Sep.10 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is racing to the 2015 title, former F1 driver Jean Alesi says. That is despite the fact that the Frenchman’s former team, Ferrari, is now steadily closing the technical gap to Mercedes. “I see a much better Ferrari than in previous years,” 51-year-old Alesi, who attended the Italian grand prix, told […]
Ferrari to change engine shape for 2016
Sep.10 (GMM) Ferrari is planning to line up in 2016 with a “completely different car and engine”. That was the claim made by president Sergio Marchionne as he visited the Monza paddock last weekend. Many were surprised when they heard those words, as the regulations are not changing considerably for 2016, ahead of the expected […]
Briatore says Monza future ‘99.9pc’ safe
Sep.10 (GMM) Flavio Briatore is now almost certain that Monza’s future on the F1 calendar is secure. Meetings between race officials, Bernie Ecclestone and even the Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi broke last weekend without a contract beyond 2016 being signed. Still, former Renault chief and long-time Ecclestone confidante and business partner Briatore is confident. […]
Rivals unhappy with Ferrari-Haas alliance – report
Sep.10 (GMM) Rival teams are reportedly unhappy with Ferrari’s new alliance with the 2016 entrant Haas. Ralf Bach, writing on his website f1-insider.com, says the two parties are working hard to skate as closely as possible to the current rules forbidding ‘customer cars’. For its part, the American outfit Haas, already a Ferrari sponsor through […]
Red Bull set for Renault divorce talks in Singapore
Sep.10 (GMM) Red Bull and Renault are obviously now spiralling towards official divorce. It is said that even Carlos Ghosn, the Renault CEO, has accepted Red Bull’s move to end the contract, even though it will cost the energy drink stable EUR 88 million per year in Infiniti and Total sponsorship. “We can say more […]
Ecclestone meets to discuss F1 future for Turkey
Sep.10 (GMM) Turkey could be set to return to the formula one calendar. Last week, Istanbul Park – having hosted seven grands prix until 2011 – returned to the headlines when reports emerged that new operator Intercity planned to turn the Hermann Tilke-penned circuit into a used car dealership. It turned out the reports were […]
Red Bull not taking V6 era ‘seriously’ – Berger
Sep.10 (GMM) Red Bull split with its long-time engine partner because Renault did not spend enough. That is the view of F1 legend Gerhard Berger, who said he is not surprised his friend Dietrich Mateschitz has decided on a new path for his two teams. It is expected that, after Mercedes closed the door, Red […]
Raikkonen emerging from ‘number 2’ status – Hakkinen
Sep.10 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is beginning to emerge from his earlier role as de-facto ‘number 2’ at Ferrari, according to countryman Mika Hakkinen. Last year the Finn was outclassed by Fernando Alonso, and initially this year new teammate and friend Sebastian Vettel also had the edge on Raikkonen. But, more recently, the 35-year-old has upped […]
New engine deal ‘first step’ to Red Bull future
Sep.10 (GMM) Red Bull is now all but admitting that its next engine partner will be Ferrari. The energy drink stable, also comprising the Faenza based team Toro Rosso, has reportedly told Renault it is terminating the contracts, and strong rumours suggest even Carlos Ghosn has now accepted the split. “I can say more after […]
Teams often took ‘risks’ with pressures – Hakkinen
Sep.9 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen has weighed into the Monza tyre pressure saga by saying that in his experience teams often took “risks”. The Italian grand prix was the first time a tyre manufacturer’s usage guidelines were strictly enforced, after Pirelli increased the recommended minimum pressure in the wake of high-speed blowouts at Spa. After the […]
Monza showed Mercedes ‘fragile’ – Marchionne
Sep.9 (GMM) Monza was proof that Mercedes’ stroll to the 2015 title might not be as easy as some are now expecting. Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been quoted as saying the engine performance upgrade brought to the Italian grand prix by Mercedes was “scary”. But the new unit used initially by Nico Rosberg […]
Lotus cannot pressure Renault for decision – Gastaldi
Sep.9 (GMM) Lotus deputy Federico Gastaldi says he is still waiting for Renault to make its decision about buying the Enstone team. It is a harrowing time for the financially-crippled black and gold-coloured team, who have faced off recently against angry unpaid suppliers and even the British tax authorities. But Gastaldi said the fight with […]
McLaren, not Honda to decide Button future
Sep.9 (GMM) McLaren has admitted it will take a quick decision over the future of Jenson Button. Last year, the 2009 world champion faced a long and ignominious wait for news about his fate for 2015, declaring at Monza last weekend that he has told Ron Dennis an earlier decision should be made for next […]
F1 has lost MotoGP-style magic – Berger
Sep.9 (GMM) F1 has lost some of the ‘elbow-to-elbow’ racing magic that can still be seen today on two wheels, legend Gerhard Berger says. “It is perhaps a matter of taste,” he told Austrian Servus TV, “but I personally miss the tough driver-against-driver where it is decided on the last lap by a few seconds.” […]
Red Bull-Renault split no surprise – Berger
Sep.9 (GMM) Rumours that Red Bull and Renault are definitely splitting is no surprise to Gerhard Berger. It is believed Red Bull has now triggered the end of the agreement with a full year still to run, citing a clause that Renault must supply state-of-the-art technology. Reports suggest Renault has now verbally accepted the end-of-season […]
Official slams ‘stupid’ F1 penalty system
Sep.9 (GMM) A Russian motor racing official has hit out at “stupid” penalties that are affecting drivers at today’s grands prix. The spate of penalties up and down pitlane hit an embarrassing zenith at Monza last weekend, as drivers ran out of their allocation of four engines for the season and teams reacted tactically. Igor […]
Michelin still sure F1 needs tyre change
Sep.9 (GMM) Michelin is sticking firm on its stance that F1 needs a change of tyre philosophy. After the blowout saga of Spa, and now the post-Monza tyre pressure controversy, it might be said that Michelin has put its nose in front of Pirelli when it comes to securing the official supply contract for 2017. […]
Wehrlein not denying Manor rumour
Sep.9 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has not denied speculation he is in the running for a Manor seat in 2016. Currently with Mercedes in the German touring car championship DTM, the highly-rated 20-year-old is also the Brackley team’s official F1 reserve. But the German is now being linked with Manor amid rumours the former Marussia team […]
Ferrari budget leaving Williams behind – Symonds
Sep.8 (GMM) Ferrari is now leaving Williams behind in the 2015 pecking order, and the British team knows why. “It is easy to explain,” said Williams technical boss Pat Symonds. At Monza, while Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas battled hard to the line for third and fourth, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished a full 22 seconds […]
Monza should be ‘untouchable’ – Hamilton
Sep.8 (GMM) Sunday’s chequered flag has already waved, Monza is firmly on the 2016 calendar, but the future of the historic and popular Italian grand prix is still making news. That is because figures both inside and outside of the paddock can barely imagine an F1 beyond 2016 without the Autodromo Nazionale, and the passions […]