May 10 (GMM) Audi intends to enter Formula 1 and be “at the very front” of the grid, the Volkswagen-owned German carmaker’s CEO Gernot Dollner insists. This year, Audi surprised the F1 world by ramping up its original plan to eventually buy 75 percent of the Swiss team Sauber – and instead took 100 percent […]
Month: May 2024
Imola must ‘resist’ demise of European F1 races
May 10 (GMM) Italy will try to “resist” Formula 1’s gradual shift away from Europe, as Imola seeks a new race deal with the sport’s owner Liberty Media. During an investors call this week, Liberty CEO Greg Maffei admitted capping the calendar at 24 grands prix for now has created a “great incentive scarcity” amid […]
Leclerc fell out with departing race engineer – media
May 10 (GMM) Growing unrest between Charles Leclerc and his race engineer has led to the departure from the role of the latter at Ferrari. That’s the claim of authoritative Italian media sources, as the Maranello team announced that Leclerc’s race engineer since 2019, Xavi Marcos, is moving to “other important company programs”. Alessandra Retico, […]
Door closing for Sainz as Perez nears new F1 deal
May 9 (GMM) A key door seems to have closed for Carlos Sainz, amid new rumours that Red Bull has agreed a new single-season deal for Sergio Perez next year. It is believed the Ferrari-departing Spaniard recently let a deadline set by Audi-owned Sauber pass, as he holds out for better options at Red Bull […]
Ferrari to test Imola-spec upgrade before next race
May 9 (GMM) Ferrari is set to give its Imola-spec car upgrade a trial run during a ‘filming day’ at the Italian team’s own Fiorano circuit. Red Bull is also planning a car upgrade for Imola next weekend – the second major aerodynamic update for the dominant outfit so far this year. Lando Norris won […]
US congress demands answers from F1 by May 21
May 8 (GMM) The Judiciary Committee of the United States federal congress has formally opened an investigation into why Andretti-Cadillac was barred from entering Formula 1. A week ago, twelve congress members went public and signed a joint letter to F1 owner Liberty Media outlining their “concerns with the apparent anti-competitive actions that could prevent […]
Sainz may be getting ‘nervous’ about 2025 seat
May 8 (GMM) Audi-owned Sauber is still waiting for Carlos Sainz to make his decision regarding 2025 and beyond. It was rumoured recently that the job-seeking Spaniard let an Audi deadline lapse, in order to hold out hope of a plum Red Bull or Mercedes seat instead. “Isn’t he nervous that he doesn’t have a […]
F1 pecking order to keep evolving at Imola
May 8 (GMM) The 2024 pecking order looks set to keep evolving at next weekend’s return to action in Imola. When the championship-leading Red Bull trailed McLaren’s Lando Norris home last Sunday, the German newspaper Bild cheekily declared in its headline: “Formula 1 winner is NOT Verstappen”. Max Verstappen did, however, emerge fastest from both […]
Former FIA steward slams modern Formula 1
May 8 (GMM) A former FIA steward has slammed the current state of Formula 1. On the surface, the sport is actually thriving in popularity, with F1 declaring that last Sunday’s Miami GP was the largest US television audience in F1 history. But Joaquin Verdegay, a regular F1 steward in the past as well as […]
No Porsche seat for Vettel at 2024 Le Mans
May 8 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel will not launch a return to premier motorsport this year at Le Mans. The retired quadruple world champion recently tested Porsche’s Le Mans-ready 963 hypercar, amid speculation he may join the driver line-up for the marque’s third car entry. It was even suggested that Porsche had delayed the planned announcement […]
Ferrari CEO comments on Newey-to-Ferrari rumours
May 8 (GMM) Christian Horner says he has “no concerns” about the ongoing health of Red Bull Racing, even though key rivals are predicting a staff exodus. Design guru Adrian Newey has stepped down from his Formula 1 duties at the energy drink company’s premier team – without naming his next destination. A clear frontrunner […]
F1 in penalty re-think after Magnussen’s horror Miami
May 7 (GMM) Formula 1 is being urged to change tack as Kevin Magnussen is left on the cusp of a race ban after a horror Miami GP weekend for the Haas driver. The Dane arrived in Miami still recovering from a virus he picked up in Shanghai – before being accused of “unsportsmanlike behaviour” […]
McLaren needs another big upgrade to catch Red Bull
May 7 (GMM) Carlos Sainz and now Lando Norris’ race wins within the first six grands prix of 2024 shows that Max Verstappen’s grip on Formula 1 may now be easing. Miami was not a smooth weekend for the Red Bull driver, who was hurt by the timing of the safety car on Sunday and […]
‘Peace’ returning to Red Bull ‘step by step’ – CEO
May 7 (GMM) Red Bull is now inching towards peace behind the scenes, a CEO of the energy drink company insists. All season so far, one of the biggest topics of conversation in the Formula 1 paddock has been the team’s internal leadership power struggle and the Christian Horner scandal. According to The Times newspaper, […]
Verstappen ‘dangerous’ for F1, Canada GP boss warns
May 7 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s dominance of Formula 1 at the moment is “a bit dangerous” for the sport. That’s the concern of Francois Dumontier, the promoter of the annual Canadian GP in Montreal. McLaren’s Lando Norris may have won in Miami, but even during that same race weekend, triple consecutive world champion Verstappen won […]
Wolff sides with Marko, hits back at Red Bull CEO Mintzlaff
May 6 (GMM) Toto Wolff has lashed back at one of the top CEOs of the Red Bull drinks empire, slamming comments made in Miami by Oliver Mintzlaff. Wolff has made no secret about his attempt to woo Max Verstappen to Mercedes amid Red Bull’s ongoing power struggle, earning him a rebuke from Mintzlaff as […]
Aston Martin to ‘evaluate’ Newey job offer – boss
May 6 (GMM) Aston Martin boss Mike Krack now admits the team is evaluating the possibility of signing Adrian Newey. Earlier in Miami, Krack said when asked about rumours of Aston Martin’s interest in the departing Red Bull technical guru: “We are quite happy with our technical team and we continue with them.” However, 65-year-old […]
Alonso met twice with FIA president in Miami
May 6 (GMM) Fernando Alonso met twice with the FIA president ahead of the Miami GP. A day earlier, the Spaniard said he would seek talks with Mohammed Ben Sulayem over concerns that “nationality” is influencing which drivers are penalised the hardest by stewards. Then, in Sunday’s Miami GP, another Spaniard – Carlos Sainz – […]
Ferrari, McLaren, ending Red Bull’s ‘comfort zone’ era
May 6 (GMM) Wearing a plaster on his nose after a wild party a weekend earlier, and freshly fined 25,000 euros for running across the track after a sprint race crash, Lando Norris on Sunday became Formula 1’s newest race winner. There’s no doubt the 24-year-old was fortunate with the timing of the safety car, […]
McLaren, winner Norris, defend Trump’s Miami GP visit
May 6 (GMM) McLaren insists it is “non-political”, as the Formula 1 team faces backlash for welcoming Donald Trump into its garage in Miami. Earlier, it emerged that race organisers had blocked a businessman close to the former US president from conducting a $250,000 a head fundraiser for Trump in the paddock club. But Trump, […]