May 12 (GMM) Vitaly Petrov, who was Russia’s first F1 racer, says his countryman Daniil Kvyat’s career in the category is still on track. On the face of it, 22-year-old Kvyat has actually suffered a major blow as Red Bull relegates him to the junior team Toro Rosso to make room for Max Verstappen. The […]
Red Bull wanted reason to oust Kvyat – Surer
May 12 (GMM) Former F1 driver Marc Surer thinks Red Bull used Daniil Kvyat’s tumultuous home race in Russia as justification to oust him. This weekend in Barcelona, teen sensation Max Verstappen will take up his new place at the energy drink’s premier team, with Kvyat relegated to Toro Rosso. It follows two consecutive controversies […]
Women in F1 about money, not gender – de Silvestro
May 12 (GMM) The woman who arguably got closest to a race seat in recent years says physical ability is not the reason there are no female drivers in F1. Although Susie Wolff actually participated in Friday practice sessions, many insiders regard Simona de Silvestro as a bigger talent and two years ago she tested […]
Ricciardo expects Red Bull-Renault to stay together
May 11 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo thinks it is “likely” Red Bull and Renault will stick together beyond this season. The parties ended their semi-works partnership amid acrimony last year, staying together only in the form of a Tag Heuer-branded customer deal for 2016. But Red Bull has been positively surprised by the step forward taken […]
‘Too early’ to say title already gone – Vettel
May 11 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insists the race for the 2016 world championship is still wide open. After Nico Rosberg’s four consecutive wins so far, some insiders are saying the Mercedes driver now has a near-unassailable upper hand over his teammate Lewis Hamilton. And Ferrari, on the other hand, are in ‘crisis’ according to some […]
Ferrari needs another personnel shakeup – Tarquini
May 11 (GMM) Former F1 driver Gabriele Tarquini has backed suggestions Ferrari might now be on the cusp of making some more high-profile personnel changes. Italy’s Autosprint claims this week that, with Sergio Marchionne unhappy about the results so far in 2016, Briton James Allison might be in line to take over from Ferrari team […]
Verstappen move ‘good news’ for F1 – Coulthard
May 11 (GMM) F1 veteran David Coulthard has backed Red Bull’s controversial decision to oust Daniil Kvyat and replace him immediately with Max Verstappen. The Scot, a former Red Bull driver and now respected commentator and broadcaster, said: “It makes for some excitement in formula one that of course everyone is talking about. “So it’s […]
Manor wants to move past struggling Sauber – Wehrlein
May 11 (GMM) Manor is hoping to leave struggling Sauber at the very back of the grid from this weekend’s Spanish grand prix. Barcelona, traditionally the first European race of the season, will this weekend see most teams running heavily updated packages in the wake of the opening four ‘flyaways’. But the Swiss team Sauber […]
Raikkonen runs best motocross team – rider
May 11 (GMM) Watching over his own motocross team at the weekend, Kimi Raikkonen had a typical answer when asked for an interview. “No,” the German newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung quotes him as saying. Raikkonen’s rider Max Nagl, however, is happy to talk about the Ferrari driver, saying at the motocross event in Teutschenthal: “I am […]
Red Bull eyed Alfa Romeo power – Marchionne
May 11 (GMM) Red Bull expressed interest in being powered by Alfa Romeo engines in F1. That is the revelation of Ferrari and Fiat Chrysler president Sergio Marchionne, who said moves are still afoot to bring the Italian carmaker back to the grid. “Alfa Romeo may be there one day,” Italian reports quote him as […]
Ferrari slow to react to rule changes – Baldisserri
May 11 (GMM) Luca Baldisserri, a former key manager and engineer at Ferrari, says the Maranello team should work on adapting better to rule changes. 53-year-old Baldisserri was a key member of the team in the hugely successful Michael Schumacher era, but in recent years he headed Ferrari’s young driver programme and now oversees the […]
Force India hopes for Mallya return soon
May 11 (GMM) The UK government has turned down India’s request for Vijay Mallya to be deported. Former billionaire Mallya has been absent from the F1 paddocks this year over his highly-publicised dispute with the Indian government, regarding the collapse of his airline Kingfisher and massive debts. The 60-year-old is currently holed up at his […]
Honda undecided over engine ‘token’ spend
May 11 (GMM) Honda says it has not decided when to deploy its tally of performance ‘tokens’ in 2016. Barcelona, the first European race of the season, is traditionally the scene of big update packages and McLaren is indeed ready with an improved car. “We hope it will be a big step forward,” Yusuke Hasegawa, […]
Hembery hopes 2017 rules not ‘boring’
May 10 (GMM) Paul Hembery said Pirelli will not be to blame if F1 races become more boring next season. In a difficult political climate at present, F1 legend Niki Lauda said the new chassis and engine rules are the result of a “compromise” agreement. “Whether it fulfils expectations remains to be seen,” the Mercedes […]
Allison could replace Arrivabene – report
May 10 (GMM) Wild speculation in Italy suggests Ferrari could be set for yet another change at the top of the fabled Maranello team. After the ultra-successful Jean Todt era, Ferrari has raced through team principals Stefano Domenicali, Marco Mattiacci and now the charismatic Maurizio Arrivabene. “Ferrari has made some important steps forward,” Todt, now […]
Replacing Ecclestone not easy – Lauda
May 10 (GMM) Niki Lauda has played down mounting speculation he is in pole position to succeed Bernie Ecclestone. It is claimed that Ferrari’s Sergio Marchionne, backed by Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, is advocating that a group of three should take over from the 85-year-old F1 ‘supremo’. “When I think about the sporting side, then […]
DTM drivers do not miss F1 careers
May 10 (GMM) Two former F1 drivers insist they do not miss the pinnacle of motor racing. In 2013 and 2014, Dani Juncadella tested for the Williams and Force India teams, but now the 25-year-old Spaniard races for Mercedes’ premier DTM outfit. Asked if he misses F1, he told El Confidencial: “No, because for the […]
Verstappen will miss ousted engineer Pujolar
May 10 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted he will miss working with his ousted Toro Rosso engineer Xevi Pujolar. Not only is the experienced Pujolar not accompanying the young Dutchman to Red Bull, he has been ousted from formula one altogether. Ilta Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper, reports that Pujolar and Verstappen’s data engineer Olivier Helvig […]
Rivals’ budgets hurting Williams – Symonds
May 10 (GMM) Williams chief Pat Symonds admits the British team is no longer F1’s third force. In 2014 and again last year, Williams finished the constructors’ championship in third place, behind Red Bull in 2014 and Ferrari last year as engine supplier Mercedes dominated in the new ‘power unit’ era. “Either one of them […]
Vettel denies link to Kvyat demotion
May 10 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has expressed some sympathy for the plight of Daniil Kvyat, following the Russian’s sudden demotion from Red Bull Racing. 22-year-old Kvyat, who actually replaced Vettel at the energy drink company’s premier F1 team in 2015, will spend the rest of the season with Toro Rosso. The demotion follows two consecutive […]