Feb.29 (GMM) Renault is a “happier” team than McLaren-Honda, even though they may be fighting over the same piece of track in 2016. That is the view of Kevin Magnussen, who was dropped by McLaren at the end of last year and signed up for 2016 by Renault’s new works team. With McLaren apparently still […]
V8 Supercars threatens to quit Aus GP weekend
Feb.29 (GMM) The premier Australian motor racing series is threatening to quit the country’s annual grand prix weekend. V8 Supercars, the popular touring car series, has a contract to race in support of the formula one main-event in Melbourne until 2018. But currently, Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management (FOM) reportedly does not allow the V8 […]
‘Flop’ qualifying shakeup may not happen
Feb.29 (GMM) F1’s new ‘musical chairs’ qualifying format may not happen at all in 2016. Earlier, the changes touted to mix up the grid were approved by the F1 Commission, but Bernie Ecclestone subsequently told the Independent newspaper that his software-writers would not have time to be ready for Melbourne. Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene […]
No ‘musical chairs’ qualifying in Melbourne
Feb.27 (GMM) F1’s new ‘musical chairs’ qualifying format has hit a roadblock. Bernie Ecclestone told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt that Formula One Management’s software team does not have time to prepare the system for the Melbourne season opener next month. “The new qualifying won’t happen because we can’t get everything together in time,” the […]
Manager says Haryanto confirmed for ‘full season’
Feb.27 (GMM) Rio Haryanto’s manager has clarified reports the Indonesian rookie might not complete the entire 2016 season. We reported this week that, although backed by Indonesia via the state-owned oil company Pertamina, Haryanto’s entourage is still looking for more sponsorship to deliver everything promised to the Manor team. His manager Piers Hunnisett, however, denied […]
‘Driver of the day’ initiative pointless – Hamilton
Feb.26 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has launched another attack on the latest rule changes in formula one. Earlier this week, the reigning triple world champion said moves to make the cars wider but also heavier in 2017 are “ridiculous”. And now, the Mercedes driver has ridiculed the decision to crown a ‘Driver of the day’ after […]
Mallya gets $75m, F1 sponsor deal, in company split
Feb.26 (GMM) Vijay Mallya, the Force India boss and co-owner, will receive $75 million to walk away from a company. United Spirits, the flagship of the United Breweries company Mallya took over from his late father, will pay the 60-year-old US $75 million to exit after an acrimonious fight with Diageo. Diageo, the alcohol multinational, […]
Arai exit was ‘long-term plan’ – Boullier
Feb.26 (GMM) The departure from Honda’s F1 project of Yasuhisa Arai had tongues wagging in the Barcelona paddock this week. Rumours have been swirling that McLaren chiefs Eric Boullier and Ron Dennis pressed for his departure, but the official version is that he is simply set to ‘retire’. “Arai-san’s 60th birthday and Honda’s pension policy […]
Innovative Mercedes still out in front
Feb.26 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne remains determined to see Ferrari win its first world championship in nearly a decade. “We will work tirelessly to bring the championship back to Ferrari,” the Maranello marque’s president wrote in a letter to shareholders, “investing where necessary. “The Ferrari racing heritage is not only the key to innovation in our […]
Pecking order similar to 2015 – Kvyat
Feb.26 (GMM) After a full winter, and with a field full of new cars, it appears little has changed about the pecking order in F1. “I have the impression that, over the winter, the order has not really changed,” said Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat as the first half of pre-season testing ended in Barcelona. In […]
Boss Key denies Toro Rosso testing 2015 car
Feb.26 (GMM) James Key on Thursday clarified reports that Toro Rosso did not take its 2016 car to the first Barcelona test. Carlos Sainz had been quoted as saying that, amid the Faenza team’s rush to fit its new Ferrari engines for 2016, Toro Rosso had prepared an interim car built around the 2015 car. […]
Renault not ruling out ‘B’ car in 2016
Feb.26 (GMM) Renault is not ruling out launching a new car later this year, team boss Frederic Vasseur has admitted. The early promise of the newly-launched RS16 has been mixed, as the car is a hurriedly-compiled version of the one designed by Lotus last year for a Mercedes engine. “The recovery of the Lotus project […]
Hamilton slams moves to make F1 cars heavier
Feb.25 (GMM) Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton has slammed F1’s proposed car ‘revolution’ for 2017. Although the final vote has been delayed until late April, the sport’s decision-making bodies this week approved a draft for wider cars and tyres and the Mercedes-devised ‘halo’ cockpit protection. Red Bull’s Christian Horner admits he voted against it. “A […]
Vasseur denies not supporting Magnussen
Feb.25 (GMM) Renault team boss Frederic Vasseur has slammed suggestions he is not fully behind 2016 recruit Kevin Magnussen. Particularly in the Danish media, much has been made of Vasseur’s recent suggestion that his first choice to replace Pastor Maldonado this year was actually ART protege Stoffel Vandoorne. “Complete bullsh*t,” the Frenchman told Denmark’s BT […]
Haryanto may need more funding for full Manor seat
Feb.25 (GMM) A cloud may already be hanging above Rio Haryanto’s new race seat at Manor. The 23-year-old rookie secured the drive when his sponsor, the Indonesian state-owned oil company Pertamina, lodged a EUR 5 million downpayment. But it is rumoured Manor has been promised a further $15 million from the Haryanto camp across the […]
McLaren-Honda will not win in 2016 – de la Rosa
Feb.25 (GMM) McLaren-Honda is right to be keeping its expectations for 2016 in check, according to the British team’s former long-time test driver Pedro de la Rosa. Now 45, de la Rosa has made an appearance in the Barcelona paddock, where expectations that his former colleague Fernando Alonso might have a winning car this year […]
‘Big chance’ Mercedes will cruise to third title – Massa
Feb.25 (GMM) Felipe Massa is not sure F1 fans should expect Mercedes to be toppled from its back-to-back title-winning perch in 2016. As the Brazilian got his first taste of Williams’ new FW38 on Wednesday, he declared that it felt “better” than its predecessor, which finished third overall behind Mercedes and Ferrari last year. “It […]
F1 instability stopping VW foray – boss
Feb.25 (GMM) Volkswagen has renewed its objection to approving a formula one project. Recently, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne said he believes VW brand Audi was “quite ready” to enter the sport soon. “Then came the Volkswagen (emissions) chaos,” he said. But VW’s motor sport chief Wolfgang Durheimer has now told Autocar that it is actually […]
2016 car is ‘best Red Bull has built’ – Marko
Feb.25 (GMM) The mood at Red Bull is upbeat, even though part-time designer Adrian Newey admits the RB12 will not be a Mercedes-beater in 2016. But that is not because the car is bad, team official Dr Helmut Marko insists. In fact, he told Auto Motor und Sport the RB12 is “the best chassis Red […]
Paddock divided over ‘musical chairs’ qualifying
Feb.25 (GMM) Paddock opinion at the Barcelona test has been divided in two, after the FIA confirmed that the F1 Commission in Geneva “unanimously” approved a new qualifying format. Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda had been the first to hail the move to revamp the current ‘knockout’ format by eliminating a slowest car every 90 […]