May 4 (GMM) The return door to India seems to have closed for formula one. Three Indian grands prix were held near Delhi until 2013, when bureaucratic hurdles ended the deal. And now, those bureaucratic hurdles seem higher than ever before, with India’s supreme court ruling that that the sport owes the government millions in […]
Lauda admits Ferrari ‘clearly ahead’
May 4 (GMM) Mercedes needs to make “two steps forward” to catch up with Ferrari next time out in Barcelona. That is the claim of F1 legend Niki Lauda, who doubles as Mercedes’ team chairman. Mercedes utterly dominated between 2014 and 2016, but so far in 2017 Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel has pulled out a lead […]
Jordan sure Vettel in Mercedes talks
May 4 (GMM) Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan is certain Sebastian Vettel is in talks about a potential switch to Mercedes for 2018. Commonly a sensational predictor of big F1 news, Jordan’s comments come after Mercedes played down rumours of recent talks with Ferrari’s championship leader. “There’s nothing to it,” Mercedes’ Toto Wolff said. […]
Vettel tips Barcelona boost for Red Bull
May 4 (GMM) Championship leader Sebastian Vettel has tipped his old team Red Bull to return to the top in formula one. Currently, the 2017 title looks to be a fight between Ferrari – for whom former Red Bull driver Vettel now races – and Mercedes. But after the opening four ‘flyaway’ races, rumours are […]
Kubica could do New York Formula E race
May 4 (GMM) Robert Kubica could be set to return to a premier open-wheel starting grid. Earlier, the former Renault and BMW driver axed his plans to contest the fabled Le Mans race this year in the premier LMP1 category. But he then tested a Formula 4 car, which was his first single seater outing […]
Carey not confirming 25-race calendar for future
May 4 (GMM) F1 supremo Chase Carey says he is undecided about expanding the calendar to as many as 25 races. Currently, the annual schedule is at 20 grands prix, and set to expand to a bursting-at-the-scenes 21 for 2018. But when Liberty Media took over and Bernie Ecclestone was ousted, there were suggestions a […]
Alonso at Indy 500 ‘unfortunate’ – Carey
May 4 (GMM) Chase Carey has admitted he would prefer if Fernando Alonso was preparing for next month’s Monaco grand prix. Actually, the Spaniard is sitting out F1’s ‘jewel in the crown’ event, and this week started testing for the Indy 500 whose race date clashes with Monaco. “Under Bernie (Ecclestone), formula one was a […]
F1 eyes pay-TV switch for Germany
May 4 (GMM) F1’s new owners are considering switching coverage of the sport within Germany to a pay-only platform. The free-to-air deal enjoyed by the broadcaster RTL runs out this year, and new F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches was quoted by DPA news agency as admitting that pay TV is “where the money is”. But […]
Renault starts work on 2018 car – boss
May 4 (GMM) Renault intends to “surprise” the F1 hierarchy in 2018. That is the claim of team boss Cyril Abiteboul, as the French works team already pushes to establish itself at the head of the midfield this year. “It’s important to go step by step,” he told Russia’s Championat. “According to our plan, we […]
Hamilton thinks ‘nothing’ about Rosberg
May 3 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he recovered quickly from the disappointment of losing last year’s world championship. After a season long battle, the triple world champion’s long-time Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg finally broke through for a title win, and promptly retired. Asked what he thinks of the German today, Hamilton is quoted by Italy’s […]
Ecclestone happy with Ferrari-Mercedes fight
May 3 (GMM) Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says the best thing about the sport’s new era is that there is finally a fight at the front. Invited as a guest of the respective promoters, despite only now having a hands-off role, the 86-year-old was present in both Bahrain and Russia recently. He credits the […]
Ferrari move ‘not in my head’ – Ricciardo
May 3 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has played down reports linking him with a move to Ferrari. It is not the first time the Australian has been mentioned in connection with the fabled Italian team, but Red Bull consistently reports that it has the 27-year-old under contract for the next two years. And Osterreich newspaper quotes […]
Red Bull confirms Renault progress stalled
May 3 (GMM) Red Bull has confirmed reports that a scheduled engine upgrade has been delayed by supplier Renault. With the struggling former champions preparing a ‘B’ car for Barcelona, it was said Red Bull could join the fight at the front by June also thanks to a Renault engine upgrade. But we reported this […]
FIA happy with 2017 overtaking situation
May 2 (GMM) F1’s governing body is for now taking no action to spice up overtaking. Earlier, the FIA said it would analyse the opening few races of the new car and tyre regulations to assess if changes would need to be made, for example to the length of the DRS zones. After a processional […]
Honda engine has ‘all disadvantages’ – Boullier
May 2 (GMM) It is dark days at McLaren, with boss Eric Boullier insisting that Honda has to already get to work on its engine for 2018. But the Frenchman said Fernando Alonso not even getting to the grid in Russia with the 2017 power unit is “not acceptable”. Alonso, however, says he was not […]
Ferrari, Mercedes moves for Alonso unlikely – Lauda
May 2 (GMM) Niki Lauda has played down Fernando Alonso’s chances of leaping to the front of the grid for 2018. The Spaniard, obviously frustrated with his dire situation at McLaren-Honda, will make a bid for victory at the fabled Indy 500 next month. And Lauda, the F1 legend and Mercedes team boss, says he […]
‘Number 2’ talks no motivation – Bottas
May 2 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has denied that being called a de-facto ‘number 2’ driver had something to do with his motivation to win in Russia last weekend. Until Sochi, the Finn had been basically outpaced by his highly rated teammate Lewis Hamilton since joining Mercedes, triggering a debate about whether the team should impose […]
Bottas starts bid for 2018 Mercedes contract
May 1 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ hopes of securing a new contract beyond 2017 took a big step forwards in Russia. In his fourth race since switching from Williams to Mercedes, and amid reports he is a mere ‘number 2’ driver, the Finn won at Sochi. And not just that, he also comprehensively outpaced his highly […]
Ricciardo plays down ‘B’ car hopes
May 1 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has played down hopes that Red Bull’s early season struggles might soon be over. The former champions have admitted that the current performance deficit is due to both the chassis and Renault engine. So at Milton Keynes, Red Bull is busily working on what is said to be a ‘B’ […]
Alonso leaving exit open for 2018
May 1 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has admitted again that he could leave the McLaren-Honda project at the end of the season. It comes after an horror Sunday for the Spaniard in Russia, as his car ground to a halt before the grand prix even started. Obviously angry, Alonso tried to be philosophical. “These are things […]