Jul.22 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel should put the bulk of his focus on consistently beating teammate Lance Stroll. So far in 2021, the quadruple world champion has attracted headlines for struggling to get up to speed at Aston Martin whilst also promoting his new eco-credentials. For instance, his pink helmet this year is in deference to […]
Month: July 2021
Raikkonen ‘doesn’t care’ who replaces him
Jul.22 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he doesn’t care who replaces him if Alfa Romeo decides against renewing his contract. At 41, the Finn is the oldest active driver and longest-serving in Formula 1 history, but he is being generally matched or outpaced by Antonio Giovinazzi this season. There are rumours that Valtteri Bottas, Mick Schumacher, […]
Honda admits cloud over October’s Japanese GP
Jul.22 (GMM) Honda’s F1 boss has admitted a dark cloud hangs over October’s Japanese GP. The world’s top athletes are currently congregating in Tokyo for the postponed 2020 Olympics, but the Japanese government has declared a covid emergency and largely banned spectators. Honda, Red Bull’s departing works engine supplier, owns the Suzuka circuit, and the […]
Honda’s Yamamoto ‘worried’ about Verstappen engine damage
Jul.22 (GMM) Even Honda is weighing into the controversy surrounding championship leader Max Verstappen’s high speed crash at Silverstone last Sunday. When asked by the specialist Japanese outlet As-Web what he will say when he bumps into Toto Wolff in the paddock in Hungary, Honda’s F1 boss Masashi Yamamoto admitted: “I would like to say […]
Wolff understands Verstappen father’s ’emotion’
Jul.22 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he understands the emotional reaction of Max Verstappen’s father in the wake of the incident with Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone. Jos Verstappen, whose relationship with Wolff actually dates back to Max’s days in the junior categories, said Mercedes’ jubilant celebrations whilst his son was still in hospital meant Wolff “no […]
2022 car already ‘a toddler’ in wind tunnel – Wolff
Jul.21 (GMM) Mercedes’ 2022 car is no longer a “baby” behind the scenes at Brackley, according to boss Toto Wolff. “It is a toddler, taking its first steps in the wind tunnel,” he told RTL, “where we can start to estimate where the performance is headed.” Indeed, whilst winding down development of the 2021 car, […]
Hamilton is 2021 title favourite again – Ecclestone
Jul.21 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has joined those who believe Lewis Hamilton should have been more harshly penalised for his clash with title rival Max Verstappen at Silverstone. One round of the former F1 supremo’s criticism had already reached Hamilton prior to the incident, when Ecclestone said the Mercedes driver is no longer “the fighter he […]
Hamilton win celebrations were ‘political’ – Plooij
Jul.21 (GMM) A prominent Dutch Formula 1 pundit thinks Lewis Hamilton’s jubilant post-British GP celebrations had a “political” edge. After serving a penalty for the race-ending Max Verstappen clash, Hamilton emerged from his Mercedes cockpit in an unusually triumphant mood – triggering a fiery and controversial response from his critics. Jack Plooij, the popular pitlane […]
Fittipaldi happy with Alonso’s 2022 contract news
Jul.21 (GMM) F1 legend Emerson Fittpaldi has welcomed news that Alpine is set to confirm a contract ‘option’ that means Fernando Alonso will race on in 2022. Returning to Formula 1 this year to prepare for the all-new regulations of 2022 was always the 39-year-old Spaniard’s plan, but that is now set to be formalised. […]
Marko retains lawyer to explore appeal options
Jul.21 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says the remainder of the fierce 2021 title battle will now become “even more tense”. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton clashed with Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen at Silverstone last Sunday – and Marko says Red Bull has now retained a lawyer to look into whether they can pursue a harsher […]
Wolff responds to Ecclestone’s Hamilton jibe
Jul.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff has reacted to former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s claim that Lewis Hamilton is “not quite the fighter that he was”. “There are lots of occasions this year where he could have done better and he hasn’t,” 90-year-old Ecclestone, who was replaced as F1 CEO in 2017, told PA news agency. When […]
Verstappen’s engine may have survived crash – Honda
Jul.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s Honda engine may somehow have survived his huge 51G crash at Silverstone. Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko told RTL that initial estimates are that “around three quarters of a million euros” in damage was done after Lewis Hamilton tipped the championship leader into the barriers at Copse corner. He said […]
Verstappen’s father tells Wolff not to call
Jul.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has advised Toto Wolff against picking up the phone to him in the future. After the Red Bull driver’s huge 51G shunt and brief hospitalisation on Sunday, Max and Jos Verstappen spent the night in a motel near Silverstone before returning to Monaco. “Max is doing well so far. He’s […]
‘Moral knight’ Hamilton is hypocritical – Lammers
Jul.20 (GMM) In the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s collision with title rival Max Verstappen, Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers has accused the seven time world champion of hypocrisy. As a controversy explodes within Formula 1 about alleged ‘racial abuse’ directed at the Mercedes driver, Lammers aimed fire at Hamilton for a different reason. The 65-year-old […]
Verstappen only has ‘stiff neck’ after crash – Marko
Jul.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen is “doing surprisingly well” after his high-speed, 51G crash at Silverstone that left him briefly hospitalised. While the story about Lewis Hamilton being subjected to alleged racial abuse on social media blew up around the world, his British GP rival Verstappen travelled home to Monaco on Monday after the Silverstone race […]
Wolff hints Bottas axe decision ‘already made’
Jul.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hinted that Mercedes’ decision about the identity of Lewis Hamilton’s 2022 teammate is “already made”. The reigning champion team’s boss has already said that if Valtteri Bottas is replaced by George Russell next year, he will help the Finn to find an alternate seat. “We’ll see what decision we make […]
Hamilton eyed ‘victory or death’ in British GP – press
Jul.20 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton charged for “victory or death” before title rival Max Verstappen was tipped into a 51G crash at Silverstone’s Copse corner on Sunday. That is the view of one international media outlet in the highly-charged aftermath of the lap-1 incident that is now the major talking point in the British GP aftermath. […]
F1 unites to slam alleged Hamilton ‘racial abuse’
Jul.20 (GMM) Even Facebook has waded into allegations that Lewis Hamilton was the subject of racial abuse in the wake of Max Verstappen’s high speed crash last Sunday. Media reports suggest some social media users used ‘monkey’ emojis to signal their disapproval of the seven time world champion’s tactics in the British GP. In a […]
Horner wants ‘wonderful’ sounding F1 engines
Jul.19 (GMM) Formula 1 needs to strike a balance between ‘green’ considerations and the entertainment of the sport’s fans. That is the view of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who argues that when the engine rules are changed for 2025-2026, the next-generation power units should be much louder. “I know that electrification is being driven […]
Wolff vows to help Bottas find another seat
Jul.19 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he will do what he can to enable Valtteri Bottas to have a “great future” in Formula 1. Amid sweeping rumours that the Finnish driver is set to lose his seat to George Russell for 2022, Mercedes boss Wolff hailed Bottas’ role in supporting Lewis Hamilton throughout the British GP […]