Nov.22 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has admitted he needs to again “prove” he deserves the Mercedes seat he occupies. The Finn had a solid start to 2017 in retired Nico Rosberg’s wake and was re-signed for 2018, but he slumped in the second half of the season. “The season has been tough,” Bottas admitted to The […]
Month: November 2017
Force India will not be ‘Force One’ in 2018
Nov.22 (GMM) Force India chiefs has abandoned plans to rename the team ‘Force One’ for 2018. Earlier, the Silverstone based team said it wanted to drop the ‘India’ from its name in order to attract a more international profile. But Force One has been ruled out, ostensibly by F1 commercial rights holder Liberty Media. “The […]
Williams denies Kubica deal done
Nov.22 (GMM) Williams has denied reports Robert Kubica is definitely returning to F1 with the British team next year. Earlier, multiple authoritative sources said the Pole’s comeback has now been definitively agreed, with Kubica perhaps having signed a two-year deal. But a Williams spokesperson told us: “Although conversations are ongoing with Kubica, it is still […]
Hartley not worried about Honda switch
Nov.21 (GMM) Brendon Hartley says he is looking forward to switching from Renault to Honda power for 2018. Since joining Toro Rosso late this year, the Le Mans winner has been struggling for laps due to constant Renault reliability issues. New Zealander Hartley says he is therefore not worried about moving to McLaren’s troubled works […]
McLaren’s Norris to make F2 debut in Abu Dhabi
Nov.21 (GMM) Lando Norris will make his Formula 2 debut in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Recently, McLaren said the 18-year-old will replace Jenson Button as the official reserve driver in 2018. And he looks set to split that role with a full season of racing in Formula 2 or Super Formula in Japan. For now, […]
Hamilton unsure Vandoorne is future champion
Nov.21 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he is not sure if Stoffel Vandoorne can become a world champion. Hamilton won his fourth crown in 2017, but many consider Belgian Vandoorne as a potential title contender of the future. “I cannot say that about other drivers,” the Mercedes driver told the Belgian news agency Sporza. “I don’t […]
Doornbos ‘happy to see Kubica back in F1’
Nov.21 (GMM) Robert Kubica’s return to F1 next year is now set in stone. That is the claim of the broadcaster RTL GP, echoing other sources including France’s Canal Plus that claim the Pole has now inked a Williams contract for 2018. RTL GP says the 32-year-old’s contract is for 2018 and 2019. Former F1 […]
F1 to replace official logo
Nov.21 (GMM) F1 looks set to change its official logo for 2018. Since sweeping into the paddock and ousting long-time supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Liberty Media has been making changes. Forbes’ business F1 correspondent Christian Sylt said the next forthcoming change is the arrival of former Fox Sports executive David Hill. And among his touted changes […]
Renault ‘should be better’ in 2018 – Verstappen
Nov.21 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is not sure how competitive his Red Bull will be in 2018. The Dutchman is in strong form at present, after a shaky start to the new chassis regulations for Red Bull. But the team wants to come out swinging early next year. “It’s still difficult to say what […]
Alonso can win Le Mans on debut – Gene
Nov.21 (GMM) Former F1 driver Marc Gene thinks Fernando Alonso can win next year’s Le Mans on debut. Although a deal is not yet done, Alonso’s test for the only remaining car manufacturer in the world endurance championship – Toyota – indicates that a 2018 seat is likely. Asked if his fellow Spaniard can win […]
Grosjean happy to ‘grow up’ with Haas
Nov.21 (GMM) Romain Grosjean says he is happy at Haas. The Frenchman is often heard complaining about his car on the radio, but he is set to race for the new American team for the third consecutive season in 2018. “We’re growing up together,” Grosjean, 31, told RMC as he talked about his forthcoming cook […]
2021 plan will not entice new engine makers – Abiteboul
Nov.21 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul doubts Liberty’s proposed engine formula for 2021 will entice independent manufacturers onto the grid. One stated aim of the new rules is to allow the likes of Aston Martin, Cosworth, Ilmor or others to be able to enter formula one. But Renault boss Abiteboul doubts the plan will work. “If the […]
Mayor says Sao Paulo not losing grand prix
Nov.20 (GMM) Sao Paulo mayor Joao Doria has dismissed as “speculation” reoprts Interlagos is set to lose the Brazilian grand prix. A cloud was already over the race’s future even before a spate of violent robbery incidents marred the recent 2017 edition. But after that, the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper claimed Florianopolis had been earmarked […]
Alonso admits eyeing Le Mans ‘future’
Nov.20 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he is willing to talk about “the future” with regards to a potential Le Mans foray. Amid rumours he will do the fabled 24 hour endurance race next year, the Spaniard tested Toyota’s LMP1 prototype in Bahrain at the weekend. “Such a car is not only fast but also very […]
Wolff worried about Liberty’s F1 vision
Nov.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff has now joined Niki Lauda in saying he is worried about F1’s future. Lauda, who co-owns the Mercedes team together with Wolff and the German carmaker, recently said he is concerned about Liberty’s vision of the sport’s future. He now tells Brazil’s Globo: “We had to give them time to identify […]
Lauda, Wolff want Hamilton to stay
Nov.20 (GMM) Mercedes has admitted it wants to keep Lewis Hamilton beyond 2018. Some media sources claim the new quadruple world champion is demanding a pay-rise for a new contract in 2019 and beyond. Niki Lauda, the team chairman, thinks Hamilton has driven perfectly this year. “This year, Lewis won the championship for Mercedes, it’s […]
Hartley had 2018 contract for ‘weeks’
Nov.20 (GMM) Brendon Hartley says he has known for “several weeks” that he will be driving for Toro Rosso next year. Earlier, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and the New Zealander insisted they did not know who would drive for the energy drink company’s junior team in 2018. Hartley and Pierre Gasly have now been confirmed. […]
Gov’t not involved in Dutch GP bid yet
Nov.20 (GMM) Dutch sports minister Bruno Bruins says the government will “wait” before getting involved in a grand prix bid. Last week, a feasibility study concluded that there is “no reason” why Zandvoort should not host F1 in the future. But the source Dutch News reports that Bruins told parliament that the study was merely […]
Renault wants to keep same engines in 2021
Nov.20 (GMM) Renault cannot approve of Liberty Media’s vision for the 2021 engine formula until other aspects of the future are also clear. That is the claim of Cyril Abiteboul, the Renault team boss who said he joins Mercedes and Ferrari in currently opposing the plan for substantially different engines. “What we have been presented […]
Hamilton leaves Verstappen ‘perplexed’
Nov.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton’s off-track behaviour often leaves him “perplexed”. The Red Bull driver told De Telegraaf newspaper that over the course of the last year, he began using social media less and less. “I don’t follow many drivers on social media,” Verstappen revealed. “I follow Daniel (Ricciardo). And Lewis. And Pierre […]