Mar.5 (GMM) Adrian Newey has warned Aston Martin’s troubled 2026 car could physically harm its drivers if the team pushes too hard at the Australian GP. Arriving in Melbourne with Honda (HRC) president Koji Watanabe, Newey confirmed that the vibrations already known to have damaged the power unit’s battery in testing are also creating a […]
MotoGP doubts Qatar race as F1 weighs calendar changes
Mar.5 (GMM) The escalating Middle East conflict is now threatening multiple global motorsport championships, with MotoGP’s chief admitting the Qatar race is unlikely to go ahead – a signal that could also affect Formula 1. MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said the April race at Losail is already in doubt. “It’s very difficult,” he said at […]
Bottas bucks driver criticism of new F1 rules
Mar.5 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is breaking ranks with several of his fellow drivers by offering a largely positive assessment of Formula 1’s radical new 2026 cars. While world champion Max Verstappen has famously described the new generation as “Formula E on steroids”, Bottas says he actually enjoys driving them. “I like that the cars are […]
Gasly surprised ‘top 4 still ahead’ despite rule reset
Mar.5 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says he is surprised the traditional top teams still appear to dominate Formula 1 despite the sweeping 2026 rule reset. Speaking to AFP, the Alpine driver said pre-season testing suggests the same four teams – Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren – remain ahead of the rest. “We’ll see the pecking […]
Berger tips Mercedes, McLaren as 2026 favourites
Mar.5 (GMM) Gerhard Berger believes Mercedes and McLaren could start the new Formula 1 era ahead of the pack as the sweeping 2026 rules reset the competitive order. “With the new regulations, it will be very important who has the best feel for the keys of the piano,” the F1 legend told APA news agency. […]
Schumacher says Germany no longer ready for F1 return
Mar.5 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher says Germany has fallen far behind as a motorsport nation and may not be ready even if Formula 1 suddenly needs replacement races. With the Middle East conflict putting events like Bahrain and Jeddah under threat, some European circuits are being mentioned as potential stand-ins. But Schumacher says Germany is currently […]
Verstappen shrugs off title talk as priorities shift
Mar.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen says life beyond Formula 1 now matters more to him than adding more world championships. The four-time champion starts the 2026 season without the number 1 on his car for the first time since 2021, after losing last year’s title to Lando Norris. But Verstappen insists he is relaxed about the […]
War threatens Gulf races as calendar could shrink to 22
Mar.4 (GMM) Formula 1’s 24-race calendar could shrink to 22 grands prix this season if the escalating Middle East conflict continues, according to reports. The Telegraph claims the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds scheduled for April are now under serious threat of cancellation. While replacement venues such as Imola, Portimao, Paul Ricard and even Istanbul […]
Piero Ferrari not predicting title despite ‘favourite’ talk
Mar.4 (GMM) Ferrari heir Piero Ferrari has refused to predict a championship breakthrough for the famous Italian team despite growing talk that the Maranello outfit could finally return to the top in 2026. Ferrari has not won a drivers’ title since 2007, or a constructors’ championship since 2008, but strong winter testing form has placed […]
Retired Marko says Verstappen ‘doesn’t need advice anymore’
Mar.4 (GMM) Newly-retired Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko says four-time world champion Max Verstappen has grown into such a leader that he no longer needs guidance. Speaking to Germany’s Sport1, the 82-year-old said Verstappen now effectively runs the team himself. “Max has become such a leader that he doesn’t need advice anymore – he’s […]
Melbourne reassured as F1 scrambles amid widening war
Mar.3 (GMM) Australian GP chief Travis Auld has moved to calm fears about the season opener as the escalating Iran conflict continues to disrupt global aviation. US President Donald Trump has warned the war could last “four to five weeks” – but potentially “far longer” – raising fresh uncertainty over Formula 1’s Middle East rounds. […]
Aston ‘formation lap only’ rumours swirl amid battery fears
Mar.3 (GMM) Aston Martin could take the extraordinary step of completing only the formation lap at the Australian Grand Prix before retiring both cars, amid deepening concerns about its new Honda power unit. Italian reports claim the Silverstone-based team has even discussed not starting the race at all, although contractual obligations and fines would likely […]
Berger uneasy as F1 enters ‘Formula E on steroids’ era
Mar.3 (GMM) Formula 1 legend Gerhard Berger admits the 2026 rules feel less like evolution – and more like a farewell to classic motorsport. “Up until now, the parameters were similar to those in my day,” the ten-time grand prix winner told Salzburger Nachrichten. “But this is such a quantum leap that I’m struggling to […]
Middle East conflict hits F1 travel as season looms
Mar.2 (GMM) Formula 1 is scrambling to protect the start of its 2026 season after fresh military escalation in the Middle East disrupted air travel just days before the Australian GP. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory missile attacks targeting US and allied facilities in Qatar, […]
Honda explains Aston crisis as battery flaw exposed
Mar.2 (GMM) Honda has broken its silence over Aston Martin’s troubled start to 2026, admitting serious vibration issues with its new power unit after calls from critics – including Ralf Schumacher – for the Japanese manufacturer to “take responsibility and avoid further speculation”. Following a disappointing pre-season, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) convened a short-notice press […]
Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso snub Netflix interviews
Mar.2 (GMM) Three of Formula 1’s biggest names – Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso – declined to sit down for dedicated interviews in the new season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, reports reveal. All three world champions appear only via previously recorded press conference or broadcast footage, with no exclusive one-on-one segments filmed […]
Alpine takes ‘folding wing’ gamble under new aero rules
Mar.2 (GMM) Alpine is pursuing a noticeably different solution to Formula 1’s new active rear wing regulations – a bold move following the team’s disastrous 2025 campaign. While most of the grid has adopted a conventional system that simply “opens” rear wing elements on the straights to reduce drag, Alpine’s AMR26 instead uses a folding […]
Schumacher crashes out of IndyCar debut
Mar.2 (GMM) Mick Schumacher’s new IndyCar adventure got off to a difficult start, with the German crashing out on the opening lap of the season opener in St Petersburg. The 26-year-old qualified 21st out of 25 cars on the tight Florida street circuit, roughly a second off the outright pace in practice as he adapted […]
Pourchaire eyes FP1 outing in new Mercedes F1 role
Mar.2 (GMM) Newly appointed Mercedes development driver Theo Pourchaire says he would “really like” to take part in a Formula 1 free practice session as part of his new role with the Brackley based team. Mercedes announced a week ago that the 2023 Formula 2 champion has joined the team as a development driver, adding […]
‘Safe’ tip for 2026 champion is Russell – Hadjar
Mar.2 (GMM) The FIA has officially confirmed that new engine compression ratio controls will be introduced earlier than planned, fast-tracked to June 1 amid the ongoing Mercedes engine controversy. The governing body said a “significant effort” had gone into resolving the matter, which centres on the 16:1 compression ratio limit written into the 2026 regulations. […]