Feb.19 (GMM) F1, 2016-style, burst into life on Friday, as three new cars broke cover. The first was Williams’ new FW38, as the British team issued photos of a car bearing a striking resemblance to its 2015 predecessor. But deputy boss Claire Williams said: “The car we are launching today is by no means the […]
Month: February 2016
‘Impossible’ to beat Haryanto backing – Rossi
Feb.19 (GMM) Alexander Rossi said it proved “impossible” to compete with the government-fuelled Indonesian Rio Haryanto for the final seat on the 2016 grid. The Californian was a major contender for the place alongside Pascal Wehrlein at Manor, but GP2 driver Haryanto ultimately sealed the deal when his state-owned sponsor Pertamina lodged a EUR 5 […]
Tyre rules may not spice up F1 – Horner
Feb.19 (GMM) Christian Horner has played down hopes F1’s new tyre rules will really spice up the action. From 2016, a set of complex rules essentially allowing teams to choose from three tyre compounds per race is tipped to shake up the established order. “It’s a nice way to give us (teams) a few more […]
Horner not ruling out 2017 Renault deal
Feb.19 (GMM) Christian Horner has confirmed suspicions that the heat of Red Bull’s bitter relationship with Renault has now improved. Since the end of 2015, Red Bull has reverted to mere customer status and re-branded its Renault units as ‘Tag-Heuer’ for the new season. And Renault F1 chief Cyril Abiteboul has even suggested that, notwithstanding […]
Button was close to Top Gear switch
Feb.19 (GMM) Jenson Button has admitted he came close to leaving F1 in order to join the new lineup on the BBC motoring programme Top Gear in 2016. Amid rumours the 2009 world champion was considering his future at McLaren-Honda last year, the Daily Mail newspaper claimed Button, 36, was simultaneously “in talks with the […]
Wehrlein to be Manor ‘measuring stick’ – Wolff
Feb.17 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein leapt back into the running to race at Manor this year as the backmarker team got serious about its plans for 2016. That is the claim of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who had earlier hinted that better-funded contenders like Will Stevens and Alexander Rossi were more likely to secure the […]
Ecclestone doubts Mallya will quit F1
Feb.17 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has played down suggestions F1 could be set to lose Force India. Earlier this month, lawyers for jailed team co-owner and title sponsor Subrata Roy and his Sahara company asked the Indian supreme court for permission to sell assets including his 42.5 per cent stake in the Silverstone based outfit. Another […]
Racing brother in F1 ‘a dream’ – Palmer
Feb.17 (GMM) Going wheel to wheel in F1 with his own brother would be a “dream”, Jolyon Palmer has admitted. The son of former F1 driver Jonathan Palmer, 25-year-old Briton Jolyon is making his grand prix debut this year with the new Renault works team. But his younger brother Will is also racing through the […]
Williams not ruling out 2016 wins, title – Massa
Feb.17 (GMM) Williams is not entering 2016 targeting another third place finish in the constructors’ championship. That is the view of Felipe Massa, who alongside Valtteri Bottas helped the Grove team beat giants like Ferrari in 2014 and Red Bull last year. “For the size we are, Williams did a very good job in the […]
Alonso was ‘demotivating’ Ferrari – Montezemolo
Feb.17 (GMM) Fernando Alonso was not right for Ferrari because he was “demotivating” the great team. That is the claim of Luca di Montezemolo, who was still president of the Maranello marque when in late 2014 the wheels of Alonso’s departure were already in motion. “I had the feeling that Fernando had got it into […]
New Honda powerful but unreliable – report
Feb.17 (GMM) Honda’s 2016 engine is more powerful than its predecessor, but still unreliable. That is the claim of Marco Canseco, the correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca. McLaren-Honda debuted its novel, ultra-compact ‘size zero’ concept last year, where the tight packaging of the rear was possible because the turbo is located actually inside […]
Haryanto to replace Stevens at Manor – reports
Feb.17 (GMM) Speculation Manor could be about to split the final race seat on the 2016 grid three ways appears wide of the mark. That is because British newspapers the Telegraph and Daily Mail are reporting that Briton Will Stevens, reportedly among the three contenders to be Pascal Wehrlein’s teammate, has dropped out of the […]
Wehrlein, Ocon to share Mercedes reserve role
Feb.16 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon will share the role as Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2016. Last year, as he charged towards the DTM title, it was Wehrlein who would have stepped in had Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg been unable to race through illness or injury. But the German has secured his F1 […]
Family pays tribute to absent Schumacher
Feb.16 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s manager on Monday paid tribute to the absent F1 legend, as his entire family gathered for a rare public appearance. In Marburg, Germany, Schumacher’s wife Corinna, father Rolf, children Gina-Maria and Mick and friends Norbert Haug and Stefano Domenicali all gathered. Attended by 200 others, it was the opening of an […]
Toro Rosso to have interim livery at first test
Feb.16 (GMM) Toro Rosso will begin pre-season testing next week with an interim livery. Last Friday, we reported Italian rumours that although the Faenza team is otherwise on schedule following the late switch to Ferrari power, Toro Rosso has run out of time to deck out its new STR11 in full race livery for Barcelona. […]
Capelli warns against white Ferrari livery
Feb.16 (GMM) Ivan Capelli, a former Ferrari driver, has questioned the Maranello marque’s apparent decision to add white to the livery of its 2016 car. La Repubblica newspaper has published what are purported to be official drafts of the single seater’s colours that will be revealed publicly on Friday, depicting an all-white engine cover reminiscent […]
Alfa Romeo could be works F1 team – Marchionne
Feb.15 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne says Alfa Romeo could return to formula one as a works team. Earlier, the Ferrari and Fiat Chrysler chief flagged the possibility of the return to F1 of the iconic name, suggesting it could supply an engine to a partner team. In the words of La Gazzetta dello Sport correspondent Pino […]
Maroni eyes Monza deal ‘in coming weeks’
Feb.15 (GMM) Monza, the historic host of the Italian grand prix, is still facing an uncertain future on the annual F1 calendar. While recently it seemed funding problems had been solved due to a law tweak, it emerged last week that the latest meeting between race organisers and Bernie Ecclestone did not go well. Roberto […]
Three drivers to share second Manor seat – report
Feb.15 (GMM) Manor may have come up with a novel solution to the reported three-way battle to become Pascal Wehrlein’s teammate in 2016. It is believed Rio Haryanto, Alexander Rossi and Will Stevens are all substantially backed by sponsors as they push to secure the final place on this year’s grid. But according to a […]
Combining F1 with DTM to be ‘hard’ – Ocon
Feb.15 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has moved into pole position for a future in formula one. As reigning GP3 champion, the highly rated French teenager will be loaned by Mercedes to be third driver at the new Renault works team in 2016. He will combine the role with DTM, reportedly replacing the German touring car series’ […]