F1 Gossip: Marko rules Ferrari out of 2020 title race

In today’s Formula 1 gossip, Marko predicts Red Bull versus Mercedes title battle, Ricciardo pledges donations for Australian bushfire crisis, and Mercedes promises to remain neutral to its drivers in 2020.

- Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko believes the 2020 F1 title race will be an exlusive battle between his side and reigning champions Mercedes, while he reveals Red Bull’s 2020 car is on schedule to be completed earlier than ever before (Autobild) 

- Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo will auction off his race suit from this year’s Australian Grand Prix to raise money to help victims of the  bushfire crisis that is currently ravaging across Australia (Daily Mail) 

- Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insists Mercedes will remain neutral to its drivers in 2020, despite Lewis Hamilton sitting on the verge of matching Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven world championships (Sky Sports)

- Williams has suffered a blow on the eve of the 2020 F1 season with the loss of Rexona as one of its sponsors. The Australian deodorants firm’s deal with the British squad was reportedly worth as much as 15million (AS)

- Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer believes his side’s  progress last season was limited by its financial woes of 2018 (RACER)

- Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi has set himself the target of being inside the points on a more consistent basis throughout his sophomore F1 campaign in 2020 (Formula1.com)

- FIA race director Michael Masi says he “couldn’t have got through” his first year in the role of Formula 1 race director without the large support network around him (RaceFans)