Nov.6 (GMM) Prominent British journalists have hit back at Max Verstappen’s insinuation of clear bias in their reporting and coverage of Formula 1. After his impressive win from P17 on the grid in Brazil, amid hefty criticism of his driving style in recent weeks, the triple world champion noted that the British media appeared to […]
Month: November 2024
Even Hamilton hails Verstappen’s ‘amazing drive’
Nov.5 (GMM) On the cusp of his fourth consecutive drivers’ world championship, the superlatives are rolling in for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman stunned the paddock and silenced his mainly British critics with his run from P17 on the grid at Interlagos to the top of the podium – and a near-unassailable points lead over McLaren’s […]
Drivers’ title race is over now, declares Marko
Nov.5 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits Max Verstappen will definitely win his fourth world championship in 2024. Before Brazil, amid a season of turmoil for Red Bull and ongoing car performance issues, the Dutchman was shedding points to McLaren’s Lando Norris. Not just that, Verstappen, his father Jos, and team advisor Marko were all hinting […]
Hamilton hints he’d like to quit Mercedes now
Nov.5 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton may have dropped a worrying hint about his immediate future in Formula 1. 2024 has been somewhat awkward for the seven time world champion, as he has faced the entire season knowing he will leave Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of the year. The 39-year-old has struggled with Mercedes’ volatile […]
Briatore hails Alpine F1’s 30 million euro pay-day
Nov.4 (GMM) Sunday at Interlagos may have been worth a whopping 30 million euros to the struggling Alpine team. That’s the admission of the team’s famous new executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who amid the decision to scrap owner Renault’s works F1 engine program for 2026 has been brought back in to revive the outfit’s fortunes. […]
F1 veterans Alonso, Hamilton slam Pirelli wet tyres
Nov.4 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has joined fellow Formula 1 veteran Lewis Hamilton in his criticism of the wet-weather tyres supplied by Pirelli. Seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton gatecrashed a live interview in the sodden Interlagos pitlane with Stefano Domenicali as the F1 CEO explained why qualifying had to be delayed for safety reasons. A […]
Bottas poised to learn Audi-Sauber fate ‘soon’
Nov.4 (GMM) Audi-owned Sauber is now just days away from finally announcing the identity of Nico Hulkenberg’s teammate for 2025. Widespread media reports and authoritative sources are all now reporting that McLaren has agreed to release promising rookie Gabriel Bortoleto on a long-term Audi deal. Roger Benoit, a highly respected Swiss journalist, wrote in Blick […]
McLaren admits Verstappen ‘on his way’ to 2024 title
Nov.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father admits his son took a “very positive” step towards his fourth consecutive drivers’ world championship on Sunday. “Defending the title is now just a formality,” exclaimed the specialist publication Auto Motor und Sport, after Max Verstappen won from P17 on the grid in often torrential conditions at Interlagos. “Give him […]
Aston Martin now ‘ninth or tenth team’ in F1 – Alonso
Nov.3 (GMM) Aston Martin is now almost the slowest team on the entire Formula 1 grid. That’s the assessment not of an outspoken pundit, but of team driver and two-time champion Fernando Alonso himself. The 43-year-old Spaniard has missed the last two Thursday ‘media days’ in Mexico and now Brazil, officially because of an intestinal […]
Jos Verstappen denies F1 management falling out
Nov.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father has slammed rumours of a falling out with the triple world champion’s co-manager, Raymond Vermeulen. Together, Jos Verstappean and Vermeulen guided Max from boyhood to Formula 1 and onto championship success. But rumours just prior to the Brazilian GP suggested Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, via his spokesman Paul […]
Alpine still assessing 2026 engine ‘options’
Nov.3 (GMM) Alpine is still assessing its “options” after owner Renault decided to scrap its works Formula 1 engine project for 2026. The Enstone based team will still use its own works power units in 2025, but after that the cars will be powered by customer engines for the new rules era. New team boss […]
Marko ‘positive’ despite narrowing title lead
Nov.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s championship lead over Lando Norris, which shrank from 57 points to 47 points a week ago in Mexico, has suffered another blow in Brazil. Even before the main qualifying session and grand prix, which will take place on Sunday following a rescheduling for foul weather, the Red Bull driver has lost […]
Colapinto-to-Red Bull rumours continue to swell
Nov.3 (GMM) Speculation is mounting that Max Verstappen will have a surprise new teammate in 2025. Rumours around struggling Sergio Perez’s future have been swirling all season, but he had a solid sprint to P8 at Interlagos on Saturday and even set the fastest lap. “It’s not about one result,” team boss Christian Horner told […]
FIA probing McLaren ‘water in tyres’ accusations
Nov.3 (GMM) The FIA is looking into claims McLaren may be illegally inserting water into its tyres. It’s just the latest technical accusation amid the Red Bull versus McLaren battle for the 2024 world championship, following earlier controversies over ‘mini DRS’ rear wings and adjustable T-trays. According to Auto Motor und Sport, Red Bull suspects […]
Female racer slams F1 for ‘pinkwashing’ category
Nov.2 (GMM) Female open wheeler racer Sophia Florsch has slammed the all-women Formula 1 support category as engaging in little more than “pinkwashing”. The inaugural ‘F1 Academy’ champion of 2023 was 24-year-old Spaniard Marta Garcia, who then received a race seat in this year’s Formula Regional European Championship funded by F1 Academy, series car manufacturer […]
Red Bull to rename second F1 team for 2025
Nov.2 (GMM) Red Bull is set to scrap the complex and confusing name of its second Formula 1 team from 2025. Following the energy drink company’s takeover of Minardi almost two decades ago, the Faenza based team has had several names, including Toro Rosso and Alpha Tauri. For 2024, Red Bull changed the name of […]
Shwartzman to leave Ferrari, tipped to race in Indycar
Nov.2 (GMM) Robert Shwartzman appears to be giving up on his Formula 1 dream. Mere days ago, the Ferrari reserve driver was actually at the wheel of a Ferrari-powered Sauber in Friday practice for the Mexican GP. The 25-year-old, who used to race as a Russian but now competes under an Israeli license, was even […]
F1 pundits ‘completely done’ with F-word scandals
Nov.2 (GMM) The FIA has given Charles Leclerc a more lenient penalty than Max Verstappen for a nearly identical faux-pas. For his ‘F-word’ uttered in the Thursday FIA press conference in Singapore recently, triple world champion Verstappen was sentenced to a day of community service. But then after the Mexican GP last Sunday, in the […]
Red Bull hopes McLaren running car too low in Brazil
Nov.2 (GMM) Red Bull is hoping McLaren have gambled too extremely with its car setup at the Brazilian GP. The iconic Interlagos circuit has been re-asphalted for the 2024 edition, but drivers including championship leader Max Verstappen – P4 on the grid for Saturday’s sprint – report that “they’ve made the track even bumpier”. “Our […]
F1 ‘silly season’ explodes once again in Brazil
Nov.2 (GMM) A seismic rumour at the Brazilian GP is that Red Bull Racing is contemplating pairing meteoric Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto with Max Verstappen from 2025. Red Bull’s patience with Sergio Perez appears to be up, especially with the Mexican qualifying just 13th for Saturday’s sprint race. “He was half a second slower than […]