Nov.30 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted he was careful in the closing laps of the Abu Dhabi finale to not ruin the battle for the 2016 world championship. However, the Ferrari driver denied that he deliberately did not overtake Nico Rosberg in order to support his German countryman, as Lewis Hamilton did his controversial ‘backing […]
Magnussen looking forward to ‘simple’ Haas team
Nov.30 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has admitted he is looking forward to the simplicity of the Haas team, after a year at the French works outfit Renault. At his final grand prix with Renault in Abu Dhabi, the Dane was spotted in meetings with his 2017 bosses, Haas team owner Gene Haas and principal Gunther Steiner. […]
F1 drivers back Hamilton amid controversy
Nov.30 (GMM) F1 drivers past and present have leapt to the defence of Lewis Hamilton, as the controversy about his ‘backing up’ tactics in Abu Dhabi continues. Mercedes is contemplating punishing the triple world champion for ignoring team orders, but 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter said that would be “ridiculous”. “Tactics are a part of […]
Podium a ‘realistic goal’ for Honda – boss
Nov.30 (GMM) Honda is targeting the podium for 2017. That is despite the fact that Fernando Alonso has never ruled out the possibility that, after McLaren-Honda’s struggles in 2015 and this year, the title remains a goal for next season. “Everyone has improved a lot in the year, both at McLaren and at Honda,” said […]
‘Unwell’ Hamilton quits Abu Dhabi tyre test
Nov.30 (GMM) As predicted earlier this week, Lewis Hamilton pulled out of the Pirelli tyre test in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the session attended by Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull’s ‘mule’ test cars, we reported that following his championship defeat to teammate Nico Rosberg, Hamilton was refusing to drive in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. A […]
Monza finally signs new GP contract
Nov.29 (GMM) Monza and Bernie Ecclestone have finally signed on the dotted line of their race contract extension. After a long-running saga, the 2017-2019 deal was actually agreed in September but actual signatures on the documents were missing until now. But Monza’s official Twitter account announced on Tuesday that the deal is now “signed”. “The […]
Rosberg tells F1 to ‘drop’ Hamilton controversy
Nov.29 (GMM) World champion Nico Rosberg says F1 should “drop” the current discussion about teammate Lewis Hamilton’s tactics in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton is being criticised, and Mercedes is reportedly considering sanctioning the Briton, after he deliberately backed Rosberg into chasing rivals on Sunday. Rosberg told BBC radio on Tuesday that he can “understand” why the […]
Williams must not lose Rob Smedley – boss
Nov.29 (GMM) Claire Williams says the British team she leads does not want to lose Rob Smedley. In the past decade, British engineer Smedley’s career has been intricately linked with that of Felipe Massa, who headed into retirement at the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi. And recently, Smedley indicated that he might follow his friend’s […]
New engine deal not awkward – Horner
Nov.29 (GMM) Christian Horner says Red Bull is now looking confidently into the future with engine supplier Renault. Actually, the parties fell out spectacularly last year, with only a Tag-Heuer rebranding ensuring that French power units remained in the dark blue cars. Team boss Horner admits “frustration” boiled over after 2014 and 2015. “But there […]
Mercedes denies Hamilton refusing to test
Nov.29 (GMM) Mercedes has played down reports that Lewis Hamilton is refusing to get back to work this week. In Abu Dhabi, it had been agreed that whichever Mercedes driver won the title would head to a Petronas event in Malaysia on Monday. And the other would stay in Abu Dhabi to drive Mercedes’ modified […]
Nico and Keke Rosberg not critical of Hamilton tactics
Nov.29 (GMM) Nico Rosberg and his equally famous father are not joining in the criticism of Lewis Hamilton following the 2016 title finale in Abu Dhabi. Mercedes led the criticism after Hamilton ignored team orders in the closing stages of Sunday’s race and deliberately left Rosberg exposed to the chasing Ferrari and Red Bull. Many […]
Ferrari lacking quality bosses – Berger
Nov.28 (GMM) The problem at Ferrari is a lack of good quality chiefs. That is the view of Gerhard Berger, who said that compared to more competitive top teams Mercedes and Red Bull, Ferrari’s management shortfalls are obvious. “You only have to look at the management structure,” the former Ferrari driver told Speed Week in […]
Hamilton faces ‘sack’ over Abu Dhabi behaviour
Nov.28 (GMM) British newspapers say Lewis Hamilton could be suspended or even “sacked” after ignoring Mercedes’ team orders during Sunday’s Abu Dhabi finale. Nico Rosberg duly won the world championship by finishing second to his British teammate, but the German said he endured a “horrible” race at Yas Marina. That was mainly due to the […]
Wolff open to helping German GP rescue
Nov.27 (GMM) Mercedes is not ruling out making a financial contribution to keep the German grand prix on track. However, it appears that when the final 2017 calendar is published shortly by the FIA, it will be missing a Hockenheim date after talks with Bernie Ecclestone collapsed. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff joins Bernie Ecclestone […]
Pirelli working to improve wet tyres
Nov.27 (GMM) Pirelli is taking the F1 drivers’ feedback on board and is working on improving its rain tyres. That is the claim of Mario Isola, a leading official of F1’s official supplier, following a key meeting with drivers in Abu Dhabi. The meeting followed a wave of criticism of Pirelli’s rain tyres after the […]
Vasseur admits ‘battles’ with departing Magnussen
Nov.27 (GMM) Renault team boss Frederic Vasseur says he does not rule out working with Kevin Magnussen again. Actually, the Danish driver is leaving the French works team after reportedly balking at the political situation at Renault and the offer of only a one-year extension. Vasseur admits that he and Magnussen clashed. “Kevin has his […]
Lauda has one ‘fear’ for title showdown
Nov.27 (GMM) Niki Lauda says he is feeling relaxed ahead of Sunday’s title showdown — except for one “fear”. “It’s been three perfect years,” said the Mercedes team chairman, referring to the fact that the German squad is guaranteed the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi. “First one (driver) is faster, then the other. But for […]
Aki Hintsa made Vettel ‘better man’
Nov.27 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has added his own tribute to former McLaren doctor Aki Hintsa, who sadly passed away last week at the age of 58. Lewis Hamilton, who made his debut for McLaren in 2007, gave an emotional and fitting farewell to the Finn in the Thursday press conference in Abu Dhabi. But in […]
Wife, not father, joins Rosberg in Abu Dhabi
Nov.27 (GMM) All eyes are on Nico Rosberg as the German bids to win his first world championship on Sunday. The Mercedes driver insists he is treating Abu Dhabi as any other race, but he appears nervous and has flown in his wife Vivian at the last moment for support. “It was planned for a […]
Hamilton can ‘back up’ Rosberg – Berger
Nov.27 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger says he can imagine Lewis Hamilton deploying every tactic to win the world championship on Sunday. Berger is actually in the Nico Rosberg camp, having negotiated the German’s new Mercedes deal earlier this year. He says it is nonsense that some are saying Rosberg would not be a deserving […]