Jun.12 (GMM) Niki Lauda has backed top drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton over criticising plans to expand the F1 race calendar. Under the watch of new F1 owners Liberty Media, the schedule will increase from 20 to 21 races in 2018, amid apparent plans for up to 25 grands prix in the near future. […]
Month: June 2017
Championship ‘long enough’ for Hamilton win – Lauda
Jun.12 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is back in the fight for the world championship. That is the news from Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda, after last week saying the Briton needed a retirement from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in order to have a real chance. “No, that was exaggerated,” the F1 legend told Osterreich newspaper. “The championship […]
Alonso not ruling out 2018 Indycar switch
Jun.12 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is no longer ruling out quitting F1 at the end of the year. Earlier, the Spaniard said that despite the difficulty of his last three seasons with McLaren-Honda, he was fully committed to trying to win a third title beyond 2017. But that was before he obviously enjoyed the experience of […]
Wolff not commenting on McLaren rumours
Jun.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff has counted himself out of speculation regarding the dubious future of the McLaren-Honda collaboration. Rumours were rife throughout the Montreal weekend, with many now expecting McLaren to dump Honda and simply buy a customer engine for 2018, perhaps from Mercedes. “At the moment I do not want to participate in these […]
Sainz, Kvyat relationship hits road bump
Jun.12 (GMM) The relationship between Toro Rosso drivers Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat has hit a bump in the road. In Montreal qualifying, Spaniard Sainz hit out about supposed unfair treatment when it came to getting an aerodynamic ‘draft’ on the straight. “We change the order the cars go out at every race and everyone […]
No McLaren Indycar team for now – Brown
Jun.11 (GMM) Zak Brown has played down rumours McLaren could launch a full-time Indycar team. Fernando Alonso was recently competitive as he skipped Monaco to do the Indy 500, with a McLaren-Honda entry supported by the top Andretti team. “Yes, I would like to see McLaren at the Indy 500 regularly,” executive Brown is quoted […]
Red Bull can’t write off 2017 car – Verstappen
Jun.11 (GMM) Red Bull cannot simply write off 2017 in order to get ready for a full championship challenge in 2018. That is the view of Max Verstappen, after Mercedes and Ferrari’s engine advantage over Red Bull’s Renault power became all too clear in Q3 in Montreal. “As expected, they turned up the performance in […]
Pirelli ‘listened to Vettel’ about 2017 tyres
Jun.11 (GMM) Toto Wolff has denied Sebastian Vettel gave Ferrari a big head-start in his bid for the 2017 title. With Ferrari revelling on Pirelli’s new tyres and Mercedes often struggling, some see a link between Vettel’s close involvement with the Italian supplier’s 2017 development programme. Mercedes, on the other hand, did most of its […]
Vettel ‘most complete driver’ – Villeneuve
Jun.11 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve has tipped Sebastian Vettel to win the 2017 title. Vettel currently leads Lewis Hamilton by 25 points, and although the Mercedes is on pole in Montreal, local hero Villeneuve thinks it will be the Ferrari star who wins his fifth crown in 2017. Why? “Because he has no weaknesses and it […]
Audi in F1 engine talks ‘good’ – boss
Jun.11 (GMM) Audi is no longer ruling out a future in formula one. In past years, the VW brand has given a clearer ‘No’ to speculation it might launch a foray. But recently, Lamborghini chief Stefano Domenicali has been representing Volkswagen and Audi at F1 meetings about the post-2020 engine regulations. However, Audi motor sport […]
Kubica admits dreaming of F1 ‘comeback’
Jun.11 (GMM) Robert Kubica has admitted he is dreaming of a “comeback” in F1. The Pole made a stir with his low-profile Renault test last week, six years after almost severing his arm in a rally crash. Kubica, now 32, insists it was not a publicity stunt. “The approach by Renault was a nice surprise,” […]
Struggling Stroll ‘will find solution’ – Ocon
Jun.11 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has tipped Lance Stroll to “find a solution” to his current troubles in F1. At the seventh round of his new F1 career, 18-year-old Stroll slumped at his home Canadian grand prix, qualifying a full ten places behind Williams teammate Felipe Massa. But Stroll is actually the reigning European F3 champion […]
McLaren urges Vandoorne to ‘adapt’ to F1
Jun.11 (GMM) McLaren has urged Stoffel Vandoorne to “adapt” to his new life in formula one. Entering F1 this year as a highly rated rookie, Belgian Vandoorne has in fact struggled alongside teammate Fernando Alonso so far in 2017. Team boss Eric Boullier told El Pais newspaper: “In the lower categories, the car is the […]
Alonso hits back at Ralf Schumacher amid kart dispute
Jun.11 (GMM) Fernando Alonso and Ralf Schumacher have clashed bitterly over a dispute in the world of top-level kart racing. This weekend, the European karting championship is taking place at Alonso’s own circuit in Spain. Former F1 driver Schumacher is there with his team KSM, and the German admitted he is not liking Alonso’s track […]
Hamilton admits Alonso pairing ‘toxic’
Jun.11 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has admitted his clash with Fernando Alonso at McLaren a decade ago was “personal”. With Spaniard Alonso now on the driver market for 2018, some have linked him with a move to Mercedes. That would reunite the old Alonso-Hamilton partnership of 2007, with Alonso always saying he only clashed with McLaren’s […]
McLaren ‘very competitive’ without Honda – Alonso
Jun.11 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says there is nothing wrong with the McLaren car or his own driving. The Spaniard was happy with his qualifying lap in Montreal, saying it equated to pole when the Honda power deficit was factored in. Amid rumours Honda is 90-100 horse power down, Alonso told Auto Motor und Sport: “I […]
Magnussen caught out by Haas contract
Jun.10 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has admitted he was caught unawares by a hidden detail of his contract with Haas. When the Ferrari-linked American team said recently it would give Antonio Giovinazzi seven Friday practice outings in 2017, it emerged that it will be Magnussen rather than Romain Grosjean making way on all but one occasion. […]
Sirotkin not denying Palmer rumours
Jun.10 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin has refused to deny speculation he is being lined up to replace struggling Jolyon Palmer at Renault. Amid rumours about Briton Palmer’s immediate future, some have suggested Sergio Perez or Fernando Alonso are in the running to replace him in 2018. And if Palmer is more immediately ousted, the team’s Russian […]
F1 heads for ‘twin turbo’ rules in 2021
Jun.10 (GMM) F1 is heading for a V6 twin-turbo engine formula for 2021. That is the news of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, after car manufacturers were told to submit their proposals by the end of May. The report said the general consensus is that after the expiry of the unpopular current ‘power unit’ rules, […]
No Ferrari switch for 2018 – Ricciardo
Jun.10 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has scotched any lingering speculation about the chances of a Ferrari switch for 2018. Amid persistent paddock rumours, Red Bull chiefs have said both the Australian and Max Verstappen are firmly under contract for next year. When asked about that Ferrari gossip, Ricciardo told Corriere della Sera newspaper: “I would like […]