Feb.7 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur has played down two of the biggest controversies in F1 at present. Many believe that the introduction of the ‘Halo’ and the banning of ‘grid girls’ means that 2018 could be a particularly ugly season at the pinnacle of motor sport. “They are two different things,” Sauber boss Vasseur told the […]
Grid girl ban is ‘discrimination’ – Ramirez
Feb.7 (GMM) Former McLaren team coordinator Jo Ramirez has slammed Liberty Media’s decision to ban grid girls. Throughout the 80s and 90s, the now 76-year-old Mexican was a leading figure in F1. Ramirez now hits out at Liberty’s decision to ban grid girls, replacing them with ‘grid kids’ from 2018. “F1 is losing its way. […]
McLaren ‘happier’ heading into 2018 – Ramirez
Feb.7 (GMM) Jo Ramirez says he senses a very different McLaren as the British team prepares for 2018. McLaren’s long-time former team coordinator told Spanish radio Cadena Cope that dumping Honda means the team now “sees light at the end of the tunnel”. “They’re much happier,” said Mexican Ramirez. “They are working very well with […]
Verstappen to get early feel for 2018 car
Feb.7 (GMM) Max Verstappen thinks he will get an idea about his chances of fighting for the title in 2018 after the very first day of testing later this month. Mercedes and Ferrari duelled for the world championship last year, but Red Bull is tipped to join the party in 2018. Verstappen said: “Normally you […]
Alesi ‘not in favour’ of grid kids project
Feb.7 (GMM) Former F1 driver Jean Alesi says he is no fan of Liberty Media’s new “grid kids” initiative. F1’s new owners caused an international storm when it was announced that grid girls will be banned in 2018. In their place, children will hold the drivers’ grid boards instead. Former Ferrari driver Alesi weighed into […]
Lando Norris prepared to leave McLaren
Feb.6 (GMM) Lando Norris says he is prepared to leave McLaren if the British team has no place for him within a year or so. This year, McLaren will line up with an unchanged driver pairing of Fernando Alonso alongside Stoffel Vandoorne. But youngster Norris, the new reigning F3 champion, steps up into the reserve […]
Mercedes pushing limits with 2018 design – report
Feb.5 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes is pushing the development of its 2018 car to the limit. Italy’s Corriere dello Sport claims that with Ferrari and Red Bull closing in, Mercedes has pushed the limits with the performance parameters of the new car. The report says several exhausts have broken on the test rigs […]
Ferrari-Liberty showdown ‘inevitable’ – Brown
Feb.5 (GMM) Zak Brown thinks the showdown between Ferrari and Liberty Media was “inevitable”. With Liberty reportedly proposing a fairer income distribution system among other things, Ferrari has threatened to quit F1. McLaren executive Brown told AS newspaper: “It was inevitable that there would be a confrontation between Ferrari and Liberty. “Ferrari wants to protect […]
Boullier backs Alonso’s Le Mans move
Feb.5 (GMM) Eric Boullier says he supports Fernando Alonso’s move into the world of Le Mans racing. Some believe that the McLaren driver getting permission to split his time between F1 and sports cars this year is the brainchild of team executive Zak Brown rather than Boullier. But team boss Boullier insists he is not […]
Renault engine ‘one second’ faster – Boullier
Feb.5 (GMM) Eric Boullier says McLaren will get a one second per lap boost simply by using a different engine in 2018. After three years with Honda, the British team lost patience and will use customer Renault power this season. Team boss Boullier says McLaren is on schedule for 2018. “The Honda and Renault engines […]
Sirotkin hits out at ‘pay driver’ label
Feb.5 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin says he is ignoring those who call him a ‘pay driver’. Some, including sections of the media, say the Russian secured Williams’ second seat for 2018 thanks to the millions brought to the team by SMP Bank. “I do not pay attention to names like ‘pay driver’,” Sirotkin told Russian radio […]
Liberty ‘doing everything wrong’ – Ecclestone
Feb.5 (GMM) Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has lashed out at the sport’s new owners Liberty Media. The 87-year-old said last week that he strongly disagrees with Liberty’s decision to ban grid girls. But he has now told Sonntagsblick newspaper: “So far I have not seen a single thing that makes sense. “They are doing […]
Alonso needs Le Mans to ‘prove’ skills – Domenicali
Feb.2 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is racing outside formula one to “prove” he remains one of the world’s best drivers. That is the view of his former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali, who today is the boss of Lamborghini. Last year, Alonso contested the Indy 500 and this year he will combine his McLaren duties with Le […]
Series boss says Formula E will overtake F1
Feb.2 (GMM) The boss of Formula E says he thinks the all-electric series will eventually overtake F1. Series chief Alejandro Agag took a swipe at F1 after Liberty Media announced this week that grid girls are being banned, declaring “Welcome to the 21st century”. “They are copying many things we do,” he smiled to London […]
Wolff tips Hamilton to sign new contract
Feb.2 (GMM) It is only “a matter of time” before Lewis Hamilton signs a new Mercedes contract. That is the claim of his boss Toto Wolff, even though reports of a new deal have been around for months and Hamilton regularly flirts with the idea of retirement. The 33-year-old driver is under contract until the […]
Massa laments end of Brazilian F1 drivers
Feb.2 (GMM) Felipe Massa says he is “disappointed” that his retirement means there are no more Brazilians on the F1 grid. “Of course I am,” he told France’s Auto Hebdo. “My country is an integral part of F1 with drivers like Senna, Piquet and Fittipaldi and I am honoured to have been a part of […]
Lauda slams ‘dumb’ grid girl ban
Feb.2 (GMM) Niki Lauda has slammed Liberty Media’s decision to ban grid girls. The F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman told Austria’s Der Standard newspaper that the move is “completely incomprehensible”. “How dumb can someone be? Women have emancipated themselves and do very well at it,” he said. “So this is a decision against women.” […]
F1 drivers to wear biometric glove in 2018
Feb.1 (GMM) F1 drivers will wear a ‘biometric glove’ in 2018. Late last year, we reported that the glove developed by the FIA will include a 3mm sensor that feeds lifesaving data to the medical team to help in the event of a serious crash. Now, Germany’s Sport Bild reports that the glove will be […]
WEC eyeing calendar tweak for Alonso
Feb.1 (GMM) The world endurance sports car championship is reportedly considering changing the date of a key race so that Fernando Alonso can take part. This week, McLaren announced that Alonso will contest not only Le Mans, but also the full 2018 WEC race calendar — with the exception of Fuji as it clashes with […]
Haas drivers exchange compliments
Feb.1 (GMM) Haas’ two F1 drivers are exchanging compliments ahead of the 2018 season. Late last year, Romain Grosjean said his relationship with Kevin Magnussen is “the best I’ve had with a teammate”. Speaking to France’s Auto Hebdo, Dane Magnussen has now replied: “I appreciate the compliment. “Romain is also a very strong driver. I […]