Dec.11 (GMM) An official has denied that planning for a F1 race in Las Vegas is obviously racing ahead. With Liberty Media often mentioning the desire for a second annual grand prix in the US, the local Las Vegas Review Journal says the sport has now made a series of trademark applications for Las Vegas […]
‘Extreme pressure’ got to Vettel in 2017 – Hamilton
Dec.8 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton said Sebastian Vettel buckled “under extreme pressure” in 2017. In June, the quadruple world champion was locked in a tight championship battle with Vettel in Azerbaijan, when the Ferrari driver deliberately crashed into him during a safety car period. “Seb showed more nerves this season than before,” Hamilton told Stuttgarter Nachrichten […]
Haas could agree Maserati deal for 2018
Dec.8 (GMM) Haas could link up with the Italian carmaker Maserati for 2018. Days ago, it became official that Ferrari-powered Sauber’s new title sponsor would be Alfa Romeo, a Fiat owned luxury car manufacturer. And now, Italian newspapers including Corriere della Sera say another Fiat brand could now follow Alfa into F1. Fiat Chrysler president […]
Kaltenborn questions decision to oust Wehrlein
Dec.8 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn has questioned Sauber’s decision to oust Pascal Wehrlein. Earlier this year, the Swiss team parted with Kaltenborn and appointed Frederic Vasseur as its new boss. Vasseur has since scrapped Kaltenborn’s decision to switch to Honda power, and replaced German Wehrlein with Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc for 2018. Kaltenborn now tells Auto […]
Gasly recalls near-fatal 2016 crash
Dec.8 (GMM) Pierre Gasly made his F1 debut this year, but he says an event of 2016 was more emotional. He was travelling to Silverstone for the GP2 race with his parents, when the car crashed and rolled. “I was in the back, in the middle. My mother was sitting to my left,” the Toro […]
Son of Honda founder sympathises with Alonso
Dec.8 (GMM) Hirotoshi Honda says he can understand Fernando Alonso’s disappointment with the failed three-year works McLaren-Honda project. It is believed Alonso pushed for McLaren to split with the Japanese brand and switch for 2018 to customer Renault power. “Alonso is a young, intelligent and captivating man,” Honda, whose father was Honda founder Soichiro Honda, […]
F1 ‘crazy’ to slow Verstappen down – Rossi
Dec.8 (GMM) Valentino Rossi says F1 is “crazy” to try to reign in Max Verstappen. The flamboyant MotoGP rider admits he is a fan of the 20-year-old Red Bull driver. “Verstappen is the new star of formula one,” he told Italian radio station Radio Deejay. “He is doing really well but they are trying to […]
Vettel says Formula E ‘not the future’
Dec.8 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he has no interest in Formula E. The all-electric series has been increasing in popularity, and now has many car manufacturers, top sponsors and ex-F1 drivers on the grid. But quadruple world champion Vettel insisted: “To me, this is not the future. “E-mobility is currently very popular in the world, […]
Aldo Costa does not seek Ferrari return
Dec.8 (GMM) Aldo Costa says he has no desire to return to Ferrari. The Italian joined Ferrari in 1995, rising through the design ranks until he was ousted in 2011. Costa, 56, is now a key designer at title-winning Mercedes. And despite constant rumours that he may return to Maranello, Costa says he is not […]
Customers may beat Renault in 2018 – Prost
Dec.7 (GMM) Alain Prost has admitted Renault may struggle to beat its engine customers in 2018. Next year, the French carmaker will continue to run its own works team while supplying identical power units to both Red Bull and McLaren. F1 legend Prost, a Renault advisor, says it will not be easy for Renault to […]
Keeping Sauber secret ‘difficult’ – Leclerc
Dec.6 (GMM) Charles Leclerc admits it was “difficult” to keep F1’s worst kept secret in the second half of the 2017 season. Most F1 insiders suspected the Monaco-born 20-year-old would make his debut in 2018, and it was finally made public along with Sauber’s Alfa Romeo deal a few days ago. Asked how hard it […]
Rosberg ‘not surprised’ Ferrari lost in 2017
Dec.6 (GMM) Nico Rosberg insists he continues to have no regrets about deciding to quit F1 at the age of 31. The German said there had been some “difficult moments” adapting to life in the slower lane, but insists he is happier than ever. And Rosberg told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is also […]
New hard tyre is ‘insurance’ – Pirelli
Dec.6 (GMM) Pirelli has defended its decision to introduce a ‘super hard’ tyre in 2018. After a full season with the new, faster cars, F1’s tyre supplier is now introducing a ‘hyper soft’ and ‘super hard’ at each end of the compound spectrum. But some have criticised Pirelli for coming up with a new hard […]
Bottas ‘not really happy’ with 2017
Dec.6 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he feels disappointed at the end of his first season with Mercedes. The Finn won three races, finished on the podium eleven times and finished third in the championship, but his teammate Lewis Hamilton won the title. Asked if he is happy, Bottas told AS newspaper: “I have to say […]
Schumacher ‘would love’ to attend FIA event
Dec.6 (GMM) Figures close to Michael Schumacher say the F1 legend was missed at an FIA function this week. F1’s governing body launched its hall of fame, and seven time world champion Schumacher was among those inducted. “I would have liked to see him here tonight,” FIA president Jean Todt said, according to Bild newspaper. […]
No Nascar move for Kvyat
Dec.6 (GMM) European Nascar chief Jerome Galpin has played down suggestions Daniil Kvyat is set to move to the series next year. We revealed this week that Kvyat, the Toro Rosso refugee, tested a European Nascar during the “recruitment tests” at Italy’s Franciacorta circuit. Galpin told France’s Auto Hebdo: “He enjoyed driving the car without […]
Teams must handle Budkowski-style ‘work bans’ – Todt
Dec.6 (GMM) Jean Todt says it is up to F1 teams to regulate how new staff are employed after they move from the FIA. Marcin Budkowski’s impending move from the FIA to Renault caused uproar among the teams. Under Swiss law, Budkowski only had to serve three months of ‘gardening leave’ before making the move, […]
F1 and Le Mans should share engine – Todt
Dec.6 (GMM) Jean Todt says he hopes F1’s new engines for 2021 might be adapted for use at Le Mans. Plans for a ‘world engine’ were scrapped when the current F1 rules were introduced in 2014. But FIA president Todt says the 2021 rules are now an opportunity to try again. “At the moment we […]
Ericsson ‘nervous’ before 2018 deal signed
Dec.5 (GMM) Marcus Ericsson has admitted he had “a few nervous weeks” before he was re-signed by Sauber for 2018. The Swede was out-scored this year by his teammate Pascal Wehrlein, who has been ousted and looks set to leave F1. Ericsson admits that Wehrlein, the highly-rated young Mercedes driver, was “the perfect measure” for […]
Haas closes door on Ferrari’s Giovinazzi
Dec.5 (GMM) Haas appears to have closed the door completely on Antonio Giovinazzi. Since July, the Ferrari junior driver appeared in a Haas cockpit on seven Friday mornings at grands prix. “I don’t think it helped us or our drivers,” Haas team boss Gunther Steiner told Ekstra Bladet newspaper. “I cannot say how negative it […]