Jan.9 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull is expecting to take engine penalties in 2019. The team is confident as it switches from customer Renault power to a new works engine partnership with Honda. Marko says Honda has already overtaken Renault, but a gap remains to Mercedes and Ferrari. To close that gap, Honda […]
Month: January 2019
Hartley’s father slams Ferrari ‘rumours’
Jan.8 (GMM) Brendon Hartley’s father has slammed “rumours” the ousted Toro Rosso racer will become a simulator driver for Ferrari. After a year on the grid, Le Mans winner Hartley has lost his place in Red Bull’s F1 programme but remains in Porsche’s motor racing stable. However, Italy’s Corriere dello Sport reported this week that […]
Hospital says Lauda to be released ‘next week’
Jan.8 (GMM) Niki Lauda is scheduled to be released from hospital next week. It’s a shot of good news after the Mercedes team chairman was re-admitted to intensive care in a Vienna hospital shortly after New Year, having contracted influenza A. The 69-year-old F1 legend had been holidaying in Ibiza following his long recovery from […]
Perez a good comparison for Stroll – Dumontier
Jan.8 (GMM) Sergio Perez will be a good benchmark for Lance Stroll at the team formerly known as Force India in 2019. That is the view of Francois Dumontier, promoter of the Canadian grand prix at Montreal. 20-year-old Stroll, the son of Canadian billionaire and new team owner Lawrence Stroll, was born in Montreal. Dumontier […]
Mekies favourite to replace Ferrari’s Binotto
Jan.8 (GMM) Laurent Mekies has emerged as the favourite to replace Mattia Binotto as Ferrari’s technical boss. After a long power struggle, Binotto has been announced as the new Ferrari team principal, replacing the ousted Maurizio Arrivabene. “The decision was taken after lengthy discussions related to Maurizio’s long term personal interests”, part of the Ferrari […]
Brawn eyes ‘solutions’ to Schumacher injuries
Jan.7 (GMM) Ross Brawn is confident there will be “solutions” to Michael Schumacher’s brain injuries in the future. The F1 sporting boss is a close friend of F1 legend Schumacher, whose family is keeping the health condition of the seven time world champion secret. Brawn says Schumacher’s wife Corinna and children Mick and Gina-Maria have […]
Ferrari to sign new simulator drivers – Vettel
Jan.7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is sure Ferrari will sign up some good new drivers for its simulator. The Maranello team has lost its 2018 development drivers Antonio Giovinazzi to Sauber and Daniil Kvyat to Toro Rosso. “I’m not a big fan of the simulator,” race driver Vettel is quoted by Corriere dello Sport, “but it […]
Marko plays down early trouble at Honda
Jan.7 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down reports of trouble at Red Bull’s new works engine partner Honda. Auto Bild reports that Honda and an Austrian technical partner, Avl, have split due to a disagreement between engineers. Red Bull’s Marko confirmed the split, and also that Honda and ex-Mercedes engine chief Mario Illien are […]
Zandvoort mayor wants F1 race
Jan.7 (GMM) Zandvoort mayor Niek Meijer says he wants the Dutch town to host formula one. Earlier, it was reported that Liberty Media was open to the Zandvoort circuit once again organising a grand prix from 2020. “Formula one can count on great support in our country. That has already been demonstrated,” said mayor Meijer. […]
Sainz wants ‘several years’ stay at McLaren
Jan.7 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he wants to stay at McLaren longer than his current two-year contract. The Spaniard arrives at McLaren – the once-great and now struggling British outfit that has lost Fernando Alonso – from the Renault works team. “I want to see better results than in 2018,” Sainz told Marca sports newspaper. […]
Lauda back in intensive care
Jan.7 (GMM) Niki Lauda is back in intensive care. The F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman had been holidaying in Ibiza following his long recovery from a life-saving lung transplant operation. But according to Kronen Zeitung newspaper, 69-year-old Lauda had to fly back to Vienna after contracting a serious flu illness. The newspaper cited “sources” […]
Verstappen slams F1 ‘keyboard warriors’
Jan.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen thinks “keyboard warriors” get too much attention in formula one. The Dutchman ended 2018 as one of the strongest drivers overall, but early on he faced a barrage of criticism for a series of mistakes. “I have absolutely become more mature,” Verstappen told De Telegraaf newspaper, “but over the years that’s […]
Formula E-F1 merger ‘would be great’ – Vergne
Jan.4 (GMM) Formula E continues to shape up as a major single seater series of the future. The latest driver to take the all-electric category seriously is Sergey Sirotkin, who will test in Morocco later this month. “Formula E is now one of the most rapidly developing championships. The competition here is at very high […]
McLaren ‘hard at work’ on 2019 car – Brown
Jan.4 (GMM) Yet another team has announced a mid February launch date for its 2019 car. Ferrari, Force India and Renault came first, and now McLaren has scheduled a reveal for its new car in the days immediately prior to winter testing. “Some cars are red, others are blue, on Valentine’s Day, we’ll reveal ours […]
Ricciardo information will help Renault – Hulkenberg
Jan.4 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo could give Renault a technical boost in 2019. That is the view of Nico Hulkenberg, the existing driver for the French works outfit who will be former Red Bull driver Ricciardo’s teammate this year. “Us drivers are not engineers and certainly not aerodynamicists,” German Hulkenberg told Auto Motor und Sport. “He […]
Comeback success depends on Williams car – Kubica
Jan.3 (GMM) Robert Kubica has admitted the success of his return to formula one depends on the competitiveness of Williams’ 2019 car. After an eight-year absence due to injuries that have left his right arm permanently disabled, the 34-year-old Pole is returning to the grid this year. However, his comeback will be at the wheel […]
Schumacher friends stay silent about health condition
Jan.3 (GMM) Those closest to Michael Schumacher have defended the family’s decision to refuse to divulge information about the F1 legend’s health status. Schumacher, the seven time world champion, turns 50 on Thursday amid almost complete secrecy about the extent of brain injuries he sustained in a 2013 skiing fall. On the occasion of his […]
Manager warned Schumacher against F1 return
Jan.2 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s former manager says he advised the seven time world champion against returning to F1 in 2010. Schumacher, who turns 50 this week, retired in 2006 but made a comeback with the then bourgeoning Mercedes works team three years later. But the great German was without his long-time manager Willi Weber for […]
Verstappen ‘won’t miss Ricciardo’ as teammate
Jan.2 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he will not miss having Daniel Ricciardo as a teammate in 2019. Australian Ricciardo shocked both Red Bull and the wider motor racing world by switching for this year to Renault. “Personally I won’t miss him,” Verstappen told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper, “but he was fun and pleasant to have as […]
No contract offer for Schumacher yet – Wolff
Jan.2 (GMM) Mercedes has not offered Mick Schumacher a place in its driver development programme. According to speculation, F1’s top two teams – Mercedes and Ferrari – are vying to get the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher under contract. Bild am Sonntag newspaper asked Mercedes boss Toto Wolff if Schumacher, the reigning European F3 […]