Sep.13 (GMM) Chase Carey says he wants Singapore to stay on the F1 calendar. The spectacular night race in the Asian city-state has become one of the most popular stops on the annual F1 calendar. But a deal beyond this weekend’s event has not yet been agreed, with Singapore being allocated mere provisional status on […]
Wolff races 1990 DTM car in Germany
Sep.13 (GMM) Toto Wolff made his return to competitive motor racing last weekend at the Nurburgring. The Mercedes boss drove a 1990 Mercedes 190 DTM in a race against other historic cars, including one driven by former F1 driver Christian Danner. However, the 45-year-old Austrian actually promised his wife Susie some years ago that he […]
Kubica eyeing F1 options beyond Renault
Sep.13 (GMM) Robert Kubica is exploring his options at other teams for 2018. The news comes amid widespread reports the French works team Renault is set to pair current Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz with Nico Hulkenberg next year. Kubica had been a contender for a 2018 seat after a spate of tests, but boss […]
Mercedes not re-thinking F1 project until 2020
Sep.13 (GMM) Mercedes is not yet thinking about its future in F1 beyond 2020. That is the claim of Dieter Zetsche, the chairman of the German carmaker’s parent Daimler. Mercedes’ future in motor racing has been the subject of recent speculation, after it announced its impending withdrawal from DTM and decision to join Formula E […]
Honda deal failure ‘McLaren’s fault’ – Ecclestone
Sep.13 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the complex McLaren-Renault deal is “done”. Although no longer the hands-on F1 supremo, the sport’s 86-year-old ‘chairman emeritus’ told the Daily Mail newspaper he has no doubt the McLaren-Honda split has paved the way for Fernando Alonso to stay in the sport. “The Renault deal is all done,” […]
Renault could not supply four teams – Stoll
Sep.13 (GMM) The world of F1 is heading to Singapore expecting news about the McLaren-Honda split to become official. It is now an open secret that McLaren will instead team up with Renault, in a complex deal that involves Toro Rosso taking over the Honda deal. Asked why Renault simply didn’t add a fourth team […]
Sainz still waiting for news about future
Sep.13 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is still waiting for news about his future in F1. Widespread reports say the Spaniard is definitely heading from Toro Rosso to the works Renault team for 2018, and maybe even from Malaysia next month to replace the point-less Jolyon Palmer. But Sainz, 23, is confirming nothing. “Maybe I […]
Liberty eyes F1 budget cap for 2021
Sep.13 (GMM) Liberty Media is looking to introduce a budget cap of EUR 150 million per team from 2021. Germany’s Sport Bild reports that the new F1 owner intends to bring in the dramatic rule to compliment the cheaper engine rules, with teams then allowed to spend a further EUR 50 million on marketing, hospitality […]
McLaren-Honda saga announcements to begin
Sep.12 (GMM) A spate of announcements regarding the McLaren-Honda-Toro Rosso-Renault saga is set to begin. Reports over the weekend suggested the meat of the entire complex saga is now on the bones, with McLaren to team up with Renault after splitting with Honda. “The Japanese company has now accepted it is leaving McLaren to supply […]
Missing Halo details make F1 teams nervous
Sep.12 (GMM) F1 teams are reportedly concerned about the introduction of ‘Halo’ for 2018. While the mandatory fitting of the cockpit protection system for next year was announced in July, it is believed teams are still waiting on crucial detail about how Halo must be integrated into the chassis. And other missing detail relates to […]
McLaren will not loan Norris to rival team
Sep.11 (GMM) Zak Brown says McLaren will not loan Lando Norris to another F1 team. Briton Norris, the 17-year-old star of European F3, is tipped for a bright future in F1 and already firmly under contract to McLaren. But Brown has said McLaren is likely to place Norris in Formula 2 next year, rather than […]
Ferrari ‘favourites’ for Singapore – Lauda
Sep.11 (GMM) Niki Lauda has named Ferrari as the favourite to win this weekend’s Singapore grand prix. That is despite the fact Lewis Hamilton took over the championship lead at Monza last weekend, after humiliating a struggling Ferrari at its home circuit. Now, a thrilling title battle between Mercedes’ Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel is […]
Frank Williams ‘can no longer travel’ – Claire
Sep.11 (GMM) Sir Frank Williams is doing well, according to the F1 team founder’s daughter Claire. Today, Claire is the deputy boss of the famous British team, with her famous 75-year-old no longer able to travel due to his tetraplegia. Indeed, Sir Frank recently underwent a long hospitalisation for illness, but according to Claire is […]
Gasly hoping to make F1 debut in Malaysia
Sep.11 (GMM) Pierre Gasly has not denied he looks set to become the newest rookie in formula one. Over the weekend, multiple authoritative sources including Germany’s major newspaper Bild said Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz is set to move to Renault after Singapore, replacing the struggling Jolyon Palmer. He looks to be part of a […]
Sainz not confirming Renault switch
Sep.11 (GMM) Carlos Sainz looks set to contest his final race for Toro Rosso this weekend in Singapore. Multiple sources are reporting that, in Singapore, the Spaniard will sign a contract to complete his switch from the junior Red Bull team to Renault. He will reportedly replace the struggling Jolyon Palmer, with Red Bull rookie […]
McLaren-Honda saga to end in coming days
Sep.8 (GMM) The signs are growing by the day that McLaren and Honda are poised to split. As he waits for the saga to unfold, out-of-contract team driver Fernando Alonso has reportedly removed all reference to McLaren and its hapless Japanese engine supplier from his official Twitter profile. Former F1 team owner and boss Gian […]
No ‘serious’ interest in 11th, 12th teams spots – Todt
Sep.7 (GMM) F1 looks set to stay at just ten teams for now. Recently, FIA president Jean Todt confirmed reports that a couple of groups have expressed interest in filling the last two team places in pitlane. “If a large manufacturer wants to come in, that is easy,” said the Frenchman. “If it is an […]
French GP layout ‘fun’ for drivers – Alesi
Sep.7 (GMM) The new Paul Ricard layout will be “a real benchmark” for F1 drivers when they tackle next year’s French grand prix. That is the claim of Frenchman and former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi, as the Le Castellet circuit on Wednesday launched its 2018 F1 track layout. There had been speculation Paul Ricard might […]
Haas not keen on ‘pay driver’ model
Sep.7 (GMM) Team owner Gene Haas seems determined to avoid the ‘pay driver’ trend in F1. For the American team’s first season last year, Haas took on Esteban Gutierrez, who came with the backing of team supplier Ferrari as well as his Mexican sponsors. But the Mexican underperformed, and for 2017 Haas replaced him with […]
Hulkenberg tells Pirelli to improve rain tyres
Sep.7 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has called on Pirelli to make better F1 rain tyres. The Renault driver said the situation at Monza last Saturday, with qualifying repeatedly delayed in 15 minute segments for over two hours, was “really annoying”. “We were putting on and taking off our helmets as often as we were getting in […]