Apr.14 (GMM) Austria and Red Bull could be set to throw a lifeline to F1’s endangered 2020 season. Red Bull – the owner of the Red Bull Ring – has said it wants to proceed with its scheduled July race, even though surrounding events France and Britain now look set to be postponed. Even politically, […]
Month: April 2020
Briatore will not return amid crisis
Apr.14 (GMM) Flavio Briatore doubts there would be buyers for teams who cannot make it through the coronavirus crisis. Asked if he would consider returning to the paddock as a team owner, the former title-winning Renault boss said: “Why should I? “I was successful and made a lot of money in Formula 1. Only if […]
F1 delays ‘crucial’ budget cap decision – Todt
Apr.14 (GMM) F1 has delayed making a decision about how to proceed with further cost cutting measures amid the coronavirus crisis. With several teams – now including Renault – having furloughed staff, a debate is raging about how severely to further reduce the planned 2021 budget cap from $175 million. “On Thursday we had a […]
Sundays ‘really strange’ without F1 – Domenicali
Apr.9 (GMM) For the sake of “morale” and the “economy”, former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali hopes Formula 1 racing will return to the world soon. “Sundays without F1 are really strange,” the current Lamborghini CEO told L’Equipe. So far in 2020, nine of the planned 22 grands prix have been either postponed or cancelled over […]
Public will switch off to coronavirus – commentator
Apr.9 (GMM) Austrian commentator Ernst Hausleitner thinks people will begin to switch off to the coronavirus hype. Like most people all around the world, the commentator – who works for the broadcaster ORF – says his life has “completely changed”. “I miss Formula 1 tremendously,” he told Speed Week. “That’s the most difficult part for […]
Second Portuguese venue eyes F1 race
Apr.9 (GMM) Two Portuguese circuits have suddenly emerged as potential stand-in venues amid F1’s coronavirus crisis. We reported this week that the Algarve circuit, located in Portimao, has received FIA certification to host grands prix. And now, the Portuguese source sportmotores.com claims that the former Portuguese GP venue at Estoril has also received Grade 1 […]
Todt wanted Ferrari to reveal ‘secret’ agreement
Apr.9 (GMM) Jean Todt admits that the legality of Ferrari’s 2019 engine will “absolutely” remain questioned by some. The FIA president has been blasted for agreeing a ‘secret’ settlement with the Maranello team he once led. But Todt has now defended the federation’s actions in conversation with France’s L’Equipe. “The FIA has a few engineers […]
Dutch GP boss proposes Tuesday races
Apr.9 (GMM) One way through the coronavirus situation for Formula 1 may be midweek races. That is the view of Jan Lammers, chief spokesman of the postponed Dutch GP at Zandvoort. With nine grands prix postponed or cancelled so far, F1 is scrambling to put together an alternative schedule for the second half of the […]
Kubica regains ‘a lot of desire’ for F1
Apr.9 (GMM) Robert Kubica says he has regained “a lot of desire for Formula 1” after a tough season with Williams last year. The Pole lost that race seat and instead signed up with Alfa Romeo to be reserve driver this year, combining it with a racing role in the DTM series. But then the […]
World must start to ‘live with’ virus – Briatore
Apr.9 (GMM) “Nothing will be the same” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore has warned. Apart from the health risks and deaths, the Italian says the global crisis is “a catastrophe for the entire economy”. “In a few months, the Chinese will buy up all the best Italian […]
Pandemic ‘peak’ not reached yet – Villeneuve
Apr.9 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve is not surprised that Canada’s Montreal race has been postponed. “We have not yet reached the peak of the pandemic,” said the 1997 world champion and French Canadian, who is stuck at home on the outskirts of Milan. “We are allowed to go out for basic needs, but the restricted measures […]
Haas in talks to reduce race drivers’ pay
Apr.9 (GMM) Haas’ two race drivers are in talks about reducing their pay during the coronavirus pandemic. The small American team is one of those taking advantage of government staff furloughing programs. “We cannot develop for three months while we have no income,” boss Gunther Steiner told motorsport-magazin.com. “Some teams can do that, but all […]
Red Bull ‘tailor made’ for Verstappen – Gasly
Apr.9 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says Red Bull is now a “tailor-made” team for Max Verstappen. Last year, Frenchman Gasly struggled to match Verstappen when he stepped up from the junior team. By year end, he had been replaced by Alex Albon. Gasly has argued that he didn’t get long to prove himself at the top […]
Alfa Romeo also furloughs F1 team staff
Apr.9 (GMM) Alfa Romeo has joined four other F1 teams in furloughing staff amid the coronavirus crisis. Already, McLaren, Williams, Haas and Racing Point have taken advantage of a scheme in which the UK government pays most of staff salaries during the global shutdown period. And now Blick newspaper claims Hinwil-based Alfa Romeo is accessing […]
Commentator sends calendar idea to F1 bosses
Apr.8 (GMM) Well-known Dutch commentator Olav Mol says he has emailed Formula One Management with a proposal about how an alternative 2020 calendar should look. Officially, F1 CEO Chase Carey is still pushing for a new schedule of between 15-18 races – even though the ninth cancellation or postponement has just been added to the […]
Red Bull reserve happy with new F1 role
Apr.8 (GMM) Red Bull’s new reserve driver is more than happy with his current role in Formula 1 – even if the coronavirus crisis means he is stuck for now in Japan. Although his new role has so far been limited to travelling to Australia for the cancelled season opener, Sergio Sette Camara is hopeful […]
No ‘ghost races’ in DTM – Berger
Apr.8 (GMM) Gerhard Berger has ruled out hosting DTM races without spectators. It has been suggested that top motorsport categories might be able to get racing again in the coming months if ‘ghost races’ without an audience are held. “Racing could be one of the first sports (to reopen) because we can do ghost races […]
F1 future becomes ‘critical’ in July – Tost
Apr.8 (GMM) The situation in Formula 1 will become “very critical” if the current shutdown period continues beyond July. That is the view of Franz Tost, boss of one of the smallest teams on the grid – Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri. “If we start competing in July, we will come out with a black eye,” […]
F1 must get ‘creative’ amid pandemic – Rosberg
Apr.8 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has urged Formula 1 to get “creative” amid the coronavirus crisis. So far in this unprecedented situation, the messages are mixed. MotoGP admits the entire championship may be cancelled, Chase Carey wants to organise as many as 18 grands prix, and UFC boss Dana White claims to have secured a private […]
Possible no major races will happen in 2020 – Ezpeleta
Apr.8 (GMM) MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta admits that top motorsport categories may not be able to race at all in 2020. Like F1, MotoGP’s race postponements because of the coronavirus crisis are now pushing into June. But unlike F1, MotoGP chief Ezpeleta is not necessarily holding out hope that a healthy number of races will […]