Apr.28 (GMM) Fernando Alonso said he is tired of being asked if he regrets leaving Ferrari. While the Spaniard struggles with McLaren-Honda and tries to keep his racing spirit alive by doing the Indy 500 next month, his successor Sebastian Vettel is leading the world championship for Ferrari. “I think if Ferrari wins 20 years […]
Month: April 2017
Sepang boss slams Ecclestone, Liberty
Apr.28 (GMM) Malaysia grand prix chief Razlan Razali has hit out at former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone ahead of Sepang’s last race in October. For cost reasons, the government has decided to stop funding the Malaysian grand prix, which made its F1 bow in 1999. But Razali expressed disappointment in Ecclestone, who negotiated the lucrative […]
‘Shield’ to make practice debut at Monza
Apr.28 (GMM) F1’s governing body is pushing ahead with track tests for the new driver head protection known as ‘Shield’. With the controversial ‘Halo’ concept now shelved, it was revealed last week that the FIA now intends to instead debut a transparent alternative next year. And following computer and laboratory testing, the next step is […]
Force India unhappy with driver names on cars
Apr.28 (GMM) Force India has bemoaned the cost of a new rule designed to help fans identify their favourite drivers. At the recent Strategy Group meeting, it was decided that from Barcelona next month, the drivers’ names and race numbers must be much bigger on the cars. The FIA has now explained that the driver’s […]
Briatore backs Alonso’s Indy 500 challenge
Apr.28 (GMM) It is a no-brainer for Fernando Alonso to do the Indy 500 next month instead of Monaco. That is the view of Flavio Briatore, who is still involved in the management of the Spaniard’s career. Alonso stunned the racing world recently when he announced that he will try to win the fabled American […]
Hamilton open to Mercedes team orders
Apr.28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says team orders are simply a fact of life at Mercedes in 2017. As he fought for the title with Nico Rosberg in the Abu Dhabi finale last November, the triple world champion controversially ignored team instructions. But in Bahrain recently, his new teammate Valtteri Bottas accepted an order to move […]
Nasr working on F1 return for 2018
Apr.27 (GMM) Felipe Nasr says he is working on a potential return to formula one for 2018. With strong backing from Banco do Brasil, the Brazilian raced for Sauber in 2015 and 2016 but lost that sponsorship and seat for this season. But Nasr, 24, says he never lost hope. “I achieved my training goals, […]
Honda help ‘better for F1’ – Boullier
Apr.27 (GMM) Eric Boullier is making the case that Honda should be given a boost to finally get up to speed in formula one. 2017 is actually the Japanese carmaker’s third season since returning to the sport with McLaren, but the new power unit is reportedly still over 100hp down on its rivals. It has […]
Haug questions Alonso’s Indy move
Apr.27 (GMM) A former F1 chief has questioned McLaren’s decision to tackle the Indy 500 with Fernando Alonso next month. For many years, Haug was the head of Mercedes’ F1 programme, including in 2007 when Alonso raced for the works team McLaren. So as McLaren and Alonso now head to Indianapolis amid the deep Honda […]
Kvyat admits ‘not friends’ with Sainz
Apr.26 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat has admitted he is not friends with his Toro Rosso teammate Carlos Sainz. As ever at the junior Red Bull team, the pressure on the drivers is high. While Spaniard Sainz is pushing hard to impress and earn a more competitive seat for 2018, Russian Kvyat is still emerging from his […]
Renault boss plays down Alonso reports
Apr.26 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul has played down reports linking Fernando Alonso with a return to Renault. Germany’s Auto Bild claims that in Bahrain recently, talks took place between the French works team and the Spanish driver’s management about a deal for 2018. But Renault boss Abiteboul was quoted as saying: “I do not think we […]
F1 could help Honda end crisis – report
Apr.26 (GMM) F1 could be set to help Honda emerge from its three-year struggle for reliability and performance. According to Spain’s El Confidencial, the plan could be spearheaded by new F1 owner Liberty Media, aware that Honda’s troubles are not a good advertisement for other manufacturers interested in entering the sport. “It is so serious […]
Mercedes dominance ‘not good for F1’ – Wolff
Apr.26 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted the end of Mercedes’ utter dominance is good for the sport. Throughout the ‘power unit’ era to date, Mercedes won every title on offer and almost completely monopolised the top step of the podium. But in 2017 so far, Mercedes has been defeated two out of three times by […]
Ecclestone sends ‘message’ to new F1 bosses
Apr.26 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has lobbed an apparent threat in the direction of F1’s new regime. The sport’s long-time supremo was ousted amid the recent takeover by Liberty, replaced by new CEO Chase Carey and deputy chiefs Ross Brawn and Sean Bratches. 86-year-old Ecclestone, in turn, was given the largely honorary role of ‘chairman emeritus’. […]
F1 could ‘lose’ Brazil GP – Ecclestone
Apr.26 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says it is still possible F1 could be set to lose the popular and traditional Brazilian grand prix. Recently, the former F1 supremo revealed he had been put in charge of staging talks with Brazilian officials about rescuing the embattled race at Interlagos. “Chase (Carey) asked that when I went to […]
Vettel to use ‘racing socks’ from Russia
Apr.26 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel will begin using racing ‘socks’ rather than traditional boots this weekend in Russia. Actually, the world championship leader intended to start using Puma’s specially-developed, one piece and laceless racing sock in Australia. But it has only just been homologated by the FIA. “Auto Bild’s information is that Vettel can finally use […]
More Fridays planned for Renault’s Sirotkin
Apr.26 (GMM) Sochi will not be the only Friday practice outing in 2017 for Renault reserve driver Sergey Sirotkin. It has been announced that the 21-year-old, part of the driver programme for the Russian team sponsor SMP, will take over Nico Hulkenberg’s car on Friday in Russia. “We have several Friday practices planned for Sergey […]
F1 bans ‘shark fins’ for 2018
Apr.26 (GMM) F1’s strategy group has voted to ban the unpopular ‘shark fins’ and ‘T-wings’ for the 2018 season. That is the claim of multiple authoritative media sources, including Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport and the DPA news agency, and Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. The appendages are unpopular for aesthetic reasons, and some ‘T-wings’ […]
Alonso, McLaren eye Indy return in future
Apr.25 (GMM) Fernando Alonso and McLaren are looking to return to the Indy 500 in the future. Recently, the British team shocked the racing world by announcing that together with the Andretti team and Honda, Alonso will bid to win next month’s Indy 500 with a McLaren entry. “I want to win the triple crown,” […]
Track test for Button ‘not useful’ – Boullier
Apr.25 (GMM) McLaren’s simulator is good enough for Jenson Button to prepare for Monaco. That is the view of Eric Boullier, following Felipe Massa’s expression of surprise that the retired 2009 world champion sat out the recent post-Bahrain grand prix test. Button, 37, is making a one-off return to F1 in Monaco next month, filling […]