May 30 (GMM) Mercedes’ rivals should be worried about the latest news coming out of the dominant F1 team. Lewis Hamilton, who attended Niki Lauda’s funeral on Wednesday, had said before leaving Monaco last weekend that “we will probably have a new engine” for Canada. “So the car will continue to move forwards,” he said. […]
Bratches confident over US GP future
May 30 (GMM) Sean Bratches is confident about the future of the US GP in Austin. Recently, the race looked in doubt after organisers missed a paperwork deadline that meant a lost $25 million in state funding. It was reported that the issue had been resolved. But Autoweek now reports that the legislative session in […]
Teams split over standard parts
May 30 (GMM) F1 teams are split over whether the idea of standardised components should be kept alive. Recently, the FIA has been sending out tenders for single suppliers to design and make gearboxes, wheels, brakes and fuel systems for 2021. But it emerged that the tender for standard gearboxes has been withdrawn, with the […]
Vettel denies Ferrari suspension problem
May 30 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has played down rumours Ferrari’s rear suspension layout is a major cause of the problem in 2019. It is believed Ferrari’s aerodynamic concept is one reason for the lack of performance, with the car working well in a straight line but slow compared to Mercedes in the corners. “The balance […]
Gap too big for points in 2019 – Kubica
May 29 (GMM) Robert Kubica thinks Williams may go the entire 2019 season without a single point. On his return to F1 this year, the Pole is regularly dead last in both qualifying and the race. “Formula 1 changes very fast, but I hope that this season will end well for us,” he told the […]
Wolff says 2019 clean sweep ‘not realistic’
May 29 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down the notion that Mercedes could win every single grand prix in 2019. So far, the dominant German team is on track, with Lewis Hamilton winning four races and an on-form Valtteri Bottas the other two. Wolff, the team boss, backed Bottas to keep impressing in 2019, even […]
Boullier confirms F1 return ‘rumours’
May 28 (GMM) Eric Boullier says he could return to Formula 1. The Frenchman was ousted as McLaren boss last year, as the once-great British team failed to return to strength even after the dismal Honda collaboration. “I did everything I could with the means I had been given,” the 45-year-old told f1only.fr. But there […]
Ecclestone will not attend Lauda funeral
May 28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he will not be attending F1 legend Niki Lauda’s funeral on Wednesday. Having died late last Monday, 70-year-old Lauda will be buried in his racing suit after a funeral at a gothic Vienna cathedral. Toto Wolff is expected to make a speech, and Lewis Hamilton answered “of course” when […]
Hamilton rates 2019 performances as ‘average’
May 28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton thinks he has been driving on only an “average” standard in 2019. In one sense, it is a remarkable claim given that the five time world champion has won four of the opening six races and is leading the championship. But Valtteri Bottas is comparatively much stronger this year than […]
Stewards not Verstappen’s ‘biggest fans’ – Marko
May 28 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks the F1 stewards are too hard on Max Verstappen. Verstappen was penalised after a pitlane clash with Valtteri Bottas in Monaco, with the time penalty costing him a spot on the podium. Not only that, his tally of ‘license points’ now stands at seven, meaning he will receive […]
Ferrari makes first changes amid 2019 crisis
May 28 (GMM) In Monaco, Mercedes’ impressive run of 1-2 finishes finally ended, even though Lewis Hamilton won and Valtteri Bottas was third. One reporter joked that the dominant team had therefore entered a crisis, and boss Toto Wolff played along: “Yes, and I assume full responsibility.” The actual crisis, according to the Italian media, […]
McLaren failure was ‘biggest lesson’ – Yamamoto
May 28 (GMM) Masashi Yamamoto says the failed McLaren collaboration was Honda’s “biggest lesson” since the Japanese marque returned to Formula 1. In Monaco, the Honda-powered Red Bull of Max Verstappen diced for the race lead with winner Lewis Hamilton. He didn’t even finish on the podium, but Yamamoto says it is one of the […]
No more red Halo after Monaco – Wolff
May 27 (GMM) Mercedes’ new red Halo will not feature on the 2019 car beyond Sunday’s Monaco GP. In Monaco, there were tributes all around for Niki Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman and F1 legend who died at the age of 70 last Monday. One of Mercedes’ tributes was the red Halo, but boss Toto […]
Hamilton jumped into Monaco pool with ‘chemicals’
May 27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton had to immediately shower after leaping into the famous Monaco swimming pool after winning on Sunday. Footage shows the Mercedes driver jumping in with his Mercedes overalls on, and immediately getting out of the well-known public pool. What the footage didn’t show was Hamilton’s immediate rinse-off. “He had to go […]
Perez shaken after Monaco marshal near-miss
May 27 (GMM) Sergio Perez said he would talk to the FIA after almost hitting two marshals with his F1 car during the Monaco GP. Onboard footage from the Mexican driver’s Racing Point shows him narrowly avoiding the marshals during the safety car period. “What was wrong with those marshals?” he exclaimed on the radio. […]
F1 should simplify tyre supply – Briatore
May 27 (GMM) Flavio Briatore thinks one of the main problems in F1 this year is the tyres. Indeed, many teams – including Ferrari – are struggling to understand the very different Pirelli tyres for 2019. Former Renault boss Briatore, who was in Monaco, told Italy’s Automoto that there are too many compounds, with selections […]
Boss in Monaco but 2020 Monza deal still not done
May 27 (GMM) A 2020 deal for Monza’s Italian GP is not yet done. Earlier in May, we claimed the race looked “completely safe” until 2024, after the Italian automobile club (Aci) agreed a deal with Liberty Media. However, the official F1 website clarified that “a formal signature” has actually not yet been put on […]
Kubica queried preferential treatment for Russell
May 27 (GMM) Robert Kubica suggested in Monaco that he feels Williams teammate George Russell is getting preferential treatment. Amid much fanfare, the Pole returned to F1 from a long injury layoff in 2019, but it has been reigning Formula 2 champion Russell setting the pace. Kubica, though, got a good start in Monaco and […]
Canada not Ferrari’s last hope in 2019 – Binotto
May 27 (GMM) Mattia Binotto says Ferrari is working on a plan to get back up to speed with Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel managed to break Mercedes’ run of 1-2 finishes in Monaco, but it was actually Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who was fighting wheel to wheel for victory with winner and runaway championship leader Lewis […]
Kvyat driving ‘better than ever’ in 2019
May 27 (GMM) Former Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat says he is driving better than ever in 2019. The 25-year-old Russian had a meteoric start to his F1 career in 2014, earning a swift promotion from Toro Rosso to the senior Red Bull team. But he was demoted back to Toro Rosso in 2016 and […]