Apr.8 (GMM) A cloud is literally hanging over this weekend’s Chinese grand prix. On Friday, precious little track action took place because rain, mist and smog made it impossible for the medical helicopter to fly. “The hospital is 38 kilometres away,” said steward Paul Gutjahr. “Even with a police escort, it would take more than […]
Marchionne retirement plan on track
Apr.7 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne’s plan to step down as president of the Ferrari parent Fiat Chrysler appears on track. Reports in Italy said news that the 64-year-old’s Italian-Canadian would step down in 2019 was already known. “We have many good people who are able to succeed him,” the Ansa news agency quoted Fiat Chrysler chairman […]
Petronas staying despite Malaysia GP exit
Apr.7 (GMM) The Malaysian grand prix in October will be the last held at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur, a constant F1 host since 1999. Reports suggested race organisers and F1’s new commercial owner Liberty Media agreed jointly that Malaysia be allowed to end its contract one year early for cost reasons and dwindling […]
Wehrlein fitness criticism ‘unfair’ – Kaltenborn
Apr.7 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn has hit back at rumours there is definitely more to the story regarding Pascal Wehrlein’s supposed lack of fitness. The young German missed Australia, is sitting out this weekend’s Chinese grand prix, and is also not guaranteed a return in Bahrain or beyond following his winter back injury. The 22-year-old pulled […]
Alonso rules out quitting mid-season
Apr.7 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has dismissed speculation he might quit McLaren-Honda mid-way through the 2017 season. His old friend Mark Webber – who is still regularly in the paddock as a television pundit – had made the claim in Australia, amid McLaren’s latest competitive crisis. When asked about it in Shanghai, Spaniard Alonso laughed: “No, […]
Vandoorne unsure of Honda fix timing
Apr.7 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says he doesn’t know how long it will take McLaren-Honda to fix its current problems. So dire is the Anglo-Japanese collaboration’s situation early in 2017 that rumours of a split are rife. Indeed, after Melbourne, team figures have warned that Shanghai will be even worse for the 2017 package, with up […]
Ricciardo wants Renault update sooner
Apr.7 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he hopes Renault pushes through a scheduled engine upgrade to get Red Bull back on track in 2017. But the Australian admitted that Red Bull’s new chassis is also not yet a match for Mercedes and Ferrari, although his boss Christian Horner says upgrades in China are “looking promising”. […]
Ecclestone buying Interlagos ‘good’ – Massa
Apr.7 (GMM) Felipe Massa says it would be “good” if a buyer for Brazilian grand prix venue Interlagos is being lined up. Reports this week have claimed that former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is interested in buying the famous track near Sao Paulo, after he said recently that the popular race could be lost to […]
Grosjean agrees that ‘pay drivers’ should go
Apr.7 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has backed moves to nudge so-called ‘pay drivers’ out of formula one. Recently, new sporting chief Ross Brawn admitted one of his goals – that the world’s best 20 drivers are all on the F1 grid – might only be achievable through a fairer distribution of income. Currently, some struggling teams […]
F1 ‘open’ to rule changes – Wolff
Apr.7 (GMM) F1 should be “open” to making tweaks if the on-track spectacle does not live up to the hype in 2017. That is the view of Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss who acknowledged that while the new cars are spectacularly fast, a lack of overtaking could be an issue. “First we have to […]
Hamilton worried about Pirelli wets in China
Apr.7 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton admitted he is concerned that his first taste of Pirelli’s new wet tyres will be this weekend in China. The weather forecast throughout the Shanghai weekend is poor, and Friday’s opening session was indeed badly affected by rain. Less concerned is Hamilton’s current title nemesis Sebastian Vettel, who has snapped up […]
Perez would not give up F1 seat over ‘fitness’
Apr.6 (GMM) Sergio Perez said he feels for fellow F1 driver Pascal Wehrlein. German Wehrlein, who switched from Manor to Sauber for 2017, suffered a back injury in the winter and had to sit out Melbourne with a reported lack of physical fitness. The 22-year-old is again missing this weekend in Shanghai, triggering rumours about […]
Force India among slowest in 2017 – Perez
Apr.6 (GMM) Sergio Perez has admitted Force India’s 2017 car is currently among the very slowest on the grid. With its small budget, the lean and mean Silverstone based team finished an admirable fourth overall last year. The team then signed up a $20 million new sponsor and painted its car pink for 2017, but […]
Prost wants tyre choice freedom in F1
Apr.6 (GMM) F1 legend Alain Prost says more tyre freedom will spice up the sport’s battles. With the new regulations making the cars faster and harder to drive in 2017, some still worry that overtaking and exciting tyre strategies will in fact be even less likely this year. But quadruple world champion Prost, an advisor […]
Wolff plays down Melbourne defeat
Apr.6 (GMM) Toto Wolff has calmed fears that Mercedes has finally been overtaken as F1’s top team. In Australia, Mercedes was beaten by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who carried over a winter of promise into the 2017 race season. But some think triple back-to-back world champion Mercedes is in fact still the best team overall, which […]
Mercedes still quicker than Ferrari – Ricciardo
Apr.6 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo thinks Mercedes continues to have the quickest car in F1. That is despite the fact that Sebastian Vettel carried Ferrari’s winter promise into the 2017 season by winning the recent Australian grand prix. But Red Bull driver Ricciardo said he is happy Ferrari won the season opener, because he thinks Mercedes […]
Ecclestone rejected Vietnam GP deal
Apr.6 (GMM) Ousted F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he rejected plans to add a Vietnamese grand prix to the race calendar. The 86-year-old, recently stepped down as the sport’s chief executive by new owners Liberty Media, was criticised in the past for adding races to the calendar that lack fan support but pay premium race […]
Trulli hopes Giovinazzi gets full F1 season
Apr.5 (GMM) Former F1 driver Jarno Trulli thinks Italian countryman Antonio Giovinazzi kicked off a “promising formula one career” in Australia. Actually, Giovinazzi had travelled to Melbourne simply as Ferrari’s reserve driver, but was ultimately called up to replace unfit Sauber racer Pascal Wehrlein. “Antonio did an excellent job in Australia,” Trulli, the last Italian […]
Raikkonen wants to stay beyond 2017
Apr.5 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has indicated he wants to stay in formula one beyond 2017. The 2007 world champion, now 37, has been a solid if not standout performer during his second stint at Ferrari. But the general perception is that he was outclassed by his respective teammates Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. And now, […]
Berger thinks Mercedes still ahead
Apr.5 (GMM) Gerhard Berger says it is too soon to declare Ferrari the favourite for the 2017 world championship. The Austrian legend spent two stints during his career driving for the great Italian marque, which ended a season-long winning drought with a win in Melbourne. But Berger told the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV that Mercedes […]