Jul.26 (GMM) Brazilian kidnappers are reportedly demanding $37 million in ransom for the release of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s mother-in-law. Authoritative sources including the broadcaster Globo, UOL as well as Veja, a Sao Paulo newsmagazine, claim Aparacida Schunck, the mother of Ecclestone’s Brazilian wife Fabiana Flosi, was taken from the neighbourhood of Interlagos. Veja reported […]
Month: July 2016
Villeneuve tips Rosberg for 2016 title
Jul.26 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve thinks Nico Rosberg will bounce back from losing his world championship lead for the first time in 2016. Rosberg’s Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton has ended his run of mediocre form with five wins out of the last six races, racing into a 6 point lead in Hungary. But team boss Toto […]
Keeping Haryanto is ‘plan A’ – Manor
Jul.26 (GMM) Manor says its “plan A” is to keep Indonesian rookie Rio Haryanto on the team in 2016. In Hungary, it emerged that alternatives like Stoffel Vandoorne and Jordan King are in the running because Haryanto’s sponsorship had dried up mid-season. “Plan A is to keep Rio on board for the remainder of the […]
Kvyat set for Red Bull split – report
Jul.26 (GMM) Red Bull does not intend to renew its contract with Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat for 2017. That is the claim of the Russian news agency Izvestia, citing the information of a source close to the energy drink company. Earlier, officials including Dr Helmut Marko and Franz Tost sounded upbeat about the young […]
Montreal mayor plays down F1 race fears
Jul.26 (GMM) Montreal’s mayor has played down reports the 2017 Canadian grand prix is in serious doubt. Le Journal de Montreal newspaper reports that some fans have been unable to secure early-bird tickets for next year’s race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It follows F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s recent criticism of the North American event. […]
Alonso admits 2016 podium unlikely
Jul.26 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has admitted that he is unlikely to finish on the podium in 2016. Former long-time team coordinator Jo Ramirez declared this week that he expected the Honda-powered team to be in top-three form by now. But Spaniard Alonso told Cadena Cope radio: “Under normal circumstances, we do not deserve the podium […]
Vettel backs Hamilton over yellow flags
Jul.26 (GMM) Claims Lewis Hamilton triggered the late stewards investigation into teammate Nico Rosberg’s pole position have been played down. Even after the reigning world champion won the Hungarian grand prix, it was clear tension between the two Mercedes drivers remained. “Thank you very much,” Rosberg said in the FIA press conference, patting Hamilton on […]
McLaren should be on podium by now – Ramirez
Jul.25 (GMM) Retired McLaren veteran Jo Ramirez says he thinks the Woking team is behind schedule. The Mexican, famed for his closeness to Ayrton Senna during his days as team coordinator, told the Spanish newspaper AS that he expected McLaren to be higher up at the mid-season point of 2016. “It’s true they are better […]
Hungary GP ‘very boring’ – Montagny
Jul.25 (GMM) Former F1 driver Franck Montagny said the spectacle of the 2016 season hit a low in Hungary. “Unfortunately this race was very boring,” he told the French newspaper Le Point. “I hope we don’t see many other grands prix like this, with very few surprises,” said the former Super Aguri driver. Montagny said […]
F1 rules on agenda for strategy group
Jul.25 (GMM) The abundance of rules in F1 today will be discussed by the strategy group in Geneva later this week. Throughout the Hungarian GP weekend, complaints about the regulations were abundant, including when Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg continued to argue about the yellow flag incident of qualifying. “Rules are rules,” their Mercedes team […]
Arrivabene plays down Vettel, Allison rumours
Jul.25 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has broken his silence to play down speculation Ferrari could be about to lose Sebastian Vettel and James Allison. Team boss Arrivabene had a low-profile Hungarian grand prix, refusing to speak to the English speaking media amid reports the Maranello team is in crisis. One rumour was sparked by Red Bull […]
Button undecided over next career step
Jul.25 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen could be left as the clear elder statesman of F1 should Jenson Button retire at the end of the season. While the Finn has signed on for another year with Ferrari, the similarly 36-year-old Button says he is not yet decided whether to keep racing beyond 2016. Asked if he was […]
McLaren plays down ‘Vandoorne to Manor’ rumour
Jul.25 (GMM) McLaren has played down rumours Stoffel Vandoorne could be on the verge of returning to the F1 grid. The McLaren-backed junior made his grand prix debut this year when Fernando Alonso was injured, but he is now being linked with Rio Haryanto’s place at Manor. International publications De Telegraaf (The Netherlands) and Marca […]
Hungarian Grand Prix – Hamilton wins!
Hamiton wins from Rosberg (+1.977), Ricciardo (+27.539), Vettel (+28.213), Verstappen (+48.659), Raikkonen (+49.044), Alonso (+1 lap), Sainz (+1 lap), Bottas (+1 lap) & Hulkenberg (+1 lap). Perez, Palmer, Gutierrez, Grosjean, Magnussen, Kvyat, Nasr, Massa, Wehrlein, Ericsson and Haryanto make the rest of the field Retirements: Button Full Race results & commentary
Ferrari racing heavier car in Hungary
Jul.24 (GMM) Ferrari’s car became 2 kilograms heavier ahead of the Hungarian grand prix weekend. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that a turbocharger failure at the Silverstone test resulted in the housing being penetrated. Reportedly, the FIA demanded that – on safety grounds – Ferrari must beef up the housing for Hungary, resulting in […]
Red Bull well-positioned for future – Marko
Jul.24 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is confident Red Bull will be ready to challenge Mercedes for the title in 2017. The energy drink-owned team has taken over from Ferrari as F1’s second-fastest team and now Marko is looking ahead to a proper title charge next year. “It is crucial that for next year Renault brings […]
Wolff plays down threat to Bottas’ F1 future
Jul.24 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down the uncertainty surrounding Valtteri Bottas’ future on the F1 grid. According to rumours, Williams is considering a full shake-up of its current driver lineup for 2017, with development driver Lance Stroll’s billionaire father said to have put together $35 million in backing. And Jenson Button is currently the […]
Wolff thinks F1 ‘over cautious’ on safety
Jul.24 (GMM) Toto Wolff thinks F1 has become “a little over-cautious” in the wake of Jules Bianchi’s death. After a stewards enquiry on Saturday, Nico Rosberg was able to keep his pole position although some rivals – including teammate Lewis Hamilton – questioned whether he had slowed sufficiently for a yellow flag. “Nico only lost […]
Hungarian Grand Prix – Qualifying
Rosberg on Pole with a 1:19.965 from Hamilton (+0.143), Ricciardo (+0.315), Verstappen (+0.592), Vettel (+0.909), Sainz (+1.166), Alonso (+1.246), Button (+1.632), Hulkenberg (+1.858) & Bottas (+2.217) Hamilton looked set to improve his time on the final run but Alonso spun in front of him and had to abort. Rosberg didn’t seem to be affected and […]
Hungarian Grand Prix – 3rd Free Practice
Rosberg quickest with a 1:20.261 from Verstappen (+0.002), Ricciardo (+0.465), Hamilton (+0.508), Raikkonen (+0.598), Vettel (+0.924), Alonso (+1.323), Bottas (+1.388), Perez (+1.411) & Palmer (+1.674). Massa, Magnussen, Button, Gutierrez, Grosjean, Sainz, Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Nasr, Ericsson, Wehrlein and Haryanto make the rest of the field. Massa did the most number of laps with 28 followed by […]