May 22 (GMM) Pirelli has admitted some teams have “exaggerated” downforce values as the F1 supplier sets its tyre operating guidelines before grands prix. In Barcelona, the Italian marque’s popular decision in 2017 to allow teams to use lower minimum tyre pressures came to a halt in Friday practice. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport has […]
Lauda to watch Alonso’s Indy 500 bid
May 22 (GMM) Niki Lauda says he will be following every lap of Fernando Alonso’s bid to win the Indy 500 on Sunday. McLaren driver Alonso’s shock Indy project has been controversial, as it means he must skip the prestigious Monaco grand prix. But F1 legend Lauda said he admires the move. “I am following […]
Liberty to reveal F1 budget cap plan
May 22 (GMM) The idea of team budget caps in formula one is not dead yet. With the arrival of Liberty Media, ideas about how to improve the competitiveness of the field are running thick and fast. One idea is a Nascar-like system, where at a certain point of the season, cars and engines must […]
F1 to consider extending DRS zones
May 22 (GMM) The potential extension of DRS overtaking zones this year will be decided on a circuit by circuit basis. That is the claim of Auto Motor und Sport, even though the extension of the zone in Barcelona proved a success. After Russia, where the only overtaking move was a Sauber team order, the […]
Massa could stay at Williams in 2018
May 22 (GMM) Felipe Massa says he would consider staying in F1 beyond the end of this season. Actually, the Brazilian veteran ‘retired’ at the end of last year but was convinced by Williams to return as Valtteri Bottas moved up to the works Mercedes team. And now the 36-year-old says: “If things continue to […]
Reliability takes hit as teams push limits – Wolff
May 22 (GMM) Engine reliability has taken a hit in 2017 as manufacturers push to “the absolute limit”. That is the claim of Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, when asked about the obvious fact that many teams are having more trouble with power unit reliability so far this year. As to why that is even though […]
Marko rules out Le Mans for Red Bull
May 19 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull will not be heading to Le Mans any time soon. The energy drink company has two teams in F1 and been represented at the highest level of just about every series. But Red Bull is conspicuously absent at Le Mans, the most famous endurance sports car […]
Magnussen-manager dispute heads to court
May 19 (GMM) A broken relationship between Kevin Magnussen and his former manager is heading to court. After his McLaren seat fell through after a single year, Magnussen reportedly split with his long-time manager Dorte Riis Madsen. We reported last year that the 24-year-old Dane had negotiated his own 2016 Renault seat, and was also […]
Trailing Bottas still not ‘no.2’ – Wolff
May 19 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Mercedes remains committed to not designating Valtteri Bottas the ‘number 2’ driver for 2017. A mere 6 points separates Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and top Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton so far this year. But when asked about the much bigger points gap – 35 points – between teammates Hamilton and […]
Brawn says Vettel ‘key to Ferrari success’
May 19 (GMM) Ross Brawn has hailed Sebastian Vettel’s personal contribution to the excitement of the 2017 season. Brawn, famous for his key role in the ultra-successful Todt-Schumacher era at Ferrari, is now F1’s new sporting boss in the Liberty Media era. He told Sport Bild: “What Sebastian is doing in the red car is […]
Carey expects ‘turbulent’ F1 talks
May 19 (GMM) Chase Carey is expecting “turbulent” times ahead as negotiations with teams look set to kick off. As Liberty Media takes over and the Bernie Ecclestone era is put in the past, attention is already turning to the end of the current ‘Concorde’ agreements with teams. But as those post-2020 talks begin, new […]
Pirelli axes hard tyres for Silverstone
May 19 (GMM) Pirelli has agreed to axe its selection of hard tyres for a forthcoming grand prix. In Barcelona recently, drivers openly complained about the F1 supplier’s selection of compounds. “In the drivers’ briefing we brought up the tyres because we would prefer not to have these hard tyres anymore — at any track. […]
Marko confirms official role for Jos Verstappen
May 18 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed reports that Max Verstappen’s father is taking on an official Red Bull role. Earlier, we reported that former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, whose teenage son now drives for Red Bull Racing, was considering taking up a role as a sort of young talent scout for the energy […]
Teams unhappy amid Mercedes-Honda cooperation rumours
May 18 (GMM) Two F1 teams have admitted their opposition amid rumours Mercedes is preparing to help Honda finally get up to speed in formula one. The rumour has been taking shape in recent weeks, and in Barcelona it emerged that the Austrian company Avl might also get involved to help Honda finally end its […]
Wolff denies 5kg weight advantage rumours
May 18 (GMM) Toto Wolff has denied that Mercedes slashed 5 kilos of weight from its 2017 car ahead of the recent Spanish grand prix. Before Barcelona, team figures including Niki Lauda admitted that excessive car weight was one of the areas Mercedes was working on to fight with Ferrari this year. Then in Spain, […]
Red Bull hoping for Renault upgrade – Marko
May 18 (GMM) Red Bull is waiting on a Renault upgrade that has been delayed for reliability reasons. In Barcelona, the former champions took a clear step closer to runaway pacesetters Mercedes and Ferrari. “We closed more than 60 per cent of the gap,” Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper. He […]
Marko hails step forward after Ecclestone exit
May 18 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hailed a step forward for formula one in the wake of Bernie Ecclestone’s departure. During the Spanish grand prix, a distraught young Ferrari fan was plucked out of the grandstand by Formula One Management staff so that he could meet Kimi Raikkonen and get a signed cap and […]
Room for more ‘quality’ races – Brawn
May 17 (GMM) Ross Brawn thinks there is space on the F1 calendar for “one or two more” races. There has been speculation the sport’s new owner Liberty Media intends to expand the current 20-race schedule, adding races in ‘destination cities’ like New York. But Brawn, the new F1 sporting boss, said: “More important than […]
Boss defends Force India after number breach
May 17 (GMM) Sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer has defended Force India, after the team was pulled up for not complying with new rules in Barcelona. To help the fans in the grandstands and the TV audience, F1 told teams they must fit bigger numbers and the drivers’ abbreviated names on their cars from Spain. But […]
Raikkonen’s daughter born
May 17 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has become a father for the second time — and Nico Rosberg appears to be hot on his heels. MTV, the Finnish broadcaster, said Ferrari driver Raikkonen’s partner Minttu has given birth to their first daughter, named Rianna Angelia, Milana. “We are so happy and proud,” Minttu said. Their son […]