Jan.16 (GMM) Dietrich Mateschitz says he is yet to decide if he will accept Liberty’s offer and buy shares in formula one. “I honestly don’t know if I should buy shares,” the 72-year-old Austrian, who is the owner of Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, told Speed Week. “On the one hand it is obvious, […]
Renault will help Red Bull close gap – Mateschitz
Jan.16 (GMM) Renault will help Red Bull “get closer” to Mercedes in 2017. That is the claim of Dietrich Mateschitz, the low-profile billionaire founder and owner of Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso. After a 2015 falling out, Red Bull’s relationship with Renault improved last year to the point that the main team passed Ferrari […]
Wehrlein ‘delighted’ to join Sauber – report
Jan.16 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has admitted he is heading to Sauber for 2017. It is yet another strong sign that Valtteri Bottas’ move from Williams to Mercedes to replace new world champion Nico Rosberg is complete. Wehrlein was earlier a strong contender to replace the retiring Rosberg, but recent reports suggested a deal for the […]
Minardi defends ‘pay driver’ Stroll
Jan.16 (GMM) Gian Carlo Minardi has hit out at criticism of Lance Stroll’s impending debut in F1. Undoubtedly, the 18-year-old Canadian’s rapid rise to formula one has been powered in part by his billionaire father Lawrence. For instance, Stroll has been embarking on an arguably unprecedented global F1 testing tour with a 2014 Williams, including […]
Boullier targets top four for McLaren
Jan.16 (GMM) McLaren is not setting its targets too high for 2017. That is the news from Eric Boullier, the works Honda-powered team’s boss. Some are saying that, after a two year struggle with Honda and political strife, 2017 is finally the season in which the famous British team shines again. But the Spanish newspaper […]
Rosberg may regret retirement decision – Berger
Jan.16 (GMM) Gerhard Berger says he does not relate to Nico Rosberg’s decision to quit F1 at the age of 31. Rosberg has said he called time on his career after achieving his boyhood dream of the world title, but at first Berger says he could not believe the content of the text message from […]
Ecclestone doubts Red Bull can win title
Jan.16 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone doubts Mercedes can be beaten in 2017. Many are hoping and expecting that, with the major aerodynamic regulation changes, 2016 runner-up Red Bull can mount a serious title tilt this year. But F1 supremo Ecclestone told the Munich newspaper TZ: “If Red Bull believes they can beat Mercedes with better aerodynamics, […]
Giovinazzi deserves F1 race seat – Minardi
Jan.16 (GMM) New Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi actually deserves a seat on the 2017 grid. That is the claim of former Italian F1 team owner Gian Carlo Minardi, referring to the Italian 23-year-old who almost won this year’s GP2 title. “He is already worthy of F1, possessing all the skills that enable a driver to […]
Red Bull, Haas cars pass crash tests
Jan.16 (GMM) Two more F1 teams are on track for pre-season testing late next month. We have already reported that Toro Rosso and Force India had their respective 2017 chassis approved by the FIA following mandatory crash tests. Now, Brazil’s UOL quotes Red Bull designer Adrian Newey as saying: “We have passed the crash tests, […]
Bottas switch news due ‘this week’ – Williams
Jan.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ expected move from Williams to Mercedes looks set to be finalised this week. That is the latest news in the wake of Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement, which will surely also involve Felipe Massa calling off his retirement to fill the place left by the Mercedes-bound Finn Bottas. British newspapers including the […]
Marciello ends F1 dream
Jan.14 (GMM) Former Ferrari junior Raffaele Marciello has called off his F1 dream. After the 2015 season, the now 22-year-old Italian left Ferrari’s development ‘academy’, through which he had worked with the Sauber team as well. “He (Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene) did not deem me suitable for F1 and so it ended,” Marciello said at […]
Haas blocks early F1 payment for Force India – report
Jan.14 (GMM) Force India has suffered a financial blow ahead of the 2017 season. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Bild, reporting that the Silverstone based team made an application to Bernie Ecclestone for an advance in its prize money. But Force India was turned down “because Haas voted against it”, the report said. […]
Vasseur not ruling out F1 return
Jan.14 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says he might not be done with his F1 career. The Frenchman says he quit as Renault team boss after a single year because the management team together with Cyril Abiteboul was not effective. And now in conversation with the French broadcaster Canal Plus, he credited inspiration from Nico Rosberg in […]
Berger would have picked Wehrlein over Bottas
Jan.14 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says that if he was in charge at Mercedes, he would have signed Pascal Wehrlein for 2017. The former Ferrari and McLaren driver helped negotiate Nico Rosberg’s lucrative new contract earlier this year, but the German quit F1 as soon as he won the 2016 title. Now, it appears […]
Manor deadline extended by another week
Jan.14 (GMM) Better news is now emerging from Banbury, the UK headquarters of the embattled F1 backmarker Manor. It was believed the team’s doors could close within a week, but reports now suggest administrators FRP have found a way to pay staff until the end of January. “It means it has a week more than […]
Ferrari opens door for Mick Schumacher
Jan.14 (GMM) Ferrari has swung open the door for Mick Schumacher. Mick is the 17-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who won five titles for Ferrari between 2000 and 2004. This year, he will enter European F3 for the Ferrari-linked Prema team, but it has seemed more likely Schumacher would actually enter the Mercedes […]
All F1 tracks set for 2017 upgrades
Jan.14 (GMM) Every F1 circuit will be tweaked and upgraded to accommodate this year’s much faster cars. That is the news from the governing FIA, whose safety chief Laurent Mekies said he is in the process of informing every promoter on the calendar. The move has been prompted by data from the F1 teams, showing […]
Better news about British GP future
Jan.14 (GMM) Silverstone’s owner is now more confident about the future of the British grand prix. The chairman of the track-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), John Grant, warned recently that a clause to end the race after the 2019 edition could soon be triggered for financial reasons. But BRDC president Derek Warwick sounds more […]
Donington-F1 rumours return after Palmer takeover
Jan.13 (GMM) Donington might once again be in the running as a potential alternative venue for the British grand prix. With Silverstone chiefs considering exiting the iconic track’s contract with Bernie Ecclestone, we reported last week that Donington said it has “no intention of bidding for the British grand prix”. And track director Christopher Tate […]
Brundle had heart attack at Monaco GP
Jan.13 (GMM) Former F1 driver Martin Brundle has revealed he suffered a heart attack in the moments after the chequered flag in Monaco this year. On Thursday at an auto show in England, the 57-year-old explained that as he jogged from his commentary duties for British television to the podium to interview the top three […]