Nov.17 (GMM) Zak Brown has given the strongest sign yet that Fernando Alonso will be allowed to contest next year’s fabled Le Mans race. “In an ideal world, we would love Fernando to win the triple crown in a McLaren,” said the British team’s boss. “He’s won Monaco, I think we will go back to […]
Hamilton happier today than a decade ago
Nov.17 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he is so much happier today than he was at the beginning of his F1 career. The Briton has just wrapped up his fourth drivers’ title, telling the Italian magazine Sportweek that he is happier at 32 than when he entered F1 a decade ago. “When I think of how […]
Lowe eyes ‘faster car’ for Williams in 2018
Nov.17 (GMM) Paddy Lowe says he is focused on making the Williams a “faster car” for 2018. After years of success with McLaren and Mercedes, the Briton and technical expert is now a shareholder and boss at Williams. But following a brief renaissance, the once-great British team has more recently slumped again to fifth in […]
Stroll not listening to ‘haters’
Nov.17 (GMM) Lance Stroll says he would give himself “8.5 out of 10” for his rookie season in F1. Actually, the 19-year-old rookie has been roundly criticised this year, including by 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve who doesn’t think Stroll has improved. “Looking at the season, I have to say there have been very challenging […]
Bottas must become F1 ‘killer’ – Wolff
Nov.16 (GMM) Toto Wolff has urged second Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas to become more of an F1 “killer”. After winning his fourth world championship, Lewis Hamilton is being hailed by his Mercedes chiefs. “It’s been rock and roll with Lewis all year round,” team boss Wolff is quoted by Dutch source Formule 1. To La […]
Villeneuve, Montoya, question Kubica comeback
Nov.16 (GMM) Two former F1 drivers have cast doubt on Robert Kubica’s ability to successfully return to formula one next year. More authoritative sources are now joining French broadcaster Canal Plus in claiming that after a test for the Pole in Abu Dhabi, Kubica will be announced as Lance Stroll’s teammate at Williams for 2018. […]
Red Bull hoping to get through Renault parts crisis
Nov.16 (GMM) Red Bull is hoping for the best as the troubled end to engine supplier Renault’s season concludes next weekend in Abu Dhabi. In Brazil, emotions spilled over between the French manufacturer and Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso, as each accused the other of being to blame for reliability problems. Toro Rosso boss […]
Massa to accept FIA role
Nov.16 (GMM) The soon-to-be-retired Felipe Massa is set to take on an FIA role in the future. Waldner Bernardo, president of Brazil’s automobile federation, has confirmed local reports that suggest the departing Williams driver will represent Brazil at the World Motor Sport Council. “Normally the (federation) president nominates himself to be part of the World […]
Lauda denies Mercedes to join F1 quit threat
Nov.16 (GMM) Niki Lauda has denied that Mercedes might join Ferrari in threatening to quit F1. “That’s nonsense,” the F1 legend and team chairman told Auto Motor und Sport. But it is clear that the manufacturers, including Renault, are not happy with Liberty Media’s plans for an all-new engine formula beyond 2020. “We first want […]
Montezemolo puts brakes on Vettel win
Nov.15 (GMM) Two former F1 luminaries have put the brakes on Ferrari’s optimism after Sebastian Vettel won in Brazil. Although the Maranello marque lost the 2017 title, Vettel was at least able to beat Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas to the chequered flag at the weekend. “Brazil was a great day for us,” Vettel told Italian radio […]
Rosberg open to fixing Hamilton friendship
Nov.15 (GMM) Outgoing world champion Nico Rosberg says he is open to rekindling his old friendship with Lewis Hamilton. As teammates at Mercedes until last year, the pair shared a particularly acrimonious relationship, even though they had been childhood best friends. “Hamilton and Bottas are not friends,” F1 legend Niki Lauda told La Gazzetta dello […]
Ricciardo not sure Ferrari ‘dream’ F1 move
Nov.15 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not sure Ferrari could be his next team in F1. With Max Verstappen now signed up through 2020, Red Bull bosses Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko say they are prepared for Australian Ricciardo to make up his mind about a new contract beyond 2018. “That’s very nice of them,” […]
Horner, Steiner, defend Liberty’s F1 plans
Nov.15 (GMM) Christian Horner has defended Liberty Media’s vision of the future of F1. Earlier, Mercedes team chairman and F1 legend Niki Lauda admitted he was “worried” about Liberty’s plans for a new engine formula and budget caps beyond 2020. But Red Bull boss Horner thinks Lauda’s comments were “a bit unfair and unfounded”. Osterreich […]
New rules to make F1 like ‘driving a bus’ – Hamilton
Nov.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says next year’s cars will be like driving “a bus”. The quadruple world champion is referring to the rule change from four engines per driver to just three next year, and the mandatory addition of heavy ‘Halo’ devices. Already, Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Niki Lauda told La Gazzetta dello Sport this week […]
Magnussen heading to court in January
Nov.15 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen will be heading to court next January. Earlier this year, we reported that the Haas driver’s ousted former manager Dorte Riis Madsen is suing Magnussen for current and future earnings. Since then, the two sides have been discussing a settlement but the Danish newspaper BT reports that talks broke down. “That’s […]
F1 owner says Brazil security ‘not our responsibility’
Nov.14 (GMM) F1 has hit the ball into the court of the race organisers, after a spate of violent incidents surrounding the Brazilian grand prix. Multiple teams suffered armed or violent robbery attempts during the race weekend as they travelled from Interlagos to hotels. And now Pirelli has called off a planned post-race tyre test […]
Magnussen tunes out F1 rumours
Nov.14 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he no longer pays attention to F1 rumours. In recent days, weeks and months, the Danish driver has been called the ‘bad boy’ of F1. And now Haas is reportedly under pressure from its technical partner Ferrari to replace him with Antonio Giovinazzi for 2018, notwithstanding Magnussen’s firm contract. Magnussen, […]
Kubica ‘strong option’ for Williams test – Lowe
Nov.14 (GMM) Paddy Lowe says Robert Kubica is “definitely a strong option” to get the green light for a test in Abu Dhabi. For several days, it has been rumoured that the former Renault and BMW driver will get a chance to prove himself in Williams’ 2017 car in the post-race Abu Dhabi test following […]
Renault ran out of engine parts in 2017 – Verstappen
Nov.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted Renault turned down the power in Brazil. The Red Bull driver won two weeks earlier in Mexico, but finished just fifth in Brazil. At the same time, the second Red Bull team Toro Rosso was warring on the sidelines with engine supplier Renault. Verstappen admits that, at the end […]
Ferrari should have signed Verstappen – Briatore
Nov.14 (GMM) Flavio Briatore thinks Ferrari has made a mistake by not signing Max Verstappen for the future. Dutchman Verstappen, 20, is regarded as a definite champion of the future, but he has been signed up by Red Bull through 2020. Before that happened, Ferrari re-signed the Finnish veteran Kimi Raikkonen for 2018. “I don’t […]