Mar.2 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur, the new team boss at Renault, has admitted neither team driver has a guaranteed future with the French marque beyond 2016. “Both drivers have a contract for one season,” he is quoted by the Danish broadcaster TV2, referring to Dane Kevin Magnussen and Briton Jolyon Palmer. “Formula one is moving all […]
Sauber may not be ‘100 per cent’ in Melbourne – Nasr
Mar.2 (GMM) Felipe Nasr admits Sauber’s newly-launched car may not be 100 per cent ready for the 2016 season opener in Australia in just over two weeks. While the rest of the teams were already testing their 2016 machines last week in Barcelona, Nasr’s Ferrari-powered C35 was unveiled only on Tuesday, ahead of just four […]
Alonso future depends on F1’s 2017 revolution
Mar.2 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says his future rests on the reforms that are slated to revolutionise formula one next year. 2017 will be the third and last in the Spaniard’s current McLaren-Honda contract, amid speculation more midfield straggling in cars that no longer excite him could spell the end of his 16-year F1 adventure. “The […]
‘Musical chairs’ qualifying set for Australia
Mar.2 (GMM) ‘Musical chairs’-style qualifying will take place ahead of the Melbourne season opener in just over two weeks. Earlier, Bernie Ecclestone had said that although the F1 Commission approved the controversial shakeup, the software-writers at Formula One Management would run out of time to be ready for the first race of 2016. However, Germany’s […]
2015 absence was Hockenheim ‘wake up’ – Ecclestone
Mar.2 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is putting pressure on Hockenheim to up its game in order to secure Germany’s future on the F1 calendar. Hope that the Nurburgring might bounce back from its troubles is now all but gone, but F1 supremo Ecclestone said he preferred to see Germany sit out a year in 2015 than […]
Nasr admits points will be difficult in 2016
Mar.1 (GMM) Sauber is targeting the midfield in 2016. Last year, the Swiss team finished a lowly eighth in the constructors’ championship, and late on Monday it became the last team to unveil its new car for 2016. It is notably similar to its predecessor, but driver Felipe Nasr, whose sponsor Banco do Brasil is […]
US GP hopes buoyed as Austin lowers tax bill
Mar.1 (GMM) Hopes are increasing that the embattled US grand prix will in fact take place in October. Currently, the popular Austin race is marked as “subject to confirmation” on the 2016 calendar, after the Texan government reduced its annual contribution to the race fee from $25 million to less than $20 million. But F1 […]
Alonso confirms near Hamilton-Ferrari swap for 2015
Mar.1 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he almost switched to Mercedes last year in a move that would have involved Lewis Hamilton replacing him at Ferrari. As it became clear during the 2014 season that all was not well with Alonso and Ferrari’s relationship, rumours emerged that the Maranello team and Mercedes might do a sensational […]
Hamilton must be ‘driver’ not ‘rapper’ for 2016 title
Mar.1 (GMM) The outcome of the 2016 world championship will depend in large part on whether Lewis Hamilton is sufficiently focused. That is the view of Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion and now an outspoken pundit, who thinks this year’s battle could once again be a two-horse race between the silver-clad Mercedes drivers. “To […]
Final test will show Mercedes strength – Arrivabene
Mar.1 (GMM) Ferrari’s hopes for 2016 rest on the progress Mercedes has been able to make over the winter. That is the claim of Maurizio Arrivabene, the Ferrari team boss, amid media reports even the innovative new white and red SF16-H car might not be enough to prevent Mercedes from winning a third consecutive championship […]
Drivers not unanimous in supporting ‘halo’ concept
Mar.1 (GMM) Not every driver is on board with F1’s plans to cover the cockpits. After Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chief Alex Wurz declared recently that “all the drivers hope that passing the additional head protection will be a formality”, the FIA duly cleared the path for its introduction in 2017. During last week’s Barcelona […]
Marko praise means Renault step ‘huge’ – Berger
Mar.1 (GMM) Rare sounds of praise for Renault are emerging from the Red Bull camp ahead of the 2016 season. Last year, the strained relationship between the two parties broke down completely, meaning Red Bull lost its title sponsor Infiniti and had to re-brand its customer supply of turbo V6 power as ‘Tag Heuer’ for […]
Mercedes calm makes Marchionne ‘worry’
Mar.1 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne on Tuesday said the serene winter pre-season enjoyed so far by Mercedes makes him “worry”. Earlier, the Ferrari president had targeted a winning start for the red team at the forthcoming Melbourne season opener. But that was before Mercedes began dazzling its rivals with lap after lap in Barcelona testing. “Around […]
Alonso found ‘happiness’ at McLaren-Honda
Mar.1 (GMM) Fernando Alonso insists that, although ultimate success in F1 has eluded him for a decade, he has found “happiness” with the McLaren-Honda project. Some, however, see the Spaniard’s situation vastly differently, after he left Ferrari amid apparent acrimony only to find a vastly less competitive alternative. But Alonso, 34, scoffs at the retirement […]
Renault to get started on 2017 car – Lopez
Feb.29 (GMM) Renault is likely to start work almost immediately on its car for 2017. Last week, acknowledging that the 2016 machine is a hastily-compiled version of a car designed by Lotus for a Renault engine, team boss Frederic Vasseur said it would be the wrong approach to simply write off this year. “Are we […]
Ricciardo not ruling out more Ferrari rumours
Feb.29 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is still refusing to rule himself out of the running for a future switch to Ferrari. Earlier, the Australian predicted a frenzied ‘silly season’ this year, as top drivers like himself, Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) are all out of contract. “I think it’s one that got asked last […]
Mallya insists he is not losing Force India
Feb.29 (GMM) Vijay Mallya has hit back at speculation his involvement in the F1 team Force India is coming to an end. Last week, after a long battle with Diageo, the flamboyant Indian stepped down from his alcoholic company United Spirits. According to local reports, the $75 million ‘golden handshake’ involved him also severing his […]
2016 to be Mercedes versus Ferrari – Rosberg
Feb.29 (GMM) Ahead of the final week of pre-season testing, it seems Mercedes and Ferrari are still ahead of the pack in 2016. Finishing third for the past two years was Williams, but Felipe Massa seemed to acknowledge that the Grove team may not achieve the leap it wants. “I really hope we can race […]
Renault ‘happier’ team than McLaren – Magnussen
Feb.29 (GMM) Renault is a “happier” team than McLaren-Honda, even though they may be fighting over the same piece of track in 2016. That is the view of Kevin Magnussen, who was dropped by McLaren at the end of last year and signed up for 2016 by Renault’s new works team. With McLaren apparently still […]
V8 Supercars threatens to quit Aus GP weekend
Feb.29 (GMM) The premier Australian motor racing series is threatening to quit the country’s annual grand prix weekend. V8 Supercars, the popular touring car series, has a contract to race in support of the formula one main-event in Melbourne until 2018. But currently, Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management (FOM) reportedly does not allow the V8 […]