May 28 (GMM) The FIA is pushing hard for its regulations to be fully respected by F1 teams in 2015. With the governing body having already clamped down in the area of fuel flow, Auto Motor und Sport reports that the FIA is now targeting engine upgrades that are being introduced for supposedly ‘reliability’-based reasons. […]
F1 has turned up the volume in 2015 – Lauda
May 27 (GMM) Niki Lauda thinks F1 has turned up the volume in 2015. “Look at last year,” the Mercedes team chairman told the British broadcaster Sky in Monaco. “The noise has increased, no question, so I think we’re going in the right direction. “The only one that is still a little less loud is […]
McLaren-Honda planning big mid-season upgrades
May 27 (GMM) McLaren is preparing a big upgrade package for June’s Austrian grand prix. After only missing points in Monaco due to another reliability problem, Fernando Alonso said he is expecting the Honda-powered team to struggle on the long straights of Canada next weekend. But he told Spanish reporters: “We have a very aggressive […]
New Sauber drivers have better attitude – boss
May 27 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn has fired a shot at Sauber’s former race drivers. For 2015, the Swiss team dispensed with its 2014 lineup of Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez, instead signing Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson. Nasr and Ericsson have been described as ‘pay drivers’ who are now helping to finance the struggling Hinwil […]
Ferrari already looking ahead to 2016
May 27 (GMM) Ferrari might already be looking ahead to 2016. Although the Italian team has taken a big step forward this year, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims boss Maurizio Arrivabene could now have acknowledged that the potential of the current SF15-T car is limited. “We were unable to change everything in three months,” he […]
Hakkinen defends Verstappen after Monaco crash
May 27 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen has leapt to Max Verstappen’s defence after his high-speed crash at Monaco. Critics blasted teenager Verstappen’s young age and inexperience after the frightening Ste Devote crash, and the FIA issued a five-place grid demotion for Canada and added two penalty points to his super licence. 17-year-old Verstappen, however, claimed on […]
Wolff sure Hamilton will trust Mercedes again
May 27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is not at Brackley this week as Mercedes tackles the bungled mess of the Briton’s Monaco grand prix. The reigning world champion was dominant all weekend in the Principality, but is now having to get over the anger and disappointment of not winning by relaxing on a luxury yacht. Hamilton […]
Capelli says Ecclestone wants Monza to stay
May 27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone wants the Italian grand prix to stay on the calendar. That is the claim of Ivan Capelli, a former F1 driver who now represents the organisers of the historic and endangered Monza race. Capelli travelled to Monaco last weekend for key meetings with Bernie Ecclestone, but some reports suggested he […]
De Villota’s family considering legal action
May 27 (GMM) Maria de Villota’s family is considering legal action, after the former Marussia team was cleared of wrongdoing in a 2012 crash. Spaniard de Villota died in late 2013, fifteen months after suffering horrific skull and facial injuries whilst conducting straight-line testing at Duxford Aerodrome in the UK. Britain’s Health and Safety Executive […]
Verstappen claims Grosjean ‘brake-tested’ him
May 27 (GMM) Max Verstappen claims he crashed at Monaco on Sunday after being “brake-tested”. The 17-year-old, whose formula one debut in 2015 has been controversial, was punished by the sport’s governing body after crashing at high speed into the barriers at Ste Devote. Verstappen told his official website on Wednesday that he is unhurt. […]
Abiteboul smiling after Monaco boost
May 27 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul left Monaco with a smile on his face. It has been a tough period for Renault’s F1 chief, as he realised the scale of the performance and reliability problems with the 2015 ‘power unit’, and fended off constant criticism from furious partner Red Bull. “I am really thinking about Viry,” […]
Rosberg wants ‘lucky’ wife at every race
May 27 (GMM) Nico Rosberg wants his ‘lucky charm’ at every grand prix as he chases the 2015 title. In Australia, Malaysia, China and Bahrain, Mercedes teammate and reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton had the clear upper hand over Rosberg. But then in Spain, the German broke through with the pole and win. It was […]
Lotus chief denies Verstappen ‘brake tested’
May 27 (GMM) A Lotus boss has denied Max Verstappen’s claim he was “brake-tested” by Romain Grosjean on Sunday. Teenage rookie Verstappen was penalised by the stewards for his huge crash after hitting the rear of Grosjean’s Lotus during the Monaco grand prix. But the young Dutchman on Wednesday told his own website that he […]
Pirelli wary of being ‘out-bid’ for tyre contract
May 26 (GMM) Pirelli is “open” to going to war with a rival tyre manufacturer like Michelin. That is the claim of the Italian company’s chief Marco Tronchetti Provera. On a rare paddock visit in Monaco, he confirmed that Pirelli is applying to keep its role beyond 2016 as the sport’s sole tyre supplier. It […]
No crisis in formula one – Todt
May 26 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt has denied the need to radically shake up formula one. The overwhelming message from the F1 paddock in recent weeks has been that of a self-made ‘crisis’, as Mercedes dominates, audiences decline and small teams risk collapse. Todt, a low-profile figure since taking over from the more confrontational […]
Williams must fix Monaco slump – Bottas
May 26 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has urged Williams to get to the bottom of its Monaco slump. The British team’s dip in performance last weekend came at an awkward time, as Bottas is being strongly linked with a move elsewhere, possibly to Ferrari. “We must learn from this weekend,” the 25-year-old driver said, after an […]
No celebrations after first points – McLaren
May 26 (GMM) There were no celebrations on Sunday despite a major breakthrough for the burgeoning McLaren-Honda project. Six difficult races into the new Anglo-Japanese works era, Jenson Button scored the MP4-30’s first points at no less a venue than fabled Monaco. But team boss Eric Boullier said no champagne was sprayed in the garage. […]
International press slams Mercedes ‘absurdity’
May 26 (GMM) The international media joined British journalists in condemning Mercedes’ blundering strategy error that cost Lewis Hamilton victory in Monaco. The reaction of the British media corps was predictable, with the Times summing up the mood by blasting the “supposedly intelligent men” who “abandoned their senses” in calling Hamilton in for a fateful […]
Democracy at the cost of ‘entertainment’ – Ecclestone
May 26 (GMM) F1’s switch to “democracy” has been at the cost of “entertainment”. That is the view of the sport’s supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who is not hiding his frustration at being unable to tweak the current rulebook. “Would I like to change something? I would like to change a lot of things!” he told […]
Merhi cementing place at Manor in 2015
May 26 (GMM) Roberto Merhi looks to be cementing his place at the Manor team. In the days before Monaco, team chiefs were still admitting that the Spaniard might at some point be unseated. Unlike his full-time teammate Will Stevens, Spaniard Merhi is not substantially sponsored, with some reports saying he has been paid only […]