Aug.8 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has an “offer” to switch from Williams to the Renault works team for 2017. That is the claim of Oskari Saari, the F1 commentator for Finnish television MTV. Williams is obviously toying with the notion of replacing both Bottas and Felipe Massa for 2017, amid speculated links with Jenson Button, Lance […]
Month: August 2016
Only ‘good offer’ would restart F1 career – Buemi
Aug.8 (GMM) Sebastien Buemi says only a “good offer” from a F1 team could entice him away from his current motor racing forays. Since losing his Toro Rosso seat at the end of 2011, the now 27-year-old Swiss has rebuilt his career by winning the world sports car championship in 2014. He is also the […]
Rosberg lacks Hamilton’s ‘killer instinct’ – Marko
Aug.8 (GMM) It is Lewis Hamilton’s “killer instinct” that in 2016 will deliver championship victory to him for a third consecutive time. That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, when asked to nominate a favourite in the increasingly two-horse title race between Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. Another former F1 […]
Only new rules can stop Mercedes – Alonso
Aug.8 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has hailed the timing of F1’s regulations change for 2017. Some have questioned the radical aerodynamics, chassis and tyre changes that are coming next year, saying performance in F1 was just beginning to converge in the current ‘power unit’ era that began in 2014. But Spaniard Alonso has made no secret […]
Newey ‘fully motivated again’ – Horner
Aug.8 (GMM) Adrian Newey is getting much more involved in the design of next year’s Red Bull, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. In the past few years, dismayed at the curtailing of aerodynamics in F1 and the predominance of the ‘power units’, F1’s famous designer took a step back from the front […]
Ecclestone credits Verstappen for Heineken deal
Aug.5 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has credited Max Verstappen for tipping Heineken over the edge in deciding to enter F1. In June, the Dutch beer giant signed a reported multi-hundred million euro sponsorship of the pinnacle of motor sport. Now, as Rio prepares to kick off the 2016 Olympics on Friday, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone dropped […]
Montezemolo struggles to hold tongue over Ferrari
Aug.5 (GMM) Former team president Luca di Montezemolo has struggled to resist commenting on Ferrari’s current situation. Now past the mid-season point in 2016, sections of the Italian press and beyond believe the Maranello marque is in crisis. Kimi Raikkonen admits: “We were ahead of Red Bull and now they’re ahead of us. “It has […]
Wehrlein defends performance against Haryanto
Aug.5 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has defended his performance alongside Manor teammate Rio Haryanto in the first half of 2016. Both are rookies, but German Wehrlein entered the season rated much more highly than Haryanto, with the Indonesian’s seat significantly backed by government-linked sponsors. However, Haryanto has managed to qualify ahead of the Mercedes-supported Wehrlein five […]
Ecclestone to ‘sell’ F1 radio coms – report
Aug.4 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly planning to monetise access to radio communications in F1. At the recent strategy group meeting, the controversial restrictions on radio communications were dropped completely, with the FIA confirming that this was done “at the request of the teams and commercial rights holder”. Part of the deal is that messages […]
Sirotkin in running for Renault seat – father
Aug.4 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin’s father thinks the 20-year-old Russian is in the running to step into a race seat with Renault for 2017. Sirotkin first made F1 headlines in 2013, when his father Oleg was at the centre of a so-called Russian rescue deal for the Sauber team that ultimately fell through. Sergey, however, is […]
Hulkenberg hails McLaren-Honda progress
Aug.4 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has hailed McLaren-Honda’s rate of improvement in 2016. The German drives for Force India, the small Silverstone based outfit that has impressed by taking on Williams for the role of F1’s fourth-quickest team. But Hulkenberg says McLaren-Honda is no longer too far behind. Force India is currently just 15 points behind […]
Marko plays down Kvyat axe rumours
Aug.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has moved to temper speculation that Daniil Kvyat is set to definitely lose Red Bull’s backing. A poor run of form for the young Russian following his demotion to the junior team Toro Rosso, coupled with rumours in the Russian media, have led some to conclude that Kvyat’s F1 career […]
Renault could turn blue for 2017 – reports
Aug.4 (GMM) The works Renault team could be set to change colours for 2017, according to the latest international reports. El Mundo Deportivo, a Spanish sports newspaper, reports that the currently yellow cars could turn predominantly deep blue next year. There are rumours Renault is in talks with Movistar, a major Spanish mobile operator, and […]
Mercedes, McLaren in dispute over engineer
Aug.3 (GMM) A dispute is bubbling between world champions Mercedes and rival F1 team McLaren over an engineer. Spanish media reports, including El Mundo Deportivo newspaper, claim McLaren recently signed a deal to woo Loic Serra from his role as Mercedes’ head of vehicle dynamics. The report claims Mercedes, who are not commenting, then succeeded […]
Wolff urges Renault to sign Ocon
Aug.3 (GMM) Esteban Ocon looks set to be the next teenage charger to make his mark in formula one. Backed by Mercedes, the Frenchman is on loan to Renault this year as reserve and occasional Friday driver. And international media sources claim Ocon is first in line to emerge after the summer break as the […]
Lauda to help Rosberg bounce back
Aug.3 (GMM) Championship rivals Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have got off to very different starts to their F1 summer break. A happy and relaxed world championship leader Hamilton headed to Barbados, where he took part in a raucous and scantily-clad street parade. But Bild newspaper reports that German Rosberg, who suffered four consecutive race […]
Father defends Magnussen’s F1 commitment
Aug.3 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen’s father has hit back at media speculation that his future is Renault is under a cloud because of his work ethic. A British magazine has added fuel to the uncertainty about the Dane’s place at the French works team for 2017 by suggesting he does not work hard enough and lacks […]
Marchionne ‘not satisfied’ but staying the course
Aug.3 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has this week suggested Ferrari will stay the course, despite admitting that the great Italian marque has disappointed in the opening half of 2016. Both in the influential Italian press and beyond, the perception is that Ferrari is now in ‘crisis’, having failed to deliver president Marchionne’s pre-season targets and now […]
Williams opens door to Button, Perez
Aug.3 (GMM) Williams has made clear its door may be open to not only Jenson Button but also Sergio Perez for the 2017 season. It is an uncomfortable period for the Grove team’s existing drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, with plenty of rivals including Daniil Kvyat and Lance Stroll having already been linked with […]
Rosberg ‘lost the title’ in July – Montagny
Aug.2 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton may now be a sure bet to win his third consecutive world championship this year. Earlier with a 43-point deficit to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, a winning streak has seen Hamilton race into the summer break with a 19-point lead. “He has become a winning machine,” said Italy’s La Gazzetta dello […]