Aug.27 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne is waiting for the situation between McLaren and Jenson Button to unfold before he presses ahead with his 2017 plans. The young Belgian is pushing to make his debut next year for the Honda-powered team, but McLaren and Button are yet to announce if they are sticking together for an eighth […]
Sainz worried Toro Rosso being left behind
Aug.27 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is worried Toro Rosso has suddenly become the F1 backmarker. The junior Red Bull team expected a hard weekend at Spa, but Spaniard Sainz said Toro Rosso is really “struggling” with its 2015-spec Ferrari engine. “It will not be like Hungary and Silverstone, getting in Q3, instead we try […]
Paddock split over Hamilton penalty recovery
Aug.27 (GMM) The F1 paddock is split over whether Lewis Hamilton can bounce back from his grid penalties to finish on the podium at Spa on Sunday. The world champion’s points lead is under threat as he takes multiple penalties for fitting new components during the Belgian grand prix weekend. Hamilton can expect to start […]
Belgian Grand Prix – 2nd Free Practice
Verstappen quickest with a 1:48.085 from Ricciardo (+0.256), Hulkenberg (+0.572), Vettel (+0.938), Perez (+1.015), Rosberg (+1.076), Raikkonen (+1.159), Grosjean (+1.334), Button (+1.334) & Gutierrez (+1.563) Wehrlein, Alonso, Hamilton, Kvyat, Ericsson, Bottas, Massa, Sainz, Magnussen, Palmer, Ocon and Nasr make the rest of the field Magnussen covered the most number of laps with 34 followed […]
Belgian Grand Prix – 1st Free Practice
Rosberg quickest with a 1:48.348 from Hamilton (+0.730), Raikkonen (+0.799), Perez (+0.926), Vettel (+1.420), Ricciardo (+1.434), Verstappen (+1.517), Hulkenberg (+1.740), Bottas (+2.046) and Guiterrez (+2.235). Grosjean, Massa, Ericsson, Sainz, Nasr, Ocon, Kvyat, Button, Wehrlein, Magnussen and Palmer make the rest of the field. Alonso didn’t set a time due to a technical issue. Ocon made […]
Perez plays down Renault sponsor clash
Aug.26 (GMM) Sergio Perez has played down suggestions a clash of sponsors could thwart his next move in formula one. It is believed the on-form Mexican is toying with a move from Force India to Renault for 2017. Perez is strongly backed by the Mexican billionaire Carlos Sainz, who promotes his Telmex-linked companies in F1. […]
Bottas not confirming Renault switch reports
Aug.26 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has refused to confirm or deny reports he has received an offer to switch to Renault for 2017. Williams is openly re-thinking its current driver lineup but is thought to be keen to retain the 26-year-old Finn. So when asked about the Renault rumours, Bottas told the Finnish broadcaster MTV at […]
Haas unmoved over Gutierrez rumours
Aug.26 (GMM) Haas boss Gunther Steiner will not say if Esteban Gutierrez is staying at the new American team for its second season in 2017. At Spa, Steiner was asked about the fact that, when questioned by reporters, Gutierrez had replied somewhat cryptically that he will definitely still be on the grid next year. But […]
Vettel knows Ferrari form will take time
Aug.26 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he remains patient as Ferrari builds back up to winning form. Before the summer break, Red Bull overtook Ferrari as the second-fastest team behind Mercedes, just as news was confirmed that technical boss James Allison had left. “We have a lot of good people,” Kimi Raikkonen said at Spa. “That’s […]
Sainz impressed with McLaren progress
Aug.26 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he has been impressed with the progress being made by McLaren-Honda. After a shocking 2015, the new Anglo-Japanese collaboration has been making gradual progress this year and has arrived at Spa with a new Honda engine that will benefit from a full 7 tokens of performance upgrades. “They are almost […]
Magnussen admits talks with Renault rivals
Aug.26 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has admitted he has been in contact with other teams because Renault is yet to sign him up for the 2017 season. After the McLaren experience, the Dane returned to the grid this year with the new works Renault team, but the French outfit is believed to be toying with an […]
Public needs ‘miracle’ to see Schumacher again
Aug.26 (GMM) A “miracle” is what is needed if the public wants to ever again see F1 legend Michael Schumacher. That is the downbeat news of Gerd Kramer, on the day that the F1 world celebrated the 25th anniversary of Schumacher’s grand prix debut at Spa in 1991. A quarter of a century on, almost […]
Sauber looks to rebuild tattered team
Aug.26 (GMM) Sauber is starting to rebuild its tattered organisation after almost succumbing to financial woes in 2016. The Swiss team has been bought out and rescued by a mysterious investment group, which reportedly has close ties to Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson. Sauber is not commenting on that, but the outfit has arrived at Spa-Francorchamps […]
New teammate Ocon ‘interesting’ – Wehrlein
Aug.26 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein used the summer break to sit his theory test for the C1 truck license category. “I will take the practical part after the season,” the Manor driver is quoted by Speed Week, explaining that away from the track, he wants to drive vehicles that exceed 3.5 tonnes. For now, his focus […]
Button to ‘probably’ stay in F1
Aug.26 (GMM) Jenson Button says his plans beyond 2016 will be known “soon”. It is strongly rumoured that McLaren-Honda will end its seven-year relationship with the 2009 world champion by replacing him with Stoffel Vandoorne. Button, 36, has subsequently been linked with a return to Williams. “I am almost there with my thought process and […]
Hamilton not angry but plays down Spa win
Aug.25 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton on Thursday insisted he is not angry with Mercedes as he faces a difficult weekend at Spa. Although rested after the summer break and preparing for the weekend in Belgium with his dogs, the Briton faces losing his championship lead due to a spate of grid penalties. After earlier technical trouble, […]
Hulkenberg to also test Halo at Spa
Aug.25 (GMM) Nico Rosberg will not be the only F1 driver trying the ‘Halo’ cockpit protection device in Friday practice. It has emerged that the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg – an outed opponent of the safety-oriented concept – will also be using Halo at Spa-Francorchamps, ahead of its potential mandatory debut in 2018. “I […]
Vandoorne says he could leave McLaren
Aug.25 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says that if he doesn’t race for McLaren next year, he could go elsewhere in pitlane. The 24-year-old Belgian and reigning GP2 champion has been strongly backed by the British team, and made his grand prix debut for McLaren early in 2016 when Fernando Alonso was injured. But the Woking team […]
Rosberg questions ‘safety freak’ Hamilton
Aug.25 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has all guns blazing as he bids to put his world championship campaign back on track at Spa and beyond. Before the summer break, the German lost his once-significant championship lead to teammate Lewis Hamilton as the British driver strung together four wins. But Rosberg now says there is a “clean […]
Vandoorne ‘definitely’ ready for F1 – Capito
Aug.25 (GMM) McLaren’s incoming chief executive says Stoffel Vandoorne is ready for F1. Early this year, the British team signed up Volkswagen’s world rallying chief Jost Capito to be its new CEO. The German is now ready to start work on 1 September, but says he is not yet involved in any decision-making at McLaren. […]