May 31 (GMM) Robert Kubica has emerged as another potential replacement for struggling Toro Rosso driver Brendon Hartley. Dr Helmut Marko, who heads Red Bull’s driver programme, said recently he was not looking to oust New Zealander Hartley mid-season “at the moment”. He now tells Speed Week: “The situation around Brendon is not pleasing. “We […]
Renault eyes Vandoorne for future seat
May 31 (GMM) Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul has admitted he has an eye on Stoffel Vandoorne. Renault might have a vacancy for 2019, as Carlos Sainz is linked with a return to Red Bull to replace Daniel Ricciardo. And Abiteboul has admitted McLaren driver Vandoorne is an attractive option for the future. “Do not say […]
Wolff confirms Force India team order
May 31 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he asked for Esteban Ocon to let Lewis Hamilton past in Monaco. Wolff is the team boss at Mercedes, and Ocon is a Mercedes junior driver. The Frenchman currently drives for Mercedes-powered Force India, and after Monaco he seemed to hint that ‘team orders’ were in play when […]
Toyota’s Makinen says Ferrari should keep Raikkonen
May 31 (GMM) Toyota world rally boss Tommi Makinen has played down speculation Kimi Raikkonen could leave Ferrari at the end of the year. Makinen, who heads the works Toyota Gazoo Racing rally team, was a guest of Raikkonen’s at Monaco. His deputy Mia Miettinen, also in the Principality, said: “Kimi could be a Toyota […]
No penalty for Ricciardo in Canada
May 31 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo will not be penalised at next weekend’s Canadian grand prix. The Australian won in Monaco, despite nursing his Red Bull to the line using just six of the eight gears with a MGU-K problem. “I felt a loss of power and thought the race was done,” he said. But Auto […]
Williams should have solved ‘comfort’ problem – Kubica
May 30 (GMM) Robert Kubica has admitted Williams’ drivers are suffering from more than just a lack of pace in 2018. In Barcelona, Sergey Sirotkin admitted he struggled throughout the weekend with “seat comfort”. “Let’s say it this way to not upset anyone — the problem is with seat comfort,” said the Russian. It is […]
Brawn says Monaco GP critics ‘naive’
May 30 (GMM) Ross Brawn says criticism of last weekend’s Monaco grand prix is “naive”. F1 fans but also drivers lashed out after last Sunday’s race in the Principality — Fernando Alonso called it “probably the most boring race in the history of F1”. Brawn, F1’s sporting boss for Liberty Media, agrees that Monaco 2018 […]
Raikkonen alleges blackmail after sexual assault claims
May 30 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has filed a police complaint in Montreal, alleging a local woman is harassing and blackmailing him. According to La Presse newspaper, the woman in her 20s claims she was working in the Montreal bar Velvet Speakeasy in 2016 when the Ferrari driver groped her. “He learned over, slipped his hand […]
Alonso’s manager to attend Indycar race
May 30 (GMM) A full-time move to Indycar is looking like a real possibility for Fernando Alonso. After doing the 2017 Indy 500 with Alonso, it is already rumoured that McLaren is now considering joining the American series full-time — initially in partnership with an existing team but going it alone by 2020. The British […]
Mercedes, Ferrari wrong move for Ricciardo – Marko
May 30 (GMM) Red Bull has made clear yet again that it wants Daniel Ricciardo to stay at the team. While Max Verstappen struggles, Australian Ricciardo is in top form but out of contract at the end of 2018. “He’s made himself a few million more expensive,” 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg smiled after Ricciardo […]
Vandoorne ‘not worried’ about losing seat
May 29 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says he is not worried about his future at McLaren. The Belgian entered F1 as a highly rated and successful rookie, but some say he has failed to make an impact so far. In fact, McLaren is openly saying it wants Fernando Alonso to stay next year, amid speculation the […]
Verstappen says no Toro Rosso demotion
May 29 (GMM) Max Verstappen has denied claims his error-strewn 2018 season could result in his demotion to Toro Rosso. The speculation hit a high point in the wake of the Monaco grand prix, when despite having a potentially pole and race-winning car, Verstappen crashed out in practice. Every critic is now having his say, […]
Raikkonen hits back at rally switch rumours
May 29 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has hit back at reports that suggest he will quit formula one and return to world rally in 2019. Toyota Gazoo Racing bosses Tommi Makinen and Mia Miettinen were both at Monaco last weekend and spotted on Raikkonen’s yacht. “Kimi could be a Toyota (rally) driver,” Miettinen said, “but first […]
FIA ‘threw Mercedes under a bus’ – Whiting
May 29 (GMM) Toto Wolff has accused the FIA’s Charlie Whiting of throwing Mercedes “under a bus”. Doubts about the legality of Ferrari’s 2018 car have subsided after comprehensive checks in Barcelona and Monaco. But in clarifying that Ferrari has the green light, FIA race director Whiting revealed that it was James Allison and Lorenzo […]
F1 must remain ‘technological challenge’ – Pirelli
May 29 (GMM) F1 must remain a technological challenge if Pirelli will stay beyond its current contract. That is the claim of the Italian tyre manufacturer’s CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera, as F1 reaches a crossroads regarding the regulations for the future. “If the challenge continues to be technological, giving the teams and drivers what they […]
Red Bull delays engine decision for another month
May 29 (GMM) Red Bull will make Renault wait even longer to find out if it intends to use the French manufacturer’s F1 power unit in 2019. Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul is frustrated that the energy drink owned team is stalling over its decision to potentially switch to Honda power. “I do not understand their […]
New York not ready for F1 race
May 29 (GMM) New York does not look ready to join Miami as another US destination on the F1 calendar. It is now almost certain that Miami will become the second US-based grand prix next year, alongside Austin. But Liberty Media had also targeted New York. Christian Sylt, the F1 business journalist for Forbes, revealed […]
FIA to keep checking Ferrari legality in Canada
May 28 (GMM) A legality saga involving Ferrari’s 2018 car looks set to run and run. After monitoring hardware and software was installed following a round of speculation about the car’s turbo and battery systems, the FIA gave Ferrari a clean bill of health in Monaco. But race director Charlie Whiting said more monitoring in […]
Alonso watched Indy 500 with ‘numb’ F1 fans
May 28 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says one of the best things about Monaco GP race day was watching the Indy 500 afterwards. The Spaniard therefore joined the ranks of people critical of the questionable spectacle of Sunday’s race in the Principality. “At least it (watching the Indy 500) was fun, especially because the people who […]
Verstappen takes ‘hard lesson’ from Monaco
May 28 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he will take the “hard lessons” on board from Monaco and other races so far in 2018. The young Dutchman had a horror Monaco, missing qualifying after a crash, receiving widespread criticism and then watching his teammate Daniel Ricciardo celebrate the pole and win. “These are painful moments,” Verstappen […]