Dec.5 (GMM) Niki Lauda has hit out at Nico Rosberg’s decision to quit Mercedes just days after winning the world championship. The German’s decision was just as shocking to his bosses Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda as it was to the rest of the world. “He told me it was because of stress,” team chairman […]
Vettel plays down Mercedes move rumour
Dec.5 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has responded to the seismic Nico Rosberg retirement story simply by referring to his Ferrari contract. The German’s name is linked with his departing countryman’s 2017 seat, and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has not denied that tentative contact has already been made. “Only two drivers have not called me: Daniil […]
Red Bull distances itself from Rosberg story
Dec.5 (GMM) Red Bull and its drivers have distanced themselves from Nico Rosberg’s seismic decision to leave Mercedes and F1. Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are among F1’s top drivers and therefore speculatively linked with the top seat alongside Lewis Hamilton for 2017. But Verstappen told De Telegraaf newspaper: “I will be driving again next […]
Ferrari could lose drivers after 2017 – Marchionne
Dec.5 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has admitted Ferrari is at risk of losing its champion drivers after 2017. However, the great marque’s president played down rumours that Sebastian Vettel is a real contender to replace Nico Rosberg at Mercedes next year. “Both drivers are under contract for 2017,” he said at Ferrari’s world finals event in […]
Red Bull ‘left us behind’ – Marchionne
Dec.5 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari’s biggest problem in 2016 was falling behind the development curve. Some think the great Italian marque’s year was disastrous, but Ferrari president Marchionne said the team actually began 2016 well. “We were much more competitive than where we left in 2015,” he told Italian media at the team’s end […]
Biggest F1 names line up for Rosberg’s seat
Dec.3 (GMM) The big-name candidates are lining up, just hours after new world champion Nico Rosberg shocked the sporting world with the announcement of his retirement. “Not a lot surprises me, but this did,” F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda told the German broadcaster NTV. Mercedes proteges Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon were […]
Ecclestone opposed to format shakeup – Kaltenborn
Dec.2 (GMM) F1 should consider shaking up the race weekend format. That is the view of Monisha Kaltenborn, apparently echoing comments made recently by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone who said two shorter races per weekend might be more exciting. But Kaltenborn told Deutschlandfunk radio that the person most staunchly against shaking up the weekend format […]
Montoya sides with Verstappen amid criticism
Dec.2 (GMM) As the long 2016 season finally ends, Max Verstappen continues to divide opinion. Amid comparisons with greats like Senna and Schumacher, some criticise the young Dutchman for what they think is an overly aggressive driving style. “He is a boy full of talent,” said 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg, “but he needs a […]
Rosberg not commenting on Hamilton quit reports
Dec.2 (GMM) New world champion Nico Rosberg this week did not want to comment on the latest rumours surrounding his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Following his title defeat to Rosberg, rumours about Hamilton threatening to quit Mercedes earlier this year, and then refusing to do the post-Abu Dhabi tyre test, have abounded. Asked about the quit […]
France set for 2018 F1 calendar return – media
Dec.2 (GMM) After a decade’s absence, France will return to the F1 calendar in 2018. That is the claim of several authoritative French-language media sources, including the L’Equipe daily, RMC and Europe 1 radio, and the Auto Hebdo magazine. They say that although the last French grand prix was held at Magny Cours in 2008, […]
F1 stewards vow to improve ‘consistency’
Dec.2 (GMM) F1 stewards are looking to speed up their deliberating and be more consistent in their decisions. Particularly among the driver camp, the stewards have faced increasing criticism in recent months as some incidents went unnoticed while others attracted penalties. Amid that climate, the stewards got together in Vienna this week ahead of the […]
Sauber to be first with 2017 car
Dec.2 (GMM) Sauber looks set to be first out of the blocks with its 2017 car. Auto Motor und Sport reports that the Swiss team has already booked a date with the FIA to homologate its car for the new regulations — 19 December. Prior to an investor bailout, Sauber almost collapsed financially this year, […]
Hamilton will not quit Mercedes – Hill
Dec.1 (GMM) Damon Hill has rubbished rumours Lewis Hamilton might quit Mercedes. In Abu Dhabi, Hamilton refused to comment on speculation he almost quit after his collision with teammate Nico Rosberg in Spain. Now, the Briton is off-side with team management again after his controversial ‘backing up’ tactics in the 2016 finale. But 1996 world […]
Raikkonen ‘amazing’ to beat Vettel in 2016 – manager
Dec.1 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen’s improvement in 2016 was nothing short of “amazing”. That is the view of the 2007 world champion’s manager Steve Robertson, when discussing Raikkonen’s performance this year with the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. “It’s amazing what difference a year makes,” he said. “If you think back to a year ago, I don’t […]
Rosberg unsure how far Hamilton tactics would go
Dec.1 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has admitted he was unsure if Lewis Hamilton would take his ‘backing up’ tactics in Abu Dhabi to the next level. Hamilton is already under fire for trying to drive the chasing Ferrari and Red Bull into his title nemesis, but Rosberg has said he has no problem with the Briton’s […]
Sauber wants to sign second driver ‘soon’
Dec.1 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn says Sauber would like to complete its 2017 driver lineup “as soon as possible”. The Swiss team’s chief headed into the last two races of this season declaring that, with Marcus Ericsson now under contract for 2017, the Swede’s teammate would be named before the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi. But […]
Champions don’t connect with German people – Lauda
Dec.1 (GMM) Niki Lauda has linked the demise of the German grand prix with how the public interacts with the country’s champion drivers Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg. In Vienna on Wednesday, the FIA confirmed a tweaked 2017 calendar that ends the controversial clash between Baku and the fabled Le Mans 24 hour sports car […]
Button ‘perfect’ for 2017 role – Boullier
Dec.1 (GMM) Jenson Button will continue to contribute to McLaren-Honda in 2017. That is the claim of team boss Eric Boullier, even though in the wake of team supremo Ron Dennis’ departure, Button in Abu Dhabi was suddenly referring to it as his “last race” rather than the start of a sabbatical. But France’s Auto […]
Abu Dhabi showed Rosberg ‘the right champion’ – Lauda
Dec.1 (GMM) Niki Lauda says the Abu Dhabi grand prix was proof in itself that Nico Rosberg deserves the 2016 world championship. As the controversy about Lewis Hamilton’s ‘backing up’ tactics continues, Mercedes’ team chairman said how the Briton and German Rosberg handled it is crucial to interpreting the outcome of their title battle. “If […]
Massa in talks to be F1 television pundit
Nov.30 (GMM) Felipe Massa has revealed that he should still be a familiar face in the F1 paddock next year. Brazil’s UOL Esporte claims the Brazilian is set to sign up as a regular commentator or pundit, but not for the country’s own broadcaster TV Globo. “I will not work with Globo because they are […]