Apr.29 (GMM) Red Bull is tipped to finally debut the so-called ‘short nose’ version of its 2015 car at the forthcoming Spanish grand prix. “The modified car is arguably an RB11 ‘B’,” declared Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo. The former world champions, who have struggled so far in 2015 with both the car and its Renault […]
Category: Recent stories
2016 season to get late start in April
Apr.29 (GMM) The F1 season will get off to a late start next year. Australian media reports say the Melbourne race, which is guaranteed the opening spot on the sport’s annual calendar, will be held on April 3, 2016. In the past few years, the season-opening Australian grand prix has been held a couple of […]
Claire Williams says father will never retire
Apr.28 (GMM) Claire Williams says her legendary father will be “face down on the desk” on the day he retires from his role as team principal. Claire, 38, is now the Grove team’s deputy and undoubtedly first in line to succeed her father Sir Frank, who founded his racing team almost 50 years ago. In […]
Williams spent $3m on staff bonuses last year
Apr.28 (GMM) Williams spent $3 million on bonuses to its staff at the end of last year, British newspapers report. The news follows hot on the heels of the Grove based team admitting on Monday it recorded a $50 million financial loss last year, as a result of lower sponsorship and official prize-money as well […]
Alonso ‘knew’ Ferrari would improve – Gracia
Apr.28 (GMM) Fernando Alonso “knew” Ferrari would take a step forward in 2015. That is the claim of Carlos Gracia, the head of Spain’s motor racing federation. “People keep saying Fernando was wrong to go to McLaren,” he told the Spanish sports daily Marca ahead of the country’s home grand prix next weekend. Indeed, after […]
Rosberg ‘didn’t care’ as he attacked in Bahrain
Apr.28 (GMM) Nico Rosberg says he has changed tack after complaining about teammate Lewis Hamilton’s driving in the recent Chinese grand prix. The German had accused his Mercedes teammate of driving too slowly and compromising his strategy whilst leading the Shanghai race. But a week later in Bahrain, Rosberg appeared to have changed tack by […]
F1 sponsors drivers in GP2, GP3 – report
Apr.28 (GMM) The company that runs formula one sponsors key junior drivers in the feeder categories GP2 and GP3. That is the finding of F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, having studied the prospectus of the sport’s planned stock market floatation. With colleague Kate Hewitt, he wrote in Forbes that the identity of the drivers who […]
Mosley proposes budget cap with rules freedom
Apr.28 (GMM) Max Mosley has urged F1 teams to rethink the idea of a budget cap — with an added twist. In 2015, the issue of spiralling and unmanageable costs is high on the agenda, and not just following the collapse of Caterham and Marussia. Three bigger teams – Force India, Lotus and Sauber – […]
Sauber set for more legal trouble
Apr.27 (GMM) Sauber’s legal troubles could be set to explode again next week in Spain. Ahead of the 2015 season opener, the Swiss team found itself in a near-terminal court struggle with Giedo van der Garde. The Dutchman ultimately escaped with a reported EUR 15 million in compensation, after Sauber unilaterally reneged on his signed […]
Rosberg not focusing on title situation
Apr.27 (GMM) Nico Rosberg insists he is not focusing on the championship standings at present. After just four of the nineteen races this year, the German is already 27 points behind his Mercedes teammate and reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton. It has triggered suggestions Rosberg is no longer capable of mounting the sort of season-long […]
Hakkinen not sure Ferrari should keep Raikkonen
Apr.27 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen is not sure he would advise Ferrari to keep his countryman Kimi Raikkonen beyond 2015. Finn Raikkonen, who replaced Hakkinen at McLaren some 13 years ago, is currently pushing to be retained by Ferrari and in Bahrain finished second behind Lewis Hamilton. But when asked about Ferrari’s deliberations, Hakkinen said: “At […]
Mercedes denies Hamilton has signed 2016 deal
Apr.27 (GMM) Mercedes has denied reports suggesting Lewis Hamilton has finally signed his long-awaited contract extension. Germany’s Sport Bild said the reigning world champion and 2015 championship leader has now signed up until 2018, with an option to stay for a further two years until 2020. If he does stay the full five years, the […]
VW rumours return as chief steps down
Apr.27 (GMM) Once again, the Volkswagen-to-F1 rumours are gathering speed. At the Bahrain grand prix, Bernie Ecclestone was told of rumours that as long as he is chief executive, Volkswagen Group chairman Ferdinand Piech was refusing to consider bringing a brand like Audi into formula one. “Nobody has told me that,” the F1 supremo responded, […]
Merhi admits Spain could be last F1 race
Apr.27 (GMM) Roberto Merhi has confirmed his F1 future is clouded beyond next weekend’s Spanish grand prix. The rookie has only been racing for the resurrected Marussia team on the basis that he may be replaced at any time once a suitable ‘pay driver’ is found. So Merhi, 24, kicked off his Formula Renault 3.5 […]
European investigation into F1 unlikely – source
Apr.27 (GMM) F1 teams must lodge a formal complaint or the European Commission will not launch an investigation into the sport. That is the claim of F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, following reported concerns about the fairness of the income distribution to the smaller teams, and their lack of representation in the powerful Strategy Group. […]
F4 figure questions Vettel ‘patron’ role
Apr.27 (GMM) DTM driver Timo Scheider has questioned Sebastian Vettel’s new role as a ‘patron’ of the Formula 4 series. “I’m pleased to make a contribution to increasing the attraction of Formula 4,” said Vettel, who knows not only F4 newcomer Mick Schumacher but also his teammate Harrison Newey, the son of Red Bull designer […]
Perez expects to ‘suffer’ in Barcelona
Apr.27 (GMM) Sergio Perez is expecting Force India to struggle in Spain next weekend. Having earlier admitted the Silverstone based team’s lack of competitiveness was affecting his motivation, Mexican Perez then had a good weekend in Bahrain, finishing eighth. But Perez is not expecting a similar weekend in Barcelona. “Definitely we will suffer a lot […]
Montezemolo denies calling for Ecclestone axe
Apr.27 (GMM) Luca di Montezemolo has denied calling for Bernie Ecclestone to step down as F1 supremo. The former Ferrari president had been quoted by German monthly Manager Magazin last week as urging F1 owner CVC to “engage a management team” that prioritises “finance, marketing and the digital world”. Some publications interpreted the Italian’s comments […]
Schumacher’s son wins Formula 4 race
Apr.27 (GMM) Mick Schumacher won a race during his debut weekend in the FIA-sanctioned German Formula 4 series. “It’s just amazing to win a race in my first ‘formula’ event,” the shy 16-year-old son of the legendary Michael Schumacher said at Oschersleben. The victory will only ramp up the already huge media interest in the […]
Williams reveals more than $50m loss
Apr.27 (GMM) Williams has revealed it recorded a more than $50 million loss in 2014. The Grove team, listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange, enjoyed a surge in performance last year following a long slump, but took a financial hit due to “lower revenue and higher costs”. In a statement, Williams explained that it had […]