Apr.23 (GMM) Monza may be willing to consider hosting a grand prix behind closed doors in 2020. That is the news from Angelo Sticchi Damiani, president of the Italian automobile club Aci. “The situation is complex, also because we do not have certainties,” he is quoted by Italy’s Sky Sport, referring to F1’s shutdown for […]
Month: April 2020
Alonso has ‘renewed energy’ for future
Apr.23 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says his Formula 1 sabbatical has given him “renewed energy” for the future. In the past hours, the Spaniard has been linked with a potential return to Ferrari, after the Maranello team offered Sebastian Vettel only a one-year deal and a huge pay-cut for 2021. “In terms of ten years from […]
Lundgaard on pole for Renault race seat
Apr.23 (GMM) Renault may turn to a teenager if Daniel Ricciardo leaves the team for 2021. Ricciardo, whose contract runs out this year, has been linked with a move to Ferrari and he also says one should “never say never” to a return to Red Bull. If the Australian does go, 18-year-old Christian Lundgaard appears […]
‘Possible’ Vettel will accept one-year deal – Schumacher
Apr.23 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher thinks it is “possible” Sebastian Vettel will ultimately accept Ferrari’s rumoured offer of a one-year contract for 2021. Earlier, it was claimed that the quadruple world champion had turned down the offer, which reportedly involved a substantially slashed retainer. But former F1 driver Schumacher says Vettel may ultimately accept the deal. […]
Verstappen’s ‘reckless’ reputation unfair – Kubica
Apr.23 (GMM) Robert Kubica says Max Verstappen does not deserve his reputation for “recklessness”. The Pole was asked about the Red Bull driver’s reputation for racing aggression, but he said Verstappen is in fact “very strong in every area”. “I disagree with the criticism he receives for his so-called recklessness,” the Alfa Romeo reserve driver, […]
Big teams also threatened by pandemic – Popov
Apr.23 (GMM) Even the big teams might disappear from Formula 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Russian commentator Alexey Popov. To date, the focus of the worries has centred around the survival of the smallest teams like Williams. “Unfortunately, I think they are not alone,” Popov told Match TV. “Even Mercedes and Red Bull […]
F1 must be ‘careful’ with comeback plans – Isola
Apr.23 (GMM) F1 must be careful about when it returns to the track in 2020, according to Pirelli boss Mario Isola. The Italian has been in the headlines recently as he conducts his duties as a volunteer ambulance driver during the coronavirus crisis that has hit his country hard. “There are plans to return in […]
Small teams need engine price discount – Steiner
Apr.23 (GMM) The price of buying engines from F1’s manufacturers might need to come down during the global pandemic. That is the view of Gunther Steiner, boss of the small American team Haas that has a close technical association with Ferrari. The 2020 season was supposed to feature an unprecedented 22 races, but coronavirus has […]
Ferrari threatens to quit over budget cap dispute
Apr.23 (GMM) Ferrari has warned that it could quit Formula 1 over the current dispute about the 2021 budget cap. The Maranello team is the loudest and clearest objector to efforts to drive the headline figure from $175 million next year down to as low as $100m amid the global pandemic. “The $145m level is […]
Williams warns Latifi about gaming behaviour
Apr.23 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi has been told by Williams to behave during live broadcasts of his virtual racing exploits. Nascar driver Kyle Larson was suspended by the American series and then fired by his team Chip Ganassi after using a racial slur during a recent online race. “After the Kyle Larson incident, the team sent […]
Lammers backtracks on spectator-less Dutch GP
Apr.23 (GMM) Jan Lammers has backtracked after declaring that there will almost certainly be no Dutch GP in 2020. Earlier, the Zandvoort race’s sports director said that after the Dutch government banned events until September, a race even without spectators can effectively be ruled out. But speaking to Dutch radio Veronica, he subsequently backpedalled. “At […]
Zandvoort says 2020 F1 calendar ‘almost impossible’
Apr.22 (GMM) Zandvoort’s hopes of hosting a Formula 1 race in 2020 have been dealt a near fatal blow, the Dutch circuit’s bosses admit. On Tuesday, the Dutch prime minister announced that a ban on major sporting events has been extended until September. Afterwards, race boss Jan Lammers said: “We will have to see what […]
Schumacher ‘failed’ in Mercedes comeback – Weber
Apr.22 (GMM) Michael Schumacher could not adjust to the newer generation of cars when he returned to Formula 1 after a three-year retirement a decade ago. That is the view not only of John Barnard, a famous car designer who once worked with the F1 legend at Ferrari, but also Schumacher’s long-time former manager Willi […]
Steiner ‘confident’ Haas still committed to F1
Apr.22 (GMM) Gunther Steiner is “confident” that Haas team owner Gene Haas will remain committed to Formula 1 throughout the coronavirus crisis and beyond. Before the pandemic struck, bringing the sport to a sudden halt and endangering the mere survival of smaller teams, Haas was openly questioning the value of racing around in the lower […]
Insider ‘understands’ why Vettel turned down Ferrari
Apr.22 (GMM) A Formula 1 insider said he can “understand” Sebastian Vettel if the German has turned down Ferrari’s contract extension offer for 2021. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Ferrari offered the quadruple world champion a one-year deal with a monetary offer that would slash his annual pay by over a half. Vettel, 32, […]
Drivers look ahead into ‘weird’ F1 future
Apr.22 (GMM) Drivers are looking nervously into the clouded future of Formula 1 and motor racing. The coronavirus pandemic, and the ensuing lockdowns and political and economic turmoil, means that despite efforts to organise an alternative 2020 race calendar, no one is actually sure when the racing will resume. “If we don’t get this situation […]
Online racing will not replace ‘real’ F1 – Kubica
Apr.21 (GMM) Robert Kubica is another F1 driver who will not get involved in F1’s official virtual racing series. A growing number of active drivers were in the field for the most recent online race based on the official F1 2019 game, which was won by Charles Leclerc. Kubica, who is Alfa Romeo’s reserve driver, […]
Hamilton denies rumours from Bali
Apr.21 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is reportedly sitting out the coronavirus pandemic in Bali. The six-time world champion has kept a conspicuously low profile during F1’s shutdown, but it now emerges that he is not at one of his homes in either Monaco or New York. According to Bild newspaper, Hamilton talks to Toto Wolff every […]
Pandemic stalls McLaren progress – Seidl
Apr.21 (GMM) The coronavirus pandemic is a blow to McLaren’s steady rise up the grid, team boss Andreas Seidl has admitted. After a slump spanning several years, McLaren had improved more recently and was looking forward to the opportunity of the new 2021 rules. But not only have the rules been postponed until 2022, McLaren […]
Liberty would rescue failing teams – Horner
Apr.21 (GMM) Liberty Media is ready to bail out teams who go bust during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Christian Horner. F1 and some circuits are pushing hard to organise races in some form from about July, with Claire Williams saying a plan like that is “critical” to the small teams’ mere survival. Some, though, […]