Jun.13 (GMM) Toto Wolff has indicated he thinks F1 is changing the rules for 2017 at precisely the wrong moment. After two easy title wins and almost unprecedented dominance for Mercedes in the ‘power unit’ era, the sport decided to turn a corner for 2017 with faster, wider cars and tyres. But Mercedes team boss […]
Arrivabene says gap to Mercedes ‘shrinking’
Jun.13 (GMM) Ferrari can look on the bright side despite missing victory in Sunday’s Canadian grand prix. That is the unified message of Sebastian Vettel as well as the Maranello team’s boss, even though Maurizio Arrivabene had initially been critical of a strategy mistake that arguably cost the German driver the Montreal win. It has […]
Canadian Grand Prix – Hamilton wins!
Hamilton wins the race from Vettel (+5.011), Bottas (+46.422), Verstappen(+53.020), Rosberg (+62.093), Raikkonen (+63.017), Ricciardo (+63.634), Hulkenberg (+1 lap), Sainz (+1 lap) & Perez (+1 lap) Alonso, Kvyat, Guttierez, Grosjean, Ericsson, Magnussen, Wehrlein, Nasr and Haryanto make the rest of the field Retirements: Button, Palmer, Massa Hamilton now closes the gap to Rosberg in the Formula 1 […]
Ricciardo, Perez bosses say ‘hands off’ to Ferrari
Jun.12 (GMM) Red Bull and Force India have issued a firm ‘hands off’ amid speculation Ferrari is shopping around to replace Kimi Raikkonen. Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene recently declared that Raikkonen alongside Sebastian Vettel is an “ideal pairing” for the Maranello team, but the 36-year-old notably struggled in qualifying for the Canadian grand prix. It […]
Former Ferrari greats question team resurgence
Jun.12 (GMM) Two former Ferrari drivers are not sure when the great Maranello team will rise to the very top of formula one once again. Gerhard Berger raced for the Italian marque in the era immediately preceding the famous Michael Schumacher days, where the German won five consecutive world championships in the first half of […]
Ball in Mercedes’ court over Rosberg talks – Berger
Jun.12 (GMM) Gerhard Berger says the ball is in Mercedes’ court over Nico Rosberg’s negotiations for a contract beyond 2016. There have been reports the talks have hit a snag because while Rosberg wants a multi-year deal, Mercedes is only offering him a contract for 2017 only in order to leave the door open for […]
Haryanto may stop Muslim fasting for race day
Jun.12 (GMM) Rio Haryanto’s religious beliefs may need to take a back seat to safety in the Canadian grand prix on Sunday. The Indonesian rookie is a strict Muslim, and therefore currently fasting – including not drinking water – between dawn and sunset. But the Mirror newspaper quoted Haryanto’s manager Piers Hunnisett as admitting that […]
Verstappen not ashamed to trail Ricciardo
Jun.12 (GMM) Max Verstappen has suggested he feels no shame in being outperformed in the last couple of race weekends by his teammate. That is despite the fact that, on Red Bull debut in Barcelona, the 18-year-old Dutchman actually won. “It was impressive,” admits Daniel Ricciardo, his teammate. “In a new car with a new […]
Canadian Grand Prix – Qualifying
Hamilton on Pole with a 1:12.812 from Rosberg (+0.062), Vettel (+0.178), Ricciardo (+0.354), Verstappen (+0.602), Raikkonen (+0.767), Bottas (+0.858), Massa (+0.957), Hulkenberg (+1.140) & Alonso (+1.526) Knocked out of Q2: Perez, Button, Kvyat, Gutierrez, Grosjean and Sainz (crashed). Hamilton quickest Knocked out of Q1: Palmer, Wehrlein, Ericsson, Nasr, Haryanto and Magnussen (didn’t take part). Rosberg […]
Canadian Grand Prix – 3rd Free Practice
Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix – Saturday Practice: Vettel quickest with a 1:13.919 from Verstappen (+0.239), Rosberg (+0.397), Raikkonen (+0.413), Hamilton (+0.415), Ricciardo (+0.568), Sainz (+0.736), Alonso (+0.882), Perez (0.967) & Massa (+0.971). Hulkenberg, Bottas, Button, Kvyat, Gutierrez, Palmner, Grosjean, Ericsson, Magnussen, Nasr, Wehrlien and Haryanto make the rest of the field. The top […]
FIA has eye on flexing Ferrari, Red Bull
Jun.11 (GMM) Some flexing bodywork on the 2016 car has caught the eye of some rival teams. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, revealing that at high speed the rear wing and ‘monkey seat’ of the red car flex, providing a likely aerodynamic advantage. Not only that, correspondent Michael Schmidt said […]
2020 F1 contract negotiations to start soon
Jun.11 (GMM) Team bosses think negotiations over the next commercial contracts in formula one will begin shortly. With a European Commission investigation already underway, the issue of the inequitable distribution of income up and down pitlane is highly contentious. The teams’ individual contracts with the Bernie Ecclestone-led commercial rights holder expire at the end of […]
Toro Rosso to use Red Bull rear end in 2017
Jul.11 (GMM) Toro Rosso will move a big step closer to Red Bull’s premier F1 team in 2017, boss Franz Tost has revealed. Once regarded as effectively a ‘satellite’ team with a very similar car, Faenza based Toro Rosso had to steer away from Red Bull Racing some years ago due to tighter customer car […]
Lance Stroll more mature than Verstappen – Wolff
Jun.11 (GMM) Lance Stroll, a Williams development driver, has caught the eye of Mercedes’ team boss Toto Wolff. Canadian teen Stroll is currently leading the highly-competitive European F3 season, combining that race seat with a role at Williams. The 17-year-old said this week that he is eyeing the reportedly expiring contracts of Felipe Massa and […]
Ferrari’s Allison linked with Renault return
Jun.11 (GMM) This year’s F1 ‘silly season’ is not just about the drivers. Italy’s authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that the Briton, who is Ferrari’s highly rated technical director, is eyeing a return to his native Britain. The 48-year-old took an extended break recently following the shock death of his wife. Allison’s three children […]
Button ‘interested’ in TV presenting future
Jun.11 (GMM) Jenson Button has admitted he is still interested in a future on television. Last week, an episode of the new format of BBC’s popular Top Gear motoring programme went to air that featured the British driver, who according to current speculation could lose his McLaren-Honda seat to Stoffel Vandoorne for 2017. According to […]
Vettel set for 2020 Ferrari contract extension
Jun.11 (GMM) His current deal runs until the end of next year, but Sebastian Vettel is already in talks to extend his Ferrari contract. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Bild, with the report claiming a new three-year deal is in the works for the 28-year-old, which would take his tenure through to 2020. […]
Legend sure Alonso will tackle Le Mans
Jun.11 (GMM) Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen is certain F1’s Fernando Alonso will contest Le Mans one day. Spaniard Alonso cannot, however, tackle the fabled 24 hour endurance race this year, as McLaren-Honda forbids it and it clashes with next weekend’s inaugural grand prix in Baku. But Kristensen, who won Le Mans a record nine […]
Hulkenberg to ‘definitely’ return to Le Mans
Jun.11 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he definitely wants to return to Le Mans one day. Last year, the German stunned the motor racing world by filling a gap in the F1 calendar with winning the fabled 24 hour endurance race on debut with Porsche. But Hulkenberg, who still races full-time for Force India, cannot defend […]
Vettel hopes to keep troubling Mercedes
Jun.11 (GMM) Ferrari may have taken the leap ahead it was seeking after introducing a revised turbo design for the Canadian grand prix. Sebastian Vettel split the two Mercedes cars in Friday practice in Montreal, with the German remarking: “I hope not only to split them on Sunday, but to be in front of them.” […]