Feb.4 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen’s father thinks the new Renault adventure has even more potential than if the 23-year-old had been retained by McLaren. Jan Magnussen, himself a former F1 driver, was not in Paris on Wednesday as son Kevin walked onto the stage in his new black overalls. “It was great to see him go […]
Ghosn wants Renault return for Alonso
Feb.4 (GMM) Carlos Ghosn on Wednesday did not hide that enticing Fernando Alonso back to the new works Renault team is an objective. “Would I like to sign Alonso? For sure,” he told the Spanish sports daily AS at the Paris launch of the new project. In 2005 and 2006, Alonso won back-to-back titles for […]
No 2016 car or race livery at Renault launch
Feb.4 (GMM) Renault revealed neither its 2016 car nor the race livery as the wraps came off a mostly black single seater during Wednesday’s Paris event. “Here is the Renault RS16 that you will see in Barcelona in two weeks,” declared the French carmaker’s Carlos Ghosn. It soon emerged, however, that the mainly black livery […]
Marchionne wanted Alfa Romeo deal for Toro Rosso
Feb.3 (GMM) Fiat Chrysler president Sergio Marchionne wanted Toro Rosso to be powered by Alfa Romeo-branded engines in 2016. That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport, in the wake of the so-called ‘Red Bull engine crisis’ that almost silenced the energy drink brand in F1. Ultimately for 2016, Renault agreed to de-brand its […]
F1’s big names attend key Milan meeting
Feb.3 (GMM) A landmark meeting starring the biggest names in formula one took place in Milan on Tuesday. Pirelli had sent out the invitation to the sport’s leading authorities and figures and also disgruntled F1 drivers, who want key changes to the tyre characteristics for 2017. F1’s official tyre supplier, in turn, is pushing for […]
Renault may change black livery by Melbourne
Feb.3 (GMM) Renault on Wednesday revealed a black livery for its return as a works F1 team. The RS16 became the first car of the 2016 season to be unveiled, at an event held before the world’s media at Renault’s Technocentre on the outskirts of Paris. A sign of how eagerly the world of F1 […]
Williams signs simulator driver Paffett
Feb.3 (GMM) Williams has signed up former long-time McLaren test driver Gary Paffett. The 34-year-old Briton, who races in the German touring car series DTM, was a McLaren tester for a decade until the team’s Mercedes era ended. But Paffett is now returning to duty in F1 with a role as Williams’ “simulator driver”. “We’re […]
Force India to lose co-owner, title sponsor Sahara
Feb.3 (GMM) Force India looks set to lose its major co-owner and title sponsor Sahara. The Indian conglomerate Sahara’s chief, Subrata Roy, has been in a Delhi jail since 2014, and local reports say he is desperately trying to raise the money for bail. The Times of India says Sahara on Tuesday asked the supreme […]
Manor not an option for Maldonado – manager
Feb.3 (GMM) Pastor Maldonado’s manager has played down speculation the Venezuelan might rescue his tattered F1 career by joining Manor in 2016. Reportedly amid problems between his crisis-struck sponsor PDVSA and the new Renault works team, 30-year-old Maldonado confirmed this week that he will not be on this year’s grid. “I will not go into […]
New Toro Rosso one second faster – Verstappen
Feb.2 (GMM) Toro Rosso’s new car is up to a second per lap faster than its 2015 predecessor. That is the astonishing claim of meteoric F1 teenager Max Verstappen, ramping up expectations of a very good 2016 campaign for the junior Red Bull team. Albeit with one of the best chassis on the grid, the […]
Force India eyeing third F1 force Williams – Hulkenberg
Feb.2 (GMM) Force India should set its 2016 sights on F1’s third force Williams. That is the view of Nico Hulkenberg, the Silverstone based team’s German driver who was arguably outperformed in 2015 by his podium-getting teammate Sergio Perez. Hulkenberg told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “I’m hungry. I want to attack. I want 2016 […]
F1 moves to Milan for more future talks
Feb.2 (GMM) A meeting last Friday broke with formula one no closer to determining the shape of its future. At London’s Heathrow airport, the teams, FOM and the FIA got together to discuss the rules for 2017, amid widespread disagreement about how to proceed. It was billed as the penultimate meeting before a March 1 […]
Britain clearing path for London GP
Feb.2 (GMM) F1 has turned another corner on the long road to a street race in London. The idea has been doing the rounds for years, but it might now regain momentum after British grand prix chief Patrick Allen admitted late last year that Silverstone might not be able to afford the race fee in […]
Teammate Chilton ‘cannot watch’ Bianchi footage
Feb.2 (GMM) Despite two recent tragedies, former F1 driver Max Chilton is pressing ahead with his career in motor racing. Chilton was the late Jules Bianchi’s teammate at Marussia when the Frenchman suffered his ultimately fatal crash at Suzuka in late 2014. The Briton says he still “cannot watch” the footage of the incident. “Jules’ […]
Force India signs billionaire’s son
Feb.2 (GMM) The father of a young Russian driver signed up by Force India for 2016 is a billionaire. At just 16, Nikita Mazepin will not be old enough to qualify for a F1 super licence for two more years, and so he has become a development driver on a “long term” deal. A kart […]
Maldonado out, Ocon reserve, Wehrlein for Manor – reports
Feb.2 (GMM) Pastor Maldonado has confirmed rampant speculation that he has lost his race seat in formula one. Before the Renault buyout, Lotus re-signed the controversial 30-year-old for 2016 but there have been reported problems between the Enstone team’s new owner and his backer PDVSA, the struggling Venezuelan state-owned oil company. “Today I most humbly […]
Kvyat hopes for ‘small progress’ in 2016
Feb.1 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat is hoping Red Bull can improve in 2016. Although now taking a back seat at the former quadruple world champion team, designer Adrian Newey last week warned that Red Bull could be set for another painful year in 2016. That is because, even after the bitter falling out with Renault, Red […]
2016 Toro Rosso-Ferrari set for FIA crash tests
Feb.1 (GMM) Toro Rosso plans to homologate its 2016 chassis later this week, according to a source close to the Faenza based team. That is despite the fact the team’s schedule for the new season was thrown into chaos late last year amid the so-called ‘Red Bull engine crisis’. While the senior team has been […]
Sources say Magnussen deal now done
Feb.1 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has now agreed a deal to race with the new Renault works team in 2016, according to sources. “It’s not yet official,” declared the Danish newspaper BT, “but we reveal that Kevin Magnussen has already signed an agreement with the French car giant.” The report said it was told by “several […]
McLaren livery change possible for 2016 – report
Feb.1 (GMM) Speculation is mounting that McLaren will kick off its hopes for a much better 2016 season with a livery tweak. The British team has had famously few livery changes in its history, having raced in either the Marlboro or West-inspired guises in recent decades. But last year, McLaren unveiled conventional silver colours for […]