Feb.20 (GMM) Mick Schumacher’s team switch within the lower-tier categories of Formula 4 has now been confirmed. In early January, we reported that the 16-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher was looking to switch from his Van Amersfoort team to the top Ferrari-linked outfit Prema for 2016. The move was announced officially on Friday, […]
Verstappen unfazed by Tost warning
Feb.20 (GMM) Max Verstappen is unfazed by a warning issued by his boss at Toro Rosso. According to De Telegraaf newspaper, boss Franz Tost warned recently that Verstappen, F1’s Dutch teen sensation, and teammate Carlos Sainz must be careful in 2016 to not try to over-deliver for their second seasons on the grid. “They cannot […]
Bottas could replace feuding Mercedes driver – Salo
Feb.20 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas should have his fingers crossed that bitter teammate warring at Mercedes continues in 2016. That is the view of former F1 driver Mika Salo, who thinks his fellow Finn Bottas would be the beneficiary of a driver shake-up at the title-winning team. Toto Wolff, who is not only Mercedes’ team boss […]
F1 may miss crash-king Maldonado – Salo
Feb.19 (GMM) Mika Salo is not among those who are celebrating the departure from F1 of the sport’s ‘crash king’ Pastor Maldonado. Many believe the oil sponsor-fuelled Venezuelan and his penchant for crashing was bad for formula one, but Salo thinks Maldonado was actually a character to follow. Asked if he will be missed, the […]
Verstappen cautious amid Toro Rosso talk
Feb.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen is not getting carried away with talk Toro Rosso could beat the premier Red Bull team in 2016. With the junior Faenza squad switching to Ferrari power but Red Bull Racing staying with Renault this year, it is suggested Toro Rosso could be higher on the grid. “At the start of […]
Raikkonen must beat Vettel in 2016 – Salo
Feb.19 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen should not be regarded as ‘number 2’ to teammate Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari. That is the view of fellow Finn and former Ferrari driver Mika Salo, who nonetheless admitted that Raikkonen has a tough challenge ahead of him to return to his title-winning days. “At any rate, I do not see […]
Ricciardo no fan of no-glitz F1 launches
Feb.19 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo says he is no fan of F1’s new no-glitz approach to ‘launching’ cars. In the past, teams threw lavish events amid live Spice Girls performances, while the norm these days is to launch new cars via the internet or simply roll out into the testing pitlane for a photo opportunity. And […]
Horner ‘relaxed’ about Ricciardo contract
Feb.19 (GMM) Christian Horner says he is not worried about losing Daniel Ricciardo to a rival team. When Red Bull launched its 2016 livery earlier this week, Australian Ricciardo warned that while his hopes are modest for the new year, he is also keen to keep the momentum in his career that looked set to […]
Three 2016 cars break cover on Friday
Feb.19 (GMM) F1, 2016-style, burst into life on Friday, as three new cars broke cover. The first was Williams’ new FW38, as the British team issued photos of a car bearing a striking resemblance to its 2015 predecessor. But deputy boss Claire Williams said: “The car we are launching today is by no means the […]
‘Impossible’ to beat Haryanto backing – Rossi
Feb.19 (GMM) Alexander Rossi said it proved “impossible” to compete with the government-fuelled Indonesian Rio Haryanto for the final seat on the 2016 grid. The Californian was a major contender for the place alongside Pascal Wehrlein at Manor, but GP2 driver Haryanto ultimately sealed the deal when his state-owned sponsor Pertamina lodged a EUR 5 […]
Tyre rules may not spice up F1 – Horner
Feb.19 (GMM) Christian Horner has played down hopes F1’s new tyre rules will really spice up the action. From 2016, a set of complex rules essentially allowing teams to choose from three tyre compounds per race is tipped to shake up the established order. “It’s a nice way to give us (teams) a few more […]
Horner not ruling out 2017 Renault deal
Feb.19 (GMM) Christian Horner has confirmed suspicions that the heat of Red Bull’s bitter relationship with Renault has now improved. Since the end of 2015, Red Bull has reverted to mere customer status and re-branded its Renault units as ‘Tag-Heuer’ for the new season. And Renault F1 chief Cyril Abiteboul has even suggested that, notwithstanding […]
Button was close to Top Gear switch
Feb.19 (GMM) Jenson Button has admitted he came close to leaving F1 in order to join the new lineup on the BBC motoring programme Top Gear in 2016. Amid rumours the 2009 world champion was considering his future at McLaren-Honda last year, the Daily Mail newspaper claimed Button, 36, was simultaneously “in talks with the […]
Wehrlein to be Manor ‘measuring stick’ – Wolff
Feb.17 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein leapt back into the running to race at Manor this year as the backmarker team got serious about its plans for 2016. That is the claim of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who had earlier hinted that better-funded contenders like Will Stevens and Alexander Rossi were more likely to secure the […]
Ecclestone doubts Mallya will quit F1
Feb.17 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has played down suggestions F1 could be set to lose Force India. Earlier this month, lawyers for jailed team co-owner and title sponsor Subrata Roy and his Sahara company asked the Indian supreme court for permission to sell assets including his 42.5 per cent stake in the Silverstone based outfit. Another […]
Racing brother in F1 ‘a dream’ – Palmer
Feb.17 (GMM) Going wheel to wheel in F1 with his own brother would be a “dream”, Jolyon Palmer has admitted. The son of former F1 driver Jonathan Palmer, 25-year-old Briton Jolyon is making his grand prix debut this year with the new Renault works team. But his younger brother Will is also racing through the […]
Williams not ruling out 2016 wins, title – Massa
Feb.17 (GMM) Williams is not entering 2016 targeting another third place finish in the constructors’ championship. That is the view of Felipe Massa, who alongside Valtteri Bottas helped the Grove team beat giants like Ferrari in 2014 and Red Bull last year. “For the size we are, Williams did a very good job in the […]
Alonso was ‘demotivating’ Ferrari – Montezemolo
Feb.17 (GMM) Fernando Alonso was not right for Ferrari because he was “demotivating” the great team. That is the claim of Luca di Montezemolo, who was still president of the Maranello marque when in late 2014 the wheels of Alonso’s departure were already in motion. “I had the feeling that Fernando had got it into […]
New Honda powerful but unreliable – report
Feb.17 (GMM) Honda’s 2016 engine is more powerful than its predecessor, but still unreliable. That is the claim of Marco Canseco, the correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca. McLaren-Honda debuted its novel, ultra-compact ‘size zero’ concept last year, where the tight packaging of the rear was possible because the turbo is located actually inside […]
Haryanto to replace Stevens at Manor – reports
Feb.17 (GMM) Speculation Manor could be about to split the final race seat on the 2016 grid three ways appears wide of the mark. That is because British newspapers the Telegraph and Daily Mail are reporting that Briton Will Stevens, reportedly among the three contenders to be Pascal Wehrlein’s teammate, has dropped out of the […]