Jan.9 (GMM) Former Mercedes tester Sam Bird says F1 teams no longer scour the world’s top racing categories in search of the best possible drivers. 28 today, the Briton was until recently a Mercedes simulator driver and a GP2 winner — a resume that in decades past would have seen him knocking loudly on the […]
McLaren confirms January 29 launch
Jan.9 (GMM) McLaren has confirmed reports it will launch the Honda-powered 2015 car on 29 January. We reported earlier that the Woking based team would stage an event for the unveiling of the MP4-30 at its headquarters. “Yes,” a McLaren spokesman told us on Friday. “As has been reported recently on various websites, the McLaren-Honda […]
Porsche chief Muller says no to F1
Jan.9 (GMM) Porsche chief executive Matthias Muller has now added his confirmation to reports the German marque is not interested in entering formula one. Already this week, the fabled Volkswagen-owned sports car company’s research and development chief Wolfgang Hatz said F1 “has never been an issue for us and won’t be. “Le Mans is a […]
McLaren, Ferrari to launch in late January
Jan.9 (GMM) McLaren looks set to launch its Honda-powered 2015 car with an event at the British team’s Woking headquarters on January 29. International media reports are suggesting the McLaren launch could then be followed a day earlier or later by the official presentation of the new Ferrari. Unlike the McLaren event, however, which will […]
Alonso to struggle at McLaren in 2015 – Trulli
Jan.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s former teammate doubts the Spaniard’s high-profile switch from Ferrari to McLaren will result in instant success. But Jarno Trulli, who was Alonso’s teammate at Renault over a decade ago, does think the end of the five-year partnership with Ferrari was inevitable. “I think after five years of marriage with Ferrari, when […]
F1 to challenge laptime records in 2015 – Hembery
Jan.9 (GMM) Paul Hembery, official tyre supplier Pirelli’s F1 chief, is expecting the field to speed up significantly in 2015. Last year, the Italian marque took a deliberately conservative approach to its 2014 rubber, having gone through a tumultuous 2013 and with the uncertainties of the new turbo V6 era in mind. As a result, […]
Surname has harmed Susie Wolff’s career – Toto
Jan.8 (GMM) Toto Wolff thinks his relationship with wife Susie has actually harmed rather than helped the Williams test driver’s career. Formerly Susie Stoddart, the Scot and former F3 and DTM driver married Toto Wolff in late 2011. It has often been suggested that her move into F1 was powered by her marriage, as Austrian […]
Lotus paid 2015 entry fee late – reports
Jan.8 (GMM) Lotus was late to pay the FIA entry fee for the 2015 world championship, according to reports in Spain and Italy. The Enstone team’s place on the 2015 entry list recently was marked by the governing body with a “subject to confirmation” asterisk. Reports suggested this may be connected to rumours Lotus is […]
McLaren can survive without title sponsor – Boullier
Jan.8 (GMM) Team boss Eric Boullier says McLaren can survive without a title sponsor. The Woking team lost its title backer Vodafone at the end of 2013, and raced throughout last season without naming a replacement. And now as the new works Honda era dawns, Boullier has been quoted by Russia’s f1news.ru as saying McLaren […]
FIA super licence ‘points system’ emerges
Jan.6 (GMM) The FIA has devised a points system as part of its clampdown on the ease of achieving an F1 super licence. With Max Verstappen set to debut this year at the controversially young age of 17 and just one year out of karts, the governing body has moved to toughen the criteria for […]
End of the line nears for dying backmarkers
Jan.6 (GMM) Caterham and Marussia are nearing the end of the line as other teams move preparations for the 2015 season into high gear. With just 26 days until the winter test season begins in Spain, neither of the beleaguered backmarkers are committing to running at Jerez at the start of February. “Talks with interested […]
‘Annoyed’ Honda to meet FIA over engine freeze
Jan.6 (GMM) Honda is “annoyed” it has been left out of the relaxation of the F1 engine freeze for 2015. After Ferrari and Renault championed a loophole in the regulations, the governing FIA’s Charlie Whiting clarified that while existing manufacturers can now modify their turbo V6s during the 2015 season, Honda cannot. That is because […]
Ferrari sticking with ‘pullrod’ in 2015 – report
Jan.6 (GMM) Ferrari is sticking with its unique ‘pullrod’ front suspension layout for a fourth consecutive season, according to Italy’s Autosprint. The Maranello team has persevered with the approach since 2012, despite the fact pullrod suspension had not previously been seen at the front of a F1 car since Minardi in 2001. It was reported […]
Struggling teams still face uncertain future
Jan.5 (GMM) Less than a month before official winter testing begins, the future of the ailing backmarkers Marussia and Caterham remains unclear. Marussia’s administrators have auctioned team equipment, and the factory at Banbury could even be sold to the new American team for 2016, Haas. That is to pay back a long list of creditors, […]
F1 engine makers to meet in Geneva
Jan.5 (GMM) As ever in formula one, the future is always just around the next bend. On Tuesday, at Bernie Ecclestone’s behest, representatives of the four engine manufacturers – Mercedes, Renault, Ferrari and newcomer Honda – will get together in Geneva. The F1 supremo wants them to talk about a new beginning for F1 in […]
Rookie Verstappen plays down high expectations
Jan.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen has moved to play down expectations ahead of his record-making formula one debut in 2015. With the FIA set to clamp down on very young drivers from 2016, the Dutchman’s record of racing in Melbourne at the tender age of 17 could stand for some time. Verstappen, whose former F1-racing father […]
Mercedes set for 50hp engine boost in 2015 – report
Jan.5 (GMM) Delaying a start-of-season engine ‘freeze’ may be nowhere near enough for Mercedes’ rivals to catch up in 2015. Although the rule ‘loophole’ championed by Ferrari and Renault will now allow them to develop their turbo V6 engines beyond February 28, it will also apply to Mercedes, F1’s dominant champions of 2014. “We’re not […]
Button’s McLaren engineer switches to Williams
Jan.5 (GMM) Jenson Button’s race engineer at McLaren is moving to Williams. The resurgent Williams team beat not only fellow Mercedes-powered grandee McLaren in 2014, but also fabled Ferrari. In a media statement on Monday, the Grove based team said it has appointed Dave Robson – who since 2010 has been Button’s race engineer – […]
Sainz’s father says surname no ticket to F1
Jan.5 (GMM) Carlos Sainz insists his famous name alone did not power his 20-year-old son all the way to formula one. Carlos Sainz jr, the new reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion, will make his debut for Toro Rosso in 2015, having emerged as the cream of Red Bull’s famous driver development programme. Nonetheless, a famous […]
Force India sets January 21 launch date
Jan.5 (GMM) Force India has set a firm date for the launch of its 2015 car, the Mercedes-powered VJM08. After finishing the 2014 season a career-high sixth in the constructors’ championship, the Silverstone based team renewed with its major backer America Movil. It means the Sergio Perez-linked Telmex, Telcel and Claro branding will also appear […]