Jul.31 (GMM) James Vowles is not confirming suggestions that Carlos Sainz’s newly-signed contract with Williams contains a series of unique exit clauses. With Ferrari replacing him next year with Lewis Hamilton, and Red Bull and Mercedes not finding a place for the 29-year-old Spaniard, Sainz has picked Williams as the best choice out of the […]
Month: July 2024
Dutch GP denies F1 rotation deal with Spa now agreed
Jul.31 (GMM) The boss of the Dutch GP has denied reports suggesting a deal to annually alternate the grands prix at Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps from 2026 has now been reached. Mere days ago, Robert van Overdijk, director of the Zandvoort venue, sounded the alarm about the future of the popular Formula 1 event, warning that […]
Antonelli may get F1 race debut at Williams in 2024
Jul.31 (GMM) James Vowles is not ruling out a driver change at Williams even before the 2024 season is complete. The team boss this week confirmed speculation that Ferrari refugee Carlos Sainz has finally signed a contract to move to Williams for 2025 “and beyond”. Sainz replaces the struggling American driver Logan Sargeant, 23. “I […]
Haas defends decision to sign controversial Ocon
Jul.31 (GMM) Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has defended his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon for 2025. The move ousts the team’s long-standing Danish racer Kevin Magnussen, and pairs current Alpine driver Ocon, 27, with teenage rookie Oliver Bearman next year and beyond. “I think Esteban has proven what he can […]
‘A lot of talk’ about more F1 chances for rookies
Jul.31 (GMM) Formula 1 is considering how to open up more opportunities for rookie drivers, according to mounting reports. La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that at the recent F1 Commission meeting, a proposal for a ‘wildcard’ system forcing teams to field a rookie in grands prix at least once or twice a season was discussed. […]
Ricciardo keeping post-summer RB seat – Marko
Jul.31 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo can join Sergio Perez in breathing a sigh of relief this week, with Red Bull deciding against changing its Formula 1 driver lineups after the summer break. Ralf Bach, writing for Auto Bild, says Max Verstappen and his management team were stunned to discover that Perez will not be dropped immediately […]
‘Interesting exit clauses’ in Sainz’s new F1 deal – source
Jul.30 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has behaved impeccably amid intense and protracted speculation about his next move in Formula 1, team boss Frederic Vasseur insists. The Spaniard’s next boss will be James Vowles, after the Grove-based Williams team on Monday confirmed raging speculation throughout last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps that he had finally put his signature on […]
Mike Krack admits Audi switch rumours ‘nice’
Jul.30 (GMM) Now for a second time, Formula 1 team boss Mike Krack has skilfully swerved around swirling rumours that he could be preparing to leave Aston Martin. Amid the recent management turmoil in Audi’s new works F1 project, it was rumoured that new appointment Mattia Binotto may decide to focus more on the technical […]
Schumacher says ‘coming out’ was ‘purely selfish’
Jul.30 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher insists his ‘coming out’ story had nothing to do with making any sort of social or political statement. Two weeks ago, the former Formula 1 driver made global headlines by revealing that he is gay. In response, multiple active F1 drivers and team bosses were asked by the media to comment […]
Red Bull tells F1 team staff Perez staying in 2024
Jul.30 (GMM) Sergio Perez will still be a Red Bull driver after Formula 1’s August summer break. Ahead of decision-makers Dr Helmut Marko and Christian Horner’s Milton-Keynes meeting on Monday, the hopeful Daniel Ricciardo joked that he would leave his “phone on” rather than switch off for an immediate vacation. “If you start P2 and […]
2005 a ‘good season’ for Antonelli’s F1 debut – Wolff
Jul.29 (GMM) Toto Wolff is now freely admitting that Kimi Antonelli is his “first option” to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton from 2025. Earlier, Max Verstappen was clearly the Mercedes boss’s number 1 pick to pair with George Russell next year – but the triple world champion now seems locked into his Red Bull contract […]
First theories emerge about Russell’s shock DSQ
Jul.29 (GMM) The theories are emerging about how Mercedes could have given George Russell an illegally underweight car en route to victory in Belgium. The Briton was “heartbroken” to be disqualified after the FIA weighed and then double-checked the 1.5 kilogram underweight car an another set of scales at Spa-Francorchamps. “We clearly made a mistake […]
Sainz denies Williams deal now set in stone
Jul.29 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has denied reports that he has now signed with Williams for 2025 – although the Oxfordshire-based team’s boss sounds very confident. The Ferrari refugee has been the centrepiece of the F1 driver ‘silly season’ this season, as he weighs up offers from Williams, Sauber-Audi and Alpine – whilst hoping for a […]
Piastri ‘mentally stronger’ than Norris – Red Bull’s Marko
Jul.29 (GMM) McLaren CEO Zak Brown admits the team may need to re-think its strict policy of total driver equality over the looming August break. Over the past several races, as the earlier-dominant Red Bull’s dominance faded, McLaren and Lando Norris emerged as Max Verstappen’s biggest threat for world championship spoils in 2024. Spa-Francorchamps, however, […]
Ricciardo to ‘leave phone on’ over summer break
Jul.29 (GMM) A much-needed summer break may now be looming for Formula 1, but Daniel Ricciardo says he will be leaving his “phone on”. Red Bull’s patience with the struggling Sergio Perez now seems to be running out, with the Mexican sliding from P2 on the grid at Spa to P8 when he saw the […]
Sainz finally makes F1 team decision for 2025 – reports
Jul.28 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has finally made his decision about where to race in 2025 – Williams. That’s the claim of two authoritative Formula 1 media sources, after the departing Ferrari driver’s father and co-manager Carlos Sainz senior was seen leaving Williams’ motorhome at Spa-Francorchamps. Sainz jr, 29, has been a ‘cork in the bottle’ […]
Wolff hints Antonelli ‘arriving’ in F1 in 2025
Jul.28 (GMM) With Carlos Sainz now expected to sign for Williams, the path is clear at Mercedes for 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli to make his Formula 1 debut in 2025. Team boss Toto Wolff was holding the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton’s cockpit open for Max Verstappen, but the triple world champion now appears contractually locked in at […]
Pole not a needed ‘motivation boost’ for Leclerc – boss
Jul.28 (GMM) As the McLarens struggled on the wet track and Saturday’s fastest man Max Verstappen moves back ten places on the grid, Charles Leclerc emerged with the inherited pole position at Spa. The time gap between Verstappen and Ferrari’s Leclerc in second place, however, was a whopping six tenths, with Dr Helmut Marko remarking: […]
Red Bull still pondering improved Perez’s future
Jul.28 (GMM) Sergio Perez put his quest to rescue his endangered race seat at Red Bull back on track with a solid qualifying effort at Spa-Francorchamps. “What was really nice is that Checo really improved himself,” said team consultant Dr Helmut Marko on Saturday, as critical meetings about potential driver shuffles at Red Bull’s two […]
Race boss admits 2025 could be final Dutch GP
Jul.27 (GMM) The boss of the Formula 1 venue at Zandvoort has some worrying news for fans of the popular Dutch GP. Robert van Overdijk is warning that, as of right now, the future of the race is in serious doubt beyond the end of its 2025 contract. “At the moment,” he admitted in an […]