May 1 (GMM) F1 is pressing ahead with radical cockpit protection even though the sport’s chief executive is opposed. “I don’t like it,” Bernie Ecclestone declared at Sochi on Sunday, after the Red Bull-championed ‘Aeroscreen’ had been debuted in practice. When asked what F1 should do about further cockpit protection, he said without hesitation: “Nothing.” […]
Kvyat phoned Vettel after Sochi crashes
May 1 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat on Sunday said he had spoken with Sebastian Vettel on the phone after the Russian grand prix. Two weeks after their pre-podium verbal argument in China, Russian Kvyat had an horror home race at Sochi after hitting Ferrari’s Vettel from behind not once but twice on the first lap. German […]
Mercedes blasts anti-Hamilton conspiracy
May 1 (GMM) Mercedes on Sunday rubbished suggestions Lewis Hamilton’s horror run of bad luck so far in 2016 may be a conspiracy. As Nico Rosberg turned his six-race winning streak into an almost unprecedented seven at Sochi, some were daring to wonder if reigning champion Hamilton’s continuing reliability problems have been more than just […]
Lauda takes step back as television pundit
May 1 (GMM) Niki Lauda is taking a step back from his full-time duties as the lead pundit for German television. The F1 legend has held the RTL microphone for years but the broadcaster admitted at Sochi that it has agreed that Lauda will no longer appear on-screen at every grand prix. “As chairman of […]
Vettel sure Ferrari can win 2016 title
May 1 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insists the 2016 title race is not already over. Many think Nico Rosberg, who could extend his extraordinary winning streak from six to seven straight races in Russia, is now pulling into an unassailable position at the top of the drivers’ world championship. It comes amid an almost equally extraordinary […]
Button hopes to stay for Honda’s new 2017 engine
May 1 (GMM) Jenson Button has confirmed reports Honda is working on a major redesign of its F1 ‘power unit’ for McLaren to use in 2017. The Japanese marque has made steps forward this year after a disastrous 2015, but Button was still a tenth shy of making it into ‘Q3’ in Russia. So while […]
Tost ‘more than happy’ with Toro Rosso lineup
May 1 (GMM) Max Verstappen will continue to steal the limelight even though Carlos Sainz is also doing a good job. That is the view of the duo’s Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost, amid speculation it could be Dutchman Verstappen who is promoted to the senior Red Bull team for 2017. “Max is doing great, […]
Two Sauber figures absent in Russia
May 1 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn is once again missing in action this weekend in Russia. Earlier in 2016, the Sauber boss and co-owner’s paddock absence stirred speculation the Swiss team’s obvious financial problems may in fact be terminal. But the well-connected Swiss newspaper Blick insists that Kaltenborn is only absent this weekend at Sochi in […]
F1 says Azerbaijan fighting no threat to race
May 1 (GMM) F1’s governing body as well as supremo Bernie Ecclestone have backed Azerbaijan after declaring local fighting is no risk to the inaugural grand prix in Baku next month. A month ago, the Azerbaijan government dismissed suggestions fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed local region, might jeopardise the safe running of forthcoming sports events. […]
Sirotkin to get another Friday outing – manager
Apr.30 (GMM) Sochi was not a one-off Friday morning appearance for Sergey Sirotkin. That is the claim of the young Russian’s manager, after Sirotkin impressed in front of his home crowd to go faster than Renault regular Jolyon Palmer. New tester Sirotkin, 20, and his backers SMP Racing, have inked a deal with Renault that […]
Ferrari pushing ‘like crazy’ to catch Mercedes
Apr.30 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has had a troubled weekend so far in Russia. After early-season reliability trouble and then a controversial clash with teammate Kimi Raikkonen in China, the German then struck more reliability problems on Friday in Russia. And a changed gearbox means he will serve a five-position demotion on the Sochi grid. According […]
Palmer suspects Nasr-like chassis flaw
Apr.30 (GMM) Jolyon Palmer is beginning to suspect a chassis problem may be behind his recent struggle to match his Renault teammates’ pace in 2016. After a solid F1 race debut in Melbourne, the British rookie struggled notably in China – finishing dead last – and he says those troubles have carried over into Russia. […]
Russia GP secure with Putin’s backing – Ecclestone
Apr.30 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says Russia will stay on the F1 schedule so long as it has the backing of Vladimir Putin. The F1 supremo is an avowed admirer of the controversial Russian president, who Ecclestone said is likely to present the trophies on the podium on Sunday. “We’ll see, but we would be very […]
Toro Rosso chief admits Verstappen could ‘move up’ in 2017
Apr.30 (GMM) The Max Verstappen camp is not denying speculation the Dutchman looks set to graduate from Toro Rosso to the main Red Bull team for 2017. Amid rumours Red Bull must complete the promotion in order to hang on to the 18-year-old contractually, Dr Helmut Marko recently hinted that Verstappen is so good that […]
FIA confirms ‘Aeroscreen’ under consideration
Apr.29 (GMM) The FIA has now confirmed that Red Bull’s ‘Aeroscreen’ concept is in the running to be introduced in formula one. Daniel Ricciardo tested the windshield-style driver cockpit protection in the opening minutes of practice in Russia. Earlier, the FIA’s preferred solution for 2017 was the Mercedes-devised ‘halo’ concept that debuted on the Ferrari […]
Magnussen admits ‘pressure’ from Sirotkin, Ocon
Apr.29 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has played down the fact he will sit out Friday morning practice in Russia. Renault has inked a deal with SMP Bank-backed SMP Racing, in which Russian hopeful Sergey Sirotkin will get an outing in Magnussen’s car on Friday. “I do not comment on the timing and whether it’s right or […]
Sirotkin happy to beat Palmer
Apr.29 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin made a good first impression as he ran in morning practice in Russia. The Russian, in Kevin Magnussen’s car, was a full 0.8 tenths faster than Renault regular Jolyon Palmer. “Yes, I surprised myself because eight tenths in formula one terms is really a lot,” Sirotkin said. “At the same time […]
New chassis may not solve problems – Nasr
Apr.29 (GMM) Felipe Nasr is not completely sure a new chassis will fix the handling problems he has been suffering throughout 2016 so far. The Brazilian confirmed in Russia that, after struggling with braking instability at the opening four rounds, he will get a new monocoque to drive at Sochi this weekend. “It is a […]
Mercedes also spent ‘tokens’ for Sochi
Apr.29 (GMM) Ferrari is not the only engine manufacturer that spent some performance development ‘tokens’ ahead of Russia. It was already known that Ferrari had upgraded its ‘power unit’, but Auto Motor und Sport now reports that reigning champions Mercedes have also handed in some tokens – two – for Sochi. “The modifications relate to […]
Marko plays down Verstappen-Kvyat rumours
Apr.29 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has played down speculation Max Verstappen will definitely be promoted to Red Bull’s senior team for 2017. The Austrian, who runs the energy drink company’s F1 driver programme, was quoted recently as suggesting that because Dutchman Verstappen is so good, he will almost certainly move on after two years at […]