Aug.1 (GMM) Mick Schumacher’s manager has put the brakes on any suggestion the 17-year-old might soon be set to join fellow teenager Max Verstappen in F1. Rumours, however, were obviously fired at Hockenheim at the weekend as the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher visited the Mercedes and Ferrari garages. The last team of his […]
McLaren heading for 2017 wins – Dennis
Aug.1 (GMM) McLaren-Honda is on target for “victories” in 2017. That is the claim of the great Woking team’s supremo Ron Dennis, referring to the big step taken by the works Anglo-Japanese collaboration this year after a woeful 2015. “The car was designed for a three-year process,” he is quoted by the Spanish sports daily […]
Boss plays down Sachsenring rumours
Aug.1 (GMM) Reports that the Sachsenring could be in the running to rescue the German GP for 2017 have been played down. Germany’s Auto Bild reported at Hockenheim that the well-known MotoGP venue has been targeted by Bernie Ecclestone as a potential venue to take over from struggling Hockenheim and the Nurburgring — perhaps with […]
Magnussen still in play for 2017 seat – report
Aug.1 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen remains in the running to keep his works Renault seat beyond 2016. The Dane admitted at Hockenheim that speculation he and teammate Jolyon Palmer will lose their places for 2017 was “annoying”. But Denmark’s BT newspaper says it knows that Magnussen’s backer, billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen whose ‘Jack and Jones’ logo […]
Arrivabene says Ferrari must increase downforce
Aug.1 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has admitted that Ferrari needs to rev up its progress when it comes to aerodynamics. With James Allison gone, Sebastian Vettel now openly questioning the team’s race strategies and Red Bull having clearly raced ahead, the Italian press thinks Ferrari’s ‘crisis’ is only deepening. Boss Arrivabene admitted after the German GP […]
German Grand Prix – Hamilton wins!
Hamilton wins from Ricciardo (+6.996), Verstappen (+13.413), Rosberg (+15.845), Vettel (+32.570), Raikkonen (+37.023), Hulkenberg (+70.049), Button (+1 lap), Bottas (+1 lap) & Perez (+1 lap) Gutierrez, Alonso, Grosjean, Sainz, Kvyat, Magnussen, Wehrlein, Ericsson, Palmer and Haryanto make the rest of the field. Retirements: Nasr, Massa Rosberg was given a 5 second time penalty for pushing […]
Many F1 rules ‘make no sense’ – Raikkonen
Jul.31 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has confirmed reports that he is set to marry his partner Minttu during the forthcoming F1 summer break. The Finn would not, however, confirm the date, nor give away the precise location for the ceremony. “In Italy,” Raikkonen told Sonntagsblick. Asked if it will be Venice, he repeated: “In Italy.” Close […]
More heads could roll at Ferrari – report
Jul.31 (GMM) More personnel departures could be on the cards at Ferrari. Talk that the Maranello marque is in ‘crisis’ only intensified ahead of the German grand prix when it emerged technical director James Allison has left. His replacement by engine chief Mattia Binotto has raised suggestions it is obviously an ‘interim’ solution. “Even if […]
Halo delay debate rages on
Jul.31 (GMM) The debate about the cockpit protection concept ‘Halo’ continues to rage at Hockenheim. GPDA president Alex Wurz is furious that the teams voted to delay it until 2018, arguing that all the drivers signed a document unanimously supporting an immediate debut. “I didn’t sign anything,” Nico Hulkenberg told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. […]
Kvyat admits form makes F1 future bleak
Jul.31 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat has admitted he has no future in F1 if he cannot end a major performance slump. After a bad outing in Hungary, the young Russian’s woes got worse at Hockenheim when he qualified between the Manors – half a second off Toro Rosso teammate Carlos Sainz’s pace. Kvyat was already struggling […]
Sachsenring could host 2017 German GP – report
Jul.31 (GMM) A third German circuit has entered the frame as the country’s troubled F1 future comes under the microscope. There was no German GP in 2015, the Nurburgring appears unable to host its 2017 race as scheduled and a notably small crowd has gathered this weekend at Hockenheim. But Germany’s Auto Bild reports that […]
Wolff slams ‘Mercedes to quit’ rumours
Jul.31 (GMM) Toto Wolff has slammed reports Mercedes intends to suddenly quit formula one at the end of 2018. A leading specialist outlet had reported the news that in the wake of the German giant’s title successes in the new ‘power unit’ era, Mercedes will pull out altogether after the 2018 season. But Speed Week […]
German Grand Prix – Qualifying
Rosberg on Pole with a 1:14.363 from Hamilton (+0.107), Ricciardo (+0.363), Verstappen (+0.471), Raikkonen (+0.779), Vettel (+0.952), Hulkenberg (+1.147), Bottas (+1.167), Perez (+1.174) & Massa (+1.252) Knocked out of Q2: Gutierrez, Button, Sainz, Alonso, Grosjean and Palmer (Hamilton quickest) Knocked out of Q1: Magnussen, Wehrlein, Kvyat, Haryanto, Nasr and Ericsson (Hamilton quickest) Grosjean […]
German Grand Prix – 3rd Free Practice
Rosberg quickest with a 1:15.738 from Hamilton (+0.057), Ricciardo (+0.099), Raikkonen (+0.164), Vettel (+0.366), Verstappen (+0.444), Bottas (+0.662), Massa (+0.892), Alonso (+1.178) & Hulkenberg (+1.234) Sainz, Gutierrez, Kvyat, Perez, Magnussen, Palmer, Ericsson, Nasr, Button, Wehrlein, Haryanto and Grosjean make the rest of the field. Bottas covered the most number of laps with 28 followed by […]
McLaren’s Alonso says Allison ‘outstanding’
Jul.30 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has described Ferrari’s departed technical chief James Allison as “outstanding”. The timing of the Spaniard’s comments are interesting, given speculation linking Briton Allison’s exit with his desire to return to a UK-based team, in the wake of the death of his wife. At Hockenheim, Kimi Raikkonen said he didn’t want to […]
Magnussen admits Renault axe reports ‘annoying’
Jul.30 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has called reports that he will leave Renault at the end of the season “annoying”. Two respected British media outlets, including the magazine F1 Racing, are claiming that the Dane as well as Jolyon Palmer will lose their places at the Renault works team. It is rumoured Esteban Ocon and Sergio […]
Verstappen jokes about Raikkonen controversy
Jul.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is not fazed by the furore surrounding his recent on-track battle with Kimi Raikkonen in Hungary. Although the FIA didn’t penalise him, F1 veteran Raikkonen complained vociferously about the Dutch teenager having moved in the braking zone. “Kimi doesn’t say much but when he does, he usually has a […]
German media predicting close Mercedes fight
Jul.30 (GMM) F1’s respected German journalists are expecting the fight between Mercedes’ warring teammates to remain close in 2016. At the halfway point of the season, Lewis Hamilton has taken a narrow championship lead for the first time but Michael Schmidt, the respected Auto Motor und Sport correspondent, thinks Nico Rosberg is still in the […]
Controversy, rows brewing over ‘Halo’
Jul.30 (GMM) A big controversy is brewing over F1’s cockpit protection concept ‘Halo’, after the teams and FIA agreed to delay its introduction until 2018. It has infuriated GPDA president Alex Wurz, after F1 race director Charlie Whiting announced that the system needs more testing and development time. “Just one week ago the FIA safety […]
Alonso has ‘given up’ on constant rule changes
Jul.30 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has revealed he has “given up” trying to follow the complex and ever-changing F1 rules. He is apparently referring to yellow flag rule changes, the on again, off-again radio clampdown, rules for moving in the braking zone, and ‘track limits’, all of which have been hotly debated in the Hockenheim paddock. […]