Feb.1 (GMM) Luca di Montezemolo says it is no surprise that Mercedes is utterly dominating F1’s current ‘power unit’ era. The former Ferrari president said that while the 1.6 litre, turbo V6 regulations were not introduced until 2014, Mercedes was working on its pacesetting design long before then. “Niki Lauda recently confessed to me that […]
Ecclestone ousting ‘inevitable’ – Montezemolo
Feb.1 (GMM) Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has backed the ousting of long-time F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Also now outside of F1, having been ousted by Ferrari a few years ago, di Montezemolo told Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper that he saw Ecclestone’s exit coming. “Recently, we had a long conversation and Bernie jokingly asked […]
Liberty should scrap Friday practice – Abiteboul
Feb.1 (GMM) F1 should shake up its weekend format by eliminating the Friday practice sessions. That is the view of Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul, when asked by the French magazine Auto Hebdo what Liberty Media should do after taking over the sport and ousting Bernie Ecclestone. “Liberty Media should be given a few months […]
Renault targets ‘fifth or sixth’ in 2017 – Abiteboul
Feb.1 (GMM) Renault has set targets despite entering another “transitional season” in 2017. That is the news from the French team’s boss Cyril Abiteboul, after Renault finished just ninth out of 11 last year on its return to F1 as a works effort. “A transition season is ahead of us,” Abiteboul told the French magazine […]
Rosberg not eyeing Formula E seat
Feb.1 (GMM) World champion Nico Rosberg has denied he could keep his adrenaline flowing by moving into the all-electric series Formula E next year. Mercedes, with whom the 31-year-old German won his world championship before quitting F1 late last year, is contemplating entering Formula E. But when asked if he would be interested in spearheading […]
Rosberg to attend ‘five or six’ races in 2017
Feb.1 (GMM) World champion Nico Rosberg says he will not get involved with technical matters despite continuing to work with Mercedes in 2017. The German, who sensationally quit the sport after winning his first title late last year, has been retained by the German marque as an ambassador. Asked if that will involve a technical […]
Todt denies F1 needs radical overhaul
Feb.1 (GMM) Jean Todt has denied that formula one needs to make radical changes in the new Liberty Media era. The headline news of Liberty having completed its takeover of the sport is that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was ousted. Frenchman Todt, the president of the governing FIA, said: “He (Ecclestone) did a lot for […]
Sainz plays down podium hopes for 2017
Feb.1 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has played down hopes he might record his first F1 podium this year. The young Spaniard was so impressive in 2016 – his second season with Toro Rosso – that he was linked with a switch to Renault or even Mercedes for this year. However, team owner Red Bull is clinging […]
‘No disasters’ as Haas prepares for season two
Feb.1 (GMM) F1’s small American team Haas appears to be enjoying a smooth winter period. Although the second season for new F1 teams is notoriously difficult, Renault refugee Kevin Magnussen is settling into his new job and Auto Motor und Sport reports that the 2017 car, the VF17, is coming along nicely. “We are fully […]
Bottas backer paying more for Mercedes move
Jan.31 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas’ personal sponsor is happy to pay a little more in 2017, as the Finn prepares to charge for wins and the title at Mercedes. Until now, Finnish conglomerate Wihuri has backed Bottas’ career by sponsoring the 27-year-old at Williams. Wihuri chief Antti Aarnio-Wihuri, a 76-year-old billionaire, says he started supporting Bottas […]
Williams admits sponsor wanted older driver
Jan.31 (GMM) Williams deputy Claire Williams has admitted the British team’s options were narrow as it looked to replace the Mercedes-bound Valtteri Bottas for 2017. A few days after winning the world championship, Nico Rosberg stunned the F1 world by quitting Mercedes and the sport, prompting a phone call to Williams by Toto Wolff. “Pretty […]
Ecclestone exit ‘an opportunity’ for F1 – Kaltenborn
Jan.31 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn says the departure of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone could be remembered as a positive “turning point” for the sport. Kaltenborn runs the small and struggling Sauber team, whose disenchantment with F1’s existing regime prompted it and Force India to lodge a protest with the European Commission. Now, she has told German […]
Silverstone sees Ecclestone exit as British GP boost
Jan.31 (GMM) Silverstone is sounding more hopeful about a future on the F1 calendar, in the days after Bernie Ecclestone lost his job as the sport’s chief executive. Ecclestone was notoriously hard on struggling European promoters, and while his successor Chase Carey says new contract talks are not on the cards, he has made it […]
Todt wants less pressure on Schumacher son Mick
Jan.31 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt has urged the collective motor racing world to ease the pressure on the shoulders of Mick Schumacher. Todt, the former Ferrari boss, is arguably the closest friend of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, whose 17-year-old son Mick is set to charge into European F3 this year. However, Mick is already […]
F1 rumour surrounds Lowe ‘gardening leave’
Jan.31 (GMM) Force India is arguing against Paddy Lowe being allowed to start work at Williams early in 2017. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, amid widespread claims that Lowe – the recently departed Mercedes technical boss – is poised to switch to Williams. However, “The parties are still negotiating,” revealed […]
Prost wants ‘less mood swings’ from Ferrari
Jan.30 (GMM) Alain Prost has urged Ferrari to be calmer as it heads into the 2017 season. Early last year, the great Maranello team made bold predictions of race wins and the title, only to get to the end of the season without a single victory. Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said Ferrari’s problem is […]
Liberty must reduce F1 ticket prices – Prost
Jan.30 (GMM) Alain Prost says cheaper tickets should be new F1 owner Liberty Media’s first priority. Asked what he would do if he had just taken over, the F1 legend told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica: “Lower prices to get into the circuits. “At the moment it makes no sense. Because with empty grandstands, everything […]
Experts doubt Ecclestone will go quietly
Jan.30 (GMM) The F1 world is poised to discover ‘deposed’ supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s next move. The sport’s long-time but now former chief executive has denied reports he is planning a breakaway series, but some commentators are refusing to believe the 86-year-old Briton will simply fade into the night. “Why should a man, who has always […]
Big teams to pressure F1 over income – pundit
Jan.30 (GMM) F1 must be prepared to call Ferrari’s bluff in pursuit of a fairer income distribution system for the teams. That is the claim of former F1 driver Christian Danner, referring to reports new owner Liberty Media intends to take away Ferrari’s huge $100 million bonus payments in the future. Ferrari is yet to […]
Wolff set to sign new Mercedes deal
Jan.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff has indicated he is definitely heading towards a new contract with Mercedes. The Austrian heads Mercedes’ entire motor sport programme, and is the team boss at the title-winning F1 team and also a shareholder. But his contract with the German marque is set to end this year. Wolff, 45, told Frankfurter […]