Jul.18 (GMM) Female drivers in the new all-women ‘W Series’ championship will get points towards a Formula 1 Super Licence. “If what we are about is getting our drivers into the upper echelons of motorsport, especially into Formula 1, this represents an absolute sea change in opportunities for women,” said the series’ CEO Catherine Bond […]
No manufacturer has broken 1000hp barrier yet
Jul.18 (GMM) No engine manufacturer in Formula 1 has reached the magic ‘1000 horsepower’ figure yet. That is the claim of a Mercedes engineer, according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. Over the last year or two, there have often been reports in the media about Mercedes or Ferrari breaking through the four-digit horsepower barrier. […]
Mexico set to get new F1 race deal
Jul.18 (GMM) Mexico could be set to escape Liberty Media’s race axe. The F1 owner wants to keep the 2020 calendar at 21 races, even though new venues Zandvoort and Vietnam will be added to the schedule. So with Silverstone getting a new contract and Monza set to follow, it means Barcelona and Hockenheim look […]
Plans for 2021 cars finally emerge
Jul.17 (GMM) Detailed information about the highly anticipated and delayed technical regulations for 2021 has finally emerged. The teams have already agreed a $175 budget cap with Liberty Media and the FIA. “We’re all meeting this week in Geneva,” said McLaren boss Andreas Seidl. On the agenda are the technical and sporting rules, although it […]
Speculation about Williams’ 2020 lineup ‘too early’
Jul.17 (GMM) Speculation about Williams’ 2020 driver lineup has arrived “too early”. That is the view of team boss Claire Williams, amid suggestions the struggling Grove team is looking for a replacement for Robert Kubica. On his return to F1 after eight years, Kubica has struggled alongside rookie George Russell, with some believing Williams could […]
Bottas says he ‘deserves’ to stay at Mercedes
Jul.17 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he wants to remain Lewis Hamilton’s teammate in 2020. Earlier, the Finn’s chances of a new deal appeared slim, following his disappointing 2018 campaign. But Bottas has looked stronger and more consistent this season, and at Silverstone was genuinely a match for world champion Hamilton throughout the weekend. He says […]
Gene Haas won’t quit amid nightmare F1 season – boss
Jul.17 (GMM) Haas’ team boss has played down suggestions the American outfit could close down amid its nightmarish 2019 season. The small outfit has been the most affected by Pirelli’s difficult-to-understand 2019 tyres. And now it is embroiled in a bizarre saga surrounding its controversial title sponsor. The latest installation in the Rich Energy affair […]
Petrobras-backed driver linked with Williams
Jul.16 (GMM) Williams could be lining up a replacement for its struggling race driver Robert Kubica. Brazil’s UOL reports that Sergio Sette Camara, currently fourth overall in Formula 2, has backing for the role by his sponsor Petrobras. Petrobras, a Brazilian oil company, currently sponsors McLaren, where the 21-year-old is a test driver. But when […]
F1 selecting tracks for ‘money’ not racing
Jul.16 (GMM) F1’s drivers should have more say about which circuits host the races. That is the view of Lewis Hamilton, following earlier criticism about ‘boring’ grands prix in 2019. But in Austria and again Silverstone, the races were thrilling — and Hamilton says that is more to do with the actual tracks than the […]
Steiner pondering Haas lineup ‘chemistry’
Jul.16 (GMM) Speculation is ramping up that Haas will wave goodbye to one of its drivers. Already struggling with the Pirelli tyre situation and in a new war with the team’s own title sponsor, boss Gunther Steiner could not hide his fury after Silverstone. “I don’t want to blame one of them right now, but […]
Italy loses faith in ‘disastrous’ Vettel
Jul.16 (GMM) The Italian press has lost faith in Ferrari’s current number 1 driver, Sebastian Vettel. Charles Leclerc battled for victory in Austria and raced spectacularly at Silverstone, while his teammate Vettel was outqualified and then slammed into Max Verstappen in the race. “Ferrari has a new leader,” said the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport. […]
Next Honda upgrade could match Mercedes power – report
Jul.16 (GMM) Honda looks set to match the power of Mercedes’ title winning engine with its next upgrade. After Max Verstappen won in Austria, Red Bull is now hoping Honda’s ‘spec four’ upgrade will be available at Spa, Monza, or as a best-case scenario even before the summer break in Hungary. AS newspaper thinks the […]
Gasly ‘perfect’ at Silverstone – Horner
Jul.16 (GMM) Pierre Gasly thinks he has put his F1 career back on track. After Austria, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko said the Frenchman’s recent performances had been “unacceptable”. But Gasly appeared to have bounced back strongly at Silverstone, finally looking near the pace of his highly rated teammate Max Verstappen. “We had many meetings […]
McLaren to remain ‘independent’ – Seidl
Jul.16 (GMM) McLaren is determined to remain “independent”. That is the view of the British team’s new boss Andreas Seidl, following comments made by works Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo had joked that if Renault and its engine customer McLaren collaborated in the area of the chassis, they would produce a “pretty decent racing car”. […]
Hamilton steps back from claims of ‘racism’
Jul.16 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has distanced himself from suggestions that the British media has an attitude with “racist undertones” about Lewis Hamilton. Heading into his home race, one reporter for the left-wing newspaper The Guardian asked the Mercedes driver about his British “accent”, the time he spends in the US, and the fact that he […]
Silverstone wants new race date for 2020
Jul.16 (GMM) Silverstone is pushing for a new race date on the 2020 calendar. At the British grand prix, Lewis Hamilton complained that his home race had not been scheduled to avoid clashes with the cricket world cup and Wimbledon finals. Silverstone’s owner, the BRDC, is now pushing for a new race date for 2020. […]
F1 allowing ‘hard racing’ again
Jul.16 (GMM) Formula 1 may now be allowing “hard racing” once again, according to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. In Austria, the young Monaco-born driver was disappointed when Max Verstappen was not penalised for his aggressive overtaking move. But at Silverstone, the pair went wheel-to-wheel again, and at one point Leclerc even pushed his former karting rival […]
Furious Haas boss slams ‘unacceptable’ weekend
Jul.15 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says Haas’ two drivers made a bad situation even worse at Silverstone. The American team had spent the entire race weekend embroiled in a saga with its controversial title sponsor Rich Energy. That situation may now end up in the courts. “Our client is entitled to recover by way of damages […]
Bottas took ‘good step’ towards 2020 contract
Jul.15 (GMM) At Silverstone, Valtteri Bottas took a “good step” towards a new deal to stay at Mercedes in 2020. That is the claim of his team boss Toto Wolff, even though other drivers are being linked with the plum seat alongside Lewis Hamilton. Wolff told German television RTL that both Hamilton, the actual race […]
Hamilton’s father urges Alonso to return
Jul.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s father has urged Fernando Alonso to return to Formula 1. In 2007, Hamilton made his debut for McLaren, with two-time world champion Alonso as his teammate. The pair clashed badly and Alonso left the team after that season. But now, Hamilton’s former manager and father Anthony Hamilton thinks Alonso should return […]