Apr.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he wants Daniel Ricciardo to stay at Red Bull. Actually, Australian Ricciardo has gone onto the driver market for 2019, and is already linked with a move to Mercedes. “I have a good relationship with Daniel,” Marko told France’s Auto Hebdo when asked about speculation regarding Ricciardo’s expiring contract. […]
Kubica not ‘teacher’ for Williams drivers
Apr.4 (GMM) Robert Kubica insists he does not see himself as a “teacher” at Williams. The British team has come under fire for its heavily sponsored and notably young and inexperienced lineup of Lance Stroll alongside Sergey Sirotkin. But Kubica, the experienced former BMW and Renault driver, is the official reserve. “I would not say […]
‘No panic’ at struggling Force India – Ocon
Apr.4 (GMM) Esteban Ocon insists there is “no panic” after a bad start to the season for Force India. The small Silverstone based team finished fourth overall in 2016 and 2017, but now Renault, McLaren and even Haas look set to displace Force India this year. “I suppose some (fans) are afraid that after Melbourne […]
Ecclestone backs calls for engine equalisation
Apr.4 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has backed calls for performance to be equalised in formula one. The former F1 supremo thinks the Mercedes-dominated ‘power unit’ era has been bad for the sport. And when asked if he thinks Liberty Media has done a good job for F1 so far, he told Welt newspaper: “All I know […]
Ecclestone thinks Brawn wants top F1 job
Apr.4 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone thinks Ross Brawn is eyeing the top job in F1. Before being ousted as F1 supremo, Ecclestone said he did not want to work alongside the former Ferrari and Mercedes chief at Formula One Management. Liberty Media has since taken over the company, who ousted Ecclestone and installed Brawn as F1 […]
Victory could take three years – Sainz
Apr.4 (GMM) Carlos Sainz thinks victory for Renault may require a wait of up to three years. The Spaniard is actually ‘on loan’ to the French works team from Red Bull just for 2018. So when asked how the season has started for him, Sainz told Antena 3 television: “You have to bear in mind […]
McLaren promises juniors F1 debut
Apr.3 (GMM) McLaren is tangling a tantalising carrot in front of its junior drivers in 2018. According to Dutchman Nick de Vries, McLaren executive Zak Brown has promised that if he or Lando Norris wins the Formula 2 title this year, the prize will be an F1 seat. “If I become the Formula 2 champion […]
Sirotkin denies Kubica ‘sabotage’ claims
Apr.3 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin has played down claims Robert Kubica could campaign to derail his formula one career. Recently, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve warned that as he advances his campaign to return to the grid, Kubica may as reserve driver deliberately sabotage the developmental direction of Williams’ 2018 car. “His dream is to race […]
Liberty considers F1 ‘qualifying race’
Apr.3 (GMM) Liberty Media could be looking to shake up the grand prix weekend format. Auto Motor und Sport reports that a new ‘qualifying race’ could be held on Saturday that determines Sunday’s grand prix grid. And that’s not all. The German magazine said the new weekend format will begin with a ‘public technical inspection’ […]
Monaco layout could be tweaked
Apr.3 (GMM) The famous Monaco grand prix layout could be tweaked by 2025. Forbes’ F1 business journalist Christian Sylt said a EUR 2 billion project to reclaim 25 acres of land from the Mediterranean is already underway. The new land is located just before the F1 circuit’s tunnel entrance. “I am not saying that it […]
Vettel admits ‘struggling’ with 2018 Ferrari
Mar.29 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted he does not yet feel at home at the wheel of this year’s Ferrari. As in 2017, the German kicked off his new championship campaign with a win — but he said he is not as happy as he was in Melbourne 12 months ago. “At the moment we’re […]
Force India says Renault teams have upped game
Mar.29 (GMM) Force India says it is still working on its 2018 car, after a difficult start in Melbourne. Despite finishing fourth overall in 2016 and 2017, the Silverstone based team has fallen behind the highly competitive midfield this year. But technical boss Andy Green told Auto Motor und Sport: “Not everything has arrived yet. […]
Haas rivals want ‘Ferrari clone’ investigation
Mar.29 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has hit back with fury at suggestions Haas is using a carbon copy of last year’s Ferrari in 2018. Force India is calling for an investigation into whether what the small American team is doing is or should be legal. “They’re using last year’s Ferrari,” said deputy boss Bob Fernley. Technical […]
Melbourne open to tweaking F1 circuit
Mar.28 (GMM) Australian grand prix organisers say they are open to tweaking the layout of the Melbourne circuit. Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief Andrew Westacott’s comments come after teams, drivers and fans complained about the lack of overtaking last weekend in the 2018 season opener. “It’s an awesome circuit but so hard to overtake even […]
Toro Rosso-Honda can improve – Gasly
Mar.28 (GMM) Toro Rosso-Honda has the “potential” to improve in 2018. That is the view of the team’s rookie driver Pierre Gasly, after a disappointing first outing for the newly Honda-powered team this season. “We’re fighting with Williams and Force India,” the Frenchman, who retired from the race with an engine failure, said. It has […]
Sponsor backs Mercedes or Ferrari seat for Bottas
Mar.28 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ sponsor thinks the Finnish driver will continue to race with a top team beyond 2018. Bottas had a bad start to his season in Australia with a qualifying crash, with Lewis Hamilton saying he missed having his teammate’s support in the race. “Since last year it has become crucial to have […]
Liberty to present 2021 plans in Bahrain
Mar.28 (GMM) Bahrain will set the scene for the next round of tensions between F1 owner Liberty Media and angry top teams Ferrari and Mercedes. The top teams are already threatening to quit formula one after 2020, if Liberty presses ahead with plans for a budget cap and significantly altered engine rules. Publications including France’s […]
Force India admits race for F1 survival
Mar.28 (GMM) Force India is in a race for mere survival, its deputy boss Bob Fernley has admitted. Amid owner and boss Vijay Mallya’s ever deepening legal troubles, his deputy Fernley has revealed he is scrambling to put together the team’s 2018 budget. “The next four weeks will decide if we will survive,” Germany’s Auto […]
Ricciardo penalty ‘wrong’ for F1 – Lauda
Mar.27 (GMM) Niki Lauda has hit out at the FIA for being too hard on Daniel Ricciardo in Australia. Local hero Ricciardo was penalised three places on the grid, after falling foul of a complex new regulation requiring him to slow down during a red flag in practice. But Lauda, the F1 legend and Mercedes […]
Haas will not fire mechanics after blunders
Mar.27 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says Haas will line up with the same set of mechanics next weekend in Bahrain. Although it looked like technical glitches, the American team’s boss confirmed that it was simple finger trouble that meant Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean retired within minutes following bungled pitstops in Australia. “Why should we keep […]