Nov.9 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen is crossing his fingers reports that Force India is set to become ‘Aston Martin’ are true. Ahead of the recent Mexican grand prix, Force India supremo Vijay Mallya confirmed reports he is in talks with the British luxury carmaker. It is suggested a naming sponsorship deal, also involving the current McLaren […]
Month: November 2015
Raikkonen not bothered by criticism
Nov.9 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he is not bothered that many are beginning to regard him as the ‘number 2’ at Ferrari. At the team’s Finale Mondiali event at Mugello, the Finn insisted that the Maranello team no longer operates a policy of driver inequality. Nonetheless, German Vettel is now regarded by many as the […]
Zandvoort eyes F1 return for Dutch GP
Nov.8 (GMM) Holland is the latest former F1 host nation looking to return to the calendar. While the sport has headed to new venues in Asia and the Middle East in recent years with mixed success, more traditional former hosts including Austria and Mexico have mounted popular comebacks. The Netherlands could now be next. Zandvoort, […]
Hamilton denies disrespecting Schumacher
Nov.7 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has denied disrespecting seven time world champion Michael Schumacher. Earlier this week, the president of the F1 legend’s fan club slammed Hamilton after the Briton was quoted as saying he won his three titles “with my natural abilities only”, without resorting to “the things that Michael did”. New triple world champion […]
Lauda denies tension with Toto Wolff
Nov.7 (GMM) Niki Lauda has dismissed reports he is at loggerheads with fellow Mercedes chief Toto Wolff. “Sources have told The Times that Lauda is considering quitting the team, possibly as soon as the end of the season,” the London-based newspaper reported shortly after the Mexican grand prix. But Lauda, the triple world champion who […]
Illien plays down Red Bull engine solution rumours
Nov.6 (GMM) Mario Illien has played down speculation he will play a central role as Red Bull ends its engine supply crisis and races into 2016. With Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren-Honda declining to help the embattled former champions, it is suggested a novel solution to Red Bull’s problem has been devised. It will reportedly involve […]
Williams not siding with European complaint
Nov.6 (GMM) Williams has indicated it has no intention of joining the complaint filed with the European Commission about the governance of formula one. Two independent teams, Force India and Sauber, have said their complaint is about the alleged unfairness of the rule-making strategy group, and the distribution of income among so-called ‘privileged’ and ‘non-privileged’ […]
Renault to announce Lotus buyout in Abu Dhabi – report
Nov.6 (GMM) Renault looks set to announce its return to full works team status in formula one at the Abu Dhabi finale next month. Citing sources, that was the claim on Friday of Michael Schmidt, the highly respected correspondent for Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone warned that “It could be December […]
Mexico will be more exciting in future – Tilke
Nov.6 (GMM) F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke says he had “goose bumps” when he witnessed the passion stirred up by Mexico’s F1 return last weekend. But the German, whose company was responsible for the revamping of the old Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, told Auto Motor und Sport he was also happy with how the facility was […]
Haas almost signed Magnussen for 2016
Nov.5 (GMM) Ousted McLaren reserve Kevin Magnussen’s tattered F1 career was almost rescued by Haas, it has emerged. After a single year of racing, and then serving as reserve for most of 2015, the 23-year-old Dane has been ousted by McLaren. “He came in and they (McLaren) ruined his career unfortunately,” current Force India star […]
Teams will be happy with Interlagos upgrade – Ecclestone
Nov.5 (GMM) F1 team equipment is beginning to arrive at an upgraded Interlagos circuit ahead of next weekend’s penultimate round of the 2015 season. Bernie Ecclestone joined Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad at the circuit on Wednesday to inspect the brand new team office building and slightly expanded paddock area. “It was the worst circuit […]
Rosberg revival too late for 2015 ‘show’ – Ecclestone
Nov.5 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone on Wednesday said he is continuing to work hard to improve the F1 ‘show’. The F1 supremo was speaking at Interlagos, where next weekend Brazilians will flock to the penultimate round of the season despite already knowing the outcome of the title battle. Ecclestone agreed that 2015 has been too one-sided. […]
Bottas says Raikkonen clashes ‘not personal’
Nov.5 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has moved to play down a spiralling controversy billed especially in his native country as a ‘clash of the Finns’. Bottas’ first crash with fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen was in Russia, with the sequel in Mexico last weekend described by some as a revenge move by the Williams driver. Afterwards, their […]
Massa open to retiring after 2016 season
Nov.5 (GMM) Felipe Massa says he will retire from F1 at the end of next year if he cannot secure a competitive seat. Behind Kimi Raikkonen, 36, and Jenson Button, 35, the 34-year-old Brazilian Massa is the third-oldest driver in formula one today. Massa has been on the grid since 2002, meaning that 2016 will […]
Red Bull, Renault cement separation and 2016 plans
Nov.5 (GMM) The plans of two embattled F1 camps are finally beginning to take shape for 2016. In recent days, the financially-struggling team Lotus’ buyout by Renault looked set to collapse, while Red Bull is on the verge of being pushed out of F1 amid four engine suppliers unwilling to work with the energy drink […]
Weekend format not changing for now – Todt
Nov.5 (GMM) F1 has for now ruled out tweaking the race weekend format. As the sport looks to beef and speed up in the next couple of years, some have also suggested that the race weekend format should be looked at afresh. In fact, Speed Week reports that the strategy group talks about it on […]
Susie Wolff says F1 dream ‘not going to happen’
Nov.4 (GMM) Susie Wolff has admitted realising her dream of racing in formula one “isn’t going to happen”. The 32-year-old from Scotland, who has been a test driver for Williams since 2012, announced on Wednesday her decision to quit motor racing. She had been pushing to become the first woman in decades to race in […]
Schumacher fan club chief slams Hamilton
Nov.4 (GMM) The head of Michael Schumacher’s fan club has hit out at Lewis Hamilton for comments about the beleaguered F1 legend. Kolner Express, a German tabloid, has quoted the new triple world champion Hamilton as comparing his achievements with the record seven titles won by Schumacher. “I’ve never done the things that Michael did […]
Susie Wolff quits motor racing
Nov.4 (GMM) Susie Wolff has announced her retirement from motor racing. The 32-year-old from Scotland has been a Williams test driver since 2012, working on the simulator and even becoming the first female in two decades to drive in official practice sessions at grands prix. Former DTM driver Wolff, whose husband is the Mercedes team […]
McLaren reserve Vandoorne also wants to race
Nov.4 (GMM) New GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne will definitely succeed Kevin Magnussen as McLaren reserve driver in 2016, we have learned. The Belgian has already been standing in while Kevin Magnussen, who has been ousted by the British team, recovers from a broken hand. “You saw with Kevin,” former McLaren racer Sergio Perez told the […]