Apr.21 (GMM) The case of Sebastian Vettel shows how quickly things can turn around in formula one. Before Bahrain, the German was the new darling of Ferrari, dubbed ‘Per-vettal’ by the Italian press while teammate Kimi Raikkonen was once again struggling for results. But on Sunday, it was the Finn who pushed Mercedes hard for […]
Qatar race now unlikely – Ecclestone
Apr.21 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has put plans for a grand prix in Qatar on the back burner. In February, the Arab country’s highest ranking motor racing official said: “We are about to sign contracts to organise a formula one race” in 2016 or 2017. That was despite F1 supremo Ecclestone earlier saying he could not […]
Renault in ‘very deep trough’ – Jos Verstappen
Apr.21 (GMM) Having kept its composure until now, Toro Rosso’s patience in 2015 may finally be up. While big-brother team Red Bull has been highly critical of Renault this season, the junior outfit Toro Rosso has kept calm. But according to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the Faenza team’s boss Franz Tost made a hasty […]
Ferrari set for engine power boost in Barcelona
Apr.21 (GMM) Ferrari is preparing to unleash more horse power in Spain. Reports are doing the rounds that the Maranello team will debut an upgrade for its turbo V6 ‘power unit’ in June for the race in Canada. But Germany’s Bild newspaper said a new specification will in fact make its bow in Barcelona in […]
Catching Ferrari ‘difficult’ – Smedley
Apr.21 (GMM) Williams has admitted it will struggle to quickly recover its position as the first force behind title favourite Mercedes. The Grove team finished last season as clearly the fastest team behind the title winners, but the fabled Italian giant Ferrari has sped past in 2015. “After the first four races you can already […]
Renault ready to spend to fix F1 crisis – Horner
Apr.20 (GMM) Christian Horner has acknowledged Renault is now getting serious about fixing its obvious problems in formula one. Earlier, the Briton and other Red Bull officials were scathing of the French supplier’s performance and reliability so far in 2015, and the problems did not appear to significantly lessen in Bahrain at the weekend. Horner’s […]
Ferrari still not ready to sign Raikkonen extension
Apr.20 (GMM) At least for now, Ferrari is leaving the door slightly ajar for Lewis Hamilton. After declaring that Hamilton would make a great teammate for Sebastian Vettel next year, Bernie Ecclestone backtracked just ahead of the race in Bahrain. “No,” the F1 supremo told British television Sky. “He’s happy where he is.” But Mercedes […]
Allison ‘signature’ helping Raikkonen – manager
Apr.20 (GMM) Designer James Allison was a key to Kimi Raikkonen’s 2014 resurgence, the Finnish driver’s manager admits. Raikkonen struggled notably to match former teammate Fernando Alonso last year, bringing into serious question his future at the Maranello team. But the 35-year-old is returning to form this year, and on Sunday he ended a long […]
Vettel says Ferrari could be last F1 team
Apr.20 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel thinks Ferrari could be his last stop in formula one. The 27-year-old switched to the fabled Maranello marque for 2015, and is believed to have signed at least a three-year contract. But the German, who won his four world titles with Red Bull, thinks he could now stay in red for […]
Alonso aiming for Q3 in Barcelona
Apr.19 (GMM) For Fernando Alonso, the next target is Q3. The Spaniard’s new project with McLaren-Honda started literally at rock bottom, but in the space of a month he has powered from his hospital bed to the back of the grid and now a spot in the ‘Q2’ qualifying segment in Bahrain. “Although it is […]
Rosberg ‘must turn around slump’ – Lauda
Apr.19 (GMM) Nico Rosberg’s downwards spiral has only worsened in Bahrain. With teammate Lewis Hamilton riding a wave of form and confidence, German Rosberg headed to the desert Kingdom determined to bounce back. But it backfired spectacularly in qualifying, as the 29-year-old slumped to third place, behind not only Hamilton but also Sebastian Vettel’s resurgent […]
Baku good ‘replacement’ for Monza – Ecclestone
Apr.19 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone on Sunday confirmed F1’s newest host nation is Azerbaijan. It was already known that the sport’s chief executive had inked a deal for a street race in Baku, the capital of the oil-rich former Soviet country. But earlier this week, it emerged that the Formula One Group had published a human […]
Mattiacci to rebuild career in US
Apr.19 (GMM) Marco Mattiacci is set to rebuild his tattered career in America. Just a year ago, the 44-year-old was the highly respected chief executive of Ferrari’s North America unit when he was unexpectedly called up to replace axed team boss Stefano Domenicali. As well as causing a stir with his first paddock appearance wearing […]
All eyes on unconfirmed Ferrari, Mercedes seats
Apr.19 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene says Kimi Raikkonen approached him to enquire about staying with Ferrari in 2016. In the Bahrain paddock, rumours are swirling about the possibility of a Ferrari ‘dream team’ for next year starring Sebastian Vettel alongside Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton’s contract negotiations with Mercedes appear terminally stalled, with a source at the German […]
F1 racing ahead for 2017 rule changes
Apr.19 (GMM) Technical change is coming to formula one. Days ago, Bernie Ecclestone told La Gazzetta dello Sport his ideal scenario would be to scrap the quiet, expensive and complex turbo V6s and replace them with 1000 horse power V8s. “The people would return, the show would return, the sponsors would return,” the F1 supremo […]
‘No more pain’ as Bottas bounces back
Apr.19 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has finally put his back problems in the past. The Finn even had to sit out the Melbourne season opener with a torn disc, but he returned in Malaysia and China with a new seat and driving position. But despite being earlier hailed an absolute star of the new generation, 25-year-old […]
Verstappen ‘best I’ve ever seen’ – Pujolar
Apr.18 (GMM) Experienced engineer Xevi Pujolar says 17-year-old sensation Max Verstappen is the best driver he has seen enter formula one. Although the young Dutchman’s 2015 debut initially attracted controversy and consternation, that is steadily being replaced by awe and admiration of his obvious talent and promise. Many are beginning to compare him with the […]
Hamilton-to-Ferrari rumours fire in Bahrain
Apr.18 (GMM) As the long wait for his new Mercedes contract rolls on, rumours are filling the Bahrain paddock about Lewis Hamilton’s red-coloured future. It is suggested the reigning world champion, championship leader and two-time 2015 race winner has made contact with Ferrari about becoming Sebastian Vettel’s next teammate. “It would be great to see […]
Vettel escapes Bahrain grid penalty
Apr.18 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has escaped a grid penalty ahead of the Bahrain grand prix. During Friday practice at Sakhir, the German collided with Force India’s Sergio Perez at the first corner, just after emerging from the pitlane. Stewards looked into the crash but did not apportion blame. “I hit the brakes but suddenly there […]
Chairman Ghosn approves F1 revival for Renault
Apr.18 (GMM) Carlos Ghosn, the chairman and CEO of Renault, has reportedly green-lighted a major push for the French carmaker to bounce back in formula one. Mere weeks ago, the marque’s F1 boss, Cyril Abiteboul, admitted that after a tumultuous start to the turbo V6 era, the carmaker is considering its options for the future […]