Dec.11 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he is happy rather than worried now that Carlos Sainz is his teammate at Renault. This year, German Hulkenberg was teamed up at the French team with Jolyon Palmer, until the Briton was ousted and replaced with Spaniard Sainz. Hulkenberg says that overall, he is “satisfied” with how 2017 went […]
Even Ferrari partnership ‘has limits’ – Brawn
Dec.11 (GMM) Ross Brawn has ruled out scrapping F1’s plans to replace the current ‘power units’ after 2020. The now F1 sporting boss was once Ferrari’s highly successful technical director, but now he is dealing with the Italian marque’s threat to quit. “I was pretty surprised by these reactions,” he told Auto Bild, also referring […]
New deal close for German F1 broadcaster
Dec.11 (GMM) F1 looks set to remain on free-to-air television in Germany. As the 2017 season ended and Niki Lauda retired as a television pundit, a dark cloud hung over the future of German broadcaster RTL’s F1 deal. But Bild newspaper now reports that talks between RTL and Liberty Media are now essentially done. It […]
Ferrari eyes ‘healthy cigarette’ sponsor – report
Dec.11 (GMM) Ferrari could be about to announce a ‘new’ major sponsor for 2018. Recently, the Spanish bank Santander announced that it is leaving Ferrari and F1. The Spanish newspaper ABC now reports that the signage on the rear wing could be replaced for 2018 with a brand called IQOS. According to ‘invisible’ Ferrari sponsor […]
Raikkonen not judging Liberty Media yet
Dec.11 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen says he will not judge Liberty Media until the next generation of F1 cars emerges in a few years’ time. Already, top teams are threatening to quit the sport and complaining about declining revenue, even though new owner Liberty says more spectators watched F1 in 2017. Ferrari driver Raikkonen said: “They […]
Williams denies Rowland could get 2018 race seat
Dec.11 (GMM) Williams has denied that Formula 2 star Oliver Rowland is now a late contender to replace Felipe Massa for 2018. With Robert Kubica inching towards the race seat for next year, Rowland threw a spanner in the works by declaring at the weekend: “My team is in talks with Williams. “British car, British […]
McLaren’s sponsor hopes rise after Honda exit – Brown
Dec.11 (GMM) Zak Brown has admitted it was “difficult” for McLaren to convince sponsors to join the British team amid its Honda crisis. After three years with insufficient power and reliability, McLaren has dumped Honda and will use customer Renault power for 2018. Brown, McLaren’s commercial executive, admitted finding sponsors during the Honda period was […]
F1 makes plans for Las Vegas race
Dec.11 (GMM) An official has denied that planning for a F1 race in Las Vegas is obviously racing ahead. With Liberty Media often mentioning the desire for a second annual grand prix in the US, the local Las Vegas Review Journal says the sport has now made a series of trademark applications for Las Vegas […]
‘Extreme pressure’ got to Vettel in 2017 – Hamilton
Dec.8 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton said Sebastian Vettel buckled “under extreme pressure” in 2017. In June, the quadruple world champion was locked in a tight championship battle with Vettel in Azerbaijan, when the Ferrari driver deliberately crashed into him during a safety car period. “Seb showed more nerves this season than before,” Hamilton told Stuttgarter Nachrichten […]
Haas could agree Maserati deal for 2018
Dec.8 (GMM) Haas could link up with the Italian carmaker Maserati for 2018. Days ago, it became official that Ferrari-powered Sauber’s new title sponsor would be Alfa Romeo, a Fiat owned luxury car manufacturer. And now, Italian newspapers including Corriere della Sera say another Fiat brand could now follow Alfa into F1. Fiat Chrysler president […]
Kaltenborn questions decision to oust Wehrlein
Dec.8 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn has questioned Sauber’s decision to oust Pascal Wehrlein. Earlier this year, the Swiss team parted with Kaltenborn and appointed Frederic Vasseur as its new boss. Vasseur has since scrapped Kaltenborn’s decision to switch to Honda power, and replaced German Wehrlein with Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc for 2018. Kaltenborn now tells Auto […]
Gasly recalls near-fatal 2016 crash
Dec.8 (GMM) Pierre Gasly made his F1 debut this year, but he says an event of 2016 was more emotional. He was travelling to Silverstone for the GP2 race with his parents, when the car crashed and rolled. “I was in the back, in the middle. My mother was sitting to my left,” the Toro […]
Son of Honda founder sympathises with Alonso
Dec.8 (GMM) Hirotoshi Honda says he can understand Fernando Alonso’s disappointment with the failed three-year works McLaren-Honda project. It is believed Alonso pushed for McLaren to split with the Japanese brand and switch for 2018 to customer Renault power. “Alonso is a young, intelligent and captivating man,” Honda, whose father was Honda founder Soichiro Honda, […]
F1 ‘crazy’ to slow Verstappen down – Rossi
Dec.8 (GMM) Valentino Rossi says F1 is “crazy” to try to reign in Max Verstappen. The flamboyant MotoGP rider admits he is a fan of the 20-year-old Red Bull driver. “Verstappen is the new star of formula one,” he told Italian radio station Radio Deejay. “He is doing really well but they are trying to […]
Vettel says Formula E ‘not the future’
Dec.8 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he has no interest in Formula E. The all-electric series has been increasing in popularity, and now has many car manufacturers, top sponsors and ex-F1 drivers on the grid. But quadruple world champion Vettel insisted: “To me, this is not the future. “E-mobility is currently very popular in the world, […]
Aldo Costa does not seek Ferrari return
Dec.8 (GMM) Aldo Costa says he has no desire to return to Ferrari. The Italian joined Ferrari in 1995, rising through the design ranks until he was ousted in 2011. Costa, 56, is now a key designer at title-winning Mercedes. And despite constant rumours that he may return to Maranello, Costa says he is not […]
Customers may beat Renault in 2018 – Prost
Dec.7 (GMM) Alain Prost has admitted Renault may struggle to beat its engine customers in 2018. Next year, the French carmaker will continue to run its own works team while supplying identical power units to both Red Bull and McLaren. F1 legend Prost, a Renault advisor, says it will not be easy for Renault to […]
Keeping Sauber secret ‘difficult’ – Leclerc
Dec.6 (GMM) Charles Leclerc admits it was “difficult” to keep F1’s worst kept secret in the second half of the 2017 season. Most F1 insiders suspected the Monaco-born 20-year-old would make his debut in 2018, and it was finally made public along with Sauber’s Alfa Romeo deal a few days ago. Asked how hard it […]
Rosberg ‘not surprised’ Ferrari lost in 2017
Dec.6 (GMM) Nico Rosberg insists he continues to have no regrets about deciding to quit F1 at the age of 31. The German said there had been some “difficult moments” adapting to life in the slower lane, but insists he is happier than ever. And Rosberg told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is also […]
New hard tyre is ‘insurance’ – Pirelli
Dec.6 (GMM) Pirelli has defended its decision to introduce a ‘super hard’ tyre in 2018. After a full season with the new, faster cars, F1’s tyre supplier is now introducing a ‘hyper soft’ and ‘super hard’ at each end of the compound spectrum. But some have criticised Pirelli for coming up with a new hard […]