Nov.5 (GMM) Ross Brawn says official tyre supplier Pirelli has work to do to spice up the F1 show. Liberty Media’s F1 sporting boss says the recent Mexican grand prix was another example of the “two-class society” currently in play on the grid. “Apart from the usual differences in performance, tyre management was also responsible,” […]
Porsche not entering F1
Nov.5 (GMM) Porsche is not putting together a formula one team. Another Volkswagen brand, Lamborghini, has ruled out a team entry. “The investment needed just to participate, let alone win, is too high,” said chief executive Stefano Domenicali. “As long as there is a two-class society in F1, it’s is not a playing field for […]
De Vries plays down Williams ‘rumours’
Nov.2 (GMM) Nyck de Vries has played down reports he might complete Williams’ 2019 driver lineup. The beleaguered British team is looking for a well-funded driver to be George Russell’s teammate. Robert Kubica and Esteban Ocon have been linked with the seat, but thought to be better funded are Esteban Gutierrez and 23-year-old Dutch F2 […]
Ferrari failed to ‘protect’ Vettel – de la Rosa
Nov.2 (GMM) Ferrari failed to ‘protect’ Sebastian Vettel as the German struggled under the pressure of his 2018 title tilt. That is the view of the Maranello team’s former test driver Pedro de la Rosa. Many observers believe that despite Ferrari often having the fastest car this season, it was Ferrari’s unique pressure and management […]
Vietnam, Netherlands step towards F1 in 2020
Nov.2 (GMM) Vietnam has taken a big step towards being on the 2020 F1 calendar. The People’s Committee of Hanoi, the capital of the Asian country, has issued an invitation to an event next week to launch the street circuit and race. It reads: “The city of Hanoi managed to conclude the cooperation to be […]
Ferrari mustn’t ‘panic’ after title loss – Brawn
Nov.1 (GMM) Ferrari must resist the urge to “panic” after Sebastian Vettel failed to win the 2018 world championship. Having not won a drivers’ title since 2007, Ferrari finally had a good enough car this year. But team and driver mistakes meant that Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won with two races to spare. “He (Vettel) fought […]
Hamilton questions Alonso’s career ‘decisions’
Nov.1 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he does not feel bad for Fernando Alonso, as the Spaniard prepares for the last two grands prix in his long F1 career. In 2007, when Hamilton made his debut, the pair shared an incredibly acrimonious season together at McLaren. Alonso left and, although he reprised his stints at Renault […]
Singapore was title turning point in 2018 – Vettel
Oct.31 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel thinks his world championship campaign started to hit the skids in mid September. Some think the turning point can actually be traced back to his Hockenheim crash in July, or his collision with Lewis Hamilton at Monza. “It was Singapore for me,” the Ferrari driver is quoted by Speed Week. “From […]
Any top driver would win with Hamilton’s car – Verstappen
Oct.31 (GMM) Max Verstappen says any top driver would have won the 2018 world championship in Lewis Hamilton’s car. Hamilton, whose title win in Mexico delivered his Juan Manual Fangio-equalling fifth drivers’ crown, says the battle against Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel this year was the toughest of his career. But when asked what made Hamilton so […]
Vettel ‘past his peak’ in F1 – Stewart
Oct.31 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel may be past his prime in formula one. That is the sensational claim of F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart, after the Ferrari driver lost the 2018 title to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. “I think Sebastian is past his peak and Lewis is still building to his,” the triple world champion told Bild […]
Ricciardo will complete 2018 season – Horner
Oct.31 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo will complete the final two races of his career at Red Bull. That is the news from team boss Christian Horner, after Australian Ricciardo furiously suggested he might sit out Brazil and Abu Dhabi. Mexico GP pole sitter Ricciardo was furious after suffering yet another technical failure in the race, declaring […]
‘Furious’ Ericsson moves to Indycar
Oct.31 (GMM) Sauber driver Marcus Ericsson is switching to Indycar for 2019. The Swede, who debuted in 2014 for Caterham, has lost his race seat with Sauber despite being linked with the Swiss team’s current owners. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, the Indycar team that the now paraplegic driver Robert Wickens drove for, has announced that 28-year-old […]
Honda to be ’10 kilowatts behind’ in 2019 – Marko
Oct.31 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he is “very optimistic” about Red Bull’s title chances for 2019. After years of complaining about its customer Renault power, the top F1 team is moving to works Honda engines for next year and beyond. And together with the aerodynamic rule change, Marko says he is confident. “We already […]
Kubica admits Ferrari test role possible
Oct.31 (GMM) Robert Kubica has admitted that moving to a testing role at Ferrari is a possibility for 2019. The Pole’s other major option in F1 for next year is to get a promotion to the race seat at Williams. But the beleaguered British team wants to put a pay-driver next to George Russell, so […]
Russell ‘not worried’ about Williams form
Oct.30 (GMM) George Russell says he is “not worried” he is joining the slowest F1 team on the grid. The Mercedes-backed, 20-year-old Briton looks set to be the Formula 2 champion this year, but in 2019 he will make his debut for Williams. The once-great British team has slumped badly this year, and is easily […]
‘Exceptional’ Hamilton deserves title – Leinders
Oct.30 (GMM) “Exceptional” driver Lewis Hamilton fully deserves the 2018 title. That is the view of former F1 test driver turned pundit Bas Leinders, after Hamilton beat Sebastian Vettel to the championship with two races to spare last weekend in Mexico. “You can love him or not, but you have to admit that he is […]
Hartley told of 2019 Toro Rosso axe – report
Oct.30 (GMM) Brendon Hartley has reportedly been told that he will not be driving for Toro Rosso in 2019. Officials of team owner Red Bull have been warning the New Zealander for some time that he needed better performance and results to secure his place. Hartley, though, thinks he has been upping his game. “I […]
Calderon says female series would be ‘step back’
Oct.30 (GMM) F1 test driver Tatiana Calderon says she is not very interested in the new female-only single seater category ‘W Series’. The 25-year-old Colombian says she is aiming higher, and will get those ambitions started in Mexico this week with a test for the Swiss team Sauber. Although it will only be a 100 […]
‘Anger’ at Ricciardo powered Verstappen win – father
Oct.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen was powered to victory in Mexico by anger. That is the claim of his father Jos, who said the Red Bull driver was furious after missing out on pole despite otherwise dominating last weekend. “I saw him on Sunday morning and he told me straight away that he had slept very […]
Mercedes wheel ‘hole’ controversy not dead yet
Oct.30 (GMM) The issue of Mercedes’ controversial wheel rim ‘holes’ is not dead yet. Lewis Hamilton may have won the drivers’ crown, but Ferrari is still pushing to win the lucrative constructors’ world championship. And the Italian team is determined that Mercedes’ wheels are not legal. The Italian press agrees. “I would like an investigation […]