May 12 (GMM) Renault should be back on track with a much more competitive car next year, according to former driver Vitaly Petrov. The Russian, who made his F1 debut in a yellow car built by Enstone in 2010, said the current state of the team is understandable in light of the past 12 months. […]
Ecclestone ‘joking’ in London GP quote – report
May 12 (GMM) A respected F1 correspondent has slammed as “nonsense” suggestions the sport is only a small step from a London street race. The story lit up global headlines this week when F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was asked by ITV News London if a grand prix in the British capital is a possibility. “The […]
Modern F1 not too ‘easy’ – Massa
May 12 (GMM) Felipe Massa has hit out once again at the suggestion that driving formula one cars in the modern era has become too easy. The Brazilian veteran has raced across F1’s V10, V8 and now V6 eras, but he said the challenge is simply “different” today rather than easier. “Sure, it used to […]
Ferrari needs ‘big step’ to beat Mercedes
May 12 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says it would be a “surprise” if Ferrari breaks through for its first win of the season this weekend in Barcelona. Amid rumours of more looming personnel changes, the fabled marque’s president Sergio Marchionne said this week: “I am expecting a couple of wins shortly, starting at Montmelo.” To that […]
Sainz not downbeat over Verstappen promotion
May 12 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is looking on the bright side of his Toro Rosso teammate Max Verstappen’s promotion to the senior Red Bull team. With Daniil Kvyat returning to the junior outfit from this weekend in Barcelona, it was Verstappen rather than Spaniard Sainz who realised his dream of promotion. “I’m not […]
Wolff unhappy about Russia GP TV coverage
May 12 (GMM) Toto Wolff has vowed to raise with Bernie Ecclestone the issue of Mercedes’ underrepresentation on television, despite its ongoing dominance of F1. The German marque’s F1 chief claims that, as Nico Rosberg won all four grands prix so far in 2016, the silver cars were not featured prominently on the FOM-controlled broadcasts, […]
Heineken to enter F1 with EUR 200m deal
May 12 (GMM) Dutch beer brewer Heineken is reportedly entering formula one with a major sponsorship deal. A month ago, F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart announced that, “Very soon, a “large internationally-renowned company will come into F1 as a global sponsor”. De Telegraaf, a Dutch newspaper, said that brand is Heineken, with the first signs […]
Russia to have F1 team eventually – Petrov
May 12 (GMM) Former F1 driver Vitaly Petrov thinks plans for a Russian team are on track. Petrov, who raced for Renault and Caterham, now drives in Le Mans sports cars with SMP Racing, the motor sport arm of SMP Bank headed by billionaire Boris Rotenberg. Rotenberg says the ultimate goal is an F1 team, […]
Kvyat’s career still on track – Petrov
May 12 (GMM) Vitaly Petrov, who was Russia’s first F1 racer, says his countryman Daniil Kvyat’s career in the category is still on track. On the face of it, 22-year-old Kvyat has actually suffered a major blow as Red Bull relegates him to the junior team Toro Rosso to make room for Max Verstappen. The […]
Red Bull wanted reason to oust Kvyat – Surer
May 12 (GMM) Former F1 driver Marc Surer thinks Red Bull used Daniil Kvyat’s tumultuous home race in Russia as justification to oust him. This weekend in Barcelona, teen sensation Max Verstappen will take up his new place at the energy drink’s premier team, with Kvyat relegated to Toro Rosso. It follows two consecutive controversies […]
Women in F1 about money, not gender – de Silvestro
May 12 (GMM) The woman who arguably got closest to a race seat in recent years says physical ability is not the reason there are no female drivers in F1. Although Susie Wolff actually participated in Friday practice sessions, many insiders regard Simona de Silvestro as a bigger talent and two years ago she tested […]
Ricciardo expects Red Bull-Renault to stay together
May 11 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo thinks it is “likely” Red Bull and Renault will stick together beyond this season. The parties ended their semi-works partnership amid acrimony last year, staying together only in the form of a Tag Heuer-branded customer deal for 2016. But Red Bull has been positively surprised by the step forward taken […]
‘Too early’ to say title already gone – Vettel
May 11 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insists the race for the 2016 world championship is still wide open. After Nico Rosberg’s four consecutive wins so far, some insiders are saying the Mercedes driver now has a near-unassailable upper hand over his teammate Lewis Hamilton. And Ferrari, on the other hand, are in ‘crisis’ according to some […]
Ferrari needs another personnel shakeup – Tarquini
May 11 (GMM) Former F1 driver Gabriele Tarquini has backed suggestions Ferrari might now be on the cusp of making some more high-profile personnel changes. Italy’s Autosprint claims this week that, with Sergio Marchionne unhappy about the results so far in 2016, Briton James Allison might be in line to take over from Ferrari team […]
Verstappen move ‘good news’ for F1 – Coulthard
May 11 (GMM) F1 veteran David Coulthard has backed Red Bull’s controversial decision to oust Daniil Kvyat and replace him immediately with Max Verstappen. The Scot, a former Red Bull driver and now respected commentator and broadcaster, said: “It makes for some excitement in formula one that of course everyone is talking about. “So it’s […]
Manor wants to move past struggling Sauber – Wehrlein
May 11 (GMM) Manor is hoping to leave struggling Sauber at the very back of the grid from this weekend’s Spanish grand prix. Barcelona, traditionally the first European race of the season, will this weekend see most teams running heavily updated packages in the wake of the opening four ‘flyaways’. But the Swiss team Sauber […]
Raikkonen runs best motocross team – rider
May 11 (GMM) Watching over his own motocross team at the weekend, Kimi Raikkonen had a typical answer when asked for an interview. “No,” the German newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung quotes him as saying. Raikkonen’s rider Max Nagl, however, is happy to talk about the Ferrari driver, saying at the motocross event in Teutschenthal: “I am […]
Red Bull eyed Alfa Romeo power – Marchionne
May 11 (GMM) Red Bull expressed interest in being powered by Alfa Romeo engines in F1. That is the revelation of Ferrari and Fiat Chrysler president Sergio Marchionne, who said moves are still afoot to bring the Italian carmaker back to the grid. “Alfa Romeo may be there one day,” Italian reports quote him as […]
Ferrari slow to react to rule changes – Baldisserri
May 11 (GMM) Luca Baldisserri, a former key manager and engineer at Ferrari, says the Maranello team should work on adapting better to rule changes. 53-year-old Baldisserri was a key member of the team in the hugely successful Michael Schumacher era, but in recent years he headed Ferrari’s young driver programme and now oversees the […]
Force India hopes for Mallya return soon
May 11 (GMM) The UK government has turned down India’s request for Vijay Mallya to be deported. Former billionaire Mallya has been absent from the F1 paddocks this year over his highly-publicised dispute with the Indian government, regarding the collapse of his airline Kingfisher and massive debts. The 60-year-old is currently holed up at his […]