Feb.19 (GMM) Williams’ 2019 car is not yet in Barcelona. Dead last in 2018, hopes were high that the once-great British team would begin its recovery this year. But a filming day scheduled for last Saturday was cancelled, and then […]
Drivers still unsure 2019 rule changes will work
Feb.19 (GMM) F1 drivers remain unconvinced the aerodynamic regulations for 2019 will make overtaking any easier. The biggest change for this year is the front wing, with the package of changes designed by the FIA and Liberty Media to promote […]
Binotto ‘number 1’ comments surprised Wolff
Feb.19 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he was surprised to hear Ferrari reassure Sebastian Vettel about his ‘number 1’ status. After a winter of speculation that Charles Leclerc could immediately be gunning for the title in 2019, new boss Mattia […]
Binotto as boss ‘no revolution’ – Vettel
Feb.19 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insists there has been no “revolution” at Ferrari over the winter. On paper, it has been all change at Maranello, with Mattia Binotto installed as the new boss and Charles Leclerc in the sister car. But […]
Honda packaging ‘like a Swiss watch’ – Horner
Feb.19 (GMM) Christian Horner continues to have nothing but praise for Red Bull’s new works engine partner. For others in the pitlane, a big question-mark hangs over the top-three team after switching from customer Renault to works Honda power for […]
Bottas observes ‘really shiny’ Pirelli tyres
Feb.19 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says Pirelli’s 2019 tyres feel similar to their predecessors. For this year, the colour identification of the tyres has changed, with only ‘hard’, ‘medium’ and ‘hard’ tyres to be marked at each grand prix in the […]
Sauber name still involved in F1 – Peter Sauber
Feb.19 (GMM) Peter Sauber has admitted that the departure of his surname from formula one “hurts”. The 75-year-old Swiss, no longer involved with the Hinwil based team he founded, was on hand in Barcelona as the new ‘Alfa Romeo’ made […]
Ferrari ‘extremely fast’ already – Hulkenberg
Feb.19 (GMM) Ferrari’s new matte-liveried car for 2019 looks “extremely fast”. That was not just the observation of Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg, but almost everyone else as winter testing kicked off in Barcelona. “It looks like Sebastian (Vettel) had a […]
Brexit would give Ferrari an advantage – Wolff
Feb.19 (GMM) Ferrari could be the big beneficiary if Britain’s ‘no deal’ exit from the European Union occurs at the end of next month. That is the warning of Toto Wolff, boss of F1’s leading British-based team Mercedes. British politics […]
Smedley to F1, Williams car delayed
Feb.18 (GMM) Former top engineer at Williams, Rob Smedley, has been signed up by Liberty Media. Towards the end of Williams’ abysmal 2018 season, Smedley announced that he is leaving. Now, it has emerged that he is taking up an […]
McLaren happy about Renault optimism for 2019
Feb.18 (GMM) Zak Brown says the noises being made by Renault ahead of the 2019 season are also “encouraging” for McLaren. McLaren, now a Renault customer, struggled even after dumping Honda ahead of the 2018 season. But team boss Brown […]
Ferrari mechanic back in F1 after leg break
Feb.18 (GMM) A Ferrari mechanic who was badly injured in 2019 is finally back in the F1 garage. Last year in Bahrain, mechanic Francesco Cigarini was run over by Kimi Raikkonen during a pitstop. But on Instagram on Sunday, as […]
Leclerc can create ‘mess’ at Ferrari – Villeneuve
Feb.18 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has the ability to create a “mess” at Ferrari this year. That is the claim of outspoken 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, referring to young Monaco-born driver Leclerc’s highly anticipated move to be Sebastian Vettel’s teammate. […]
Ferrari ‘priority’ is Vettel, not Leclerc – boss
Feb.18 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has suggested 2019 will be a close three-way battle for victory. The Italian, who remains the technical director, is also Ferrari’s new team boss, having taken over from the ousted Maurizio Arrivabene. “True, they are completely […]
Ricciardo has no problem with Magnussen
Feb.18 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo insists he has no issues with the aggressive driving of F1 rival Kevin Magnussen. Haas driver Magnussen has been regularly criticised by his rivals, with Nico Hulkenberg admitting to Denmark’s BT newspaper that he does not […]
Peter Sauber to watch Alfa Romeo testing
Feb.18 (GMM) Peter Sauber will be on-hand to witness the first day of testing since his name was dropped from the official title of the Swiss based F1 team. Although Sauber Motorsport still owns and operates the team, Fiat Chrysler […]
Another complaint against tobacco sponsorship lodged
Feb.18 (GMM) A controversy surrounding the clandestine return of tobacco advertising in F1 is deepening. Ferrari’s main backer Philip Morris, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, is being investigated by Australian authorities ahead of the 2019 season opener in Melbourne. The […]
‘Everyone’ saying F1 is for sale – Hembery
Feb.18 (GMM) Paul Hembery, the former F1 boss at Pirelli, says he has heard rumours that Liberty Media is trying to sell the sport’s commercial rights. Liberty, headed in F1 by Chase Carey and Ross Brawn, completed its $8 billion […]
Formula E boss not ruling out F1 ‘merger’
Feb.15 (GMM) Alejandro Agag, the boss of Formula E, is not ruling out a “long term” merger with formula one. Once dismissed as slow and quiet and obviously eclipsed by F1, Formula E has been gaining in popularity and now […]
F1 will not scrap Friday practice – promoter
Feb.15 (GMM) F1 is not about to scrap Friday practice. That is the claim of Francois Dumontier, boss of the Canadian grand prix in Montreal. This year, negotiations over the 2021 Concorde Agreement will be front and centre. There have […]