Dec.8 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has hit back at claims he might return to formula one after a few years of retirement. Citing the stress of his battle with Lewis Hamilton, and the desire to spend more time with his young family, the German stunned the F1 world a week ago by announcing his shock decision […]
Rosberg backs Wehrlein for 2017 seat
Dec.8 (GMM) New world champion Nico Rosberg has backed countryman Pascal Wehrlein’s suitability to replace him at Mercedes. Stars including Fernando Alonso are also on the team’s 2017 short-list, but bookmakers say Mercedes’ most experienced junior, 2016 Manor driver Wehrlein, is the favourite. “Pascal is a huge hope for Germany for the future,” Rosberg said. […]
Rosberg defends decision after Lauda criticism
Dec.8 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has hit back at his former boss Niki Lauda, following criticism of his sudden decision to quit Mercedes and formula one. Lauda, the F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman, had said German Rosberg made the outfit look “stupid” by leaving it with a top driver to replace in December. But Rosberg […]
Mercedes’ Costa backs Wehrlein to replace Rosberg
Dec.8 (GMM) Mercedes’ engineering chief Aldo Costa has named in-house junior Pascal Wehrlein as a good candidate to replace retiring world champion Nico Rosberg. Having digested Rosberg’s shock news, the reigning champions want to appoint the German’s successor within December, with names including Fernando Alonso being touted. “I guess unfortunately for Mercedes, Fernando is not […]
‘Rational’ Lauda can’t relate to Rosberg call – Wolff
Dec.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff has excused his fellow Mercedes team chief Niki Lauda for initially reacting angrily to Nico Rosberg’s shock decision to retire. Lauda, an F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman, sounded angry that Rosberg’s late call has left the reigning world champions needing to replace him for 2017 at the eleventh hour. Wolff […]
Wolff wanted midfield team for Wehrlein in 2017
Dec.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff says it would be better if Pascal Wehrlein got another “year or two” to develop at a midfield team before stepping up at Mercedes. The German camp is currently weighing up its options in the wake of world champion Nico Rosberg’s shock decision to quit the team and F1. In a […]
Nasr prepared to wait for Sauber cockpit
Dec.7 (GMM) Felipe Nasr has indicated he has the patience to wait for clarity regarding his future in F1. Until mere days ago, the Brazilian looked set to lose his place at Sauber for 2017 to the Mercedes-backed Pascal Wehrlein. But German Wehrlein, 22, is now the frontrunner to replace the suddenly-retired world champion Nico […]
Wolff not ready to drop Hamilton tactics issue yet
Dec.7 (GMM) Mercedes is yet to close the chapter on Lewis Hamilton’s controversial driving in the closing stages of the Abu Dhabi title finale. With boss Toto Wolff said to be considering sanctions for the Briton, team chairman Niki Lauda claimed this week that management have in fact “drawn a line under it”. “We have […]
Berger can imagine Rosberg comeback
Dec.7 (GMM) The newly retired Nico Rosberg could decide to return to formula one in the future. That is the view of Gerhard Berger, a former F1 driver who is close to the Rosberg family. Earlier this year, Austrian Berger negotiated a new two-year contract for Rosberg, but the German has decided to call it […]
Gasly aims to race in 2018 French GP return
Dec.6 (GMM) New GP2 champion Pierre Gasly has set his sights on being in F1 in time for France’s calendar return in 2018. As a Red Bull junior, the 20-year-old had hoped to debut for Toro Rosso next year but the energy drink company decided to re-sign Russian Daniil Kvyat instead. Gasly, however, went on […]
Minister learned of France GP deal on TV
Dec.6 (GMM) Sports minister Thierry Braillard says he learned about the return of the French grand prix via the media. Former professional motorcycle racer turned politician Christian Estrosi, now president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, announced on Monday that after a ten year absence, France will return to the calendar in 2018 with […]
Ferrari not involved with Rosberg story – Arrivabene
Dec.6 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has counted Ferrari out of Mercedes’ last minute scramble to replace the newly-retired world champion Nico Rosberg. Sebastian Vettel was touted as a potential target for the German squad, but Ferrari boss Arrivabene said Ferrari will not get involved in any way with the “Nico problem”. “I would like to be […]
Schumacher to become Mercedes junior – report
Dec.6 (GMM) Mick Schumacher could now be on the cusp of becoming Mercedes’ next official F1 junior driver. With Esteban Ocon stepping up to Force India next year, and Pascal Wehrlein on the cusp of replacing world champion Nico Rosberg at the works team, Kolner Express newspaper suggested 17-year-old Schumacher is next in line. The […]
Wehrlein on pole for Mercedes seat
Dec.6 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein appears to be in pole position to step up and become Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate at Mercedes for 2017. The news comes as team chiefs got together at Brackley this week to discuss the urgent situation of replacing Nico Rosberg following his shock decision to quit F1. Multiple sources said the […]
Mercedes moves on after Hamilton tactics controversy
Dec.5 (GMM) Mercedes has “drawn a line” under Lewis Hamilton’s controversial driving in the Abu Dhabi finale. The team had considered penalising the Briton for the way in which he backed new world champion Nico Rosberg into Mercedes’ rivals as they battled for the 2016 title. But Mercedes now has the “huge” matter of replacing […]
Valentino Rossi says Wolff ‘has my number’
Dec.5 (GMM) The rumours linking potential names with Nico Rosberg’s newly vacant 2017 seat are getting wilder by the moment. MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi, who strongly flirted with a switch to four wheels a decade ago, has thrown his name into the hat for the Mercedes drive. It comes after Toto Wolff joked that Rossi […]
Rosberg to stay involved with F1
Dec.5 (GMM) Nico Rosberg says he wants to remain connected to F1 following his shock decision to quit Mercedes and retire. The new world champion stunned F1 and the German outfit to such an extent that Mercedes’ team chairman Niki Lauda said a silver-clad comeback for the 31-year-old in the future is now “impossible”. But […]
Even Massa not ruling out Mercedes seat
Dec.5 (GMM) Even newly retired drivers are being linked with Nico Rosberg’s surprisingly vacant Mercedes seat for 2017. Rumours have mentioned Jenson Button as a contender to reunite with his former teammate Lewis Hamilton, while Brazil’s Globo even asked Felipe Massa if he is interested. “I am very happy with my decision to retire,” he […]
Mercedes ‘not ruling out’ Alonso for 2017 seat
Dec.5 (GMM) Fernando Alonso and Mercedes have played down rumours linking the Spanish driver with Nico Rosberg’s newly-vacant 2017 seat. Team boss Toto Wolff has made a point of saying almost every F1 driver has been in contact since Rosberg’s seismic retirement news on Friday. Some reports said Alonso, currently under contract to McLaren-Honda, was […]
Wehrlein ‘ready’ for Rosberg seat
Dec.5 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has declared himself “ready” to step up and become Lewis Hamilton’s new Mercedes teammate. Bosses Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff say almost the entire F1 grid has offered to replace Nico Rosberg following the new world champion’s shock retirement decision. But Speed Week quotes F1 legend Gerhard Berger as saying: “For […]