Oct.20 (GMM) Red Bull’s critical car upgrades in Austin, powering Max Verstappen to sprint pole, sprint victory and P2 on the grid for the US GP, means the team is “racing again”. “It feels a bit like old times,” said the triple world champion on Saturday. “I think for us, finally, we’re racing again. Normally […]
Month: October 2024
Leclerc admits he wouldn’t ‘deserve’ 2024 title
Oct.19 (GMM) Charles Leclerc admits that if he wins the 2024 world championship, he won’t “deserve it”. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, separated by 52 points with six races to go, are the obvious head-to-head contenders for the drivers’ title. But Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is only 34 points further behind that battle – meaning it’s […]
Alonso admits missing the F1 of the past
Oct.19 (GMM) As Fernando Alonso approaches the unprecedented milestone of 400 grands prix, he admits there is plenty he misses about the Formula 1 of the past. The Spaniard, now 43 and signed up at Aston Martin for 2025 and 2026, debuted all the way back in 2001, when he was still a teenager. He […]
Audi not bowing to Bottas decision ‘deadline’
Oct.19 (GMM) Audi-owned Sauber is not bowing to Valtteri Bottas’ pressure for a faster driver decision about 2025. The team’s Finnish incumbent declared ahead of the US GP that he needs boss Mattia Binotto to either give him a “yes” or “no” as soon as possible, as even alternative options outside of Formula 1 will […]
Red Bull admits mishandling Ricciardo exit
Oct.19 (GMM) Red Bull mishandled Daniel Ricciardo’s final race in Formula 1. That’s the claim not only of numerous pundits and fans, but also Ricciardo’s friend and former teammate Max Verstappen. Liam Lawson admits both he and Ricciardo knew about the looming RB seat change well prior to the Singapore GP weekend – but were […]
No FIA talks yet after F-word scandal – Verstappen
Oct.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen admits he is yet to speak to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in the wake of the Singapore swearing affair. George Russell, senior director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, says the GPDA is standing behind the triple world champion, who must complete a day of unspecified community service for describing […]
Norris ‘mistakes’ to cost him world title – Trulli
Oct.19 (GMM) The “calm” and mature Max Verstappen should be able to hold off a charging Lando Norris for the 2024 world championship, according to former F1 driver Jarno Trulli. Although the ‘T-tray’ scandal is unfolding around Red Bull in Austin, the good news for championship leader Verstappen’s team is that new upgrades appear to […]
Red Bull scandal could be ‘more than cheating’ – Vasseur
Oct.19 (GMM) Red Bull may be guilty of “more than cheating” amid the ‘T-tray’ affair that is unfolding at the US GP. That’s according to Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur, who weighed into Formula 1’s latest technical scandal that is being pushed hardest by Red Bull’s title rival McLaren. Red Bull mechanics showed FIA inspectors how […]
Perez rejects F1 retirement rumours
Oct.18 (GMM) Sergio Perez has in Austin repeated his mantra about being “100 percent certain” that he will still be a Red Bull driver in 2025. Even prior to the energy drink company’s decision to put Liam Lawson head-to-head with Yuki Tsunoda at the junior squad RB for the remaining six races of 2024, rumours […]
Bottas pushes Audi-Sauber for final 2025 decision
Oct.18 (GMM) Audi-owned Sauber will finally decide who Nico Hulkenberg’s 2025 teammate will be within the month of October. That’s the claim of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, after the Swiss-German F1 collaboration missed its own September deadline for the driver news. It’s the last genuine vacancy on next year’s grid, with insiders having left Singapore […]
Red Bull turns up psychological heat on McLaren
Oct.18 (GMM) Red Bull is turning up the psychological warfare ahead of the final and decisive phase of its increasingly tense championship battle with McLaren. Dr Helmut Marko headed into the US GP weekend by questioning Lando Norris’ “mental” weaknesses, hot on the heels of both Red Bull and McLaren trading technical barbs about flexible […]
Red Bull caught ‘breaking’ F1 rules, Piastri hints
Oct.18 (GMM) McLaren’s two drivers have strongly hinted that Red Bull has been caught out in a clear-cut case of cheating. As Formula 1 congregated in Austin on Thursday, word spread around the paddock that multiple teams were accusing a rival of fielding an illegal device on the floor ‘T-tray’ or ‘bib’ enabling the car’s […]
Norris distances McLaren from axed fastest lap rule
Oct.18 (GMM) Lando Norris doubts a Formula 1 regulation has been scrapped because of a highly controversial incident involving him at the Singapore GP. At Thursday’s World Motor Sport Council meeting, it was decided to scrap the bonus point for the driver who completes the fastest lap of a grand prix. In Singapore, Daniel Ricciardo’s […]
Ocon unaware of Toyota deal before signing
Oct.17 (GMM) Esteban Ocon decided to sign with Haas without knowing the Ferrari-powered team would go on to also announce a new alliance with Toyota. Ocon, whose relationship with the flailing Alpine team fell apart in 2024, had also been linked with Audi – surprising many insiders with his eventual choice. But current Haas racer […]
F1 legends say Norris really can win 2024 title
Oct.17 (GMM) There is a very real risk that Max Verstappen will not cling onto his points lead all the way to the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi. That’s the view of two former grand prix drivers and Formula 1 legends, Rene Arnoux and Gerhard Berger. Arnoux, the 76-year-old ex-Ferrari driver, links Red Bull’s […]
Simpler F1 rules needed for Renault engine return
Oct.17 (GMM) Renault is unlikely to return to Formula 1 as a works engine manufacturer unless the rules are simplified, group CEO Luca de Meo admits. F1 engine makers who are still preparing for the radical new regulations for 2026, including Ferrari, Audi and Red Bull Powertrains, are reportedly already scooping up staff from Alpine’s […]
Mazepin admits his F1 career is over
Oct.17 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin admits his Formula 1 dream is over. Since the Russian driver and his father’s company Uralkali were axed by Haas at the outbreak of the 2022 Ukraine conflict, Mazepin has even been prevented from travelling to Europe and beyond due to political sanctions. But the 25-year-old, who has made clear all […]
Colapinto admits next F1 move still unclear
Oct.17 (GMM) Franco Colapinto admits he is still without a full-time race seat in Formula 1 for 2025. Prior to Williams dropping Logan Sargeant just a few races ago, the 21-year-old Argentine was largely unknown. But after impressive debut performances at Monza, Baku and Singapore, the former F2 driver emerged as a hot new property […]
Bottas admits Sauber years ‘damaged’ F1 career
Oct.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas thinks his reputation in Formula 1 was damaged by his three post-Mercedes seasons at Sauber. The Finn admits leaving Mercedes enhanced his enjoyment of his non-F1 lifestyle, declaring to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “I try not to take things too seriously anymore.” But no longer being focused on beating Lewis […]
Sainz quiet over explosive Binotto comments
Oct.16 (GMM) Carlos Sainz is keeping his lips zipped after a prominent Formula 1 personality said he would not have replaced the Spaniard with Lewis Hamilton. “No,” said former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto when asked if he would have ousted Sainz for 2025 and instead paired Charles Leclerc with seven time world champion Hamilton. “If […]