Jul.5 (GMM) Yet another potential buyer for F1’s commercial rights has emerged. Earlier, it was reported that current owner CVC and Bernie Ecclestone could sell their respective stakes to a consortium involving the Miami Dolphins’ Stephen Ross and Qatar’s sports investment arm. But also reportedly interested is Sky and international telcom Liberty, and separately the […]
Raikkonen not happy despite race seat boost
Jul.5 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen insisted he took no joy or repose from his performance on Saturday. Under severe pressure to up his game or lose his Ferrari seat, the Finn outqualified his on-form teammate Sebastian Vettel at Silverstone for only the second time this season. It is a timely boost amid his campaign to stay […]
Wolff not ‘categorically’ ruling out Red Bull engine deal
Jul.5 (GMM) All sides came out fighting on Saturday following speculation Red Bull is set for a sensational switch to Mercedes power. A British magazine earlier reported the engines could be re-branded as Aston Martin, a British luxury carmaker that is 5 per cent owned by Mercedes. But Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko said on […]
Wolff open to letting rivals ‘catch up’
Jul.5 (GMM) Even dominant Mercedes might be willing to facilitate change amid F1’s so-called ‘crisis’. Many believe the biggest problem is that while the German marque has utterly mastered the new ‘power unit’ era, the cost-limiting development ‘freeze’ will prevent struggling Renault and Honda from ever catching up. Bernie Ecclestone has reportedly proposed that, to […]
McLaren’s Arai, Boullier asked if it’s time to go
Jul.5 (GMM) As McLaren-Honda’s 2015 season goes from worse to woeful, questions about the men in charge are now being asked. Although the new Anglo-Japanese ‘marriage’ has been all smiles amid the turmoil so far, McLaren is now heaping the pressure on its struggling partner. “For Honda, if it’s a five year project, and if […]
Now Verstappen linked with Ferrari switch
Jul.4 (GMM) Teen sensation Max Verstappen has burst into the running for Kimi Raikkonen’s seat at Ferrari. A source told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that the 17-year-old Dutchman is considered “a serious option” by the fabled Maranello team. Toro Rosso rookie Verstappen, however, is firmly under contract to team owner Red Bull, meaning Ferrari […]
Market expert points finger at Ecclestone
Jul.4 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone and formula one are being left behind by the “digital generation”. That is the view of Lars Stegelmann, an executive of the market intelligence experts Repucom. Commissioned by the F1 drivers’ union GPDA, Repucom headed the recent global fan survey. Speaking to the German news agency DPA, Stegelmann said that in […]
Too early to consider Red Bull move – Sainz
Jul.4 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is not getting his hopes up about a potential move to Red Bull’s senior team for 2016. With Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo linked with a move to Ferrari, there could be an opportunity for a Toro Rosso driver to make the step up. But 20-year-old Sainz, who like […]
Wolff open to ‘solution’ if Lotus drops Mercedes power
Jul.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff has indicated Mercedes is ready to be flexible amid rumours Renault is looking to take over Lotus. Officially, no party is willing to confirm the increasingly-widespread speculation about Renault, the French carmaker, buying back 51 per cent of the Enstone team from Gerard Lopez. Lopez, however, has been conspicuously absent in […]
Wolff says Bottas to wear ‘blue or red’ in 2016
Jul.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff has confirmed speculation Valtteri Bottas will either keep driving for Williams next year or switch to Ferrari. Wolff, who is Mercedes’ F1 chief, is also involved in the management of Bottas’ career. The Finn is strongly linked with a move to Ferrari next year to replace his struggling countryman Kimi Raikkonen. […]
Rosberg must ‘save 2015 championship’ – Ecclestone
Jul.4 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says Mercedes is still clearly the favourite for British grand prix victory. On Friday – as is increasingly the case in 2015 – Ferrari looked poised to pose a real challenge to the dominant champions this weekend at Silverstone. Asked how much he can improve after practice, championship leader Lewis Hamilton […]
Monza officials meet Ecclestone once again
Jul.4 (GMM) Monza is stepping up its campaign to save the embattled Italian grand prix. After one recent meeting moved Bernie Ecclestone to declare “stalemate”, officials of the fabled Autodromo Nazionale met again this week with the F1 supremo. “It was a positive meeting, which was also attended by Andrea Dell’Orto,” Monza official and former […]
Verstappen slams GPDA and fan survey
Jul.4 (GMM) Max Verstappen has ridiculed the importance of the global fan survey commissioned by his fellow F1 drivers. The 17-year-old is not a member of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, and told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper he has no intention of joining. And he said his anti-GPDA stance has only been reinforced in recent weeks […]
Pirelli waiting for tyre tender news
Jul.4 (GMM) Paul Hembery says he is waiting to know if Pirelli will remain F1’s official tyre supplier beyond 2016. “No news yet,” the Briton, who is the Italian company’s F1 chief, said at Silverstone. Pirelli is going head-to-head with former F1 supplier Michelin for the 2017-2020 contract. “As I understand it,” Hembery explained, “the […]
Teams not confirming ‘mini-GP’ race format shakeup
Jul.4 (GMM) Team bosses at Silverstone were reluctant to confirm the details of a race weekend format shakeup that could save the increasingly slated sport. Information leaked to specialist publications ahead of the British grand prix indicated the Strategy Group is considering adding extra races to the traditional weekend format. One could be contested by […]
Hamilton accepts invite to Rosberg’s BBQ
Jul.3 (GMM) They may not be the best of friends, but title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will share a gourmet hamburger this weekend at Silverstone. The Mercedes duo’s motor homes are parked side-by-side inside the British grand prix venue, and Rosberg – although joking he would erect a “big fence” between them – […]
Terror alert high at British grand prix
Jul.3 (GMM) Security personnel are on full alert at the British grand prix. The increased tension is due to the terror attack in Tunisia last week, in which 30 of the 38 people gunned down were British. It is also the tenth anniversary of the London terror bombing attacks. So the Daily Express newspaper said […]
Massa confident of keeping Williams seat
Jul.3 (GMM) Felipe Massa is confident he will keep his seat at Williams in 2016. “Why not?” the diminutive Brazilian smiled at Silverstone. Brazil’s Globo quoted team technical boss Pat Symonds as saying the former Ferrari driver Massa alongside Valtteri Bottas is among the best pairing he has seen “in the 30 years I have […]
Alonso scratched but bullish in Britain
Jul.3 (GMM) Fernando Alonso strolled into the Silverstone paddock on Thursday with a bandaged hand. But he said it has nothing to do with his big crash with Kimi Raikkonen in Austria two weeks ago. “I fell off my bike while training,” the McLaren-Honda driver and cycling enthusiast told Spanish reporters ahead of the British […]
Vettel ‘doesn’t care’ about Webber claims
Jul.3 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has shrugged off explosive claims made by his former Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. In his newly published autobiography, retired F1 star Webber slammed the quadruple world champion’s “arrogance”, revealing Vettel even threatened to sue Red Bull in the wake of the so-called Multi-21 team orders affair. “I really don’t care […]