Sep.21 (GMM) Jenson Button is preparing to announce his decision to end his sixteen-year F1 career, according to multiple British reports on Monday. With McLaren’s contract option on the British driver for 2016 set to expire at the end of September, and the parties rumoured to have been bickering over a scheduled pay increase, 35-year-old […]
Toro Rosso wants engine uncertainty to end
Sep.21 (GMM) Boss Franz Tost says he wants a quick decision to be taken about Toro Rosso’s engine supplier for 2016. Although Red Bull chiefs have insisted the senior team can afford a longer delay, Tost says the situation is slightly different for Faenza based Toro Rosso. It is believed that, at least behind the […]
Horner hints Verstappen to have Red Bull future
Sep.21 (GMM) Max Verstappen may be about to leap into contention for a meteoric promotion to Red Bull Racing. Hot on the heels of his sensational debut as a 17-year-old and recent rumours linking him with Ferrari, the latest gossip is that the talented Dutchman is now shaping up for a move from Red Bull’s […]
Vergne, Ocon linked with second works Renault seat
Sep.21 (GMM) The candidates are already beginning to shape up to join Pastor Maldonado at the new works Renault team next year. Even though the French carmaker’s buyout of the Enstone team is not yet formalised, it is strongly believed that a deal is now done. So after the Singapore grand prix, although still known […]
Suzuka could be ‘business as usual’ after Mercedes slump
Sep.21 (GMM) All eyes are on Mercedes as the team otherwise dominant in the ‘power unit’ era suffered a mysterious loss of form in Singapore. One might be forgiven for thinking Fernando Alonso would recoil at his old team Ferrari’s third win of the season on Sunday. But the McLaren-Honda driver told Italy’s Rai: “It’s […]
Rosberg should consider Mercedes exit – Marko
Sep.20 (GMM) If the balance of power at Mercedes persists, Nico Rosberg should consider leaving the team. That is the view of Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko, as the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag analysed whether Rosberg can hit back at the increasingly on-form Lewis Hamilton. Eddie Jordan, a former F1 team owner and […]
Slow Mercedes baffled but rejects ‘conspiracy’
Sep.20 (GMM) As Mercedes’ long and dominant form mysteriously disappeared under the Singapore floodlights, it did not take long for the speculation to begin. Everyone at Marina Bay and beyond could not believe that, just two weeks after the utter domination of Monza, the silver cars are suddenly much slower than Ferrari and Red Bull. […]
Rumours, reports say Renault completes Lotus buyout
Sep.20 (GMM) Rumours swirling in the Singapore paddock and among international correspondents indicate the buyout deal between Renault and Lotus is finally now done. France’s RMC said it could be announced in one week, ahead of the Japanese grand prix at Suzuka. Major publications including Auto Motor und Sport and Bild newspaper in Germany refer […]
Renault hints Grosjean leaving Enstone team
Sep.20 (GMM) Romain Grosjean’s switch to Haas for 2016 was all but confirmed on Sunday. It is well known that Lotus, Grosjean’s current team, is in detailed talks with Renault about a buyout. Those discussions obviously sped up throughout the Singapore race weekend, aided by the Renault ambassador Alain Prost. But the F1 legend insisted: […]
Wild rumours link Alonso to Red Bull-Ferrari
Sep.20 (GMM) Wild speculation is being whispered in the Singapore paddock about Fernando Alonso’s future. McLaren supremo Ron Dennis has insisted the Spaniard is on a fixed contract for 2015, 2016 and 2017 without exit clauses, but Italian and Spanish media sources this weekend have insisted those clauses do exist. And so the rumours have […]
Penalties for illegal tyre pressures still unclear
Sep.19 (GMM) After the FIA and Pirelli moved to clear up the tyre pressure controversy, it still is not clear whether drivers might be penalised this weekend in Singapore and beyond. Instead of disqualifying Lewis Hamilton at Monza, after his tyre was found to be 0.3 PSI under Pirelli’s mandated minimum, F1’s governing body declared […]
Lack of sponsors led to Manor seat exit – Merhi
Sep.19 (GMM) Roberto Merhi has admitted his lack of sponsorship backing opened the door for Alexander Rossi to take his place at Manor. Spaniard Merhi said he only found out about his sidelining once he had actually travelled to Singapore for this weekend’s race. “I was looking forward to Singapore already since Monaco, where I […]
Two-tier engine caps, wind tunnel bans may never fire
Sep.19 (GMM) The engines may never fire on two cost-cutting proposals that have leaked out of this week’s strategy group meeting. The first proposal, reportedly carried through a majority vote, is that a cap should be put on the cost of a ‘power unit’ for customer teams. Currently, a team like Williams reportedly pays a […]
Hamilton works as hard as Rosberg – Willis
Sep.19 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton works just as hard for success as his teammate Nico Rosberg. That is the claim of Mercedes technical boss Geoff Willis, just days after F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone declared that the reigning world champion’s extravagant lifestyle is spinning out of control. “Thanks to Facebook or Twitter, he lets everyone think that […]
VW not commenting on Red Bull rumours
Sep.19 (GMM) Volkswagen on Saturday said it would not comment on speculation it might be the solution to Red Bull’s engine dilemma. With the energy drink-owned stable now confirming its impending split with Renault, team officials also admitted in Singapore that an alternative engine deal with Ferrari is still not agreed. Eddie Jordan, a former […]
Singapore trains threaten hybrid F1 cars – report
Sep.19 (GMM) Team engineers are nervous each time their cars approach Singapore’s Anderson Bridge, according to a report in the German newspaper Bild. It is said that a strange magnetic or electrical interference, probably related to subway lines that run nearby and underground, is threatening to grind the sophisticated, hybrid F1 cars of 2015 to […]
Lauda sure Ferrari will supply engines to Red Bull
Sep.19 (GMM) Along with a clear quit threat, Red Bull has announced that it is splitting with long-time engine supplier Renault. “The separation from our engine partner at the end of the season is by mutual agreement,” the energy drink owned stable’s owner Dietrich Mateschitz declared to his local newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten. “There was no […]
Bottas ‘surprised’ by ‘underrated’ Massa
Sep.19 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas admits his teammate Felipe Massa is a definite thorn in his side as he bids to up his credentials in formula one. Earlier, the 26-year-old was the hot favourite to oust fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari next year, until Williams refused to let the Italian team buy out Bottas’ contract. […]
Ferrari ‘obviously’ new Red Bull supplier – Verstappen
Sep.19 (GMM) Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen is sure that splitting with Renault is the best move for the Red Bull camp. As speculation swirls in the Singapore paddock, the Dutchman admitted that his “only concern” is the interests of his son Max, who drives for the Red Bull-owned junior team Toro Rosso. “This year […]
Raikkonen practiced 100 race starts after Monza glitch
Sep.18 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is confident he will not suffer another disastrous race start this weekend in Singapore. After qualifying on the front row at Monza, the Finn dropped to last before the first corner after his Ferrari went into ‘anti-stall’ as he dropped the clutch. Initially, the Finn and the Maranello team disagreed about […]