Mar.21 (GMM) Political sanctions against axed Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin have been dropped by order of the European Court of Justice. The Russian driver, named in the sanctions due to his father’s connections to Vladimir Putin, has been fighting to restore his right to travel, work and race in Europe since the outbreak of […]
Month: March 2024
Ricciardo admits 2024 could be final year in F1
Mar.21 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo admits that 2024 could be his last season in Formula 1. In recent days, heightened by statements made by 1980 world champion Alan Jones, Red Bull’s top consultant Dr Helmut Marko as well as Liam Lawson, who is next in line for Ricciardo’s race seat, it became clear that the 34-year-old […]
FIA gives Sainz initial ‘ok’ to race in Melbourne
Mar.21 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has passed initial FIA medical checks in Melbourne, on the same day he rode a bicycle around the Albert Park layout. It’s all a sure sign that the 29-year-old Spaniard, who underwent emergency appendix surgery in Saudi Arabia recently, will be fit to race this weekend. “Carlos Sainz is expected to […]
Mercedes hits back with top Ferrari signing
Mar.21 (GMM) Mercedes has hit back at Ferrari following its poaching of Lewis Hamilton for 2025. Italian newspaper La Repubblica reports that Simone Resta, a highly respected Ferrari engineer recently seconded to the affiliated Haas program, has been signed by Mercedes. He will be Mercedes’ new strategic development director – and not the only one […]
F1’s ‘meteorite shower’ of scandals continues apace
Mar.21 (GMM) Formula 1 continues to be buried under an off-track “meteorite shower of accusations” and “one problem after another”, according to observers of the latest developments. In January, Toto Wolff warned that his wife Susie – who now works for the new female series F1 Academy – would go “all the way in court” […]
Sochi ‘waiting’ for return of Russian GP
Mar.20 (GMM) Formula 1 can return to Russia if a new agreement is reached, the boss of the federal territory of Sirius has announced. The sport unilaterally axed the Russian GP deal at the onset of the Ukraine-Russia conflict in early 2022, with F1 declaring at the team that it was “impossible to hold” in […]
Gasly’s share of football club ‘not 3 or 4 percent’
Mar.20 (GMM) Pierre Gasly buying into French football team FC Versailles is not just a token gesture, the club’s president insists. Last year, when a spate of celebrities were the public faces of similar investments at the Alpine F1 team, for whom Gasly drives, many dismissed the celebrities’ involvement as symbolic or just for marketing […]
Mid-season RB seat would not be ideal – Lawson
Mar.20 (GMM) Liam Lawson admits it would not be ideal if he was drafted into RB’s team lineup in the middle of the season. At the weekend, the 22-year-old New Zealander, who impressed when he replaced the injured Daniel Ricciardo, said Ricciardo needs to “step it up” or risk losing his race seat. In the […]
Aramco eyeing Aston Martin, Newey and Verstappen – rumour
Mar.20 (GMM) Rumours are emerging that Aston Martin’s main F1 sponsor, Saudi Arabian state-owned oil company Aramco, is shaping up to potentially take over the team. The explosive development could even tie in with the ongoing Christian Horner affair at Red Bull, and explain in part why that outfit is now desperate to call an […]
FIA wants more F1 income from Liberty Media
Mar.20 (GMM) There could be troubled negotiations ahead between Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, and the Liberty Media-owned commercial rights holder. The current Concorde Agreement – binding the FIA, Formula One Management and the teams together – was signed in 2021, and will run until the end of 2025. That means talks are almost […]
Senna almost signed 1991 Ferrari contract
Mar.20 (GMM) Ayrton Senna actually agreed a contract to race for Ferrari in the 1991 season, according to explosive new reports in the Italian media. Next year, seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton – the most successful driver in Formula 1 history – is making the bombshell move to Maranello, replacing Carlos Sainz. Sainz is […]
Madrid could be first European F1 night race
Mar.19 (GMM) Madrid is looking into becoming Formula 1’s next night race. Marco Canseco, a correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca, said a delegation from the Spanish capital’s new F1 event for 2026 and beyond was present in Saudi Arabia recently to look into the logistics. “It (Jeddah) is the ideal place to know […]
Sainz spotted walking normally in Melbourne
Mar.19 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has touched down in Melbourne to prepare for his return to the Ferrari cockpit. The 29-year-old Spaniard was replaced by impressive teen rookie Oliver Bearman in Saudi Arabia when Sainz required emergency appendix surgery. Bearman, 18, will once again be on standby this weekend. But according to Miguel Sanz, a correspondent […]
Ocon admits ‘chats’ about 2025 now taking place
Mar.19 (GMM) Esteban Ocon admits “chats” about his future in Formula 1 are already starting to take place. The 27-year-old’s contract, as well as that of his French teammate and countryman Pierre Gasly, expires this year – in the heart of Alpine’s performance slump and management turmoil. Ocon has already reminded the public that he […]
Horner should quit Red Bull immediately – Schumacher
Mar.19 (GMM) While the intensity of the Christian Horner scandal has subsided somewhat, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher still thinks the long-time Red Bull boss should quit. Horner is clearly in the eye of an internal power struggle at the otherwise-dominant Formula 1 team that he has run from the beginning, with the FIA now […]
Verstappen’s level of dominance ‘not normal’ – Lobato
Mar.19 (GMM) Long-time Spanish F1 commentator Antonio Lobato doubts Max Verstappen will win every single grand prix this season. Red Bull won all but one of the 23 grands prix last season, and triple world champion Verstappen arguably looks even stronger so far in 2024. But at the Atletico de Madrid vs FC Barcelona football […]
Ricciardo hits back at rumours of F1 career end
Mar.19 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo tried to put a swift end to speculation his days in Formula 1 are coming to an end. Fellow Australian Alan Jones, the 1980 world champion, said this week that the sport has seen 34-year-old Ricciardo’s “best days”, and he now needs to prove himself once again in order to keep […]
Bottas admits Audi could leave him behind
Mar.19 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas admits he could be left out of Sauber’s plans for its works future with Audi. After his race winning days as Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate ended, the Finn switched to the Hinwil-based team that has since transitioned to its Alfa Romeo and now Stake-Kick identities. Sauber, however, has now been 100 […]
F1, not teams, to blame for rookie logjam – Alonso
Mar.18 (GMM) Formula 1 teams should not be blamed for their reluctance to replace experienced drivers with rookies, according to Fernando Alonso. At 42, the Spaniard is currently linked with a sensational switch from Aston Martin to Mercedes in 2025 to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. But, officially, Alonso insists he is not even ruling […]
Verstappen dominance will cause F1 fans to ‘disappear’
Mar.18 (GMM) Formula 1 fans may begin to “disappear” in the face of Max Verstappen’s ongoing and overwhelming dominance. That is the warning of Jeff Dodds, the new CEO of the all-electric series Formula E, which was once touted as a potential threat to the popularity of F1. That didn’t materialise, given the success so […]