Sep.9 (GMM) Rumours that Red Bull and Renault are definitely splitting is no surprise to Gerhard Berger. It is believed Red Bull has now triggered the end of the agreement with a full year still to run, citing a clause that Renault must supply state-of-the-art technology. Reports suggest Renault has now verbally accepted the end-of-season […]
Month: September 2015
Official slams ‘stupid’ F1 penalty system
Sep.9 (GMM) A Russian motor racing official has hit out at “stupid” penalties that are affecting drivers at today’s grands prix. The spate of penalties up and down pitlane hit an embarrassing zenith at Monza last weekend, as drivers ran out of their allocation of four engines for the season and teams reacted tactically. Igor […]
Michelin still sure F1 needs tyre change
Sep.9 (GMM) Michelin is sticking firm on its stance that F1 needs a change of tyre philosophy. After the blowout saga of Spa, and now the post-Monza tyre pressure controversy, it might be said that Michelin has put its nose in front of Pirelli when it comes to securing the official supply contract for 2017. […]
Wehrlein not denying Manor rumour
Sep.9 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has not denied speculation he is in the running for a Manor seat in 2016. Currently with Mercedes in the German touring car championship DTM, the highly-rated 20-year-old is also the Brackley team’s official F1 reserve. But the German is now being linked with Manor amid rumours the former Marussia team […]
Ferrari budget leaving Williams behind – Symonds
Sep.8 (GMM) Ferrari is now leaving Williams behind in the 2015 pecking order, and the British team knows why. “It is easy to explain,” said Williams technical boss Pat Symonds. At Monza, while Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas battled hard to the line for third and fourth, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished a full 22 seconds […]
Monza should be ‘untouchable’ – Hamilton
Sep.8 (GMM) Sunday’s chequered flag has already waved, Monza is firmly on the 2016 calendar, but the future of the historic and popular Italian grand prix is still making news. That is because figures both inside and outside of the paddock can barely imagine an F1 beyond 2016 without the Autodromo Nazionale, and the passions […]
Ferrari power for Red Bull, Mercedes power for Manor
Sep.8 (GMM) Red Bull is now shaping up to be powered by Ferrari engines in 2016. Earlier, it emerged that the energy drink team and its sister outfit Toro Rosso were definitely set to split with their current engine partner Renault. Reportedly, Red Bull’s preferred new supplier was Mercedes, but it is believed the Daimler […]
Renault helped Lotus survive tax hearing
Sep.8 (GMM) Renault helped Lotus to survive a crucial court date on Monday, as the two sides continue to drive towards a team buyout deal. Financially-crippled Lotus headed straight from Monza to the London high court, where the British tax authorities pressed for the Enstone team to be put into administration. The case, surrounding an […]
Alonso to maintain ‘patience’ with McLaren – Briatore
Sep.7 (GMM) Flavio Briatore says Fernando Alonso is maintaining his “patience” with McLaren-Honda. Paddock rumours indicate that all is no longer well between McLaren and Honda, as team chiefs reportedly lobby for Yasuhisa Arai’s scalp before damage is done to the brand. “The brand has not been damaged yet as there is such a strong […]
Renault still deciding, but no Merc engine for Red Bull
Sep.7 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul has played down reports that Renault has now decided to buy Lotus. After a long period of obvious negotiations between the two sides, the rumour swept the Monza paddock on Sunday that a deal has finally been done. “As we sit here and talk, it is still not decided yet,” Abiteboul, […]
Ecclestone says Hamilton lifestyle going ‘too far’
Sep.7 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is no longer so sure about Lewis Hamilton’s extravagant lifestyle. Earlier, the F1 supremo hailed the Mercedes driver as the ideal world champion as he is constantly in the spotlight. But a few days ago, Ecclestone said he thinks Hamilton might now be going “over the top”. “Maybe he’s gone too […]
American driver unlikely for Haas lineup
Sep.7 (GMM) Gene Haas has delivered a blow to American GP2 driver Alexander Rossi, all but ruling out a F1 race seat for his fellow Californian. It is believed Haas, set to make its F1 team debut in 2016, is now close to deciding its first driver lineup, and 23-year-old former Marussia and Caterham tester […]
Wolff denies Mercedes ‘got away with’ cheating
Sep.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff has slammed the conspiracy theorists who think Mercedes got caught cheating at Monza. Ultimately, the stewards let Lewis Hamilton keep his win, eventually agreeing with Mercedes that the discrepancy in the pressures had occurred between the garage and the grid. But GP2 driver Mitch Evans was distinctly unimpressed, having been thrown […]
‘Relief’ as Hamilton keeps Monza win
Sep.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff admitted to relief on Sunday evening after a long and crucial meeting with the stewards. Lewis Hamilton’s Monza victory was in doubt because Pirelli, supported by the FIA, found on the grid that his tyre was 0.3 PSI under the new mandatory limit. Apparently a clear technical breach, with both performance […]
Button expecting quick decision over 2016
Sep.7 (GMM) Jenson Button is expecting a quick decision over his future at McLaren. Last year, the F1 world in general was critical of McLaren’s long dithering over whether the popular 2009 world champion would be kept on board for 2015. Now, the matter of Button’s future is back on the agenda, with McLaren said […]
F1 ‘must work better with its partners’ – Hembery
Sep.7 (GMM) Paul Hembery has warned that F1 needs to make some changes if it is going to keep tyre suppliers on side into the future. Pirelli has been the sport’s official partner since 2011, but it is currently locked in a battle with Michelin for the contract beyond 2016. It has been a tumultuous […]
Monza fate no clearer after Renzi meeting
Sep.7 (GMM) Monza’s future on the F1 calendar appeared no clearer on Sunday, despite the attendance of the Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi. Renzi, Italy’s new 40-year-old PM, arrived at the fabled Autodromo and quickly entered Bernie Ecclestone’s motor home, La Gazzetta dello Sport said. The 10-minute meeting took place before the usual incredible podium […]
New contract put Raikkonen in top form – Marchionne
Sep.6 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne thinks Kimi Raikkonen’s new contract has moved the Finn to a new level. On a Ferrari president’s customary visit to Monza, the Italian-born Canadian said he was delighted to witness a new engine upgrade deliver the goods, as the two red cars qualified second and third. But it was actually Raikkonen’s […]
McLaren wants Honda to sack Arai – reports
Sep.6 (GMM) Behind the scenes, McLaren is lobbying for Honda’s F1 chief to be sacked. That is the claim of multiple British newspapers, including the Times, Telegraph and Mail on Sunday, amid yet another woeful weekend for the Anglo-Japanese outfit. McLaren has “written to the company’s president, Takahiro Hachigo, calling on him to replace … […]
Verstappen is F1’s answer to Marquez – engineer
Sep.6 (GMM) Max Verstappen is F1’s answer to the young MotoGP sensation Marc Marquez. That is the claim of Dutchman Verstappen’s Toro Rosso race engineer Xevi Pujolar, who earlier said the teenager is better than Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Webber and all other drivers he has worked with in F1. “Max is the Marquez of […]