Aug.21 (GMM) A well-known motor racing personality has issued a scathing assessment of Valtteri Bottas’ ongoing suitability for a Formula 1 race seat. With rumours about the Finn’s future swirling, Bottas headed into the August summer break admitting that the situation inside at Sauber at present is not “stable”. “There’s been lots of people leaving, […]
Month: August 2024
Marko plays down Red Bull performance crisis
Aug.21 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down escalating alarm about Red Bull’s fading car performance in 2024. Recent rumours suggest that, amid improved fortunes for rival teams McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, Red Bull may have been quietly told by the FIA some weeks ago to discontinue a technical solution in the ‘grey area’. And […]
‘Rotation system’ could be Dutch GP saviour – boss
Aug.21 (GMM) Dutch GP boss Robert van Overdijk admits that a new rotation scheme for certain grands prix in Europe could apply to the popular race at Zandvoort. Just prior to Formula 1’s summer break, the circuit boss denied reports suggesting a deal to annually alternate the races at Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps from 2026 onwards […]
Hockenheim ‘thinking about’ reviving German GP
Aug.20 (GMM) The new 75 percent owners of the Hockenheim circuit say they are proceeding with “great caution” in trying to revive the German GP. In April, investment group Emodrom revealed that “five medium-sized companies” had purchased most of the historic Formula 1 circuit for EUR 5.5 million – also making them responsible for about […]
Ferrari chairman insists age is not slowing Hamilton
Aug.20 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton could be the key to a successful world championship campaign in his very first season at Ferrari in 2025. That is the confident prediction of Ferrari chairman John Elkann, who during a recent visit to the Olympic Games in Paris was asked whether it was difficult to convince the seven-time world […]
Haas’ F1 rivals ‘messed up’ in 2024 – boss Komatsu
Aug.20 (GMM) Underperforming rival teams have made Haas’ 2024 car look better than it really is, new team boss Ayao Komatsu admits. The team’s 2023 season was so poor that it cost long-time team principal Gunther Steiner his job – with Japanese engineer Komatsu promoted into the top job. One of Komatsu’s first tasks was […]
F1 pundits say Zhou doesn’t deserve race seat
Aug.20 (GMM) Two outspoken motor racing pundits are unanimous – Guanyu Zhou does not belong on the Formula 1 grid. Technically, the Chinese driver is still in the running to stay at Audi-owned Sauber next year, and he has also been linked with the 2025 Alpine seat. “Nothing’s been decided,” Zhou said just before the […]
Alpine enters frame to secure Newey’s signature
Aug.20 (GMM) Troubled Formula 1 team Alpine has emerged as a late contender to land Adrian Newey’s signature. As the sport headed into its August break, Italy’s Autosprint magazine claimed a September announcement was now looming – with Aston Martin apparently beating Ferrari to the deal with the departing Red Bull guru. Lawrence Stroll is […]
No ‘big solution’ to Red Bull car problems yet – Marko
Aug.20 (GMM) There is no “big solution” yet to Red Bull’s fall from Formula 1 dominance in 2024, team F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko admits. As the sport emerges from its August break and factory shutdowns, Marko said no development work could be done on the car. But he insists: “We have to solve our […]
Haas boss insists Bearman cannot be compared to Mazepin
Aug.19 (GMM) The boss of F1’s smallest team has rubbished comparisons between 2025 rookie Oliver Bearman and former Haas driver Nikita Mazepin. Since Haas unsuccessfully paired Russian driver Mazepin with another rookie Mick Schumacher back in 2021, the team has only run highly experienced drivers. That is changing for 2025, with 19-year-old Ferrari junior Bearman […]
RB is a ‘junior’ F1 team ‘for a reason’ – Hadjar
Aug.19 (GMM) Formula 2 championship leader Isack Hadjar has hinted that he thinks Red Bull should promote him to the big-league sooner rather than later. Currently, the lineup at Red Bull’s second team, RB, is Yuki Tsunoda alongside 35-year-old Daniel Ricciardo. Dutch racing personality Tom Coronel thinks the team should be waving goodbye to Ricciardo […]
Hamilton not coming to Ferrari to retire – Elkann
Aug.19 (GMM) Ferrari chairman John Elkann insists Lewis Hamilton is not on a fast-track to Formula 1 retirement. The seven time world champion is leaving Mercedes at the end of the year to become Charles Leclerc’s teammate at Ferrari – ousting the on-form Carlos Sainz. “It’s tragic that he (Sainz) is having his best season […]
Ralf’s ex-wife hurt by public ‘coming out’ story
Aug.19 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher’s ex-wife says she feels hurt by the former Formula 1 driver’s ‘coming out’ story. 6-time grand prix winner Ralf, 49, was married to Cora Brinkmann between 2001 and 2015, and they have a 22-year-old son David who is also a racing driver. The Ralf-David duo won a Prototype Cup Germany race […]
Marko plays down new Vettel-to-Audi rumours
Aug.19 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down reports suggesting Sebastian Vettel might be seriously in the frame to return to Formula 1 with Audi. Osterreich newspaper had cited information from Marko, the Red Bull F1 consultant, suggesting the retired quadruple world champion might be in talks with Audi-owned Sauber. Auto Bild reached out to […]
‘Risks’ with 2024 Red Bull may not pay off – Wache
Aug.15 (GMM) Red Bull’s technical director admits “risks” the team took with its design of the 2024 car may not have paid off. For much of the year, the earlier-dominant Formula 1 team was marred by a leadership power struggle, including a scandal involving boss Christian Horner and a female employee. Following the woman’s appeal, […]
Marko hints Vettel in running for Audi seat
Aug.15 (GMM) Two Germans are reportedly near the top of team owner Audi’s list to join Nico Hulkenberg next year at Sauber. The Sun newspaper in Britain believes Mick Schumacher is being seriously considered for the role, while Dr Helmut Marko told Osterreich newspaper this week that retired quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel is still […]
Liberty admits US gov’t Andretti F1 probe underway
Aug.15 (GMM) The CEO of Formula 1’s owner, Liberty Media, has confirmed the organisation is under investigation by the United States justice department. In May, a group of US congress and senate members challenged F1’s decision to lock American racing entity Andretti-Cadillac out of the sport, admitting their “concerns with the apparent anti-competitive actions that […]
Newey exit not cause of Red Bull slump – Frijns
Aug.15 (GMM) Dutch racing driver Robin Frijns doubts Red Bull’s recent performance decline is directly attributable to the steady departure of Adrian Newey. Italy’s Autosprint magazine reports that design and aerodynamics guru Newey’s next destination in Formula 1 will be Aston Martin, with an announcement likely in September. “We’re not going to sign Adrian,” McLaren […]
McLaren not desperate to sign title sponsor
Aug.15 (GMM) McLaren CEO Zak Brown insists he is not desperate to sign up a title sponsor. The Woking based team is now arguably Red Bull’s closest challenger in Formula 1, but unlike most other teams, a high-paying brand does not appear in McLaren’s official name. It’s a situation sponsorship expert Brown inherited when he […]
Liberty not involved in Perez future decision – Marko
Aug.15 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at reports suggesting Formula 1 owner Liberty Media intervened in the immediate future of Sergio Perez. Red Bull held a meeting at Milton-Keynes on the day after the Belgian GP, and most insiders were almost certain that Perez would be ousted for poor performance. However, the brand […]