The Formula 1 Gossip Column

F1’s stars on the catwalk
It has become a Monaco GP ritual at the Amber Lounge Fashion Show. Introducing some of 2019’s catwalk models…

Horner accepts Monaco bet!

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner may have to make a splash at Monaco this year after agreeing a deal with our reporter Craig Slater

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner may have to make a splash at Monaco this year after agreeing a deal with our reporter Craig Slater

Hamilton meets Ronaldo
F1’s five-time world champion met football’s five-time Ballon d’Orn winner at the Monaco GP as Lewis Hamilton welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo into his Mercedes garage.

The two sporting superstars were joined by Ronaldo’s son, eight-year-old Cristiano Jr, and Hamilton lifted the youngster into his championship-leading car for a unique first-hand experience of an F1 cockpit.

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Two of the biggest sporting icons in the world met in Monaco, as Cristiano Ronaldo and his family were given access all areas in the Mercedes garage and met Lewis Hamilton.

Two of the biggest sporting icons in the world met in Monaco, as Cristiano Ronaldo and his family were given access all areas in the Mercedes garage and met Lewis Hamilton.

Loud enough for you, Chris?

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This is one experience broadcasting legend and F1 fan Chris Evans certainly hasn’t had in his long career…

This is one experience broadcasting legend and F1 fan Chris Evans certainly hasn’t had in his long career…

Horner: F1 rule discussions like Brexit
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has compared the lack of progress in finalising Formula One rule changes for the 2021 season to Britain’s ongoing impasse with leaving the European Union.

Formula One teams have spent months attempting to agree on a date by which car regulations for 2021 would be finalised, with the new rules designed to make the sport more competitive.

The FIA had originally set a June deadline, before the pitlane appeared to near an agreement on an October compromise, which was designed to serve both the biggest and smallest teams on the grid fairly.

“A bit like Brexit. Things are put on the table and then taken off the table,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 at this week’s Monaco Grand Prix. “We need to get something done because time is running out.”

Verstappen learnt from Monaco mistakes
Max Verstappen is looking to end his Monaco hoodoo here this year, having had issues in each of his four races around the famous streets so far.

“I’ve done four, hopefully I’ll do another 20,” Verstappen cheekily said. “So I have a lot of chances to have a good result.”

He added: “Sometimes you have to make mistakes to become a better driver. This was one of them.”

Verstappen was then asked by Sky Sports about Christian Horner’s comments, that he had selected “another gear” after last year’s Monaco GP race, and answered in more depth.

“It’s always difficult to say,” he said. “I was not happy with how the weekend went but I think in general I just had a very unlucky beginning of the season and maybe that was just a consequence.

“I think from every mistake you make you learn. This track is just very unforgivable where on other tracks if you lock up or hit the kerb it’s fine, here if you hit the car it’s over.

“I think in general I just grew as a person, I don’t think this track necessarily changed the way I became but we’ll try again. But like I said, I’ve done four races but hopefully I’ll do another 20 around here.”

F1 drivers playing football? It can only be the pre-Monaco charity match!

Silverstone deal must be ‘win-win’
Talks remain ongoing about a new deal for the British GP beyond this year and Chase Carey, F1’s chairman, has outlined this week to Sky Sports News why any agreement must be beneficial to both parties.

“We want relationships that are win-win for both of us,” Carey told Craig Slater. “That requires partners to execute and maximise the opportunity we bring, we need to make sure we bring races and events that we support that can meet people’s expectations.

“We are having good conversations with Silverstone. As I’ve said in the past, we don’t pre-announce things – we think conversations are best had in private, and when we have something done, we’ll announce it. We both have to make it work, but that requires both of us to do our job.”

F1 heading for Marrakech?
On the same week that F1 confirmed plans to race in the Netherlands again from 2020, is a return to Africa the next comeback destination on the list – this time in Morocco?

“We have proactively been approached by Morocco and Marrakech to take a grand prix there. There is a high degree of interest,” said commerical boss Sean Bratches.

“Formula 1 raced in South Africa before – there is a historic track in Kyalami – but I have been told that due to political considerations historically, that ceased. We are looking in the short term to have a race there. It is really important to us to have a race in Africa.” (Full story – external site)

What’s that about Zandvoort’s Tarzan Corner?

Wolff: I’m staying at Mercedes
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insists he is “100%” committed to Mercedes amidst speculation linking him with a top job at Formula 1.

Wolff is reportedly being monitored for Chase Carey’s job in the future, but he told reporters in Spain: “I am in a super situation, I’m a shareholder in the team. I’m in a happy place, motivated every single day I do this.

“There’s some more years in my current contract and I think that with all the other discussions you’re having with drivers for example, I think you need to be 100% in your head with your role.

“And that’s what I am. I haven’t contemplated any change beyond 2020.”

Ferrari explain early engine upgrade
Many questioned Ferrari’s decision to introduce their engine upgrade two races earlier than planned in Spain – leaving them vulnerable to penalties later in the season – but Scuderia boss Mattia Binotto says it was done because the team believed more power would be useful, even on the narrow streets of Monaco.

“When starting the season in Australia we realised that there was performance to recover to the main competitors, so it was important for us to push as much as possible on the development,” Binotto explained. “We still believe that development will be a key factor over the season, so whatever programme may be anticipated it’s our task and duty to do it.

“We decided very early in the season that we try to anticipate the programme of the engine. It has been a big effort, not straight-forward, and a very last-minute decision to introduce it. We did it because we were convinced that it could have been important here [in Barcelona], and in the next races – maybe even Monaco.”

Drivers react to the Spanish GP

Sainz not giving up Spanish GP hope
With no contract yet in place for 2019, and a return to the Dutch GP at Zandvoort looking increasingly likely, the Spanish round at Barcelona appears to be on shaky ground after this weekend.

But Carlos Sainz, now the only Spaniard on the grid, is not about to give up hope.

“I’m hopeful. Until nothing is confirmed I’ll be hopeful and I will be pushing all the institutions to come to an agreement,” he told Sky Sports.

Meet McLaren’s new team boss

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Sky F1’s Craig Slater caught up with McLaren’s new team boss Andreas Seidl ahead of the Spanish GP.

Sky F1’s Craig Slater caught up with McLaren’s new team boss Andreas Seidl ahead of the Spanish GP.

Howzat! Crofty bowls them over!

Hamilton’s Rosberg book?
Lewis Hamilton was cryptic in his Thursday media session in Spain as he once again spoke about why his relationship with former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg turned sour.

“There’s things that happened in the background that you won’t know about,” said Hamilton as he referenced their 2016 falling-out. “An individual just continued to go down that route.”

When will we know the truth? Perhaps it will be in the written word…

“Maybe one day when I write a book,” added Hamilton. “Maybe one day when I retire I’ll be able to talk about it. But I don’t need to talk about it, I’ve just got to let my results do the talking.”

Rio to take over the Brazilian GP?
That’s according to the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, who revealed to local repoters that the Brazilian GP will move from Interlagos in Sao Paulo to a new circuit to be built in Rio de Janeiro from 2020.

According to Reuters, Bolsonaro said the new track will be built in the Deodoro region on the west part of the city.

Interlagos has staged every Brazilian GP since 1990, with Rio previously staging 10 events at a since-demolished circuit. Interlagos’ contract is believed to include 2020. F1 has yet to comment. (Full story – external site)

A new paddock home for Red Bull
And we thought the team’s upgrades at Barcelona were going to be confined to the RB15…

Young karters given chance to become British GP Grid Kids…

Hamilton at the Met Gala…

Red Bull: Max going nowhere
There have been murmurs in the paddock in recent weeks that teams are monitoring Max Verstappen’s situation at Red Bull, with a view to signing him for next season – a year before his contract expires.

But Red Bull boss Christian Horner was firm with his denial.

“Max has got a contract. It’s very clear what that position is,” Horner told reporters. “I’m totally confident he’ll be here next year.”

Bottas not thinking about Merc future
2019 was billed as another make-or-break year for Valtteri Bottas, with the 29-year-old on another one-year ‘prove it’ deal at Mercedes, with several drivers primed to step in should he fail to deliver.

On this form, topping the championship by a single point, he would surely get a new deal.

“I haven’t thought about it, at all,” Bottas insisted. “I’m just really focused on this moment right now, fighting for every single victory and for this championship.

“The talks will come when they come, and when they start I hope they will be done with soon rather than dragging on. We haven’t talked a single word about next year yet because there’s no need to, we’re focusing on our job.

“When that’s going to happen, I hope that we can agree quickly. It’s all good.”

Red Bull: Gasly turning form around
Pierre Gasly can take a “lot of positives” out of the Azerbaijan GP and is beginning to show his true form, according to Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

It’s been a difficult start to his Red Bull career for Gasly – unable to match Max Verstappen yet – but looked quicker in Baku despite being slapped with a pit-lane start penalty, though he did suffer a DNF after a reliability failure.

“Whilst he doesn’t have the result on paper I think he;s pretty happy with his weekend,” Horner told reporters. “In Q1 [in qualifying] he was quick, Friday he was quick – the race, he’s driven a good race. It should have been an easy P6 from the pit-lane which is a really strong drive.

“So I think a lot of positives for Pierre. I think the confidence that came out of China came into Azerbaijan and I think that, even though he doesn’t have the result sheet to show it, he knows that it’s been a much stronger weekend for him.”

Horner added: “He knows that we know he can do it. It’s just taking a bit of time. And of course he’s got a huge barometer next to him in one of the hottest properties in the pit-lane.”

Renault: Red Bull ‘what it is today’ thanks to us
Renault made Red Bull “what it is today”, according to team boss Cyril Abiteboul.

Red Bull split from engine suppliers Renault at the end of 2018, following a decade-long spell which included four consecutive titles, but also a barren spell from 2014 as the French manufacturer failed to keep up with rivals in the hybrid era.

Red Bull are now powered by Honda.

“Renault has contributed to making Red Bull what it is today by winning four championships in a row – from a financial perspective with sponsors, from a technology perspective with talent, recruitment – Red Bull is what it is today thanks also to Renault,” said Renault chief Abiteboul.

“But then, later on, indeed we lost a little bit the momentum and sight of what needed to be done for 2014 regulations. The rest is history and we’ll see what the future is holding.”

Hanoi track guide: F1’s next new track!

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Jump on board for a simulated look at Hanoi Street Circuit, which will host the inaugural Vietnam GP in 2020.

Jump on board for a simulated look at Hanoi Street Circuit, which will host the inaugural Vietnam GP in 2020.

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