Nov.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff thinks dumped McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne can still have a bright future. The Mercedes boss says he is baffled as to why the once highly rated Belgian never impressed in his two years in formula one. “I don’t know when it started to go in the wrong direction for him,” Wolff […]
Red Bull says Ocon ‘lucky to escape with a shove’
Nov.12 (GMM) Max Verstappen has found support from within his team for his behaviour after the Brazilian grand prix. The Dutchman was sentenced to two days of FIA community service after physically shoving Esteban Ocon in the post-race driver weighing area. The pair clashed while Verstappen was leading the race and Force India’s Ocon was […]
Wolff denies Mercedes struggling amid wheel controversy
Nov.12 (GMM) Toto Wolff has denied that Mercedes is struggling amid the controversy about its wheel rim design. The F1 world was preoccupied late on Sunday with the Max Verstappen vs Esteban Ocon altercation, and Mercedes’ constructors’ championship win. But also true is that, for the third race in a row, Mercedes was struggling with […]
Verstappen won’t stop championship goal – Gasly
Nov.11 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says even Max Verstappen can’t stop his target of winning the world championship. Red Bull is open about its ambition of making 22-year-old Verstappen the youngest champion in F1 history. But next year, Verstappen’s teammate will be 22-year-old Frenchman Gasly, who is getting a promotion from the junior team Toro Rosso. […]
Bottas partnership ‘best ever in F1’ – Hamilton
Nov.11 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton thinks his partnership with Valtteri Bottas is one of the best in F1 history. While Hamilton raced to the title, his Mercedes teammate has failed to win a single race. But Hamilton told Brazil’s Globo that the partnership with Bottas works unprecedentedly well. “It is the best partnership in terms of […]
Fittipaldi to attend all races for Haas in 2019
Nov.11 (GMM) Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of former world champion Emerson, will be the reserve driver for Haas in 2019. The American team already had its eye on the 22-year-old this year, when he broke both his legs in a sports car race at Spa. Haas has announced that Fittipaldi will be a test driver […]
Alonso to tackle Indy 500 again in 2019
Nov.11 (GMM) Fernando Alonso will try to win the Indy 500 once again in 2019. Last year, the Spaniard came close until his McLaren entry, in collaboration with Michael Andretti’s Indycar outfit, broke down. Alonso is retiring from F1 after the forthcoming Abu Dhabi grand prix, but he will race Le Mans again next year […]
Kubica hits back at 2019 Williams seat media report
Nov.11 (GMM) Robert Kubica has hit back at a British media report that claimed he will definitely race for Williams in 2019. The publication has since wound back its claim, but the British team and the Polish driver have admitted they were angry about the reporting. “It is not the number of articles that shows […]
Verstappen now ‘very mature’ – Whiting
Nov.11 (GMM) Max Verstappen has become “very mature”. That is the view of FIA race director Charlie Whiting. Earlier in 2018, the Red Bull driver struggled with a series of mistakes. But after that, Verstappen’s form surged. “True, after Monaco, things changed. I would say that the last 12 races have flowed very well,” he […]
Mercedes wheel controversy continues in Brazil
Nov.11 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton may be on pole, but a dispute about the wheels on his Mercedes continues to rage. In Austin and again in Mexico, the reigning champion team voluntarily stopped using the controversial rims because Ferrari was threatening to protest. And now Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said from Brazil that Mercedes may […]
Sponsor says Force India budget to ‘triple’
Nov.10 (GMM) A Force India sponsor says the Silverstone based team’s budget is tripling for 2019. The team almost collapsed this year, but was rescued by billionaire Canadian fashion mogul Lawrence Stroll. “Next year, Force India wants to get into the top three. It’s a very strong team,” said Sergey Belousov, boss of the data […]
F1 considering mandatory winter shutdown
Nov.10 (GMM) F1 is considering installing a mandatory winter shutdown period. Already, factories must close for a period during the summer calendar gap in August, to cut costs but more importantly give hard-working staff a break. It comes after the F1 calendar swelled to its current 21 races, with Liberty Media planning more races in […]
Lauda to be back by Melbourne 2019 – Wolff
Nov.10 (GMM) If an Abu Dhabi comeback does not work for Niki Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman should be back in the paddock by Melbourne next year. That is the claim of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, reacting to news that 69-year-old F1 legend Lauda in fact wants to be back in action after his long […]
Verstappen not interested in third place
Nov.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he has no interest in being ‘best of the rest’ in 2018. The Dutchman is back on form after a difficult start to the season, and now within striking distance of tackling Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen for third overall in the drivers’ standings. But he says that isn’t a […]
Renault ‘desperate’ to keep fourth – Steiner
Nov.10 (GMM) Renault is “desperate” to hang onto fourth place in the constructors world championship. That is the claim of Haas boss Gunther Steiner, whose small American outfit is immediately behind the French works team in the standings with two races to go. “We’re fighting Renault who should be a lot better than us,” Steiner […]
Raikkonen, Kvyat to test for new teams in Abu Dhabi
Nov.10 (GMM) Two drivers will get their 2019 campaigns off to a flying start after the Abu Dhabi finale. It is believed Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen has received permission from Ferrari to test for Sauber in the post-race test after the final race of the season late this month. And Ferrari has also released test driver […]
Kubica set to claim second Williams seat
Nov.10 (GMM) Robert Kubica looks to have secured the second race seat at Williams for 2019. The Pole was also reportedly weighing up a long-term Ferrari test role, but a British publication claims Kubica has instead accepted the offer from Williams. He claims he is “close to a decision” about his future. But boss Claire […]
2019 McLaren to be ‘much better’ – Alonso
Nov.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso thinks McLaren will have a “much better” car in 2019. After four bad seasons with the Woking team, the Spaniard is finally ending his long F1 career. But he says that isn’t because McLaren has no potential. “Next year McLaren will have a much more competitive car,” said Alonso, who is […]
‘No excuses’ as Marko targets 2019 title
Nov.9 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has told Red Bull there are “no excuses” why the world championship cannot be the goal in 2019. Actually, while optimistic, top driver Max Verstappen is also cautious. “I don’t think we will be the strongest at least early in the season, but we need to be as good as […]
Verstappen not excited about Dutch GP yet
Nov.9 (GMM) Max Verstappen is not getting excited about reports the Netherlands could return to the F1 calendar. It is reported that Zandvoort has been offered a potential place on the 2020 calendar by Liberty Media. But Dutchman Verstappen said in Brazil: “There is nothing concrete yet. “Of course it would be very nice if […]