Aug.29 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has defended his ousted Manor teammate Rio Haryanto. Throughout the Indonesian’s half season with the backmarker team, many branded Haryanto a mere ‘pay driver’ and said his replacement Esteban Ocon was a clear step forward for Manor’s 2016 lineup. Referring to qualifying at Spa – Ocon’s first race – German Wehrlein […]
F1 world blasts Verstappen after Spa aggression
Aug.29 (GMM) The F1 world rounded on Max Verstappen after Sunday’s Belgian grand prix, insisting the Dutchman is driving too recklessly. “I am fine with good, hard racing but that was not correct,” said Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen after his battles with the popular 18-year-old Dutchman at Spa. “I’ve never had that before with any driver,” […]
Magnussen cut and bruised after Eau Rouge crash
Aug.29 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen looks set to be fit for the Italian grand prix this weekend, despite an horror crash at Spa’s fabled Eau Rouge on Sunday. The Dane limped from his destroyed Renault and was taken to hospital for checks, with team boss Frederic Vasseur saying he cut his ankle. “On my way home […]
Belgian Grand Prix
Rosberg wins from Ricciardo (+14.113), Hamilton (+27.634), Hulkenberg (+35.907), Perez (+40.660), Vettel (+45.394), Alonso (+59.445), Bottas (+60.151), Raikkonen (+61.109) & Massa (+65.873). Verstappen, Gutierrez, Grosjean, Kvyat, Palmer, Ocon and Nasr make the rest of the field Retirements: Wehrlein, Button,Sainz, Ericsson, Magnussen. Race was stopped on lap 10 due to repairs needed to the guardrail following […]
Someone must save British GP – Ecclestone
Aug.28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has admitted the future of the historic British grand prix is in doubt. Writing in the Independent, F1 business journalist Christian Sylt said Silverstone’s latest troubles follow the collapse of a $43 million deal between the circuit-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club and Jaguar. And that follows Silverstone managing director Patrick Allen […]
Monza better for Hamilton’s ‘penalty weekend’ – Wolff
Aug.28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is keeping an open mind and a modest target of breaking into the top ten as he prepares to start the Belgian grand prix from the back. The world championship leader has incurred farcical penalties that count in the dozens of grid positions for a spate of power unit component changes […]
Capito says he will be ‘Boullier’s boss’
Aug.28 (GMM) A power struggle could be shaping up at McLaren, according to a Spanish sports daily. After a long wait while he tied up his former role at VW, incoming McLaren chief executive Jost Capito is finally attending grands prix. “He’s going to start very soon — it’s a question of days,” said team […]
Pirelli defends high pressures at Spa
Aug.28 (GMM) Pirelli has hit back at fierce criticism of its tyres this weekend at Spa. Up and down the pitlane, drivers are complaining about severe degradation and mandatory high tyre pressures that Felipe Massa says are “ridiculous”. “The super soft is just terrible — after two laps it’s gone,” said Lewis Hamilton. Jenson Button […]
Wolff denies Manor now ‘Toto Rosso’
Aug.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down claims he is turning the F1 backmarker Manor into a Mercedes junior team. The outfit, already powered by a Mercedes engine, now has both of Mercedes’ junior drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon in the cockpits. Referring cheekily to rival Red Bull’s own junior team, Bild newspaper said […]
Wolff plays down Vandoorne comments
Aug.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down suggestions he is about to snap up McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne. The Mercedes boss caused a stir at Spa by reportedly telling the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that he rates Belgian Vandoorne as highly as his own chargers Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon. “I’ve been following his career […]
Belgian Grand Prix – Qualifying
Rosberg on Pole with a 1:46.744 from Verstappen (+0.149), Raikkonen (+0.166), Vettel (+0.364), Ricciardo (+0.472), Perez (+0.663), Hulkenberg (+0.799), Bottas (+0.868), Button (+1.370), Massa (+1.519). Knocked out of Q2: Grosjean, Magnussen, Gutierrez, Palmer, Sainz and Wehrlein (Rosberg quickest). Knocked out of Q1: Nasr, Ocon, Kvyat, Ericsson, Hamilton and Alonso. (Massa quickest). Both Hamilton and Alonso […]
Belgian Grand Prix – 3rd Free Practice
Raikkonen quickest with a 1:47.974 from Ricciardo (+0.215), Vettel (+0.323), Bottas (+0.530), Hamilton (0.661), Hulkenberg (0.765), Rosberg (+0.768), Massa (+0.809), Perez (+0.941) & Grosjean (+1.298). Alonso, Gutierrez, Button, Magnussen, Wehrlein, Kvyat, Sainz, Palmer, Nasr, Ocon and Ericsson. Verstappen didn’t set a time due to a gearbox issue. It is surprising not see Mercedes at the top […]
Pirelli back in the spotlight at Spa
Aug.27 (GMM) Pirelli’s tyres are back in the spotlight at Spa. Many drivers complained about tyres that are blistering within a single practice lap of the Belgian layout, including veteran Felipe Massa who described the pressures prescribed by Pirelli this weekend as “ridiculous”. “The (high) pressures are a joke,” the Williams driver told Brazil’s UOL. […]
Kvyat unmoved after Marko comments
Aug.27 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat says he is focused on the current season rather than any signs that he might have a future at Toro Rosso. Although Kvyat hit rock bottom in 2016 after being demoted from Red Bull’s senior team, Dr Helmut Marko said the 22-year-old only needs one or two races to regain his […]
Magnussen wants Renault decision in September
Aug.27 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has urged Renault to make a fast decision over its driver lineup for 2017. The French works team is obviously assessing its options for next year, having flagged a decision to be made within September. But team boss Frederic Vasseur has now hinted it could take longer than that. “We are […]
Engineers say Raikkonen deserves 2017 seat
Aug.27 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen’s former race engineers all say the Finn deserves to have kept his Ferrari seat for 2017. With younger chargers like Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz all pushing to step up, many were surprised when the Maranello team elected to keep Raikkonen, who in two months will turn […]
Honda plays down huge engine performance step
Aug.27 (GMM) A Honda official has played down claims Honda may now be ready to start taking on the top F1 teams. The Japanese marque has taken an engine upgrade to Spa that benefitted from no less than 7 development tokens. It is the latest step in what Honda chief Yusuke Hasegawa has called “incredible” […]
Vandoorne waiting for ‘quick’ Button decision
Aug.27 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne is waiting for the situation between McLaren and Jenson Button to unfold before he presses ahead with his 2017 plans. The young Belgian is pushing to make his debut next year for the Honda-powered team, but McLaren and Button are yet to announce if they are sticking together for an eighth […]
Sainz worried Toro Rosso being left behind
Aug.27 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is worried Toro Rosso has suddenly become the F1 backmarker. The junior Red Bull team expected a hard weekend at Spa, but Spaniard Sainz said Toro Rosso is really “struggling” with its 2015-spec Ferrari engine. “It will not be like Hungary and Silverstone, getting in Q3, instead we try […]
Paddock split over Hamilton penalty recovery
Aug.27 (GMM) The F1 paddock is split over whether Lewis Hamilton can bounce back from his grid penalties to finish on the podium at Spa on Sunday. The world champion’s points lead is under threat as he takes multiple penalties for fitting new components during the Belgian grand prix weekend. Hamilton can expect to start […]