May 30 (GMM) McLaren has played down claims about a 2016 ‘B’ team. After the FIA kicked off a search for a new F1 team late this week, speculation suggested an early frontrunner could be ART, a French GP2 outfit. Leading the McLaren-liveried team in the feeder series’ 2016 championship is Stoffel Vandoorne, a McLaren-backed […]
Kehm defends handling of Schumacher privacy
May 30 (GMM) Manager Sabine Kehm has defended her handling of the media since Michael Schumacher’s skiing crash seventeen months ago. Kehm and Schumacher’s wife Corinna have often been criticised for guarding privacy so fiercely since the late December 2013 accident. It means the great German has not been seen publicly, while the nature of […]
GP2 team ART on pole for 2016 debut – report
May 29 (GMM) An early frontrunner to be the twelfth team in 2016 has already emerged. The FIA surprised the F1 media on Thursday by announcing it is searching for another team to join newcomer Haas, perhaps as soon as 2016. Given it is already almost June, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport on Friday suggested […]
Ecclestone not ruling out India return
May 29 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is not ruling out a return to the F1 calendar for India. Last week, a source close to the former promoter Jaypee indicated that the New Delhi race – scrapped for financial and bureaucratic reasons after its third edition in 2013 – appeared unlikely to return any time soon. Indeed, […]
Massa thinks Monaco one-off slump for Williams
May 29 (GMM) Felipe Massa has backed Williams to recover immediately from a bad weekend in Monaco. Valtteri Bottas said after the street race that it was the “second year in succession” the British team struggled in Monaco. Technical boss Pat Symonds told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “There is no excuse. “We had the […]
Grosjean ‘annoyed’ by brake-test claim
May 29 (GMM) Romain Grosjean on Friday hit back at Max Verstappen’s claim he “brake-tested” the rookie Dutchman in Monaco. It was 17-year-old Verstappen who was penalised by the FIA following his heavy Ste Devote crash, but the Toro Rosso driver nonetheless claimed he was “brake-tested”. Already denied this week by Lotus chief Alan Permane, […]
Dennis asks Denmark to power Magnussen return
May 29 (GMM) McLaren supremo Ron Dennis jetted into Denmark this week to ask local companies to power Kevin Magnussen back onto the grid. As Fernando Alonso was drafted in for the start of the works McLaren-Honda era, Danish rookie Magnussen was relegated to the reserve driver role. But now the 22-year-old is pushing to […]
Ecclestone eyeing new promoter for Italy GP
May 28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he is open to working with a new race promoter if it saves the embattled Italian grand prix. With the F1 supremo warning that Monza must pay more to stay on the calendar beyond 2016, Italian automobile club chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani and Ivan Capelli, representing the promoter Sias, […]
Hamilton saga ‘cannot be undone’ – Hakkinen
May 28 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen has tipped Lewis Hamilton to bounce back from the Monaco grand prix. Regarding the basic strategy error that cost the world champion a sure victory on the fabled streets, Hakkinen said: “It was a mistake that nobody can change now. “There are now certainly a few meek colleagues who will […]
Deadline on Lotus-Renault buyout deal looming
May 28 (GMM) International media sources believe Lotus is on the cusp of being sold. Just two weeks ago, amid rumours the Enstone team was in talks with its former owner Renault, Lotus chief Matthew Carter declared: “My shareholders have said quite specifically the team isn’t for sale”. But the speculation did not stop. It […]
FIA not banning alcohol advertising in F1 – Todt
May 28 (GMM) Jean Todt has ruled out banning alcohol sponsorship in formula one. During the Monaco grand prix weekend, a European alcohol policy group called Eurocare said the amount of alcohol-related exposure in the sport is “extreme”. “We now urge the involved bodies in F1 to move away from alcohol sponsorship,” the group declared. […]
New Barcelona mayor says F1 funding ‘not priority’
May 28 (GMM) The Spanish grand prix might be losing the backing of the city of Barcelona. At the Circuit de Catalunya’s latest F1 race earlier this month, it was announced that the Spanish grand prix contract has been extended through 2017, 2018 and 2019. But on Sunday, while F1 cars raced around Monaco, the […]
De Villota investigation ‘unfortunate’ – father
May 28 (GMM) Maria de Villota’s father has expressed disappointment with the way an investigation into a 2012 crash was concluded. Britain’s Health and Safety Executive this week announced that “no enforcement action is being taken” against the former Marussia team regarding de Villota’s horror crash into a truck loading ramp whilst aerodynamic testing at […]
FIA clamping down hard in 2015
May 28 (GMM) The FIA is pushing hard for its regulations to be fully respected by F1 teams in 2015. With the governing body having already clamped down in the area of fuel flow, Auto Motor und Sport reports that the FIA is now targeting engine upgrades that are being introduced for supposedly ‘reliability’-based reasons. […]
F1 has turned up the volume in 2015 – Lauda
May 27 (GMM) Niki Lauda thinks F1 has turned up the volume in 2015. “Look at last year,” the Mercedes team chairman told the British broadcaster Sky in Monaco. “The noise has increased, no question, so I think we’re going in the right direction. “The only one that is still a little less loud is […]
McLaren-Honda planning big mid-season upgrades
May 27 (GMM) McLaren is preparing a big upgrade package for June’s Austrian grand prix. After only missing points in Monaco due to another reliability problem, Fernando Alonso said he is expecting the Honda-powered team to struggle on the long straights of Canada next weekend. But he told Spanish reporters: “We have a very aggressive […]
New Sauber drivers have better attitude – boss
May 27 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn has fired a shot at Sauber’s former race drivers. For 2015, the Swiss team dispensed with its 2014 lineup of Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez, instead signing Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson. Nasr and Ericsson have been described as ‘pay drivers’ who are now helping to finance the struggling Hinwil […]
Ferrari already looking ahead to 2016
May 27 (GMM) Ferrari might already be looking ahead to 2016. Although the Italian team has taken a big step forward this year, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims boss Maurizio Arrivabene could now have acknowledged that the potential of the current SF15-T car is limited. “We were unable to change everything in three months,” he […]
Hakkinen defends Verstappen after Monaco crash
May 27 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen has leapt to Max Verstappen’s defence after his high-speed crash at Monaco. Critics blasted teenager Verstappen’s young age and inexperience after the frightening Ste Devote crash, and the FIA issued a five-place grid demotion for Canada and added two penalty points to his super licence. 17-year-old Verstappen, however, claimed on […]
Wolff sure Hamilton will trust Mercedes again
May 27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is not at Brackley this week as Mercedes tackles the bungled mess of the Briton’s Monaco grand prix. The reigning world champion was dominant all weekend in the Principality, but is now having to get over the anger and disappointment of not winning by relaxing on a luxury yacht. Hamilton […]