Jul.11 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says it is not the right time of year to be counting or ruling out his possibilities for the future. The fiery McLaren-Honda driver is clearly on the market for 2018, but Mercedes and now Ferrari have said they are not interested in signing him up for now. When asked specifically […]
Bosses ‘sorry’ about Verstappen problems
Jul.11 (GMM) Red Bull chiefs have apologised for Max Verstappen’s run of disastrous car reliability in 2017. Amid rumours the Dutchman wants out of his 2018 contract, Verstappen has been decrying his constant technical problems, including a clutch failure in Austria. “After a while you think ‘How long can this go on?’” the 19-year-old is […]
Marchionne confirms Sassi’s F1 exit
Jul.11 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that Ferrari engine boss Lorenzo Sassi has left the F1 team. We reported at the weekend that the respected designer was either ousted by team president Marchionne, or called up to work at the Ferrari parent Fiat Chrysler. Marchionne indicated to La Gazzetta dello Sport that the latter is […]
Wolff looking ahead to 2019 driver market
Jul.11 (GMM) Mercedes looks set to keep Valtteri Bottas on board for 2018. Since replacing Nico Rosberg, the Finn has won two races and is just 15 points behind his triple world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton. But boss Toto Wolff said another factor in play is the driver market for 2019, when big names including […]
Ferrari ‘ready’ to extend Vettel deal
Jul.11 (GMM) Ferrari is ready to sign a new contract with Sebastian Vettel. The 2017 championship leader’s first three-year deal contract with the Maranello team runs out this year. President Sergio Marchionne is quoted by Italian media: “I have told him very clearly that we are ready if he wants to stay with us. “It’s […]
Magnussen ‘best teammate since Alonso’ – Grosjean
Jul.10 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has named Kevin Magnussen as his best teammate since Fernando Alonso. In 2017, the French and Danish duo are paired together at the American team Haas. Grosjean had a troubled F1 debut for Renault in 2009 when he was paired with Spanish double world champion Alonso, but since then he has […]
Calls grow for driver penalty system overhaul
Jul.10 (GMM) Calls are growing for F1 to overhaul its system of penalising drivers for technical problems. Former F1 driver Mark Webber was the first to bring up the issue of a driver suffering an engine or gearbox problem only to get further punished with a grid demotion. “A lot of people turn on the […]
Horner tips Red Bull to keep Kvyat
Jul.10 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat is on track to stay at Toro Rosso in 2018. That is the view of Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner, even though the Russian was criticised on all sides for his first lap crash in Austria. It was similar crashes that put the young Russian’s entire F1 career under a […]
Verstappen ‘confident’ amid Ferrari rumours
Jul.10 (GMM) Amid intense speculation about his future, Max Verstappen was suddenly in a better mood after the Austrian grand prix. That is despite the fact he retired with yet another technical problem on lap 1, and having stormed out of the Baku circuit just two weeks ago without speaking with the media. There are […]
Red Bull takes up option on Sainz contract
Jul.10 (GMM) Carlos Sainz and Red Bull have confirmed that the Spaniard is definitely under contract to drive for Toro Rosso in 2018. The news clarifies the ‘drama’ in Austria at the weekend, when the 22-year-old driver said it is “unlikely” he will stay with Red Bull’s junior team for a fourth consecutive season. Red […]
Marchionne questions plans for next F1 engines
Jul.10 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has thrown a potential spanner in the works of F1’s plans for its next engine regulations. It was thought the sport was speeding towards keeping the basic 1.6 litre V6 engines beyond 2020, but adding another turbocharger and removing much of the complex and expensive ‘hybrid’ elements. “Double turbo instead of […]
Raikkonen must increase commitment – Marchionne
Jul.10 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has issued a wake-up call to Kimi Raikkonen, whilst rejecting rumours Max Verstappen or Fernando Alonso are in the running to replace him. “We have not reached out to Red Bull about Verstappen and we are not interested in Alonso,” the Ferrari president was quoted as saying in Austria. “We have […]
Bottas in fight for 2017 title – Hamilton
Jul.10 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is in the hunt for the 2017 world championship. That is the claim of his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, after Finn Bottas won his second grand prix of the season in Austria. “Of course he is,” Hamilton told the Finnish broadcaster C More. “He is 15 points behind me, which is […]
Liberty should buy Silverstone – Brown
Jul.9 (GMM) Silverstone could come to regret axing its long-term British grand prix contract. That is the warning of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, mere hours before the circuit-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) is tipped to exercise a break clause in its current race deal. Reports say the BRDC is breaking the Bernie Ecclestone-negotiated […]
Hamilton-Vettel ‘aggression’ to increase – Lauda
Jul.9 (GMM) Niki Lauda has warned that tensions between F1’s two championship protagonists look set to heat up rather than cool down. After Baku, Lewis Hamilton made clear he thought Sebastian Vettel should have been punished more heavily for crashing into him deliberately. But FIA president Jean Todt told reporters in Austria: “Sebastian has had […]
FIA halts Austria GP track extension – Marko
Jul.9 (GMM) F1’s governing body appears to have put the brakes on plans to expand the current layout of the Austrian grand prix. A year ago, track owner Red Bull started looking into reviving a fabled high speed section of the former Osterreichring called the Westschleife (west loop). “It would separate the men from the […]
Force India ‘not ready’ to announce Auer test
Jul.9 (GMM) Force India is still not confirming reports that DTM frontrunner Lucas Auer will get his first F1 test in August. Austrian Auer, who is F1 legend Gerhard Berger’s nephew, is personally sponsored by BWT, the company who convinced Force India to paint its cars pink for 2017. The 22-year-old is also partly supported […]
F1 could introduce new engines one year early
Jul.9 (GMM) F1 could introduce a new engine formula as early as 2020. That is despite the fact the current regulations governing the controversial ‘power unit’ rules are technically set to run until the end of 2020. Bild newspaper claims: “The FIA, teams and manufacturers could agree to bring in the new engines from the […]
‘Something changed’ in McLaren-Honda divorce
Jul.9 (GMM) After a tumultuous period in the McLaren-Honda marriage, the works collaboration now appears to be back on track. Recent reports hinted that a divorce announcement was imminent, but the rhetoric has suddenly changed in Austria, where Honda has duly delivered the more powerful ‘spec 3’ engine. It actually malfunctioned in Fernando Alonso’s car, […]
Vandoorne plays down 2017 gap to Alonso
Jul.8 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne insists he is not getting down about his disappointing first season in F1. The once-promising Belgian is not only struggling with the below-par McLaren-Honda package, but being consistently outshone by his teammate Fernando Alonso. But he told Brazil’s Globo: “I don’t think you can compare us yet. “The two cars are […]