Dec.19 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s manager insists there will be no changes to the policy of radio silence when it comes to the health of the F1 legend. The management and family of the seven time world champion have just launched official Instagram and Twitter accounts in Schumacher’s name, but his actual condition some three years […]
Todt asks Massa to be F1 steward
Dec.19 (GMM) Felipe Massa says he has been invited by his former boss to become an F1 steward. Although the Brazilian is understood to be considering an offer to cancel his retirement if Valtteri Bottas leaves Williams, Massa told UOL Esporte that another option is becoming one of the ex-drivers who doubles as a rule-adjudicating […]
Wehrlein more ‘risky’ than Bottas – Rosberg
Dec.19 (GMM) Nico Rosberg says Mercedes should consider taking the “risk” of signing up German youngster Pascal Wehrlein to replace him for 2017. The German team will use the full Christmas break to weigh up its options, but Brazilian reports suggest Valtteri Bottas is a real contender to emerge from his Williams contract. The reports […]
Ferrari ‘only 10pc behind Mercedes’ – Todt
Dec.19 (GMM) Former team boss Jean Todt has tipped Ferrari to keep chipping away at the small gap to F1 frontrunners Mercedes and Red Bull. The current FIA president’s defence of the Maranello team follows its performance and so-called ‘crisis’ of 2016, with one pundit pointing the finger at three key individuals. First, former F1 […]
Liberty still striding towards F1 takeover
Dec.19 (GMM) Liberty Media is continuing to formalise its takeover of formula one. Last week, the company said it had lined up $1.55 billion in investments to support the deal. “We look forward to closing the transaction in early 2017,” said CEO Greg Maffei. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said that is likely to happen in […]
Majority would vote for ‘Halo’ – Hulkenberg
Dec.19 (GMM) ‘Halo’ looks set to be on the way into F1 for 2018. Although introduction of the controversial cockpit protection concept was delayed for 2017, FIA president Jean Todt said the drivers will be consulted for their opinion ahead of a possible mandatory debut for 2018. The governing body made a fresh attempt to […]
Austrian broadcaster to end F1 deal for 2020
Dec.16 (GMM) Austria could lose its free to air television coverage of formula one from 2020. In the country, F1 is currently shown on ORF, an Austrian public broadcaster. But reports suggest that, to cut costs, ORF will end its current deal after the 2019 season. “It is clear to us that (cutting) skiing and […]
Mercedes will be strong again in 2017 – Brawn
Dec.16 (GMM) Former team boss Ross Brawn thinks Mercedes will still be a leading force in formula one next year. Some believe that, with the radically different 2017 rules coming in and Red Bull and Ferrari pushing hard to improve, next year could finally see Mercedes’ three-year championship winning streak end. But Brawn, who headed […]
Vettel emerging as Mercedes favourite for 2018
Dec.16 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is emerging as a favourite to become Nico Rosberg’s longer term replacement at Mercedes. But the German has said he is definitely not leaving his Ferrari deal before 2018. That ties in with speculation that a one-year deal for Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate next year is likely. Mercedes’ Toto Wolff told […]
Hellmund, KFC, linked with Manor buyout
Dec.16 (GMM) A cloud is hanging over Manor’s future ahead of the 2017 season. With the backmarker team passed in the final stages of last season for the lucrative tenth spot in the championship, owner Stephen Fitzpatrick revealed that Manor has “agreed terms with an investor”. Speculation suggests the buyer could be Mexican-American entrepreneur Tavo […]
Valentino Rossi almost switched to F1 – father
Dec.16 (GMM) Valentino Rossi’s father has admitted the MotoGP legend came “very, very close” to switching to formula one a decade ago. Graziano Rossi, himself a former international motorcycle racing star, told the Italian press that his now 37-year-old Italian son’s multiple tests for Ferrari last decade were extremely serious. “Valentino was very, very close […]
Mercedes seat intrigue to continue for now
Dec.16 (GMM) F1 will head into the Christmas and New Year’s break without announcing the identity of Mercedes’ second driver for 2017. Earlier, the reigning world champions said they wanted to decide Nico Rosberg’s successor within 2016, but a spokesman told us that there are “no announcements” planned until at least the end of the […]
Vettel eyeing 2018 Mercedes deal – Berger
Dec.15 (GMM) He will not replace Nico Rosberg in 2017, but the door to a future at Mercedes is a possibility for Fernando Alonso the year after. That is the claim of Germany’s Sport Bild, claiming that whoever Mercedes does sign to replace the retiring Rosberg will only get a one-year deal. Still with his […]
Ferrari losing Allison ‘a mistake’ – Symonds
Ferrari losing Allison ‘a mistake’ – Symonds Dec.15 (GMM) Ferrari must consider reorganising its structure in order to return to the top of F1. That is the advice of Pat Symonds, who is currently Williams’ technical boss. The 63-year-old Briton is now considering retirement, but he admitted to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport that he […]
F1 should consider new engines for 2020 – Brawn
Dec.15 (GMM) Ross Brawn has admitted F1 should consider taking a sharp turn with its engine regulations for 2020. The retired former Ferrari and Mercedes chief has been linked with a return to the sport, having worked recently as a consultant for new owners Liberty Media. So with F1’s quiet, green and complex ‘power units’ […]
Symonds not denying Paddy Lowe rumours
Dec.15 (GMM) Pat Symonds has refused to deny reports that Paddy Lowe will replace him as Williams’ technical boss. It is strongly rumoured that, with Lowe’s Mercedes contract ending, the Briton is linked with a return to Williams to replace the soon-to-retire 63-year-old Symonds. “Our team policy forbids us to talk about contracts,” Symonds told […]
Rosberg eyes role as driver manager
Dec.15 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has admitted his return to F1 in the future could be in the form of driver management. Some pundits have suggested the 31-year-old German might get bored and try to make a comeback, but Rosberg insists that is not going to happen. “I will find my adrenaline somewhere else in new […]
Ecclestone admits worrying about Rosberg successor
Dec.15 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he is worried Lewis Hamilton will utterly dominate in 2017. We reported on Tuesday that, following Nico Rosberg’s shock resignation and Mercedes’ limited options to replace him, F1 supremo Ecclestone was in touch with Toto Wolff about the identity of Hamilton’s next teammate. “It (Hamilton dominating) would be bad […]
Race starts to be even harder in 2017 – report
Dec.15 (GMM) Drivers will find it even harder to make the perfect race start in 2017. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, revealing a little known detail of the new regulations for next season. The development follows Mercedes and Force India having tested new steering wheels in practice towards the end […]
McLaren title sponsor talks have begun – Brown
Dec.14 (GMM) It will be 2018 at least before McLaren can finally put the first title sponsor on its cars since 2013. That is the news from the Honda-powered team’s new executive director Zak Brown, who recently left the leading F1 sponsorship-procuring company to join McLaren. Regarding the search for a new title sponsor, he […]