Jun.19 (GMM) Rumours about a potential eleventh team for 2018 are gaining momentum. The rumours began to swirl recently in the Montreal paddock, including suggestions the new F1 team project was being backed by Chinese investors. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport now has more details, saying the team would be based in Oxfordshire. Red Bull […]
Category: Recent stories
Honda to deliver engine upgrade in Baku – report
Jun.19 (GMM) Honda looks set to deliver a much-needed engine upgrade this weekend in Baku. In Canada just over a week ago, McLaren chiefs admitted their frustration was at boiling point after the team’s hapless Japanese partner failed to deliver the upgrade as scheduled. Honda’s F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa then said he could not promise […]
Whiting gives Imola F1 circuit approval
Jun.19 (GMM) Imola remains on track for a future return to the F1 calendar. Before current Italian GP host Monza’s 2017 deal was signed last year, the now ousted F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone had admitted Imola was in the running to snatch the historic Italian GP. Now, Italy’s authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that […]
Rumour – Williams key to McLaren-Honda split?
Jun.19 (GMM) Williams has emerged as the potential key to fellow British team McLaren’s Honda divorce. Blick newspaper’s veteran correspondent Roger Benoit reports that Williams could drop its customer Mercedes engine deal for 2018 in order to become the new works Honda team. That would clear the way for McLaren and Honda to split, with […]
No Le Mans clash under Chase Carey’s watch
Jun.19 (GMM) F1 and Le Mans appear to be entering a new era of collaboration. At the weekend, new formula one CEO Chase Carey was the honorary official starter of the fabled 24 hour race at Le Mans. But just a year ago, the now ousted F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was accused of having deliberately […]
Rosberg hits back at Wolff, Hamilton reports
Jun.19 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has dismissed comments made by his former boss, Toto Wolff. Last week, as he reflected on the acrimonious relationship between the now retired Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, team boss Wolff told a British newspaper that it was the German who was the main internal protagonist at Mercedes. “I know what Toto […]
‘Zero tension’ with Alonso – Zak Brown
Jun.16 (GMM) Amid the McLaren-Honda crisis, boss Zak Brown insists there is “zero tension” between the great British team and Fernando Alonso. Even with McLaren rumoured to be splitting with its hapless Japanese engine supplier, perhaps within weeks or months, Alonso is openly contemplating a change of team for 2018. “I think Fernando loves the […]
Agag wants Ferrari in Formula E
Jun.16 (GMM) Formula E boss Alejandro Agag has urged F1’s most famous team to enter the all-electric series. This week, FIA president said he is glad Renault is involved in both F1 and Formula E, adding: “I am confident that one day Ferrari will follow suit, and we would like to see that.” Agag agrees. […]
Only ‘the name’ the same at McLaren – de la Rosa
Jun.16 (GMM) The “only thing” that has survived the sweeping change at McLaren in recent years is “the name”. That is the claim of the once-great British team’s former long-time test and reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa. He told AS newspaper: “I don’t know the current McLaren very much. “There are still fantastic people […]
Alonso ‘should leave’ if not enjoying F1 – Massa
Jun.16 (GMM) If Fernando Alonso keeps complaining, the Spaniard should consider leaving formula one. That is the view of his former teammate Felipe Massa, as Alonso reaches a fork in the road of his career after three seasons with the hapless McLaren-Honda project. Alonso, however, also appears disaffected with F1 itself, declaring that if the […]
Engineer says Magnussen like Raikkonen
Jun.16 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen’s race engineer has likened the young Dane’s character to that of Kimi Raikkonen. Giuliano Salvi, who now works alongside Magnussen at Haas, has previously race engineered at Ferrari for the likes of Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and Raikkonen. But he said Magnussen, 24, most reminds him of the Finn. […]
Red Bull drivers ‘cannot end contracts’ – Marko
Jun.15 (GMM) Red Bull has control of the destinies of its F1 drivers. That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, the boss of the energy drink company’s driver programme. At Red Bull Racing, rumours have linked Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen with other teams for 2018, while Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz is obviously keen […]
Mercedes closing up on Ferrari – Bottas
Jun.15 (GMM) Mercedes is closing up on Ferrari in terms of managing Pirelli’s 2017 tyres. That is the claim of Valtteri Bottas, who finished second to his teammate Lewis Hamilton in Montreal. That is despite the fact Ferrari utterly dominated just one race earlier in Monaco, after more consistently getting the most from Pirelli’s tyres […]
Force India considers name change – report
Jun.15 (GMM) Team co-owner and boss Vijay Mallya is considering changing Force India’s name. The former billionaire, who is currently locked in a high profile legal battle with Indian authorities, bought the Spyker team and renamed it Force India ahead of the 2008 season. But La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Mallya called the Silverstone based […]
F1 will never go all-electric – Todt
Jun.15 (GMM) Jean Todt says F1 will never abandon its petrol-based origins and join Formula E as an all-electric powered series. “It’s impossible,” the FIA president told La Presse newspaper. “F1 is an absolutely different discipline,” he insisted. Todt said he is a great supporter and fan of Formula E, but he thinks F1 took […]
Broadcaster says F1 ‘humming’ once again
Jun.15 (GMM) F1 is “humming” once again. That is the positive assessment of Manfred Loppe, the sporting boss of the German free-to-air television broadcaster RTL. After a F1 ratings slump for RTL in recent years, Kolner Express newspaper reports that TV audiences have been up in Germany for all seven races so far in 2017. […]
Honda lagging behind in simulation – Cuquerella
Jun.15 (GMM) A former F1 engineer suspects Honda is lagging behind in the area of simulation. This week, amid intense rumours of a looming split with McLaren, Honda chief Yusuke Hawegawa admitted the engine maker is having trouble with correlation between its test benches and the track. “It may be that they have invested a […]
Wolff backtracks after Rosberg return comments
Jun.15 (GMM) Toto Wolff has backtracked after saying Nico Rosberg might return to F1 from retirement. In Montreal, Mercedes chief Wolff said he would “not be surprised” if the German was lured to “Ferrari or someone else” in the future. Rosberg hit back: “No, I really have finished my career.” Now, Wolff has clarified his […]
More Kubica tests ‘possible’ – Renault
Jun.15 (GMM) Robert Kubica wanted an F1 test in order to decide the next steps in his career. That is the claim of Cyril Abiteboul, the Renault team boss, after the Enstone outfit recently gave Kubica his first F1 outing since the Pole almost severed his arm in 2011. “He did the test because he […]
Palmer ‘under pressure’ to deliver – Abiteboul
Jun.15 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul has admitted Jolyon Palmer is under “pressure” to “deliver” for Renault in 2017. The British driver is yet to score a single point versus teammate Nico Hulkenberg’s 18 so far, amid rumours he could be ousted mid-season. “Jolyon must deliver,” boss Abiteboul told the French broadcaster Canal Plus. “He has a […]