Dec.17 (GMM) Aldo Costa has played down fears Mercedes’ 2019 campaign is starting off with an engine problem. Team boss Toto Wolff said recently that there had been initial problems with next year’s engine on the test bench. “I think it was a bit misunderstood,” Costa, a Mercedes technical boss, told La Gazzetta dello Sport. […]
Team incidents hurt Ferrari in 2018 – boss
Dec.17 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene thinks a series of incidents hurt Ferrari’s charge for the 2018 title. Some think the biggest problem with this year’s failed challenge was driver mistakes made by Sebastian Vettel. Team boss Arrivabene agrees that “driver mistakes” were an issue, but he said that is also too simplistic an analysis. “We had […]
Raikkonen ‘motivated’ for Sauber – Giovinazzi
Dec.14 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi thinks his 2019 teammate Kimi Raikkonen will help him at Sauber next year. 2019 will be the Ferrari-backed Italian’s first full season in F1, following two one-off starts for the Swiss team last year. Giovinazzi, 24, will be paired with Ferrari refugee and 2007 world champion Raikkonen. “Charles (Leclerc) said he […]
Ferrari to reveal 2019 car on February 15
Dec.14 (GMM) Ferrari will reveal its 2019 challenger on February 15, team boss Maurizio Arrivabene said on Thursday. The Italian attended an awards night presented by the Italian magazine Autosprint amid rumours of a rift between Arrivabene and his technical deputy Mattia Binotto. The late “Sergio Marchionne was planning a more important role for Binotto,” […]
F1 teams worried about Brexit crisis
Dec.13 (GMM) F1 teams admit they are worried about the Brexit crisis that is occurring in Britain. After British people voted in 2016 to leave the European Union, the situation is now in crisis with prime minister Theresa May’s exit deal and party leadership in tatters. If there is no deal in place by March […]
‘Mixed feelings’ about Kubica return – Vettel
Dec.13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he has “mixed feelings” about Robert Kubica’s return to formula one. Former grand prix winner Kubica, now 34, is returning to the grid next year after an eight year absence, after nearly severing his hand in a 2011 rallying crash. “I have mixed feelings,” 31-year-old quadruple world champion Vettel told […]
Monza seeking EUR 100m for upgrade
Dec.13 (GMM) Monza is looking for EUR 100 million to upgrade the Italian grand prix venue and secure a new grand prix deal with Liberty Media. La Gazzetta dello Sport said the 100m plan involves changes to a chicane, the Lesmo corner, the widening of the track and new grandstands. “We will find the money […]
Sirotkin to test DTM, Hartley to Porsche
Dec.12 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin could keep his motor racing career alive in the German touring car series DTM. SMP Racing, his Russian sponsor, said the Williams refugee has been invited by Audi to test at the Jerez circuit on Wednesday. “The test is in the context of determining the options for his programme for his […]
McLaren not ‘copying’ Red Bull car – Sainz
Dec.12 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has played down claims McLaren is ‘copying’ Red Bull’s chassis concept for 2019. With Red Bull moving to Honda power, some have observed that McLaren will now clearly emulate key principles of the Red Bull car that was so effective this year with customer Renault engines. “I think it’s very straightforward […]
Barcelona hopes for new F1 contract
Dec.12 (GMM) Organisers of the Spanish grand prix are still not sure they will reach a new agreement with Liberty Media. Vicenc Aguilera, the Circuit de Catalunya boss, told Spanish reporters he hopes to sit down with the F1 owner “in three or four months”. “We are working on it but we have to do […]
Ferrari’s Binotto ‘has received other offers’
Dec.11 (GMM) Whispers of discord at Maranello are continuing, even after the end of the 2018 season. As pundits do their analysis of where Ferrari’s title campaign went wrong, many have pointed to a rift between team boss Maurizio Arrivabene and technical director Mattia Binotto. And Corriere della Sera, an Italian daily, says that argument […]
Berger sees F1 chance for nephew Auer
Dec.11 (GMM) Gerhard Berger is hoping his nephew may have a future in formula one. One the one hand, the F1 legend said he is sad to see Lucas Auer leave DTM, the German touring car series that he now runs. “But I see it with the eyes of an uncle,” Berger told Tiroler Tageszeitung […]
Hamilton teammate Bottas ‘is not there’ – Verstappen
Dec.11 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted he will try to emulate Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ approach to winning the world championship. The Dutchman can finally stop complaining about his customer Renault engines in 2019, as Red Bull makes the switch to works Honda power. “The engine for next year is a completely new one,” he […]
Mexico GP future in doubt
Dec.11 (GMM) A cloud has moved above the future of the highly popular Mexican grand prix. The rejuvenated race at the iconic circuit in Mexico City was once again awarded the FIA prize for the best grand prix this year. But Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been elected the new president of Mexico, and senator […]
Sainz to ‘lead’ McLaren in 2019
Dec.11 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he will do his best to “lead” McLaren from the cockpit in 2019. The Spaniard is moving to the struggling British team from Renault. “I’m leaving very good friends,” Sainz said. “I feel that it is unfinished business.” The 24-year-old struggled at times this year, but says the main problem […]
Sirotkin, Wehrlein eye Ferrari role for 2019
Dec.10 (GMM) Two drivers may be eyeing Daniil Kvyat’s job at Ferrari for 2019. This year, Russian Kvyat was a Ferrari development driver, specifically heading the Italian team’s efforts in the simulator. Williams refugee Sergey Sirotkin admitted to Russia’s Championat that he may be interested in that role, now that Kvyat is returning to the […]
Verstappen to be ‘patient’ with Honda in 2019
Dec.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen has revealed that he is prepared to be patient with Honda in 2019. Especially in 2018 as the collaboration looked to end, the Dutchman ramped up his harsh criticism of Red Bull’s outgoing engine partner Renault. But Verstappen told Ziggo Sport that he never meant to “offend” the French marque. “I […]
Gasly ‘not afraid’ of Verstappen
Dec.10 (GMM) Pierre Gasly says he is not worried about pairing up with Max Verstappen at Red Bull next year. Gasly replaces Daniel Ricciardo, who many believe has fled Red Bull because the momentum of the team is now behind the notoriously fast and feisty Verstappen. But Frenchman Gasly says he is not worried. “I […]
Vettel says new teammate Leclerc ‘a good guy’
Dec.10 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insists he is not worried about getting a new Ferrari teammate for 2019. The German has lost his preferred teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, who amused observers of the FIA gala with his drunken antics. In the Finn’s place is Charles Leclerc, a highly rated young driver who moves up from Sauber. “The […]
Mercedes’ Wolff eyes Mick Schumacher
Dec.10 (GMM) Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has expressed interest in signing up Mick Schumacher. Schumacher, the son of F1 great Michael and the new European F3 champion, is moving into Formula 2 in 2019. “It will be an opportunity to watch closely at how everything works in formula one,” the young German said. When in […]