Jul.30 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has called reports that he will leave Renault at the end of the season “annoying”. Two respected British media outlets, including the magazine F1 Racing, are claiming that the Dane as well as Jolyon Palmer will lose their places at the Renault works team. It is rumoured Esteban Ocon and Sergio […]
Verstappen jokes about Raikkonen controversy
Jul.30 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is not fazed by the furore surrounding his recent on-track battle with Kimi Raikkonen in Hungary. Although the FIA didn’t penalise him, F1 veteran Raikkonen complained vociferously about the Dutch teenager having moved in the braking zone. “Kimi doesn’t say much but when he does, he usually has a […]
German media predicting close Mercedes fight
Jul.30 (GMM) F1’s respected German journalists are expecting the fight between Mercedes’ warring teammates to remain close in 2016. At the halfway point of the season, Lewis Hamilton has taken a narrow championship lead for the first time but Michael Schmidt, the respected Auto Motor und Sport correspondent, thinks Nico Rosberg is still in the […]
Controversy, rows brewing over ‘Halo’
Jul.30 (GMM) A big controversy is brewing over F1’s cockpit protection concept ‘Halo’, after the teams and FIA agreed to delay its introduction until 2018. It has infuriated GPDA president Alex Wurz, after F1 race director Charlie Whiting announced that the system needs more testing and development time. “Just one week ago the FIA safety […]
Alonso has ‘given up’ on constant rule changes
Jul.30 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has revealed he has “given up” trying to follow the complex and ever-changing F1 rules. He is apparently referring to yellow flag rule changes, the on again, off-again radio clampdown, rules for moving in the braking zone, and ‘track limits’, all of which have been hotly debated in the Hockenheim paddock. […]
Lauda, teams want less FIA interference
Jul.30 (GMM) F1’s top teams are pleading with race director Charlie Whiting to ease his stance when it comes to ‘track limits’. In Thursday’s Strategy Group meeting, officials for Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull thought they had made progress when it comes to not always penalising drivers for simply putting wheels over the lined extremities […]
German Grand Prix – 2nd Free Practice
Rosberg quickest with a 1:15.614 from Hamilton (+0.394), Vettel (+0.594), Verstappen (+0.842), Ricciardo (+0.876), Raikkonen (+0.898), Hulkenberg (+1.167), Button (+1.473), Perez (+1.534) & Alonso (+1.611). Sainz, Kvyat, Bottas, Grosjean, Massa, Gutierrez, Magnussen, Ericsson, Wehrlein, Palmer, Haryanto and Nasr make the rest of the field. Palmer and Haryanto covered the most number of laps with 47 […]
German Grand Prix – 1st Free Practice
Rosberg quickest with a 1:15.517 from Hamilton (+0.326), Vettel (+1.150), Raikkonen (+1.335), Verstappen (+1.410), Ricciardo (+1.572), Alonso (+1.666), Button (+2.095), Kvyat (+2.491) & Sainz (+2.527). Ericsson, Bottas, Massa, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Perez, Leclerc (Haas test driver), Magnussen, Nasr, Ocon (Renault test driver), Haryanto and Wehrlein make the rest of the field. Bottas covered the most number […]
Berger ponders if Ferrari ‘lied’ about Allison
Jul.29 (GMM) Ferrari on Thursday faced suggestions it “lied” about the impending departure of James Allison. In Hungary mere days ago, boss Maurizio Arrivabene angrily batted away speculation about the team’s technical director. “Ferrari behaved as though there were nothing in the rumours and three days later confirmed them,” former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger told […]
Palmer happy to wait for Renault decision
Jul.29 (GMM) Jolyon Palmer thinks he is still in the running to prolong his F1 career beyond a single season. Already amid speculation he could lose his seat, the rookie Briton was en route to debut points in Hungary a week ago when he spun. “If he doesn’t learn from this, it’s goodbye,” former F1 […]
Next Honda upgrade set for Spa – Button
Jul.29 (GMM) Honda is not resting in its efforts to close the gap to its power unit rivals. Christian Horner revealed recently that Renault is now less than 50 horse power behind field-leaders Mercedes and Ferrari. McLaren’s works supplier Honda has also improved markedly in 2017, and another step is coming soon according to team […]
No apology from Hamilton over middle finger – Gutierrez
Jul.29 (GMM) Esteban Gutierrez says world champion Lewis Hamilton is yet to apologise for making an obscene gesture during last weekend’s Hungarian GP. Although penalised for not obeying blue flags when lapped, Mexican Haas driver Gutierrez was furious at Hamilton for sticking up his middle finger during the passing manoeuvre. “I think the penalty came […]
Vettel to debut wide Pirellis on Monday
Jul.29 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel will be the first F1 driver to sample Pirelli’s bigger and wider tyres for the 2017 season. After his home German grand prix on Sunday, the 29-year-old will head straight to Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit where, on Monday, the first of 24 days of specific Pirelli testing for the new 2017 […]
Brawn denies replacing Ferrari’s Allison
Jul.29 (GMM) Ross Brawn has denied the latest rumours about his potential return to F1. Some Hockenheim-bound members of the sport’s travelling circus spotted the former Ferrari and Mercedes man on the same flight from London to Frankfurt early on Thursday. It triggered wild speculation Brawn, 61, could come out of retirement to replace James […]
Massa, Bottas admit Williams seats uncertain
Jul.29 (GMM) Williams’ current F1 drivers have admitted they are still facing an uncertain future on the grid. Felipe Massa, the Brazilian veteran, says he is in talks regarding 2017 not only with the British team. “Talks began some time ago, and not only with my current team,” he said at Hockenheim. “If it doesn’t […]
Kvyat not commenting on Russian rumours
Jul.29 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat lashed back at rumours Red Bull is set to dump him completely. The rumours emerged during the week in the Russian press, indicating that after his demotion to Toro Rosso, his energy drink employer might now be preparing to replace him completely with French youngster Pierre Gasly. “I’m not wasting any […]
F1 delays ‘Halo’ and scraps radio ban
Jul.29 (GMM) F1 voted to delay the introduction of ‘Halo’ and also wind back the controversial radio clampdown in a key strategy group meeting on Thursday. While the rest of the sport set up shop at Hockenheim, team bosses, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone were actually in Geneva in the form of the strategy group. […]
Allison fell out with Marchionne – report
Jul.28 (GMM) James Allison left Ferrari after a falling out with new president Sergio Marchionne. That is the claim of the German publication Auto Motor und Sport, following this week’s news that the Italian team’s highly rated British technical director has left. Ferrari claimed the decision was taken “jointly” but gave no reason for the […]
Jos Verstappen beats up own father – reports
Jul.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s famous father has reportedly had an eventful few days between the Hungarian and German grands prix. De Telegraaf, a Dutch newspaper, reports that the former Benetton and Minardi driver physically attacked his own father, Max’s grandfather Frans Verstappen. The report said the incident happened shortly after the Budapest race last Sunday, […]
Ecclestone ‘not indifferent’ to Monza, Hockenheim
Jul.28 (GMM) The long and protracted saga over the future of the Italian grand prix may finally be at an end. The authoritative Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that, notwithstanding Imola’s moves to snatch the race, Monza looks to have secured a new four-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone valued at EUR 88 million. […]