Apr.9 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel and Christian Horner on Sunday defended Lewis Hamilton after the Bahrain grand prix. Following a clash with Max Verstappen, world champion Hamilton called the Dutch driver a “d******d”. “It’s a human reaction,” said race winner and championship leader Vettel, intervening as a reporter asked Hamilton about the crude insult. “I feel […]
Mercedes says Ferrari simply faster in Bahrain
Apr.8 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Ferrari’s pace in Bahrain vindicates his pre-season claim that Mercedes will struggle to win another title in 2018. Prior to Melbourne, where Mercedes’ new car proved to be the fastest in the field, boss Wolff had claimed Ferrari and Red Bull would be tough challengers. “I always said that Ferrari, […]
Ecclestone warns against unnecessary change
Apr.8 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is making a low-profile visit to the Bahrain grand prix. Ousted by Liberty Media just over a year ago, the former F1 supremo is attending the race as a guest of his friend, Bahrain’s King Hamad. 87-year-old Ecclestone’s visit coincides with a tense time in the F1 paddock, with Liberty having […]
Honda boost could mean engine deal for Red Bull
Apr.8 (GMM) McLaren figures have been left red-faced after being outperformed by their old Honda engines in Bahrain. Newly Honda-powered Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly will start the race from an impressive fifth on Sunday — while Fernando Alonso did not even make the ‘Q3’ qualifying segment. Stoffel Vandoorne was even slower, and both were also […]
Monaco boss hits out at F1’s Halo
Apr.8 (GMM) Monaco grand prix boss Michel Boeri has lashed out at F1’s new safety concept. Already in the past days, Boeri said he will buck the new ‘grid girl’ ban and feature beautiful women on the grid prior to the May 27 race next month. And political correctness aside, now he says modern F1 […]
Only Williams voted to tweak cars for overtaking
Apr.8 (GMM) An emergency meeting in Bahrain to improve the overtaking situation in formula one broke on Saturday without a solution being agreed. Technical directors got together at the Sakhir circuit to discuss measures to make it easier for one car to pass another, following the unexciting Australian grand prix. “They were unable to agree […]
Pirelli tweaks tyres after Mercedes request
Apr.7 (GMM) Pirelli looks set to modify the design of its 2018 tyres, following a proposal by world champions Mercedes. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Mercedes’ request followed Barcelona testing, when the team suffered from extreme blistering. Pirelli boss Mario Isola confirmed: “The new asphalt is blacker and smoother and producing even more grip. […]
Mercedes tweaks tyres after Mercedes request
Apr.7 (GMM) Pirelli looks set to modify the design of its 2018 tyres, following a proposal by world champions Mercedes. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Mercedes’ request followed Barcelona testing, when the team suffered from extreme blistering. Pirelli boss Mario Isola confirmed: “The new asphalt is blacker and smoother and producing even more grip. […]
Sainz backs Toro Rosso-Honda to bounce back
Apr.7 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has backed his former team Toro Rosso to bounce back. Just after the Spaniard left for Renault, Toro Rosso surprised the paddock by performing well with its new Honda engines in Barcelona testing. But then the sort of reliability problems and lack of performance that had become customary during the McLaren […]
Ferrari not commenting on budget cap
Apr.7 (GMM) Ferrari was silent after Liberty Media announced in Bahrain that it is pressing ahead with new engine rules and a budget cap for 2021. Earlier, president Sergio Marchionne – who was not present for Friday’s key meeting – had warned that changes like those might result in Ferrari quitting the sport. And amid […]
Hamilton eyeing key F1 meetings in Bahrain
Apr.6 (GMM) F1’s future is speeding ahead in Bahrain. Some are predicting Friday fireworks, when Liberty Media presents its potentially explosive financial and engine plans for 2021 to the teams and manufacturers. But the next day, the FIA and Liberty will head another meeting, to urgently discuss the ‘overtaking problem’ as was seen in Melbourne. […]
Stroll hits back after Villeneuve comments
Apr.6 (GMM) Lance Stroll says he remains unfazed by Jacques Villeneuve’s constant criticisms. After fellow French Canadian Stroll made his 2017 debut, 1997 world champion Villeneuve said he was the worst rookie in Williams’ great history. Now, Villeneuve has told Sky Italia that Williams reserve Robert Kubica may deliberately sabotage the development of the team’s […]
Verstappen does not back ‘party mode’ ban
Apr.6 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he does not agree that Mercedes’ so-called ‘party mode’ engine setting should be banned. The Dutch driver’s Red Bull team boss, Christian Horner, has proposed that ‘parc ferme’ conditions apply to engine settings throughout qualifying. It would effectively mean that Mercedes would not be able to use ‘party mode’ to […]
Ricciardo not commenting on Ferrari rumours
Apr.6 (GMM) The 2018 season has begun with uncertainty hanging over the heads of two key top drivers’ futures. Lewis Hamilton is still yet to agree a 2019 contract with Mercedes, and at the same time Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo is potentially on the move. Dr Helmut Marko, a Red Bull official, thinks the holdup […]
Monaco, Russia to ignore ‘grid girl’ ban
Apr.6 (GMM) Monaco and Russia look set to buck the trend and bring ‘grid girls’ back to formula one. Before the 2018 season began, F1 owner Liberty Media said grid girls will be banned, and replaced on the grid by children or ‘grid kids’. But Monaco grand prix boss Michel Boeri said there will be […]
New Hamilton contract ‘as good as done’ – Wolff
Apr.5 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton’s new contract is “as good as done”. The Mercedes chief had hoped to get the signatures on paper prior to Melbourne, but amid rumours of squabbles over details, delays were announced. Germany’s Sport Bild now claims that Hamilton’s new contract for 2019, 2020 and 2021 will earn him […]
Liberty struggling to launch ‘F1 TV’
Apr.5 (GMM) Liberty Media is struggling to launch F1’s new live streaming service. Before Australia, the new F1 owner announced that limited countries would have access to the service — but it was delayed until Bahrain. And now, it has emerged that ‘F1 TV’ is also not ready for Bahrain, amid rumours beta testing revealed […]
F1 expects better racing in Bahrain
Apr.5 (GMM) Drivers are confident this weekend’s grand prix in Bahrain will be more exciting than Melbourne. While Liberty Media works on making the cars easier to overtake for 2021, the FIA installed a third DRS zone in Australia to help for now. But passing moves were still rare. “I had a party for the […]
FIA staff should be free to join teams – Zander
Apr.4 (GMM) Sauber technical boss Jorg Zander says FIA personnel should be free to move to F1 teams. Recently, the moves of engineers Marcin Budkowski and Laurent Mekies from prominent FIA roles to Renault and Ferrari respectively have made waves in the paddock. But Zander says any ‘gardening leave’ requirements should not be too stifling. […]
Gasly backs Honda to improve
Apr.4 (GMM) Pierre Gasly has backed Honda to up its game in 2018. Following the McLaren-Honda split, Toro Rosso’s hopes were high for its new engine partnership following a promising winter. But then Australia was another bad race weekend for Honda. “Honda is pushing hard because they want to show everyone that they can make […]