Jan.14 (GMM) Force India has suffered a financial blow ahead of the 2017 season. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Bild, reporting that the Silverstone based team made an application to Bernie Ecclestone for an advance in its prize money. But Force India was turned down “because Haas voted against it”, the report said. […]
Vasseur not ruling out F1 return
Jan.14 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says he might not be done with his F1 career. The Frenchman says he quit as Renault team boss after a single year because the management team together with Cyril Abiteboul was not effective. And now in conversation with the French broadcaster Canal Plus, he credited inspiration from Nico Rosberg in […]
Berger would have picked Wehrlein over Bottas
Jan.14 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says that if he was in charge at Mercedes, he would have signed Pascal Wehrlein for 2017. The former Ferrari and McLaren driver helped negotiate Nico Rosberg’s lucrative new contract earlier this year, but the German quit F1 as soon as he won the 2016 title. Now, it appears […]
Manor deadline extended by another week
Jan.14 (GMM) Better news is now emerging from Banbury, the UK headquarters of the embattled F1 backmarker Manor. It was believed the team’s doors could close within a week, but reports now suggest administrators FRP have found a way to pay staff until the end of January. “It means it has a week more than […]
Ferrari opens door for Mick Schumacher
Jan.14 (GMM) Ferrari has swung open the door for Mick Schumacher. Mick is the 17-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who won five titles for Ferrari between 2000 and 2004. This year, he will enter European F3 for the Ferrari-linked Prema team, but it has seemed more likely Schumacher would actually enter the Mercedes […]
All F1 tracks set for 2017 upgrades
Jan.14 (GMM) Every F1 circuit will be tweaked and upgraded to accommodate this year’s much faster cars. That is the news from the governing FIA, whose safety chief Laurent Mekies said he is in the process of informing every promoter on the calendar. The move has been prompted by data from the F1 teams, showing […]
Better news about British GP future
Jan.14 (GMM) Silverstone’s owner is now more confident about the future of the British grand prix. The chairman of the track-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), John Grant, warned recently that a clause to end the race after the 2019 edition could soon be triggered for financial reasons. But BRDC president Derek Warwick sounds more […]
Donington-F1 rumours return after Palmer takeover
Jan.13 (GMM) Donington might once again be in the running as a potential alternative venue for the British grand prix. With Silverstone chiefs considering exiting the iconic track’s contract with Bernie Ecclestone, we reported last week that Donington said it has “no intention of bidding for the British grand prix”. And track director Christopher Tate […]
Brundle had heart attack at Monaco GP
Jan.13 (GMM) Former F1 driver Martin Brundle has revealed he suffered a heart attack in the moments after the chequered flag in Monaco this year. On Thursday at an auto show in England, the 57-year-old explained that as he jogged from his commentary duties for British television to the podium to interview the top three […]
One week rescue deadline set for Manor
Jan.13 (GMM) Manor has just a single week to avoid collapse, according to sources close to the embattled F1 backmarker. One week ago, the British outfit was placed into administration, after talks with a potential investor fell through. The administrator, FRP Advisory, said there is only a “very limited window of opportunity” for a new […]
Haas shrugs off Renault’s Magnussen attack
Jan.13 (GMM) Team boss Gunther Steiner has dismissed a stinging attack on Kevin Magnussen, who is Haas’ new recruit for 2017. Magnussen is moving to the American team from Renault, whose Cyril Abiteboul this week said the Danish driver “stood still” while wearing yellow last season. “Personally, I was disappointed in Magnussen, for his performances […]
Verstappen ‘absolutely ready’ for 2017 title
Jan.13 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is “absolutely” ready to win the world championship in 2017. There are many who believe that, along with the radically different rules for this year, Red Bull has a real chance of taking the fight to Mercedes in 2017. Verstappen is clearly a star of the future, but others […]
Teams will be ‘sandbagging’ in early 2017 – Hembery
Jan.13 (GMM) It will take some time before the pecking order clearly emerges in 2017, according to Pirelli chief Paul Hembery. The Briton said F1’s official supplier has been working hard on the new, bigger and wider tyres for this year, along with Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari who supplied ‘mule’ test cars. “The problem […]
Vasseur quit over Renault ‘differences’
Jan.13 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says he quit as Renault boss because of “serious differences” with his management colleagues. The big rumour is that Vasseur, the team principal, and continuing managing director Cyril Abiteboul, clashed badly during Renault’s first season after returning as a full works effort in 2016. Vasseur has now told L’Equipe sports daily: […]
Vasseur won’t be replaced – Abiteboul
Jan.13 (GMM) Renault will not be “weakened” by the departure of team boss Frederic Vasseur. That is the claim of Cyril Abiteboul, who as managing director might now be seen as the leading figure on the Enstone based race team. Vasseur’s departure follows a long period of speculation of management unrest within the French works […]
Red Bull to keep using controversial suspension – Marko
Jan.12 (GMM) Red Bull will continue to use a controversial suspension concept in 2017, according to Germany’s Auto Bild. Earlier, it was reported the Mercedes-pioneered, hydraulically-networked system that mimics active suspension had been banned by the FIA, following a letter to the governing body from Ferrari. La Gazzetta dello Sport had claimed the FIA ruled […]
Team boss slams Renault refugee Magnussen
Jan.12 (GMM) Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul has lashed out at departing team driver Kevin Magnussen. Earlier, after Dane Magnussen claimed the French team had suffered leadership problems in 2016, Renault announced that team boss Frederic Vasseur is leaving. Frenchman Abiteboul remains managing director, and in the latest pages of the French magazine Auto Hebdo, he […]
Schumacher loses two more sponsors – report
Jan.12 (GMM) Two more sponsors have backed out of supporting embattled F1 legend Michael Schumacher. That is the claim of Maquina do Esporte, a Portuguese-language sports marketing publication. It reports that at the three-year mark of seven time world champion Schumacher’s disappearance from public life following a skiing crash, two more sponsors have now pulled […]
McLaren to launch car on February 19 – report
Jan.12 (GMM) McLaren-Honda will launch its 2017 car on February 19, according to the Spanish sports daily AS. So far, four teams have announced launch dates for the new season: Renault will unveil its single seater on 21 February, Force India on the 22nd, and then Mercedes and Ferrari over the following two days. But […]
‘Mentor’ Alonso helped me thrive in F1 – Sainz
Jan.12 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has singled out fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso as one of the most influential figures in his rise to formula one. Although former Toro Rosso teammate Max Verstappen was promoted ahead of him in 2017, Sainz is also highly rated and was earlier linked with Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes seat for 2017. Red […]