Aug.7 (GMM) McLaren is targeting a coveted sixth place in the 2019 drivers’ world championship with Carlos Sainz. With Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull dominating the top six places, the most any other driver can realistically expect from a race and championship is the ‘best of the rest’ seventh. But Spaniard Sainz, who is regularly […]
Month: August 2019
Lammers denies 2020 Dutch GP in doubt
Aug.7 (GMM) Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers has played down suggestions Formula 1’s return to Zandvoort in 2020 is in doubt. Organisers revealed recently that, thanks to Max Verstappen’s success and popularity, a million people registered to get tickets for the first Dutch GP since 1985. But this week, an organisation called Rust Bij De […]
Indy 500 winner Pagenaud wants F1 test
Aug.7 (GMM) 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud says he would like to test a Formula 1 car. The 35-year-old Frenchman, who also won the Indycar championship in 2016, waved the chequered flag at the recent Hungarian GP. He was a guest of the Renault team. “I love F1,” he told RMC. “I was in […]
‘Bad races’ endanger Bottas’ 2020 seat – Salo
Aug.7 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is in real danger of losing his Mercedes seat for 2020, according to a former F1 driver. Team boss Toto Wolff has said he will spend the August break weighing up whether to keep Bottas for a fourth season or promote young reserve Esteban Ocon instead. Mika Salo, a former F1 […]
Mercedes ‘still dominant’ – Verstappen
Aug.7 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton remains in pole position to win the 2019 world championship. That is the view of Max Verstappen, even if some in Formula 1 are declaring that the championship is back alive after the Dutchman won two of the last four races. But the Red Bull-Honda driver doesn’t see it exactly that […]
Broadcaster slams F1’s Saudi Arabia talks
Aug.7 (GMM) A Qatari broadcaster has slammed Formula 1 for contemplating a grand prix in Saudi Arabia. This week, it emerged that Liberty Media is in talks with the powerful Kingdom for what would be a race on a novel street circuit. One rendering depicts the F1 cars racing underneath a clear-bottomed swimming pool. The […]
Sainz ‘invisible’ in Hungary
Aug.6 (GMM) Carlos Sainz was “the invisible man” during the recent Hungarian GP. In fact, well-known Spanish journalist Antonio Lobato claims that the Formula 1 broadcaster often fails to show the McLaren driver’s exploits during grands prix. “No matter what he does, you never see him,” he told El Mundo newspaper. Indeed, in Hungary, Sainz […]
Liberty in F1 race talks with Saudi Arabia
Aug.6 (GMM) Liberty Media is in talks with Saudi Arabia about a grand prix in the controversial Kingdom for 2021. London’s Times newspaper reveals that talks between Saudi officials and F1’s owner have taken place “several” times. Correspondent Rebecca Clancy also said the “teams have been asked for their views” about racing in Saudi Arabia, […]
Boss expects Ferrari to speed up after break
Aug.6 (GMM) Team boss Mattia Binotto is expecting Ferrari to speed up again after the summer break. “A week ago, we were the fastest car on the track,” the Italian said after Hungary, referring to the previous German GP where Sebastian Vettel scythed through the field from the back. But in Hungary, it was Mercedes […]
‘Nice’ that Verstappen exit clause in past – Marko
Aug.6 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed that Max Verstappen is definitely staying at Red Bull-Honda in 2020. The Dutchman already had a contract beyond this season, but stories over the past days and weeks had suggested that he could flee to Mercedes thanks to a performance-related exit clause. We reported during last weekend’s Hungarian […]
Marko says ‘we’ll see’ to Gasly’s 2019 seat
Aug.6 (GMM) Christian Horner says it is “essential” that Red Bull has two cars near the front of the F1 field. And with Max Verstappen currently electrifying the sport, it is clear that he is referring to the Dutchman’s struggling teammate Pierre Gasly. Amid rumours he is about to lose his seat, Frenchman Gasly recently […]
F2 win helps on road to Formula 1 – Schumacher
Aug.5 (GMM) Mick Schumacher has finally added a Formula 2 victory to his resume as he pushes towards the pinnacle of motorsport. Already a member of Ferrari’s development academy, the reigning European F3 champion stepped up to the F1 feeder series this year. But before last weekend’s round in Hungary, the 20-year-old son of F1 […]
Teams approve 22nd race for 2020 – Wolff
Aug.5 (GMM) Barcelona looks to have been shown the green light to organise a grand prix in 2020. Earlier, the fate of the Spanish GP looked grim, but in the past few days the local Catalan government emerged in support of a one-off race deal for 2020. However, with the calendar currently capped at 21 […]
Kubica ‘eating different dish’ to Russell
Aug.5 (GMM) Robert Kubica is yet to benefit from what seems to have been a clear step forward for Williams and George Russell. Over the last few races, the once-great backmarker team has introduced car upgrades, but Pole Kubica has remained dead last. In contrast, his teammate Russell finally pulled himself off the back row […]
Hamilton hits back at critical Rosberg
Aug.5 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has hit back at former teammate Nico Rosberg following a string of recent comments by the 2016 world champion. In his video blog and elsewhere, Rosberg has recently said Max Verstappen is now a better driver than the five time world champion, partly because of 34-year-old Hamilton’s age. Hamilton, who had […]
Alfa Romeo can’t control private life – Raikkonen
Aug.5 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he will not stop doing dangerous activities just because he is in Formula 1. Well known for loving rallying, motocross and most recently jumping from a building into a swimming pool, the 39-year-old Finn insists that his life away from F1 is up to him. “I haven’t read my contract […]
Bottas admits he has ‘plan B’ for 2020
Aug.5 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has revealed he has a “plan B” in case Mercedes does not keep him for 2020. Team boss Toto Wolff is openly weighing up between keeping the Finn, or promoting reserve driver Esteban Ocon to become Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate. Bottas’ case was not helped in Hungary, where he had his […]
Hulkenberg unhappy with Renault ‘situation’
Aug.4 (GMM) Whilst riding a crest of form with Honda power, Max Verstappen has launched a stinging jibe at Red Bull’s former engine supplier. After the team split with Renault for 2019, the Dutchman has won two of the last three grands prix and his first-ever pole position in Hungary. At the same time, Renault […]
F1 could reduce winter testing by two days
Aug.4 (GMM) F1 could reduce the amount of pre-season testing to free up capacity for another race. Liberty Media has asked the teams for their agreement to sign a 2020 race deal with Barcelona, which would bring the calendar to an unprecedented 22 grands prix. “I think in principle, yes is the answer,” Red Bull […]
Red Bull, Ferrari say no to Alonso for 2020
Aug.4 (GMM) There is no place for Fernando Alonso at any of the top three Formula 1 teams for 2020. Mercedes has named its candidates for Lewis Hamilton’s next teammate, while Dr Helmut Marko gave a clear answer when asked about whether Alonso might end his sabbatical by joining Red Bull. “No,” he sternly told […]