Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest news regarding Formula 1 on Friday, October 2.
Friday morning's Formula 1 news roundup:
Alonso says Schumacher 'one step ahead' of Hamilton
© Reuters
Michael Schumacher remains "one step ahead" of Lewis Hamilton in terms of F1 greatness.
That is the view of Fernando Alonso, as the world of Formula 1 contemplates Hamilton racing past Schumacher's all-time victory record and equalling his seven titles in 2020.
"I remember Michael as a driver with the greatest talent," the Spaniard, who raced for titles against both drivers, told Germany's Sport Bild.
As for Hamilton, Alonso said the Mercedes driver is clearly "very good and the best of his generation".
"But he did not win the world championship at McLaren when his teammate was Jenson Button. Nico Rosberg also won the world championship at Mercedes," he said.
"Michael never had such things - he always won. For me, Michael is one step ahead," Alonso added.
The 39-year-old was also asked about Ferrari's 2020 slump, comparing Sebastian Vettel's failure to win a title for Maranello with his own.
"If you sign with Ferrari, you assume that you can win the world championship," said the two-time champion.
"After four titles, Vettel probably thought he could get another, but sometimes you don't get lucky with the right moment and opportunities.
"I think we both missed having the right car at the right time, but in my career, I tried not to concentrate only on Formula 1, for example by doing Le Mans and trying to win as much as I could."
Alonso thinks Racing Point-Aston Martin is a good move for quadruple world champion Vettel for 2021.
"At the moment it looks like Aston Martin will have better chances of being competitive next year than Ferrari, even if it's hard to believe," he said.
Honda in talks about 2021 Alpha Tauri debut for Tsunoda
© Reuters
Honda is in talks with Dr Helmut Marko about the potential 2021 Formula 1 debut of Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
As time races on, it appears increasingly clear that the 20-year-old Honda-backed Formula 2 driver will replace Daniil Kvyat at Alpha Tauri next year.
"As he is clearly in Pierre Gasly's shadow, Kvyat - with more than 100 races to his name - surely cannot be chosen over Yuki Tsunoda," the French weekly Auto Hebdo predicts.
Italy's Corriere dello Sport agrees: "Kvyat will fall prey to Yuki Tsunoda for 2021."
Honda's F1 boss Masafumi Yamamoto does not deny that he is currently in talks with Marko, the architect and boss of Red Bull's driver program.
"I spoke to Marko after the race in Russia and he said it was a shame that the second race was red flagged. As a result, he (Tsunoda) is now third in the championship," he told the Japanese source as-web.jp.
As for whether news about Tsunoda's F1 promotion is now imminent, Yamamoto answered: "We do not expect an announcement immediately after Russia.
"But it is already October and I am busy talking to Marko about the possibilities," he added. "However, there is not yet a conclusion even if Marko is a big fan of Tsunoda."
More news from Formula 1:
Steward Salo admits Hamilton penalties 'harsh'
Mika Salo has admitted he thought Lewis Hamilton's penalties at Sochi were "harsh". Read more.
Ralf Schumacher 'can't imagine' nephew not in F1 in 2021
Ralf Schumacher "can't imagine" that his nephew will not be on the Formula 1 grid next year. Read more.
Hamilton vows to be 'squeaky clean' after penalties
Lewis Hamilton has vowed to stay "squeaky-clean" for the rest of his 2020 world championship campaign. Read more.
Horner wants Red Bull and Honda to stick together
It is "inevitable" that Mercedes' dominance will end eventually, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. Read more.
Perez knew Racing Point axe was coming
Sergio Perez has admitted he knew he would be ousted by Racing Point - even before the team told him. Read more.
No new Hamilton contract until after season
The matter of Lewis Hamilton's expiring Mercedes contract could be delayed until after the 2020 season. Read more.
Schumacher happy spectators will watch F1 debut
Mick Schumacher says he is glad to be making his official F1 race weekend debut in front of German spectators next Friday. Read more.
Horner not worried that Ferrari bosses run F1
Christian Horner says he is not worried that so many former Ferrari chiefs are now running Formula 1. Read more.
Perez-Red Bull rumours re-surface
Sergio Perez has emerged as a realistic candidate to become Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull next year. Read more.
Honda to leave F1 after 2021 season due to environmental reasons
The Japanese manufacturer resumed Formula One competition with McLaren in 2015 and later teamed up with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri. Read more.
FIA admits F1 will not be 'covid-free' in 2021
The FIA's operations director does not think Formula 1 will be covid-free in 2021. Read more.
