Feb.15 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has moved into pole position for a future in formula one. As reigning GP3 champion, the highly rated French teenager will be loaned by Mercedes to be third driver at the new Renault works team in 2016. He will combine the role with DTM, reportedly replacing the German touring car series’ […]
Heidfeld hopes Hamilton challenged in 2016
Feb.15 (GMM) F1 veteran Nick Heidfeld has tipped Lewis Hamilton to take a third consecutive world championship in 2016. But the former Williams and BMW driver said he hopes Mercedes can be successfully challenged this year, following two dominant showings in 2014 and 2015. “I would hope that we see some more teams doing well,” […]
No free TV coverage in Spain in 2016 – report
Feb.15 (GMM) Free-to-air television coverage of F1 throughout Spain has ended, according to the Spanish sports daily El Mundo Deportivo. The report said the 2016 world championship can only be watched by Spaniards who subscribe to Movistar. Reportedly, the terrestrial broadcaster Telecinco decided to stop its F1 coverage in 2008, as viewership dropped substantially in […]
Vettel not ruling out 2016 title tilt
Feb.15 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is still not ruling out the possibility that he will be able to challenge Mercedes for the 2016 world championship. Ferrari announced on Monday that it will reveal its new red car, reportedly set to feature a white engine cover, on the internet on Friday. Team and Fiat Chrysler Sergio Marchionne […]
F1 ‘far too complex’ at present – Vettel
Feb.15 (GMM) F1 should spice up the sport by simplifying the rules. That is the view of Sebastian Vettel, an unabashed motor racing ‘purist’ who is among those who believe the current regulations are not quite right. Asked by his own website if F1 should be more concerned about being ‘hybrid’ and environmentally relevant or […]
Williams to run 2016 car on Friday
Feb.15 (GMM) F1, 2016-style, will burst into action this week. MTV, a Finnish broadcaster, reports that reigning champions Mercedes and also Williams will ‘shake down’ their new cars at Silverstone on Friday. The teams, taking advantage of the 100km testing allowance for so-called ‘filming days’, will then move on to Barcelona for the start of […]
Dutch prince says F1 return ‘ultimate dream’
Feb.15 (GMM) Zandvoort, an iconic former F1 circuit, could revive the long-defunct Dutch grand prix. Late last year, we reported that the track – famously nestled among coastal sand dunes and a host of more than 30 grands prix until 1985 – was once again being linked with the F1 calendar. “Everyone is enthusiastic about […]
1975-style white engine cover for 2016 Ferrari
Feb.13 (GMM) Reports that Ferrari is adding a lot more white to the livery of its iconic red cars for 2016 appear accurate. La Repubblica, an Italian daily, has published what it purports to be official drafts of the livery of the new Maranello-inked car. The report said the all-white engine cover is “inspired by […]
Wolff admits Manor could be ‘B’ Mercedes team
Feb.13 (GMM) Mercedes is not ruling out making Manor its de-facto ‘B’ team. Team boss Toto Wolff admits he has some concerns about the new close relationship forged between title rival Ferrari and the new American team Haas. “We look at it with one eye laughing, one eye crying,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. […]
Verstappen to drive 2016 car in simulator
Feb.12 (GMM) Max Verstappen has been at Toro Rosso’s Faenza headquarters this week as the team prepares for 2016. He told his website verstappen.nl that teammate Carlos Sainz was also there, as he met for discussions with team management. “(We talked) about our goals, the concept with the car, the progress and the new parts […]
Renault’s Bell looks to repeat Mercedes success
Feb.12 (GMM) Bob Bell has set to work on turning the near-collapse of the Lotus team into a Mercedes-style success story. With the new title of chief technical officer, the Irishman has arrived at Renault from Manor, but within memory of having led Mercedes’ now-dominant technical project. He was also instrumental to the success of […]
Andretti hopes 21-race F1 calendar here to stay
Feb.12 (GMM) F1 legend Mario Andretti has his fingers crossed that the US grand prix in Austin goes ahead as planned. The October race has been given only provisional status on the 2016 calendar, amid a funding dispute between race organisers and the Texan government. “After all the investment to make this very attractive facility, […]
Manor extends deadline for Haryanto
Feb.12 (GMM) Rio Haryanto on Friday admitted the race is on to secure the final place on this year’s F1 grid. The Mercedes-backed Pascal Wehrlein this week secured the first of the Manor seats, which according to Toto Wolff is a victory for talent over much bigger chequebooks. “It is very pleasing to see young […]
Manor wise to sign Wehrlein – Haug
Feb.12 (GMM) Manor has made a wise choice by signing up Pascal Wehrlein for 2016. That is the view of Norbert Haug, a German broadcaster and the former Mercedes competition chief. This week, the German marque announced that its new DTM champion Wehrlein is graduating to F1 for 2016, with Mercedes making a contribution to […]
’50-50 chance’ of Ferrari-Mercedes battle in 2016
Feb.12 (GMM) The jury is out as to whether Ferrari can take on Mercedes for the 2016 world championship. What is clear is that, after two consecutive seasons of Mercedes’ dominance in the new ‘power unit’ era, Ferrari is at least determined to close the gap. “Ferrari have not held back over the winter,” read […]
Bottas more prepared for F1 rumours now
Feb.12 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he is now more prepared for when intense speculation takes centre stage in his F1 career. After a steady and impressive first few seasons in the sport, the Finn found himself in the middle of global intrigue last year amid rumours he might replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari. Ultimately, 26-year-old […]
Circuit chief ousted at Nurburgring
Feb.12 (GMM) News emerged on Friday from the Nurburgring, an historic German circuit battling to keep its grand prix up and running. The German grand prix is returning to the calendar in 2016, after an ownership crisis at the Nurburgring led to the country’s first absence from F1 in decades last year. And now, Nurburgring […]
Schumacher family should give health update – Weber
Feb.12 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s former manager thinks the family should reconsider its decision to keep the public in the dark about the F1 legend’s health. Just after Christmas, Willi Weber, who handled Schumacher’s career from the junior formulae through to title stardom, revealed that he has been unable to visit the great German since his […]
Magnussen must brush off Vasseur comments – pundit
Feb.12 (GMM) A Danish racing driver has urged Kevin Magnussen to brush off news that he was actually only Renault’s second choice for 2016. One of new team boss Frederic Vasseur’s first public acts at Renault was to announce that he actually wanted his new GP2 champion, Stoffel Vandoorne, to race this year. “He has […]
Red Bull’s Marko says F1 drivers overpaid
Feb.11 (GMM) Two prominent F1 chiefs disagree over the issue of whether formula one drivers are grossly overpaid. It is believed top stars like Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel earn dozens of millions of dollars per season, which according to Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko is excessive. “Basically, the drivers of today […]