Jun.27 (GMM) Honda’s F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa has warned that even podiums are for now a distant target for the McLaren-Honda project. McLaren supremo Ron Dennis had eyebrows raising in the paddock recently when he declared that the Anglo-Japanese collaboration will succeed Mercedes as F1’s next champions. Fernando Alonso agrees, telling Marca sports newspaper: “After […]
Home track doesn’t suit Red Bull – Webber
Jun.27 (GMM) Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber is not expecting his old team to shine too brightly this weekend in Austria. Once called the A1-Ring, the ‘Red Bull Ring’ is now the energy drink company’s home race. But teen sensation Max Verstappen warned: “It might not be the most ideal circuit for our car […]
Ecclestone happy with ‘Brexit’ vote
Jun.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says Britain exiting the European Union is the right thing, even for formula one. In an historic referendum held last Thursday, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave Europe, which triggered a decline in financial markets and the pound hitting a 30-year low. Spain’s AS sports newspaper speculated that the […]
Hamilton says Rosberg relationship ‘good’
Jun.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says the venom has gone out of his relationship with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. The reigning world champion said that even though they are battling once again for the drivers’ title, and have had on-track run-ins in 2016, the old karting friends are actually getting along well. “Really, really good,” he […]
Williams compliment ‘very nice’ – Button
Jun.27 (GMM) Jenson Button is not commenting on speculation he might return to Williams next year. Last week, the Grove team’s deputy Claire Williams said the possibility that Button might bookend his F1 career at Williams, having made his debut for the team in 2000, “is a great headline”. “Of course he is going to […]
F1 must change or ‘disappear’ – Abiteboul
Jun.24 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul on Friday has given a hard-hitting interview with the German press, boldly criticising key aspects of the sport. The 38-year-old is the works Renault team’s managing director, but he was not treading carefully on Friday as he said the decision-making strategy group, for example, is “a joke”. “Formula one needs strong […]
Verstappen listened after Monaco crashes – Marko
Jun.24 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Max Verstappen has learned a valuable lesson after his ‘hero to zero’ outing in Monaco last month. Fresh from his sensational victory on debut for Red Bull in Barcelona, the 18-year-old hit rock bottom two weeks later in Monaco by crashing not only in qualifying but also during the […]
Raikkonen alternatives ‘potentially faster’ – Prost
Jun.24 (GMM) F1 legend Alain Prost has weighed into Ferrari’s deliberations about the future of Kimi Raikkonen. Amid rumours linking Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz with the Maranello team, Prost said Ferrari is right to be weighing up the pros and cons. “The advantages and disadvantages are obvious,” the Frenchman, who drove for Ferrari in […]
Force India not unhappy with Hulkenberg
Jun.24 (GMM) The impressive form of Sergio Perez does not mean Force India is unhappy with his teammate. Many observers rate 2015 Le Mans winner Hulkenberg more highly than his Mexican teammate, but it is Perez who has scored two podiums within three races and is now strongly linked with a move to Ferrari. But […]
Todt plays down future F1 race clashes
Jun.24 (GMM) Jean Todt has paved the road for more high-profile date clashes between key races like F1 grands prix and the iconic Le Mans. This year, the clash of the inaugural Baku round with Le Mans was highly controversial but FIA president Todt has this week played it down. From the FIA sport conference […]
Alonso wants third title in 2017
Jun.24 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he hopes to be fighting for the world championship in 2017. McLaren-Honda has made strides this year after its disastrous 2015, but next year is the last in Spaniard Alonso’s current three-season contract. He is leaving his future beyond 2017 very much open but insists that the graphite grey package […]
Williams recapturing ‘winning mentality’ – Smedley
Jun.24 (GMM) Williams is working to rediscover its “winning mentality”, according to Rob Smedley. Smedley, now a senior engineer at Grove, arrived at Williams just as the famous British team re-established itself as a top-three force in the new ‘power unit’ era. Nonetheless, Williams has won only a single grand prix since 2003, and not […]
Prost says Baku coverage ‘a disaster’
Jun.24 (GMM) Alain Prost has described the coverage of last weekend’s inaugural race in Baku as a “disaster”. While the street circuit itself was lauded for its spectacular layout and scenery, the F1 legend says he was bored whilst watching the television coverage. “It was the first time in years that I could not follow […]
F1 to ‘definitely’ drop European races – Ecclestone
Jun.24 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed reports he intends to drop “one or two” European rounds from the F1 calendar. The F1 supremo was quoted this week as saying that while this year’s schedule stands at an unprecedented 21 grands prix, the 2017 calendar could have as few as 18. “Absolutely,” Ecclestone has now told […]
Teams open to selling Perez, Sainz to Ferrari
Jun.23 (GMM) The respective bosses of the two drivers most strongly linked with a move to Ferrari say they are open to talking with the Italian team about a buyout. Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz have three things in common: they are in top form, and they are each being linked with a 2017 Ferrari […]
Rosberg ready to beat Hamilton in 2016 – Montagny
Jun.23 (GMM) Former F1 driver Franck Montagny thinks Nico Rosberg is ready to win his first world championship in 2016. The Frenchman, who drove for Super Aguri ten years ago, says that just as reigning title winner Lewis Hamilton is slipping, German Rosberg has stepped up his own game. “I think Nico has changed between […]
Fittipaldi backs end of ‘Aeroscreen’ momentum
Jun.23 (GMM) Former F1 driver Christian Fittipaldi has backed reports that Red Bull’s ‘Aeroscreen’ concept has been put on the back burner. We reported last Friday that the Red Bull-championed cockpit protection windshield had stalled, after the FIA asked for further development of the concept. “We have too many other projects at the moment,” team […]
Marko says Kvyat could stay at Toro Rosso
Jun.23 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has suggested Daniil Kvyat stands a strong chance of keeping his place at Toro Rosso beyond the end of 2016. After the 22-year-old Russian was dropped from the Red Bull Racing lineup earlier this year and relegated to the junior team, all the signs indicated the energy drink brand and […]
Red Bull could sell Sainz deal to Renault – report
Jun.23 (GMM) There could be more than meets the eye to the re-signing by Red Bull of Carlos Sainz for 2017. Reports in recent days, backed by comments by Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost and Red Bull’s Christian Horner, have suggested the energy drink brand will definitely take up the one-year option in 21-year-old Spaniard […]
Brazil promoter slams Massa over GP comments
Jun.23 (GMM) The promoter of Brazil’s F1 race has slammed Felipe Massa for saying it is “possible” Interlagos will be axed from the calendar. Following comments made by Bernie Ecclestone, Sao Paulista Massa admitted in Baku last weekend: “What is happening in Brazil at the moment is very difficult. “So it’s not impossible that F1 […]