Apr.18 (GMM) Fernando Alonso and Johnny Herbert have buried their differences with a hug live on television. The pair clashed in Bahrain after Herbert, a former grand prix winner, urged the injured Spaniard to retire, but Alonso hit back by gatecrashing live British television to tell the Briton he is “not world champion”. But as […]
Hamilton ‘not focused’ on title – Tambay
Apr.18 (GMM) A lack of focus could have put Lewis Hamilton’s bid for a third consecutive world championship off the rails in 2016. That is the view of former F1 driver Patrick Tambay, speaking after a disastrous Chinese grand prix weekend for Briton Hamilton, filled with reliability problems and first-corner damage as he started from […]
F1 ‘respect’ better than more titles – Alonso
Apr.17 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says feeling the “respect” of the paddock is more important to him than adding a third championship to his tally. The Spaniard reacted angrily two weeks ago in Bahrain, when while he was recovering from chest injuries, former F1 driver Johnny Herbert urged him to retire. “Actually,” Alonso told the Spanish […]
Button, Alonso critical of F1 officials
Apr.17 (GMM) Senior drivers Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso were critical of F1’s management in Shanghai on Saturday. First, 17-year veteran Button joined a chorus of those wondering why Pascal Wehrlein’s qualifying crash after losing control on a damp bump required a 20-minute red flag period. “In the 20 minutes, nothing changed,” said the McLaren-Honda […]
Kvyat bites back at furious Vettel
Apr.17 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat held his own wheel-to-wheel and then later in a face-to-face argument with Sebastian Vettel at the Chinese grand prix on Sunday. As Kvyat brushed off a difficult start to his season by finishing a career-equalling best with second in Shanghai, Ferrari’s furious Vettel started a verbal row with the young Russian […]
Red Bull ‘the best car’ in 2016 – Marko
Apr.17 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is on the front row of the grid in China because his Red Bull is “the best chassis” in 2016. That is the claim of the energy drink team’s surly official Dr Helmut Marko, referring to Australian Ricciardo’s surprise second place behind pole sitter Nico Rosberg in the damp qualifying session […]
‘Nothing against’ new Rosberg contract – Wolff
Apr.17 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted Nico Rosberg is in a prime position to negotiate a new Mercedes contract for 2017. The German, who has won the past five grands prix on the trot and will start Sunday’s race in China from pole, is out of contract at the end of the year but tipped […]
Rosberg ‘walking away’ with title – Hamilton
Apr.17 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says it is too early to say his world championship chances are dwindling. That is despite the fact the points gap to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg could blow out to 42 points in China. Briton Hamilton, the reigning back-to-back champion, has had an horror weekend so far in Shanghai, following a […]
Nasr to get new chassis in Russia – report
Apr.17 (GMM) Felipe Nasr is hoping his bad start to the 2016 season finally ends in Russia. In Australia, Bahrain and now China, the Brazilian has suggested that amid Sauber’s obvious financial problems, he is suffering from a fundamental chassis flaw in comparison to the car raced by his teammate Marcus Ericsson. “I feel I […]
Red Bull ‘windshield’ set for Sochi test
Apr.17 (GMM) Red Bull is pressing on with the development of its alternative to the FIA-preferred ‘halo’ concept for cockpit protection for 2017. F1’s governing body has played down the notion that Red Bull’s open-topped, bulletproof-windshield system might get the green light. But Red Bull chief Christian Horner said the concept will be tested anyway […]
Teams showing ‘interest’ for 2017 – Vandoorne
Apr.17 (GMM) McLaren may not be Stoffel Vandoorne’s only option to step up into a full-time race cockpit for 2017. The Belgian, strongly backed by the British team, made an impressive debut recently in Bahrain, where Fernando Alonso sat out the race with chest injuries. Spaniard Alonso is back in action this weekend, but 24-year-old […]
Vettel plays down risk of F1 driver strike
Apr.16 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has played down speculation F1 drivers’ anger at the political situation in the sport could lead to a strike. The response to the controversial letter penned recently by the drivers’ association GPDA, in which the drivers hit out at F1’s governance, was generally dismissive. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, for instance, called […]
Pirelli now close to FIA contract – Hembery
Apr.16 (GMM) Pirelli is now edging close to finally sealing its new deal to stay in F1 beyond the end of this season. The deal with Bernie Ecclestone is already done for 2017 and beyond, but details over the next contract with the FIA have held up the rubber stamp. The biggest issues are over […]
Mallya to miss more F1 races as passport suspended
Apr.16 (GMM) Vijay Mallya will miss more F1 races in the immediate future, after the Indian government suspended his passport. Indian reports say the Force India boss and co-owner “stopped cooperating with investigators” over the huge debts owed over the collapse of his airline Kingfisher. “Passport of Vijay Mallya suspended by the government of India […]
McLaren wants to keep Alonso beyond 2017
Apr.16 (GMM) McLaren-Honda has opened the door for Fernando Alonso to renew his contract beyond the end of next year. “If he continues working and driving in the same way for us, we would like him to stay,” team boss Eric Boullier told the Spanish sports daily Marca in China. Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert […]
Ferrari poised to challenge Mercedes in China
Apr.16 (GMM) Ferrari may be poised in China to secure its first victory of 2016. The red cars were first and second in Friday practice at the Shanghai circuit, and fast not only over a single lap but also in the crucial ‘long runs’. Mercedes, whose Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have won every grand […]
Rosberg heading for new Mercedes deal – report
Apr.16 (GMM) Nico Rosberg is on course to secure a new contract to keep racing at Mercedes beyond 2016. That is the news of Britain’s Telegraph newspaper, reporting from the scene of the Chinese grand prix where the German driver could extend his winning streak to six consecutive races. “The finer details of his new […]
Todt should let F1 war go to court – Mosley
Apr.16 (GMM) Jean Todt’s predecessor says the Frenchman should put formula one back on the right track by having the current agreements challenged in court. Amid a poisonous political climate at present and fierce criticism of the sport’s deadlocked governance processes and rules, current president Todt admitted in Bahrain recently that the FIA should have […]
Gene Haas aims fire at F1 ‘whiners’
Apr.16 (GMM) Haas, the new American team, has stepped up the tone of its rhetoric amid criticism of its close alliance with Ferrari. The team’s two points finishes in Australia and Bahrain respectively have sparked controversy in the pitlane that driver Romain Grosjean brands as “jealousy”. Technical boss Gunther Steiner, meanwhile, said Haas is doing […]
Hungary secures F1 race through 2026
Apr.15 (GMM) Hungary’s place on the F1 calendar is secure for a decade. Reports out of Budapest say organisers of the annual race at the Hungaroring have inked a new-five year extension that will now see the deal run until 2026. The news broke as the circuit launched its complete re-asphalting of the twisty layout. […]