Feb.21 (GMM) Lance Stroll has played down the secrecy of his unprecedented private test programme as he prepares to debut in 2017. The teenage Canadian admitted that his billionaire father Lawrence, a fashion mogul, was instrumental to his formative career that will culminate this year as he enters F1. Told by Auto Motor und Sport […]
Hamilton says ‘zero problems with Bottas’
Feb.20 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton on Monday rowed back on comments that had been interpreted as prickly opening salvos to his 2017 campaign. Valtteri Bottas says the triple world champion has briefly welomed him to Mercedes, but among Hamilton’s first public comments on the subject was to question whether it’s “fair” that his teammates get access […]
Marchionne ‘not falling in trap’ of bold targets
Feb.20 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that Ferrari will keep quiet about bold targets for 2017. A year ago, the Ferrari president was raising eyebrows with his proclamations about winning the 2016 title, only for the great Maranello marque to fail to win even a single race. “Intellectual honesty is important but I have to […]
Wehrlein in doubt for second test, Melbourne
Feb.20 (GMM) Speculation is already mounting that Pascal Wehrlein could miss more than just the start of winter testing next week. Following his violent rollover crash at the Race of Champions event a full month ago, the German has finally confirmed that he will sit out the first of the two four-day tests in Barcelona. […]
Rosberg yet to respond to Bottas message
Feb.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff says he has no problem if Mercedes’ F1 drivers are ‘attack dogs’. The comments come as tension threatens to break out even before a wheel has turned in 2017 between Lewis Hamilton and the triple world champion’s brand new teammate Valtteri Bottas. Hamilton is reportedly already firing salvos at Finn Bottas, […]
US GP chief almost bought Manor
Feb.20 (GMM) Former US grand prix chief Tavo Hellmund has admitted he came close to buying the defunct F1 team Manor. The British backmarker has now closed its doors, but Hellmund told the Austin American Statesman newspaper that a consortium “agreed terms” with Manor. “At one point we had agreed terms,” said the Texan, who […]
2017 ‘launch season’ set to begin
Feb.20 (GMM) Less than three months after the chequered flag in 2016, F1 is set to burst back into life. Images of the new Williams have already been revealed, and ‘launch season’ will begin in earnest on Monday, beginning with Sauber and then continuing right up until the start of winter testing in Barcelona in […]
Marchionne ‘looked silly’ as 2016 targets failed
Feb.17 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has admitted he “looked silly” after his brash target of wins and the title did not materialise in 2016. “For 2016, all bets are off,” the Ferrari president had said. It was a stark contrast to Ferrari’s uncharacteristically quiet winter this time around, with rumours suggesting the great Maranello team is […]
Sauber to confirm Wehrlein out for first test
Feb.17 (GMM) Sauber is set to confirm that Pascal Wehrlein will sit out the start of official pre-season testing in a little over a week. With Mercedes’ backing, the 22-year-old German has switched from Manor to Switzerland-based Sauber for 2017. But he injured his neck or back in a scary rollover crash during January’s Race […]
Rumours of 4×4 F1 cars, FOTA reunion
Feb.17 (GMM) A new political storm could be on the horizon for formula one. The sport’s new owner Liberty Media has been generally welcomed to the paddock, but 1996 world champion Damon Hill compared the company to “the Trump administration”. “I think they’re learning,” he told the London publication City AM. The latest rumour flowing […]
Sydney eyeing F1 after Liberty Media buyout
Feb.16 (GMM) Rival city Sydney could use F1’s Liberty Media buyout to launch a bid to poach the Australian grand prix. That is the claim of Andrew Westacott, boss of the Melbourne race that is preparing to host its 22nd edition at Albert Park next month. US media giant Liberty recently bought the sport and […]
FIA denies ‘conflict of interest’
Feb.16 (GMM) F1’s governing body has hit back at reports a “conflict of interest” could be set to trigger a full European investigation into the sport. The European parliament this week voted through calls for an investigation into governance, income, and the fact a 1 per cent shareholding netted the FIA a $80 windfall after […]
Mercedes confirms new tech boss Allison
Feb.16 (GMM) Mercedes has confirmed speculation it has snapped up former Ferrari technical boss James Allison. Allison left Ferrari and Italy last year, following the sudden death of his UK-domiciled wife. And his appointment at Brackley based Mercedes, starting on March 1, comes after Paddy Lowe’s recent switch to Williams. “I am very excited to […]
No tyre problem in Vettel crash – Hembery
Feb.16 (GMM) Paul Hembery has denied an early flaw with Pirelli’s 2017 tyres may already have been uncovered. In 2013, F1’s official supplier came under a bright spotlight when several tyres ‘exploded’ during the British grand prix. Pirelli’s Mario Isola said this week: “The incident at Silverstone was a single episode, the cause was identified […]
Pirelli prepares ‘backup tyres’ for 2017
Feb.16 (GMM) Pirelli has developed a range of ‘backup’ tyre compounds for 2017. The F1 tyre supplier has said designing its significantly bigger, faster and less degrading slicks has been difficult due to a lack of testing. “Even the modified 2015 cars could not simulate the downforce of this year, so we’ve had to rely […]
Giovinazzi could replace Wehrlein in test
Feb.16 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein could be set to miss the start of winter testing in less than two weeks. That is the claim of Blick, a newspaper whose F1 correspondent Roger Benoit is famously close to the Swiss team Sauber. Wehrlein, 22, is switching to Sauber for 2017 from Manor, but at the Race of […]
Bottas gets Rosberg’s race engineer
Feb.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has inherited retired world champion Nico Rosberg’s race engineer at Mercedes. Earlier, Tony Ross came to Mercedes from Williams, where in addition to Rosberg he also worked with the likes of Juan Pablo Montoya. Now, the Briton will be the voice on Finn Bottas’ radio. “My engineer will be Tony Ross. […]
Bottas plays down EUR 8m salary reports
Feb.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has played down reports that he is already a big financial winner in 2017. A report has emerged claiming the Finn’s annual earnings are leaping from EUR 3 million with Williams to a cool 8 million for 2017 after signing with Mercedes. The Finnish media says the 27-year-old now earns more […]
Bottas says Hamilton ‘welcomed me to team’
Feb.16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says Lewis Hamilton has welcomed him to the title-winning team. As the Finn signed up with Mercedes for 2017, Hamilton’s father Anthony warned that his son is a “career killer”. But Bottas told the Finnish news agency Suomen Tietotoimisto: “I’m really happy to have Lewis as my teammate. “It’s a great […]
McLaren denies orange 2017 car ‘leaked’
Feb.16 (GMM) McLaren has denied that the secret about its new, predominantly orange livery for 2017 is already out. Team boss Eric Boullier has confirmed that the Honda-powered team will change colour, but a spokesperson denied that images circulating on the internet are “leaked”. “We’ve seen these fake MCL32 pics,” the team said on Twitter. […]