Mar.22 (GMM) 2017 title favourite Sebastian Vettel has continued his tradition of naming his formula one car for the forthcoming season. The German always gives his single seater a female name, and this year his 2017 Ferrari is called ‘Gina’, according to the German newspaper Bild. “The name is Latin and is short for Regina, […]
Schumacher’s ‘favourite’ uncle dies
Mar.22 (GMM) The Schumacher family is grappling with its latest blow, as the F1 legend’s uncle passes away. Bunte, a German weekly newsmagazine, revealed that Karl-Heinz Schumacher – the brother of Michael’s father Rolf – has died after a battle with cancer at the age of 64. The publication said that, like the former Ferrari […]
Todt agrees V10 return ‘unthinkable’
Mar.22 (GMM) Jean Todt has joined fellow F1 boss Ross Brawn in saying a return of loud, normally-aspirated engines in the sport is “unthinkable”. The volume, complexity and expense of the current ‘power unit’ technology has been controversial since its inception, and talks about the rules beyond 2020 are set to begin. But Brawn, who […]
Vettel to Mercedes ‘sounds good’ – Wolff
Mar.21 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel “would fit” into the Mercedes team, according to team boss Toto Wolff. It is the clearest sign yet that the reigning world champions are already looking firmly into the future, having signed Valtteri Bottas only for 2017 following Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement. Fellow Mercedes chief Niki Lauda this week in fact […]
Rosberg-Hamilton relationship ‘negative’ – Wolff
Mar.21 (GMM) The intense relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had become “negative” for Mercedes. That is the claim of Toto Wolff, as he puts a positive spin on the reigning world champions’ new driver lineup of Hamilton alongside Valtteri Bottas. The team boss insisted he was never really angry at Rosberg for suddenly […]
Wolff carries ‘lucky injury’ into 2017
Mar.21 (GMM) Toto Wolff is carrying a ‘lucky injury’ into the 2017 season. The Mercedes chief revealed to the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper that he recently damaged a disc in his back during a tennis coaching session with his 12-year-old daughter. “The coach put tennis balls on the court for a sprint exercise. When the coach […]
Honda says McLaren relationship ‘strong’
Mar.21 (GMM) Honda has hit back at reports its works McLaren collaboration is on the road to tatters. Recently, McLaren did not categorically deny speculation that, in the wake of a dire winter with the new Honda power unit, it has been in contact with Mercedes about the possibility of an engine switch. But now, […]
Ferrari spent ‘100s of millions’ to catch up – Cuquerella
Mar.21 (GMM) Ferrari is on the cusp of a much better season in F1. That is the claim of the Italian marque’s former chief engineer Toni Cuquerella, who was at Ferrari as recently as 2016 but will now be a commentator for Spanish TV. Winter testing has indicated Ferrari might even be ready to take […]
Ousted Ecclestone ‘couldn’t change’ – Carey
Mar.21 (GMM) New F1 chief Chase Carey says he is still in contact with his ousted predecessor Bernie Ecclestone. But his comments are at odds with the news from 86-year-old Ecclestone himself, as he told the Daily Star newspaper that he is not “worried that these people have not bothered to contact me”. Carey told […]
Haas is team closest to Sauber – Ericsson
Mar.20 (GMM) Marcus Ericsson says he is not sure where Sauber will line up on the 2017 grid. Most observers think the small Swiss team, which almost joined Manor in collapsing recently, will bring up the rear starting in Melbourne this weekend. When asked where Sauber really is, driver Ericsson – whose sponsors are reportedly […]
Founder admits Sauber to be 2017 backmarker
Mar.20 (GMM) Team founder Peter Sauber has admitted the Swiss outfit is set to bring up the rear of the field in 2017. “There are ten teams,” he told the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick. “The initial position for Sauber is number ten.” But a worse fate seemed in store for Sauber not too long ago, with […]
Pirelli’s Isola agrees Ferrari in ‘good shape’
Mar.20 (GMM) Ferrari is on the cusp of returning to the top in formula one. That is the view of Mario Isola, who is taking over from Paul Hembery as the most prominent F1 figure representing the sport’s official tyre supplier Pirelli. He thinks the Italian marque has succeeded in making new, wider tyres that […]
Jos Verstappen could help another young driver
Mar.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s father is not ruling out trying to help another youngster make his big mark on formula one. The former F1 driver masterminded his teenage son’s meteoric rise to prominence, but now admits to missing young Max. “There are times when I am at home and Max is in Monaco and I’ve […]
Lauda denies Mercedes eyeing Vettel for 2018
Mar.20 (GMM) Niki Lauda is heading to Australia denying rumours Mercedes is lining up a tilt to sign Sebastian Vettel. The German team does not deny that Nico Rosberg’s successor, Valtteri Bottas, was given a mere one-year deal so that a bigger name might be signed up for 2018. But F1 legend Lauda denies the […]
Verstappen plays down early race wins in 2017
Mar.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen has confirmed expectations that Red Bull will touch down in Australia this week with several improvements for the 2017 car. The energy drink owned team had a low profile winter, obviously behind Mercedes and Ferrari but amid suggestions Adrian Newey was planning a ‘miracle upgrade’ for Melbourne. Asked how the Melbourne-spec […]
Boss sure ‘year two’ easier for Haas
Mar.20 (GMM) Team boss Gunther Steiner is confident F1’s notorious ‘second year syndrome’ will not strike Haas. So often, a new team has a much tougher time in F1 in year two, but Steiner is sure life on the grid will actually be easier for Haas in 2017. “Compared to 2016, everything is calmer,” he […]
Briatore not excited by Ferrari test form
Mar.20 (GMM) Flavio Briatore’s big hope for 2017 is that Mercedes will be challenged for the world championship. The controversial former team boss was asked by F1 insider Leo Turrini if, like many Italians, he is excited by rumours that Ferrari’s title drought could finally end in 2017. “I do not share this optimism surrounding […]
Unclear if more teams will buy F1 – Lauda
Mar.20 (GMM) It is still not clear if more teams will join Ferrari in buying into formula one. Recently, it emerged that after Liberty Media made an offer to the teams, Ferrari had taken possession of shares in the company. Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda now tells Handelsblatt: “As far as I know, there is […]
McLaren engine switch rumours hard to believe – Sainz
Mar.20 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he cannot imagine McLaren deciding to dump Honda and switch to customer Mercedes engine power in the near future. Last week, the beleaguered British team did not outright deny speculation its situation is so bad it had been in contact with Mercedes about a last-minute engine switch. “It would be […]
Sainz flattered by Prost praise
Mar.20 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is flattered by the praise coming from F1 legend and Renault team advisor Alain Prost. It is believed Renault tried to sign the contracted Toro Rosso driver for 2017, while Prost said the 22-year-old was also good enough to drive for Ferrari. “For me, that someone like Prost says […]