Jan.3 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is a “solid number 2” for world champion Lewis Hamilton. That is the view of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who is never shy to offer forthright views about F1’s teams and drivers of today. “Mercedes won because they still have the best engine, but only Hamilton was able to take […]
Mercedes getting close to 1000hp – report
Jan.3 (GMM) Mercedes is just 50 horse power shy of the landmark 1000hp breakthrough with its current F1 ‘power unit’. Auto Motor und Sport reports that GPS measurements made by a rival of the German marque’s engine output at the end of 2017 showed 949hp. But the report claims Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell is […]
No Daytona or Le Mans for Magnussen in 2018
Dec.22 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen will contest neither the Daytona or Le Mans sports car races next year. We had reported that the Haas driver was in talks about taking part in the Daytona 24 hour race in January, on the same track as fellow F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Magnussen told the Danish […]
Verstappen ready to beat Hamilton – van der Garde
Dec.22 (GMM) Max Verstappen developed as both a person and a driver in 2017. That is the view of former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, as he contemplated the solidifying stardom of the 20-year-old Dutchman. “I think Max grew a lot as a person, because he had to deal with all those disappointments on […]
Red Bull changes car launch philosophy for 2018
Dec.21 (GMM) Red Bull has tweaked its plans so that it is ready to start winning straight away in 2018. Dr Helmut Marko said that although the energy drink owned team finished this season strongly, Red Bull needs to ensure it is ready to take on Mercedes and Ferrari from the very first race next […]
Bottas decision ‘right’ for Mercedes – Lauda
Dec.21 (GMM) F1 legend Niki Lauda says Valtteri Bottas has done a good job since replacing Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. Some believe the top team should have chosen a more established star like Fernando Alonso to replace 2016 world champion Rosberg. But Mercedes team chairman Lauda insisted: “The decision to sign Bottas was right.” The […]
Team bosses defend F1 ‘grid girls’
Dec.21 (GMM) Team bosses have now come out to defend the concept of ‘grid girls’ in formula one. F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn has said the practice of having attractive women fulfil the role as ‘grid girls’ is under review. Max Verstappen insisted last week: “The grid girls must stay.” And Nico Hulkenberg added: “It […]
Red Bull paid too much for new Verstappen deal – Lauda
Dec.21 (GMM) Niki Lauda says Mercedes never negotiated with Max Verstappen this year. F1 sensation Verstappen was critical of Red Bull earlier in 2017, but ultimately signed a lucrative new contract taking him through to late 2020. It was believed the Dutch camp managed to push Verstappen’s salary into the range of $25-35 million per […]
F1 to organise live 2018 event in Marseille
Dec.21 (GMM) F1 looks set to organise another major street event in 2018. This year, every team and driver except Lewis Hamilton descended on London for a spectacular demonstration of F1 cars. La Provence reports that a similar live event will happen next year in Marseille, to promote France’s return to the F1 calendar. “The […]
Rosberg yet to extend Mercedes ambassador role
Dec.21 (GMM) Nico Rosberg says he is yet to sign a new deal to be an ambassador for Mercedes in 2018. Although he suddenly quit the German team and F1 after winning the 2016 title, he has remained on the payroll as a brand ambassador. But for 2018, he is joining the German broadcaster RTL […]
Wolff tells Brawn to ‘stop provoking’ Ferrari
Dec.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff has warned Liberty Media to stop “provoking” Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne. In recent days, Marchionne doubled down on his threat to pull Ferrari out of the sport, accusing F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn of “behaving like Moses”. A major source of tension between Brawn and Marchionne is over the proposed 2021 […]
F1 boss Ross Brawn ‘behaves like Moses’ – Marchionne
Dec.20 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has sustained his attack on F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn. At Ferrari’s Christmas lunch, the Ferrari president said he had threatened to pull the Italian marque out of F1 because Brawn is “looking at ways that are against the DNA” of the sport. He is now quoted as saying by Speed […]
Ocon not feeling more pressure from Perez
Dec.20 (GMM) Esteban Ocon insists he is not feeling the pressure of needing to step up his game in 2018. The Frenchman had an impressive rookie season in 2017, but now teammate Sergio Perez claims the pressure will be on Ocon to step up a notch next year. “He likes to make such statements in […]
Assen tackles Zandvoort for Dutch GP
Dec.20 (GMM) The Assen circuit has emerged as a viable alternative host for a future return of the Dutch grand prix. With Max Verstappen’s popularity, speculation is rising that the Netherlands will soon return to the F1 calendar. Zandvoort was named as a potential host, but now TT Circuit Assen chief Arjan Bos says the […]
Rosberg replacing Lauda as German F1 pundit
Dec.20 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has stepped up to replace Niki Lauda as the expert F1 pundit on German free-to-air television RTL next year. It was also announced that, despite a period of uncertainty, RTL has retained the broadcast rights to formula one for the next three years. “This is really good news for RTL and […]
Others to blame for Alonso’s mistakes – Alguersuari
Dec.19 (GMM) A Spanish motor racing figure believes Fernando Alonso needs to adjust his attitude if he wants to be successful in formula one once again. It might be argued that Alonso has made three key mistakes in his career: leaving McLaren in 2007, leaving Ferrari in 2014, and joining the ill-fated McLaren-Honda project. “He […]
Other teams would join Ferrari in F1 breakaway – Marchionne
Dec.19 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has doubled down on his threat to pull Ferrari out of formula one, warning that he could also entice other teams to an alternate series. The Ferrari president is making the threats after new F1 owner Liberty Media announced its intention to change the engine rules for 2021 and impose a […]
Official defends Carmen Jorda amid criticism
Dec.19 (GMM) A Spanish motor racing official has defended controversial figure Carmen Jorda. Renault F1 ambassador Jorda, an advocate of an all-female F1 series, was criticised as the FIA appointed her to the ‘women in motor sport commission’. “This witch hunt seems unfair to Carmen,” Gonzalo Gobert, boss of the Valencia circuit, told Radio Marca. […]
Formula E a ‘financial fiasco’ – Montreal
Dec.19 (GMM) Formula E has been slammed as a “financial fiasco” by withdrawing race host Montreal. The Canadian city was scheduled to host the season finale next July, but mayor Valerie Plante said taxpayers were not willing to pay the EUR 23 million bill. “Citizens have made it clear that we cannot waste their money […]
Magnussen to join Alonso, Stroll at Daytona – report
Dec.19 (GMM) A third current F1 driver looks set to contest the iconic Daytona 24 hour sports car race next month. It was already known that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will appear at the famous race in the US in January. Ekstra Bladet newspaper is now reporting that Haas driver Kevin Magnussen could also […]