Nov.24 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has eased off the throttle in a tactical manoeuvre for the 2016 world championship. That is the admission of F1 legend and Rosberg family friend Gerhard Berger, who earlier this year negotiated the German’s new contract with Mercedes. Rosberg, however, insists he has been pushing for poles and wins in recent […]
Car failure a ‘nightmare’ for F1 finale – Chiesa
Nov.24 (GMM) The big enemy of F1’s title showdown in Abu Dhabi this weekend is the risk of technical failure. To win the title, Nico Rosberg only has to finish third on Sunday, even if Lewis Hamilton wins his fourth consecutive grand prix on the trot. “Nico must withstand enormous pressure, cross his fingers and […]
Rosberg should target win from pole – Surer
Nov.24 (GMM) Nico Rosberg should target pole and the win rather than an easy and careful cruise to the title this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Although winning the championship with a mere podium place seems straightforward for the German, he is being warned from all sides to avoid being too cautious. Former F1 driver and […]
Red Bull could spoil Rosberg title – Stewart
Nov.24 (GMM) Sir Jackie Stewart has warned that Nico Rosberg’s bid for title glory this weekend could be spoiled by the Red Bulls. The German driver only has to finish third to guarantee his championship victory over Lewis Hamilton, but Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner has warned that a “tentative” Rosberg could open the […]
Button should axe sabbatical and retire – Jordan
Nov.24 (GMM) Jenson Button has been urged to turn his forthcoming ‘sabbatical’ into full retirement from formula one. The 2009 world champion said he was convinced by McLaren’s now-departing supremo Ron Dennis to take a break from his 17-year F1 career next year and leave the door open to a 2018 return. But Eddie Jordan, […]
Drivers to train hard for 2017 – Kvyat
Nov.23 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat says he is glad the season is ending, but also looking ahead to an arduous winter period. The Russian admits 2016 was not the best year in his career, having started the season at Red Bull, being demoted to Toro Rosso, and only just clinging to his F1 career. “Yeah, so […]
Giovinazzi eyes step towards F1 in Abu Dhabi
Nov.23 (GMM) Another important championship will also reach its zenith this weekend in Abu Dhabi. While the Nico Rosberg vs Lewis Hamilton stoush is front and centre, it is also the case that the feeder category GP2 will crown a champion this weekend. The favourite is Antonio Giovinazzi, a 22-year-old Italian who had been linked […]
Ferrari call off Christmas lunch – report
Nov.23 (GMM) Ferrari may have cancelled its traditional F1 team Christmas lunch. That is the claim of the well-connected Ferrari media insider Leo Turrini, citing the information of ‘friends’ from within the great Maranello team. The decision was made because “there is nothing to celebrate”, Turrini wrote on his Quotidiano blog. However, he said team […]
Canada secures place on 2017 calendar
Nov.23 (GMM) Canada looks to have secured its place on the 2017 calendar. Until now, the popular Montreal race had been in doubt over delayed circuit improvement promises. But the city’s mayor Denis Coderre tweeted in French on Tuesday: “Agreement in principle with (F1) and (race organiser) Octane. “There will be a grand prix of […]
Brown denies Dennis meeting will be awkward
Nov.22 (GMM) Zak Brown has denied he will endure a particularly awkward introduction to life at McLaren this weekend in Abu Dhabi. The man he is replacing, the ousted McLaren supremo Ron Dennis, is tipped by the Times newspaper to also travel to the 2016 finale this weekend to meet with Middle Eastern contacts. But […]
Wolff still not eyeing Ecclestone job
Nov.22 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he is not interested in succeeding Bernie Ecclestone as boss of formula one. F1 sponsor guru Zak Brown had been tipped for the role in the forthcoming Liberty Media era, but McLaren has just unveiled the American as its new post-Ron Dennis executive director instead. The famous British team said […]
Vandoorne can be F1’s ‘next Verstappen’ – Boutsen
Nov.22 (GMM) F1 might be about to discover its next Max Verstappen-like sensation. That is the claim of former F1 driver and three-time winner Thierry Boutsen, who raced in the 80s and 90s. He admitted to the Belgian broadcaster Sporza that he is referring to Stoffel Vandoorne, his countryman who is set to make his […]
Prost-like Rosberg deserves title – Villeneuve
Nov.22 (GMM) Even Lewis Hamilton concedes that his teammate Nico Rosberg is the favourite to be crowned world champion in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Although Hamilton is back on form with three consecutive wins closing his point gap to 12, many experts think Rosberg has simply been nursing the lead recently. So an easy third […]
Malaysia to axe GP after 2018
Nov.22 (GMM) Malaysia will host its twentieth and final grand prix at Sepang in 2018. The country’s tourism minister Nazri Abdul Aziz told the state-run Bernama news agency that the decision had been taken for financial reasons. “We spend 300 million ringgit ($68m) per year but are not getting 300 million back,” he said. “There […]
Alonso, Button hint at Le Mans futures
Nov.22 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has hinted again that his future lies at Le Mans. The Spaniard, who has never hidden his passion for the ever-burgeoning world endurance championship and the fabled 24 hour race, has said that if F1 does not get a lot racier in 2017, he will not renew his McLaren contract. Now, […]
Wolff excited and worried about 2017
Nov.22 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he is looking ahead to 2017 with a mix of excitement and apprehension. That is because while agreeing that the laptime boost with the faster cars next year will be “impressive”, the Mercedes boss warned it may come at the cost of wheel-to-wheel racing. “For now, I see the data […]
Nasr future uncertain after Ericsson deal
Nov.21 (GMM) Felipe Nasr’s future remained uncertain on Monday, as Sauber extended its deal with Marcus Ericsson into 2017. “The second driver … will be announced in due course,” the Swiss team said in the Ericsson announcement. Nasr has run into trouble with his backer Banco do Brasil, but there have also been signs of […]
Ecclestone clarifies Singapore comments
Nov.21 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone on Monday said he is working to keep F1 in Singapore. Earlier, the F1 supremo had been quoted by a German magazine as revealing that because the city-state had reached its objections with the spectacular night race, it no longer wanted to be on the calendar. But Ecclestone told the Straits […]
More drivers complain about Halo
Nov.21 (GMM) There is no guarantee the controversial ‘Halo’ concept will make its debut as planned in 2018. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, adding that although the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association is backing the cockpit protection, many drivers are actually not convinced. After becoming one of the latest drivers to […]
Stroll test programme ‘unprecedented’ – Williams
Nov.21 (GMM) Williams kept Lance Stroll’s test programme top secret in order to reduce the pressure on the 2017 team rookie. That is the claim of team deputy Claire Williams, referring to Stroll’s near-unprecedented world tour of tracks in a 2014 car to prepare him for his Melbourne debut next March. When asked about that […]