Jan.30 (GMM) US grand prix organisers say they would welcome more American races. F1’s new owners, the US media group Liberty Media, are keen to expand the calendar to up to 25 races, with potential events in US cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas or New York. Bobby Epstein, boss of the only US race […]
FIA ‘fair’ amid $80m windfall controversy – Carey
Jan.30 (GMM) Chase Carey says the FIA is “fair” and “even-handed”, amid a bubbling controversy that could spell trouble for Liberty Media’s F1 buyout. Because the governing body owns a 1 per cent stake in F1’s commercial rights, some believe the fact the FIA had to approve the Liberty deal as a regulator reveals a […]
Haas deal allows early F1 payment for Force India
Jan.30 (GMM) A deal has been struck whereby Force India will get an advance on its official F1 prize money early in 2017. That is the news from Auto Motor und Sport, having earlier reported that the American team Haas vetoed the move to help its fellow small team. But correspondent Michael Schmidt reports that […]
F1 ‘must not give up’ on hybrid engines – Wolff
Jan.30 (GMM) Toto Wolff says F1 should not give up on its ‘hybrid’ engine era. Mercedes has utterly dominated in the quieter, controversial ‘power unit’ era since 2014, with even new F1 chief Ross Brawn admitting the sport should think about how it proceeds with the next engine rules for 2020. But Mercedes chief Wolff […]
Vettel welcomes driver penalty rule tweak
Jan.30 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has welcomed news that less driver penalties will be handed out in 2017. A rule tweak means that stewards no longer have to investigate incidents identified by Charlie Whiting, while only drivers “wholly or predominantly to blame” for incidents can be punished. Ferrari driver Vettel told the German newspaper Bild am […]
‘Too soon’ to say less overtaking in 2017 – Sainz
Jan.30 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says F1 commentators should wait for the season to begin before declaring that overtaking is more difficult in 2017. Because cornering speeds will be higher, top speeds lower and braking distances shorter, many are worried that although the cars will be faster this year, there may be much less overtaking. “How […]
2017 cars ‘brutally fast’ – Hulkenberg
Jan.30 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has tried the 2017-spec regulations in the Renault simulator — and he says the new cars will be “brutally fast”. To address criticism the cars had become too slow, F1 has dramatically changed the aerodynamic and tyre rules for the new season. “The new car feels brutally fast,” German Hulkenberg, who […]
Administrator says Manor to ‘close its doors’
Jan.28 (GMM) Only ten teams will make it to the grid as the 2017 season begins in Australia in March. There were hopes the backmarker Manor could exit administration if a buyer was found before the end of January, as funds to test in Spain next month and race in Melbourne had dried up. But […]
Ecclestone denies ‘breakaway’ series claims
Jan.28 (GMM) Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has denied reports he is planning to set up a ‘breakaway’ series. Authoritative sources had hinted at the 86-year-old’s move, perhaps bolstered by his long-time associate Flavio Briatore who told La Gazzetta dello Sport this week that Liberty ousting Ecclestone was “not very smart”. But in a statement […]
No proposal for London GP yet – mayor
Jan.27 (GMM) A spokesperson says London mayor Sadiq Khan has received no proposal about the possibility of a F1 street race in the city. As he took over from Bernie Ecclestone, new F1 chief executive Chase Carey this week said there is “no question” the idea of a London grand prix is attractive. But London’s […]
Vandoorne in Schumacher, Senna category – Brown
Jan.27 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne is in the same league as some of the best drivers to ever race in formula one. That is the sensational claim of new McLaren chief Zak Brown, exactly a month before official pre-season testing begins in Barcelona late next month. Belgian Vandoorne, 24, is making his full F1 debut for […]
Ferrari denies 2017 car to honour Bianchi
Jan.27 (GMM) Ferrari has denied that the official name for its 2017 car is now out of the bag. Santander, a Spanish sponsor of the fabled Italian team, tweeted a graphic that suggested Ferrari’s new car will be called the SF17-JB — with the ‘JB’ an apparent tribute to the late former Ferrari junior driver […]
Sainz thinks Alonso will stay beyond 2017
Jan.27 (GMM) Carlos Sainz thinks the risk is low that his famous countryman Fernando Alonso will quit F1 at the end of 2017. Disappointed with the sport’s direction of the past decade, Spaniard Alonso has warned that unless the much faster cars inspire him this year, he will not renew his contract. But as he […]
Ecclestone planning F1 ‘breakaway’ – reports
Jan.27 (GMM) Mere days after he was “deposed”, rumours and reports are swirling that former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone might be planning a breakaway. The latest real news is that Ecclestone, 86, is selling his remaining $28 million stake in formula one, with F1 business journalist Christian Sylt writing in the Guardian that it will […]
Bottas more talented than Rosberg – Merhi
Jan.26 (GMM) One of Valtteri Bottas’ former rivals thinks the Finn is actually more talented than the reigning world champion he is replacing at Mercedes. In 2008, a then teenage Bottas won the European Formula Renault series ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and former Manor driver Roberto Merhi. Now, Spaniard Merhi thinks 27-year-old Bottas will give […]
F1 door open for Lamborghini – Domenicali
Jan.26 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali is leaving a door open for a return to formula one. The Italian left the sport after being ousted as Ferrari’s boss some years ago, and he is now the chief executive at the famous sports car marque Lamborghini. So if Domenicali does return, it could be as a team boss […]
I can deal with Mercedes pressure – Bottas
Jan.26 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he knows how to deal with the pressure of his new assignment in the cockpit of now-retired reigning world champion Nico Rosberg. The Finn said it was not too difficult to make the decision to leave the comfort of Williams to switch to F1’s dominant German team for 2017. “Both […]
Wolff admits Bottas rivals on 2018 radar
Jan.26 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted that Valtteri Bottas needs to prove he should keep his new seat at Mercedes beyond 2017. Unusually for a top team, Mercedes has signed only a one-year deal with the Finn. Wolff admitted to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport that the short deal leaves Mercedes’ options open in the […]
Bottas ‘as good as Rosberg’ – Lauda
Jan.26 (GMM) Niki Lauda says Mercedes will not miss reigning world champion Nico Rosberg in 2017. “Not at all,” said the team’s famous chairman and F1 legend, when asked by Sport Bild if Mercedes will miss Rosberg. Earlier, Lauda had reacted with frustration and even apparent anger when Rosberg stunned the team and the F1 […]
F1 promoters may ask for discount – Brawn
Jan.26 (GMM) Ross Brawn has admitted that Bernie Ecclestone’s departure as F1 chief might lead to promoters asking for lower annual race fees. The former F1 supremo was a notoriously hard-nosed and unsentimental negotiator when it came to the money collected from grand prix circuit hosts. But Brawn began his new role as the sport’s […]