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 […]
Sauber to use McLaren gearbox – report
May 1 (GMM) Sauber looks set to work closely with both McLaren and Honda in 2018 and beyond. Long rumours that the Swiss team is becoming Honda’s first power unit ‘customer’ were finally confirmed at Sochi. “I expect a closer collaboration with Honda than with Ferrari,” team boss Monisha Kaltenborn told Speed Week. “But maybe […]
Mercedes denies Vettel switch reports
Apr.30 (GMM) Mercedes chiefs have rubbished rumours Sebastian Vettel could be set to switch from Ferrari to Mercedes for 2018. German Vettel, the world championship leader and Sochi pole sitter, is out of contract at the end of this year. As for the rumours of a Mercedes switch, however, team chairman Niki Lauda told ORF: […]
F1 to better arrange calendar – Carey
Apr.30 (GMM) F1’s new owners are working on a plan to better organise the annual race calendar in future. In recent seasons, the ever-expanding calendar has been criticised for the arrangement of its often geographically-distant races. But Italy’s Corriere della Sera reports that the next calendar is being arranged so that races are grouped in […]
McLaren, Mercedes deny 2018 rumours
Apr.30 (GMM) McLaren and Mercedes have denied claims they are teaming up for 2018. Amid the Honda performance crisis, rumours are sweeping the Sochi paddock that a deal for a reunion of the old McLaren-Mercedes partnership is in the works. The rumour was proudly announced by former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, to which McLaren […]
Wolff plays down ‘off’ Hamilton form
Apr.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff has played down an uncharacteristic ‘off’ weekend for triple world champion Lewis Hamilton. In his championship battle with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton qualified at Sochi not only behind the German but also the second Ferrari as well as his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. “Lewis is an outstanding driver, but he is […]
Ferrari happy with Raikkonen in Russia
Apr.30 (GMM) Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene has hailed the performance of Ferrari’s race drivers. At Sochi, Sebastian Vettel qualified on pole but it was his earlier-struggling teammate Kimi Raikkonen who qualified next, in front of the two Mercedes. “I’m really happy, most of all because we have a great car and two exceptional drivers […]
Kaltenborn sure Honda will improve
Apr.30 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn says she is confident Honda will make a big step forward in formula one for 2018. It was announced on Sunday that Sauber, currently a customer Ferrari team with a year-old power unit, will switch to Honda next year. Honda, having notably struggled since returning to F1 in 2015, confirmed that […]
No night race in Russia
Apr.30 (GMM) Organisers of the Russian grand prix have backed away from their earlier deliberations about turning the Sochi event into a night race. Before Bernie Ecclestone was deposed as F1 supremo, talks took place about potentially installing the necessary floodlighting so that the race can be held after sunset in the future. “It’s a […]
Renault drivers scoff at FIA parity claims
Apr.30 (GMM) Renault-powered F1 figures have scoffed at the FIA’s conclusion that engine parity has now been achieved. Amid rumours Honda might get help in catching up with the other engine manufacturers, it emerges that an analysis by the FIA found that Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault are all within 3 tenths of a second per […]