Nov.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted he took “revenge” on Esteban Ocon in Abu Dhabi. One race earlier, the Dutchman was sentenced to two days of FIA community service for shoving Frenchman Ocon, following their scrap in Brazil. Verstappen lost the grand prix win because backmarker Ocon tried to overtake him, so when they were […]
Marko says 2019 rule change ‘pointless’
Nov.28 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko said the car rule changes for 2019 are “pointless”. For next year, car modifications including different front wings are designed to make overtaking easier. But Marko, the top Red Bull official, is not impressed. “It’s a pointless regulation change that costs us around 15 million euros,” he told Auto Motor […]
Verstappen won’t be ‘idiot’ in community service
Nov.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he will not do any community service tasks that make him “look like an idiot”. The Dutch driver was sentenced by the FIA to two days of community service for shoving Esteban Ocon after the Brazilian grand prix. FIA president Todt admitted in Abu Dhabi that a stewarding role at […]
Wolff questions Halo after Hulkenberg roll
Nov.27 (GMM) Toto Wolff has criticised Halo in the wake of Nico Hulkenberg’s rollover crash in Abu Dhabi. Renault driver Hulkenberg was not able to immediately escape from his car during the 2018 finale, exclaiming on the radio: “Get me out of here, there’s fire!” “I could not get out by myself,” the German told […]
Alonso rules out full Nascar switch
Nov.27 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has denied he is considering a full-time switch to Nascar. Just 14 hours after retiring from F1, the Spaniard was in Bahrain for a car ‘swap’ with Nascar driver Jimmie Johnson. But he says a full-time switch is not on the cards. “I’m not thinking about it,” said Alonso. “It would […]
‘No fun’ for Stroll in 2018
Nov.26 (GMM) Lance Stroll says he did not have fun in 2018. The Canadian will in Abu Dhabi test for Force India for the first time. Stroll’s father Lawrence has bought the Silverstone based team, but an official announcement about Lance’s race seat is yet to be made. “Williams has confirmed its two drivers for […]
Verstappen ‘never so good’ – father
Nov.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen is definitely back in top form. That is the view of the Red Bull driver’s father Jos, after yet another podium finish for Max as the 2018 season concluded in Abu Dhabi. Early in 2018, Verstappen was criticised for a series of mistakes. “America was good, Russia was good, Austria was […]
Bottas race engineer leaves F1 team
Nov.27 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is losing his race engineer Tony Ross. Before working with Bottas, Ross was the race engineer for 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff announced: “Tony will be the chief race engineer in our Formula E programme. “We are discussing his replacement.” Wolff also revealed that, despite an […]
Todt slams German F1 broadcaster
Nov.27 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt has hit out at Germany’s F1 broadcaster. “I recently saw the Brazilian grand prix on RTL and I was the most frustrated television viewer imaginable,” he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. Todt said he was subjected to “more advertising” than he thought was possible. “If I was a German […]
Many people leaving Williams – Kubica
Nov.26 (GMM) Robert Kubica says he is not sure who his race engineer will be in 2019. After an eight year hiatus to recover from a devastating arm injury, the now 33-year-old Pole is returning to the grid with Williams next year. But he told Eleven Sports in Abu Dhabi that he doesn’t know what […]
Vandoorne lacked ‘confidence’ from McLaren
Nov.26 (GMM) As his F1 career ends, Stoffel Vandoorne has hinted he was the victim of politics at McLaren this year. The Belgian said he had “fun” during his last race for the struggling British team in Abu Dhabi, before switching to Formula E and a Mercedes role for 2019. “It was a great fight […]
Wolff admits concern over Bottas mental state
Nov.26 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he is concerned about Valtteri Bottas. Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, says the Finnish driver was having a good season until he had to start taking a back seat to Lewis Hamilton’s title charge. “Valtteri was very good until then,” Wolff said in Abu Dhabi. “I believe that when […]
Rosberg backs Vettel to be 2019 title charger
Nov.26 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has another chance to win the world championship for Ferrari in 2019. That is the view of Nico Roberg, even though Vettel made high profile mistakes this year and suffered widespread criticism. As the 2018 season concluded in Abu Dhabi, the German driver admitted that he has to improve for next […]
Alonso plays down chances of F1 return
Nov.26 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has played down expectations he might return to formula one in 2020. The Spaniard was warmly farewelled by the sport in Abu Dhabi, but when pressed, Alonso stressed that it was “goodbye for now” rather than farewell. However, the double world champion suggested fans should not necessarily expect his comeback in […]
Whiting defends Halo after Hulkenberg roll
Nov.26 (GMM) Charlie Whiting has defended F1’s controversial Halo safety innovation, following a scary rollover crash in Abu Dhabi for Nico Hulkenberg. “Get me out of here, there’s fire!” the German driver said on the radio after his Renault rolled over in the 2018 season finale. Hulkenberg admitted that the Halo prevented him from quickly […]
Ecclestone ‘cannot believe’ Ocon without seat
Nov.25 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Esteban Ocon could be reserve driver at more than just one team in 2019. The Mercedes boss announced in Abu Dhabi that the Frenchman, having lost his Force India seat, will instead be reserve driver for the German works team next year. “We were going to issue a press release […]
Vettel ‘not a leader’ – Ecclestone
Nov.25 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says Sebastian Vettel is not a leader. With the championships now settled, the former F1 supremo hit back at the view that Sebastian Vettel is a Michael Schumacher-type character at Ferrari. “Michael took Ferrari onto his shoulders and led them out of the crisis. He was a leader. Sebastian is not […]
2019 ‘a sabbatical’ for Alonso – Briatore
Nov.25 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he is leaving the F1 paddock with his head held high. The Spaniard, who is racing elsewhere in 2019, completed an impressive clean sweep of qualifying triumphs over his McLaren teammate Stoffel Vandoorne this year. “I am happy with my perfect year in terms of qualifying,” he said in Abu […]
Haas undecided over Force India verdict appeal
Nov.25 (GMM) Haas is not ruling out appealing the ruling of the stewards in Abu Dhabi. In a complex case, the American outfit protested against Force India, alleging that after the sale to Lawrence Stroll, the Silverstone based team had not technically built its own cars. Force India accused Haas of being “hypocritical”, saying the […]
Sirotkin not giving up on F1
Nov.25 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin says he is not giving up on formula one. The Russian has been ousted by Williams, as the British team signs up Robert Kubica for 2019. Sirotkin will stay with the sponsorship programme run by Boris Rotenberg’s SMP Bank, which could involve the world endurance championship. But Sirotkin said in Abu […]