Jul.28 (GMM) German basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki on Wednesday said he hoped some “positive energy” was beamed back to Michael Schumacher. The NBA star organised a charity football match in Mainz, Germany, on Wednesday featuring Schumacher’s protege Sebastian Vettel, ex-rival Mika Hakkinen, former teammate Felipe Massa and even his 17-year-old son Mick. Nowitzki told Bild […]
Wolff says driver rows will race on for now
Jul.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes’ philosophy of signing two ‘number 1’ drivers will never be perfect. His comments come after the latest public disagreement between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, who are both staying at the team until the end of 2018 at least. In Hungary, Hamilton disagreed with Rosberg not being […]
F1 set for vote showdown over ‘Halo’
Jul.28 (GMM) F1 looks set for a showdown between Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA over the introduction of the ‘Halo’ cockpit protection system for 2017. The drivers are split over whether the titanium device should be brought in, and Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko calls the concept “idiocy” in the context of spicing up the […]
Gov’t admits German GP could be Haryanto’s last
Jul.27 (GMM) This weekend’s German grand prix could be Rio Haryanto’s F1 finale. It is widely believed the Indonesian rookie’s backing ran out in Hungary last weekend. But with mere days separating the Budapest race and this weekend’s action at Hockenheim, the Indonesian sports ministry on Wednesday announced that Haryanto will be in Germany. “Rio […]
McLaren-Honda relationship closer than ever – boss
Jul.27 (GMM) McLaren and Honda have hailed the state of their current working relationship. Last year, amid an awful start to the new Anglo-Japanese works collaboration, there were signs of tension between the British team and Honda’s F1 chief Yasuhisa Arai in particular. Arai is now gone, replaced for 2016 by Yusuke Hasegawa, and the […]
Vettel still ‘patient’ for Ferrari success
Jul.27 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he remains “patient” for success at Ferrari. Amid talk in the media of a ‘crisis’ and that technical chief James Allison is set to leave, team boss Maurizio Arrivabene last Sunday denied that number 1 driver Vettel might also be running out of patience. But publications including Spain’s Marca quote […]
Doornbos sides with Hamilton over yellow flags
Jul.27 (GMM) A former F1 driver has sided with world champion Lewis Hamilton over the yellow flag controversy of Hungary. Many think Hamilton’s stance against teammate Nico Rosberg not losing his pole position for ignoring yellow flags is akin to mind games. But Robert Doornbos, a former Red Bull and Minardi driver, agrees with Hamilton […]
Officials admit German GP future in doubt
Jul.27 (GMM) After a gap year, the German grand prix might be back this weekend but the future of the country’s place on the calendar remains in doubt. It was the Nurburgring that caused Germany’s 2015 absence and it seems the circuit remains unable to continue its alternating scheme with Hockenheim. “We have a contract […]
Hockenheim revs up anti-terrorism security
Jul.27 (GMM) Hockenheim has ramped up security for this weekend’s German grand prix following a spate of terrorist attacks in the country and Europe. Britain’s Telegraph newspaper said the sport’s regular security contractor is almost doubling its staff for the race, and that the Bernie Ecclestone-led FOM is working closely with Hockenheim promoters. “Everybody is […]
Renault only 47hp behind now – Horner
Jul.27 (GMM) Engine performance in formula one appears to be rapidly converging. When the new ‘power unit’ era began in 2014, Mercedes had a clear lead but Ferrari has been first to close that gap in the years since. “I think our engine is as good as Mercedes,” Speed Week quotes the Maranello team’s chief […]
Ecclestone’s mother-in-law kidnapped – reports
Jul.26 (GMM) Brazilian kidnappers are reportedly demanding $37 million in ransom for the release of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s mother-in-law. Authoritative sources including the broadcaster Globo, UOL as well as Veja, a Sao Paulo newsmagazine, claim Aparacida Schunck, the mother of Ecclestone’s Brazilian wife Fabiana Flosi, was taken from the neighbourhood of Interlagos. Veja reported […]
Villeneuve tips Rosberg for 2016 title
Jul.26 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve thinks Nico Rosberg will bounce back from losing his world championship lead for the first time in 2016. Rosberg’s Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton has ended his run of mediocre form with five wins out of the last six races, racing into a 6 point lead in Hungary. But team boss Toto […]
Keeping Haryanto is ‘plan A’ – Manor
Jul.26 (GMM) Manor says its “plan A” is to keep Indonesian rookie Rio Haryanto on the team in 2016. In Hungary, it emerged that alternatives like Stoffel Vandoorne and Jordan King are in the running because Haryanto’s sponsorship had dried up mid-season. “Plan A is to keep Rio on board for the remainder of the […]
Kvyat set for Red Bull split – report
Jul.26 (GMM) Red Bull does not intend to renew its contract with Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat for 2017. That is the claim of the Russian news agency Izvestia, citing the information of a source close to the energy drink company. Earlier, officials including Dr Helmut Marko and Franz Tost sounded upbeat about the young […]
Montreal mayor plays down F1 race fears
Jul.26 (GMM) Montreal’s mayor has played down reports the 2017 Canadian grand prix is in serious doubt. Le Journal de Montreal newspaper reports that some fans have been unable to secure early-bird tickets for next year’s race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It follows F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s recent criticism of the North American event. […]
Alonso admits 2016 podium unlikely
Jul.26 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has admitted that he is unlikely to finish on the podium in 2016. Former long-time team coordinator Jo Ramirez declared this week that he expected the Honda-powered team to be in top-three form by now. But Spaniard Alonso told Cadena Cope radio: “Under normal circumstances, we do not deserve the podium […]
Vettel backs Hamilton over yellow flags
Jul.26 (GMM) Claims Lewis Hamilton triggered the late stewards investigation into teammate Nico Rosberg’s pole position have been played down. Even after the reigning world champion won the Hungarian grand prix, it was clear tension between the two Mercedes drivers remained. “Thank you very much,” Rosberg said in the FIA press conference, patting Hamilton on […]
McLaren should be on podium by now – Ramirez
Jul.25 (GMM) Retired McLaren veteran Jo Ramirez says he thinks the Woking team is behind schedule. The Mexican, famed for his closeness to Ayrton Senna during his days as team coordinator, told the Spanish newspaper AS that he expected McLaren to be higher up at the mid-season point of 2016. “It’s true they are better […]
Hungary GP ‘very boring’ – Montagny
Jul.25 (GMM) Former F1 driver Franck Montagny said the spectacle of the 2016 season hit a low in Hungary. “Unfortunately this race was very boring,” he told the French newspaper Le Point. “I hope we don’t see many other grands prix like this, with very few surprises,” said the former Super Aguri driver. Montagny said […]
F1 rules on agenda for strategy group
Jul.25 (GMM) The abundance of rules in F1 today will be discussed by the strategy group in Geneva later this week. Throughout the Hungarian GP weekend, complaints about the regulations were abundant, including when Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg continued to argue about the yellow flag incident of qualifying. “Rules are rules,” their Mercedes team […]