Mar.28 (GMM) Hockenheim has hit back at Bernie Ecclestone’s suggestion that Germany might not return to the F1 calendar in 2016. The country has been controversially axed from this year’s schedule, but that was essentially because of the ownership crisis at the sport’s other German circuit, the Nurburgring. F1 supremo Ecclestone tried to save the […]
Category: Recent stories
CVC would sell F1 to Red Bull – Ecclestone
Mar.28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has welcomed reports Red Bull might be looking at buying formula one. Some journalists have speculated there is more than meets the eye to the former world champions’ mischief-making in past weeks, including bemoaning Mercedes’ dominance, criticising rules that are “killing” the sport, and threatening to quit. Publications including Auto Motor […]
Hamilton asked FIA to explain Alonso crash – report
Mar.28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton played an unusually forceful role earlier this weekend in the drivers’ FIA briefing, according to a Spanish newspaper. According to Diario AS, the meeting with Charlie Whiting was anything but routine in Malaysia as the reigning world champion demanded to know more about Fernando Alonso’s mysterious Barcelona testing crash. Earlier, Spaniard […]
Sutil’s legal issues with Sauber ‘not resolved’ – manager
Mar.28 (GMM) Adrian Sutil’s legal dispute with Sauber is still ongoing. Late last year, although both the German driver as well as Giedo van der Garde had already signed contracts for 2015, the Swiss F1 team decided to pair Felipe Nasr with Marcus Ericsson this year. Dutchman van der Garde pressed his case hard, winning […]
Ferrari adds EUR 100m to F1 budget – report
Mar.28 (GMM) Ferrari is closing the gap to dominant Mercedes in more ways than one, according to reports. The fabled Maranello marque has made a big step forward over the winter, leapfrogging Red Bull and Williams to become clearly the second force in 2015. “The Ferraris look great,” said reigning world champion and Melbourne winner […]
Schumacher’s stepbrother on Germanwings passenger list
Mar.28 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s step-brother was on the passenger list of the ill-fated Germanwings flight, it has emerged. The Berliner Kurier newspaper reported that 36-year-old Sebastian Stahl, a racing driver in a touring car series, was in Barcelona for a photographic shoot before returning to Germany. But Stahl told the newspaper: “Yes, I am alive. […]
Drivers could get extra engine for 2015 – report
Mar.27 (GMM) Drivers may be allocated an extra engine to use throughout 2015, it emerged on Friday. Bernie Ecclestone sat down with team bosses in Malaysia and reportedly agreed that the new-in-2015 limit of just 4 ‘power units’ per driver for the whole championship can now be lifted to 5. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport […]
Tension high as Red Bull and Renault head for divorce
Mar.27 (GMM) The tension between Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Renault’s Cyril Abiteboul was palpable on Friday, as the warring F1 partners appeared headed for divorce. Horner said Frenchman Abiteboul, who earlier this week accused Adrian Newey of telling “lies”, was “brave” to be seated right alongside him in the official FIA press conference. Franz […]
Ecclestone lets frustration show in Malaysia
Mar.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone cut a frustrated figure on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Malaysia, the F1 supremo refused to accept the blame for the axe of the German grand prix. The 84-year-old said organisers simply would not pay the right price. “It’s funny how these people dig up all this money for things like […]
Engine customers no fix for Honda troubles
Mar.27 (GMM) Adding a customer or two to its roster would not speed up Honda’s F1 programme. That is the claim of Yasuhisa Arai, who was asked if the fact Honda is working exclusively for McLaren this year is one reason the Japanese marque is struggling. Indeed, Ferrari has two customers (Sauber and Manor) on […]
Mercedes made fuel mistake with Rosberg in Australia
Mar.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton may not have been as dominant in Melbourne as first thought. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that a detailed investigation by Mercedes showed that it got its numbers wrong regarding Nico Rosberg’s fuel strategy. Team boss Toto Wolff had said after Australia that the German “did not have the weapons” […]
Hamilton has signed new Mercedes contract – report
Mar.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has now scribbled his name on a new contract beyond 2015, according to a Spanish newspaper. After the reigning world champion said he hopes the deal is “done” this weekend in Malaysia, El Mundo Deportivo said Hamilton has indeed now signed up for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. “The official […]
Doubts remain as Rosberg says Alonso saga ‘strange’
Mar.27 (GMM) The FIA does not intend to release the findings of its investigation into Fernando Alonso’s Barcelona test crash. Although the Spaniard is back up and running after his one-month recovery, big questions remain about what happened on the exit of turn 3 on February 22. Alonso muddied the already bizarre waters even further […]
Massa denies doubting Mercedes engine parity
Mar.27 (GMM) Felipe Massa has denied ever saying Williams may be running inferior engines than Mercedes’ works team. “I hope we have the same engine,” Brazilian Massa had said in Australia. “I believe we have the same engine, so it’s the car. Maybe.” That was on Saturday, and after the Melbourne race he repeated that […]
Rosberg’s pregnant wife unwell – report
Mar.27 (GMM) Nico Rosberg’s mind is on the other side of the world as he also concentrates on his job this weekend in Malaysia. Back at his home in Monaco, where he has lived almost his entire life, the Mercedes driver’s new wife Vivian is unwell. According to Bild newspaper, she is struggling with hyperemesis […]
Rule stops Hamilton from wearing green helmet
Mar.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton cannot wear a special helmet this weekend in Malaysia. To celebrate title sponsor Petronas’ home race, the reigning world champion and Mercedes both revealed Hamilton brought a special green helmet to Malaysia. “How mega is this?!” the team captioned a photo on Twitter, while Hamilton also said on the social networking […]
Ricciardo admits Red Bull chassis not best in 2015
Mar.27 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has admitted Red Bull’s engine is not its only problem in 2015. In and after Australia, the former champion team took its long-time partner Renault to task, with Red Bull officials suggesting the only problem with the RB11 is its ‘power unit’. Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul hit back at those “lies”, […]
Alonso rumours still racing on comeback eve
Mar.26 (GMM) On the eve of his return to the F1 cockpit, the saga surrounding Fernando Alonso’s mysterious Barcelona testing crash continues. The latest rumours are as wild as should now be expected after a period of intense speculation about the cause of the February 22 incident and the reason for the Spaniard’s four days […]
Williams signs Sutil as 2015 reserve
Mar.26 (GMM) After a quiet winter for the experienced 32-year-old, Adrian Sutil has kept his formula one dream alive. Some Le Mans rumours and a low-profile legal dispute with Sauber aside, little has been heard from Sutil since the German’s 2015 contract was not honoured by the struggling Swiss team. But on Thursday, the British […]
Bottas tweaks car after back injury
Mar.26 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says modifications have been made to his car ahead of the Malaysian grand prix. The Finn got clearance from FIA doctors on Thursday to return for Williams this weekend in Malaysia, after tearing a disc in his lower back two weeks ago. His manager, Mika Hakkinen, speculated that a problem with […]