Feb.9 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen and his long-time manager Dorte Riis Madsen are set to split, according to the Danish newspaper BT. The report said it was the young Danish driver, and not his female manager Madsen, who negotiated with Renault and other teams and secured his return to F1 for 2016. It is believed Magnussen, […]
McLaren-Honda must be better in 2016 – Prost
Feb.5 (GMM) Alain Prost thinks McLaren-Honda will have a better season in 2016. The quadruple world champion and F1 legend was in Paris earlier this week for the Renault launch. It had been rumoured Prost might take on a direct managerial role at Renault this year, but he will instead simply continue to be a […]
2016 Renault car ‘conservative’ – Abiteboul
Feb.5 (GMM) Renault will walk a fine line between improving the 2016 car and preparing for the opportunity presented by next year’s radically different rules. “2017 will be important for us,” agreed new team boss Frederic Vasseur. “The regulations will change significantly, which for us will be an important opportunity.” Having taken over Lotus at […]
Schumacher news ‘not good’ – Montezemolo
Feb.5 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s former boss has caused a stir by suggesting the health condition of the F1 legend is “not good”. “I constantly get news about him and it is not good,” former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said. The Italian was speaking at an anniversary event for the Quattroruote magazine, adding: “He was […]
Magnussen sympathises with ousted Maldonado
Feb.5 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen has expressed his sympathy for the plight of Pastor Maldonado, who was ousted at the last minute by Renault for 2016. It is Magnussen who is replacing the controversial Venezuelan, and the young Dane said: “Pastor has my full respect. “I have been in the same situation as him (at McLaren) […]
Renault not surprised by Marko comments
Feb.5 (GMM) Renault says it is not surprised by comments made recently by Dr Helmut Marko. After a long period of tension between Red Bull and its engine supplier, they will effectively be competitors in 2016 after Renault took over the Lotus team. Red Bull, now effectively a paying customer, will still be powered by […]
Friday outings possible for Ocon
Feb.5 (GMM) Esteban Ocon may get some Friday practice outings in 2016. ‘On loan’ to Renault after re-signing with Mercedes’ driver development scheme late last year, the 19-year-old reigning GP3 champion will be the official third driver in 2016. And the Frenchman could get some free practice outings in the new Renault in 2016, managing […]
Chris Dyer returns to F1 with Renault
Feb.5 (GMM) Chris Dyer, a well-known former engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen, is returning to F1 after a five year hiatus. The Australian lost his job as chief track engineer at Ferrari after a bungled race strategy cost Fernando Alonso the drivers’ title at the 2010 season finale. More recently, he has been […]
Magnussen had another F1 offer for 2016
Feb.5 (GMM) Renault wasn’t Kevin Magnussen’s only F1 option for 2016, according to the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. When asked if he had turned down an offer from another team, the Danish driver answered simply: “Yes.” Ekstra Bladet claims the other option was Manor, the only F1 team still yet to announce its race drivers […]
Renault can win again in future – Briatore
Feb.5 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has wished his old employer well as Renault prepares to return to full works status in formula one this year. The flamboyant Italian was team boss throughout Renault’s most successful era last decade, until the ‘crashgate’ scandal ended his F1 career. When asked about Renault having bought back Enstone to re-start […]
F1 to scrap engine ‘token’ system – Abiteboul
Feb.4 (GMM) F1’s complex and controversial engine development ‘token’ system will be scrapped for 2017. That was the claim on Wednesday of Cyril Abiteboul, the Renault managing director. He was speaking at the Renault launch in Paris, taking place hot on the heels of a spate of high-level recent meetings about the future shape of […]
Renault wants 200 more staff at Enstone
Feb.4 (GMM) Renault is aiming to add 200 staff to its Enstone chassis factory by the end of next year. “A lot of positions are opening up,” admitted chassis technical director Nick Chester during Wednesday’s Paris launch. When the team was sold by Renault to Lotus some years ago, it was downsized and the current […]
Renault seat ‘a surprise’ – Magnussen
Feb.4 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen was still letting the news sink in as he stepped onto the stage as a works Renault race driver on Wednesday. At the eleventh hour, the French team split with the controversial contracted driver Pastor Maldonado, and new racing director Frederic Vasseur said Dane Magnussen was the “obvious choice”. “I don’t […]
2016 right time to enter F1 – Vasseur
Feb.4 (GMM) The sport’s newest team boss, Frederic Vasseur, said 2016 is the right time for him to enter the world of formula one. For years, the Frenchman has been on the very edge of the pinnacle of motor racing as he ran the top GP2 team ART with Nicolas Todt, whose father is the […]
Magnussen brings sponsor to F1 ‘second chance’
Feb.4 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen said he felt lucky to have been given a rare “second chance” in formula one. The Dane was unveiled as a race driver for the new Renault works team on Wednesday, replacing Pastor Maldonado at the eleventh hour over a sponsorship dispute. And Magnussen, 23, has his own backer, Danish billionaire […]
Jorda has ‘no problem’ with Ocon deal
Feb.4 (GMM) A surprise face at the Renault launch on Wednesday belonged to Carmen Jorda. Last year, the Spaniard and former GP3 driver was the female development driver at Lotus, which has been taken over by Renault for 2016. But Jorda told Spain’s Europa Press that she will have the “same role” this year too. […]
F1 sponsor hails Magnussen’s return
Feb.4 (GMM) A Danish businessman has hailed Kevin Magnussen’s return to F1. In 2014, the Danish bank Saxo Bank entered F1 as a sponsor with Lotus. Now, Danish driver Kevin Magnussen has joined the same Enstone based team just as it returns to being the works Renault outfit. Lars Seier Christensen is no longer the […]
Toro Rosso still ‘on schedule’ for test debut
Feb.4 (GMM) Toro Rosso remains “on schedule” to debut its 2016 car on the first day of Barcelona testing. Earlier, it was suggested the Red Bull junior team might be running late due to the eleventh-hour switch from Renault to Ferrari power. “Yes, I would like more time, but our technical department has many experienced […]
F1 pushing ahead with ‘halo’, faster tyres for 2017
Feb.4 (GMM) F1 will press ahead with its plans to protect the drivers’ cockpits in 2017, according to Alex Wurz. Earlier, the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) president said his F1 racing members were unanimously in favour of adding the ‘halo’-style solution to the cars. But rumours from the most recent F1 meetings in London […]
Renault to have ‘difficult year’ – Prost
Feb.4 (GMM) Alain Prost has played down Renault’s hopes for 2016. The quadruple world champion is remaining an ambassador for the French carmaker, after Renault bought back its old works team that in recent years has been known as Lotus. “It will not be possible already in 2016 to compete against the best,” Prost, whose […]