Nov.9 (GMM) Honda is leaving Formula 1 for financial reasons. That is the view of F1 CEO Chase Carey, contrary to the Japanese manufacturer’s official explanation as to why it is ending its collaboration with Red Bull and leaving the sport after 2021. “Honda has decided to strive for the realisation of carbon neutrality by […]
Month: November 2020
Ferrari needs ‘three years’ for F1 recovery – Berger
Nov.9 (GMM) It will take Ferrari “three years” to put its championship ambitions back on track. That is the view of former Ferrari driver and F1 legend Gerhard Berger, who is currently recovering from emergency surgery to remove his appendix. “The doctor was quite excited when he look at the x-rays,” the 61-year-old Austrian told […]
Road to F1 ending for Jean Alesi’s son
Nov.9 (GMM) The road to Formula 1 for Jean Alesi’s son appears to be over. While Michael Schumacher’s son Mick is poised to leapfrog from Formula 2 to the F1 grid next year, it is another matter entirely for another 21-year-old member of Ferrari’s driver academy – Giuliano Alesi. “We have no sponsors for 2021 […]
Schumacher ‘clearly’ ready for F1 debut
Nov.9 (GMM) Mick Schumacher says he is “clearly” ready for Formula 1. It is widely believed that Haas is poised to announce that Michael Schumacher’s 21-year-old son will join the team and Formula 1 for 2021. “I clearly feel ready for Formula 1,” Schumacher, the Formula 2 points leader, told t-online. “In recent years I […]
Red Bull may need Perez’s sponsorship – Albers
Nov.9 (GMM) Sergio Perez is still in the running to become Max Verstappen’s next teammate at Red Bull, according to former F1 driver Christijan Albers. The rumour mill suggests that if the struggling Alex Albon is ousted, Nico Hulkenberg – who is Verstappen’s preferred pick – is the favourite to replace him. “I don’t think […]
Verstappen ‘ready’ to be F1 champion – Massa
Nov.9 (GMM) Max Verstappen only needs a car capable of going two tenths faster in order to race to a world championship. That is the view of Felipe Massa, who as a Ferrari driver in 2008 came tantalisingly close to beating Lewis Hamilton to the title. Now, he thinks Dutchman Verstappen is ready to take […]
Crash, covid infection hurt Stroll’s form – team
Nov.9 (GMM) Lance Stroll is suffering from a dip in confidence and the effects of his recent coronavirus infection, according to Racing Point. The Canadian driver has not scored points in the last five races, with team technical boss Andy Green saying his crash at Mugello initially dented his confidence. “He had to deal with […]
Schumacher thinks Hamilton could retire
Nov.6 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher thinks it is possible that Lewis Hamilton really will retire from Formula 1 after wrapping up his seventh title. The 35-year-old Mercedes driver caused a stir after winning at Imola by insisting there is “no guarantee” he will agree a new contract for 2021 and beyond. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff played […]
Alfa Romeo to remain ‘independent’ in F1 – boss
Nov.6 (GMM) Sauber, the company that races in F1 as Alfa Romeo, will remain an independent team. That is the insistence of boss Frederic Vasseur, countering the widely held narrative that the Swiss based team has become a sort of Ferrari satellite team in recent years. But Vasseur told Auto Motor und Sport that Haas […]
Tsunoda told by Marko to ‘focus on F1’
Nov.6 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko blocked Yuki Tsunoda from contesting a recent junior series race so that the Japanese can focus on Formula 1. It is another clear sign that the boss of Red Bull’s driver program intends to oust Daniil Kvyat and run 20-year-old Honda-backed Tsunoda at Alpha Tauri in 2021. This week at […]
‘Unlucky’ to lose place in F1 – Magnussen
Nov.6 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen thinks he is “unlucky” to be losing his place in Formula 1. The 28-year-old was brought into Formula 1 by McLaren in 2014, subsequently driving for Renault and spending the last four seasons at Haas. But for 2021, the small American team is opting for two new drivers, prompting his teammate […]
Steiner admits contact with Hulkenberg
Nov.6 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has revealed that he was recently in contact with Nico Hulkenberg. Steiner, the team boss, is yet to fill Haas’ two newly-vacated seats for 2021, although he admits that young drivers are at the top of the shortlist. “Yes, we focus on young drivers for next year,” he told Sport1. “We […]
Vettel may return to top form in 2021 – Marko
Nov.6 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel could return to full power at Aston Martin next year, according to his former boss Dr Helmut Marko. German Vettel, now 33 and a four-time title winner, became the youngest ever world champion after Marko and Red Bull brought him in to Formula 1 over a decade ago. But ahead of […]
Ferrari to get ‘new engine’ in 2021 – Sainz snr
Nov.6 (GMM) Carlos Sainz senior insists he is not worried that his son has made a major mistake by deciding to move to Ferrari in 2021. 26-year-old McLaren driver Carlos Sainz signed to join the Maranello team before the depth of Ferrari’s performance slump this year became clear. But his father, rally legend Carlos Sainz, […]
No more F1 spectators in 2020
Nov.6 (GMM) The remaining four grands prix of 2020 look set to be held without spectators. The news comes as F1’s owner Liberty Media reveals a new $100-plus million financial loss for the third quarter of the coronavirus-marred 2020 season. For the teams, the impact on them financially amounts to a whopping 50 percent hit […]
Hamilton asked to condemn new Saudi Arabia GP
Nov.6 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has been urged to “speak out” against Formula 1’s newly-announced 2021 race in Saudi Arabia. The sport has now officially confirmed that it will attend a spectacular night race in the city of Jeddah next November. Saudi Arabia, however, is often widely condemned for its human rights record, even though a […]
Wurz hits out at Liberty’s calendar plans
Nov.5 (GMM) Alex Wurz has hit out at Formula 1’s plans to schedule longer and longer annual calendars by potentially shortening the race weekend format to just two days. After the sport trialled the two-day format at Imola, at the same time a draft calendar for 2021 was leaked that listed an unprecedented 23 grands […]
No interest in Mercedes switch or engine – Leclerc
Nov.5 (GMM) Charles Leclerc says he has no interest in moving to Mercedes – or even enjoying the superior power of the reigning world champions’ dominant F1 engine. Late last year, the impressive 23-year-old pushed his Ferrari contract out until 2024, only to find himself at the wheel of the Maranello team’s 2020 slump. However, […]
2020 to be one-off slump season for Ferrari – Binotto
Nov.5 (GMM) 2020 is a one-off season of struggle for Ferrari, team boss Mattia Binotto insists. He told Sky Italia that although the Maranello team’s performance slumped badly this season, he is confident recent car upgrades have at least pointed Ferrari on the right track. “We have fought for victories and titles a few times […]
Verstappen better than Red Bull car – Wolff
Nov.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen is the only driver capable of mixing it with Mercedes’ dominant cars in 2020. That is the claim not only of the Dutchman’s own bosses at Red Bull, but also main rival Mercedes’ team chief Toto Wolff. “Max is doing fantastically,” the Austrian is quoted by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. […]