Nov.30 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has admitted his role for 2019 could involve driving duties for as many as three F1 teams. The Frenchman has lost his race seat at Force India, but it is strongly rumoured that he will be back on the grid in 2020, perhaps in Valtteri Bottas’ place at Mercedes. 22-year-old Ocon’s […]
‘The real Vettel is back’ – Arrivabene
Nov.29 (GMM) “The real Vettel is back.” That is the claim of Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene, as the Italian team moves to put 2018 in the past and charge again for the world championship next year. Sebastian Vettel remains Ferrari’s ‘number 1’ driver, but the German came under attack from the partisan Italian press this […]
Schumacher face ‘fuller’ now – archbishop
Nov.29 (GMM) A German archbishop says Michael Schumacher has a “fuller” face in the wake of his brain injuries. The public has been left completely in the dark about the F1 legend’s health and physical condition, as he recovers at home in Switzerland following a 2013 skiing fall. Archbishop Georg Ganswein said he visited the […]
Pirelli to spice up F1 with 2019 tyre selection
Nov.29 (GMM) Pirelli says it will spice up its selection of tyres at grands prix in order to improve the F1 show. Sebastian Vettel said at the post-Abu Dhabi tyre test that the 2019 tyres are basically the same. “The more interesting question is the tyre selection for next year — what tyres Pirelli will […]
‘No doubts’ about Kubica return – Lowe
Nov.28 (GMM) George Russell says he can work together as a team with Robert Kubica next year. On paper, Williams’ new F1 lineup looks potentially explosive, with the new F2 champion Russell on one side of the garage, and returning grand prix winner Kubica on the other. But Russell said at the post-race test in […]
Hockenheim not worried about Dutch GP
Nov.28 (GMM) A German GP official says he is not worried about news that The Netherlands could host a F1 race once again. De Telegraaf newspaper reports that talks between Zandvoort and Liberty Media are advanced, and centre around a place on the 2020 calendar. But for Hockenheim, a race in Holland simply means European […]
Two Schumachers in F1 would be ‘incredible’
Nov.28 (GMM) Ralf Schumacher says the idea of two Schumachers on the F1 grid once again is a “wonderful dream”. Next year, F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s high-profile son Mick – the new European F3 champion – is stepping up to Formula 2. But also rising rapidly through the ranks is David Schumacher, the son of […]
Next year’s tyres similar to 2018 Pirellis – Bottas
Nov.28 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says next year’s tyres are similar to the ones supplied by Pirelli in 2018. The Mercedes driver was among those who tested Pirelli’s 2019 offerings in the post-race Abu Dhabi test this week. “No, they didn’t feel strange,” Bottas is quoted by Turun Sanomat newspaper. “The differences are really small. The […]
Verstappen took ‘revenge’ on Ocon
Nov.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted he took “revenge” on Esteban Ocon in Abu Dhabi. One race earlier, the Dutchman was sentenced to two days of FIA community service for shoving Frenchman Ocon, following their scrap in Brazil. Verstappen lost the grand prix win because backmarker Ocon tried to overtake him, so when they were […]
Marko says 2019 rule change ‘pointless’
Nov.28 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko said the car rule changes for 2019 are “pointless”. For next year, car modifications including different front wings are designed to make overtaking easier. But Marko, the top Red Bull official, is not impressed. “It’s a pointless regulation change that costs us around 15 million euros,” he told Auto Motor […]
Verstappen won’t be ‘idiot’ in community service
Nov.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he will not do any community service tasks that make him “look like an idiot”. The Dutch driver was sentenced by the FIA to two days of community service for shoving Esteban Ocon after the Brazilian grand prix. FIA president Todt admitted in Abu Dhabi that a stewarding role at […]
Wolff questions Halo after Hulkenberg roll
Nov.27 (GMM) Toto Wolff has criticised Halo in the wake of Nico Hulkenberg’s rollover crash in Abu Dhabi. Renault driver Hulkenberg was not able to immediately escape from his car during the 2018 finale, exclaiming on the radio: “Get me out of here, there’s fire!” “I could not get out by myself,” the German told […]
Alonso rules out full Nascar switch
Nov.27 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has denied he is considering a full-time switch to Nascar. Just 14 hours after retiring from F1, the Spaniard was in Bahrain for a car ‘swap’ with Nascar driver Jimmie Johnson. But he says a full-time switch is not on the cards. “I’m not thinking about it,” said Alonso. “It would […]
‘No fun’ for Stroll in 2018
Nov.26 (GMM) Lance Stroll says he did not have fun in 2018. The Canadian will in Abu Dhabi test for Force India for the first time. Stroll’s father Lawrence has bought the Silverstone based team, but an official announcement about Lance’s race seat is yet to be made. “Williams has confirmed its two drivers for […]
Verstappen ‘never so good’ – father
Nov.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen is definitely back in top form. That is the view of the Red Bull driver’s father Jos, after yet another podium finish for Max as the 2018 season concluded in Abu Dhabi. Early in 2018, Verstappen was criticised for a series of mistakes. “America was good, Russia was good, Austria was […]
Bottas race engineer leaves F1 team
Nov.27 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is losing his race engineer Tony Ross. Before working with Bottas, Ross was the race engineer for 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff announced: “Tony will be the chief race engineer in our Formula E programme. “We are discussing his replacement.” Wolff also revealed that, despite an […]
Todt slams German F1 broadcaster
Nov.27 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt has hit out at Germany’s F1 broadcaster. “I recently saw the Brazilian grand prix on RTL and I was the most frustrated television viewer imaginable,” he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. Todt said he was subjected to “more advertising” than he thought was possible. “If I was a German […]
Many people leaving Williams – Kubica
Nov.26 (GMM) Robert Kubica says he is not sure who his race engineer will be in 2019. After an eight year hiatus to recover from a devastating arm injury, the now 33-year-old Pole is returning to the grid with Williams next year. But he told Eleven Sports in Abu Dhabi that he doesn’t know what […]
Vandoorne lacked ‘confidence’ from McLaren
Nov.26 (GMM) As his F1 career ends, Stoffel Vandoorne has hinted he was the victim of politics at McLaren this year. The Belgian said he had “fun” during his last race for the struggling British team in Abu Dhabi, before switching to Formula E and a Mercedes role for 2019. “It was a great fight […]
Wolff admits concern over Bottas mental state
Nov.26 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he is concerned about Valtteri Bottas. Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, says the Finnish driver was having a good season until he had to start taking a back seat to Lewis Hamilton’s title charge. “Valtteri was very good until then,” Wolff said in Abu Dhabi. “I believe that when […]