Nov.16 (GMM) Mercedes’ former racing boss has backed Toto Wolff after the Austrian’s particularly emotional weekend of behaviour in Brazil. The intensity of the 2021 title battle took its toll on Mercedes team boss and co-owner Wolff at Interlagos, as he railed against multiple incidents that ultimately did not stop Lewis Hamilton from winning the […]
Month: November 2021
Missing footage key to Mercedes protest
Nov.16 (GMM) Mercedes’ furious team boss Toto Wolff is reportedly considering authorising an official protest against Max Verstappen’s move in Brazil. Red Bull’s Christian Horner insists the Dutch world championship leader did nothing wrong in defending his position from charging Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton. “Penalty for what?” he said. “I mean, there is no gain, […]
Mazepin reveals ‘problems’ with Haas personnel
Nov.15 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin’s tears in Brazil were not just about a key mistake he made in Friday qualifying. The controversial Russian rookie surprised the Formula 1 world when he seemed incredibly emotional when speaking to reporters on Friday. By Sunday, having beaten his high profile teammate Mick Schumacher in the race, he admitted there […]
Red Bull not ruling out Mercedes protest
Nov.15 (GMM) It is “too early” to consider protesting against Mercedes, despite the reigning champions emerging suddenly with “incredible” straightline speed in Brazil. “We need to look at where that speed comes from,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “It’s not normal and we need to look at it, but it’s too early to protest.” […]
‘Everything against us’ in Brazil – Wolff
Nov.15 (GMM) A visibly and audibly furious Toto Wolff said Lewis Hamilton won on Sunday despite the fact that “everything was against us” in Brazil. The weekend was just a further escalation in the extreme intensity of the 2021 world championship battle between Mercedes’ chasing Hamilton and title leader Max Verstappen. “This team has always […]
F1 ‘needs’ Verstappen to win 2021 title – Massa
Nov.14 (GMM) Felipe Massa admits he is cheering for Max Verstappen to win the 2021 world championship. In 2008, in one of the most thrilling ends to a title battle in Formula 1 history, Massa came tantalisingly close to preventing Lewis Hamilton from winning his first championship. Now retired from F1, the 40-year-old Brazilian is […]
Verstappen eyes Le Mans bid with father
Nov.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen admits he is keeping an eye on Le Mans. Earlier this year, the Red Bull driver’s father and co-manager Jos, a former Formula 1 driver himself, launched a bid to return to GT-style racing. The end-game? It could be a bid to tackle the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race as […]
Mercedes engine problems ‘surprise’ Honda
Nov.14 (GMM) Honda’s F1 technical boss Toyoharu Tanabe admits he is “very surprised” about the engine problems suffered by championship rival Mercedes in 2021. According to Honda’s works partner Red Bull, the rear wing disqualification in Brazil and ongoing engine reliability problems show that Mercedes is “on the limit” after seven consecutive title triumphs. “They […]
Red Bull suspects flexible Mercedes rear wing
Nov.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he hopes Formula 1 stewards in Brazil enjoy “good expensive wine” after fining him EUR 50,000 for touching championship rival Lewis Hamilton’s rear wing with his bare hands in Brazil. The Dutchman said he wasn’t checking the overly wide DRS opening in parc ferme, but testing the wing for excessive […]
No more gentleman’s agreement in F1 – Wolff
Nov.14 (GMM) The intense 2021 title battle is only getting more fiery and controversial as the track action heats up in Brazil. On Saturday, the major talking point was the separate stewards investigations involving championship protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. After securing pole on Friday, Mercedes’ Hamilton was disqualified for a breach of the […]
Guanyu Zhou ‘ready’ for Alfa Romeo seat – Marko
Nov.13 (GMM) Alfa Romeo is poised to announce Guanyu Zhou as Valtteri Bottas’ teammate for 2022. Frederic Vasseur, the Sauber-run team’s boss, said in Brazil that the identity of the driver he has already signed up for next year “will be announced next week – before Qatar”. Many authoritative media sources from Interlagos report that […]
Szafnauer slams Alpine move ‘misinformation’
Nov.13 (GMM) Otmar Szafnauer has hit out at “pure media speculation” about his future, but admits other teams have approached him about leaving Aston Martin. Amid reports of unrest at Aston Martin following the arrival of former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh, and suggestions Alpine is set to snap up Szafnauer, the Romanian-American slammed the “spiral […]
F1 scraps Q2 tyre compound rule for 2022
Nov.13 (GMM) Formula 1 will scrap the rule requiring the top-10 qualifiers to use their Q2 tyre to start Sunday’s grands prix from 2022. It means the entire field will now have a free compound choice for the start of races, which is good news to the ears of George Russell. “The rich were just […]
Hamilton’s titles hopes hang by thread in Brazil
Nov.13 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes are hanging by a thread in Brazil. Although quickest in qualifying ahead of Saturday’s final sprint race of 2021, the seven time world champion will slide five places down the grid on Sunday due to an engine change. “We have degradation of the engine and its power wasn’t going […]
Bottas enjoys ‘freedom’ as Mercedes tenure ends
Nov.12 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says being ousted by Mercedes, and signed up by Alfa Romeo for 2022 and beyond, gave him a sense of “freedom and less pressure” he has ever experienced in Formula 1. The Finn, who is making way at Mercedes for George Russell, came under fire after the Mexican GP for making […]
Szafnauer ‘important’ to Aston Martin – Vettel
Nov.12 (GMM) Otmar Szafnauer is an “important guy” to the Aston Martin team, Sebastian Vettel said in Brazil. He was speaking amid swirling rumours suggesting that the Silverstone based team, having recently signed up former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh, could be about to lose its current team principal to Alpine. Alpine, reportedly set to lose […]
Mercedes opens door for Porsche to enter F1
Nov.12 (GMM) Mercedes is willing to make concessions in order to open the door for Porsche to enter Formula 1 in 2026. In the past days, Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto said that although Volkswagen and its brands are welcome in F1, his eagerness to agree to rule changes to specifically level the playing field for […]
Hamilton not commenting on engine penalty rumour
Nov.12 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton admitted Mercedes was grappling with bigger problems when rumours of a likely engine change and grid penalty were swirling in the Interlagos paddock. “The engine isn’t even here,” said the seven time world champion. “That’s why I can’t comment on it.” Indeed, Formula 1 was dealing with an almost unprecedented crisis […]
Aston Martin’s Szafnauer linked with Alpine move
Nov.11 (GMM) Otmar Szafnauer looks set to leave Aston Martin. Rumours in the past few days indicated the 57-year-old, the current team principal who also had leading roles in the team’s Racing Point and Force India guises, might be replaced by new Aston Martin recruit Martin Whitmarsh. Whitmarsh, the long-time top McLaren official, is just […]
Flight delays leave F1 teams without equipment
Nov.11 (GMM) Multiple Formula 1 teams are missing key equipment after a logistics delay in the few days between the Mexican and Brazilian grands prix. Some, including Fernando Alonso, have questioned the wisdom of the current international ‘triple header’ of races across continents and timezones as F1 dashes from Mexico to Brazil and then Qatar […]