Apr.30 (GMM) As the points gap shrank to 13 points with his sprint race victory at Baku, Sergio Perez declared that he is charging for his first drivers’ title in 2023. Some believe that reigning back-to-back world champion and 2023 drivers’ championship leader Max Verstappen is the clear ‘number 1’ at Red Bull – especially […]
Month: April 2023
Tost defends ‘aggressive’ Mekies announcement
Apr.30 (GMM) Franz Tost has defended Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri’s “aggressive” decision to announce Laurent Mekies’ impending departure from Ferrari. Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said Alpha Tauri releasing a statement about Mekies replacing long-time team principal Tost sometime next year was “aggressive” because the terms of his release have yet to be finalised. “They were […]
Wolff insists he does not ‘hate’ Verstappen
Apr.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hit back at the idea that he doesn’t like reigning back-to-back world champion Max Verstappen. The notion goes at least as far back as 2021, when Verstappen and Wolff-led Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton were locked in an ultra intense and ultimately highly controversial title battle. But Wolff says he was surprised […]
Verstappen tells F1 to ‘scrap’ sprint format
Apr.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen says Formula 1 should “scrap” the entire sprint race weekend concept. The world champion’s disdain for the “artificial” idea was worsened on Saturday when he finished only third behind Charles Leclerc and his own Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. But seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton put his thumbs up to […]
Verstappen calls Russell ‘princess’ in Baku
Apr.30 (GMM) Having called George Russell a “d*ckhead” on live television, world champion Max Verstappen then upped the ante by also describing the Mercedes driver as a “princess”. Red Bull’s Verstappen was furious about finishing only third in the Baku sprint race – a format he already despises – with sidepod damage caused by the […]
Russell slams FIA for ignoring F1 drivers
Apr.29 (GMM) George Russell has slammed Formula 1’s governing body for not listening to the drivers. When Romain Grosjean lost his Haas seat, 25-year-old Mercedes driver Russell replaced him as a director of the F1 drivers’ union – the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. So as GPDA director, Russell aimed his ire at the FIA for […]
Bottas could be five-time champion – Alonso
Apr.29 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas could have become a five-time Formula 1 world champion, according to Fernando Alonso. Last year after a clash at Spa, two-time title winner Alonso called Lewis Hamilton an “idiot” who “only knows how to drive and start in first”. Seven time world champion Hamilton responded: “It’s nice to know how he […]
Ferrari has F1’s ‘most powerful engine’ – Marko
Apr.29 (GMM) Ferrari has “the most powerful engine” in Formula 1. That was the word from Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko following Charles Leclerc’s surprise pole position on the high-speed Baku street circuit. “We knew Ferrari would be fast on one lap,” the 80-year-old told the Austrian broadcaster ORF in Azerbaijan. “Everything needed to work […]
Bottas wants to stay in F1 after 2024
Apr.29 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has played down rumours that 2023 could be his final season in Formula 1. Many are sensing that the 33-year-old Finn’s interest in other projects is rising at the very same time that his competitiveness appears to be on the wane. “No limit has been reached,” Bottas insisted to Iltalehti newspaper. […]
Wolff denies contract talks with Leclerc
Apr.29 (GMM) Toto Wolff has backed Charles Leclerc’s claim that not even a “single conversation” about the Ferrari driver switching to Mercedes has taken place. “As he said, we didn’t have a single conversation, except maybe at the airport about whether to go to Starbucks,” Mercedes boss Wolff said. “I don’t know where this rumour […]
Allison ‘in his element’ back in F1 paddock
Apr.29 (GMM) James Allison is “in his element” back in the Formula 1 paddock. That is the view not only of 55-year-old Allison himself, who has returned to the top technical job at Mercedes after an absence, but also team driver George Russell. “Mike (Elliot) is absolutely in his element in his new role,” Russell […]
Bottas could buy Finnish F1 circuit
Apr.28 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas could be about to become the co-owner of a Formula 1-ready race circuit. Since leaving Mercedes at the end of 2021, the 33-year-old Finn has expanded his interests beyond the sport with investments in gin, coffee and property. It is clear Bottas is also expressing his personality more freely at Alfa […]
Verstappen reiterates F1 quit warning after 2028
Apr.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen insists he is still no fan of Formula 1’s sprint race format, even though he admits a second qualifying session debuting this weekend at Baku will make it “better”. However, the reigning back-to-back world champion doesn’t think it will fully succeed in making the short race on Saturday more enticing for […]
Leclerc not in Mercedes talks ‘at the moment’
Apr.28 (GMM) Charles Leclerc says he is not in talks with Mercedes “at the moment” about a move to the Brackley based team. The rumours have been bolstered by Ferrari’s poor start to 2023, but also Red Bull chief Dr Helmut Marko’s claim that Leclerc can probably escape his contract before the end of 2024. […]
Woman on F1 grid will take ’10 years’ – Wolff
Apr.28 (GMM) The new female-only ‘F1 Academy’ support series kicks off this weekend in Austria, but series chief Susie Wolff admits it could be a decade before a woman is on the Formula 1 grid. “I believe it’s eight to 10 years away from happening,” the wife of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, and a […]
Schumacher should ‘forget’ F1 return – Ecclestone
Apr.28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone thinks ousted Haas driver Mick Schumacher should “forget this dream” of returning to the Formula 1 grid. Heavily criticised by Haas boss Gunther Steiner last year, 24-year-old Schumacher subsequently accepted Toto Wolff’s offer to become Mercedes reserve driver this year. But Ecclestone, the former F1 supremo, told RTL: “He has to […]
Alpha Tauri ‘aggressive’ with Mekies news – Vasseur
Apr.28 (GMM) Red Bull-owned Alpha Tauri was “aggressive” in announcing Laurent Mekies’ departure from Ferrari, according to team boss Frederic Vasseur. As an exodus of top personnel continues at the Maranello-based team, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz admits sporting director Mekies “obviously” would have been interested in an offer to replace Franz Tost. “We’re also hiring […]
F1 becoming more ‘show’ than sport – Lammers
Apr.27 (GMM) Formula 1 is moving “more and more” away from sport in the direction of pure entertainment and show, Dutch GP boss and former F1 driver Jan Lammers says. His Dutch countryman and back-to-back world champion Max Verstappen has not been shy to denounce the addition of a second qualifying session for the first […]
Deputy PM admits Italian GP ‘at risk’
Apr.27 (GMM) A top Italian government executive is reassuring the country’s Formula 1 fans about the future of the fabled annual race at Monza. On Wednesday, we reported that Ferrari’s current struggles are hurting ticket sales for both Italian rounds on the 2023 calendar at Monza as well as Imola. “We have to keep our […]
Red Bull rivals won’t win 2023 title – Marko
Apr.27 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is perfectly willing to accept that Red Bull will win a third consecutive drivers’ championship in 2023. This weekend in Baku, a tweaked format for the first sprint weekend of the season will debut, featuring separate qualifying sessions for both the short and long races. Back-to-back title winner, and 2023 […]