Dec.23 (GMM) A Renault source has dismissed speculation the team’s new owner may not honour the contracts signed between Lotus and its 2016 drivers. With the French carmaker having taken control of Enstone after Lotus announced Pastor Maldonado and Jolyon Palmer for next season, recent comments by Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn suggested the pair might […]
Month: December 2015
Renault to announce team details in February
Dec.22 (GMM) Renault is not yet ready to announce all the details of its return to full works team status in formula one. But the deal has at least now been officially done, with the French carmaker and the Enstone team Lotus announcing in a joint statement that the buyout deal was completed last Friday. […]
Ecclestone to stop ‘Siamese twins’ Mercedes, Ferrari
Dec.22 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has hit back at reports suggesting formula one risked collapse due to some of the political events of 2015. “Formula one will never collapse. Even if we had lost Red Bull and Lotus,” the F1 supremo insisted during an interview with Auto Motor und Sport. Also contemplating quitting was the French […]
Jordan slams BBC for Christmas axe
Dec.22 (GMM) Former F1 team owner and boss Eddie Jordan has slammed the BBC for the manner of its departure from the sport. The British public broadcaster, for whom Jordan was a controversial and forthright on-screen pundit, announced on Monday that it is terminating its deal for budget reasons. “The week of Christmas is not […]
Short winter break ‘ridiculous’ – Raikkonen
Dec.22 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has criticised F1’s ever-shortening winter break. With the 2015 championship concluding with a post-race test, a record 21 races on the 2016 schedule and Pirelli testing to resume in January, the Ferrari driver said: “In my opinion, this is a bit ridiculous. “The break should have been longer, but it seems […]
Even Hockenheim future in doubt – Ecclestone
Dec.22 (GMM) The fate of the German grand prix is also in doubt beyond 2018, Bernie Ecclestone has warned. After a controversial absence this year, the country is returning to the calendar for 2016 due to an existing contract with Hockenheim. But it was the Nurburgring that missed the 2015 race, and F1 supremo Ecclestone […]
Manager denies latest report about Schumacher health
Dec.22 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s manager has rejected the latest media report about the rumoured health condition of the F1 legend. Bunte, a German gossip weekly, declared in its latest edition that while the seven time world champion is very thin, he can now take a few steps with the help of a therapist. And the […]
Renault tells court Lotus buyout complete
Dec.21 (GMM) Renault now “have the keys” to the Enstone based team known in 2015 as Lotus. That is what a lawyer for the French carmaker on Monday told an insolvency judge in London, signalling an end to Lotus’ financial struggles and the completion of the Renault buyout deal. It is understood the judge was […]
Sepang to close for F1 upgrades
Dec.21 (GMM) Sepang, the Malaysian grand prix circuit, will be closed for three months for repairs ahead of the 2016 race. Usually, Malaysia hosts an early round of the world championship, but next year the race will not be until October. Sepang has now announced that it will be closed between February and May for […]
No budget increase for works Renault team – Stoll
Dec.19 (GMM) Jerome Stoll, the Renault Sport chairman, has dismissed reports the French carmaker is ramping up its annual F1 budget. The reports had suggested that after only supplying Red Bull and Toro Rosso with engines in 2015, Renault would now match Mercedes’ budget as it returns to full works team status next season. But […]
Wolff says he is still friends with Lauda
Dec.19 (GMM) Toto Wolff has rejected speculation he and Niki Lauda no longer get along. The rumours had spread around the paddock towards the end of Mercedes’ dominant 2015 campaign, but the Austrians tackled it by amusingly joining hands as they exited a meeting. Wolff, the team boss, now insists that he still sees eye-to-eye […]
Marko hopes Red Bull ‘martyrdom’ helps F1
Dec.19 (GMM) Mercedes baulked at supplying Red Bull for 2016 after analysing the pace of the energy drink team’s chassis. That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, who said that although the team is having to stick with underpowered Renault for now, he is “somewhat proud” that Mercedes but also Ferrari and Honda refused […]
Ecclestone not confirming BBC’s F1 exit
Dec.19 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is refusing to confirm that F1’s free-to-air British broadcaster is pulling out of the sport. British newspapers this week said the BBC has now decided to stop broadcasting F1 with immediate effect due to cost cuts, despite an ongoing contract. The reports also said the BBC would be replaced by ITV, […]
Hugo Hakkinen not following Mick Schumacher to F1
Dec.18 (GMM) In 1999, as Mika Hakkinen won his second world championship, arch F1 rival Michael Schumacher welcomed a son – Mick – into the world. Similarly, it was in 2000 when Schumacher and Hakkinen had their now legendary overtaking dice at Spa — the same year that the Finn’s son Hugo was born. Now, […]
‘Strange’ that Volkswagen not in F1 – Marchionne
Dec.18 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne, the Ferrari and Fiat Chrysler chief, says he is still urging his Volkswagen counterpart to consider entering formula one. Currently, only four carmakers are on the grid, even though Renault has just stepped up its involvement by buying Lotus and returning to full works status for 2016. “I know Carlos Ghosn,” […]
Vandoorne aims for F1 debut in 2017
Dec.18 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne has acknowledged that his F1 race career will have to wait until 2017 at least. The McLaren-backed Belgian has been dominant en route to becoming the new GP2 champion this year. “There is always pressure,” said the 23-year-old, “because I knew after coming second last year I had to win in […]
Ferrari can fight for 2016 title – Andretti
Dec.18 (GMM) Mario Andretti, a motor racing legend and former Ferrari driver, says he can imagine the Maranello marque taking on Mercedes for the title in 2016. “Yes, of course,” he is quoted by Italy’s Omnicorse. “It seems to me that the atmosphere is very motivated and serene, and (Sebastian) Vettel is the right person […]
Wolff not worried about rivals poaching staff
Dec.18 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he is not worried Mercedes’ success will be eroded by rival teams poaching top staff. When asked about rumours that Ferrari poached five Mercedes engineers as the Italian marque significantly improved its engine last year, he insisted: “That’s nonsense.” But he also admitted that, in light of Mercedes’ utter dominance […]
Wolff ready for ‘even bigger’ driver fight
Dec.18 (GMM) Toto Wolff insists he does not want to end the controversial rivalry between warring Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. That is despite the fact that he was recently quoted as warning that if the feud gets out of hand and affects team spirit, Mercedes may need to change its lineup. “I […]
Carmen Jorda ‘excited’ about future with Renault
Dec.18 (GMM) Carmen Jorda sounds confident she will remain with Enstone as the current Lotus team transitions to Renault ownership over the winter. Often controversially, the 27-year-old female GP3 driver has been a development driver with Lotus in 2015, travelling the calendar but not actually driving the black and gold car. When asked this week […]