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 […]
Giovinazzi would ‘accept’ 2017 debut
Jan.25 (GMM) Antonio Giovinazzi has vowed to be ready in the event he might make his F1 race debut in 2017. The 2016 GP2 runner-up and Italian, 23, has been appointed as Ferrari’s official third driver for this year. “I am still adjusting to being part of such a big family with lots of people […]
Brawn to attend F1 winter tests
Jan.25 (GMM) Ross Brawn will be a prominent figure as F1’s new on-track era begins in earnest in a month’s time. The formerly retired team technical director and boss is returning to the sport this year as sport managing director in the post-Bernie Ecclestone era. However, the 62-year-old said previously that he had little interest […]
Liberty era future brighter for German GP
Jan.25 (GMM) F1’s new Liberty Media era is good news for “traditional” race hosts like Germany, new sport managing director Ross Brawn says. Germany will not host a race in 2017, after talks with now former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone broke down. So as F1’s new Liberty Media era began in earnest this week, […]
British GP safe in Liberty era – Carey
Jan.25 (GMM) The future of the British grand prix seemed more secure as new F1 chiefs swept into office this week. In the Bernie Ecclestone era, the future of the popular race at Silverstone seemed in doubt for financial reasons. But new CEO Chase Carey told the Sun newspaper: “We will have a British grand […]
New F1 rule to reduce driver penalties
Jan.25 (GMM) F1 has tweaked the rules so that drivers are penalised less often in 2017. This week, the final sporting regulations for the new season were published. Of particular note was article 38.1, following widespread criticism that too many penalties are being given to drivers for on-track incidents. Now, the rules state that even […]
Teams turned down offer of F1 shares – Wolff
Jan.25 (GMM) F1 teams turned down Liberty Media’s offer to become co-owners of the sport. That is the news from Toto Wolff, boss of the championship winning Mercedes team. As the American company Liberty Media took over F1 this week, it urged the teams to consider an offer to buy up to 20 per cent. […]
Teams welcome ‘experts’ replacing Ecclestone
Jan.25 (GMM) Top teams were looking confidently into F1’s future this week, following news of Bernie Ecclestone’s departure as CEO. Publicly, almost every influential figure in the sport was on the one hand applauding the 86-year-old Briton’s contribution to F1 whilst welcoming the new Liberty Media era. “Bernie made a global show out of nothing, […]