Oct.18 (GMM) McLaren could be mere hours away from announcing that Fernando Alonso is staying with the British team in 2018. Asked if a deal is “close” after weeks and months of speculation, team executive Zak Brown said this week: “We’ve been close for some time. “We wanted to get the Asian races out of […]
Month: October 2017
Mick Schumacher to stay for second F3 season
Oct.18 (GMM) Mick Schumacher will stay for another season in European F3 next year. The son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher finished his first campaign in the top junior category just twelfth, even behind Adrian Newey’s son Harrison. Mick, 18, admits: “I’m trying to improve in all areas.” In contrast, the even younger Lando Norris […]
Mercedes could change car concept for 2018
Oct.18 (GMM) Mercedes could be set to change direction completely with the concept of its 2018 car. Although fast, this year’s Mercedes has been dubbed a “diva” by team boss Toto Wolff, as it often mysteriously underperforms. “The concept may have come to the end of its development,” an engineer is quoted as saying by […]
McLaren Indycar team ‘years’ away – Brown
Oct.17 (GMM) “Years” will pass before McLaren fields a team in the full Indycar season. That is the view of the British team’s executive Zak Brown. This year, McLaren paired with existing Indycar outfit Andretti to field Fernando Alonso in the Indy 500. But with the team expecting to be more competitive in F1 with […]
Sponsor to switch F1 teams with Sainz
Oct.17 (GMM) A sponsor looks set to follow Carlos Sainz from Toro Rosso to Renault. This weekend in Austin will mark the start of Sainz’s new assignment at the French works team, ahead of a full season with Renault in 2018. The Spaniard’s new teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, is looking forward to it. “Carlos is a […]
Honda relationship ‘difficult’ with Alonso – boss
Oct.17 (GMM) Yusuke Hasegawa admits some of his colleagues at Honda did not appreciate Fernando Alonso’s forthright criticism. After three uncompetitive and unreliable years, the McLaren-Honda partnership will be disbanded after next month’s 2017 finale in Abu Dhabi. Honda F1 boss Hasegawa admits it was three years of high pressure, with Spaniard Alonso applying some […]
Kvyat’s F1 return could be one-off – rumour
Oct.17 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat’s F1 return this weekend could be fleeting. The Russian was recently stepped down by Toro Rosso team owner Red Bull, making way for the debut of Frenchman Pierre Gasly. But as Gasly heads to Japan this weekend to fight for the Super Formula title, Kvyat is returning to action. He will […]
Hamilton-Vettel duel to resume in 2018 – Berger
Oct.16 (GMM) Gerhard Berger is predicting a “big battle” between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel for the 2018 championship. The former F1 driver’s prediction comes as the tension in this year’s title battle fizzles, following Ferrari and Vettel’s horror three-race tour through Asia. But Berger says Vettel should not consider himself “a loser”. “Vettel should […]
Schumacher family should tell ‘truth’ – Weber
Oct.16 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s former manager thinks the family of the F1 legend should come clean with his millions of fans. Almost four years after the seven time world champion’s skiing crash, almost nothing is known about the extent of the now 48-year-old’s brain injuries. Concurrently, there are unconfirmed rumours Schumacher will be moved from […]
Mayor says Pirelli wants to buy Interlagos
Oct.16 (GMM) Pirelli could be looking to buy the Brazilian grand prix venue at Interlagos. That is the claim of the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, following a visit to Milan of Sao Paulo mayor Joao Doria. Doria reportedly met with Marco Tronchetti Provera, the president of official F1 supplier Pirelli, an Italian […]
Liberty ‘don’t want me at races’ – Ecclestone
Oct.16 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says Liberty Media is not making him welcome at grands prix. F1’s long-time supremo has attended a handful of races this year, after being stepped down as chief executive by his successor Chase Carey. “Chase sent a message to one of the girls in the office to tell me that they […]
McLaren needs time to catch Red Bull – Boullier
Oct.16 (GMM) McLaren will need some time to catch up with the top Renault-powered team in F1. That is the claim of boss Eric Boullier, as the British team prepares to switch from Honda to customer Renault power for 2018. Fernando Alonso, who is yet to sign a contract for next year, has said it […]
Bottas must ‘believe’ he can catch up – Coulthard
Oct.16 (GMM) Former F1 driver David Coulthard has urged Valtteri Bottas to “work hard” to get back on terms with his teammate. Not long after joining Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this year, Finn Bottas appeared strong and he won in Russia and Austria. But more recently, the 28-year-old has slumped. “I experienced the same sort […]
Vettel can still win 2017 title – Susie Wolff
Oct.13 (GMM) Susie Wolff thinks the race for the world championship is still “open”. That is despite the fact that Lewis Hamilton, who drives for the team run by Wolff’s husband Toto, has a huge 59-point lead over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Former Williams driver Wolff, 34, admits Mercedes’ Hamilton is in good form. “Lewis is […]
Alonso says still ‘no decision’ over F1 future
Oct.13 (GMM) The F1 world is still waiting to hear if Fernando Alonso will still be on the grid in 2018. Following the McLaren-Honda split, it is expected the Spaniard will stay at the newly Renault-powered British team next year. But Alonso’s self-imposed September contract deadline has long expired. Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo quotes him […]
‘Mentor’ tips Hartley to accept Toro Rosso seat
Oct.13 (GMM) New Zealander Brendon Hartley is expected to be drafted into Toro Rosso’s lineup for a one-off appearance next weekend in Austin. We reported on Tuesday this week that, at 2018 Honda partner Honda’s request, Pierre Gasly will skip the US grand prix in order to fight for the Super Formula title. “We cannot […]
Hulkenberg expects new teammate Sainz to be ‘fast’
Oct.13 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he expects his new Renault teammate to be “fast”. Departing Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz, who will be paired with German Hulkenberg full-time from next year, will get an early start at Renault in the last four races of 2017. Hulkenberg told Auto Motor und Sport: “I only know him […]
Williams to keep Kubica test news ‘private’ – Lowe
Oct.12 (GMM) Williams is not releasing information about Robert Kubica’s test that took place at Silverstone this week. All a spokesman for the British team would say about the Pole’s run in a 2014 car was that it had been “successful”. “We will not be releasing any further information at this time,” the spokesman said. […]
Spanish woman to fix Ferrari ‘quality’ – report
Oct.12 (GMM) Ferrari has appointed a Spanish woman to help “fix” car reliability problems that have marred the team’s push for the 2017 title. In the Sepang-Suzuka double header, Sebastian Vettel suffered car problems that now strand him a whopping 59 points behind Lewis Hamilton with four races go go. “We need to renew our […]
Wolff, Lauda not celebrating Hamilton title yet
Oct.12 (GMM) Mercedes’ two team bosses are refusing to celebrate the 2017 title yet. With just four races to go, Lewis Hamilton now has a commanding 59 point lead in the world championship over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. But team boss Toto Wolff told Sport Bild: “Something is certain only when it cannot be another way. […]