Dec.13 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he does not want to emulate Fernando Alonso in targeting motor racing’s unique ‘triple crown’. As Alonso tackled the Indy 500 last year, the Spaniard revealed that as a former Monaco GP winner, he would like to win Le Mans as well and one day join Graham Hill in completing […]
Category: Recent stories
No desire to fix Rosberg friendship – Hamilton
Dec.13 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he has no desire to fix his relationship with his former teammate Nico Rosberg. As they bitterly fought for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 championships at dominant Mercedes, the former friends became enemies. “They were so bad that they didn’t even say hello in the morning,” Mercedes team chairman and […]
Wolff denies Mercedes eyeing Ocon for 2019
Dec.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down claims Mercedes is already eyeing Valtteri Bottas’ 2019 replacement. Despite a solid start to his first year in silver and securing a new deal for 2018, Bottas is rumoured to have been earmarked for replacement in 2019 by Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon. Team boss Wolff denies it. “Esteban […]
Mercedes snaps up Ferrari engine boss
Dec.12 (GMM) Former Ferrari engine boss Lorenzo Sassi is heading to arch F1 rival Mercedes. In July, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne confirmed rumours that respected designer Sassi had been either ousted from the F1 team, demoted or promoted. “Sassi is continuing the development of his career. We did it with Cardile as well,” he said. […]
Vettel takes blame for ‘unnecessary’ Baku
Dec.12 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted Baku was “the worst moment” in his failed 2017 championship challenge. While Ferrari’s end of season unreliability was arguably more to blame, German Vettel takes full responsibility for having lost his cool and crashed deliberately into Lewis Hamilton during a safety car period in Azerbaijan. “The worst moment was […]
‘Trust’ explains unopposed FIA re-election – Todt
Dec.12 (GMM) Jean Todt says being appointed as FIA president for a third consecutive term was the result of having acquired a position of “trust”. Although former rally driver Ari Vatanen earlier stood against the Frenchman, no candidate tried to unseat 71-year-old Todt this time around. “The FIA community was happy with the candidate and […]
Gasly hopes Honda good enough for points
Dec.12 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says he is hoping Honda’s 2018 engine is good enough for Toro Rosso to score regular points. The Japanese manufacturer struggled so much since returning to F1 in 2015 that McLaren has scrapped the works collaboration in desperation. Honda power now goes to the Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso, and […]
Sirotkin manager says Williams decision ‘close’
Dec.12 (GMM) Robert Kubica has reportedly dropped out of the race to complete Williams’ 2018 driver lineup. While the Pole was earlier tipped as the favourite, authoritative and widespread media sources claim the frontrunner is now in fact former Renault reserve driver Sergey Sirotkin. We reported this week that Russian Sirotkin has the powerful financial […]
Hulkenberg welcomes Sainz challenge
Dec.11 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he is happy rather than worried now that Carlos Sainz is his teammate at Renault. This year, German Hulkenberg was teamed up at the French team with Jolyon Palmer, until the Briton was ousted and replaced with Spaniard Sainz. Hulkenberg says that overall, he is “satisfied” with how 2017 went […]
Even Ferrari partnership ‘has limits’ – Brawn
Dec.11 (GMM) Ross Brawn has ruled out scrapping F1’s plans to replace the current ‘power units’ after 2020. The now F1 sporting boss was once Ferrari’s highly successful technical director, but now he is dealing with the Italian marque’s threat to quit. “I was pretty surprised by these reactions,” he told Auto Bild, also referring […]
New deal close for German F1 broadcaster
Dec.11 (GMM) F1 looks set to remain on free-to-air television in Germany. As the 2017 season ended and Niki Lauda retired as a television pundit, a dark cloud hung over the future of German broadcaster RTL’s F1 deal. But Bild newspaper now reports that talks between RTL and Liberty Media are now essentially done. It […]
Ferrari eyes ‘healthy cigarette’ sponsor – report
Dec.11 (GMM) Ferrari could be about to announce a ‘new’ major sponsor for 2018. Recently, the Spanish bank Santander announced that it is leaving Ferrari and F1. The Spanish newspaper ABC now reports that the signage on the rear wing could be replaced for 2018 with a brand called IQOS. According to ‘invisible’ Ferrari sponsor […]
Raikkonen not judging Liberty Media yet
Dec.11 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he will not judge Liberty Media until the next generation of F1 cars emerges in a few years’ time. Already, top teams are threatening to quit the sport and complaining about declining revenue, even though new owner Liberty says more spectators watched F1 in 2017. Ferrari driver Raikkonen said: “They […]
Williams denies Rowland could get 2018 race seat
Dec.11 (GMM) Williams has denied that Formula 2 star Oliver Rowland is now a late contender to replace Felipe Massa for 2018. With Robert Kubica inching towards the race seat for next year, Rowland threw a spanner in the works by declaring at the weekend: “My team is in talks with Williams. “British car, British […]
McLaren’s sponsor hopes rise after Honda exit – Brown
Dec.11 (GMM) Zak Brown has admitted it was “difficult” for McLaren to convince sponsors to join the British team amid its Honda crisis. After three years with insufficient power and reliability, McLaren has dumped Honda and will use customer Renault power for 2018. Brown, McLaren’s commercial executive, admitted finding sponsors during the Honda period was […]
F1 makes plans for Las Vegas race
Dec.11 (GMM) An official has denied that planning for a F1 race in Las Vegas is obviously racing ahead. With Liberty Media often mentioning the desire for a second annual grand prix in the US, the local Las Vegas Review Journal says the sport has now made a series of trademark applications for Las Vegas […]
‘Extreme pressure’ got to Vettel in 2017 – Hamilton
Dec.8 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton said Sebastian Vettel buckled “under extreme pressure” in 2017. In June, the quadruple world champion was locked in a tight championship battle with Vettel in Azerbaijan, when the Ferrari driver deliberately crashed into him during a safety car period. “Seb showed more nerves this season than before,” Hamilton told Stuttgarter Nachrichten […]
Haas could agree Maserati deal for 2018
Dec.8 (GMM) Haas could link up with the Italian carmaker Maserati for 2018. Days ago, it became official that Ferrari-powered Sauber’s new title sponsor would be Alfa Romeo, a Fiat owned luxury car manufacturer. And now, Italian newspapers including Corriere della Sera say another Fiat brand could now follow Alfa into F1. Fiat Chrysler president […]
Kaltenborn questions decision to oust Wehrlein
Dec.8 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn has questioned Sauber’s decision to oust Pascal Wehrlein. Earlier this year, the Swiss team parted with Kaltenborn and appointed Frederic Vasseur as its new boss. Vasseur has since scrapped Kaltenborn’s decision to switch to Honda power, and replaced German Wehrlein with Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc for 2018. Kaltenborn now tells Auto […]
Gasly recalls near-fatal 2016 crash
Dec.8 (GMM) Pierre Gasly made his F1 debut this year, but he says an event of 2016 was more emotional. He was travelling to Silverstone for the GP2 race with his parents, when the car crashed and rolled. “I was in the back, in the middle. My mother was sitting to my left,” the Toro […]