Brown isn’t happy with how closely Red Bull work with sister team AlphaTauri, who they are also the owners of.

Red Bull are the only company on the F1 grid that own more than one team, something Brown believes impacts “the impartiality between competitors”.

The Milton Keynes-based company recently expressed their intention of working closer with their sister team, who are set to undergo an imminent rebranding.

READ: Charles Leclerc picked as shock Lewis Hamilton replacement

Even AlphaTauri has stressed that they will be working closer with Red Bull this year but in accordance with the current regulations.

Brown wants common ownership to be scrapped in the championship, as it can do “obvious potential damage” to the competition.

The McLaren CEO is standing up “for independence, competition and fairness”, with him calling for the regulations to be changed at the next Concorde Agreement to stop one team influencing the decisions made by another.

“As we look ahead to negotiating the next Concorde Agreement to unite the governing body with the teams and commercial rights holders, we should prioritise some of those rules that currently impact the impartiality between competitors,” Brown wrote, as reported by The Mirror.

“For example, most other major sports prohibit the ownership of two teams within the same league because of the obvious potential damage that it does to competition. It’s an unhealthy situation because it impacts decisions made both on and off the track. Whether it’s a case of having access to more data, sharing components/personnel, or even having influence over a strategic vote, it’s not in the spirit of the regulations.

“It’s important to stand up for independence, competition and fairness. I’d like to see changes in the regulations to ensure that in future, they stop influence spreading from one team to another through strategic alliances and especially through ownership. Formula 1 should be true to its brand, and every team – except power units – should be totally independent of each other.

READ: Red Bull dealt severe blow as McLaren reveal shocking Lando Norris transfer fee

“I believe Formula 1 fans universally believe in fairness in competition and a level playing field, and would reject any actions that compromise the true spirit of competition within Formula 1. Part sharing of information, shared ownership models, and strategic alliances within the sporting fabric of Formula 1 will only serve to undermine the fans’ belief in fair and fierce competition.”

So far, Hill is the only person to vocally support Brown’s statement, with the Sky Sports F1 pundit taking to Instagram to demonstrate his support.

Hill wrote on Instagram that he “agrees 100 per cent” with Brown who thinks each team “should be totally independent”.

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The 1994 title went down to the Australian Grand Prix, which hosted the season finale that season.

Schumacher entered the weekend as the championship leader, whilst Hill was right in the fight.

The finale ended up being one of the most controversial races in the history of the sport, as Schumacher turned in on Hill whilst the 1996 F1 World Champion tried to go down his inside.

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Schumacher’s car was already wounded with retirement for the German having been likely, something which was confirmed after he ended up in the barrier on Lap 36 following the impact with Hill.

Hill, too, went onto retire from the race due to severe damage, handing the championship to Schumacher – who raced for Benetton at the time – after the stewards judged it as a racing incident.

Benoit remains convinced that Hill deserves the 1994 crown and recently said just that during an interview.

“As a six-time world champion, he definitely belongs in the top five. Of course, I know that he was world champion seven times, but the 1994 title should actually be taken away from him because he only won it because of his foul on Damon Hill,” Benoit told Blick.

Hill, interestingly, has only just discovered Benoit’s take on the infamous 1994 finale, with him asking for Massa’s phone number as a result.

The Brazilian is currently taking legal action against F1 and the FIA over the results of the 2008 championship, which he believes he should’ve won, not Lewis Hamilton.

This is because ex-F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone has revealed to knowing about ‘Crashgate’ when it happened in Singapore that season but opting to say nothing.

READ: Esteban Ocon: ‘You need to kill me’

If the results from the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix weren’t included, then Massa would’ve been World Champion.

How much success Massa will have in his legal action is unknown, with Hill having seen the funny side of it.

“Slightly surprised to discover this. Has anyone got Massa’s phone number?” Hill jokingly asked on Twitter/X.

The post British driver wants to take Michael Schumacher’s world championship appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Red Bull have been phenomenal this season, with the side having been defeated just once with five races remaining.

Carlos Sainz’s victory at the Singapore Grand Prix is the only time this season where Red Bull haven’t left an event victorious, mostly due to that having been a very below par weekend for the Milton Keynes-based team.

Most of Red Bull’s dominance this season has come courtesy of Max Verstappen, who sealed a third consecutive Drivers’ Championship at the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend.

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He’s won 14 of the 17 completed races this season, putting him just one win short of matching his 2022 record for 15 wins in a single campaign.

Nobody has come close to defeating the Dutchman, with Mercedes having not even had a sniff of the 26-year-old.

Mercedes might sit second in the Constructors’ Championship but they clearly aren’t the second-best team on the grid, as McLaren and Ferrari have both been quicker in the majority of recent races.

It does seem like the Silver Arrows have too big a hill to climb in the space of one winter break to catch Red Bull, given that Verstappen is breaking records for fun.

“They’ve got a tall order to match or overturn the Red Bull combination with Max Verstappen driving,” Hill told Sky Sports.

“They have come close to perfection this season, they really have, and they’ve broken a lot of records that have stood for a long time.

“I think Max is on target to break a record that Jim Clark set back in the ’60s which is the percentage of race wins in a season.

“He’s ticked off loads of records this year and they seem unstoppable. So, you need to achieve perfection to be able to beat them.”

With him still being so young, Hill has warned Mercedes and the rest of the competition that Verstappen is “just getting better and better”.

Verstappen learnt several crucial lessons in F1 when he was still a teenager, given that he entered the sport when he was just 17 years old.

This has worked massively in his favour, as starting so young has allowed him to understand and exploit his “extraordinary talent”.

READ: George Russell shares harrowing experience

“He’s a new breed of driver whereby he started very young,” Hill added. “In Max’s case, his father was a Formula 1 driver so he had all that experience of Jos Verstappen coaching him and giving him all the right direction.

“Michael Schumacher lived on a go-kart track but his dad wasn’t a famous Formula 1 driver – he started very young, as did Lewis Hamilton. Max, from a very early age, has been groomed and coached in the right way to understand what is required and he’s got the most extraordinary talent.

“He’s got a good head on his shoulders and is mature. He came into Formula 1 aged 17, before he could even driver a road car, and was both volatile and quick.

“He’s managed to combine his youth and speed with experience now and I think understands now what the job is. He’s just getting better and better.”

The post Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes warned about trying to beat Max Verstappen appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The reigning World Champion claimed his 10th consecutive victory of 2023 on Sunday at the Italian Grand Prix to eclipse Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine wins in a row, set in 2013.

Verstappen’s 10th consecutive win also marked his 12th of the season overall, with his lead in the Drivers’ Championship now sitting at 145 points.

Most believe Verstappen could actually go onto win every remaining race this season, which would see his winning streak extend to 18 races, whilst it’d take him to 20 wins for the year.

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Wolff was asked after the race about Verstappen’s record-breaking achievement, which resulted in a blunt response from the clearly frustrated Mercedes boss.

“It’s for Wikipedia, nobody reads that anyway,” Wolff bluntly told Sky Sports F1.

Hill was left disappointed by Wolff for being “not very gracious”, with the ex-F1 driver insisting that he’s normally “very sporting”.

This certainly didn’t come across at Monza, where George Russell and Lewis Hamilton claimed fifth and sixth.

Given how Red Bull are very much the dominant team now and not Mercedes, Hill believes Wolff is “hurting”, as he knows the feeling of being the superior outfit.

Whilst Red Bull are claiming wins with ease, Mercedes are struggling to even claim a rostrum.

It’s been four races now since the Silver Arrows claimed a podium, leaving Hill to think that Mercedes don’t know what to do.

“It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious, and unlike Toto because he’s usually very sporting,” Hill told Sky Sports News.

READ: Jenson Button makes ‘mental strength’ claim about Alex Albon

“I think he’s hurting a bit now. They know what it’s like to be dominated and they didn’t even get on the podium.

“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do, but who can? Ferrari did a great job in Monza – it suited their car, I think – but it seems like everywhere we go, the Red Bull has got the upper hand and we’ve just got to sit and watch this unfold.

“Can Red Bull win every race in the season? That’s not beyond the realms of possibility.”

The post Damon Hill lambasts ‘churlish’ Toto Wolff appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

A very different side of Wolff was on show after the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, after Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton could only claim fifth and sixth.

The Silver Arrows were comfortably third in the pecking order and well behind Red Bull and Ferrari, who locked out the top four places.

It was the Milton Keynes-based team and Verstappen who were victorious once again though, as the reigning World Champion eclipsed Sebastian Vettel’s record for nine consecutive wins.

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Verstappen’s 10 wins in a row is a huge achievement by the Dutchman, given how competitive the field is.

The Dutchman’s win also marked Red Bull’s 15th in a row, something not even Mercedes achieved during their dominant period.

Wolff seemingly isn’t keeping count though, with him insisting that records like Verstappen’s are purely for the internet.

“Our situation was maybe a little bit different because we had two drivers fighting against each other within the team,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

“I don’t know whether he cares about the record. It’s not something that would be important for me, any of those numbers.

“It’s for Wikipedia and nobody reads that anyway.”

Hill dissected Wolff’s interview and was disappointed by the way in which the Mercedes team principal presented himself, with the ex-F1 driver insisting that Wolff is “usually very sporting”.

That definitely wasn’t the case on Sunday, making Hill think that the 51-year-old is “hurting”, as he knows exactly what Red Bull’s domination feels like.

“It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious, and unlike Toto because he’s usually very sporting,” Hill told Sky Sports News.

READ: Christian Horner on Sergio Perez losing his podium due to penalty

“I think he’s hurting a bit now. They know what it’s like to be dominated and they didn’t even get on the podium.

“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do, but who can? Ferrari did a great job in Monza – it suited their car, I think – but it seems like everywhere we go, the Red Bull has got the upper hand and we’ve just got to sit and watch this unfold.

“Can Red Bull win every race in the season? That’s not beyond the realms of possibility.”

The post Damon Hill blasts Toto Wolff appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Ferrari had an unsettled car throughout the event at Zandvoort, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz having complained of the SF-23’s handling being “inconsistent”.

Turn 1 was a nightmare for the Maranello-based team all weekend, with Ferrari having gone off there countless times.

Just making it into Q3 was a struggle for Charles Leclerc in particular, although he failed to really take part in the session after crashing.

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Leclerc went on to retire from the race on Sunday, following floor damage caused by an incident with Oscar Piastri.

It occurred after Leclerc had a snap from his car, which he had to quickly correct.

Ferrari’s Zandvoort woes couldn’t have come at a worse time, considering that it’s the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

“I dare to think they’ve got Monza next week so they’re going to get pasted by the press in Italy,” Hill told Sky Sports.

“Their performance this weekend has been all over the place.

“The guys couldn’t stop the car going into the first corner, drivers complaining of inconsistent handling, Charles crashing, nothing really much happening in the race.

“That’s not good before your home grand prix.”

Whilst Leclerc retired, Sainz held on for fifth, a result which looks good on paper.

His pace wasn’t anything special though, with Sainz’s result mostly being due to capitalising on the mistakes of others.

Ex-Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins admitted to Sky Sports F1 that Ferrari will struggle to perform as badly as they did in Zandvoort at Monza, given how shocking their performance was.

READ: Red Bull address Max Verstappen rumour

“I think it’s not a bad result from Carlos,” Collins said, “maybe capitalised on the mistakes from others. There are a lot of people discussing that they stopped too late at various points in the race.

“Leclerc sounded like he was having a really bad day, some damage to the floor, but even before that he just didn’t really seem to understand qualifying which was horrendous at times in the changeable conditions.

“Let’s hope that Monza is going to be stronger because it can’t be a lot worse than this weekend really.”

The post Ferrari sent huge warning ahead of 2023 Italian GP appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The McLaren driver captivated the home crowd at Silverstone, finishing second behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Perez, meanwhile, had a poor qualifying and was knocked out in Q1. The Grand Prix itself went better for the Mexican, but he could only recover to P6.

Hill expressed his concerns about Sergio Perez’s performance before the British Grand Prix, stating, “I think he’s already under pressure. 

“They cannot afford to have a car that good and not have two cars right up there for the championship.” 

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This has led to speculation about a potential replacement for Perez, with Norris emerging as a possible candidate.

Speaking to the Independent, Hill suggested that Norris’ prodigious talent could make him an appealing option for Red Bull. 

He also mentioned his surprise at Norris signing a long-term deal with McLaren until the end of 2025. 

Hill stated, “It’s a long time, I’d have done three years tops. 

“If you’re that confident in yourself, you need to be able to move when the time is right.”

Hill’s comments were made before the news of Daniel Ricciardo’s return to the grid with AlphaTauri, where he hopes to secure a Red Bull seat in the future. 

However, Norris has long been regarded as one of Formula 1’s future stars, and his second-place finish at his home race, surpassing British favourites Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, was a standout moment in his career.

McLaren’s improved performance this season has elevated them to be the closest competitor to Red Bull in the current pecking order. 

As Norris continues to impress with his skills and consistent performances, it adds further intrigue to his future plans and the possibility of driving a competitive car.

Norris has established himself as a formidable talent in the sport, consistently delivering strong results and displaying a maturity beyond his years. 

READ: Nyck de Vries sparks conspiracy theories after Toto Wolff meeting

The 21-year-old driver’s performances have garnered attention and admiration from fans and experts alike, highlighting his potential to become a future champion.

While the speculation regarding a move to Red Bull remains speculative at this stage, it underscores the recognition of Norris’s abilities and the appeal he holds for top teams in Formula 1. 

As the season progresses and Norris continues to showcase his talent, the interest in his future plans and potential team switches is likely to intensify.

The post Lando Norris to replace Sergio Perez appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

The second Red Bull seat has been a heavily discussed topic as of late, largely due to Perez’s recent poor form.

Whilst he excellently recovered to third last weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix, he failed to progress to Q3 for the fourth consecutive event.

As a result, many have begun to question whether he’ll be offered a new deal by Red Bull for 2025, or if the Austrians will decide to end their relationship with the Mexican.

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Should they choose to go their separate ways, then current development driver and eight-time race winner Daniel Ricciardo is an obvious option; however, Hill has questioned if the Australian is “fit enough” to compete at the pinnacle of motorsport once again.

Should Ricciardo not be in the right physical condition to make a comeback, then Hill thinks Norris is a prime candidate for Red Bull.

The McLaren driver won’t be able to switch to Red Bull until 2026, with his current deal not set to expire until the end of 2025.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has also stressed that the British driver doesn’t have any exit clauses, meaning a move elsewhere before 2025 is off the cards.

Red Bull have spoken to Norris previously about switching to Milton Keynes; however, nothing has ever come from the talks.

Nevertheless, Hill is convinced that Norris is a “fresh face” that would work well with Red Bull.

“Is Daniel Ricciardo fit enough to come back?” Hill questioned, as reported by The Independent.

“That’s what the noises are. Maybe that plan is simmering away. I think they’d want a fresh face. Possibly Lando [Norris]. He’s still got a few more years left at McLaren – I was surprised when he signed such a long-term deal [until end of 2025].

“It’s a long time, I’d have done three years tops. If you’re that confident in yourself, you need to be able to move when the time is right.”

READ: Mick Schumacher ready to replace Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri

Karun Chandhok also thinks a move to Red Bull could be on the cards for Norris in the future, although the ex-F1 driver thinks Brown has done an “amazing job” making the young driver sign such a long-term contract.

“I tell you who will be thinking about a move to Ferrari or Red Bull though, is young Lando Norris,” Chandhok told the Sky Sports F1 podcast a few months ago.

“Looking at where they’re [McLaren] at, and we were talking before the season of McLaren locking him in and Zak [Brown] doing an amazing job of contracting him in for that four-year period. I do wonder, and if they’re smart they would have created some sort of exit clauses.”

The post Lando Norris to hinder Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career (again) appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Ricciardo already raced for the Red Bull team, from 2014-2018 and has held the team’s third spot after parting ways with McLaren last year.

Hill has flagged Ricciardo’s readiness as a potential problem in directly stepping in for Perez.

He also threw Lando Norris’ hat into the ring, with the 23-year-old having impressed many since his F1 debut in 2019.

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It’s been suggested he’s only been denied podium spots due to the pace of McLaren’s car.

His highest podium finish was in 2021 when he clinched second place at the Italian Grand Prix.

However, it would take something special for Red Bull to secure Norris’ services, with the Brit having signed a “mega deal” with McLaren. 

If it were to be Ricciardo lining up to replace Perez, this could spark one of the biggest internal team battles since the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes in the mid-2010’s.

Speaking to media sources, Hill commented: “Is Daniel Ricciardo fit enough to come back?

“That’s what the noises are. Maybe that plan is simmering away. I think they’d want a fresh face. Possibly Lando [Norris]. He’s still got a few more years left at McLaren.

“I was surprised when he signed such a long-term deal [until the end of 2025].

“It’s a long time, I’d have done three years tops. If you’re that confident in yourself, you need to be able to move when the time is right.”

Hill is not alone in viewing Norris as an ideal Perez replacement.

Fellow Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok linked the McLaren racer with a move to the Austrian team.

READ: Mick Schumacher ready to replace Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri

He said: “I tell you who will be thinking about a move to Ferrari or Red Bull though, is young Lando Norris.

“Looking at where they’re [McLaren] at, and we were talking before the season of McLaren locking him in and Zak [Brown] doing an amazing job of contracting him in for that four-year period.

“I do wonder, and if they’re smart they would have created some sort of exit clauses.”

The post Lando Norris to replace Sergio Perez? appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.

Hill has shed light on the “bureaucracy” at Mercedes that has halted signatures and left the F1 world in the dark over the future of Hamilton in Formula 1.

“The talk is that Lewis is finalising a much longer-term deal that goes beyond his racing career,” Hill told Sky Sports.

“The car company itself is involved, so there is a bit more bureaucracy in this deal.”

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Although Hill’s comments are based on theory rather the fact, he is certainly an individual in the right sphere of influence.

Hill, much like David Coulthard, has been vocal on the form of Hamilton aware that the fire burns deep in the Brit as he battles to attain his would-be record-breaking eighth world title.

“He is starting to gel with that car now and he has solved some of the problems he faced,

“So I would be amazed if he doesn’t want to go out on a high by winning that eighth title, and he is absolutely motivated by that. He has got that longevity and he looks after himself.

“He needs a competitive car, half-a-chance, and someone like Lewis will rise up to that challenge and find more in himself. At the moment we are seeing a happier Hamilton, and a happy Hamilton is a fast Hamilton.”

However, neither Hamilton nor Toto Wolff has been able to provide a clear-cut answer when quizzed on contract proceedings.

Wolff has recently speculated that a deal was close to being signed, telling the media that the finalization was “days” away.

READ: Helmut Marko suggests Red Bull would be better off signing Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso

The rumours suggesting a sensational move to Ferrari could be in the offing have since deflated with Hamilton pushing for a long-term deal with the Silver Arrows.

Hamilton has been with Mercedes for over 10 years winning a record-equalling six world titles, clocking 82 race wins along the way.

It has been a match made in heaven and it seems in the current climate, the best-suited team to go on and win an 8th world title, which would take him ahead of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher.

The post Reason for Lewis Hamilton contract delay revealed appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk.