Oct.8 (GMM) Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn has admitted the Swiss team thought about entering the all-electric single seater series Formula E. Formula E is reportedly going from strength to strength, with Audi, Mercedes and BMW set to join Jaguar and Renault in the capital city-based street category. It might be said that Formula E is […]
Engine blowups ’embarrassing’, not sabotage – Lauda
Oct.8 (GMM) Mercedes officials have continued to slam suggestions they are “sabotaging” Lewis Hamilton’s title charge. The reigning world champion threw fuel on the conspiracy theories in Malaysia, after suffering yet another engine problem, this time whilst on the cusp of regaining the 2016 points lead. But Mercedes’ engineering chief Paddy Lowe denied Hamilton ever […]
Vettel must ‘earn’ new Ferrari contract – boss
Oct.8 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene says Sebastian Vettel will have to earn a new Ferrari contract. The timing of the Ferrari team chief’s comments is interesting, after sections of the Italian media suggested German Vettel is in a period of “crisis”. “I can read,” Vettel was quoted by Sport Bild as having responded to the Italian […]
Marko denies Allison heading to Red Bull
Oct.8 (GMM) Red Bull has denied rumours it is making a move to sign James Allison. Allison, whose wife died suddenly earlier this year, left Ferrari and Italy and is being linked with a move to a UK-based team like Renault, McLaren or Red Bull. The Red Bull link is interesting, given that the energy […]
Japanese Grand Prix – 2nd Free Practice
Rosberg quickest from Hamilton (+0.072), Raikkonen (+0.323), Verstappen (+0.811), Vettel (+0.853), Perez (+1.320), Hulkenberg (+1.623), Alonso (+1.735), Bottas (+1.778) and Sainz (+1.836). Massa, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Kvyat, Magnussen, Button, Gutierrez, Palmer, Nasr, Wehrlien, Ocon and Ericsson make the rest of the field. Palmer covered the most number of laps with 40 while Gutierrez covered the least with 11 Session Commentary
Japanese Grand Prix – 1st Free Practice
Rosberg quickest from Hamilton (+0.215), Vettel(+1.094), Raikkonen (+1.386), Ricciardo (+1.681), Verstappen (+1.948), Hulkenberg (+2.099), Perez (+2.336), Alonso (+2.572) and Bottas (+2.950). Kvyat, Sainz, Button, Grosjean, Nasr, Massa, Gutierrez, Ericsson, Magnussen, Ocon, Wehrlein and Palmer make the rest of the field. Bottas covered the most number of laps with 31 while Alonso covered the least with […]
Wehrlein eyes Hulkenberg’s Force India seat
Oct.7 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has moved into pole position to race up the grid next year, should Nico Hulkenberg leave Force India. According to rumours, German Hulkenberg is now a hot candidate to join the works Renault team for 2017, as Carlos Sainz’s chances seem to fade. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said on […]
Bottas hints Williams future now secure
Oct.7 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has hinted that his future in F1 is now settled, even though Williams is yet to officially announce it. It is now almost an open paddock secret that the British team will line up next year with the Finn alongside rookie Lance Stroll, the newly-crowned European F3 champion. Spain’s El Mundo […]
Vettel ‘surprised’ by Sepang crash reaction
Oct.7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he was “surprised” by the reaction of fellow drivers and the media following his performance in Malaysia a week ago. Track rivals including Max Verstappen and Nico Rosberg, and the Italian press, reacted angrily to the first-corner crash at Sepang that cost Ferrari’s lead driver a grid penalty at Suzuka […]
Grosjean denies losing patience with Haas
Oct.7 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has denied that his increasingly outspoken tone on the radio is revealing a loss of patience with the Haas team. The Frenchman has been struggling with car problems at recent races towards the tail-end of Haas’ first season on the grid, and Grosjean has not been shy to voice his discontent […]
Hamilton denies disrespecting media
Oct.7 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has denied deliberately disrespecting the assembled media ahead of the Japanese grand prix. Throughout the official FIA press conference, the world champion played on his phone, uploading a series of ‘snaps’ to the social media platform Snapchat and using swear words to declare his boredom. “Fun and frolics — or disrespect?” […]
Kvyat wants patience amid constant rumours
Oct.7 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat has called for patience amid constant rumours about his future. Not long ago, reports suggested his employer Red Bull – having demoted him from the senior team mid-season – had now decided to oust the young Russian completely for 2017. But now, media sources report that Toro Rosso driver Kvyat will […]
Sauber to use 2016 Ferrari engine in 2017
Oct.6 (GMM) Sauber will keep using Ferrari’s 2016 engine in its new car for 2017, it emerged on Friday. Auto Motor und Sport revealed the news, even though the Swiss team’s financial troubles ended earlier this year with a buyout. But it appears the decision has been made by the Monisha Kaltenborn-led team on the […]
Hulkenberg not ‘100pc’ on Force India exit rumours
Oct.6 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg on Friday could not say he will definitely line up for the Force India team in 2017. Speculation has linked the German as well as his teammate with potential moves to Renault, but Mexican Sergio Perez’s future is now clear. “It’s good to know what I’m doing next year,” Perez said […]
Rosberg tips ‘distracted’ Hamilton to recover
Oct.6 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton caused a stir at Suzuka on Thursday, with sections of the British press accusing him of disrespect. Throughout the official FIA press conference, the world champion gave short and evasive answers whilst playing with his phone. When asked what he was doing, the Mercedes driver answered: “Huh? “It’s quite funny, just […]
Wolff rejects Hamilton’s offer to skip sessions
Oct.6 (GMM) Toto Wolff has rejected Lewis Hamilton’s claim that the British driver might sit out practice sessions in the remainder of 2016. Bitterly disappointed with the latest engine failure that cost him victory in Malaysia, Hamilton said he is prepared to sit out sessions over the course of the remaining five races so that […]
F1 ‘hiding something’ over Bianchi death – father
Oct.6 (GMM) Exactly two years after his son crashed at Suzuka, Jules Bianchi’s father is still seeking answers and justice. This week marks the second anniversary of Bianchi’s crash at the wheel of a Marussia on a slippery track in fading light in the 2014 Japanese grand prix. He died eight months later from the […]
Kvyat to secure new two-year Red Bull deal – reports
Oct.6 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat looks to have secured his future in formula one. That is despite the fact the young Russian has been through the mill in 2016, after losing his place with the premier Red Bull team and struggling mentally with the transition back to Toro Rosso. Not just that, strong rumours have linked […]
Force India denies losing Hulkenberg to Renault
Oct.6 (GMM) Force India team figures have played down suggestions they may lose Nico Hulkenberg to a rival team. The Silverstone based outfit has finally ended rumours that Sergio Perez is set to switch to Renault, but now the Mexican’s teammate Hulkenberg is being linked with the move. Hulkenberg played down those rumours in Malaysia […]
Red Bull caused Hamilton failure ‘nonsense’ – Lauda
Oct.6 (GMM) Niki Lauda has rubbished a claim Red Bull pushed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton so hard in Malaysia that it caused the Briton’s engine to fail. Dr Helmut Marko told F1’s official website that Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were so competitive at Sepang that it “very likely forced him (Hamilton) into that engine failure”. […]