Nov.20 (GMM) Mercedes has admitted it wants to keep Lewis Hamilton beyond 2018. Some media sources claim the new quadruple world champion is demanding a pay-rise for a new contract in 2019 and beyond. Niki Lauda, the team chairman, thinks Hamilton has driven perfectly this year. “This year, Lewis won the championship for Mercedes, it’s […]
Hartley had 2018 contract for ‘weeks’
Nov.20 (GMM) Brendon Hartley says he has known for “several weeks” that he will be driving for Toro Rosso next year. Earlier, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and the New Zealander insisted they did not know who would drive for the energy drink company’s junior team in 2018. Hartley and Pierre Gasly have now been confirmed. […]
Gov’t not involved in Dutch GP bid yet
Nov.20 (GMM) Dutch sports minister Bruno Bruins says the government will “wait” before getting involved in a grand prix bid. Last week, a feasibility study concluded that there is “no reason” why Zandvoort should not host F1 in the future. But the source Dutch News reports that Bruins told parliament that the study was merely […]
Renault wants to keep same engines in 2021
Nov.20 (GMM) Renault cannot approve of Liberty Media’s vision for the 2021 engine formula until other aspects of the future are also clear. That is the claim of Cyril Abiteboul, the Renault team boss who said he joins Mercedes and Ferrari in currently opposing the plan for substantially different engines. “What we have been presented […]
Hamilton leaves Verstappen ‘perplexed’
Nov.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton’s off-track behaviour often leaves him “perplexed”. The Red Bull driver told De Telegraaf newspaper that over the course of the last year, he began using social media less and less. “I don’t follow many drivers on social media,” Verstappen revealed. “I follow Daniel (Ricciardo). And Lewis. And Pierre […]
Massa doubts Alonso will win 2018 title
Nov.20 (GMM) Felipe Massa does not think his old Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso will win the title next year. Brazilian Massa is retiring, and he admitted his next move will probably be into Formula E. “I think it’s the most interesting place to compete and win again. It’s the future of the cars we will […]
Honda eyes talks over Liberty’s 2021 engine plan
Nov.17 (GMM) Honda thinks there is “room” to negotiate with F1’s owners about the future of the engine regulations. Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault have made clear their unhappiness with the way Liberty Media announced its unilateral plans for a new engine formula for 2021. Honda, however, has been silent, focusing instead on the end of […]
McLaren ‘open’ to Alonso’s Le Mans foray
Nov.17 (GMM) Zak Brown has given the strongest sign yet that Fernando Alonso will be allowed to contest next year’s fabled Le Mans race. “In an ideal world, we would love Fernando to win the triple crown in a McLaren,” said the British team’s boss. “He’s won Monaco, I think we will go back to […]
Hamilton happier today than a decade ago
Nov.17 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he is so much happier today than he was at the beginning of his F1 career. The Briton has just wrapped up his fourth drivers’ title, telling the Italian magazine Sportweek that he is happier at 32 than when he entered F1 a decade ago. “When I think of how […]
Lowe eyes ‘faster car’ for Williams in 2018
Nov.17 (GMM) Paddy Lowe says he is focused on making the Williams a “faster car” for 2018. After years of success with McLaren and Mercedes, the Briton and technical expert is now a shareholder and boss at Williams. But following a brief renaissance, the once-great British team has more recently slumped again to fifth in […]
Stroll not listening to ‘haters’
Nov.17 (GMM) Lance Stroll says he would give himself “8.5 out of 10” for his rookie season in F1. Actually, the 19-year-old rookie has been roundly criticised this year, including by 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve who doesn’t think Stroll has improved. “Looking at the season, I have to say there have been very challenging […]
Bottas must become F1 ‘killer’ – Wolff
Nov.16 (GMM) Toto Wolff has urged second Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas to become more of an F1 “killer”. After winning his fourth world championship, Lewis Hamilton is being hailed by his Mercedes chiefs. “It’s been rock and roll with Lewis all year round,” team boss Wolff is quoted by Dutch source Formule 1. To La […]
Villeneuve, Montoya, question Kubica comeback
Nov.16 (GMM) Two former F1 drivers have cast doubt on Robert Kubica’s ability to successfully return to formula one next year. More authoritative sources are now joining French broadcaster Canal Plus in claiming that after a test for the Pole in Abu Dhabi, Kubica will be announced as Lance Stroll’s teammate at Williams for 2018. […]
Red Bull hoping to get through Renault parts crisis
Nov.16 (GMM) Red Bull is hoping for the best as the troubled end to engine supplier Renault’s season concludes next weekend in Abu Dhabi. In Brazil, emotions spilled over between the French manufacturer and Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso, as each accused the other of being to blame for reliability problems. Toro Rosso boss […]
Massa to accept FIA role
Nov.16 (GMM) The soon-to-be-retired Felipe Massa is set to take on an FIA role in the future. Waldner Bernardo, president of Brazil’s automobile federation, has confirmed local reports that suggest the departing Williams driver will represent Brazil at the World Motor Sport Council. “Normally the (federation) president nominates himself to be part of the World […]
Lauda denies Mercedes to join F1 quit threat
Nov.16 (GMM) Niki Lauda has denied that Mercedes might join Ferrari in threatening to quit F1. “That’s nonsense,” the F1 legend and team chairman told Auto Motor und Sport. But it is clear that the manufacturers, including Renault, are not happy with Liberty Media’s plans for an all-new engine formula beyond 2020. “We first want […]
Montezemolo puts brakes on Vettel win
Nov.15 (GMM) Two former F1 luminaries have put the brakes on Ferrari’s optimism after Sebastian Vettel won in Brazil. Although the Maranello marque lost the 2017 title, Vettel was at least able to beat Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas to the chequered flag at the weekend. “Brazil was a great day for us,” Vettel told Italian radio […]
Rosberg open to fixing Hamilton friendship
Nov.15 (GMM) Outgoing world champion Nico Rosberg says he is open to rekindling his old friendship with Lewis Hamilton. As teammates at Mercedes until last year, the pair shared a particularly acrimonious relationship, even though they had been childhood best friends. “Hamilton and Bottas are not friends,” F1 legend Niki Lauda told La Gazzetta dello […]
Ricciardo not sure Ferrari ‘dream’ F1 move
Nov.15 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not sure Ferrari could be his next team in F1. With Max Verstappen now signed up through 2020, Red Bull bosses Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko say they are prepared for Australian Ricciardo to make up his mind about a new contract beyond 2018. “That’s very nice of them,” […]
Horner, Steiner, defend Liberty’s F1 plans
Nov.15 (GMM) Christian Horner has defended Liberty Media’s vision of the future of F1. Earlier, Mercedes team chairman and F1 legend Niki Lauda admitted he was “worried” about Liberty’s plans for a new engine formula and budget caps beyond 2020. But Red Bull boss Horner thinks Lauda’s comments were “a bit unfair and unfounded”. Osterreich […]