Sep.11 (GMM) Renault ousted Nico Hulkenberg because he is too “pessimistic” and “negative”. That is the claim of Renault advisor and F1 legend Alain Prost, as he explained why the French works team has instead signed up fellow Frenchman Esteban Ocon for 2020. German Hulkenberg, linked with moves to Alfa Romeo or Haas, is currently […]
Month: September 2019
Imola joins Mugello in eyeing F1 race
Sep.11 (GMM) Imola has followed in the footsteps of fellow Italian circuit Mugello in saying it too wants to host a Formula 1 race. Monza recently secured a new five-year deal to host the Italian GP until at least 2024. “In five years, we will think about applying to bring Formula 1 to Tuscany,” Ferrari-owned […]
F1 to re-consider gravel for Parabolica
Sep.11 (GMM) F1 race director Michael Masi says the governing FIA will consider resurrecting the gravel trap at Monza’s famous Parabolica corner. The gravel was controversially replaced with asphalt a few years ago, requiring the FIA to install a ‘sausage’ kerb to prevent drivers from exploiting track limits. But that kerb had to be quickly […]
Michael Schumacher in Paris hospital
Sep.10 (GMM) Michael Schumacher is in a Paris hospital. The F1 legend, who has not been seen or heard of publicly since sustaining brain injuries in a 2013 skiing crash, was admitted to the Hopital Europeen Georges-Pompidou on Monday, according to Le Parisien newspaper. The report said the 50-year-old is receiving treatment in a cardiovascular […]
Verstappen says he could be Leclerc’s teammate
Sep.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he would be happy to be Charles Leclerc’s teammate in Formula 1. It is a scintillating prospect, as the young duo – both 21 – are regarded as the cream of the sport’s exciting new generation of drivers. “There are so many drivers who in just a few years have […]
Red Bull to decide 2020 lineups after Austin
Sep.10 (GMM) Red Bull will decide its driver lineups for 2020 before the end of the season. The energy drink stable demoted Pierre Gasly from the senior team after the summer break, instead relying on rookie Alex Albon to be Max Verstappen’s teammate. Daniil Kvyat said at Monza that he was not impressed with Albon’s […]
Russell expected Kubica relationship to suffer
Sep.10 (GMM) George Russell says he gets along well with his Williams teammate Robert Kubica. That may surprise some, as Pole Kubica’s future looks clouded because of how consistently he is out-performed by rookie Russell at the back of the field. “Honestly, when it comes to our relationship, it’s better than I thought,” Russell told […]
Giovinazzi confident about 2020 seat
Sep.10 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi thinks he is doing enough to hang on to his seat at Alfa Romeo. Earlier in 2019, the Ferrari-backed Italian’s future looked grim as he struggled to match teammate Kimi Raikkonen’s consistent points scoring. He started to look better mid-season, but then crashed in a comfortable points-scoring position on the penultimate […]
Mugello eyes Italian GP for 2025
Sep.10 (GMM) Mugello has thrown its hat into the ring as a future venue for the Italian GP. The track in Tuscany, which is owned by Ferrari, is eyeing a spot on the F1 calendar for when Monza’s newly-inked contract expires in 2024. “The first objective will be to renew the agreement with MotoGP,” Mugello […]
Hamilton warns Leclerc over future duels
Sep.10 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has warned that he may not always be as compliant when he gets in a duel with rising F1 sensation Charles Leclerc. Asked what would have happened if he wasn’t thinking about his sixth world championship, the Mercedes driver said after the Monza race: “We would have collided.” Hamilton says Leclerc […]
McLaren set to focus on 2020 car
Sep.10 (GMM) McLaren says it will not compromise development of its 2020 car. The once-struggling British team is a strong ‘best of the rest’ fourth in the constructors’ championship, but Renault had a notably better weekend at Monza. However, team boss Andreas Seidl says McLaren will continue to push ahead with its plans for an […]
‘No idea’ about Vettel’s future – Marko
Sep.10 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has once again dismissed rumours that Sebastian Vettel could resurrect his F1 career at Red Bull. After another bad race for the quadruple world champion at Monza, the specialist F1 media says Spa and Monza winner Charles Leclerc is the new de-facto Ferrari number 1. “His triumph was like a […]
Haas splits with title sponsor
Sep.10 (GMM) The F1 team Haas has finally split with its controversial title sponsor. The final chapter in the American outfit’s farcical collaboration with Rich Energy, a mysterious British energy drink brand, was a statement on Monday announcing that they have split “amicably”. Haas confirmed to news sources that it will keep its current black […]
Latifi to replace Kubica in 2020 – source
Sep.9 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi looks set to replace Robert Kubica at Williams for 2020. Kubica, having returned to Formula 1 this year but clearly struggling, said at Monza that he doesn’t know if he has done enough to keep the race seat. Williams has kept supporting the 34-year-old despite his struggle, but boss Claire Williams […]
Ocon ‘gave up sleep’ for F1 return
Sep.9 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he has worked hard to return to Formula 1 in 2020. The Frenchman was gutted to have lost his Force India seat at the end of 2018, but after spending this year as Mercedes’ reserve driver he has secured his return to the grid with Renault. “Especially at the beginning […]
‘New Villeneuve’ Rosberg vows to ease driver criticism
Sep.9 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has vowed to “change” the way he critiques Formula 1 drivers. At Monza, Max Verstappen dubbed the 2016 world champion the “new Villeneuve”. It was a reference to 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who is now known for being brutally outspoken on F1 issues. Lewis Hamilton, who was Rosberg’s teammate at […]
Alonso ‘yet to decide’ about 2020, 2021
Sep.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has once again refused to rule out returning to Formula 1. Visiting Monza as a McLaren ambassador, the Spaniard said earlier last weekend that he could consider a comeback after completing “a couple of different challenges out of F1”. Indeed, he then told the Spanish broadcaster Movistar that he has been […]
FIA did not want to upset Ferrari fans – Wolff
Sep.9 (GMM) Toto Wolff has suggested Charles Leclerc avoided penalty on Sunday because the FIA was afraid to disappoint Ferrari’s supporters. Lewis Hamilton complained about the aggressiveness of back-to-back winner Leclerc’s defence as the 21-year-old raced to victory at Monza. “I guess the stewards woke up on a different side of the bed this morning,” […]
Manager to discuss Leclerc contract ‘at right time’
Sep.9 (GMM) Monza may have marked the turning point in Ferrari’s driver hierarchy. All season, pundits have speculated about whether Charles Leclerc will eventually unseat Sebastian Vettel as the clear number 1 driver. That moment may now have arrived. “10 for Leclerc. 0 for Vettel,” said the Spanish sports daily Marca as it ranked the […]
Ferrari worried about ‘risks’ to F1 future
Sep.9 (GMM) Ferrari has identified two potential risks to the future of Formula 1. One is the behind-the-scenes debate about the 2021 rules, which will run until the extended deadline in October. Ferrari, the only team with the power to veto, has identified some of the planned standardisation of parts – designed to cut costs […]