Feb.11 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has hit back at claims Fernando Alonso’s relationship with Ferrari was in ruins when he left the fabled team. One of the Spaniard’s former contemporaries, David Coulthard, this week repeated the paddock perception of Alonso as perhaps the very best driver but with a fiery character. And now, more fireworks might […]
Wolff wants new Hamilton deal before Melbourne
Feb.11 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he would like to agree a new deal with world champion Lewis Hamilton before the season begins. The Briton remains under contract for the full 2015 season, but at the Jerez test recently he was spotted in intense negotiations with boss Wolff and team chairman Niki Lauda. Last week, […]
Alonso eyes McLaren-Honda success ‘soon’
Feb.11 (GMM) Arguably the biggest question mark heading into the 2015 season is the form of McLaren-Honda. Team management are hailing the tight packaging of their “size-zero” MP4-30, but problems with the returning Honda’s first turbo V6 effort meant McLaren left Jerez with low mileage and uncompetitive laptimes. Matt Morris, McLaren designer, admits Jerez was […]
Mercedes still favourite for 2015 – Haug
Feb.11 (GMM) Former chief Norbert Haug doubts that Mercedes’ rivals have been able to track down the German giant’s advantage ahead of the 2015 season. At the opening pre-season test at Jerez, it was Ferrari who surprisingly set the headline times. But Haug, the former head of Mercedes motor sport, said: “There are no points […]
Mercedes yet to show full potential – Costa
Feb.11 (GMM) Designer Aldo Costa denies Mercedes has played it too safe with the new title-defending W06. The Brackley team utterly dominated the first season of the new turbo V6 rules in 2014 and is expected to maintain that advantage this year. But as testing kicked off at Jerez last week, it was Ferrari that […]
Question mark over Red Bull’s 2015 form
Feb.10 (GMM) 2014 runner-up Red Bull has emerged as a big question-mark ahead of the new season. Last year, Daniel Ricciardo was the only driver other than the occupant of a Mercedes to see the view from the top of the podium. But after the first official test of the 2015 pre-season, the Australian’s best […]
Ecclestone eyes ‘second division’ with old Red Bull
Feb.10 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is working on a contingency plan in case the F1 grid continues to dwindle. If Marussia’s bid to return this year should fail, the pitlane looks set to house just nine teams in 2015. And with other teams including Force India, Sauber and even Lotus thought to be stretched financially, there […]
Vettel camp denies copying Schumacher helmet
Feb.10 (GMM) The Sebastian Vettel camp has denied claims the quadruple world champion’s 2015 helmet livery is based on a design once worn by the great Michael Schumacher. Publications including La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy) and Germany’s Sport Bild had made the link between Vettel’s new white design and an almost identical one reportedly worn […]
McLaren designer says race finish in Melbourne ‘realistic’
Feb.10 (GMM) McLaren-Honda is confident it will see the chequered flag in Melbourne. Together again after more than two decades, the famous British team and the returning Japanese manufacturer notably struggled at the opening winter test at Jerez. “I thought they would be on the same level as Renault and Ferrari,” said former McLaren driver […]
Nurburgring makes proposal to save German GP
Feb.10 (GMM) The Nurburgring has tabled an offer in the hope of keeping the German grand prix alive in 2015. The F1 paddock – and particularly Germany’s prominent representatives including Mercedes, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel – has reacted with concern to Bernie Ecclestone’s news that it is possible neither the Nurburgring or Hockenheim can […]
Alonso vows to sue over tax evasion reports
Feb.10 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is threatening legal action after being named on a list of those suspected of tax evasion. The so-called ‘Falciani list’, named after a whistleblower, features thousands of names of those with Swiss accounts who reportedly used the HSBC bank to evade tax by placing money offshore. Also on the list are […]
Ferrari tester says Mercedes is 2015 ‘favourite’
Feb.10 (GMM) Ferrari tester Marc Gene has acknowledged that Mercedes remains the favourite for the 2015 season. After Jerez, where the formerly struggling Maranello team surprised the F1 world with its headline test times, many predicted Ferrari might be in a position to challenge the ultra-dominant 2014 champions Mercedes this year. Also vastly improved at […]
Some teens can be ready for F1 – Verstappen
Feb.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he understands the FIA’s decision to clamp down on the age and inexperience of future rookies in formula one. In just over a month, the Dutchman will smash the all-time record for the youngest ever race driver on the grid, when he hits the throttle in Melbourne at the controversial […]
Bottas plays down Ferrari’s headline test times
Feb.9 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is not ruling out racing to his first-ever grand prix win in 2015. The Finn was a standout of last season and is now being linked with a potential move to Mercedes or Ferrari. But before that, he will race again with the resurgent Williams team in 2015. The independent British […]
Photographer notices new Ferrari paint for 2015
Feb.9 (GMM) Ferrari has reportedly added a coat of new paint to its formula one car for 2015. After a dire 2014, the fabled Maranello team underwent a radical personnel shakeup and emerged at the opening winter test at Jerez apparently much more competitive. But that pace is not what caught photographer Alex Galli’s eye […]
Ecclestone tells F1 chiefs German GP not dead yet
Feb.9 (GMM) The 2015 German grand prix is not dead yet. One week ago, Bernie Ecclestone told a German correspondent that the country will fall off this year’s schedule. He quickly backtracked, but it is true that neither the embattled Nurburgring nor Hockenheim currently have a deal in place to host the July race. “I […]
Vettel back to ‘naughty’ old self – Marko
Feb.9 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is back to his old self, Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko has admitted. Recently, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner claimed that amid Vettel’s struggle to keep up with the new F1 rules and teammate Daniel Ricciardo last year, the quadruple world champion contemplated quitting the sport. Ultimately, he switched […]
Mercedes to dominate again in 2015 – Briatore
Feb.9 (GMM) Flavio Briatore does not think any F1 rivals are ready to challenge Mercedes’ dominance in 2015. Ferrari set the pace at the Jerez test last week, while Red Bull and Williams are expected to have taken steps forward since 2014. But former Renault chief Briatore insisted: “The one constant in formula one at […]
Good Lotus puts smile back on Grosjean
Feb.9 (GMM) Romain Grosjean is once again wearing his customary smile. Having emerged from his personal ‘crash-kid’ crisis of 2012, the Frenchman’s F1 career gathered momentum in 2013 before he spent last season racing the woeful black and gold Lotus. Now, as the Enstone team looks to get back on track, Grosjean has confirmed that […]
Van der Garde to test GP2 car on Monday
Feb.9 (GMM) Giedo van der Garde will return to the cockpit of a GP2 car this week. The Dutchman, who debuted for Caterham in 2013, spent last year as Sauber’s reserve and was disappointed not to secure a race seat with the Swiss team for 2015. Now, the Dutch daily De Telegraaf is reporting that […]