Aug.2 (GMM) From the front to the back of the 2017 grid, the respective futures of three F1 drivers could take a step forward over the August break. At the front, Valtteri Bottas’ boss Toto Wolff has promised to think about a new deal for the Finn whilst sitting “on the beach”. Rumours suggest a […]
Honda still pushing to improve 2017 engine
Aug.2 (GMM) Amid swirling speculation about the future, Honda is still pushing to improve its 2017 engine. There are claims McLaren and Honda will divorce, but the struggling Japanese marque’s recently-launched ‘spec 3’ unit has been reliable so far and powered Fernando Alonso to the fastest race laptime in Hungary. “I don’t know if this […]
Toro Rosso linked with KFC livery change
Aug.2 (GMM) Toro Rosso could get another colour change for 2018. The speculation comes after Sean Gelael got his next F1 test with the Red Bull junior team in Hungary. Not too long ago, the Indonesian driver’s father Ricardo was linked with a buyout of the now-defunct Manor team. Gelael runs the Jangonya Ayam company, […]
Champagne returns to F1 podium
Aug.2 (GMM) Champagne has returned to the F1 podium. Last year, the sport’s long-time sponsor Mumm left the sport, leaving drivers spraying bottles of fizzy Chandon on the podium instead. However, McLaren sponsor Chandon actually makes sparkling chardonnay, ending F1’s decades-long flirt with champagne. But the Washington Post reports that champagne is now back, with […]
Verstappen apologised with Dutch beer – report
Aug.1 (GMM) Max Verstappen said sorry with a bottle of Dutch beer after punting his Red Bull teammate out of the Hungarian GP. Daniel Ricciardo was furious after the crash, swearing about the 19-year-old on the radio and showing him the middle finger as he returned to the paddock. But Verstappen’s growing reputation for being […]
Italian press backs Raikkonen for 2018
Aug.1 (GMM) The Ferrari-partisan Italian press has backed reports the Maranello marque looks set to keep Kimi Raikkonen at the team for 2018. It is expected the fabled Italian team will announce the new deals for Sebastian Vettel and Raikkonen at Monza. So after the duo finished first and second in Hungary, the Italian press […]
F1 exit likely for Wehrlein – report
Aug.1 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein says he is doing all he can to stay in formula one beyond 2017. Germany’s Bild newspaper says it is likely the 22-year-old will lose his seat at Sauber at the end of the year. That is because Sauber’s owner is closely linked with Marcus Ericsson, while the other seat will […]
Mercedes denies Wolff furious after Hungary
Aug.1 (GMM) Mercedes has denied its boss was furious when Lewis Hamilton gave up a podium spot to Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in Hungary. Video footage has emerged of the team boss slamming the desk, his chair and angrily shouting at Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda at the moment Bottas swept past his British teammate. Wolff […]
Sauber to be Ferrari ‘junior team’ – Marchionne
Jul.31 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has admitted Sauber could become “a kind of junior team” for Ferrari. Last week, former F1 team founder Gian Carlo Minardi said the so-called Ferrari ‘B team’ Haas announcing an unchanged driver lineup for 2018 was “a missed opportunity for Ferrari”. That’s because Ferrari junior drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Charles Leclerc […]
Horner not commenting on Toro Rosso-Honda link
Jul.31 (GMM) Another senior figure in the Red Bull camp has declined to comment on reports Toro Rosso is set to become Honda-powered in 2018. Already in Hungary, the Red Bull junior team’s Carlos Sainz refused to comment on rumours Honda’s rifts with McLaren and Sauber could result in Toro Rosso signing a deal with […]
Vettel and Raikkonen ‘want to stay’ – Marchionne
Jul.31 (GMM) Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has confirmed speculation the Italian team will probably keep its driver lineup the same in 2018. Italian sources had reported that, having made a new deal for Kimi Raikkonen a condition, Sebastian Vettel was now ready to ink a contract beyond 2017. Reportedly, the deal will be announced at […]
Ricciardo ‘will accept’ Verstappen apology
Jul.31 (GMM) Max Verstappen has apologised for punting his Red Bull teammate out of the Hungarian grand prix. The normally smiling Daniel Ricciardo was furious after the incident, swearing and calling Dutch teenager Verstappen a “sore loser” and “amateur”. “Inexperience is too kind. It was just immaturity,” said the Australian. Their boss, Christian Horner, said […]
Horner questions Mercedes ‘team order’ decision
Jul.31 (GMM) Mercedes has admitted a team decision in Hungary may cost Lewis Hamilton the world championship. During the Hungaroring race, Valtteri Bottas let Hamilton past in order to give the Briton a chance to attack the Ferraris and reduce his 1 point championship deficit to Sebastian Vettel. But Hamilton could not pass the Ferraris, […]
Red Bull eyes independent engine supplier for future
Jul.30 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down early links between Red Bull and Volkswagen brands interested in entering F1 in the future. That is despite the fact Marko said Red Bull is now basically ready to take on Mercedes and Ferrari for the title, with the only missing link being a top engine. “From […]
Ferrari to announce Vettel-Raikkonen at Monza
Jul.30 (GMM) Ferrari is set to keep its current race driver lineup intact for 2018. That is the claim of the Italian broadcaster Sky, amid existing speculation that Sebastian Vettel made a new deal for Kimi Raikkonen a condition of his own decision to stay with the Maranello team beyond this year. Citing sources, Sky […]
Leclerc eyes Sauber move for 2018
Jul.30 (GMM) Charles Leclerc has admitted he is starting to look towards a possible move into F1 for 2018. The 19-year-old from Monaco is currently dominating the Formula 2 series, and thanks to his ties to Ferrari is being linked with a move into F1 next year. Some reports say a Haas or Sauber drive […]
Mercedes not dumping F1 for Formula E – Lauda
Jul.30 (GMM) Niki Lauda says there is no risk Mercedes will dump F1 in favour of the increasingly-popular all-electric series Formula E. Mercedes and Porsche made waves earlier this week by pulling out of DTM and Le Mans respectively in order to enter Formula E. But Lauda, the Mercedes F1 team chairman, says there is […]
F1 defends editing negative Halo comments
Jul.30 (GMM) F1 says cutting negative opinions about the ‘Halo’ safety concept from press conference footage was an “editorial decision”. In Thursday’s FIA press conference in Hungary, drivers including Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen criticised the controversial forward protection system that is compulsory for 2018. But only drivers with positive opinions were included in the […]
Ferrari ‘simply better’ on slow circuits – Wolff
Jul.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff thinks Mercedes’ victory chance in Hungary is “one per cent”. That is despite the fact the reigning champions have appeared generally stronger than Ferrari in recent races. Some believe the recent Mercedes boost has been at least in part due to a Ferrari slump, connected to rumours the Italian team has […]
Sainz not commenting on Toro Rosso-Honda rumour
Jul.30 (GMM) Carlos Sainz will not comment on rising speculation about a change of engine supplier for Toro Rosso. Rumours suggest that after the Sauber-Honda split and continuing talk of a McLaren-Honda divorce, it could be the second Red Bull team that gets Japanese power for 2018. “It is a rumour and so I will […]