Oct.9 (GMM) Pirelli and the FIA should decide if pre-season testing takes place in Bahrain. That is the view of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, as the teams up and down the pitlane argue over whether to stick with the current plan for Barcelona-only testing. “We know that Pirelli want to do testing where it […]
Hamilton should be ‘professional’ – Surer
Oct.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is still being criticised for his off-track antics at Suzuka this year. The reigning world champion was first accused of being disrespectful by playing with ‘Snapchat’ throughout the FIA press conference, and he then hit back at the media by walking out of a Mercedes news conference after qualifying. “He makes […]
Kvyat hopes form means 2017 seat
Oct.9 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat is refusing to count on his strong return to form securing his future at Toro Rosso for 2017. The Russian has had a tumultuous 2017 but his return to form is continuing at Suzuka with another strong performance. Asked if that will mean a 2017 seat, Kvyat said on Saturday: “At […]
Hulkenberg set for Renault switch – report
Oct.8 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg will definitely move to Renault for 2017, Germany’s Auto Bild is reporting on Saturday. The publication said its source is within the French works team, which looks set to split not only from Jolyon Palmer but also Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen’s extended 2017 contract ‘option’ runs out next week but Auto Bild […]
Vettel, Hamilton feel media heat at Suzuka
Oct.8 (GMM) Two top drivers were feeling the pressure at Suzuka on Saturday. Sebastian Vettel was asked to respond to Maurizio Arrivabene’s critical words in the Italian press, in which the Ferrari boss said the German’s future at Ferrari is not secure. “I don’t know exactly what Maurizio said, but in general we have a […]
Japanese Grand Prix – Qualifying
Rosberg on Pole from Hamilton (+0.013), Raikkonen (+0.302), Vettel (+0.381), Verstappen (+0.531), Ricciardo (+0.593), Perez (+1.314), Grosjean (+1.314), Hulkenberg (+1.495), Gutierrez (+1.900). Vettel drops three places on the grid as a result of the penalty he incurred in Malaysia. Knocked out of Q2: Bottas, Massa, Kvyat, Sainz, Alonso and Palmer Knocked out of Q1: Button, Magnussen, Ericsson, Nasr, Ocon and Wehrlien Qualifying commentary
Red Bull pushing Mercedes to failure – Marko
Oct.8 (GMM) Helmut Marko is continuing to pedal his theory that Red Bull contributed to Lewis Hamilton’s engine failure in Malaysia. The Red Bull official had said the pace of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in the Sepang heat “very likely forced him (Hamilton) into that engine failure”. Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda hit back […]
Renault to consider driver choice ‘next week’ – boss
Oct.8 (GMM) Renault could finally be close to deciding its drivers for the 2017 season. The French works team has had a difficult first year after taking over Lotus, with technical boss Bob Bell saying the Enstone factory had become run down. “From the outside, I don’t think people realise how run down the Enstone […]
Sauber admits interest in Formula E
Oct.8 (GMM) Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn has admitted the Swiss team thought about entering the all-electric single seater series Formula E. Formula E is reportedly going from strength to strength, with Audi, Mercedes and BMW set to join Jaguar and Renault in the capital city-based street category. It might be said that Formula E is […]
Engine blowups ’embarrassing’, not sabotage – Lauda
Oct.8 (GMM) Mercedes officials have continued to slam suggestions they are “sabotaging” Lewis Hamilton’s title charge. The reigning world champion threw fuel on the conspiracy theories in Malaysia, after suffering yet another engine problem, this time whilst on the cusp of regaining the 2016 points lead. But Mercedes’ engineering chief Paddy Lowe denied Hamilton ever […]
Vettel must ‘earn’ new Ferrari contract – boss
Oct.8 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene says Sebastian Vettel will have to earn a new Ferrari contract. The timing of the Ferrari team chief’s comments is interesting, after sections of the Italian media suggested German Vettel is in a period of “crisis”. “I can read,” Vettel was quoted by Sport Bild as having responded to the Italian […]
Marko denies Allison heading to Red Bull
Oct.8 (GMM) Red Bull has denied rumours it is making a move to sign James Allison. Allison, whose wife died suddenly earlier this year, left Ferrari and Italy and is being linked with a move to a UK-based team like Renault, McLaren or Red Bull. The Red Bull link is interesting, given that the energy […]
Japanese Grand Prix – 2nd Free Practice
Rosberg quickest from Hamilton (+0.072), Raikkonen (+0.323), Verstappen (+0.811), Vettel (+0.853), Perez (+1.320), Hulkenberg (+1.623), Alonso (+1.735), Bottas (+1.778) and Sainz (+1.836). Massa, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Kvyat, Magnussen, Button, Gutierrez, Palmer, Nasr, Wehrlien, Ocon and Ericsson make the rest of the field. Palmer covered the most number of laps with 40 while Gutierrez covered the least with 11 Session Commentary
Japanese Grand Prix – 1st Free Practice
Rosberg quickest from Hamilton (+0.215), Vettel(+1.094), Raikkonen (+1.386), Ricciardo (+1.681), Verstappen (+1.948), Hulkenberg (+2.099), Perez (+2.336), Alonso (+2.572) and Bottas (+2.950). Kvyat, Sainz, Button, Grosjean, Nasr, Massa, Gutierrez, Ericsson, Magnussen, Ocon, Wehrlein and Palmer make the rest of the field. Bottas covered the most number of laps with 31 while Alonso covered the least with […]
Wehrlein eyes Hulkenberg’s Force India seat
Oct.7 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has moved into pole position to race up the grid next year, should Nico Hulkenberg leave Force India. According to rumours, German Hulkenberg is now a hot candidate to join the works Renault team for 2017, as Carlos Sainz’s chances seem to fade. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said on […]
Bottas hints Williams future now secure
Oct.7 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has hinted that his future in F1 is now settled, even though Williams is yet to officially announce it. It is now almost an open paddock secret that the British team will line up next year with the Finn alongside rookie Lance Stroll, the newly-crowned European F3 champion. Spain’s El Mundo […]
Vettel ‘surprised’ by Sepang crash reaction
Oct.7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he was “surprised” by the reaction of fellow drivers and the media following his performance in Malaysia a week ago. Track rivals including Max Verstappen and Nico Rosberg, and the Italian press, reacted angrily to the first-corner crash at Sepang that cost Ferrari’s lead driver a grid penalty at Suzuka […]
Grosjean denies losing patience with Haas
Oct.7 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has denied that his increasingly outspoken tone on the radio is revealing a loss of patience with the Haas team. The Frenchman has been struggling with car problems at recent races towards the tail-end of Haas’ first season on the grid, and Grosjean has not been shy to voice his discontent […]
Hamilton denies disrespecting media
Oct.7 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has denied deliberately disrespecting the assembled media ahead of the Japanese grand prix. Throughout the official FIA press conference, the world champion played on his phone, uploading a series of ‘snaps’ to the social media platform Snapchat and using swear words to declare his boredom. “Fun and frolics — or disrespect?” […]
Kvyat wants patience amid constant rumours
Oct.7 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat has called for patience amid constant rumours about his future. Not long ago, reports suggested his employer Red Bull – having demoted him from the senior team mid-season – had now decided to oust the young Russian completely for 2017. But now, media sources report that Toro Rosso driver Kvyat will […]