Oct.27 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has upped his security after receiving death threats ahead of the Mexican grand prix. The Frenchman has been at war this year with his Force India teammate Sergio Perez, who is the local hero of this weekend’s race in Mexico City. And now there are reports that Ocon’s security has been […]
Month: October 2017
Sainz denies improving image after Renault switch
Oct.27 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has denied he has had to change his personal image after switching from Toro Rosso to Renault. When driving for the Red Bull-owned team, the young Spaniard was mainly seen with scruffy hair, stubble and often a backwards-worn cap. But suddenly, now that he is a works Renault driver, the 23-year-old […]
Grosjean moves on after ‘shutup’ video
Oct.27 (GMM) Romain Grosjean says he has moved on after being told to “shutup” during last Sunday’s US grand prix. The Haas driver has earned a reputation for complaining vociferously on the radio about his car and rivals. In Austin, Grosjean asked to retire the car in the closing stages due to suffering tyre problems, […]
FIA expected Verstappen apology
Oct.27 (GMM) F1’s governing body made clear in Mexico it wanted a public apology from Max Verstappen. A week ago, the Dutch driver was believed to have been referring to Garry Connelly when he said a steward who repeatedly penalises him was a “mongol” and “idiot”. He withdrew the ‘mongol’ insult, but amid reports the […]
Liberty set to unveil 2021 engine rules
Oct.27 (GMM) Liberty Media is now mere days from revealing the 2021 engine rules to the F1 teams. But despite that October 31 presentation date, there remains plenty of uncertainty in the paddock about what those regulations will actually be. “Normally it’s pretty well leaked,” Force India boss Bob Fernley told Auto Motor und Sport, […]
Hulkenberg has ‘no problem’ with fast teammate Sainz
Oct.27 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg insists the arrival of his new teammate Carlos Sainz poses him “no problem”. Although the German had a less than smooth weekend in Austin, some believe Hulkenberg was outperformed by Sainz as the Spaniard made his Renault debut a week ago. When asked how his first weekend alongside Sainz went, Hulkenberg […]
Hamilton wants title with Mexico win
Oct.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he has no intention of playing it safe with a mathematical game in the Mexican grand prix. Even if his championship rival Sebastian Vettel wins on Sunday, Mercedes’ Hamilton only needs a fifth place finish to guarantee his fourth career title. But Hamilton said in Mexico: “I want to win. […]
Liberty buys Manor wind tunnel model
Oct.26 (GMM) Liberty Media will do independent wind tunnel research before finalising the aerodynamic regulations for 2021. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, reporting that new aero rules to boost overtaking and level the playing field will accompany the new 2021 engine. “Liberty wants to make itself more independent of the […]
Kvyat in running for Williams seat – Ermilin
Oct.26 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat’s F1 career might not be over. That is the hope of Igor Ermilin, the president of Russia’s automobile federation. This week, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko announced that Russian Kvyat, 23, will no longer drive for Toro Rosso in 2017 or be in contention for a seat next year. “I really […]
Renault boosts F1 budget with Formula E exit
Oct.26 (GMM) The French carmaker Renault has freed up more resources for its works F1 team. The manufacturer announced that it is pulling out of the all-electric series Formula E to “focus resources on its aggressive goals for formula one”. The title-winning Formula E team will undergo a “smooth transition” to become Nissan, the Japanese […]
Brazil GP near Sao Paulo safe until 2020 – mayor
Oct.26 (GMM) Brazil’s formula one race at Sao Paulo is not under threat. That is the claim of Sao Paulo mayor Joao Doria, despite the fact Bernie Ecclestone left his post as F1 supremo warning that the Interlagos race was in doubt. Indeed, the circuit is actually for sale, and the likes of Ecclestone and […]
Hulkenberg gives thumbs-up to three-car grid rows plan
Oct.26 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has given the thumbs up to plans to radically reform the F1 starting grid. We reported earlier this week that Liberty Media is contemplating lining up the cars in two and three-car grid rows in the future. “I heard about those rumours,” Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg told Germany’s Sport1. “For me […]
Verstappen steward Salo received death threats
Oct.26 (GMM) Former F1 Mika Salo says he received death threats after deciding to penalise Max Verstappen in Austin last Sunday. Although Australian Garry Connelly received the brunt of the blame, Salo was also on the stewards panel that decided Verstappen’s last-lap pass on Kimi Raikkonen was illegal. It cost the furious Dutchman a podium, […]
McLaren eyes return to podium in 2018
Oct.26 (GMM) McLaren wants Renault to power the once-great British team back to the podium in 2018. After three bad years with Honda, McLaren has dumped the Japanese manufacturer to switch to customer Renault power units. But McLaren boss Zak Brown denies that the decision to dump Honda was made because of pressure applied by […]
Hard to win team title with Raikkonen – Briatore
Oct.25 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has questioned Ferrari’s decision to stick with Kimi Raikkonen for 2018. In Austin, Mercedes wrapped up the 2017 constructors’ world championship with a full three races to spare. And Briatore, the former title-winning Renault team boss, says pairing Raikkonen with Sebastian Vettel is not a good strategy if Ferrari wants to […]
‘Kvyat will not return’ to F1 – Marko
Oct.25 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Daniil Kvyat will not return to F1 with Red Bull backing. Throughout the Austin weekend, Russian Kvyat called for a meeting with Red Bull’s notorious driver manager to clarify his uncertain future. Then this week, Toro Rosso announced that despite 23-year-old Kvyat’s strong one-off return in the US grand […]
Verstappen refuses to retract ‘idiot’ insult
Oct.25 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he will not apologise for calling an F1 steward an “idiot” after the US grand prix. Just before walking onto the podium in Austin, the Dutchman was told a penalty for his last-lap move on Kimi Raikkonen had cost him third place. Verstappen, his father Jos and Red Bull reacted […]
Mixed reaction to Indy 500-style F1 spectacle
Oct.25 (GMM) The Indy 500-style spectacle before last weekend’s US grand prix drew a mixed reaction from F1’s insiders. Gerhard Berger, a fun-loving former F1 driver and team-owner, said watching Michael Buffer’s ‘Let’s get ready to rumble!’-style driver introductions was “not for me”. And Fernando Alonso, who raced in the actual Indy 500 earlier this […]
Vettel defends Arrivabene amid axe rumours
Oct.24 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has backed Ferrari’s reportedly endangered team boss Maurizio Arrivabene. After Vettel’s title campaign collapsed amid a car reliability crisis, rumours emerged that team president Sergio Marchionne was eyeing technical boss Mattia Binotto to replace Arrivabene. But Marchionne said in Austin: “We created continuity with the renewal of Kimi and Seb, and […]
Sainz made Kvyat look ‘not good enough’ – Montoya
Oct.24 (GMM) Carlos Sainz received widespread praise for his impressive Renault debut in Austin. As he switched from Toro Rosso to start his new works Renault adventure early, the Spaniard outperformed his experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg in the US. “His first weekend with Renault was almost perfect. Fast and aggressive,” said the French sports daily […]