Latest news with #MercedesFormulaOne
The Star
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Michael Schumacher's Ferrari sets Formula One record at auction
FILE PHOTO: Mercedes Formula One driver Michael Schumacher of Germany stands inside his team garage during the first practice session of the Japanese F1 Grand Prix at the Suzuka circuit October 5, 2012. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File photo Michael Schumacher's Ferrari Formula One car that won the 2001 Monaco and Hungarian grand prix races was sold for $18.17 million, according to RM Sotheby's. Selling ahead of qualifying in Monaco on Saturday, the F2001 car that the legendary German driver used en route to that year's world title became the most expensive F1 vehicle driven by Schumacher to be sold at auction. The $18.17 million price tag topped the $13.2 million a bidder paid for Schumacher's 2003 Ferrari F2003 in 2022. It also became the fourth-most expensive F1 car ever sold. The world record sits at $52.52 million, which occurred earlier this year for a Mercedes W196 streamliner that was driven by Formula One legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in the 1950s. Schumacher, now 56, drove the F2001 Ferrari in his fifth and final Monaco Grand Prix win, which he followed up with a victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The latter win clinched Schumacher's fourth F1 world title. --Field Level Media
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Antonelli brings school to the track for home F1 debut
IMOLA, Italy - Kimi Antonelli has not been able to attend school since he became a Mercedes Formula One driver so the 18-year-old brought his classmates to the racetrack ahead of his home debut this weekend. The Bologna-born driver is enjoying staying at home for the race at Imola, a drive east along the Roman Via Emilia, but bracing for plenty of attention as Italy's sole driver in Ferrari's backyard. "We were able to organise this for the school," he said after his entire class turned up in the paddock on Thursday. "I think it's a good way for them to see with their own eyes this world. "We've organised some activities... I'll show them the car and explain a bit, without going too much into detail. It's a good way to keep the relationship because I don't spend much time at home, so I don't see them often." Antonelli still intends to take his Maturita, the Italian high school diploma exam, and has been working on it. "I'm trying to study as much as I can, especially in those little moments I have free. I'm getting help from the school as well to try and catch up because I've definitely missed a lot of work during this time," said the rookie. "But it's not easy, because that also takes energy and effort. Especially ahead of such an important weekend, it's really important to manage that side, not to do too much in order to save energy. "But whenever I'm home or have a bit of time off, I try to do a little bit just to keep active and catch up as much as possible." Antonelli, who took the place of seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton when the Briton moved to Ferrari in January, is the top rookie this season after scoring in five of his six races so far. The Italian, who only passed his driving test in January, is already the youngest F1 racer to take a pole position of any sort -- in the Miami sprint this month -- and set fastest lap and lead a race. Imola will ratchet the attention up another level, the race also coming after rowdy scenes as local soccer side Bologna won the Italian cup on Wednesday to secure their first major trophy in 51 years. "This weekend is going to be emotionally and mentally draining -- a home race in front of the Italian fans and my family and friends will be attending," said Antonelli, who dreams of a first podium. "Already a normal weekend is very tiring and draining, so this is like double. Of course I'm going to try to protect myself. The fact that I've got really good people around me really helps. "At the same time, it's going to be really exciting. I think the energy is going to be amazing and that can be used to do even better on track. I'm really looking forward to see how we go this weekend." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Times
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Toto Wolff ‘didn't have any conversations' with Max Verstappen over Mercedes F1 move for 2026
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Mercedes Formula One boss Toto Wolff says there have been no conversations with Max Verstappen about a potential move from Red Bull for 2026. Four-time world champion Verstappen, 27, is under contract at Red Bull through to 2028, but the team's car struggles in the early part of this season have led to fresh scrutiny over his future. Advertisement Mercedes has previously been linked with a move for Verstappen, and informal talks took place between Wolff and the Dutchman's representatives last summer before both parties agreed not to seriously pursue a deal. But speaking on Friday in Jeddah ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Wolff said no discussions had taken place with Verstappen over a potential move for next season, and stressed his faith in the existing line-up of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for the future. 'We didn't have any conversations,' Wolff told The Athletic in an interview. 'At the moment, where it is with George and Kimi, there's no doubt to question that set up for the future, as it goes.' The question marks over Verstappen's place at Red Bull came after the team's adviser, Helmut Marko, admitted after the race in Bahrain that 'the concern is great' over Verstappen's future amid its current car struggles. In an appearance on Sky Sports on Friday in Jeddah, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner dismissed the speculation as 'noise.' Asked if Verstappen would be in the Red Bull car for next year's Australia season-opener, Horner replied: 'Yeah, absolutely.' Wolff said at the Australia season-opener that Verstappen was not on his radar for a potential move, and that the team's focus was on Russell and Antonelli. Antonelli, 18, stepped up to F1 this year as a rookie, while Russell, 27, has raced for Mercedes since 2022. Both are products of its young driver academy. Russell is out of contract at the end of the year, but he has produced some excellent performances to score three podiums in the first four races. The results leave him just six points behind Verstappen in the standings, stepping up to lead the team following Lewis Hamilton's exit for Ferrari. Wolff said that Russell was 'in his prime, or at the beginning of his prime, clearly the senior driver here in the team that delivers, that performs, that says the right things. And (he) has taken over that role from Lewis.' Advertisement Those performances have not prompted Wolff or Russell to look at bringing contract extension talks forward from their planned start date of the summer months, with both parties remaining relaxed about the outlook. 'We will pick those talks up once we're in the European season, there's no stress,' Wolff said. 'He's performing to the highest levels, as we have hoped and expected. He's delivering, there's no doubt about that. There's not more you could demand from that. We have this summer window. We have no reason to challenge or question anything as it is now.' James Vowles, the current Williams team principal who served as Mercedes' motorsport strategy director before taking up his existing role at the start of 2023, told reporters on Friday in Jeddah he did not think Mercedes should consider a move for Verstappen. Vowles said that Verstappen 'comes with a lot of downsides as well,' adding: 'I think what Mercedes does have is a great culture with two drivers that are delivering near to the peak of the car, and with one (Antonelli) that is on the way up. 'So personally, I don't think that's the place for him.' Another team that has been linked with a potential move for Verstappen if he were to leave Red Bull is Aston Martin, which is bankrolled by billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll and categorically denied a report in January that it was planning a big-money swoop for Verstappen. Speaking in a news conference on Friday, Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell noted that it had two drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, 'signed for the next two years. That means I can just focus on improving the business and the art of making a fast race car.' Asked if that meant there was no room for Verstappen in 2026, Cowell said: 'I'm saying that my head's full of improving the company so that we can make a fast race car for Lance and Fernando.' (ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)
