Dec.16 (GMM) Former team boss Ross Brawn thinks Mercedes will still be a leading force in formula one next year. Some believe that, with the radically different 2017 rules coming in and Red Bull and Ferrari pushing hard to improve, next year could finally see Mercedes’ three-year championship winning streak end. But Brawn, who headed […]
Vettel emerging as Mercedes favourite for 2018
Dec.16 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is emerging as a favourite to become Nico Rosberg’s longer term replacement at Mercedes. But the German has said he is definitely not leaving his Ferrari deal before 2018. That ties in with speculation that a one-year deal for Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate next year is likely. Mercedes’ Toto Wolff told […]
Hellmund, KFC, linked with Manor buyout
Dec.16 (GMM) A cloud is hanging over Manor’s future ahead of the 2017 season. With the backmarker team passed in the final stages of last season for the lucrative tenth spot in the championship, owner Stephen Fitzpatrick revealed that Manor has “agreed terms with an investor”. Speculation suggests the buyer could be Mexican-American entrepreneur Tavo […]
Valentino Rossi almost switched to F1 – father
Dec.16 (GMM) Valentino Rossi’s father has admitted the MotoGP legend came “very, very close” to switching to formula one a decade ago. Graziano Rossi, himself a former international motorcycle racing star, told the Italian press that his now 37-year-old Italian son’s multiple tests for Ferrari last decade were extremely serious. “Valentino was very, very close […]
Mercedes seat intrigue to continue for now
Dec.16 (GMM) F1 will head into the Christmas and New Year’s break without announcing the identity of Mercedes’ second driver for 2017. Earlier, the reigning world champions said they wanted to decide Nico Rosberg’s successor within 2016, but a spokesman told us that there are “no announcements” planned until at least the end of the […]
Vettel eyeing 2018 Mercedes deal – Berger
Dec.15 (GMM) He will not replace Nico Rosberg in 2017, but the door to a future at Mercedes is a possibility for Fernando Alonso the year after. That is the claim of Germany’s Sport Bild, claiming that whoever Mercedes does sign to replace the retiring Rosberg will only get a one-year deal. Still with his […]
Ferrari losing Allison ‘a mistake’ – Symonds
Ferrari losing Allison ‘a mistake’ – Symonds Dec.15 (GMM) Ferrari must consider reorganising its structure in order to return to the top of F1. That is the advice of Pat Symonds, who is currently Williams’ technical boss. The 63-year-old Briton is now considering retirement, but he admitted to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport that he […]
F1 should consider new engines for 2020 – Brawn
Dec.15 (GMM) Ross Brawn has admitted F1 should consider taking a sharp turn with its engine regulations for 2020. The retired former Ferrari and Mercedes chief has been linked with a return to the sport, having worked recently as a consultant for new owners Liberty Media. So with F1’s quiet, green and complex ‘power units’ […]
Symonds not denying Paddy Lowe rumours
Dec.15 (GMM) Pat Symonds has refused to deny reports that Paddy Lowe will replace him as Williams’ technical boss. It is strongly rumoured that, with Lowe’s Mercedes contract ending, the Briton is linked with a return to Williams to replace the soon-to-retire 63-year-old Symonds. “Our team policy forbids us to talk about contracts,” Symonds told […]
Rosberg eyes role as driver manager
Dec.15 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has admitted his return to F1 in the future could be in the form of driver management. Some pundits have suggested the 31-year-old German might get bored and try to make a comeback, but Rosberg insists that is not going to happen. “I will find my adrenaline somewhere else in new […]
Ecclestone admits worrying about Rosberg successor
Dec.15 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he is worried Lewis Hamilton will utterly dominate in 2017. We reported on Tuesday that, following Nico Rosberg’s shock resignation and Mercedes’ limited options to replace him, F1 supremo Ecclestone was in touch with Toto Wolff about the identity of Hamilton’s next teammate. “It (Hamilton dominating) would be bad […]
Race starts to be even harder in 2017 – report
Dec.15 (GMM) Drivers will find it even harder to make the perfect race start in 2017. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, revealing a little known detail of the new regulations for next season. The development follows Mercedes and Force India having tested new steering wheels in practice towards the end […]
McLaren title sponsor talks have begun – Brown
Dec.14 (GMM) It will be 2018 at least before McLaren can finally put the first title sponsor on its cars since 2013. That is the news from the Honda-powered team’s new executive director Zak Brown, who recently left the leading F1 sponsorship-procuring company to join McLaren. Regarding the search for a new title sponsor, he […]
Bottas could lose Mercedes opportunity – Salo
Dec.14 (GMM) Mika Salo says it is very possible a golden opportunity for his fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas to step up to Mercedes might fall through. Bottas is understood to be Mercedes’ favourite to replace the retiring world champion Nico Rosberg for 2017. But while managed by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, the 26-year-old is firmly […]
Bottas and Wehrlein ‘excellent’ candidates – Rosberg
Dec.14 (GMM) New world champion Nico Rosberg insists that Mercedes has been “understanding” about his late decision to quit the team and F1. That is despite the fact that the reigning world champion team’s options for replacing him look severely limited, with top drivers Sebastian Vettel and now Fernando Alonso ruling themselves out. “I believe […]
Rosberg exit ‘not good’ for F1 – Ecclestone
Dec.13 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone and new F1 director Chase Carey are in contact with Toto Wolff about the identity of Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes successor. That is the claim of respected Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio, as the German giant continues to grapple with Rosberg’s shock decision to retire. Writing in Globo Esporte, Oricchio claims F1 supremo […]
Massa not Brazilian motor sport saviour
Dec.13 (GMM) Felipe Massa has ruled out going it alone to put Brazil back on track for a healthy future in F1. With the former Ferrari and Williams driver now retiring, it seems the only other Brazilian on the grid, Felipe Nasr, looks set to lose his place at Sauber. So with his respected reputation, […]
Maldonado working on 2017 F1 return
Dec.13 (GMM) Pastor Maldonado says he is working on his return to formula one. With a controversial driving style, the 31-year-old raced for Williams and Lotus until 2015, when his sponsor PDVSA struck trouble amid the Venezuelan oil crisis. But Maldonado said at an event at Colombia’s Autodromo de Tocancipa: “I’m talking to some teams […]
Magnussen to gain 3 kilos for 2017 – trainer
Dec.12 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has rejected the advice of Le Mans legend and Danish countryman Tom Kristensen. Some days ago, Kristensen said that to compete with new Haas teammate Romain Grosjean next year, Magnussen should consider losing some weight. However, reports indicate that Magnussen is already just 68kg, which is slightly less than the taller […]
Sirotkin eyes Renault race seat for 2018
Dec.12 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin has admitted he is pushing to become Renault’s race driver by 2018. Third in this year’s GP2 standings, the young Russian was a Renault test driver this year but is slated to become official third driver in 2017. “I can say little about the future,” Sirotkin told Russia’s Sportbox. “With Boris […]