Jul.31 (GMM) Renault claims to have broken the four-digit horsepower barrier with its improved 2019 engine. That is despite the fact that, just two weeks ago, a Mercedes engineer denied that even the championship-winning engine has broken through 1000 horsepower. “No, not even Ferrari,” the engineer told Auto Motor und Sport. But Renault’s engine boss […]
Category: Recent stories
Boss admits Hulkenberg crash timing bad
Jul.30 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg’s crash out of the German GP coincides with “important discussions” about his future. That is the news from team boss Cyril Abiteboul, who says he and other Renault team members had “tears in our eyes” when Hulkenberg slid off the wet Hockenheim circuit and lost his first-ever F1 podium. “You have […]
Vettel, Hamilton, plead for German GP rescue
Jul.30 (GMM) F1’s top drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton are pleading with the sport to keep Hockenheim on the calendar. It seems that both Barcelona and Hockenheim could be missing from the 2020 schedule in order to make room for new races at Zandvoort and Vietnam. “We just had a great race and it […]
Masi clears Hockenheim after wet race crashes
Jul.30 (GMM) F1 race director has cleared Hockenheim of blame for much of the carnage seen during the wet German GP. Top drivers including Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg all crashed last Sunday. Leclerc said the ice-rink style grip in the runoff where he crashed was “unacceptable”, even though he insisted: […]
Bad weekend was ‘karma’ for Mercedes – Wolff
Jul.30 (GMM) The F1 world may never again see Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team wear fancy dress. The German carmaker kept this year’s Hockenheim race on the calendar by sponsoring it, and took the opportunity to use a special livery and dress team members in old-style costume to mark Mercedes’ 125 years in motor […]
No Red Bull return for Kvyat in 2019
Jul.29 (GMM) Red Bull has ruled out replacing Pierre Gasly with on-form former team driver Dannil Kvyat before the end of the season. That is despite the fact that Russian Kvyat on Sunday scored junior team Toro Rosso’s first podium finish since Sebastian Vettel won at Monza in 2008. “It was a horror movie with […]
Haas hints at ‘change’ in driver situation
Jul.29 (GMM) As the team’s driver crisis continues, Haas boss Gunther Steiner insists “something has to change”. After Silverstone, where Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen collided for the third time in 2019, Steiner’s fury prompted rumours that Grosjean could be axed. Then, during the sensational wet German GP, they collided again. “Something has to change,” […]
Verstappen camp not ruling out 2019 title
Jul.29 (GMM) Max Verstappen has played down his chances of winning the 2019 title. However, the Dutchman and Red Bull-Honda are clearly on the ascendance, having won two of the last three grands prix, including Sunday’s sensational wet race at Hockenheim. 2019 had looked to be turning into a Lewis Hamilton whitewash, but Verstappen’s successes […]
Mercedes will not rescue 2020 German GP
Jul.29 (GMM) Mercedes is not going to save the German GP. When Hockenheim also looked doomed a year ago, the German carmaker and multiple reigning championship winner stepped in with key sponsorship that was impossible to not notice at the 2019 race. Mercedes’ naming sponsor advertising was all over the circuit, and the team used […]
Binotto’s Vettel comments ‘brutal’ – Rosberg
Jul.28 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has described Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s latest comments about Sebastian Vettel as “brutal”. Earlier at Hockenheim, Binotto was asked about Vettel’s career slump at Ferrari. “How can we help him?” the Italian told RTL. “By being open and honest with him. “By making it clear — we expect more from him. […]
Hockenheim could be stand-by race for 2020
Jul.28 (GMM) Hockenheim’s best chance of staying on the F1 calendar is if the projects in Vietnam or Zandvoort falter. FIA president Jean Todt said at the scene of probably the last German GP for now that the country “should have a grand prix”. “It is probably the country with the greatest knowledge of building […]
Magnussen also wants to drive old Haas car
Jul.28 (GMM) Haas’ two race drivers are lobbying for the return of the team’s Melbourne specification car. The American team got off to a flying start in 2019, but more recently has struggled to make Pirelli’s controversial tyres work. Although his place at Haas is reportedly in danger, Romain Grosjean was behind the proposal to […]
Wolff prepared to let Ocon join rival team
Jul.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he is ready to let Mercedes reserve Esteban Ocon leave the team at the end of 2019. Frenchman Ocon, a top member of Mercedes’ development programme, lost his Force India seat at the end of last year but is now being strongly linked with a 2020 return. The 22-year-old is […]
Ocon was ‘ready’ to replace sick Hamilton
Jul.28 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he was ready to step into Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes ahead of qualifying at Hockenheim. The German team put its French reserve driver on standby on Saturday after Hamilton called in sick with a sore throat. “I was on the way to the track,” Frenchman Ocon told L’Equipe. “It was 11.40. […]
Vettel ‘deserves respect’ – Todt
Jul.28 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt has leapt to the defence of Sebastian Vettel. At Hockenheim, Vettel was forced to deny rumours that amid his current career ‘crisis’ at Ferrari, he might quit Formula 1 prematurely. “He is one of the best drivers in the world and a four-time world champion who deserves respect,” Todt […]
F1 may reduce budget cap number in future – Todt
Jul.28 (GMM) Formula 1 will look to reduce the budget cap figure that will be introduced in 2021. FIA president Jean Todt admitted at Hockenheim that only Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will be affected by the $175 million figure that excludes costs including driver salaries. “I would have preferred a lower number,” the Frenchman […]
Stewards took ‘new direction’ in Austria – Warwick
Jul.28 (GMM) A Formula 1 steward has contradicted race director Michael Masi’s claim that officials have not become more lenient with the drivers. Last week, Masi – who early in 2019 replaced Charlie Whiting following his death – denied that FIA stewards were more lenient than usual at Silverstone. Hailed as one of the most […]
Ocon set to kick off driver market – Steiner
Jul.27 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is the key to the 2020 driver silly season. That is the view of Gunther Steiner, who admits that after Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen collided again at Silverstone recently, Haas’ next lineup is being considered. “I was very angry and I was right,” Haas boss Steiner told Sky Italia at […]
Boss admits Renault may re-sign Hulkenberg
Jul.27 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul has hinted that Renault would like to re-sign Nico Hulkenberg for 2020. The German driver is out of contract at the end of the season, and has been linked with a potential move to Haas. According to the rumours, Hulkenberg could be replaced by Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who has confirmed that […]
Barcelona denies 2020 Spanish GP deal done
Jul.27 (GMM) Barcelona has denied reports that it has rescued the embattled Spanish GP for 2020. It was believed that Hockenheim and Barcelona would be axed in order to make room for new races in Vietnam and Zandvoort next year. But the Catalan newspaper Diari Ara claims that the Generalitat de Catalunya – the regional […]