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 […]
Month: July 2019
Ocon was ‘ready’ to replace sick Hamilton
Jul.28 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he was ready to step into Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes ahead of qualifying at Hockenheim. The German team put its French reserve driver on standby on Saturday after Hamilton called in sick with a sore throat. “I was on the way to the track,” Frenchman Ocon told L’Equipe. “It was 11.40. […]
Vettel ‘deserves respect’ – Todt
Jul.28 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt has leapt to the defence of Sebastian Vettel. At Hockenheim, Vettel was forced to deny rumours that amid his current career ‘crisis’ at Ferrari, he might quit Formula 1 prematurely. “He is one of the best drivers in the world and a four-time world champion who deserves respect,” Todt […]
F1 may reduce budget cap number in future – Todt
Jul.28 (GMM) Formula 1 will look to reduce the budget cap figure that will be introduced in 2021. FIA president Jean Todt admitted at Hockenheim that only Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will be affected by the $175 million figure that excludes costs including driver salaries. “I would have preferred a lower number,” the Frenchman […]
Stewards took ‘new direction’ in Austria – Warwick
Jul.28 (GMM) A Formula 1 steward has contradicted race director Michael Masi’s claim that officials have not become more lenient with the drivers. Last week, Masi – who early in 2019 replaced Charlie Whiting following his death – denied that FIA stewards were more lenient than usual at Silverstone. Hailed as one of the most […]
Ocon set to kick off driver market – Steiner
Jul.27 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is the key to the 2020 driver silly season. That is the view of Gunther Steiner, who admits that after Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen collided again at Silverstone recently, Haas’ next lineup is being considered. “I was very angry and I was right,” Haas boss Steiner told Sky Italia at […]
Boss admits Renault may re-sign Hulkenberg
Jul.27 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul has hinted that Renault would like to re-sign Nico Hulkenberg for 2020. The German driver is out of contract at the end of the season, and has been linked with a potential move to Haas. According to the rumours, Hulkenberg could be replaced by Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who has confirmed that […]
Barcelona denies 2020 Spanish GP deal done
Jul.27 (GMM) Barcelona has denied reports that it has rescued the embattled Spanish GP for 2020. It was believed that Hockenheim and Barcelona would be axed in order to make room for new races in Vietnam and Zandvoort next year. But the Catalan newspaper Diari Ara claims that the Generalitat de Catalunya – the regional […]
Sainz ‘scared’ to see McLaren rivals improve
Jul.27 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says it “scares” him that McLaren may be dropping down the F1 pecking order in 2019. Until recently, the British team looked to be finally clawing its way back towards the front after a fallow period that lasted years. When told after Silverstone that McLaren is in a battle with Renault, […]
Toro Rosso wants to keep drivers for 2020
Jul.27 (GMM) Toro Rosso says it wants to keep its current drivers for 2020. This year, a returning Daniil Kvyat has looked consistent and mature, while rookie Alex Albon is a standout of the grid’s newcomers. “We have two really good drivers,” team boss Franz Tost said at Hockenheim. “We already knew that Daniil Kvyat […]
McLaren wants Alonso for full Indycar season
Jul.27 (GMM) Zak Brown says there will be a seat for Fernando Alonso if McLaren does the full Indycar calendar next year. The McLaren supremo denied that the British team’s relationship with Alonso soured after the Indy 500 debacle of 2019. Those rumours only gained strength when McLaren announced recently that Sergey Sirotkin, not Alonso, […]
Vettel crisis similar to 2014 – Ricciardo
Jul.27 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has likened Sebastian Vettel’s current ‘crisis’ to his time alongside the German at Red Bull in 2014. Then as the reigning quadruple world champion, Vettel suddenly slumped in form in 2014 after the arrival to the team of Australian Ricciardo. “That was very different,” said Vettel recently when told that his […]
Red Bull running out of spare parts
Jul.27 (GMM) Red Bull is running out of spare parts, according to team official Dr Helmut Marko. He was speaking after Pierre Gasly crashed out of Friday practice at Hockenheim. When asked what is damaged, Marko laughed: “It’s better to ask what’s not damaged.” The timing of Gasly’s crash was bad for two reasons. Firstly, […]
Ferrari ‘expects more’ from Vettel – Binotto
Jul.27 (GMM) Mattia Binotto says those at Ferrari “expect more” from Sebastian Vettel. At the mid-point of the 2019 season, some think the German driver is clearly in crisis. The quadruple world champion disagrees. “Crisis would be if I had no idea how to do better, or if my speed wasn’t there,” he told the […]
German GP demise about ‘dollar bills’ – Vettel
Jul.27 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel thinks the demise of the German GP is about “dollar bills”. With Vietnam and Zandvoort joining the already bustling calendar for 2020, it appears that Hockenheim will be ousted. “We’ve had this situation before,” German Vettel, who drives for Ferrari, said at Hockenheim. “It depends on whether we find someone who […]
Wolff undecided over Bottas or Ocon for 2020
Jul.27 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he needs to do some more “thinking” about Mercedes’ 2020 driver lineup. Rumours in the past days suggest that the German team is close to extending Valtteri Bottas’ contract for another year. But Wolff is also working on finding a place on the grid next year for Esteban Ocon. When […]
Renault to be first to test 18 inch tyres
Jul.26 (GMM) Renault will be the first F1 team to test Pirelli’s 18 inch tyres for 2021. Earlier, the top teams agreed informally that testing of the low-profile tyres should be delayed until next year. But then Renault asked Pirelli if it could be the first to test in 2019. That test will take place […]
Gasly now using Verstappen’s car setup
Jul.26 (GMM) The secret of Pierre Gasly’s sudden form boost may now have emerged. At Silverstone, amid intense rumours that Red Bull may need to oust him, the Frenchman was suddenly a lot closer to Max Verstappen’s pace. “There were many factors and changes,” Gasly said at Silverstone. “Altogether, they made a big difference. “I […]
Drivers present ‘four point plan’ to improve F1
Jul.26 (GMM) F1 drivers on Tuesday presented the FIA and Liberty with a ‘four point plan’ to improve the sport. A recent meeting about the 2021 rules was attended by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg. And on Tuesday in Geneva, Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean were there to similarly represent the now-united Grand Prix Drivers’ […]
Ferrari could veto 2021 budget cap – rumour
Jul.26 (GMM) Claire Williams is not commenting on rumours that Ferrari may “veto” the 2021 budget cap. Although not yet announced, it is believed the teams have all agreed with the FIA and Liberty to lock in the $175 million per-team budget cap for 2021. But the announcement will not be made until October, and […]