Dec.29 (GMM) Esteban Gutierrez has admitted he would like his new Haas seat for 2016 to boost his chances of racing for Ferrari in the future. At the end of 2014, the Mexican stepped out of his Sauber race seat and into the reserve role at Ferrari. Gutierrez, 24, admitted he made the move with […]
Mercedes considers ‘unleashing’ driver rivalry – Wolff
Dec.28 (GMM) Mercedes is considering unleashing the rivalry between teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, in a bid to spice up formula one. For the past two years amid the German marque’s utter dominance, the silver-clad drivers have duelled for the title effectively alone. But boss Toto Wolff warned before Christmas that he would have […]
Verstappen chooses son Max over Le Mans return
Dec.28 (GMM) Jos Verstappen will not race at Le Mans next year as he prefers instead to focus on supporting the F1 career of his son Max. Since his last grand prix in 2003, Jos has contested the fabled 24 hour endurance race a couple of times and was reportedly considering a return for 2016. […]
Sirotkin admits F1 test role possible
Dec.28 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin has played down speculation he is definitely set to return to prominence in formula one next year. When still a teenager, the Russian leapt into the headlines in 2013 when he was part of a proposed buyout deal at Sauber. The deal never happened, but in 2015 Sirotkin – now 20 […]
Red Bull cannot be written off – Wolff
Dec.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff has tipped Red Bull to commence a process of rebuilding as the brand races back to the front in formula one. The energy drink company’s premier F1 outfit dominated the sport with every title between 2010 and 2013, faltering only when engine supplier Renault struggled at the commencement of the new […]
F1 set for ‘closer’ 2016 battle – Gutierrez
Dec.28 (GMM) Esteban Gutierrez thinks formula one is set for a more exciting season in 2016. This year, the fight at the front was monopolised by the utter dominance of Mercedes, as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg shared 16 of the 19 wins between them. But Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda told La Gazzetta dello […]
Verstappen wants 100 points and podium in 2016
Dec.28 (GMM) Max Verstappen has confirmed reports he is determined to “aim high” in 2016. This year, the teenage Dutchman had one of the most memorable rookie seasons in the history of the sport, wowing with his overtakes and amassing an impressive tally of 49 points. But he wants to double that feat for 2016, […]
Renault bought back Lotus for 1 pound
Dec.28 (GMM) French carmaker Renault bought back its former works team Lotus for a single British pound. That is the finding of F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, who wrote in the Telegraph that company documents show only 1 pound actually changed hands as Renault bought a 90 per cent stake in the Enstone based team. […]
Button was headed for 2014 retirement – Magnussen
Dec.28 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has revealed the deep shock of discovering at the eleventh hour that his F1 career was stalling after just one year. In 2014, the Dane’s fledgling career was racing towards the end of its debut year with promising early form and – according to him – the certainty of more to […]
No Mercedes ‘alliance’ with Ferrari – Lauda
Dec.27 (GMM) Niki Lauda has denied Bernie Ecclestone’s claim about an alleged alliance between top F1 teams Mercedes and Ferrari. Amid an intensifying political war between the sport’s authorities on the one hand and the leading teams on the other, F1 supremo Ecclestone told Auto Motor und Sport recently that there is “an agreement between […]
Former manager not allowed to visit Schumacher
Dec.27 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s former manager has revealed he has been unable to visit the stricken F1 legend in the wake of his 2013 skiing crash. As the two-year anniversary of the German great’s tragic fall in France now looms, Willi Weber wrote on his Facebook page that Schumacher’s wife Corinna has not allowed him […]
Rossi hints at 2016 Manor deal
Dec.27 (GMM) Alexander Rossi says his plans for the 2016 season will be revealed “soon”. The 24-year-old Californian began his 2015 campaign in GP2, but made his break into formula one towards the end of the season with the backmarker Manor. It is expected Rossi will stay at the team next year, but also in […]
Italian GP at Monza ‘saved’ – official
Dec.24 (GMM) Race officials are now confident formula one is staying in Italy. “The Monza grand prix is saved,” proclaimed Italian automobile club (Aci) chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani. His confidence follows progress in the Italian parliament recently, where the controversial ‘stability law’ was tweaked in order to help authorities raise the necessary money to ink […]
Rosberg contract talks only in summer – Wolff
Dec.24 (GMM) Toto Wolff says there is no guarantee Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton will be paired together beyond 2016. Rosberg, for a start, has a contract only until the end of next year. “We will talk about an extension in the summer at the earliest,” Mercedes team boss Wolff told Speed Week. “Until then, […]
Wolff admits Manor seat for Wehrlein unlikely
Dec.24 (GMM) Talks to secure Mercedes reserve and DTM champion Pascal Wehrlein a seat at Manor next year appear to have failed. Toto Wolff has said openly he was in talks with the British backmarker, who are switching from Ferrari to Mercedes power for 2016. But the Mercedes chief told Speed Week he is not […]
Aston Martin CEO says no to F1
Dec.24 (GMM) The CEO of Aston Martin has confirmed speculation that the British luxury car manufacturer is in fact not entering F1 next year. Negotiations about a naming sponsorship deal had obviously taken place with Force India, but a source close to Aston Martin told Sky News last week that there is “a definite inclination […]
No ‘fantastic results’ straight away – Renault
Dec.24 (GMM) Renault’s F1 chief has joined 2016 driver Jolyon Palmer in playing down the newly re-established works team’s hopes for next season. After acting only as an engine supplier in recent years, the French carmaker has bought back its old Enstone based team from Lotus. But Briton Palmer, signed up to race next year, […]
Schumacher plight still ‘hurts’ – Willi Weber
Dec.24 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s former manager says he no longer watches motor sport. “It hurts,” said Willi Weber, referring to the plight of his former charge Schumacher, who two years ago sustained brain damage in a skiing fall. “That’s why I no longer go to the race track or watch the races,” Weber told the […]
Pirelli must test to design 2017 tyre – Ecclestone
Dec.23 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says a dispute between Pirelli and the F1 teams means the sport might not get wider and faster tyres for 2017. It has been reported that while radical changes to the chassis rules are scheduled to arrive for 2017, a new engine formula might need to wait until 2018. But the […]
Raikkonen to marry, Button splits with wife
Dec.23 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen looks set to get married for the second time. The Ferrari driver’s partner Minttu, with whom Raikkonen already has a child, wrote on her blog that rumours the pair recently got married in New York are wide of the mark. “We did not get married but I did find a wedding […]