Nov.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says next year’s cars will be like driving “a bus”. The quadruple world champion is referring to the rule change from four engines per driver to just three next year, and the mandatory addition of heavy ‘Halo’ devices. Already, Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Niki Lauda told La Gazzetta dello Sport this week […]
Magnussen heading to court in January
Nov.15 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen will be heading to court next January. Earlier this year, we reported that the Haas driver’s ousted former manager Dorte Riis Madsen is suing Magnussen for current and future earnings. Since then, the two sides have been discussing a settlement but the Danish newspaper BT reports that talks broke down. “That’s […]
F1 owner says Brazil security ‘not our responsibility’
Nov.14 (GMM) F1 has hit the ball into the court of the race organisers, after a spate of violent incidents surrounding the Brazilian grand prix. Multiple teams suffered armed or violent robbery attempts during the race weekend as they travelled from Interlagos to hotels. And now Pirelli has called off a planned post-race tyre test […]
Magnussen tunes out F1 rumours
Nov.14 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he no longer pays attention to F1 rumours. In recent days, weeks and months, the Danish driver has been called the ‘bad boy’ of F1. And now Haas is reportedly under pressure from its technical partner Ferrari to replace him with Antonio Giovinazzi for 2018, notwithstanding Magnussen’s firm contract. Magnussen, […]
Kubica ‘strong option’ for Williams test – Lowe
Nov.14 (GMM) Paddy Lowe says Robert Kubica is “definitely a strong option” to get the green light for a test in Abu Dhabi. For several days, it has been rumoured that the former Renault and BMW driver will get a chance to prove himself in Williams’ 2017 car in the post-race Abu Dhabi test following […]
Renault ran out of engine parts in 2017 – Verstappen
Nov.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted Renault turned down the power in Brazil. The Red Bull driver won two weeks earlier in Mexico, but finished just fifth in Brazil. At the same time, the second Red Bull team Toro Rosso was warring on the sidelines with engine supplier Renault. Verstappen admits that, at the end […]
Ferrari should have signed Verstappen – Briatore
Nov.14 (GMM) Flavio Briatore thinks Ferrari has made a mistake by not signing Max Verstappen for the future. Dutchman Verstappen, 20, is regarded as a definite champion of the future, but he has been signed up by Red Bull through 2020. Before that happened, Ferrari re-signed the Finnish veteran Kimi Raikkonen for 2018. “I don’t […]
Lauda ‘worried’ about Liberty’s F1 vision
Nov.13 (GMM) Niki Lauda admits Liberty Media’s vision of the future of formula one leaves him “worried”. In recent days, the sport’s new American owners have outlined their plans for a new engine formula and team budget caps. “I’m worried,” F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. “They […]
Honda switch should have Toro Rosso ‘worried’ – Alonso
Nov.13 (GMM) Toro Rosso should be “seriously worried” about its forthcoming future with Honda power. Actually, boss Franz Tost said he is confident Honda will sort out its problems over the winter and have a strong power unit to supply to the team next year. And Tost also seems keen to put the Renault era […]
Verstappen not seeking ‘number 1’ status
Nov.13 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he does not want to be Red Bull’s ‘number 1’ driver. With the Dutchman all signed up through 2020 but Daniel Ricciardo still yet to ink a new deal, some believe Red Bull is clearly building the team around Verstappen for the future. But even Australian Ricciardo doesn’t see it […]
Abu Dhabi test for Kubica not yet confirmed
Nov.13 (GMM) A test for Robert Kubica in Abu Dhabi is not quite set in stone. Earlier, Williams boss Paddy Lowe admitted the Pole would “almost certainly” get a run in the team’s 2017 car in the forthcoming post-grand prix test. But he has now told the Finnish broadcaster C More: “That’s not quite right.” […]
Alonso ‘not my mentor’ – Vandoorne
Nov.13 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says he does not need Fernando Alonso’s help in formula one. After a sluggish start, Belgian rookie Vandoorne is now regularly competitive alongside his McLaren teammate Alonso, who is arguably one of the best F1 drivers ever. “He’s probably the best reference in formula one,” Vandoorne agrees. “I have a good […]
Sao Paulo mayor plays down F1 violence
Nov.13 (GMM) Sao Paulo mayor Joao Doria has played down the violence that marred this year’s Brazilian grand prix. After robbery attacks on Mercedes, Williams and FIA staff earlier at Interlagos as team staff travelled to and from the circuit, the next victim late on Sunday were members of Sauber. “As we came to the […]
2018 Hartley deal not set in stone
Nov.13 (GMM) A 2018 deal to race for Toro Rosso is not yet set in stone for Brendon Hartley. One media source reported from Brazil that while Pierre Gasly is definitely set to drive for the junior Red Bull team next year, a similar deal for New Zealander and sports car champion Hartley is not […]
Violence no threat to Brazil GP future – Massa
Nov.12 (GMM) The latest violent incidents involving F1 personnel is evidence Brazil “needs to evolve”. That is the view of retiring Brazilian veteran Felipe Massa, after it emerged that robberies involving guns affected Mercedes, Williams and FIA staff as they travelled from the Interlagos circuit to hotels in sprawling Sao Paulo. On social media, world […]
Kubica set for post-Abu Dhabi Williams test
Nov.12 (GMM) Robert Kubica looks set to get yet another chance to prove himself at the wheel of a formula one car. The Pole is a leading candidate to return to the grid next year with Williams, six years after almost severing his forearm in a rallying crash. Kubica, 32, has had multiple opportunities to […]
Red Bull tries to calm Toro Rosso-Renault row
Nov.12 (GMM) Red Bull has stepped in to calm a spiralling dispute between its junior F1 team Toro Rosso and mutual engine supplier Renault. Franz Tost reacted furiously in Brazil when his Renault counterpart Cyril Abiteboul suggested Toro Rosso’s spate of reliability problems was “not a coincidence”. In a furious statement, Toro Rosso reacted by […]
F1 boss plays down Ferrari quit threat
Nov.11 (GMM) New supremo Chase Carey has played down the tension between the sport’s owners Liberty Media and F1’s most famous team Ferrari. With Liberty wanting a different engine formula and also a budget cap for 2021, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne responded by threatening to quit if the sport’s new owners overly denigrate F1. But […]
Baku only major driver mistake – Vettel
Nov.11 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says his biggest mistake during his failed 2017 title bid was Baku. His rival Lewis Hamilton wrapped up the championship two weeks ago in Mexico, and Ferrari’s Vettel admits it was “very” disappointing. But he told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “It’s already time to turn the page. “There are still two […]
Zandvoort to press ahead with Dutch GP bid
Nov.11 (GMM) Zandvoort is a viable host of a relaunched Dutch grand prix. That is the claim of the source Dutch News, reporting that there are “no insurmountable organisational, technical or logistical reasons” why F1 cannot race again at the former Dutch GP venue. Amid claims the Netherlands wants to capitalise on Max Verstappen’s meteoric […]