Jun.28 (GMM) A trick employed by Mercedes to counter Pirelli’s high mandatory tyre pressures has emerged. Earlier, it was suspected that some top teams had found a clever way to reduce the high minimum tyre pressures once the car was up and running, thereby boosting laptimes. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport has now published photos […]
Pirelli CEO happy with F1 present and future
Jun.28 (GMM) Pirelli chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said he is happy the Italian company is still involved in an ever more competitive formula one. The Milan-based multinational has finally had its new 2017-2019 contract as F1’s sole tyre supplier rubber-stamped. “For us, it is a double success,” Tronchetti Provera is quoted by La Gazzetta dello […]
Red Bull could revive old Spielberg layout
Jun.28 (GMM) Red Bull is looking into expanding the current layout of the Austrian grand prix venue in Spielberg. The energy drink brand took the former A1-Ring and Osterreichring back to the F1 calendar in 2014. But according to Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper, owner Dietrich Mateschitz is now considering reviving an iconic old section of the […]
Monza hopes for 2017 contract by September
Jun.28 (GMM) An official is hoping Monza finally ends its protracted negotiations over Monza’s F1 future by the Italian grand prix in September. “We are very close to closing the agreement for the Italian grand prix. At Monza,” said Italian automobile club Aci chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani. That is despite that fact rival Italian circuit […]
Symonds proud of Williams’ pitstop turnaround
Jun.28 (GMM) Pat Symonds is proud of Williams, who have emerged this year as the team with clearly the fastest pitstops in formula one. With a car outpaced by Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari in 2016 and a smaller budget than the top three teams, Grove based Williams did, however, set an overall record stationary […]
Kvyat breaks silence as Red Bull eyes future
Jun.28 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat has finally broken his long Twitter silence, having not uttered a word on his social media account since his calamitous home race at Sochi and demotion from Red Bull. “A bit going on lately,” the Russian now declares, “but hard work continues and I keep on pushing hard! Life’s good. Thanks […]
Ecclestone working on new income system
Jun.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone on Monday said he is working on a plan to reform F1’s controversial income distribution system. Force India and Sauber have complained to the European Commission about the current agreements, which see the most money and big bonuses going to the top teams only. In the ‘power unit’ era, it means […]
Dutch GP ‘possible’ at Assen track – boss
Jun.27 (GMM) Momentum is building for The Netherlands’ return to the F1 calendar. A month ago, we reported that Zandvoort, last seen on the calendar in 1985, was keen to return to formula one and may already be in talks. And now, De Telegraaf newspaper claims that another potential venue for a Dutch grand prix […]
Lauda says Rosberg to sign 2-year deal
Jun.27 (GMM) Nico Rosberg appears poised to ink a new contract and stay with Mercedes for the next two years. With his negotiations being headed by family friend Gerhard Berger, Rosberg was said to be butting heads with Mercedes not only over money, but also the length of his contract extension beyond 2016. But as […]
Raikkonen to marry on August 5 – reports
Jun.27 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen appears to have set a wedding date. Last December, we reported that the Finn looked ready to get married for the second time, having already had a child with his new partner Minttu. “Next summer I am allowed to call him my husband,” Minttu wrote in a blog at the time. […]
Ricciardo says ‘no contact’ with Ferrari
Jun.27 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not ruling out a move to Ferrari at some point in the near future. Rumours in 2015 and again this year have linked the Australian with Maranello, but Red Bull is believed to have secured him for at least the next two years. But Ricciardo, 26, has told Germany’s Auto […]
Honda still open to supplying second team
Jun.27 (GMM) Honda is still open to supplying engines to a customer F1 team. That is the claim of the Japanese marque’s F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa, even though Ron Dennis has been determined to enforce McLaren’s apparent veto for exclusivity. The FIA, however, thinks engine manufacturers should be willing to supply more than just a […]
Podium, wins in ‘next two years’ – Honda
Jun.27 (GMM) Honda’s F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa has warned that even podiums are for now a distant target for the McLaren-Honda project. McLaren supremo Ron Dennis had eyebrows raising in the paddock recently when he declared that the Anglo-Japanese collaboration will succeed Mercedes as F1’s next champions. Fernando Alonso agrees, telling Marca sports newspaper: “After […]
Home track doesn’t suit Red Bull – Webber
Jun.27 (GMM) Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber is not expecting his old team to shine too brightly this weekend in Austria. Once called the A1-Ring, the ‘Red Bull Ring’ is now the energy drink company’s home race. But teen sensation Max Verstappen warned: “It might not be the most ideal circuit for our car […]
Ecclestone happy with ‘Brexit’ vote
Jun.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says Britain exiting the European Union is the right thing, even for formula one. In an historic referendum held last Thursday, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave Europe, which triggered a decline in financial markets and the pound hitting a 30-year low. Spain’s AS sports newspaper speculated that the […]
Hamilton says Rosberg relationship ‘good’
Jun.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says the venom has gone out of his relationship with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. The reigning world champion said that even though they are battling once again for the drivers’ title, and have had on-track run-ins in 2016, the old karting friends are actually getting along well. “Really, really good,” he […]
Williams compliment ‘very nice’ – Button
Jun.27 (GMM) Jenson Button is not commenting on speculation he might return to Williams next year. Last week, the Grove team’s deputy Claire Williams said the possibility that Button might bookend his F1 career at Williams, having made his debut for the team in 2000, “is a great headline”. “Of course he is going to […]
F1 must change or ‘disappear’ – Abiteboul
Jun.24 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul on Friday has given a hard-hitting interview with the German press, boldly criticising key aspects of the sport. The 38-year-old is the works Renault team’s managing director, but he was not treading carefully on Friday as he said the decision-making strategy group, for example, is “a joke”. “Formula one needs strong […]
Verstappen listened after Monaco crashes – Marko
Jun.24 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Max Verstappen has learned a valuable lesson after his ‘hero to zero’ outing in Monaco last month. Fresh from his sensational victory on debut for Red Bull in Barcelona, the 18-year-old hit rock bottom two weeks later in Monaco by crashing not only in qualifying but also during the […]
Raikkonen alternatives ‘potentially faster’ – Prost
Jun.24 (GMM) F1 legend Alain Prost has weighed into Ferrari’s deliberations about the future of Kimi Raikkonen. Amid rumours linking Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz with the Maranello team, Prost said Ferrari is right to be weighing up the pros and cons. “The advantages and disadvantages are obvious,” the Frenchman, who drove for Ferrari in […]