Nov.17 (GMM) Max Verstappen is another F1 driver who is no fan of the new ‘grid boy’ concept. In Brazil, Sebastian Vettel jokingly warned he would “strike” if assigned a grid boy, as Interlagos introduced the new idea of mixing male with female ‘grid girls’. Vettel was duly assigned a ‘grid boy’. 18-year-old rookie sensation […]
Arrivabene criticises Pirelli tyre test secrecy
Nov.16 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has hit out at the decision to hold the forthcoming post-season Abu Dhabi tyre test behind closed doors. Two days after the chequered flag falls on the 2015 season, every team except Manor will remain at Yas Marina to help Pirelli test the new ‘ultra soft’ tyre that will debut with […]
Honda ok with Alonso’s frustrated humour
Nov.16 (GMM) Honda insists it takes no offence at the use of “humour” to discharge the frustration felt by its F1 drivers at the tail end of 2015. McLaren’s all-champion duo of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have been largely patient this year, but their frustration appeared to spill into humour over the course of […]
Williams to appeal Massa disqualification
Nov.16 (GMM) Williams is appealing Felipe Massa’s disqualification from the Brazilian grand prix. The stewards stripped the Brazilian of his eighth place finish because a tyre had been measured by the FIA on the grid to be 137 degrees — a massive 27 degrees higher than Pirelli’s now-mandatory guidelines. Williams engineering chief Rob Smedley, however, […]
Magnussen denies ruling out F1 reserve role
Nov.16 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has denied he ruled out keeping a foot in the F1 door next year by signing up for a new reserve driver role. It was believed the main reason the Dane split with McLaren is because he was determined to return to racing in 2016. Indeed, he recently tested Porsche’s Le […]
Briatore yet to visit old friend Schumacher
Nov.16 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has admitted he is yet to visit Michael Schumacher, ever since his former F1 protege suffered a skiing crash in late 2013. Schumacher, whose first two titles in the 90s at Benetton came after Briatore poached him following a single race at Jordan, is now back at home in Switzerland but […]
‘Smart guy’ Hamilton seeks ‘excuses’ – Rosberg
Nov.16 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton looks for “excuses” when he does not win grands prix, Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg said over the course of the Brazilian grand prix weekend. On Sunday, Rosberg won his second consecutive race from pole, but Hamilton argued that he “had the pace” to challenge if the team had given him another […]
Mercedes, not Hamilton to decide strategy – Wolff
Nov.16 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Mercedes will continue to make the call on race strategy, following the complaints of world champion driver Lewis Hamilton. In Brazil, teammate Nico Rosberg won his second consecutive race from pole, as the German declared he is back in top form after losing the drivers’ title to Hamilton. “Lewis put […]
Sutil admits F1 future unclear
Nov.16 (GMM) Adrian Sutil admits his future beyond the forthcoming 2015 finale in Abu Dhabi is not clear. When Valtteri Bottas struck trouble with a back injury early this season, former Force India and Sauber driver Sutil was drafted in as Williams’ official reserve. But when asked what he will be doing in 2016, 32-year-old […]
F1 blind to ‘parallel rules’ problems – Wolff
Nov.16 (GMM) Toto Wolff has hit back at Bernie Ecclestone, after the F1 supremo suggested carmakers are prepared to destroy F1 for their own gain. Manufacturers including dominant Mercedes are siding against the sport’s new plans for faster cars in 2017 and parallel engine regulations. “They are not thinking of the sport, only themselves,” Ecclestone […]
Mercedes steps up move for Schumacher jr – report
Nov.15 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s teenage son appears in the middle of a scrap between Ferrari and Mercedes over his future. Last week, 16-year-old Mick tested for the European F3 team Prema, an Italian outfit with close links to Ferrari. Schumacher’s famous father Michael won five world championships with Ferrari, but his last team in F1 […]
No minute of silence for Paris victims – Todt
Nov.15 (GMM) F1’s French president of the FIA, Jean Todt, has come under fire for making controversial comments about the terrorist attacks in Paris. Already scheduled to fly into Brazil this weekend long before Friday night’s atrocities in the French capital, Todt on Saturday sounded reluctant to alter the pre-race plans to mark remembrance day […]
Nasr eyes ‘more competitive team’ for future
Nov.15 (GMM) Felipe Nasr says he will have to leave Sauber in order to achieve his goals in formula one. The Brazilian made his debut with the Swiss team this year, and with his backing by the Banco do Brasil he will stay at Sauber in 2016. But Nasr, 23, told O Estado de S.Paulo […]
Todt plays down Hamilton’s road car crash
Nov.15 (GMM) The FIA will not strip Lewis Hamilton of his role as an ambassador for road safety. Last week, the triple world champion drove his $2m Pagani Zonda supercar into three stationary cars in Monaco, admitting heavy partying and fatigue contributed to the 3.30am crash. A spokesman for a British road safety charity said: […]
Renault and Honda facing tough winter
Nov.15 (GMM) Red Bull will use an unbranded Renault engine in 2016, in a deal that is expected to be announced officially in Abu Dhabi later this month. The story is now little less than an open secret in the Interlagos paddock, with Auto Motor und Sport claiming that although the warring parties earlier appeared […]
Wurz approached to be new Manor boss
Nov.15 (GMM) Alex Wurz admits he has been approached to take over as Manor’s team principal. It was confirmed at Interlagos this weekend that boss John Booth and deputy Graeme Lowdon have both resigned and will leave the team after Abu Dhabi. So Manor has announced that Dave Ryan, the former long-time McLaren sporting director […]
Magnussen rules out F1 reserve role
Nov.15 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has ruled out keeping his foot in the F1 door next year by staying as a reserve driver. For 2016, McLaren has replaced the Dane with new GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne, after 23-year-old Magnussen insisted he needed to get back to racing. So Magnussen has now completed a test for the […]
Rosberg happy to have Hamilton as teammate for life
Nov.15 (GMM) Nico Rosberg is sure he can take on Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, insisting he is even prepared to spend the rest of his career as the triple world champion’s teammate. Although the championship chase is over for 2015, German Rosberg on Saturday secured his fifth consecutive pole. Asked if he can keep beating […]
Ecclestone determined to fix F1 for future
Nov.15 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone sounds determined to lead formula one into a better future. The F1 supremo says that despite some opposition from powerful carmakers, the sport will have faster cars in 2017 and an independent supplier of a new, more affordable engine to run parallel with the controversial current rules. Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, however, […]
Massa tells F1 to embrace ‘computer’ age
Nov.14 (GMM) Felipe Massa has called on formula one to raise its game when it comes to spicing up the appeal of the sport in the modern age. The Brazilian told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that while F1 has remained true to its exclusivity on television, the rest of the world has moved on. […]