Jun.16 (GMM) Jean Todt says he hopes Sebastian Vettel stays in Formula 1 beyond 2020. Ferrari will head into 2021 with Carlos Sainz alongside Charles Leclerc, but the FIA president said no driver should be blamed for Ferrari’s failure to win a title since 2007. “Motorsport is a combination of man, machine and teamwork,” he […]
Month: June 2020
F1 working on alternatives to reverse grids – Todt
Jun.16 (GMM) Jean Todt says Formula 1 is working on “other innovative ideas” after Mercedes vetoed the plan for qualifying sprint races and reverse grids in 2020. The FIA president said the corona crisis means the sport needs to become creative about how best to put on a show this year. “We have to take […]
Todt happy to see big teams expand beyond F1
Jun.16 (GMM) Jean Todt has welcomed news that Ferrari and Mercedes are looking into expanding beyond Formula 1. The FIA president said installing an even lower than originally planned budget cap for 2021 – $145 million per team – is the right thing to do. “We had to be ambitious because with the costs of […]
Hamilton slammed for bullfighting comments
Jun.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is facing fierce backlash from within Spain after criticising the traditional practice of bullfighting. Although he later deleted the post, the six-time world champion reportedly said on Instagram that Spanish children being “taught to torture and kill bulls” is “truly disgusting Spain!” “We’re asking Spain’s Ministry of Education to close bullfighting […]
Hockenheim cannot keep waiting for F1 race date
Jun.15 (GMM) Hockenheim officials have warned that they cannot wait forever for Formula 1 to decide if the German venue will be added to the 2020 ‘corona calendar’. Baku, Singapore and Suzuka have all now been officially cancelled, triggering F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn’s plan to replace them with more European events. Some of the […]
Vettel should prepare for 2022 return – Ecclestone
Jun.15 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is advising his friend Fernando Alonso to take a sabbatical in 2021. With the seat at Mercedes now looking unlikely for the Ferrari refugee, former F1 supremo Ecclestone told f1-insider.com: “He should take a year off and then position himself for 2022.” Red Bull has also repeatedly closed the door to […]
Opinions split over Alonso return
Jun.15 (GMM) Opinions are split over whether Fernando Alonso should return to Formula 1 with Renault next year. The Spaniard’s friend and former rival Mark Webber thinks Alonso is “not at his peak anymore”, while his first boss Giancarlo Minardi says Renault is not the right destination for the two-time champion. “He has no chance […]
No grid, podium or driver parade in 2020
Jun.15 (GMM) The absence of spectators will not be the only major change when Formula 1 gets back up and racing in Austria next month. F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn says the usual pre-race grid activities and even the traditional podium will be missing as F1 enforces strict social distancing. DPA news agency quotes him […]
Budget cap giving top teams ‘headache’ – Green
Jun.15 (GMM) Those in charge of F1’s biggest budget teams must be suffering from a “massive headache”, according to Racing Point technical boss Andy Green. While admitting to Auto Motor und Sport that the $145 million spending cap for 2021 will require some reorganisation, Green said the Silverstone based team actually has a smaller budget […]
No surgery for Schumacher amid coronavirus
Jun.12 (GMM) Michael Schumacher will in fact not undergo surgery any time soon, according to the Guardian newspaper. International reports this week said the F1 legend would have another round of heart cell transfusion therapy carried out by Professor Philippe Menasche, who said the goal was to “regenerate Michael’s nervous system”. Neurosurgeon Dr Nicola Acciari […]
Staying at Ferrari risked Vettel’s reputation – Alesi
Jun.12 (GMM) It is “good” that Sebastian Vettel is leaving Ferrari, according to former team driver Jean Alesi. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen admitted he was surprised when it was announced that the quadruple world champion and the Maranello team will split after 2020. “I expected that he would drive there for another year or two, […]
No pre-Austria test not a disadvantage – Verstappen
Jun.12 (GMM) Max Verstappen says it is no disadvantage that he will not do any testing prior to the resumption of racing next month. Mercedes’ two drivers ran a 2018 car around the Silverstone circuit this week, and Ferrari is expected to follow suit with a test at Fiorano prior to Austria. Mercedes team boss […]
Canada not giving up on 2020 race in ‘fall’
Jun.12 (GMM) Organisers of the popular Canadian GP are not giving up on rescheduling the Montreal race this year. While some other venues have already cancelled or are poised to pull the plug on 2020, Montreal promoter Francois Dumontier is hanging in there amid the corona crisis for now. “Discussions are continuing with the various […]
Imola now eligible for F1 return
Jun.12 (GMM) Imola has boosted its chances of securing a shock return to the F1 calendar in 2020. F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn admits that a “contingency” is being put in place in case more current grand prix hosts are unable to reorganise their races amid the pandemic. “I think Bahrain and Abu Dhabi will […]
Team driver hierarchies do not work – Wolff
Jun.12 (GMM) Driver hierarchies do not work in Formula 1, according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. Although Lewis Hamilton would seem to be number 1, Wolff insists that Valtteri Bottas has “always” been able to race his teammate from the beginning of each season. He said hierarchies should only form naturally “resulting from performance”. […]
Wolff not committing to 2021 team boss role
Jun.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff is not ready to commit to remaining Mercedes’ team boss beyond the end of 2020. After buying into Lawrence Stroll’s new Aston Martin project, the Austrian has admitted he is currently discussing his future at Mercedes with Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius. When asked how long he will remain team principal, Wolff […]
Wolff admits Vettel not Mercedes’ ‘priority’
Jun.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff admits that Sebastian Vettel is not Mercedes’ “first priority” when considering the team’s driver lineup for 2021. Technical boss James Allison admitted this week it is “difficult to imagine” the quadruple world champion switching from Ferrari to Mercedes. And Valtteri Bottas’ revealed that he received a “pretty straight message” from his […]
Raikkonen, Verstappen not expecting to be ‘rusty’
Jun.12 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is not expecting to struggle in Austria next month even though Formula 1 drivers have not raced since late last year. Some, like the Alfa Romeo driver’s teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, think the drivers will be “rusty” once the initial eight-race European season kicks off. But Finn Raikkonen – F1’s oldest and […]
Austria GP preparations ‘like clockwork’ – Marko
Jun.11 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says preparations for Formula 1’s return to racing next month are “going like clockwork”. “Now all we have to do is keep calm,” the Red Bull official, who has been the leading figure in organising the first ‘ghost races’ of the coronavirus era, told f1-insider.com. Amid face masks and other […]
F1 driver lineups ‘looking to the future’ – Russell
Jun.11 (GMM) Top Formula 1 teams are “looking to the future”, according to George Russell. The 22-year-old made his debut last year for Williams, but he is also the cream of Mercedes’ driver program and tipped to make the step up to the works team for 2021. He said Ferrari’s decision to pair Carlos Sainz […]