Feb.16 (GMM) Ferrari’s unseen 2022 car is “innovative to the maximum”. That is the tantalising message provided by the Maranello team’s Spanish driver Carlos Sainz ahead of its reveal and maiden outing on Thursday. Already seen so far are the McLaren, Williams, Alpha Tauri, Aston Martin and even the camouflaged Alfa Romeo after a debut […]
Month: February 2022
F1 calendar should not be too long – Tost
Feb.16 (GMM) Formula 1 risks diluting its product by continuing to expand the annual race calendar. Normally, Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost is the biggest defender of the sport’s whopping modern calendars, insisting personnel are lucky to be working in a busy, thriving industry. However, with the schedule currently at an unprecedented 23 races and […]
Latifi upped security after death threats
Feb.16 (GMM) Nicholas Latifi has beefed up his personal security in the wake of the highly contentious 2021 world championship finale in Abu Dhabi. Shortly after the final race of last season, the Williams driver revealed that he received abuse and even death threats from Lewis Hamilton fans accusing him of crashing deliberately to trigger […]
Tensions ease between top F1 team bosses
Feb.16 (GMM) Tensions between Red Bull and Mercedes appear to have cooled in the wake of the ultra intense 2021 world championship finale. When the F1 Commission got together in London this week, it was the first face-to-face encounter since Max Verstappen sensationally pipped Lewis Hamilton to the crown amid highly controversial circumstances. On the […]
Norris not number 1 McLaren driver – Seidl
Feb.15 (GMM) McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has denied that a long and lucrative new contract means Lando Norris has leapt into ‘number 1 driver’ status. 22-year-old Norris’ star had already been rising before his contract was extended – with a significant pay rise – all the way through the end of 2025. Until then, multiple […]
New Aston boss doubts BMW to enter F1
Feb.15 (GMM) Mike Krack, the outgoing boss of BMW’s motor racing division, has played down suggestions the German manufacturer could be eyeing Formula 1. The 49-year-old has been recruited by Aston Martin to switch to Formula 1 and replace the reportedly Alpine-bound Otmar Szafnauer. When asked if BMW might be following hot on his heels […]
F1’s treatment of Masi ‘unfair’ – Ricciardo
Feb.15 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has called for calmer heads as Formula 1 delays revealing the fate of the sport’s under-fire race director Michael Masi. Ever since the highly controversial 2021 finale in Abu Dhabi, but even before that as well, there have been calls for the Australian’s ousting. According to which insider is asked, what […]
Two F1 teams eyeing future engine switch
Feb.14 (GMM) Both Aston Martin and McLaren are not ruling out splitting from their customer engine partner Mercedes. The reports follow hot on the heels of Red Bull’s decision to take charge of its own power unit destiny in the team’s post-Honda era – even though they retain the support of subsidiary Honda Racing Corporation […]
Hamilton has not quit Formula 1
Feb.14 (GMM) It’s now official – Lewis Hamilton has not quit Formula 1. After weeks of speculation amid his total radio silence following the controversial 2021 title defeat to Max Verstappen, Mercedes has named George Russell and Hamilton as “our drivers” for 2022. In a note to the media, the Brackley based team said reporters […]
Masi should not be F1 scapegoat – Marko
Feb.14 (GMM) Michael Masi looks set to keep a prominent role at the top of Formula 1 – but clear changes are incoming for 2022. Since the highly controversial 2021 title finale in Abu Dhabi, some people have been calling for race director Michael Masi to be ousted for a series of questionable decisions. “People […]
Vettel admits environmental hypocrisy
Feb.14 (GMM) Outspoken environmentalist Sebastian Vettel has acknowledged the “extreme dichotomy” of wearing the name of the world’s biggest oil company on his chest and Formula 1 car in 2022. Aston Martin has sealed a massive title sponsorship deal with Aramco – the state owned Saudi oil giant Aramco – at precisely the same time […]
Ricciardo ‘not worried’ about Norris’ rise
Feb.14 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo says he isn’t worried that history is now repeating for him at McLaren. Some years ago, the 32-year-old fled Red Bull when it reportedly became clear to him that the momentum of that team had shifted palpably towards Max Verstappen. Ricciardo says he has no regrets, even though his path to […]
Sainz eyes new Ferrari contract
Feb.11 (GMM) Carlos Sainz sounds confident he will extend his deal and keep racing for Ferrari beyond 2022. Dr Helmut Marko thinks the former Red Bull protege and Spaniard proved last year that Charles Leclerc is no “wonder boy”. Indeed, Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has even hinted at looming contract negotiations with the 27-year-old driver […]
Aston Martin reveals first ‘real’ 2022 car
Feb.11 (GMM) Aston Martin has become the first Formula 1 team to unveil a “real” car for the all-new 2022 regulations. Haas launched with digital images only, while Red Bull pulled the wraps off what was fundamentally a re-painted version of the mocked-up 2022 Formula 1 show car – with no brakes and not all […]
Hamilton ‘in trouble’ after title loss – Sainz
Feb.11 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton was “in trouble” in the moments immediately after losing the 2021 world championship. That is the claim of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who was up on the podium with the seven time world champion and new title winner Max Verstappen after the highly contentious Abu Dhabi finale. “How would I have felt […]
Vettel fends off F1 retirement talk
Feb.11 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has fended off suggestions 2022 could be his last season in Formula 1. Actually, the longevity of the quadruple world champion’s career has looked shaky since his relationship with Ferrari broke down spectacularly. He found refuge at Aston Martin, but now the architect of that deal – Otmar Szafnauer – is […]
Zhou not bothered by ‘pay driver’ jibe
Feb.10 (GMM) Guanyu Zhou is confident he belongs in Formula 1. The 22-year-old rookie was not just third overall in Formula 2 last year, he will step up from being an Alpine development driver and become F1’s first ever Chinese star in 2022. “In China, it is very difficult to get to where I am […]
Hamilton in ‘form of his life’ in 2021 – Marko
Feb.10 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is welcoming Lewis Hamilton back to Formula 1 after the seven time world champion’s controversial title loss of 2021. Elements of the British media are still up in arms about the FIA’s handling of the Abu Dhabi finale, as new radio messages about the highly controversial safety car period surface. […]
Norris becomes F1’s third-highest earner
Feb.10 (GMM) With Red Bull revealing a reportedly $500 million new title sponsorship deal, McLaren driver Lando Norris is also counting his millions this week. The 22-year-old has reportedly leapt up to third place in Formula 1’s earnings rankings – behind only Lewis Hamilton and world champion Max Verstappen – by signing a new contract […]
Red Bull launch ‘purely marketing’ – Marko
Feb.10 (GMM) Red Bull’s official presentation of its 2022 car was actually just a “marketing campaign” because key technical details were not on display. “It’s purely a marketing campaign,” Dr Helmut Marko confirmed to Sport1. It is a trend likely to be repeated among the top teams ahead of the all-new regulations era, with Marko […]