Sep.3 (GMM) Ferrari wants to re-enter the running to be Red Bull’s new engine supplier from 2016. Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport claims president Sergio Marchionne intends to visit the Monza paddock this weekend not only to support Ferrari, but to try to convince Red Bull to sign up for a supply of the Maranello-made […]
Vettel expecting no more boos from Tifosi
Sep.3 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is expecting a very different Italian grand prix. On the podium in 2013, when he wore Red Bull colours as F1’s dominant and reigning world champion, the German was booed with a ferocity rarely seen in the sport. It was a far cry from 2008, when the fresh-eyed rookie won against […]
FIA happy with safety of Pirelli’s tyres
Sep.3 (GMM) F1’s governing body on Thursday said it is satisfied Pirelli’s tyres are structurally safe. After Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel suffered high-speed blowouts at Spa-Francorchamps, the latter German lashed out at the quality and safety of Pirelli’s tyres. In the wake of Vettel’s outburst, Pirelli said it conducted a detailed investigation into the […]
Renault poised to sign Lotus purchase ‘option’
Sep.3 (GMM) Renault is now poised to sign an option to buy a majority stake of the ailing F1 team Lotus, the German publication Auto Motor und Sport reports. The fate of the beleaguered Enstone team, and Renault and partner Red Bull’s next steps in F1, are the subject of intense speculation in the Monza […]
No Pirelli directives issued yet – team boss
Sep.3 (GMM) How Pirelli will handle the aftermath of the Belgian tyre blowout saga remains unclear. The Italian supplier is poised to reveal the fruits of its investigation into Sebastian Vettel’s failure at Spa-Francorchamps. And Pirelli could also force teams to follow strict new guidelines on maximum engine set life, as well as camber settings […]
No engine talks with Honda yet – Booth
Sep.3 (GMM) Manor is not yet turning its attention to the matter of its driver lineup for 2016. The former Marussia team has fielded Briton Will Stevens alongside Roberto Merhi this season, although the security of the latter Spaniard’s seat has often been in question due to his lack of sponsorship backing. “Normally, we try […]
Pirelli set to announce tyre usage clampdown
Sep.3 (GMM) Pirelli on Thursday is poised to announce stricter guidelines regarding the use of its tyres by formula one teams ahead of the Italian grand prix. It follows the high-speed blowouts suffered by Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel at Spa-Francorchamps, even though Rosberg’s was said to have been a puncture. And it is believed […]
Montezemolo says Ecclestone Monza threats not new
Sep.3 (GMM) Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has weighed into the uncertainty surrounding Monza’s future on the F1 calendar. The issue will be front and centre this weekend, as Bernie Ecclestone pushes defiantly for more money from Italian grand prix chiefs, who are backed in their mission by the prime minister Matteo Renzi. 2015 […]
Lotus facing new hurdles in Monza paddock
Sep.3 (GMM) Monza looks set to be another challenging weekend for Lotus. After the court bailiff saga of Spa-Francorchamps, reports on Wednesday suggested smoother times are ahead now for the Enstone team, as its transporters had arrived at the Autodromo Nazionale for the Italian grand prix. But until the black trucks rolled into Monza’s gates, […]
Allison has signed new Ferrari deal – insider
Sep.3 (GMM) James Allison is staying put at Ferrari. In July, as the Italian team’s 2015 resurgence hit an apparent dip, speculation suggested Ferrari might not renew the contract of its new British technical boss. But then the team surprised the F1 world by re-signing Kimi Raikkonen, amid speculation a new deal for Allison might […]
Turkey could still return to F1 – operator
Sep.2 (GMM) The new operator of Turkey’s former F1 track says the sport could return to Istanbul in the future. The Turkish daily Sozcu this week reported that a company called Intercity has signed a 10-year lease, and plans to turn the circuit that hosted seven grands prix until 2011 into a used car or […]
PM tells Ecclestone ‘Hands off Monza!’
Sep.2 (GMM) The big guns are now firing over the question of historic Monza’s future on the F1 calendar. With a contract beyond 2016 still not agreed between organisers of the fabled race at the Autodromo Nazionale and Bernie Ecclestone, Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi weighed into the story on Wednesday. “Formula one thrives not […]
Raikkonen backs new ‘Iceman’ alcoholic drink
Sep.2 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is the face of a new alcoholic drink in his native Finland. Famous also for his partying and drinking, it emerges that the Ferrari driver is backing the tinned gin and dry ‘Iceman Long Drink’. The marketing says the drink is “Served as cool as the Iceman himself”. Former McLaren boss […]
Lotus clinging to survival at Monza
Sep.2 (GMM) Lotus is clinging to survival ahead of the Italian grand prix. Bernie Ecclestone paid the latest $2.3 million wage bill for the embattled team’s 400 staff, which has ensured the black trucks are en route to Monza. But beyond that, fingers and toes are being crossed that the Renault buyout deal will be […]
More mixed messages as Honda tackles Monza
Sep.2 (GMM) Honda is going into yet another race weekend with mixed messages. As McLaren’s struggling Japanese supplier debuted an upgraded engine in Belgium recently, boss Yasuhisa Arai said it would be a match for Ferrari’s power unit. But Spa-Francorchamps turned out to be one of McLaren-Honda’s worst performances of the season. And now, at […]
Rosberg has not taken backwards step – Hamilton
Sep.2 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton does not think his teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg has taken a step backwards in 2015. Just like last year, the pair are still duelling effectively alone at the top of the standings for the drivers’ title. But many believe Hamilton, the reigning champion and current championship leader, has a […]
Monza rescue talks to hit highest gear
Sep.2 (GMM) Talks to secure Monza’s future on the F1 calendar will step into a high gear this weekend. Bernie Ecclestone has warned that unless a new deal is agreed, the historic circuit will fall off the schedule. So Roberto Maroni, the regional Lombardy president, resorted to humour this week when he was asked about […]
Michelin remains open to Pirelli tyre war
Sep.2 (GMM) Michelin remains open to going wheel-to-wheel with Pirelli in 2017. Currently, Bernie Ecclestone is in talks with the tyre manufacturers regarding which of them will be F1’s sole supplier beyond Pirelli’s 2016 deal. But after the tyre blowout controversy following the recent Belgian grand prix, Michelin is applying the pressure. “We know Spa […]
Hulkenberg set to keep Porsche seat for 2016
Sep.2 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg looks set to defend his title as Le Mans winner at next year’s edition of the fabled 24 hour sports car race. Splitting his time between his Force India and Porsche cockpits this year, the German won on debut in the premier class of arguably the world’s most famous motor race. […]
Pirelli to say debris caused Vettel blowout – report
Sep.1 (GMM) Pirelli could be set to announce that debris on the track caused Sebastian Vettel’s tyre blowout at Spa-Francorchamps. In the incident that sparked an expletive-filled post-race rant, F1’s controversial tyre supplier argued initially that excessive wear caused by Ferrari’s ambitious one-stop strategy was the cause of the failure. But earlier in the weekend, […]