Aug.31 (GMM) Red Bull is not ruling out releasing Pierre Gasly from his contract at Alpha Tauri. In the past days, the Frenchman – although already confirmed at Red Bull’s second team for 2023 – has been strongly linked with the vacant seat at Renault-owned Alpine to create an all-French lineup with Esteban Ocon. Some […]
Month: August 2022
Audi facing uphill struggle in F1
Aug.31 (GMM) Audi is facing an uphill struggle to produce an engine competitive enough to take on Formula 1’s long-established main players. That is the view of former driver Christian Danner, who warned those who are excited about the now-confirmed 2026 entry of the VW-owned marque. “How realistic is it for them to make such […]
Schumacher-Ferrari deal not axed yet – report
Aug.31 (GMM) It is premature to report that Mick Schumacher is leaving Ferrari’s driver development ‘academy’. That is the view of Felix Gorner, a correspondent for the German broadcaster RTL, after a specialist auto racing publication said Schumacher’s entire F1 career is now in the air following the Ferrari split. Gorner says the only fact […]
Alonso ‘right’ to rebuke Hamilton – pundit
Aug.31 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s old rivalry with Fernando Alonso is back in the spotlight after the Belgian GP. As they duelled towards the front of the field on lap 1 at fabled Spa-Francorchamps, their Mercedes and Alpine cars collided – and Alonso vented his fury. On the radio, the Spaniard told his team that seven […]
Binotto, Steiner to ‘sit down’ for Schumacher talks
Aug.30 (GMM) Mattia Binotto isn’t sure if Mick Schumacher will still be on the Formula 1 grid next year. The 23-year-old German made his debut for Haas last year and impressed alongside Nikita Mazepin, but his performances have been more mixed when paired with the experienced Kevin Magnussen in 2022. Schumacher is tentatively linked with […]
Spa now looking for ‘long term’ F1 contract
Aug.30 (GMM) Belgian GP promoter Vanessa Maes admits the new race contract with Formula 1 is for one year only. Actually, news of the extension came as a huge relief to many in the paddock last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, as the sport came to terms with potentially losing one of its most fabled venues for […]
Marko urges Perez to improve
Aug.30 (GMM) Even at Formula 1’s clearly dominant team, the pressure is still on. Top Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko, however, couldn’t possibly be happier with reigning champion Max Verstappen – whose advantage over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is now almost 100 points. “It was easier than expected,” the 79-year-old beamed to Sky Deutschland after […]
Alpine boss expects Piastri ruling ‘soon’
Aug.30 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo may struggle to find a seat on the Formula 1 grid for 2023. The struggling Australian driver has been paid a rumoured $12 million by McLaren to leave the British team a year ahead of schedule. McLaren wants to replace him with Oscar Piastri, but that will depend on the outcome […]
Red Bull-Porsche deal could fall through – report
Aug.30 (GMM) Red Bull’s highly anticipated works deal with Porsche for 2026 and beyond is at risk of falling through. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Formula 1’s currently dominant team is nervous about the influence that the Volkswagen-owned German sports car maker would have in the event of a rumoured 50 percent buyout. Red […]
Ocon not opposed to Gasly at Alpine in 2023
Aug.29 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he and fellow Frenchman Pierre Gasly have enough “respect” to be able to thrive as Alpine teammates. Apparent negotiations between Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko and officials at Renault-owned Alpine reportedly took place over the Belgian GP weekend. Alpine is looking to replace Aston-Martin bound Fernando Alonso for 2023, after […]
Wolff, Horner back Alpine over Piastri saga
Aug.29 (GMM) All eyes are turning to Geneva on Monday as the FIA’s contract recognition board meets to discuss Oscar Piastri’s next move in Formula 1. “We’re going to the CRB on Monday and they’ll decide which contract that Oscar signed takes precedence,” Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer said, amid reports the 21-year-old Australian has also […]
Binotto concerned about Red Bull’s lightweight car
Aug.29 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has expressed concerns about rumours at Spa-Francorchamps that Red Bull is intending to shortly debut a significantly lighter chassis. Reports suggest that after racing a car that weighs notably more than championship rival Ferrari’s so far in 2022, the forthcoming lighter car has been modified to such a degree that it […]
Ferrari plays down ‘porpoising’ rule effect
Aug.29 (GMM) Ferrari has played down claims that the FIA’s new clampdown against so-called ‘porpoising’ has only blown out the gap to runaway championship leader Red Bull. “They should make directives like this more often,” Red Bull’s Christian Horner laughed after Max Verstappen utterly dominated in Belgium, extending the points gap to Charles Leclerc to […]
Verstappen only needs ‘two or three more wins’ – Marko
Aug.29 (GMM) Mattia Binotto agrees with Charles Leclerc’s assessment that winning the world championship for Ferrari this year has become “very difficult”. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen’s points lead over Leclerc is now approaching 100 points after the Red Bull driver utterly dominated in Belgium. When asked if Spa-Francorchamps was the most dominant weekend of […]
Ricciardo ‘could be better’ than Schumacher – Steiner
Aug.28 (GMM) Sunday might be Belgium GP day, but Monday’s meeting of the contract recognition board in Geneva could be high octane fuel for the 2023 ‘silly season’. If, as is now expected, the FIA’s contract disputes process clears the path for Oscar Piastri to dump Alpine and head to McLaren, the next dominoes should […]
Bottas puts hand up for 2026 Audi seat
Aug.28 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is getting in early by putting his hand up for a works Audi race seat in 2026. The VW-owned German carmaker has finally announced that it will enter Formula 1 under the newly-confirmed next set of engine rules – but the partner team has not yet been named. Gunther Steiner says […]
Verstappen jokes porpoising rule ‘very bad’ for Red Bull
Aug.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen could only giggle when asked if the FIA’s clampdown on ‘porpoising’ had hurt Red Bull. “Yes, that technical directive has been very, very bad for us,” the Dutchman laughed to De Telegraaf newspaper. Indeed, Formula 1’s other two top teams – Ferrari and Mercedes – have been left aghast by Verstappen’s […]
Marko expects Ferrari to ‘react’ at Spa
Aug.27 (GMM) Both of F1’s championship protagonists for 2022 will slide down the Spa-Francorchamps grid as a result of unscheduled engine changes. Both Red Bull and Ferrari have separately decided to take the grid penalties at the fabled Belgian GP circuit, where overtaking is easier than at most other circuits. “It was difficult to finish […]
Belgian GP admits ‘complicated’ 2023 talks
Aug.27 (GMM) Vanessa Maes, boss of the Belgian GP promoter Spa Grand Prix, admits she is in “complicated” negotiations with Formula 1 over a new contract for 2023. The feeling in the paddock is that this weekend is F1’s last trip to the fabled Ardennes region for now, although Stefano Domenicali warned that talks are […]
Works Audi race seat would be ‘nice’ – Schumacher
Aug.27 (GMM) Audi CEO Markus Duesmann hopes the VW-owned carmaker’s decision to enter Formula 1 in 2026 triggers a German revival. If Mick Schumacher fails to secure a race seat for 2023 following Sebastian Vettel’s retirement, there will be no German drivers or even a German GP on the grid. But Duesmann said at Spa-Francorchamps […]