Nov.4 (GMM) Mario Isola has confirmed reports that the 2022 cars “won’t be much slower” than the lightening-quick field of this season. Earlier, there were fears the new rules – designed to promote racing and overtaking – would be as much as five seconds or more slower than the 2021 cars. “The expectation was that […]
Month: November 2021
Perez wants Mexico win, 2022 title
Nov.3 (GMM) His teammate may be the Red Bull star, but Sergio Perez still wants to win his home race in Mexico this weekend – and then have a shot at the 2022 title. However, the 31-year-old Mexican admits Red Bull’s priority will be securing this year’s drivers’ title for Max Verstappen. “I always look […]
Wolff denies Mercedes to sign new title sponsor
Nov.3 (GMM) Toto Wolff has added his denial to reports Mercedes could be set for a change of title sponsor. We reported last month that Petronas, the Malaysian oil company that has partnered with the ultra-successful Formula 1 team since 2010, could be about to be replaced by Saudi Aramco – Saudi Arabia’s public oil […]
Departing Bottas ‘not a F1 phenomenon’ – Wolff
Nov.3 (GMM) Toto Wolff says departing works Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas is “not a phenomenon” like 2021 title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Finn Bottas, 32, is keeping his Formula 1 career alive next year with a new long-term contract at Swiss-based Alfa Romeo. “I expect him to take the lead there,” said Mercedes […]
VW, Porsche, Audi ‘seriously’ discussing F1
Nov.3 (GMM) Reports the Volkswagen Group will definitely enter Formula 1 in 2026 are gaining in strength by the day. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said when asked about the VW rumours this week: “They’ll be there in 2026, in my opinion. “All the noises we are hearing point to that,” he told Speed Week. Indeed, […]
Teams to present F1 cars to media on Fridays
Nov.3 (GMM) Formula 1 has revealed a plan to ramp up interest for fans – with the key involvement of the sport’s print media. According to Auto Motor und Sport, key top engineers at the F1 teams will need to reveal their cars’ latest technical upgrades on the Friday of grand prix weekends. “We are […]
Mercedes boss hopes Verstappen wins title
Nov.2 (GMM) One Mercedes-linked motor racing boss is actually barracking against the German carmaker in Formula 1 for the 2022 title. Hubert Haupt, owner and driver of a team that runs three Mercedes AMG cars in the German touring car championship DTM, admitted he hopes Red Bull’s Max Verstappen prevails this season. “I think it’s […]
Alonso hopes ‘reserve’ Jerez will host 2022 race
Nov.2 (GMM) Jerez, a circuit in southern Spain, is first in the queue as a potential replacement host for Formula 1 in 2022. F1 recently announced an unprecedented 23-race calendar for next season, but covid-shaped question marks hang above some of the confirmed hosts. The political situation Melbourne, for instance, is particularly unstable at present, […]
Reverse grids back on F1 agenda
Nov.2 (GMM) Reverse grids are back on the agenda in Formula 1. The idea has been suggested on multiple occasions, with Liberty Media keen to continue to ramp up excitement for new and existing fans. Sebastian Vettel, however, recently called the concept of artificially promoting slower drivers up the grid as “complete bullsh*t”. However, the […]
F1 eyes ‘smaller, lighter’ cars for 2026
Nov.2 (GMM) The all-new 2022 cars are yet to be fired up, but Formula 1 is already looking towards the next generation of cars that should make their bow in 2026. Next year, the radically-different cars are tipped to be slightly slower but much easier to race and overtake with. But in the past months, […]
F1 could witness Senna-Prost-like finale – Wolff
Nov.2 (GMM) Formula 1 could witness a fiery clash in the Prost-Senna mould to conclude the ultra-intense 2021 world championship battle. That is the warning of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, whose charge Lewis Hamilton is 12 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with five races to go. “If it was to come to the scenario […]
Verstappen recovered from Austin ‘cold virus’ – Marko
Nov.2 (GMM) World championship leader Max Verstappen is fully recovered and healthy ahead of the Mexican GP this weekend. It was already known that Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez struggled through the Austin event with an illness, but Dr Helmut Marko revealed that Verstappen was also not well. “The performance of both of them was […]
Saudi F1 officials withdraw female dress code
Nov.1 (GMM) Saudi Arabian authorities have performed a swift “U-turn” on a female dress code that was circulated among Formula 1 teams ahead of the first Jeddah street race. A recent email from Saudi race officials indicated that women will need to be careful about how much skin they expose in the Arabian kingdom when […]
Massa ‘not surprised’ about Ferrari struggle
Nov.1 (GMM) Felipe Massa is not sure Ferrari is ready to return to the top in Formula 1. The Brazilian almost won the world championship for the fabled Maranello team in 2008, and now looks back on that era as Ferrari’s “best years”. He also tells Spain’s AS newspaper that he is “not surprised” Ferrari […]
F1 veteran hopes Giovinazzi keeps seat
Nov.1 (GMM) One Formula 1 veteran hopes Antonio Giovinazzi clings onto his seat at Alfa Romeo. Recently, Giovinazzi’s prospects of that appeared bleak, with Guanyu Zhou reportedly offering $30 million in Chinese backing, and Indycar star Colton Herta apparently central to Andretti’s touted EUR 600 million team takeover bid. But with the Andretti buyout apparently […]
Ricciardo dating F1 legend’s daughter
Nov.1 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo may be dating the daughter of a Formula 1 legend. In 2016, then F1 star Daniil Kvyat began to date Kelly Piquet – the daughter of triple world champion and F1 legend Nelson. They had a child together before the relationship ended in 2019. Piquet is now dating world championship leader […]
Father says Verstappen may never leave Red Bull
Nov.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen could end up spending his entire Formula 1 career with Red Bull, according to his father and co-manager. The Dutchman has already pledged his immediate future to the energy drink owned team, but it is believed the contract contains key performance and exit clauses. However, former F1 driver Jos Verstappen is […]
Red Bull not denying Volkswagen rumours
Nov.1 (GMM) Red Bull is not ruling out a Formula 1 collaboration with Volkswagen. According to the German source Sport1, November could be the month in which VW brands Audi and Porsche make the official decision to enter F1 for the new engine era from 2026. The report claims Red Bull could tie up with […]
Red Bull rules out copying Mercedes system
Nov.1 (GMM) Red Bull has ruled out trying to copy Mercedes’ rear suspension layout that could reportedly boost straightline speeds by as much as 15kph. Much has been made about Red Bull’s revelations about the Mercedes system, but team bosses have now repeatedly ruled out lodging a protest or claiming it’s illegal. In fact, it […]