Feb.27 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel hit back at wild rumours in Barcelona that he could be set to announce his retirement. Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo are being linked to his Ferrari seat for 2021, but the quadruple world champion insists he is not worried. “The situation is no more stressful than it was three years […]
Russell says Mercedes’ DAS system ‘tip of the iceberg’
Feb.27 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has revealed that Ferrari considered but then abandoned the idea of developing a system similar to the ‘DAS’ that is being tested for 2020 by Mercedes. Because Mercedes’ drivers can push and pull the 2020 car’s steering wheel rather than just steer it left and right, questions have been asked about […]
Ferrari can improve by ‘a second’ – Wolff
Feb.27 (GMM) Toto Wolff thinks Ferrari may have “a second” of laptime up their sleeves. Ferrari’s lack of testing pace in 2020 has been conspicuous. “Mercedes is certainly still the yardstick,” team boss Mattia Binotto insists. But Sebastian Vettel reported: “We are sure that the new car is better. We feel a significant improvement, especially […]
Claire Williams reveals Mercedes engine problems
Feb.27 (GMM) Claire Williams says the British team is suffering from multiple engine problems in Barcelona. The British team slumped to dead last by some margin last year, but boss Williams says many of those problems have now been solved. But she revealed: “We’ve had several problems with the power unit.” Williams is powered by […]
Alonso may not find seat for F1 return – Raikkonen
Feb.27 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says the biggest obstacle to Fernando Alonso’s potential return to Formula 1 next year is the availability of a seat. Alonso, who bowed out of his McLaren seat and Formula 1 at the end of 2018, looks unlikely to land a drive at Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull. And even Zak […]
Ricciardo sees ‘good signs’ about Renault future
Feb.26 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo looks to be moving towards extending his stay at Renault beyond 2020. The Australian left Red Bull at the end of 2018 to join the French works team on a lucrative two-year deal which expires this year. He has been regularly linked with Ferrari, and top Renault officials admit they may […]
2020 F1 season at risk over coronavirus crisis
Feb.26 (GMM) The deepening coronavirus crisis is putting a large dark cloud over Formula 1’s looming 2020 season. Only seven countries on the entire 22-race calendar for 2020 do not have active infections or deaths recorded as a result of what could soon be declared a global pandemic. China has already been postponed, but even […]
2019 left Ocon physically ‘destroyed’
Feb.26 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has revealed that his schedule in 2019 left him physically “destroyed”. The Frenchman, who returns to the grid with Renault this year, was Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2019. He says he was worked particularly hard. “It was very, very demanding,” said the 23-year-old. “I sometimes did not sleep for two days […]
Williams must adapt in customer car era – boss
Feb.26 (GMM) Williams will need to “adapt” to a new era in which Formula 1 teams do not design every component of their cars. That is the news from Claire Williams, boss of the eponymous and once-great team founded by her father that crashed to dead last in 2019. It is now a hot topic […]
Sirotkin says DAS not huge advantage
Feb.26 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin has played down the role Mercedes’ innovative ‘DAS’ steering system will play in 2020. The F1 paddock was stunned at the first Barcelona test when it was noticed that Mercedes’ drivers also push and pull on the steering wheel to adjust the ‘toe’ of the front wheels in motion. But Sirotkin, […]
Relaxed Hulkenberg doesn’t ‘need’ F1 return
Feb.26 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he is not desperate to return to Formula 1 or motor racing. After a decade on the grid, the 32-year-old lost his Renault seat at the end of last year and reportedly turned down opportunities to switch to Haas or Williams. For now, he is happy to live a different […]
Ferrari rumours ‘nice to hear’ – Sainz
Feb.26 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says it is “nice to hear” his name being linked with a switch to Ferrari. But the Spaniard says he is happy at McLaren. “Everyone knows that I feel at home here and I am talking to them about 2021,” he told Sky Italia. “Of course, it is nice to hear […]
No return to F1 with McLaren for Alonso – Brown
Feb.26 (GMM) Zak Brown has ruled out a return to Formula 1 with McLaren for Fernando Alonso. That is despite the fact that Alonso will race a third McLaren entry in May’s Indy 500, after Honda vetoed his first-choice deal with Andretti. “We’ve always said we’re open to running Fernando in a third car for […]
Ferrari seeks ‘clarification’ over DAS
Feb.25 (GMM) Ferrari will seek “clarification” about the legality of Mercedes’ trick steering system DAS. It appears that the FIA has declared the ‘push and pull’ function of the steering wheel, which adjusts the toe-in and toe-out in motion, to be legal. “We know very little about this decision,” Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies said. […]
Life ‘easier’ at Alfa Romeo – Kubica
Feb.25 (GMM) Robert Kubica says he does not want to compare last year’s Williams with the 2020 Alfa Romeo. The Pole struggled badly with Williams last year, and last week got his new reserve role with Alfa Romeo up and running in Barcelona. “I don’t want to compare,” Kubica said at a sponsor event in […]
Mercedes ahead of Red Bull in early 2020 – de la Rosa
Feb.25 (GMM) The 2020 pecking order appears to be Mercedes ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari – and Racing Point’s ‘pink Mercedes’ not too far behind. That is the claim of former long-time F1 race and test driver Pedro de la Rosa, who last week watched trackside at Barcelona with his daughter Luna. “Racing Point […]
Ricciardo urges Ocon to behave in 2020
Feb.25 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has urged Esteban Ocon to behave in 2020. After a year on the Mercedes bench, 23-year-old Ocon is returning to the grid this year as Ricciardo’s teammate at Renault. Ricciardo says Ocon is noticeably “hungry”, and the Frenchman says he is targeting his Australian teammate. “He (Ricciardo) is a guy who […]
Alpha Tauri ‘close to Racing Point’ – Marko
Feb.25 (GMM) Red Bull’s second team Alpha Tauri is high in the 2020 midfield, according to Dr Helmut Marko. After the debut of Racing Point’s ‘pink Mercedes’, it became clear that the car is the first challenger behind the big three teams. But Marko said that following close behind is Alpha Tauri. “Our second team […]
DAS giving Mercedes two-tenth edge – Marko
Feb.25 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks Red Bull-Honda is Mercedes’ “first challenger” in 2020. The Red Bull official was speaking before the final three days of winter testing in Barcelona this week. “We will only get a clearer picture this week,” he told Auto Bild. “We’ll be driving the Melbourne version on Friday and I […]
Ferrari may not be lagging behind – Surer
Feb.25 (GMM) Ferrari could be sandbagging in the 2020 winter tests, according to former driver and pundit Marc Surer. The Italian team openly says it is lagging behind Mercedes and Red Bull, and some think even Racing Point could be ahead of Ferrari. Surer isn’t so sure. “In the last few years Ferrari has been […]