Nov.7 (GMM) Charles Leclerc insists he will not be caught publicly criticising Ferrari. The Maranello team emerged with a highly competitive car in 2022 but amid performance, strategic and reliability problems is only narrowly in front of Mercedes for second overall. When asked if Ferrari and boss Mattia Binotto have been criticised too harshly, Leclerc […]
Month: November 2022
F1 legend tells drivers to stop ‘snitching’
Nov.7 (GMM) German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has told Formula 1 drivers to stop “snitching” on their rivals. The phenomenon has emerged largely due to the ongoing ‘track limits’ controversy, with drivers complaining on the radio about transgressions they witness whilst at work in the cockpit. “I don’t agree with what they’re doing because of […]
Ricciardo ‘possible’ for McLaren reserve role
Nov.7 (GMM) Another team has emerged as a potential home for Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 – McLaren. Currently, it is believed the Australian is in talks with both Mercedes and Red Bull about potentially serving as reserve driver next year. Having lost his McLaren race seat, the 33-year-old Australian turned down a move to Haas […]
Newey got early handle on ‘porpoising’ problem
Nov.7 (GMM) The foundation to Red Bull’s near-unprecedented success in 2022 was getting an early handle on the ‘porpoising’ phenomenon. While reigning champions and Ferrari struggled with the violent aerodynamic ‘bouncing’ caused by the new ground-effect floors, Red Bull’s technical boss Adrian Newey had key experience of the phenomenon. “I studied ground effect aerodynamics and […]
F1 team to keep ‘independence’ under new CEO
Nov.7 (GMM) Red Bull Racing will continue to enjoy “independence” under new management in the wake of the energy drink company’s founder Dietrich Mateschitz. The successful Formula 1 team was the late Mateschitz’s brainchild, but it has now passed into the hands of his 29-year-old son Mark. It emerges that the CEO role will be […]
2023 will feel like F1 ‘rehab’ – Vettel
Nov.7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel thinks his first year without Formula 1 will feel like “rehab”. The quadruple world champion, now 35, made his debut in 2007 as a teenager. He admits to Der Spiegel that “my purpose in life for 16 years” was F1. “Now I secretly expect myself to be able to cope without […]
F1 moving towards ‘Christmas shutdown’ agreement
Nov.4 (GMM) Formula 1 teams are moving to install a forced shutdown period during the winter off-season to cope with the sport’s now ever-expanding race calendars. Already, the regulations require that all teams observe a strict “shutdown period” of two full weeks during the now customary three-week calendar gap in August. And with this year’s […]
Adrian Newey’s wife slams ‘toxic’ F1 journalist
Nov.4 (GMM) Even family members are now wading into the campaign of derision aimed at Red Bull in the wake of the budget cap controversy. Matthew Syed, a journalist for the major British newspaper The Times, lashed out at the energy drink-owned team after the Mexican GP, insisting Lewis Hamilton was “robbed” of the 2021 […]
Alonso eyes Verstappen for next Le Mans bid
Nov.4 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he would like to take on the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race with fellow double world champion Max Verstappen as his teammate. The Spaniard caused a stir recently when he suggested that Verstappen’s back-to-back title wins in 2021 and 2022 were worth more than some of Lewis Hamilton’s dominant […]
Marko tips Haas to replace Schumacher with Hulkenberg
Nov.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks Haas will replace Mick Schumacher with a “veteran” Formula 1 driver for 2023. As the weeks and days roll on, it is becoming increasingly clear that the small American team intends to oust the 23-year-old son of F1 legend Mick Schumacher. “When a team publicly criticises a driver so […]
F1 in ‘middle’ of new Verstappen era – Steiner
Nov.3 (GMM) Formula 1 has entered the Max Verstappen era, according to Haas boss Gunther Steiner. Although the 2021 season finale and this year’s budget cap scandal muddied the Dutchman’s achievements, Steiner says the Verstappen era is similar to the Hamilton, Vettel and Schumacher eras that preceded it. “Every era has its champion. In this […]
Penalties won’t throw Red Bull ‘off course’ – Marko
Nov.3 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down the impact that Red Bull’s budget cap penalties will have on the team’s competitiveness going forward. One element of the fine for the ‘minor’ 2021 overspend is a $7 million fine. “Seven million dollars is a lot of money. But it won’t hurt them,” Gunther Steiner, boss […]
F1 equipment ‘arrived’ amid Brazil protests
Nov.3 (GMM) Brazil’s automobile federation CBA has responded to reports that Ferrari equipment was stuck in transit to the Interlagos circuit. Since Jair Bolsonaro reportedly lost the presidential election to left-wing candidate Lulu, huge protests and almost 400 road blockades have swept Brazil. We reported on Wednesday that a truck carrying fabled Formula 1 team […]
Steiner ‘a fool’ to oust Schumacher – Stuck
Nov.3 (GMM) Gunther Steiner would be a “fool” to show Mick Schumacher the exit door at Haas, according to German motor racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck. With the small American team reportedly planning to name Kevin Magnussen’s 2023 teammate prior to Brazil next weekend, Steiner admits it is a 50-50 toss-up between Schumacher and Nico Hulkenberg. […]
Gasly unsure Tsunoda ready to lead Alpha Tauri
Nov.3 (GMM) Pierre Gasly isn’t sure whether his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ready to lead Alpha Tauri from the cockpit. Frenchman Gasly is leaving the Red Bull orbit to join Renault-owned Alpine next year, as he is replaced by the highly rated 27-year-old rookie Nyck de Vries. Team boss Franz Tost admits it’s a risk. […]
Verstappen now among richest Dutchmen on earth
Nov.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen has been named among the 500 richest Dutch people on earth. The currently-dominant back-to-back world champion has slipped onto the list for the first time at 500th place, even though the cut-off for the list has risen by EUR 10 million to a minimum of EUR 120m net worth. 120 million […]
Gasly must be ‘careful’ to avoid race ban
Nov.2 (GMM) Pierre Gasly has been told to “be careful” by his next Formula 1 team – Alpine. The Frenchman is switching from Red Bull’s second F1 team, Alpha Tauri, to Renault-owned Alpine next year. But team boss Otmar Szafnauer admits he is nervous that Gasly may need to serve a race ban at some […]
Haas set to name 2023 driver before Brazil
Nov.2 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has all but confirmed rumours that Haas intends to finalise its 2023 driver lineup ahead of next weekend’s Brazilian GP. Mick Schumacher’s main rival for the race seat, his veteran German countryman Nico Hulkenberg, said after Mexico that he is “optimistic” of securing the deal. “We’re close now,” team boss Steiner […]
Protest blockades threaten Brazilian GP
Nov.2 (GMM) A cloud has moved above next weekend’s Brazilian GP in the shape of thousands of determined protesters. In the wake of the country’s presidential election, in which incumbent Jair Bolsonaro was defeated by the left-wing and mononymously-known Lula, huge protests and civil unrest has broken out. So far, it has been in the […]
Ferrari ‘stopped development’ of 2022 car ‘early’
Nov.2 (GMM) Mattia Binotto admits Ferrari’s pace may have trailed off at the tail end of the season due to switching focus to the 2023 car. After Mexico, where the Maranello based team notably struggled and Mercedes was dominant Red Bull’s main competitor, many wondered why that happened. “It’s unclear what is happening to Ferrari,” […]