May 3 (GMM) Chase Carey says he would commit F1 to the Barcelona circuit “almost forever”. But that doesn’t mean a new contract will be agreed between the organisers of the current Spanish grand prix and F1 owner Liberty Media. “It’s not the only circuit in Spain,” F1 chief executive Carey told Spanish reporters in […]
Category: Recent stories
Magnussen clarifies ‘I will die’ quote
May 3 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has clarified reports that said he is prepared to “die” in a F1 car. The Dane already had a reputation among his rivals as a ‘bad boy’. Then, Pierre Gasly said Magnussen is “the most dangerous guy I have ever raced with” after a 320kph brush with the Haas driver […]
Cars too complex for F1 telemetry ban – Alonso
May 3 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has hit back at suggestions F1 should ban telemetry. It has been suggested banning telemetry will move the sport closer to the purity of MotoGP, where riders are essentially alone to manage their own races. But Alonso warned: “They first would have to make the cars simpler. “That’s not possible […]
Budkowski attended first race for Renault
May 3 (GMM) Marcin Budkowski attended his first grand prix in Renault colours at Baku. Earlier, Renault’s signing of the Pole was highly controversial, as the French marque poached him from a leading technical position at the FIA. “I chose a quiet race to make my debut with Renault,” Budkowski smiled to Auto Motor und […]
Verstappen ‘too impatient’ in 2018 – Perez
May 3 (GMM) Sergio Perez says Max Verstappen’s struggles at Red Bull this year seem very familiar. In 2013, Mexican Perez was signed by McLaren but he was let go after a single season. “My time at McLaren hurt me,” Perez is quoted by Speed Week. “I made too many mistakes because I was impatient,” […]
Teams hit out at fuel allowance increase
May 3 (GMM) Some F1 teams have hit out at the FIA’s decision to increase the in-race fuel allowance for 2019. To stop drivers from needing to ‘lift and coast’ and save duel during races next year, the fuel allowance is increasing from 105 to 110kg. “It’s a strange decision,” Williams technical boss Paddy Lowe […]
Raikkonen lost 3.2kg over winter – trainer
May 3 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen’s trainer has confirmed that the Ferrari driver dropped weight over the winter. The Finn recently dismissed a reporter who noticed that the 38-year-old was looking slimmer and fitter in 2018. But Raikkonen’s long time physio Mark Arnall admitted: “The winter season this year was about getting Kimi’s weight down. “This […]
Miami to have ‘no impact’ on Canada GP
May 3 (GMM) Canada GP promoter Francois Dumontier has played down the impact another F1 race in North America will have on the Montreal event. It has emerged that Liberty Media and prospective promoters of a street race in Miami, Florida, are nearing a decision about whether to organise an event for 2019. “The Commission […]
Le Mans will make Alonso ‘tired’ – Hartley
May 2 (GMM) Brendon Hartley is expecting Fernando Alonso to be “pretty tired” as his split duties between F1 and Le Mans racing kick off. Spaniard Alonso is already at Spa Francorchamps, where at the weekend he will begin his adventure racing for Toyota in the world endurance championship. Last year, now Toro Rosso driver […]
Another crash will mean team orders – Marko
May 2 (GMM) Red Bull may consider imposing team orders if Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collide again. After Baku, bosses Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko were furious, but said they remained committed for now to always letting the team’s drivers race. But Marko now tells Sport Bild: “At the next collision, we will […]
Rosberg says 2019 car changes ‘important’
May 2 (GMM) Nico Rosberg and Ross Brawn have hailed the news emerging from Paris. The FIA announced that, after a World Motor Sport Council fax vote, stakeholders including the F1 teams voted to approve car changes for 2019 designed to improve overtaking. The new changes are in addition to an extra allowance in fuel […]
Baku will boost Leclerc’s confidence – boss
May 2 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur has hailed the performance of Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc in Baku. After a difficult start to 2018, the much feted Ferrari junior and reigning Formula 2 champion finally broke through with an impressive run to sixth place. Asked if the performance surprised him, Sauber boss Vasseur told Auto Hebdo: “No. […]
Verstappen admits ‘too eager’ in Baku
May 1 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted both he and teammate Daniel Ricciardo may have been “eager” to go wheel to wheel in Baku. The pair were slammed by their furious Red Bull bosses after crashing out of Sunday’s Azerbaijan race. Many think Ricciardo was to blame as he rear-ended Verstappen, but F1 legend Niki […]
Media gives Bottas boost after Baku
May 1 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has been given a boost by one of the most respected newspapers in formula one. Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport gave the Finn the highest ranking of all the drivers in Baku — 8 out of 10, equalled only by the impressive Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc. That is despite the […]
Denmark GP officials meet in Baku
Apr.30 (GMM) Denmark is still inching its way towards the F1 calendar. Organisers of a proposed street race in Copenhagen met with the boss of Azerbaijan’s similar city grand prix at the weekend. “We had a meeting on Friday with the head of Azerbaijan’s grand prix,” Helge Sander, who had travelled to Baku with Lars […]
Vettel upbeat despite losing title lead
Apr.30 (GMM) Although losing the championship lead to Lewis Hamilton in Baku, Sebastian Vettel was the more upbeat driver. Indeed, while Hamilton’s won the race, it was only because Vettel’s late overtaking move for the win failed. And also because Valtteri Bottas, in the other Mercedes, retired from the lead with a puncture. Hamilton, on […]
Boullier plays down McLaren ‘B’ car hopes
Apr.30 (GMM) Eric Boullier has played down hopes a reported ‘B’ car for Spain could be a silver bullet for McLaren. The British team has struggled so far in 2018 despite having switched from Honda to Renault power. Now, reports suggest the car changes will be so significant for Barcelona next month that it might […]
Drivers should pay for Red Bull crash – Lauda
Apr.30 (GMM) Red Bull’s drivers should have to pay for the damage to their cars after colliding in Baku. That is the view of Niki Lauda, whose fellow Mercedes chief Toto Wolff said after the clash on Sunday that F1 drivers “sometimes go too far”. “I’ve been in Christian (Horner’s) position,” Wolff said after Daniel […]
FIA says 2018 Ferrari car ‘not illegal’
Apr.29 (GMM) The FIA has declared Ferrari’s 2018 car “100 per cent” legal. Earlier, it emerged that F1’s governing body had been in touch with the Maranello team amid suspicions Ferrari is using special engine maps to blow exhaust to the rear wing. It came amid other reports that a mysterious extra lever had been […]
Renault to push for Sainz to stay in 2019
Apr.29 (GMM) Renault is shaping up to push for Carlos Sainz to stay at the team in 2019. Currently, the fate of the Spanish driver is unclear. Red Bull ‘loaned’ him to Renault for 2018, but could pull him back next year if Daniel Ricciardo leaves the team. At the same time, Sainz is struggling […]