Jan.26 (GMM) F1’s top three teams are reportedly not on board with plans made by Liberty Media to change how merchandise is sold at grands prix. Until now, teams have sold from individual stalls, but Liberty Media is now adopting an approach pioneered but then abandoned by Nascar in which merchandise is all sold under […]
Alonso says Le Mans chances ’50-50′ for 2018
Jan.26 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says it is “50-50” whether he will race this year at Le Mans. Currently, the Spaniard – having contested the Indy 500 last year – is preparing for his endurance sports car debut at Daytona. He is eyeing the fabled ‘triple crown’ — an ultra-rare achievement of winning the Monaco grand […]
Halo to ‘look better’ in 2018 – Key
Jan.26 (GMM) The racing versions of F1’s controversial new ‘Halo’ safety devices will look better, Toro Rosso technical boss James Key predicts. Many fans are disappointed that the full open cockpit look of F1 cars will be missing in 2018, with the driver protection Halo to be mandatory from March’s Melbourne season opener. Until now, […]
Aston Martin eyes F1 project with Cosworth
Jan.26 (GMM) Aston Martin has indicated it is open to collaborating with Cosworth on a F1 engine foray. The British luxury carmaker is now Red Bull’s title sponsor, but it is interested in F1’s simpler and more affordable post-2020 engine regulations. And Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer is now also interested in a tie-in with […]
No pay TV deal for ‘critical market’ Germany
Jan.26 (GMM) Germany’s long-running pay-TV deal has ended. Although Sky is thriving in the British and Italian markets, the broadcaster will no longer have rights to the sport for 2018 and beyond. “We could not reach the goals that we set ourselves for the negotiations,” Sky Deutschland boss Carsten Schmidt told SID news agency. It […]
Alonso no longer ruling out Nascar
Jan.25 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is no longer ruling out a future move into Nascar, America’s premier tin-top series. Earlier in January, although the McLaren driver last year did the Indy 500 and is now moving into sports cars, he ruled out Nascar. “Those cars require a unique driving style which can only be acquired through […]
Wehrlein could return to F1 in 2019 – Wolff
Jan.25 (GMM) Toto Wolff has confirmed that Pascal Wehrlein will be a Mercedes “test driver” in 2018. Having debuted at Manor, the young German has now lost his race seat after his second season in F1 with Sauber. But Wolff said recently that Wehrlein, 23, will continue to enjoy the backing of the Mercedes driver […]
Haas can be like Force India – Magnussen
Jan.25 (GMM) Haas has the potential to be as competitive as top F1 privateer Force India. That is the view of Kevin Magnussen, the Danish driver who races for the small American outfit. 2017 was Ferrari ‘B team’ Haas’ second season in F1, and Magnussen said: “We are very solid under certain conditions, but we […]
McLaren to be ‘at the front’ in 2018 – Brown
Jan.25 (GMM) Zak Brown has tipped McLaren to “leap to the front” early in 2018. With Honda power, the once-great British team had an abysmal three years to 2017, but for this year McLaren has switched to customer Renault power. Team executive Brown is even predicting possible race wins. “Last year was the worst in […]
Montoya backs Alonso’s ‘triple crown’ bid
Jan.25 (GMM) Juan Pablo Montoya has applauded Fernando Alonso’s efforts to secure motor racing’s elusive ‘triple crown’. Last year, Alonso tried to add an Indy 500 win to his Monaco grand prix triumph, which would have only left Le Mans before him and the unofficial title. But now, the McLaren driver’s forthcoming outing at Daytona […]
Lowe backs 80kg minimum driver weight for 2019
Jan.24 (GMM) F1 will end the controversial topic of driver weight by introducing a new rule for 2019. Driver weight has been a thorny topic in recent years, as heavier cars put more pressure on bigger drivers to slim down. But Auto Bild reports that the FIA will end the controversy for 2019 by introducing […]
Ferrari to join Mercedes with 1000hp – report
Jan.24 (GMM) Ferrari looks set to join Mercedes in knocking on the door of 1000 horse power from its 2018-spec ‘power unit’. Earlier this month, we reported that Mercedes is now just 50hp shy of the landmark four-digit power value. “If the world champions maintain their approximate development speed, 1000hp will be reached”, a correspondent […]
Force India ‘will change name’ – Szafnauer
Jan.24 (GMM) Force India will be relaunched with a different name next month, boss Otmar Szafnauer has confirmed. Earlier, British media reports claimed the Silverstone based team merely “could change” its name ahead of the 2018 season. The move comes after bosses including Vijay Mallya, who is facing extradition from Britain to face charges in […]
Wolff predicts headline after Vettel meeting
Jan.23 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down a friendly meeting on the Austrian ski slopes with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Before German Vettel last year re-signed with Ferrari through 2020, he was linked with a shock move to Mercedes. Now, Vettel has been spotted and photographed meeting with Mercedes team boss Wolff and Daimler CFO Bodo […]
Bratches defends F1 internet-pay TV plans
Jan.23 (GMM) Sean Bratches has defended Liberty Media’s plans to ramp up internet coverage of F1 while moving the sport away from free-to-air television. Fans have noticed recently that the trend is for new television deals with pay-TV networks, with only a limited number of races shown free-to-air. Bratches, the new F1 commercial chief, said […]
Sauber-Ferrari F1 alliance ‘visionary’ – Wolff
Jan.23 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he might be looking to emulate Ferrari’s move by more closely aligning with other F1 teams. The American outfit Haas is already regarded as a kind of Ferrari ‘B team’, and now the new title sponsor at Ferrari-powered Sauber for 2018 will be Alfa Romeo. “I think Sergio Marchionne and […]
Monza boss admits Italy GP future in doubt
Jan.22 (GMM) Monza boss Angelo Sticchi Damiani has admitted the future of the Italian grand prix is not secure for the future. After a period of uncertainty, the historic race is firmly on the 2018 calendar. But the boss of the Italian automobile club Aci told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “If conditions do not change […]
Kubica could be considered for 2019 – Lowe
Jan.22 (GMM) Robert Kubica could now be a contender to race for Williams in 2019. The British team’s technical boss and shareholder Paddy Lowe said he does not regret assessing the Pole’s capabilities in a series of tests, even though Kubica was ultimately given only the reserve driver role. “We organised a serious test programme […]
Manor could return to F1 – Lowdon
Jan.22 (GMM) Manor is not ruling out a return to formula one. The F1 team went out of business after 2016, switching instead to world endurance sports car racing. For 2018, Manor will contest the top-tier LMP1 category at Le Mans and takes on the services of Kimi Raikkonen’s 2017 race engineer Dave Greenwood. Asked […]
Kvyat could race at Le Mans in 2018
Jan.22 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat could add another important job to his CV in 2018. Following his departure from the Red Bull programme, Ferrari signed up the Russian to be a development driver this year. And now, the owner of the Russian bank SMP says he would like Kvyat aboard his team for the fabled Le […]