barrier
Jul.31 (GMM) Renault claims to have broken the four-digit horsepower barrier with its improved 2019 engine. That is despite the fact that, just two weeks ago, a Mercedes engineer denied that even the championship-winning engine has broken through 1000 horsepower. “No, not even Ferrari,” the engineer told Auto Motor und Sport. But Renault’s engine boss […]
Boss admits Hulkenberg crash timing bad
Jul.30 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg’s crash out of the German GP coincides with “important discussions” about his future. That is the news from team boss Cyril Abiteboul, who says he and other Renault team members had “tears in our eyes” when Hulkenberg slid off the wet Hockenheim circuit and lost his first-ever F1 podium. “You have […]
Vettel, Hamilton, plead for German GP rescue
Jul.30 (GMM) F1’s top drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton are pleading with the sport to keep Hockenheim on the calendar. It seems that both Barcelona and Hockenheim could be missing from the 2020 schedule in order to make room for new races at Zandvoort and Vietnam. “We just had a great race and it […]
Masi clears Hockenheim after wet race crashes
Jul.30 (GMM) F1 race director has cleared Hockenheim of blame for much of the carnage seen during the wet German GP. Top drivers including Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg all crashed last Sunday. Leclerc said the ice-rink style grip in the runoff where he crashed was “unacceptable”, even though he insisted: […]
Bad weekend was ‘karma’ for Mercedes – Wolff
Jul.30 (GMM) The F1 world may never again see Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team wear fancy dress. The German carmaker kept this year’s Hockenheim race on the calendar by sponsoring it, and took the opportunity to use a special livery and dress team members in old-style costume to mark Mercedes’ 125 years in motor […]
No Red Bull return for Kvyat in 2019
Jul.29 (GMM) Red Bull has ruled out replacing Pierre Gasly with on-form former team driver Dannil Kvyat before the end of the season. That is despite the fact that Russian Kvyat on Sunday scored junior team Toro Rosso’s first podium finish since Sebastian Vettel won at Monza in 2008. “It was a horror movie with […]
Haas hints at ‘change’ in driver situation
Jul.29 (GMM) As the team’s driver crisis continues, Haas boss Gunther Steiner insists “something has to change”. After Silverstone, where Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen collided for the third time in 2019, Steiner’s fury prompted rumours that Grosjean could be axed. Then, during the sensational wet German GP, they collided again. “Something has to change,” […]
Verstappen camp not ruling out 2019 title
Jul.29 (GMM) Max Verstappen has played down his chances of winning the 2019 title. However, the Dutchman and Red Bull-Honda are clearly on the ascendance, having won two of the last three grands prix, including Sunday’s sensational wet race at Hockenheim. 2019 had looked to be turning into a Lewis Hamilton whitewash, but Verstappen’s successes […]
Mercedes will not rescue 2020 German GP
Jul.29 (GMM) Mercedes is not going to save the German GP. When Hockenheim also looked doomed a year ago, the German carmaker and multiple reigning championship winner stepped in with key sponsorship that was impossible to not notice at the 2019 race. Mercedes’ naming sponsor advertising was all over the circuit, and the team used […]
Binotto’s Vettel comments ‘brutal’ – Rosberg
Jul.28 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has described Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s latest comments about Sebastian Vettel as “brutal”. Earlier at Hockenheim, Binotto was asked about Vettel’s career slump at Ferrari. “How can we help him?” the Italian told RTL. “By being open and honest with him. “By making it clear — we expect more from him. […]
Hockenheim could be stand-by race for 2020
Jul.28 (GMM) Hockenheim’s best chance of staying on the F1 calendar is if the projects in Vietnam or Zandvoort falter. FIA president Jean Todt said at the scene of probably the last German GP for now that the country “should have a grand prix”. “It is probably the country with the greatest knowledge of building […]
Magnussen also wants to drive old Haas car
Jul.28 (GMM) Haas’ two race drivers are lobbying for the return of the team’s Melbourne specification car. The American team got off to a flying start in 2019, but more recently has struggled to make Pirelli’s controversial tyres work. Although his place at Haas is reportedly in danger, Romain Grosjean was behind the proposal to […]
Wolff prepared to let Ocon join rival team
Jul.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he is ready to let Mercedes reserve Esteban Ocon leave the team at the end of 2019. Frenchman Ocon, a top member of Mercedes’ development programme, lost his Force India seat at the end of last year but is now being strongly linked with a 2020 return. The 22-year-old is […]