Aug.31 (GMM) As a title battle between friends Lando Norris and Max Verstappen shapes up, McLaren CEO Zak Brown has moved to play down a recent mood of acrimony. Brown has been highly critical not only of Red Bull’s budget cap breach and Christian Horner scandal, but also of Verstappen himself following an on-track clash […]
Month: August 2024
Vowles denies money behind Colapinto decision
Aug.31 (GMM) Williams boss James Vowles has confirmed that he turned down Red Bull’s terms for a ‘loan’ of Liam Lawson. Vowles’ patience with the struggling Logan Sargeant finally ran out after Zandvoort. “There were three options on the table which many of you already know about,” he told reporters at Monza. They were Liam […]
Shwartzman has ‘no idea’ about potential Audi seat
Aug.31 (GMM) Robert Shwartzman is not sure if he is a genuine contender to complete the 2025 Formula 1 race grid. While it is believed Valtteri Bottas is the frontrunner to keep his Audi-owned Sauber seat, he is pushing for a ‘1-plus-1’ contract rather than a simple one-year contract. 19-year-old rookie Gabriel Bortoletto, the reigning […]
Spanish sponsor to leave Ferrari with Sainz
Aug.31 (GMM) A major Spanish sponsor is departing Ferrari along with Carlos Sainz at the end of the year. Banco Santander, a Spanish bank, backed the Maranello based team throughout its era with Fernando Alonso, and then again after Sainz was signed. Sainz is being replaced by seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton from 2025. […]
Vowles apologises to Schumacher for ‘stupid’ comment
Aug.31 (GMM) James Vowles issued a grovelling apology to Mick Schumacher at Monza, after stating that the 25-year-old German is not a “special” driver. The Williams boss was explaining to the media on Friday why he opted to replace Logan Sargeant with rookie Franco Colapinto rather than Mercedes reserve Schumacher. “If we had put Mick […]
Red Bull, Verstappen ‘much better’ at Monza – Marko
Aug.31 (GMM) An improved Red Bull will end the ongoing rumours about Max Verstappen’s future. That’s the word from the team’s F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko, who heaved a sigh of relief on Friday when the 2024 car looked better at Monza compared to Zandvoort a week ago. Max Verstappen, who finished 22 seconds behind […]
Crash may have delayed Antonelli’s 2025 announcement
Aug.31 (GMM) Kimi Antonelli’s big practice crash not even two flying laps into his official F1 practice debut on Friday may have delayed the scheduled announcement about his 2025 race seat. Instead of facing the media on Friday, and potentially talking about replacing Lewis Hamilton from next season, the 18-year-old Italian took a trip to […]
F1 teams appear open to ‘rookie sprint race’ proposal
Aug.30 (GMM) Formula 1 teams appear to be supportive of a radical plan for a rookie-only sprint race to be held in the week after the 2024 season finale. The sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali revealed this week that F1 is seeking to create more of a spectacle of the now-traditional post-finale test in Abu Dhabi. […]
Striking Renault F1 engine staff to protest at Monza
Aug.30 (GMM) Disgruntled Renault employees will stage a peaceful protest at Monza on Friday against the decision to scrap the French carmaker’s works F1 engine operations. According to L’Equipe, about 100 staff working at the endangered Viry-Chatillon factory near Paris are on strike on Friday – and instead will be in the grandstands at Monza. […]
Lawson ‘probably’ won’t be loaned to Audi – Marko
Aug.30 (GMM) With Mattia Binotto trackside for the first time in his new colours at Monza, the issue of Formula 1’s final race seat vacancy for 2025 looks set to take centre stage. Team incumbent Valtteri Bottas appears to be the frontrunner to join the incoming Nico Hulkenberg next year, which will be the last […]
F1 drivers disappointed with upgraded Monza track
Aug.30 (GMM) Multiple Formula 1 drivers have expressed their disappointment with the upgrade works carried out at Monza. The historic circuit has not only been totally resurfaced, some corners were even widened or had subtle camber tweaks – while the new kerbs at Ascari have been made much more like a modern F1 track. “We’ve […]
Marko plays down Jos Verstappen’s Zandvoort outburst
Aug.30 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has excused Max Verstappen’s father for his post-Zandvoort outburst. Jos Verstappen, who remains clearly opposed to Christian Horner’s leadership at Red Bull, lashed out after his son Max finished a whopping 22 seconds behind Lando Norris in the Dutch GP last weekend. “It’s time – if it’s not already too […]
Marko denies Verstappen ‘go slow’ conspiracy theory
Aug.29 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has rejected a theory that Max Verstappen drove deliberately slowly at Zandvoort to give the Red Bull factory a wake-up call. On the face of it, McLaren’s Lando Norris simply outclassed the entire field in the Dutch GP – winning by the huge margin of almost 23 seconds over the […]
Magnussen ‘at peace’ with doubtful future on F1 grid
Aug.29 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he is “at peace”, even though he is among a throng of drivers who look set to miss out on the last remaining vacancy on the 2025 Formula 1 grid. Red Bull’s junior team RB will choose from within its own pool to fill its second seat next year, meaning […]
Colapinto paying $4.5m to take Sargeant’s race seat
Aug.29 (GMM) Franco Colapinto’s backers are paying Williams $4.5 million – or $500,000 per race – so the Argentinean rookie can immediately replace Logan Sargeant. Red Bull reportedly turned down the price-tag to place Liam Lawson in the cockpit, while the Argentine newspaper La Nacion believes Williams did not even talk to the Mick Schumacher […]
Alpine never serious about Schumacher for 2025 – uncle
Aug.28 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher suspects Alpine was never serious about considering his nephew Mick for the 2025 season. Already part of the French brand’s world endurance championship lineup, 25-year-old Schumacher was invited to a head-to-head test in July along with fellow 2025 contender Jack Doohan, driving a two-year-old Alpine at Paul Ricard. Doohan ultimately secured […]
Norris still not official McLaren ‘number 1’ – Stella
Aug.28 (GMM) Lando Norris will not be bestowed clear ‘number 1’ status over the remaining 9 grands prix of 2024. The 24-year-old Briton is now the standout McLaren driver in a dominant car, and very much in with a shot at closing the 70-point gap to Max Verstappen. Norris won easily at Zandvoort, with teammate […]
F1 sprint race for rookies possible in 2024 – Domenicali
Aug.28 (GMM) Plans are afoot for a special sprint race for young drivers after the Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was speaking to Italian journalists, including La Repubblica, ahead of the Italian GP, at which Ferrari is expected to be a favourite. “Ferrari as a protagonist is certainly a […]
Two Italian races in F1 ‘difficult’ in future – CEO
Aug.28 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali admits it will be “difficult” for both Monza and Imola to survive on the Formula 1 calendar beyond the venues’ respective 2025 contracts. The sport is now setting up at Monza for the Italian GP, where teams and F1 personnel will find a range of facility improvements at the fabled circuit. […]
Albon says Sargeant axe is a ‘brutal’ decision
Aug.28 (GMM) Alex Albon says Williams’ decision to immediately axe Logan Sargeant is “brutal”. In the wake of rumours that Liam Lawson or Mick Schumacher were being considered to replace the underperforming and crash-prone American, team boss James Vowles ultimately opted for Williams’ own junior rookie, Franco Colapinto. “To replace a driver mid-season is not […]