F1 Gossip: Mercedes wants to avoid ‘unnecessary Star Wars’

- Toto Wolff says Max Verstappen is not an option to partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes because the team is not willing to risk creating another “unnecessary ‘Star Wars’ (ORF, via Marca)

- Meanwhile, Verstappen insists he acknowledges the level of talent Hamilton has but says that “90 percent of the grid could win” driving his Mercedes W11 car in 2020 (AS.com) 

- Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Red Bull’s Alex Albon does not deserve to retain his seat at the team, labelling him as “the worst number two driver Red Bull has ever had” (Sky Italia via f1i.com) 

- McLaren technical director James Key would like to get back to the kind of level of ‘secrecy’ F1 had a decade ago following the controversy Racing Point ‘copycat’ saga (RaceFans) 

- Hamilton has hailed the relationship he has with physiotherapist Angela Cullen as “the greatest partnership” and has called the New Zealand-born trainer “one of the greatest things that’s happened to me in my life” (F1.com) 

- Renault has stopped developing its 2020 F1 car and is now focusing its efforts on 2021 and beyond, according to technical director Marcin Budkowski (Auto motor und Sport) 

- F1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey says the championship’s ambitious 2021 calendar is designed with a fan experience that will be “close to normal” (RACER) 

- F1 has launched a range of five perfumes that aims “to take fans on a sensory journey through a thrilling race” (Motorsport Week) 

- 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button returned to the race track with a guest appearance in the British GT championship finale with his own Jenson Team Rocket RJN team on Sunday, finishing 14th with teammate Chris Buncombe

 

 

 

 

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Fun experience to be part of the @british_gt @silverstonecircuit 500 yesterday. Congratulations to the #2 of @jaaamesbaldwin & @michael_obrien_7 for their podium but also for their fantastic performance all season for @rocket_msport, they both have a bright future ahead of them in motorsport . Not such an easy weekend for the #3 of @chris_buncombe and I but I guess that’s what happens when you don’t test before the race! Happy with getting on top of the car in the race with reasonable pace. Multiple class GT racing is action packed, whether it’s fighting with the other GT3 cars or trying to pass a GT4 around the outside of Stowe love it! Lovely to catch up with mate @mrrjw77 and get the three amigos back together. Never thought we’d all be on track together Big thanks to all our partners and sponsors that made this one off race happen at very short notice. #gt3 #gt4 #britishgt #silverstone #mclaren #720s #racing #sky #skysportsf1

A post shared by Jenson Button (@jensonbutton) on Nov 9, 2020 at 3:06am PST