Mar.7 (GMM) Retired world champion Nico Rosberg’s trainer has found a new driver to work with. After Rosberg’s shock decision to quit F1, Daniel Schlosser admitted he was not sure what his next move would be. But Bild newspaper now reports that the 40-year-old is linking up with Nikita Mazepin, an 18-year-old Russian junior driver […]
Wehrlein gets green light for Sauber return
Mar.7 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has been given the green light to return to action with Sauber this week. Having switched to the Swiss team from Manor, the Mercedes junior had to sit out the first test in Barcelona last week with a back injury sustained at the race of champions event. “The problem was that […]
Massa unsure when Lowe to join Williams
Mar.7 (GMM) Felipe Massa has admitted that former Mercedes chief Paddy Lowe is heading to Williams. Actually, Lowe’s move is an open paddock secret, but it has not been officially announced by the team amid reports his actual role and potential team shareholding has not been fully agreed. Williams driver Massa told Brazil’s Globo: “I […]
Massa defends teenage Stroll after crashes
Mar.7 (GMM) Felipe Massa has jumped to the defence of his new young F1 teammate, teenager Lance Stroll. Canadian Stroll, 18, made not one but three significant mistakes in Barcelona last week, the last crash damaging the chassis and ending Williams’ run a day early. But even though Stroll has denied that Massa, 35, is […]
Petrobras in F1 talks with McLaren – report
Mar.7 (GMM) Petrobras could be about to re-emerge in formula one. We reported last November that the Brazilian oil multinational would leave Williams. Indeed, the Petrobras logo is now missing from the side of the 2017 car’s monocoque. Livio Oricchio, a respected Brazilian correspondent for the Globo broadcaster, said McLaren-Honda is now in talks about […]
Former F1 driver Sala doubts Alonso will quit
Mar.7 (GMM) Former F1 driver Luis Perez Sala doubts Fernando Alonso will quit the sport at the end of this year. Currently languishing at the uncompetitive McLaren-Honda project, Spaniard Alonso, 35, has indicated that unless the much faster cars this year deliver more fun for the drivers, he may switch to Le Mans for 2018. […]
Liberty scoffs at F1 TV deal in US
Mar.7 (GMM) Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei has scoffed at the amount paid for F1’s television rights by the American broadcaster NBC. Headed by US media tycoon John Malone, Liberty has talked about expanding F1 within America and borrowing from the successes of popular US sports events like the Super Bowl. But chief executive […]
Marchionne staying at Ferrari until 2021
Mar.6 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne will remain Ferrari’s president until at least 2021. That is the news in Italian reports including the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport. In January, we reported that the 64-year-old declared during a news conference that he will “undoubtedly” retire after 2018. But Gazzetta now reveals that Marchionne “will stay at Ferrari […]
No regrets about joining Renault – Hulkenberg
Mar.6 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he has no regrets about being a works Renault driver in 2017 instead of moving right to the front of the grid with Mercedes. It is perhaps true that, had the German delayed instead of immediately signed the deal to switch to Renault from Force India, he may have been […]
Massa leaving F1 door open for 2018
Mar.6 (GMM) Felipe Massa is leaving the door open to staying in formula one even beyond the end of 2017. Although emotional, the Brazilian seemed to be happily entering retirement after the 2016 season, as Williams replaced him with teen rookie Lance Stroll. But Nico Rosberg’s sudden retirement and a complex turn of events means […]
Giovinazzi says 2017 priority is Ferrari
Mar.6 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi insists his priority for 2017 is his role as Ferrari’s reserve driver. That is despite the fact the Italian was drafted into the Sauber driver lineup for the first Barcelona test, because Pascal Wehrlein is currently sidelined with a back injury. Blick, a well-connected Swiss newspaper, says it should become clear […]
Ferrari buys into F1 – reports
Mar.6 (GMM) Ferrari has bought into formula one, according to reports in the Italian and Spanish media. New owner Liberty Media made the official offer regarding F1’s commercial rights to teams last September, but until now none took up the offer of shares. But the Spanish sports daily AS reports that Ferrari has now confirmed […]
Magnussen not looking to befriend Grosjean
Mar.6 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he will not go out of his way to become “best friends” with his new F1 teammate. Recent reports have suggested the Dane and former McLaren and Renault driver often struggles to get along with colleagues. Now, as the Dane switches to the small American team Haas, Magnussen is paired […]
Boullier not sure Alonso to stay in 2018
Mar.6 (GMM) Eric Boullier has admitted he is not sure Fernando Alonso will stay with McLaren-Honda beyond the end of 2017. Everybody in F1 expected that – in year three – the Anglo-Japanese works collaboration would finally start to bear fruit. But McLaren-Honda kicked off Barcelona testing last week amid more technical and performance problems. […]
Perez’s sponsor happy at Force India
Mar.6 (GMM) Sergio Perez’s sponsor says he is happy to be supporting the Mexican at Force India. The Silverstone based team, famous for making efficient use of its light resources, finished an admirable fourth overall in the championship last year. But with the big rule changes for 2017, Force India struggled to make an impression […]
Barcelona test ‘win’ not important – Bottas
Mar.3 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has played down the significance of ending the week as the ‘champion’ of Barcelona testing. The Mercedes newcomer clocked the fastest lap over the four days of the first pre-season test, despite switching at the last minute from Williams. Asked if that ‘win’ means anything, the Finn responded: “This has no […]
Too early to consider next F1 deal – Hembery
Mar.3 (GMM) Pirelli is not ready to think about staying in formula one beyond 2019. That is the claim of the Italian marque’s F1 chief Paul Hembery, even though some race promoters are already inking extended deals with F1’s new owner Liberty Media. Last year, Pirelli signed a new deal to remain the sport’s sole […]
Force India livery could turn pink
Mar.3 (GMM) Force India’s livery could soon turn pink, according to a German source. The specialist publication Auto Bild claims the Silverstone based team is in talks with BWT, an Austrian water technology company. BWT is no stranger to motor racing, having coloured Lucas Auer’s Mercedes DTM car pink from 2015. The company is also […]
Magnussen not commenting on negative report
Mar.3 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has declined to comment directly on reports 2017 is his ‘last chance’ in F1. Last week, a prominent British outlet was highly critical of the Dane, declaring that a ‘third chance’ is rare in F1 — particularly for a driver who left McLaren and then Renault amid acrimony and internal criticism. […]
Pirelli to keep improving wet tyres
Mar.3 (GMM) Pirelli has vowed to keep working on the effectiveness of its wet-weather tyres. On Thursday, the sight of trucks dumping thousands of litres of water on the Barcelona circuit was widely criticised, as F1’s official supplier attempted to test its modified wets for 2017. Some wondered why Pirelli didn’t arrange to run instead […]