Aug.26 (GMM) Sauber is starting to rebuild its tattered organisation after almost succumbing to financial woes in 2016. The Swiss team has been bought out and rescued by a mysterious investment group, which reportedly has close ties to Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson. Sauber is not commenting on that, but the outfit has arrived at Spa-Francorchamps […]
New teammate Ocon ‘interesting’ – Wehrlein
Aug.26 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein used the summer break to sit his theory test for the C1 truck license category. “I will take the practical part after the season,” the Manor driver is quoted by Speed Week, explaining that away from the track, he wants to drive vehicles that exceed 3.5 tonnes. For now, his focus […]
Button to ‘probably’ stay in F1
Aug.26 (GMM) Jenson Button says his plans beyond 2016 will be known “soon”. It is strongly rumoured that McLaren-Honda will end its seven-year relationship with the 2009 world champion by replacing him with Stoffel Vandoorne. Button, 36, has subsequently been linked with a return to Williams. “I am almost there with my thought process and […]
Hamilton not angry but plays down Spa win
Aug.25 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton on Thursday insisted he is not angry with Mercedes as he faces a difficult weekend at Spa. Although rested after the summer break and preparing for the weekend in Belgium with his dogs, the Briton faces losing his championship lead due to a spate of grid penalties. After earlier technical trouble, […]
Hulkenberg to also test Halo at Spa
Aug.25 (GMM) Nico Rosberg will not be the only F1 driver trying the ‘Halo’ cockpit protection device in Friday practice. It has emerged that the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg – an outed opponent of the safety-oriented concept – will also be using Halo at Spa-Francorchamps, ahead of its potential mandatory debut in 2018. “I […]
Vandoorne says he could leave McLaren
Aug.25 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says that if he doesn’t race for McLaren next year, he could go elsewhere in pitlane. The 24-year-old Belgian and reigning GP2 champion has been strongly backed by the British team, and made his grand prix debut for McLaren early in 2016 when Fernando Alonso was injured. But the Woking team […]
Rosberg questions ‘safety freak’ Hamilton
Aug.25 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has all guns blazing as he bids to put his world championship campaign back on track at Spa and beyond. Before the summer break, the German lost his once-significant championship lead to teammate Lewis Hamilton as the British driver strung together four wins. But Rosberg now says there is a “clean […]
Vandoorne ‘definitely’ ready for F1 – Capito
Aug.25 (GMM) McLaren’s incoming chief executive says Stoffel Vandoorne is ready for F1. Early this year, the British team signed up Volkswagen’s world rallying chief Jost Capito to be its new CEO. The German is now ready to start work on 1 September, but says he is not yet involved in any decision-making at McLaren. […]
Schumacher’s fate ‘tragic’ – Brawn
Aug.25 (GMM) 25 years after observing the meteoric start to the most successful career in F1 history, Ross Brawn says the fate of Michael Schumacher is nothing short of “tragic”. Brawn, who was Schumacher’s technical boss at Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes, says he was already in talks with the then 22-year-old when, at Spa, he […]
Indycar, WEC alternatives fade for Massa
Aug.25 (GMM) Felipe Massa has played down any claims he might keep his racing dream alive for 2017 by switching to Indycar. As Williams reconsiders its next driver lineup, the Brazilian has said he needs a competitive seat in order to stay in F1 for a sixteenth season. But Turun Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper, said […]
Pace step for 2017 ‘like GP2 to F1’ – Hembery
Aug.25 (GMM) Paul Hembery has tipped a huge performance leap for formula one as a result of the rules changes for 2017. In response to dwindling spectator numbers, the sport collectively agreed that it needs to dramatically speed up the cars next year. “I think formula one lost a little bit of its excitement,” Sebastian […]
Engine upgrades abound ahead of Spa
Aug.25 (GMM) Ferrari is not the only team taking engine upgrades to this weekend’s Belgian grand prix. We reported earlier that while a new specification will be at the Spa-Francorchamps track, the Maranello team might not actually use it until Monza. Nonetheless, the upgrade has cost Ferrari all of its remaining 3 upgrade tokens for […]
Hamilton faces penalties, Rosberg to test ‘halo’
Aug.24 (GMM) Mercedes has revealed world championship leader Lewis Hamilton is “likely” to face penalties this weekend at Spa. We reported earlier that the British driver was in fact more likely to take his unscheduled sixth engine – and therefore a grid penalty – at Monza, where it is even easier to overtake. But Mercedes […]
Ferrari taking new engine to Spa – report
Aug.24 (GMM) Ferrari has a new engine specification in its luggage as the sport prepares to wake from its August slumber this weekend in Belgium. The development follows a less than impressive mid-season period for the Italian team, having fallen off Mercedes’ heels and even behind Red Bull as well. So Speed Week cites Italian […]
Ecclestone in talks to be Hockenheim race promoter
Aug.24 (GMM) Hockenheim and Bernie Ecclestone look to be on track to secure Germany’s place on the F1 calendar. Until recently, Hockenheim and the Nurburgring were annually alternating Germany’s F1 race, but the latter circuit struck financial and ownership trouble. Germany sat out 2015 but was back at Hockenheim this year — but the race […]
Mick Schumacher ‘missing his dad’ – priest
Aug.24 (GMM) Former F1 priest Don Sergio Mantovani has tipped Michael Schumacher to keep fighting. As the sport emerges from its summer slumber, minds are being cast back to 25 years ago, when as a 22-year-old the F1 legend made his meteoric debut for Jordan at Spa, qualifying seventh and launching his record-setting grand prix […]
F1 race to avoid dead last heats up
Aug.24 (GMM) Even at the very back of the grid, a spicy and crucial battle is taking place. The glory and the mega dollars may be at the upper echelons of the grid, but right at the bottom of the table, a battle for survival is taking place – simply to avoid last place. Traditionally, […]
Spa promoter thrilled with F1 ticket sales
Aug.23 (GMM) The race promoter is heralding almost unprecedented interest in this weekend’s Belgian grand prix. Andre Mas, organiser of the fabled Spa-Francorchamps race, told La Derniere Heure newspaper that he is delighted with ticket sales as F1 emerges from its summer break. The ticket boost for 2016 is almost certainly due to the popularity […]
Nasr seeks help for 2017 Renault seat – report
Aug.22 (GMM) Felipe Nasr took a bid for a works seat in formula one all the way to the top last week, according to a Brazilian media outlet. Last week, the Sauber driver was forced to deny claims he took a side in Brazil’s controversial current political situation by visiting the acting president Michel Temer. […]
Toro Rosso ‘good place’ for 2017 – Kvyat
Aug.22 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat has admitted staying at Toro Rosso would be a “very good place” for him to continue his career in formula one. Earlier in 2016, the Russian seemed psychologically destroyed by his demotion from Red Bull’s top team. Kvyat, 22, doesn’t deny it. “I love formula one, but I did not enjoy […]