May 11 (GMM) Race chief Sebastia Salvado says his “worst memory” in the quarter-century history of the Spanish grand prix at Barcelona features none other than Bernie Ecclestone. Last weekend, the Circuit de Catalunya announced it has extended its deal to keep organising the formula one race at the track in Montmelo. But when asked […]
Category: Recent stories
‘Fuel flow story’ puts Ferrari on back foot
May 11 (GMM) The Hamilton versus Rosberg show is back on, according to Mercedes chief Toto Wolff after the Spanish grand prix. Team chairman Niki Lauda beamed at Barcelona on Sunday as he declared Nico Rosberg is “back” after ending a run of defeats to his on-form teammate Lewis Hamilton. “We saw it last year” […]
Ferrari rumours ‘too early’ for Bottas – Massa
May 11 (GMM) All the talk about Valtteri Bottas’ future has come “too early”. That is the view of Felipe Massa, the former long-time Ferrari driver who today is the rising Finnish sensation’s teammate at Williams. In the past days and weeks, 25-year-old Bottas has been increasingly linked with a switch to Ferrari, having reportedly […]
Ricciardo not committing to Red Bull yet
May 11 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not yet committing to the increasingly crisis-struck Red Bull beyond 2015. In Barcelona, rumours that the troubled former champion team’s Australian lead driver had signed a new deal for 2016 and beyond did the rounds. “We’re talking about it,” Ricciardo is quoted by Sky Italia, “but it depends on […]
Hockenheim not ‘bad guys’ after German GP axe
May 11 (GMM) The sorry saga of the now-axed 2015 German grand prix has nothing to do with Hockenheim. That is the claim of circuit chief Georg Seiler, after some F1 fans and even insiders reacted with pleasant surprise when it emerged at the weekend that Germany will definitely be back on the calendar next […]
Mercedes supports fifth engine yet again
May 10 (GMM) Mercedes has changed its position yet again over the ‘fifth engine’ issue. Concerned that too many drivers will easily run through their allocation of four engines and start serving multiple grid penalties, talks about adding another ‘power unit’ took place recently. “There was a certain degree of unanimous agreement amongst the teams […]
Alonso ‘disillusioned’ but not ‘dark and moody’
May 10 (GMM) Even McLaren’s dark new livery could give the British team a boost. British newspapers report that the switch from chrome to ‘graphite grey’ in Barcelona has resulted in an up to 3kg weight saving for the MP4-30. “Everybody is looking to shave off time in any way you can,” confirmed managing director […]
Rosberg’s ‘humiliation over now’ – Lauda
May 10 (GMM) Nico Rosberg’s “humiliation” is finally over. That is the claim of Mercedes’ always-blunt team chairman Niki Lauda, who had urged the German to urgently find a way to stop Lewis Hamilton’s “extra-terrestrial”-like run of form. “The humiliation of the first races is over,” the F1 legend told RTL television after Saturday in […]
2016 German GP return ‘1,000pc safe’ – Hockenheim
May 10 (GMM) Hockenheim’s boss says he is “1,000 per cent” sure the German grand prix will return in 2016. After failing to rescue this year’s event, Bernie Ecclestone said recently there is also no guarantee Hockenheim will return to the 2016 calendar, despite its bi-annual contract. But when asked about the 2016 German grand […]
Berger doubts Strategy Group can save F1
May 10 (GMM) Roberto Merhi has arguably the least enviable job in all of formula one — the slowest driver at the wheel of the slowest car. So slow is the Spaniard’s Manor in Barcelona that he would also have qualified dead last for the this weekend’s GP2 race on the very same circuit. “It’s […]
Lauda hears rumours of cars with ‘extra tank’
May 10 (GMM) The issue of ‘fuel flow’ has returned to the formula one paddock. A few races ago, we reported that the FIA was clamping down on monitoring the maximum allowed fuel flow limit, amid suspicions top manufacturers may have found a loophole. It was suspected some teams – perhaps Ferrari and Mercedes – […]
Red Bull crisis deepens in Barcelona
May 10 (GMM) Renault has turned down the performance of its troubled ‘power unit’ as it stands on the cusp of an embarrassing run of F1 grid penalties. Drivers powered by the French engines are rapidly running through their allocation of four units for the whole 2015 season. So when asked about the performance of […]
Wolff happy to give Hamilton his freedom
May 10 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he is happy to give Lewis Hamilton his freedom. In the three week ‘break’ between Bahrain and Spain, the reigning world champion racked up the equivalent of a full circumnavigation of planet Earth in his red, $30 million private jet. Reports say he hopped from Bahrain to Monaco and […]
Manager says Schumacher condition ‘improving’
May 10 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s manager says the condition of the seven time world champion is “improving”. Sabine Kehm, who is now guiding Schumacher’s son Mick on his first steps in single seaters, appeared in the Barcelona paddock ahead of the Spanish grand prix. When asked about the mostly unknown fate of F1’s most successful […]
Wolff admits wife Susie at F1 ‘crossroads’
May 10 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted his wife Susie has come to “a crossroads” in her F1 journey. Earlier in 2015, despite looking ahead to two Friday practice outings with Williams, 32-year-old tester Susie Wolff was overlooked by the British team for its vacant role as official reserve driver. Wolff admitted in Barcelona that […]
Audi can win in F1 with Red Bull – Berger
May 9 GMM) The latest rumours about Audi are now growing by the day. Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo poured on fuel just days ago when he said a “mutual friend” had told him Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz is pushing hard for the Volkswagen brand to enter formula one. And Gerhard Berger, a […]
Marciello determined to show potential in 2015
May 9 (GMM) Raffaele Marciello is determined to make his mark in 2015. The Swiss-born Italian is now the cream of Ferrari’s development programme. This weekend in Barcelona, the 20-year-old is splitting his time between a ‘Friday’ practice programme for Sauber and his GP2 racing duties. And next week, he will re-emerge for the post-race […]
Lotus tension brewing over ‘Friday’ issue
May 9 (GMM) Tension is reportedly brewing between Romain Grosjean and his Lotus teammate Pastor Maldonado. In China and Bahrain, Frenchman Grosjean sat out Friday practice so that team reserve Jolyon Palmer – who reportedly brings EUR 4 million to the team – could drive. Ahead of this weekend’s Spanish grand prix, it emerged that […]
Ferrari switch ‘no problem’ for Hamilton – Ecclestone
May 9 (GMM) Niki Lauda has admitted there is a “delay” in the finalisation of Lewis Hamilton’s 2016 contract. The comments come amid rumours in the Barcelona paddock that Hamilton, the on-form championship leader and reigning world champion, is seriously considering a switch to the fabled and resurgent Ferrari team. “There is no hitch, there […]
Wins ‘impossible’ for McLaren in 2015 – Rosberg
May 9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso must be patient for success at McLaren-Honda. That is the claim of Alain Prost, who won three of his four world championships with the British team, including his Honda-powered win in 1989. But the diminutive Frenchman told Spain’s EFE news agency that Alonso cannot expect immediate success. “It is a […]