Jul.15 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has defended the racing ethos of F1’s oldest and most experienced current driver. He is talking about Kimi Raikkonen, who astonished with his talent when he entered the sport with almost no experience in 2001. But the best part of two decades later, many think the now 39-year-old Raikkonen should have […]
Vettel could lose number 1 status – Ralf Schumacher
Jul.15 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is at risk of being usurped by his young Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. After standing on the Silverstone podium, Leclerc said it had been “the race I enjoyed the most in my Formula 1 career”. At the same time, it may have been one of 32-year-old quadruple world champion Vettel’s least […]
Todt wants F1 to reduce driver aids
Jul.15 (GMM) Jean Todt has added to his list of suggestions for improving Formula 1. Earlier, the FIA president said the sport should look into reintroducing refuelling, as the cars have become much heavier than in decades past. “With a lighter car, we could fight harder,” said championship leader Lewis Hamilton when asked about Todt’s […]
Silverstone denies new race fee is $25m
Jul.14 (GMM) Silverstone has played down reports about the new British GP race fee. Earlier this week, Formula 1 announced that Silverstone will remain on the calendar for the next five years at least. The circuit-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club had terminated the previous contract for financial reasons. British newspapers claimed the new fee is […]
Renault back on track after failed upgrade
Jul.14 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo says Renault is getting back on course after a recent setback. At Paul Ricard, for the French works team’s home race, Renault brought a major car upgrade but some of the parts did not work. But at Silverstone, Ricciardo was ‘best of the rest’ in qualifying behind the top three teams. […]
Kvyat hoping fatherhood can wait until after race
Jul.14 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat is crossing his fingers that fatherhood can be held at bay for another day or two. The Russian’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet, whose father is the F1 legend Nelson Piquet, is due to give birth to their first child at any moment. “Honestly yes, there is the risk that it will happen […]
Stronger Giovinazzi good for Raikkonen – boss
Jul.14 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says it is good that Alfa Romeo’s second driver is now closer to the pace. Earlier, it was said that of the 20 drivers on the grid this year, it is Pierre Gasly, Robert Kubica and Alfa’s Antonio Giovinazzi who were struggling the most. But Italian Giovinazzi finally scored his first […]
Verstappen slams ‘match-fixing’ accusation
Jul.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen has slammed suggestions that he was “gifted” victory at the recent Austrian GP. Two weeks ago, the Dutchman won at the Red Bull Ring after a thrilling battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. But fellow Dutchman and former F1 driver Michael Bleekemolen suggested afterwards that Mercedes, having won every other race in […]
F1 ‘must’ impose budget cap – Seidl
Jul.14 (GMM) F1’s proposed budget cap for 2021 “must become reality”. That is the view of Andreas Seidl, the new team boss at McLaren. The German arrives at McLaren from Porsche, where he oversaw the German marque’s domination of the world endurance championship and Le Mans. But in Formula 1, he says teams like McLaren […]
Ocon hoping for ‘competitive’ 2020 car
Jul.14 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is now hopeful he will be back on the Formula 1 grid next year. Sitting on Mercedes’ reserve bench in 2019, the ousted Force India driver has been linked with Valtteri Bottas’ place for next season. But the rumour mill is also suggesting that Renault, Haas or Williams could be options […]
Gasly puts career back on track in Britain
Jul.14 (GMM) Pierre Gasly has begun to put his Red Bull career back on track. The Frenchman’s struggles since replacing Daniel Ricciardo this year have fired up speculation that he may be ousted — even before the end of the season. But Gasly has been competitive all weekend at Silverstone, and he qualified fifth, right […]
Hamilton slams Sunday sports clashes
Jul.13 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has hit out at the sporting clashes that will come to a head on Sunday. On British GP race day, other major sporting finals including the cricket world cup, Wimbledon and a hill stage of the Tour de France will also take place. “I don’t understand why the organisers put the […]
Schumacher ‘communication’ not the same – Todt
Jul.13 (GMM) Jean Todt has admitted that “communication” with Michael Schumacher is now compromised. More than five years after the seven time world champion’s French skiing accident, almost nothing is known about the extent of Schumacher’s brain damage. His former Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello, for example, has been forbidden from visiting the great German at […]
Pirelli tyres struggle on new Silverstone surface
Jul.13 (GMM) Pirelli’s controversial 2019 tyres are getting a special workout this weekend at Silverstone. The British GP venue has been completely resurfaced, following problems with an earlier resurfacing and the cancellation of the MotoGP race last year. But the new surface’s debut on Friday saw the F1 drivers struggle with extreme and highly visible […]
Designer Resta returning to Ferrari – source
Jul.13 (GMM) Ferrari’s former chief designer is returning to the Maranello team. Mid last year, it emerged that Simone Resta would move to the new Ferrari-linked Alfa Romeo project. But as Ferrari’s 2019 campaign faltered, rumours began to emerge that Resta could be returning to Italy. “We are evaluating for Simone to be back at […]
Williams upgrade ‘doesn’t change much’ – Kubica
Jul.13 (GMM) Claire Williams says Robert Kubica remains an important part of the British team. In recent days and weeks, there have been reports that the disgruntled and underperforming Pole might quit or be ousted after Spa in September. “I don’t know where this speculation has come from but in the past couple of weeks […]
Seidl denies rescuing McLaren from debacle
Jul.13 (GMM) Andreas Seidl has denied that his arrival was the key to McLaren’s surge in 2019 form. The German, who is best known for leading Porsche’s ultra successful Le Mans team, started work at Woking on May 1. Before that, McLaren had gone through the disastrous Honda era, hosted the demise of Fernando Alonso’s […]
Haas title sponsor could be bankrupted
Jul.13 (GMM) Haas’ disruptive and highly controversial title sponsor could be wound up. Rich Energy, an elusive British energy drink, has been hogging the headlines this weekend as an internal battle for control of the company became highly public. “We were briefed that there was a … an incident,” driver Kevin Magnussen told BT newspaper. […]
2021 rules will decide Vettel’s F1 future
Jul.13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he wants to know the details of the 2021 rules before re-committing to Formula 1. The 32-year-old German’s Ferrari contract runs out at the end of next year, but he has even been tipped to announce his retirement before then. “I want to see exactly what the future regulations look […]
Todt wants F1 to bring back refuelling
Jul.13 (GMM) Jean Todt says he is an advocate for the potential return of refuelling in Formula 1. Refuelling was banned in 2010, for strategy and safety reasons. But Todt, the FIA president, said reintroducing refuelling would be a good way to address the common complaint about the cars becoming increasingly heavy. It would also […]