Mar.11 (GMM) Sauber is appealing a Melbourne court’s ruling that Giedo van der Garde should race for the Swiss team this weekend. Earlier on Wednesday, a supreme court judge sided with the Dutchman after he was replaced despite having a valid 2015 contract. “I reject the arguments advanced by the respondent (Sauber) and the other […]
Vettel ‘did not exist’ in Italy – Briatore
Mar.10 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has giggled at the new ‘Sebastian Vettel fever’ at Maranello. The former Renault boss was commenting on Ferrari’s public delight at having secured the quadruple world champion to replace Fernando Alonso. Briatore still oversees the management of Alonso, who has switched to McLaren-Honda. “In Italy it’s amazing,” he told Italy’s Sky […]
Ferrari link for Hamilton ‘nonsense’ – Lauda
Mar.10 (GMM) Niki Lauda has scoffed at reports Lewis Hamilton could switch to Ferrari rather than sign a new Mercedes contract beyond 2015. Briton Hamilton is conducting his own negotiations with the German marque, and has reportedly hit a snag in his demands for $1.5 million per week. Team boss Toto Wolff has already slammed […]
New McLaren ‘better than it seems’
Mar.10 (GMM) It has been a tumultuous winter for the fledgling McLaren-Honda collaboration. The MP4-30 has been unreliable and uncompetitive, and now star driver Fernando Alonso is on the sidelines after his mysterious testing crash. But team boss Eric Boullier insists: “The package is better than it seems.” As things stand, not everyone believes that. […]
Bianchi family not ready to close Suzuka chapter
Mar.10 (GMM) Jules Bianchi’s father has not ruled out taking action against those “responsible” for the horror crash at Suzuka five months ago. Little has been heard from the French driver’s family in the past weeks, but Philippe Bianchi says that is because there has been little to report. “Jules is still in a coma,” […]
‘Too early’ for Lotus podiums – Grosjean
Mar.10 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has played down the prospect of early podiums this year for Lotus. After proving F1’s fourth force in 2012 and 2013, the Enstone team’s performance plummeted last year but it is looking to bounce back with a top Mercedes engine in 2015. Indeed, Grosjean and teammate Pastor Maldonado have hailed the […]
Schumacher ski story is ‘tragedy’ – Ecclestone
Mar.10 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has described the fate of F1 legend Michael Schumacher as a “tragedy”. 15 months ago, the seven time world champion fell whilst skiing with his son Mick in the French alps, suffering serious brain injuries. “I know nothing about his current condition,” F1 chief executive Ecclestone, who has known the now […]
Newey’s ‘step back’ not too big – Ricciardo
Mar.10 (GMM) Adrian Newey’s “step back” has not been too noticeable so far, Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo said on Tuesday. Team technical boss Newey is no longer full time in the team’s F1 offices at Milton-Keynes, as he gets involved in other design projects including the America’s Cup bid of top British sailor Ben […]
Button denies Olympic bid reports
Mar.10 (GMM) Jenson Button has hit back at reports he contemplated quitting F1 for the Olympics. The Mirror newspaper had quoted the McLaren driver as saying amid McLaren’s dithering last year, the 35-year-old thought instead about launching a bid to contest the 2016 Olympic triathlon in Brazil. “I did think about Rio and then decided […]
Alonso ‘giving everything’ for Malaysia return
Mar.10 (GMM) McLaren on Tuesday confirmed that Fernando Alonso is on course to return in Malaysia. The Spanish driver is being replaced by Kevin Magnussen in Melbourne this weekend after his mysterious Barcelona testing crash. In a race preview provided by the British team, Alonso was quoted as saying while he is “disappointed” to not […]
Mercedes rivalry more intense in 2015 – Lauda
Mar.10 (GMM) Mercedes will continue to let its drivers fight hard for the title, boss Toto Wolff insists. Earlier, former champion Jacques Villeneuve said he hopes the German team dominates again in 2015, because if rival teams are too close, Mercedes might impose team orders. But Wolff said letting Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg enjoy […]
Familiar faces lining up at Haas
Mar.10 (GMM) Familiar faces are beginning to line up at the 2016 entrant Haas. Team boss Gunther Steiner, formerly of Jaguar and Red Bull, has appointed former Marussia chief Dave O’Neill to be team manager. Former Red Bull man Rob Taylor will be chief designer, and aerodynamics boss Ben Agathangelou comes straight from technical partner […]
Merhi may not keep Manor race seat
Mar.10 (GMM) Manor has completed the Melbourne grid by signing Spanish rookie Roberto Merhi. Before the official announcement, it emerged in the Spanish press that the former Marussia team had applied to the FIA for a super licence for the 23-year-old. Merhi has travelled to Australia for his grand prix debut this weekend, but his […]
Briatore wants McLaren, FIA to explain Alonso crash
Mar.10 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s mentor Flavio Briatore has revealed the Spanish driver’s mysterious testing crash was “very strange”. McLaren-Honda’s star driver has been notably quiet since his hospitalisation and ongoing recovery, while rampant speculation about the Barcelona crash saga rages. “It does not add up,” former F1 driver David Coulthard told the Guardian. “You can […]
Williams to challenge Mercedes in 2015 – Lauda
Mar.10 (GMM) Niki Lauda is not expecting Mercedes to utterly dominate in 2015. While rival teams say the German camp has kept its 2014-like advantage over the winter, Mercedes team chairman Lauda told the German broadcaster RTL that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will be joined in their battle for this year’s title. “After the […]
Signing Raikkonen was ‘right decision’ – Domenicali
Mar.9 (GMM) Former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali insists Kimi Raikkonen was the right choice for the Maranello team. Although ousted last year, it was Domenicali who signed Raikkonen to be Fernando Alonso’s teammate in 2014. The Finn struggled alongside the Spaniard, but his contract for 2015 has been honoured and this year Raikkonen is paired […]
Big Mercedes gap means no team orders – Villeneuve
Mar.9 (GMM) At least one seasoned observer is happy Mercedes’ advantage appears overwhelming in 2015. It is Jacques Villeneuve, who is quoted by Italian publications as saying the German marque’s advantage of 2014 was too big for its rivals to track down in just a single winter. So he is happy, therefore, that the gap […]
McLaren-Honda in ‘terrible trouble’ – Brundle
Mar.9 (GMM) McLaren-Honda has found itself in “terrible trouble” ahead of the 2015 season. That is the view of former team driver Martin Brundle, observing that McLaren has struggled simply to run its newly works Honda-powered MP4-30 in testing. Not only that, star recruit Fernando Alonso is missing the Melbourne season opener, amid rampant speculation […]
Hamilton linked with Ferrari switch
Mar.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton claims his fans in Italy urge him to join Ferrari. The reigning world champion and Mercedes claim they are now close to a deal to extend the 30-year-old’s contract beyond 2015. But the long-delayed deal is still not done, triggering rumours boss Toto Wolff is reluctant to agree to the British […]
Hamilton focused despite Scherzinger split
Mar.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has played down any suggestion his split from long-time girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger could affect his performance in 2015. In the past, the often controversial and emotional Briton’s personal struggles have arguably interfered with his focus on formula one. So his latest split from Scherzinger might give his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg […]