Apr.8 (GMM) A huge media contingent is set to descend on what is normally a low-profile test session of the minor German single-seater category Formula 4. Die Welt, a major German daily, reports that some 100 journalists, photographers and camera crews have registered to work this week at the Oschersleben circuit. Attracting all the attention […]
Mercedes takes new front wing to China – report
Apr.8 (GMM) Mercedes has reacted to the “wake-up call” of Malaysia. Toto Wolff was stunned at Sepang when his formerly-dominant silver cars were beaten to the chequer by a resurgent Ferrari driven by Sebastian Vettel. The Mercedes chief immediately announced a re-think on both the technical and strategy side. Technically, Brackley has responded by fast-forwarding […]
Vettel mechanic Handkammer leaves F1
Apr.8 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel’s former chief mechanic has swapped a 25-year career in formula one for the world of electric road cars. Last October, we reported that Kenny Handkammer had left Red Bull. “We have found someone else for this position better suited in the course of the restructuring of the team,” Dr Helmut Marko […]
Honda ‘still 100hp down’ on rivals – report
Apr.8 (GMM) In Malaysia, McLaren-Honda team figures including champion drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button extolled the progress made in the fortnight since Australia. Now, according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, an actual number has been put on the improvement of the burgeoning Honda engine — 25 horse power. But “We are still over […]
Ferrari sets sights on more 2015 wins
Apr.8 (GMM) Suddenly, Ferrari’s team boss is making plans to actually fulfil a tongue-in-cheek pre-season pledge. As he played down the team’s hopes for 2015, Maurizio Arrivabene quipped before Melbourne that if the 2015 car wins four races this year, “I will run without shoes to the Maranello hills”. But already at the second round […]
Ecclestone won’t let Wolff ‘kill’ F1
Apr.8 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has joined Max Mosley in fearing for the very survival of formula one. Former FIA president Mosley, a famously close ally of Ecclestone’s until the end of his reign in 2009, warned this week that the current state of the sport could see it “collapse”. Now, F1 supremo Ecclestone has told […]
Ferrari pushing on for Mercedes title battle
Apr.7 (GMM) F1 is shaping up for a ‘silver versus red’ battle in 2015. The dominant reigning champions Mercedes were surprised in Malaysia to have been beaten to the chequered flag by Ferrari newcomer Sebastian Vettel. Boss Toto Wolff said the “wake-up call” will speed up technical developments and trigger a strategy re-think. His colleague […]
Merhi admits he could lose Manor seat
Apr.7 (GMM) Roberto Merhi is heading to China this week fully expecting to line up for Manor on the Shanghai grid. The Spaniard knows that he will be ousted by the former Marussia team if a better-funded driver comes forward. So ahead of the back-to-back China and Bahrain rounds, the 24-year-old rookie admitted to Marca […]
Toro Rosso happy with Renault progress
Apr.7 (GMM) Toro Rosso says it is happy with the progress being made by Renault. While the senior team Red Bull slammed its French partner after Melbourne, Toro Rosso has emerged as the more competitive 2015 package. The Faenza based outfit, bought by Red Bull from Minardi in 2005, and Renault are now openly considering […]
Officials defend Alonso amid latest rumours
Apr.7 (GMM) Two leading figures in Spanish motor sport have hit back at the latest rumours about Fernando Alonso’s Barcelona testing crash. German publications are openly doubting the honesty of Alonso’s claim in Malaysia that he crashed because the steering on his McLaren-Honda “locked”. The highly respected Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt said […]
Spaniards defend Alonso after McLaren switch
Apr.7 (GMM) Two of Fernando Alonso’s countrymen have backed the Spaniard to eventually succeed at the wheel of a McLaren-Honda. McLaren’s early 2015 struggle, and his Ferrari successor Sebastian Vettel’s Malaysia breakthrough, caused many observers to question Alonso’s decision to switch teams over the winter. But Roberto Merhi, a Spanish rookie for the Manor team, […]
Carmen Jorda backs all-female F1 proposal
Apr.7 (GMM) Carmen Jorda has added another voice to the debate about the idea of an all-female F1 series. Bernie Ecclestone’s proposal was roundly blasted, with a reporter for the Associated Press even describing it as a step to “sexual apartheid”. Williams tester Susie Wolff said a grand prix category just for women is “definitely […]
Van der Garde hopes Sauber saga ‘changes F1’
Apr.5 (GMM) Giedo van der Garde has revealed the awkwardness of his situation at the 2015 season opener, as he pressed his claim against Sauber. Ultimately, the Swiss team settled its dispute with the Dutch driver with a reportedly multi-million euro payment. But until then, van der Garde argued hard that his valid 2015 race […]
Both drivers attended pre-China meeting – Lauda
Apr.5 (GMM) Mercedes is pulling together to fend off the new threat posed by Ferrari. Sebastian Vettel’s Sepang win was a shock to the formerly-dominant reigning champions, prompting a rare factory get-together involving both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg late last week. Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper said that, previously, meetings at Brackley usually involved […]
McLaren drivers ‘happy with the car’ – Dennis
Apr.5 (GMM) McLaren supremo Ron Dennis is confident the team can emerge from the early troubles of the new Honda era. He is quoted by France’s L’Equipe as saying the bright side of the early bad reliability and lack of pace is that drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are happy with the MP4-30 car. […]
Vergne sees ‘chance’ for 2016 return
Apr.5 (GMM) Jean-Eric Vergne says he will try to return to the F1 grid in 2016. The Frenchman was dropped by Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso at the end of last year, and he is now a simulator driver for Ferrari whilst racing in the Formula E series. He says he is enjoying Formula […]
Rumour – Alonso over-medicated after crash
Apr.5 (GMM) Yet another rumour about the Fernando Alonso saga has emerged. Michael Schmidt, the highly respected correspondent for Auto Motor und Sport, claims the McLaren-Honda driver may have been over-medicated in the wake of his controversial Barcelona testing crash. The Spaniard had brows furrowing on Thursday in Malaysia when he denied being knocked out […]
Raikkonen invested in Nasr’s career
Apr.5 (GMM) Felipe Nasr has revealed that Kimi Raikkonen helped to fund his rise to formula one. In the first two grands prix of his career, Brazilian rookie Nasr clashed on track with Ferrari’s Raikkonen. But the 22-year-old has told the broadcaster Canal Latin America that he is in fact close to Finn Raikkonen. In […]
Merhi confident of China GP race seat
Apr.5 (GMM) Roberto Merhi is confident he will return to the cockpit of the Manor car in China. And Spain’s Diario Sport said that if the 24-year-old rookie does reprise his race role in Shanghai, he will surely also appear in Bahrain just seven days later. Merhi said he was honoured to have been nominated […]
Pirelli wants F1 changes for 2017
Pirelli wants F1 changes for 2017 Apr.5 (GMM) Paul Hembery has urged F1 to make changes before Pirelli commits to a new contract. The Italian tyre supplier’s F1 chief told the Guardian newspaper that he fully supports efforts by Bernie Ecclestone to spice up the ‘show’. Hembery admitted one good change has been the ban […]