Dec.28 (GMM) The shock retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg is a big boost to Daniel Ricciardo’s title chances. That is the view of Ricciardo’s Australian countryman Mark Webber, who thinks his Red Bull successor is among one of the very best in the sport today. “Daniel was probably the most consistent driver in the […]
Month: December 2016
Liberty not offering teams voting power – report
Dec.28 (GMM) F1 teams are being offered shares in the sport but not voting rights, according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. Correspondent Michael Schmidt said new owners Liberty Media are keen for the teams to take 20 per cent ($800 million) of the commercial rights, with the end of January as a deadline for […]
Stewart says only 5 drivers earn more than him
Dec.28 (GMM) Sir Jackie Stewart claims he earns more than most of the entire F1 grid. The legend and triple world champion retired as a driver in 1973, but now he continues to play a role through his involvement with bringing big name sponsors to the sport, including Rolex and Heineken. “I try to give […]
Massa not commenting on F1 return
Dec.28 (GMM) Felipe Massa is still refusing to comment on widespread speculation his F1 retirement will be very short lived. Given Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement, it is reported that Massa will call off his retirement in order to replace Valtteri Bottas at Williams, with the Finn heading off to Mercedes. But after playing in a […]
Nasr admits he could lose F1 seat
Dec.28 (GMM) Felipe Nasr has admitted it is possible he will be left without a F1 seat for 2017. And if that happens, unless Felipe Massa returns from retirement, the sport will be without a single Brazilian driver. “I think it would be bad for the sport,” Nasr told Brazil’s Globo. “Brazil has so much […]
Rosberg hits back at Hamilton complaints
Dec.28 (GMM) World champion Nico Rosberg has hit back at his former teammate’s complaints about losing key members of his race crew in 2016. Prior to the 2016 season, Mercedes mixed up the two sides of the silver-clad garage, with Lewis Hamilton complaining ever since about the effect it had on his subsequent campaign. But […]
Schumacher’s son targets F1 title
Dec.28 (GMM) Mick Schumacher says he wants to follow in his famous father’s footsteps by winning the world championship. “I want to be formula one world champion, like every driver,” said the 17-year-old, who is moving into the top European F3 championship for 2017. “Formula 3 is the next step for me and I can […]
Lauda slams Brawn’s Mercedes contribution
Dec.28 (GMM) Niki Lauda has hit out at Ross Brawn’s contribution to the recent success of the Mercedes team. Recently, former boss Brawn indicated he left the project after the 2013 campaign due to disagreements with Lauda and Toto Wolff. “He refused to work with Paddy Lowe,” Lauda, the F1 legend and team chairman, told […]
Alonso is Vandoorne’s ‘worst enemy’ – Ickx
Dec.28 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne’s “worst enemy” in 2017 will be his highly rated teammate Fernando Alonso. That is the claim of F1 legend Jacky Ickx, a Belgian driver of the 60s and 70s who told Le Soir newspaper that he will be cheering for countryman Vandoorne in 2017. In fact, 71-year-old Ickx met with Vandoorne, […]
2017 another tough year for Renault – Hulkenberg
Dec.28 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg thinks 2017 could be a second consecutive tough campaign for the Renault works team. The German is switching to the carmaker’s Enstone based team from Force India, which finished fourth in the 2016 constructors’ championship. Renault, on the other hand, finished just ninth this year, off the back of predecessor Lotus’ […]
Bottas ‘a possibility’ for 2017 – Wolff
Dec.27 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted for the first time that Valtteri Bottas is a “possibility” to replace Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. Sources in Spain report that Williams is pushing for the German marque to reduce its engine bill to zero, in exchange for Finn Bottas’ eleventh-hour release. But Mercedes’ Wolff denied that Bottas has […]
Liberty could scratch Fridays from F1 schedule
Dec.23 (GMM) New owners Liberty Media are considering scratching Fridays from the F1 race weekend. That is the claim of respected sports journalist Kevin Garside, who wrote in the British i-newspaper that two-day weekends would be part of a wider shake-up for the sport. Team budget caps, more races in the US and Europe, and […]
Mercedes dominance must end in 2017 – Tost
Dec.22 (GMM) F1’s utter domination by Mercedes must end in 2017. That is the view of Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost, speaking after Mercedes’ three consecutive years of title wins but on the cusp of the big rule changes for next season. Asked if Mercedes’ domination is now ending, he told Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper: “We […]
Mercedes, Hamilton baulked at Wehrlein solution
Dec.22 (GMM) It is now almost certain that Mercedes will head into 2017 with Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate. Authoritative reports say Felipe Massa has agreed to scrap his retirement plans in order to replace the departing Finn Bottas at Williams. It is a blow to Pascal Wehrlein, the junior Mercedes driver who […]
Giovinazzi set for Friday drives in 2017
Dec.22 (GMM) New Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi could be set for some Friday practice outings with Sauber or Haas in 2017. The great Italian marque has signed the young Italian GP2 star to be its official third driver next year. Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene said: “We are talking to our (engine) customers so that Antonio […]
Sauber tips Liberty to be fairer to small teams
Dec.21 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn thinks F1’s new owners are sympathetic to the idea of a fairer distribution of power among the teams. So disillusioned with the way prize money and decision-making power is divvied up at present, Sauber and Force India lodged a complaint to the EU over a year ago. Sauber chief Monisha Kaltenborn […]
Massa plays down EUR 6 million comeback reports
Dec.21 (GMM) Felipe Massa has played down reports that he is definitely cancelling his retirement plans in order to stay at Williams for 2017. Amid Mercedes’ mad rush to replace its suddenly-departed world champion Nico Rosberg, it is reported that Williams has now agreed to release Valtteri Bottas, but only on the condition that the […]
Red Bull did not consider Sainz release
Dec.21 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says his Red Bull bosses didn’t even contemplate letting him go to Mercedes for 2017. The British press in particular had identified the Toro Rosso-racing Spaniard as an obvious candidate to replace Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. “That makes me proud because I know how difficult it is to make a name […]
2017 cars to have ‘ugly’ airbox sails – report
Dec.21 (GMM) F1 could be about to find a spanner in the works of its plans for more aesthetically pleasing cars for 2017. The 2017 rules are designed not just for more speed, but for a distinctly more aggressive look, featuring wider tyres and chassis, and lower and bigger wings. “It looks very cool, very […]
McLaren says marketing chief still at team
Dec.21 (GMM) McLaren has clarified claims that another key member of the Honda-powered team is leaving. It has been all change at Woking recently, with supremo Ron Dennis leaving and now a man he appointed – Jost Capito – set to follow. But a McLaren spokesman told GMM that “We aren’t commenting” on the Capito […]