Mar.12 (GMM) Sponsors have expressed concern about Bernie Ecclestone’s television strategy for formula one. Increasingly, the trend has been away from free-to-air to subscription-based coverage of the full world championship, with the latest example being a new deal with Fox in Australia. It is maximising revenue for the sport’s commercial rights holder CVC, but contributing […]
Category: Recent stories
Whitmarsh joins Newey at America’s Cup team
Mar.12 (GMM) Former McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh has re-emerged in the world of America’s Cup racing. After 25 years with the Woking team, the 56-year-old Briton was ousted ahead of the 2014 season, and has kept a low profile ever since. “I’ve been travelling,” he told London’s Telegraph. “Formula one is a sport that […]
Alonso could also miss Malaysia
Mar.12 (GMM) Already absent in Australia, attention is now turning to whether Fernando Alonso will be back in action in Malaysia in just over two weeks. Officially, the Spaniard is simply sitting out a 21-day period in the wake of his February 22 concussion. McLaren-Honda supremo Ron Dennis confirmed that to reporters in Melbourne, but […]
Dennis now admits Alonso crash ‘a mystery’
Mar.12 (GMM) Ron Dennis has admitted bungling the Fernando Alonso saga, finally now joining those who agree the Barcelona test crash is a “mystery”. Since the Spaniard hit the wall on February 22, McLaren has claimed it was a “normal” incident and a mere concussion for the team’s new star driver. But supremo Dennis insisted […]
Vettel names first Ferrari ‘Eva’
Mar.12 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has named his first Ferrari ‘Eva’. The quadruple world champion has continued his personal tradition of giving his F1 machine a female nickname after switching from Red Bull to the fabled Maranello team. The big question now is whether ‘Eva’ is able to take the title fight to dominant Mercedes in […]
Teams late in tyre, hotel payments – report
Mar.12 (GMM) Tyres for the 2015 season opener were only released by Pirelli to three teams one day ago, it has emerged. As small teams struggle to survive, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that three teams had failed to pay the official tyre supplier as recently as March 11 — Wednesday. The news follows […]
Red Bull pushing to run short nose in Melbourne
Mar.12 (GMM) Red Bull is still pushing to introduce a new bodywork package including a short nose for its 2015 car. Rumours in the Melbourne paddock suggested the team’s bid to draw closer to dominant Mercedes this weekend had not succeeded because the new nose failed the crash test. But Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko […]
Van der Garde has no super licence – report
Mar.12 (GMM) Giedo van der Garde’s bid to race for Sauber in Melbourne could stumble at the final hurdle. It has been established that the Dutchman has a valid contract and, despite the Swiss team’s court appeal on Thursday, he looks set to win his legal case. But the question being asked in the Albert […]
Software could sideline Manor in Australia
Mar.12 (GMM) Against all the odds, Manor made it to Australia and on Thursday both cars soared through scrutineering for the 2015 season opener. But the team might not be able to run in Melbourne. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that the problem is simple but significant — software. Correspondent Michael Schmidt wrote: “During […]
Wolff hits out at wind tunnel ban proposal
Mar.12 (GMM) Mercedes has hit out at Red Bull’s suggestion that wind tunnels should be banned from formula one. As smaller teams struggle for survival, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner proposed a novel solution to help cut costs — ban the wind tunnel. The Briton’s Mercedes counterpart, Toto Wolff, scoffed at the suggestion. “I […]
FIA still investigating Alonso crash
Mar.12 (GMM) The FIA is still investigating Fernando Alonso’s mysterious Barcelona testing crash last month. The Spanish driver is sitting out Melbourne amid ongoing speculation about his medical condition and what caused him to hit the wall on February 22. “We are working with McLaren and our medical department is still looking at all the […]
Sauber loses appeal, Perez backs van der Garde
Mar.12 (GMM) Sergio Perez has sided with Giedo van der Garde over his legal dispute with Sauber. Dutchman van der Garde’s court battle with Sauber has been criticised in some quarters for endangering the very survival of the already struggling team. Melbourne’s Age newspaper claims the Hinwil camp, having now lost its appeal against van […]
Frank Williams back up to speed after hospital stay
Mar.11 (GMM) Sir Frank Williams is out of hospital and back up to speed. Late last year, when the Grove team’s 72-year-old boss and co-founder stopped coming to races, it emerged he had been hospitalised with pressure sores. The Briton, whose daughter Claire is Williams’ deputy team principal, has been tetraplegic and confined to a […]
Van der Garde appeal delayed until Thursday
Mar.11 (GMM) A resolution of Sauber’s legal dispute with Giedo van der Garde is facing yet another delay. After the Dutchman successfully petitioned to race for the Swiss team this weekend, Sauber lodged an appeal. It was heard on Wednesday afternoon, but it is believed Sauber applied for leave until Thursday — the day before […]
Sauber appeals van der Garde ruling
Mar.11 (GMM) Sauber is appealing a Melbourne court’s ruling that Giedo van der Garde should race for the Swiss team this weekend. Earlier on Wednesday, a supreme court judge sided with the Dutchman after he was replaced despite having a valid 2015 contract. “I reject the arguments advanced by the respondent (Sauber) and the other […]
Experts worry about McLaren-Honda project
Mar.11 (GMM) Experts continue to worry about the early phase of McLaren-Honda’s new collaboration. Honda announced its intention to return to the sport with the British team way back in May 2013, but almost two years later, the MP4-30 is struggling simply to run. “I’m surprised that it’s not working out,” former F1 driver and […]
Audi chief ‘will not comment’ on F1 rumours
Mar.11 (GMM) Audi chief Rupert Stadler is no longer clearly denying speculation the Volkswagen-owned German carmaker is preparing to enter formula one. The regular speculation hit a higher gear in the last six months, after ousted Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali joined Audi and conducted a feasibility study about a F1 project. “Ah, you want […]
Merhi needs a sponsor to keep Manor seat
Mar.11 (GMM) Roberto Merhi has admitted his new race seat at Manor may be short-lived. F1’s governing body has now confirmed the race number 98 for the 23-year-old Spanish rookie, who is joining Will Stevens at the resurrected Manor team in Australia. But Merhi admitted to Spanish radio Cadena Cope that the former Marussia team, […]
Kvyat, 20, thinks Verstappen too young for F1
Mar.11 (GMM) Even another F1 teen, Daniil Kvyat, thinks Max Verstappen might be too young for the pinnacle of motor sport. Russian ‘Dany’ Kvyat turns 21 next month, and he has replaced departed quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull. But when he made his grand prix debut for Toro Rosso a year ago, […]
Newey’s son joins Mick Schumacher in F4 team
Mar.11 (GMM) Mick Schumacher will have a teammate with another famous surname in the German formula 4 series this year. Recently, it was announced that 15-year-old Mick, whose dad is the legendary seven time world champion, is stepping up to single seater racing this year with a Dutch team. Now, Van Amersfoort Racing is staying […]