Mar.16 (GMM) Although the action begins in Melbourne this weekend, Roberto Merhi is still not ruling out a role in formula one in 2016. “It is what it is,” the former Manor racer told Spanish radio Cadena Cope, referring to the team’s decision to replace him for 2016. “I am just happy I was lucky […]
Police investigated Hamilton’s NZ trip
Mar.16 (GMM) On his trip ‘down under’, Lewis Hamilton found himself in hot water even before setting foot on Australian soil. A Mercedes spokesman confirmed that the world champion has been in New Zealand this week for personal reasons rather than any official duties. Indeed, he was at Sky City casino in Auckland when he […]
F1 success driving ‘huge’ car sales – Zetsche
Mar.16 (GMM) Success in formula one is translating perfectly into Mercedes’ road car sales. That is the claim of Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, with the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial reporting that growth in Mercedes’ sales has been 20 per cent since the start of the new ‘power unit’ era. “Last year we sold more cars […]
Qualifying not enough to improve F1 – Berger
Mar.16 (GMM) Gerhard Berger is yet another pundit who believes Mercedes will once again rule the roost in 2016. “Well, it looks as though not much in the balance of power has really changed,” he told the Austrian newspaper Tiroler Tageszeitung. “Ferrari is likely to be a little closer, winning a race here and there, […]
Ferrari will snap up ‘slightest mistake’ – Lauda
Mar.16 (GMM) Ferrari is now within an uncomfortable striking distance of Mercedes’ dominance, according to Niki Lauda. “I see clearly that Ferrari is catching us with great strides,” the F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman told the German broadcaster RTL. “I suspect they have moved to within two, three tenths of us. That’s a dangerously […]
Renault to unveil all-yellow livery
Mar.16 (GMM) Renault is set to unveil an all-yellow race livery for 2016. As recently as this week, even though the wraps will come off the Melbourne car on Wednesday, the carmaker’s Jerome Stoll was giving nothing away. “In Melbourne it will be different,” he said, referring to Renault’s all-black testing colours, “but just as […]
Lauda understands Schumacher information blackout
Mar.16 (GMM) Niki Lauda has backed the decision of Michael Schumacher’s family to safeguard the privacy of the F1 great. Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman and triple world champion, admits the total lack of information about Schumacher’s condition has led to wild tabloid speculation, which is “not good”. “The family protects him and I understand […]
Mercedes ‘has the edge’ on Ferrari – Jos Verstappen
Mar.15 (GMM) Jos Verstappen thinks Mercedes will come out of the blocks in Melbourne this weekend with its dominance intact. The German team has easily won every drivers’ and constructors’ title in the new ‘power unit’ era, and had a conspicuously smooth winter pre-season period. “Let’s hope Ferrari has made a big step forward,” said […]
CVC sale could change how F1 is run – Ecclestone
Mar.15 (GMM) CVC’s decision about selling formula one could change how Bernie Ecclestone runs the sport, the F1 supremo said on Tuesday. The potential sale has been on the cards for months, but Ecclestone is now urging CVC co-chairman Donald Mackenzie to make a decision. “I’m hoping that Donald Mackenzie will decide if he wants […]
Marko hints F1 to ‘equalise’ engine performance
Mar.15 (GMM) Moves are afoot to close the performance gaps between the four ‘power units’ in formula one. Dr Helmut Marko, the outspoken Red Bull official, said his boss Dietrich Mateschitz thought seriously about quitting F1 last year. Mateschitz was reportedly disillusioned with the new era in which Mercedes and Ferrari are utterly dominant and […]
Renault not spending more as works team – Stoll
Mar.15 (GMM) Renault is apparently not having to spend much more on its formula one programme despite returning to full works status in 2016. As well as supplying Red Bull once again this year, the French carmaker acquired the struggling Lotus team ahead of the new season. Jerome Stoll, the Renault Sport chief who was […]
‘Silly season’ not more important in 2016 – Bottas
Mar.15 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has played down claims he might be caught up in a more hectic than usual ‘silly season’ later this year. The Finn’s boss Claire Williams recently predicted a chaotic grab for the best 2016 race seats will take place, as there will be potential vacancies at Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and […]
Strife may not hold Sauber back – Jos Verstappen
Mar.15 (GMM) Sauber’s already-troubled 2016 campaign has taken another hit with the shock departure of its technical boss. Mark Smith only joined the Swiss team mid last year, but he has “decided to go back to the UK for family reasons”, Sauber admitted in a media statement mere days before the season opener in Melbourne. […]
‘Mature’ Hamilton tips better Rosberg relations
Mar.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton thinks he and Nico Rosberg will handle their rivalry better than ever in 2016. Although once friends as boyhood karting teammates, the Mercedes duo has had a notably rocky relationship in the last two years as they fought at the front for the world championship. And now, an even more intense […]
Magnussen ‘bigger talent’ than Palmer – Doornbos
Mar.14 (GMM) Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos says he is not expecting Renault to shine in 2016. One of the problems, the former Minardi and Red Bull driver said, is Jolyon Palmer, who Doornbos does not rate highly. “He was the GP2 champion in 2014,” the Dutchman acknowledged to Ziggo Sport Totaal, “but that was […]
Ferrari gap down to mere tenths – Mercedes
Mar.14 (GMM) Mercedes is getting specific amid its claims Ferrari has definitely closed the gap over the winter. Silver-clad figures have been playing up Ferrari’s chances of mounting a challenge this year, and now team chairman Niki Lauda is even willing to put a figure on it. “It isn’t Mercedes’ fault if we’ve been faster […]
Kaltenborn hopes March salaries paid on time
Mar.14 (GMM) The sponsorship and income situation in formula one has left Sauber fighting for survival. The Swiss team has at least caught up with late wage payments to its 300 staff at Hinwil, with an apologetic boss Monisha Kaltenborn promising better times ahead. “I really regret the situation and hope we did not put […]
Zak Brown could succeed Ecclestone – report
Mar.14 (GMM) F1 could be poised for a big change at the top, a leading correspondent has claimed. Luis Vasconcelos, writing for Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper, claims sources have told him Zak Brown could be set to take over from Bernie Ecclestone. American Brown is well known in F1 as the head of Just Marketing, […]
‘Musical chairs’ to go ahead in Melbourne
Mar.14 (GMM) Any doubt that the controversial ‘musical chairs’ qualifying format will make its bow in Melbourne have been swept aside. Even though the format – which will see cars eliminated in 90-second segments in 2016 in a bid to spice up the grid – passed through all of F1’s decision-making processes, doubts were still […]
Mercedes-like dominance not new in F1 – Montoya
Mar.14 (GMM) Juan Pablo Montoya says the current Mercedes era is no different to any other team’s dominance throughout recent F1 history. The former Williams and McLaren driver kicked off the new Indycar series with victory in Florida, so when asked if he misses the so-called pinnacle of motor sport, he insisted: “No!” “I have […]