Nov.26 (GMM) Once linked this year with a potential return to Formula 1 or Le Mans, Sebastian Vettel ultimately decided to go back to school. While Max Verstappen also became a quadruple world champion at the weekend in Las Vegas, the retired Vettel was at an awards ceremony in Braunschweig, Germany, where he was asked […]
Month: November 2024
Red Bull must make better car for 2025 – Verstappen snr
Nov.26 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has admitted he was “not always positive” the fourth consecutive drivers’ title would work out for his son in 2024. Both Jos Verstappen, and Max’s girlfriend Kelly, were not in Las Vegas – which was 27-year-old Verstappen’s first mathematical opportunity to wrap up this year’s title. “I didn’t feel very […]
Toyota could follow Cadillac into F1 pitlane
Nov.26 (GMM) F1 legend Mario Andretti will be part of the newly-confirmed Cadillac team entry for 2026 and beyond. The rumours swirling in Las Vegas at the weekend were true – with Andretti Global and Michael Andretti no longer conspicuously prominent in the project, a deal has been done “in principle” to allow General Motors’ […]
Haas boss slams special F1 budget rule for Audi
Nov.25 (GMM) The boss of F1’s smallest team, Haas, has hit out at plans to allow Audi-owned Sauber to spend more than its rivals under the budget cap. A month ago, it emerged that because wage bills and the cost of living are higher in Switzerland compared to the UK and Italy, Audi should be […]
Bottas admits Mercedes reserve role talks underway
Nov.25 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas admits he is in talks with his former boss Toto Wolff about returning to Mercedes in 2025. The 34-year-old Finn is not being retained by Audi-owned Sauber, which was the last remaining vacancy on next season’s grid – with the possible exception of Sergio Perez’s race seat at Red Bull. “I […]
Boss plays down collapsing Leclerc-Sainz relationship
Nov.25 (GMM) The Charles Leclerc-Carlos Sainz driver combination at Ferrari appears to be ending in acrimony. Leclerc crossed the chequered flag fourth in Las Vegas P4 – one place behind Williams-bound Sainz, who is being replaced at Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton from 2025. It was Leclerc, however, who was absolutely furious on Saturday night, unleashing […]
‘Shareholders’ will decide Sergio Perez’s fate – Marko
Nov.25 (GMM) It is Red Bull’s “shareholders” who will decide Sergio Perez’s fate after Abu Dhabi, Dr Helmut Marko has revealed. While the team advisor was delighted with Max Verstappen’s fourth drivers’ world championship late on Saturday night, Marko admitted many team members are actually disappointed. That’s because while Verstappen’s drivers’ title lead is now […]
Prost welcomes Verstappen to the four-title club
Nov.25 (GMM) Without Max Verstappen, Red Bull “would not be a winning team” at the moment, Dr Helmut Marko admits. He was speaking immediately after the triple world champion became a four-time consecutive title winner despite missing the podium in Las Vegas. “I’ve had four beers and two gin and tonics,” said Verstappen, 27, as […]
Drivers happy with new F1 race director
Nov.24 (GMM) Formula 1 drivers are happy so far with the sport’s new race director. George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, declared on Wednesday that he was upset the FIA had suddenly sacked Niels Wittich and replaced him with F2 and F3 race director Rui Marquez with immediate effect. “And, you […]
Mercedes ‘lucky’ to reunite with Bottas in 2025
Nov.24 (GMM) Toto Wolff is no longer hiding his interest in reuniting Valtteri Bottas with Mercedes. It is strongly rumoured that the 34-year-old Finn, ousted by Audi-owned Sauber for 2025, could try to relaunch his Formula 1 race career for 2026 by spending next season as Mercedes’ official reserve and an advisor to Wolff. “Nothing […]
Norris needs a ‘psychological rethink’ before 2025 – Hill
Nov.24 (GMM) Lando Norris needs a “rethink” over the winter period, according to fellow Briton Damon Hill. After over a decade as a Formula 1 pundit with Sky UK, the 1996 world champion is leaving the broadcaster – with some suspecting recent claims of pro-Norris bias is behind the news. However, while 64-year-old Hill was […]
Cadillac F1 announcement now ‘inevitable’ – Brown
Nov.24 (GMM) The deal is signed and sealed but under wraps for now – ‘Cadillac F1’ will debut in Formula 1 in 2026. AP news agency cited “several” anonymous industry sources as saying the Liberty Media-owned sport doesn’t want to make the news official on the day of its prestigious Las Vegas GP. Sky Italia […]
Williams could be down to one car in Qatar, Abu Dhabi
Nov.24 (GMM) Williams is at risk of not being able to field two race cars at the final two grands prix of 2024 in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Even before Franco Colapinto’s huge Q2 crash in Las Vegas, initially putting in doubt his health for the race on Saturday, the team struggled to put two […]
Red Bull to ‘evaluate’ Perez seat after Abu Dhabi
Nov.24 (GMM) Damon Hill says it’s “baffling” how Sergio Perez keeps hanging onto his Red Bull seat. While Max Verstappen recovered from a difficult start to the Las Vegas GP weekend to qualify P5, Perez failed to get out of Q1. “Well, what can I say about it?” said team advisor Dr Helmut Marko to […]
Verstappen rues Red Bull’s rear wing ‘choices’
Nov.24 (GMM) Max Verstappen says Red Bull may need to rethink its strategy of saving money in the budget cap by not designing and producing a special low-downforce rear wing. The team was caught short in Las Vegas with a significant top speed deficit, with mechanics forced to cut and trim the wing – damaging […]
F1 to welcome ‘Cadillac Racing’ to grid from 2026
Nov.23 (GMM) Formula 1 is preparing to welcome ‘Cadillac Racing’ to the grid for 2026. Developments in the long-running Andretti-Cadillac saga have been occurring thick and fast in the past several days, with multiple authoritative sources now reporting that a negotiated outcome is imminent. With Michael Andretti taking a back seat, General Motors stepping up, […]
Wolff hints Bottas poised for Mercedes return
Nov.23 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas appears poised to return to Mercedes next year. Having lost his Audi-owned Sauber seat for 2025, the former 10-time Mercedes race winner has been linked not only with a reserve seat, but also to serve as an advisor to Toto Wolff. “There is a strong desire to get Bottas back on […]
Nyck de Vries could be new McLaren reserve
Nov.23 (GMM) Nyck de Vries could soon be back in the Formula 1 paddock. Although initially affiliated with McLaren since childhood, the Dutchman got his break in 2022 when serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver – when he substituted for the ill Alex Albon at Monza and impressed. Red Bull snapped him up for its junior […]
Red Bull rues lack of low-downforce wing in Vegas
Nov.23 (GMM) Red Bull’s slogan is “gives you wings”, but the Formula 1 team admits it wishes it had a different rear wing design in the luggage this weekend. All Max Verstappen has to do to secure his fourth consecutive drivers’ title in Las Vegas is prevent McLaren’s Lando Norris from closing the gap by […]
Perez led to constructors’ championship loss – Marko
Nov.23 (GMM) Carlos Sainz admits he does not fit the “profile” of what Red Bull is looking for to be Max Verstappen’s teammate. Although Sergio Perez insists the team will respect his 2025 contract, team boss Christian Horner and advisor Dr Helmut Marko are now regularly hinting that the Mexican’s days at Red Bull are […]