Feb.11 (GMM) Carmen Jorda has hit back at a former F1 colleague, following an accusation that her presence at Renault caused him to quit the sport. Marco Sorensen, recently a test driver at the Enstone based team, told Ekstra Bladet newspaper this week that he felt “violated” because Jorda, a female team development driver, was […]
Category: Recent stories
Wehrlein confirms Manor race seat
Feb.10 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has confirmed reports he will make his F1 debut with Manor in 2016. Earlier, the major German newspaper Bild reported that the deal between the Mercedes junior and the newly Mercedes-powered backmarker team is now done. The 21-year-old German, Mercedes reserve and reigning DTM champion confirmed to Sport Bild: “Toto Wolff […]
Maldonado says F1 exit a ‘bolt from the blue’
Feb.10 (GMM) Pastor Maldonado has revealed his eleventh-hour ousting at Renault hit him like “a bolt from the blue”. The Venezuelan, replaced for 2016 by former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen, confirmed that his F1 adventure came to an end due to problems with his PDVSA sponsorship. “The situation changed dramatically within a few hours and […]
Villeneuve reveals F1 career mistakes
Feb.10 (GMM) 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has admitted to making a couple of mistakes during his formula one career. “I don’t regret anything,” he told the French magazine Auto Hebdo. “My only mistake was to renew the contract with BAR (in 2002) when I had an offer from Renault,” the French Canadian revealed. Had […]
Schumacher staying in F4 this year – report
Feb.10 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s son will delay his move into the highly-competitive European F3 series for at least another year. That is the claim of Germany’s Sport Bild, revealing that 16-year-old Mick will instead spend another full year in the formative single seater category Formula 4. It is believed, however, that young Schumacher will combine […]
F1’s ‘glorious days’ are now – Andretti
Feb.10 (GMM) Mario Andretti has counted himself out of the constant criticism of modern formula one. The F1 legend and 1978 world champion raced in the glorious era between the late 60s and the early 80s, but he stops short of saying it was F1’s best period. “There will always be those who say ‘The […]
Wehrlein to race with Manor in 2016 – Bild
Feb.10 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein will make his F1 debut for Manor this year. That is the claim on Wednesday of the major German daily Bild Zeitung, referring to the Mercedes reserve driver and reigning DTM champion. Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has admitted to negotiating with the newly Mercedes-powered backmarker team about a seat for Wehrlein […]
Wehrlein admits Manor deal for one year
Feb.10 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein on Wednesday admitted his Manor race deal is for one season only. “I have a one year contract here,” he told Speed Week at the team’s Banbury (UK) headquarters, ahead of a seat fitting in the new Mercedes-powered MRT05 car. 21-year-old Wehrlein, the Mercedes reserve and youngest ever DTM champion, is […]
Grosjean enjoys simulator run in 2016 Haas car
Feb.10 (GMM) Romain Grosjean says he enjoyed his first run at the wheel of Haas’ 2016 car — in the virtual world. The Frenchman told the sports daily L’Equipe that, two weeks before the real version gets up and running, he drove the new American team’s first car in the simulator. “The feeling was quite […]
Petrov eyes F1 future for Russian team
Feb.10 (GMM) F1 could have a Russian team in the not-too-distant future. Former Renault and Caterham driver Vitaly Petrov, who was the first Russian to race in formula one, will this year return to action in Le Mans’ LMP2 prototype class, driving for SMP Racing. SMP is a Russian bank, and Petrov said of the […]
Briatore changes face with plastic surgery
Feb.10 (GMM) Flavio Briatore is a radically changed man, according to the latest gossip reports emerging from Italy. Chi, an Italian gossip magazine, has published paparazzi photographs of the former Renault chief looking not only markedly thinner, but with a noticeably changed face. The flamboyant 65-year-old Italian, ejected from F1 amid a race-fixing scandal and […]
Magnussen set to split with manager
Feb.9 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen and his long-time manager Dorte Riis Madsen are set to split, according to the Danish newspaper BT. The report said it was the young Danish driver, and not his female manager Madsen, who negotiated with Renault and other teams and secured his return to F1 for 2016. It is believed Magnussen, […]
No change to Sauber’s 2016 car plan
Feb.9 (GMM) Sauber is pressing ahead with its plan to begin testing its 2016 car only at the second and final pre-season test next month. The Swiss team announced on Monday that the C35, which will not be in action when official testing begins in Barcelona later in February, has at least passed the FIA […]
Jorda role prompted Sorensen to quit Renault
Feb.9 (GMM) Marco Sorensen says he quit F1’s Enstone team in protest of the status of female development driver Carmen Jorda. Jorda, a former GP3 driver, was controversially appointed by Lotus last year, but it surprised many when it emerged she has kept the role for 2016 in the wake of the Renault takeover. For […]
Renault can win again in future – Briatore
Feb.5 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has wished his old employer well as Renault prepares to return to full works status in formula one this year. The flamboyant Italian was team boss throughout Renault’s most successful era last decade, until the ‘crashgate’ scandal ended his F1 career. When asked about Renault having bought back Enstone to re-start […]
Chris Dyer returns to F1 with Renault
Feb.5 (GMM) Chris Dyer, a well-known former engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen, is returning to F1 after a five year hiatus. The Australian lost his job as chief track engineer at Ferrari after a bungled race strategy cost Fernando Alonso the drivers’ title at the 2010 season finale. More recently, he has been […]
Friday outings possible for Ocon
Feb.5 (GMM) Esteban Ocon may get some Friday practice outings in 2016. ‘On loan’ to Renault after re-signing with Mercedes’ driver development scheme late last year, the 19-year-old reigning GP3 champion will be the official third driver in 2016. And the Frenchman could get some free practice outings in the new Renault in 2016, managing […]
2016 Renault car ‘conservative’ – Abiteboul
Feb.5 (GMM) Renault will walk a fine line between improving the 2016 car and preparing for the opportunity presented by next year’s radically different rules. “2017 will be important for us,” agreed new team boss Frederic Vasseur. “The regulations will change significantly, which for us will be an important opportunity.” Having taken over Lotus at […]
McLaren-Honda must be better in 2016 – Prost
Feb.5 (GMM) Alain Prost thinks McLaren-Honda will have a better season in 2016. The quadruple world champion and F1 legend was in Paris earlier this week for the Renault launch. It had been rumoured Prost might take on a direct managerial role at Renault this year, but he will instead simply continue to be a […]
Renault not surprised by Marko comments
Feb.5 (GMM) Renault says it is not surprised by comments made recently by Dr Helmut Marko. After a long period of tension between Red Bull and its engine supplier, they will effectively be competitors in 2016 after Renault took over the Lotus team. Red Bull, now effectively a paying customer, will still be powered by […]