Jul.20 (GMM) Mick Schumacher is being “seriously considered” by not one but two Formula 1 teams for 2025. That is the claim of Red Bull’s F1 advisor Dr Helmut Marko, who admits the former Haas driver is not being considered for a seat at the junior outfit RB. “As far as we are concerned, there […]
Month: July 2024
Newey’s demands scuppered Ferrari deal – report
Jul.20 (GMM) Adrian Newey’s grand demands led to the collapse of his negotiations with Ferrari, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italian newspaper claims the departing Red Bull technical genius not only wanted $10 million a year, but was demanding that Ferrari agree to sign around 20 of his chosen engineers. That leaves Aston […]
Marko relieved Red Bull upgrade ‘works as expected’
Jul.20 (GMM) Red Bull’s biggest car upgrade of the season “does what it’s supposed to,” relieved team advisor Dr Helmut Marko declared after practice in Hungary. Actually, Max Verstappen – with the full update as opposed to teammate Sergio Perez – was a quarter of a second slower than McLaren’s Lando Norris. But Marko told […]
Global IT outage affected Mercedes at Hungary GP
Jul.20 (GMM) Mercedes was affected by the world’s biggest ever IT outage that swept the globe on Friday. The Formula 1 team is actually sponsored by cyber-security company Crowdstrike, whose bug within a software update crashed Microsoft operating systems across the world. The dreaded ‘blue screen of death’ was seen in the Mercedes garage and […]
Ocon hits out as 2024 Williams link emerges
Jul.19 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has renewed his criticism of Alpine, as it emerges he even wanted to leave the team before the 2024 season is even complete. Amid on and off-track conflicts with his fellow French teammate Pierre Gasly this year and behind-the-scenes trouble with team bosses, Ocon and Alpine announced at the beginning of […]
Hungary package ‘much bigger’ than other upgrades – Verstappen
Jul.19 (GMM) Red Bull’s Hungarian GP upgrade is “much bigger” than the other packages of improvements the team has brought to races so far in 2024. Team advisor Dr Helmut Marko says the new components, some highly visible and others not, “must now have an effect”, given that he admits the formerly-dominant team is no […]
Contract could be ‘no use’ for Perez after summer break
Jul.19 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s new contract will be “no use” to the Mexican if he cannot immediately up his game. It is now clear that another two poor performances over the back-to-back Hungarian and Belgian GP weekends will trigger a termination clause in the deal. Red Bull F1 advisor Dr Helmut Marko insists Perez’s meagre […]
Hamilton glad openly gay Ralf Schumacher ‘changed his mind’
Jul.19 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he is glad former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher “changed his mind” on the issue of gay pride. In 2021, world champions Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel took a stand against the Hungarian government at the Hungarian GP. Vettel, now retired, declared he would be “happy if they disqualify me” for […]
‘Selfish’ Sainz still blocking 2025 driver market
Jul.19 (GMM) For multiple active Formula 1 drivers, the wait for Carlos Sainz’s decision rolls on. The current Sauber duo, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou, seem to be excluded from consideration to join Nico Hulkenberg in the newly Audi-owned team’s future plans. But that is just one team – alongside Williams, Alpine and even Mercedes […]
Vasseur wonders if Newey would ‘fit’ at Ferrari
Jul.18 (GMM) Ferrari’s team boss says he isn’t sure if Adrian Newey would be a good “fit” at Maranello. Until recently, Ferrari was regarded as the most likely next destination for the highly regarded, Red Bull-departing technical guru. But the latest reports suggest Newey, 65, has either ruled out his Ferrari option or even angered […]
Hamilton not enough for instant Ferrari success – Todt
Jul.18 (GMM) Jean Todt is not sure Lewis Hamilton’s arrival alone will be enough to propel Ferrari back to world championship glory. When the fabled team’s former boss Todt signed the then two-time champion Michael Schumacher for 1996, it then took him five full years to win a third title. “Hamilton’s arrival will give the […]
Sainz cannot use Williams as ‘stepping stone’ – boss
Jul.18 (GMM) James Vowles says he does not want Carlos Sainz to sign with Williams if the Ferrari refugee sees the seat as a mere stepping-stone to his next big move. Until recently, the 29-year-old Spaniard seemed destined to ink a deal – but now, Valtteri Bottas appears to be the overwhelming favourite to return […]
Schumacher rules out Indycar move for now
Jul.18 (GMM) Mick Schumacher has ruled out eyeing a move to Indycar for now, even though a prominent former world champion doubts the 25-year-old German will return to F1 next year. Schumacher this week said his return to the grid after a two-season absence was now “within reach”, following tests in 2024 with Mercedes, Alpine […]
Flooding hits Hungary GP pitlane
Jul.18 (GMM) A cloud – or flood – of uncertainty is suddenly surrounding this weekend’s running of the Hungarian GP in Budapest. Photos and videos are emerging from the Hungaroring’s paddock and pitlane, which were battered by an intense summer thunderstorm on Wednesday amid the parallel promise of scorching heat forecasts. Observers said the flooding […]
Red Bull lodged technical complaint against McLaren
Jul.17 (GMM) Red Bull suspects 2024 championship rival McLaren may have been bending the rules to help with tyre cooling. Team consultant Dr Helmut Marko admitted he was amazed at this year’s rapidly improving McLaren last time out at Silverstone. “When we had the McLaren behind us, they were literally flying,” he told Speed Week. […]
Red Bull admits failed F1 talks with Andy Cowell
Jul.17 (GMM) The boss of Red Bull’s top F1 team says he would have liked to snap up former Mercedes engine guru Andy Cowell. Two weeks ago, Aston Martin added another top signing to its roster by signing Cowell, who headed Mercedes’ ultra-successful F1 engine division until 2020, as Martin Whitmarsh’s replacement as Group CEO. […]
Axed sponsor warns companies about backing Haas F1 team
Jul.17 (GMM) Haas’ former title sponsor has warned other companies to think twice about entering into agreements with the small American F1 team. A month ago, a Swiss arbitration court ruled that Haas needed to return some of the sponsorship money paid by Uralkali for the 2022 season. Both the Russian fertiliser giant and the […]
RB considering all-rookie driver lineup for 2025
Jul.17 (GMM) Red Bull is shaping up to install an all-rookie driver lineup at its junior team RB next year. The energy drink concern’s top F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko has said repeatedly recently that all shareholders agree that the outfit formerly known as Alpha Tauri must revert to its status as a proper “junior […]
Two teams now ahead of Red Bull, Marko admits
Jul.16 (GMM) Red Bull has fallen behind not one but two Formula 1 teams as the first half of the 2024 season progressed. That is the admission of the formerly-dominant reigning champions’ F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko, who told Speed Week: “Thank God there is an update in Budapest and we hope it will take […]
Toyota not eyeing F1 comeback with Haas – report
Jul.16 (GMM) Reports that Toyota is looking to return to Formula 1 in partnership with Haas are wide of the mark. That is the claim of Auto Motor und Sport, following multiple speculative reports in the wake of a Toyota official being spotted in the Haas garage at the British GP. The reports claimed Toyota, […]