Apr.3 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne insists he is staying upbeat, even though he is making his full-time F1 debut in arguably the slowest car overall in 2017. “We are last, that is the reality of our true state of performance,” the Belgian rookie’s famous teammate, Fernando Alonso, declared in Melbourne. “This is what we will see […]
Wehrlein to do Friday practice in China
Apr.3 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein will return to the cockpit of his Sauber this Friday in Shanghai. That is the claim of the Italian media, after the German apparently voluntarily withdrew from the Melbourne season opener citing a lack of fitness following his winter back injury. Wehrlein, backed by Mercedes, was replaced for qualifying and the […]
New F1 era means higher interest – Marko
Apr.3 (GMM) Spectator interest in F1 is picking up as the sport begins its new era. That is the view of Dr Helmut Marko, a top motor racing official for Red Bull, the owner of two F1 teams and promoter of the Austrian grand prix. Trackside spectator numbers and TV ratings already got a boost […]
Verstappen hails new direction for 2021 engines
Apr.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen has backed F1’s move to simpler engine technology for 2021 and beyond. Last Friday, the manufacturers already on the grid met with the FIA in Paris to discuss a new engine formula for the sport beyond 2020. But the FIA confirmed that “manufacturers and independent suppliers not currently involved in F1” […]
Jos Verstappen arrested after club brawl
Apr.3 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father was taken into police custody following a nightclub brawl, reports in the Dutch media claim. De Limburger newspaper said former F1 driver Jos Verstappen suffered facial injuries in the fight, with club staff in Roermond ordering those fighting to leave. “A man with significant injuries refused,” the Dutch broadcaster 1Limburg […]
Barrichello’s son starts car racing career
Apr.3 (GMM) Rubens Barrichello’s son is now beginning his own single seater adventure. Already, the son of Barrichello’s former Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher – 18-year-old Mick – is climbing his way up the ladder towards F1. And now, Germany’s Auto Bild reports that Eduardo Barrichello will start his own single seater career in May. Photos […]
Red Bull targets race wins by Austria
Apr.3 (GMM) Red Bull is targeting race victories later in 2017, according to team official Dr Helmut Marko. The energy drink company will host the F1 circus at the Red Bull Ring for July’s Austrian grand prix, and Marko said the RB13 could be ready to win by then. “The basic concept of the car […]
‘No panic’ after Ferrari victory – Allison
Mar.31 (GMM) James Allison has hailed Ferrari’s return to winning form but vowed to hit back at his former employer. The highly respected engineer ended his stint as Ferrari’s technical director last year amid tragedy and acrimony, switching to Mercedes for 2017 to run the title-winning UK-based team’s technical division. But with Ferrari now relying […]
Haas has ‘best drivers possible’ – Steiner
Mar.30 (GMM) Team boss Gunther Steiner has defended Haas’ 2017 driver lineup. Ahead of the season, the new American outfit replaced ousted 2016 driver Esteban Gutierrez with Renault refugee Kevin Magnussen. The Dane joins existing Haas driver Romain Grosjean, who qualified sixth in Melbourne. But Magnussen had a much less impressive start, and neither finished […]
Huge pressure on Schumacher’s shoulders – Villeneuve
Mar.30 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve has tipped a bright future for Mick Schumacher if the young German can “deal with the pressure”. The 1997 world champion has a unique perspective on the youngster’s rise to F1, having duelled wheel to wheel with Mick’s famous father Michael Schumacher some 20 years ago. But not just that, Villeneuve […]
Massa tips Stroll to improve in 2017
Mar.30 (GMM) Felipe Massa has tipped his rookie teammate Lance Stroll to bounce back after a tough start to the teenager’s F1 career. Having secured his Williams debut amid suggestions of being a wealthy ‘pay driver’, 18-year-old Stroll had a difficult winter with F1’s much faster cars for 2017 and then more troubles in the […]
Drivers will cope physically in 2017 – Massa
Mar.30 (GMM) Felipe Massa thinks F1 drivers will be tested physically in 2017. That is despite the fact that the sport’s new era, characterised by the much faster cars of 2017, kicked off with every driver except the recently-injured Pascal Wehrlein coping physically in Australia. But F1 veteran and Williams driver Massa said Melbourne was […]
Only DRS makes passing possible now – Massa
Mar.30 (GMM) Felipe Massa thinks F1’s controversial drag reduction system (DRS) is the only thing providing a glimmer of hope about overtaking in 2017. Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg said after the 2017 season opener last weekend that the new, faster cars this year have made overtaking “almost possible”. “It’s a lot harder to get past now, […]
Massa doubts Alonso will quit McLaren in 2017
Mar.30 (GMM) Felipe Massa does not think his old Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso is poised to quit McLaren-Honda and F1. Spaniard Alonso is obviously frustrated amid the current McLaren-Honda situation, and his old friend Mark Webber thinks it is possible he will quit mid-season. There are even reports in Spain that Alonso could leave the […]
Mario Illien working with McLaren – report
Mar.30 (GMM) Audi will not be the only manufacturer not already competing in F1 that will be present for a meeting in Paris on Friday. We reported earlier that the German marque intended to send a representative as the FIA hosts a meeting to discuss the future of F1’s engine rules beyond 2020. Germany’s Auto […]
Ferrari to let Giovinazzi race on for Sauber
Mar.30 (GMM) Ferrari has decided to make its official reserve driver available to Sauber for the forthcoming China-Bahrain double header. That is the claim of the authoritative Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, after Antonio Giovinazzi was loaned to Sauber in Australia to replace Pascal Wehrlein. If Wehrlein continues to be unfit ahead of the […]
Ferrari to shine in China too – Alesi
Mar.30 (GMM) Jean Alesi thinks his former F1 team, the great Maranello marque Ferrari, is finally ready to challenge for the title. The Frenchman, whose only win for the Italian team was in 1995, said Ferrari’s decade-long wait for a world championship could now be over. “The step into the new regulations was very unclear,” […]
Former F1 drivers to get paddock passes
Mar.30 (GMM) Former F1 drivers will find it much easier to attend grands prix in future. In the Bernie Ecclestone era, even though they had entertained the spectators as the ‘gladiators’ of the past, former F1 stars were among those who found it hard to get paddock passes. “There are times I would have come […]
Prince invites Ecclestone to Bahrain GP
Mar.30 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone will attend his first race of the 2017 season in Bahrain next month. It is not unusual for the 86-year-old to skip some of the early-season ‘flyaway’ grands prix, but his absence was felt particularly in Australia as it was the first race since he was ousted as F1 chief executive. […]
Audi to attend next F1 engine meeting
Mar.29 (GMM) The Volkswagen brand Audi will attend a forthcoming meeting about the future of F1’s engine regulations. That is the claim of the German-language Spox.com, which says the meeting hosted by the FIA will take place in Paris on Friday to discuss what the next engine formula might look like beyond 2021. Notwithstanding the […]