Apr.10 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says Toro Rosso must capitalise on its strong start to the 2015 season. The Spaniard, and his fellow rookie teammate Max Verstappen, have had a strong start as they currently sitting ahead of McLaren, Lotus, Force India and even the senior team Red Bull in the constructors’ standings. Not only that, […]
Vettel doubted Ferrari seat offer – Arrivabene
Apr.10 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has admitted Sebastian Vettel was not sure last year if Ferrari’s offer of a race seat was genuine. Ultimately, the former quadruple world champion’s switch from Red Bull has been a fairytale for both sides, as Vettel delivered victory in Malaysia amid shades of the ultra-successful Michael Schumacher era. According to […]
Rosberg ‘up to date’ with Hamilton contract talks
Apr.10 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has joined the rest of the F1 world in tracking the saga of world champion Lewis Hamilton’s contract negotiations. “I am keeping up to date,” the Mercedes driver told Germany’s Die Welt newspaper, “as we are talking about who will be in the garage next to me next year.” Hardly anyone […]
Palmer at Lotus to ‘finance team budget’ – Grosjean
Apr.10 (GMM) As Romain Grosjean sat out Friday practice early in Shanghai, he said he understands the financial pressures on F1 teams. Temporarily in his Lotus cockpit in China is Briton Jolyon Palmer, the reigning GP2 champion and son of the former grand prix driver Jonathan. According to sources, it will not be 24-year-old Palmer’s […]
Mateschitz confirms Red Bull quit threat
Apr.10 (GMM) Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz has confirmed the threat to pull his energy drink company out of formula one. His right-hand man and fellow Austrian, Dr Helmut Marko, made the original warning after the Australian grand prix, saying the current rules are preventing the team from ever catching up with its pacesetting rivals. […]
Hamilton questions F1’s ‘green’ credentials
Apr.10 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has questioned F1’s need to boast its environmental credentials through the engine regulations. Partly to portray a ‘green’ image, the sport last year switched to fuel-restricted, 1.6 litre turbo V6 engines, and Mercedes immediately sped into the lead. Hamilton is now the reigning world champion and 2015 points leader, but he […]
Hamilton admits contract saga ‘a pain’
Apr.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s increasingly farcical contract saga looks set to continue. The reigning world champion has been saying for weeks that talks with Mercedes about extending the deal beyond 2015 are finally coming to an end. Reports have suggested a new contract, estimated to be worth up to a staggering $50 million a year […]
Renault can catch up without rule change
Apr.9 (GMM) Renault insists it will not argue for a change of rules to help it catch up with F1’s pacesetters. After Mercedes utterly dominated last year as the new turbo V6 era began, Ferrari has demonstrated already in 2015 that it has caught up. “I hope we have a race with those guys (Ferrari),” […]
Rosberg denies need for ‘number 2’ role
Apr.9 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has denied he will slip into a ‘number 2’ role in 2015. Despite putting up a hard fight against his teammate last year, the German has struggled to match reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton so far in 2015. Not only that, Mercedes’ previous dominance was challenged by Ferrari two weeks ago […]
Cheerful Button sees ‘great future’
Apr.9 (GMM) Jenson Button insists he has a “great future” at McLaren. His comments follow a miserable period for the 2009 world champion, having clung onto his place in F1 only to find himself at the back of the grid. But all the leading figures at McLaren-Honda, including Fernando Alonso, are painting an “astonishingly upbeat” […]
Vettel can help Rosberg’s title quest
Apr.9 (GMM) Nico Rosberg is looking on the bright side of his defeat to not one but two drivers in Malaysia. The German has been outpaced by teammate Lewis Hamilton so far in 2015, and at Sepang both silver-clad drivers were beaten by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. But Rosberg said Vettel’s form can actually “help” his […]
Alonso to retire as McLaren-Honda driver
Apr.9 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has admitted he will regret his move to McLaren-Honda if Ferrari wins the 2015 title. After five years at Maranello, the Spaniard revealed on Thursday he eventually lost his “trust” in Ferrari. Alonso is now at the back of the grid with an uncompetitive McLaren, while his successor in red, Sebastian […]
Stevens hoping to race in China
Apr.9 (GMM) Will Stevens is hoping ‘third time’s a charm’ in China. After Manor stayed in the pits in Australia, teammate Roberto Merhi got up and running in Malaysia but British rookie Stevens could not qualify or race due to technical problems. But the 23-year-old Briton, who actually made his grand prix debut for Caterham […]
Ricciardo admits ‘whole package’ below par
Apr.9 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has admitted that Red Bull’s problems run deeper than Renault power. Particularly after Australia, bosses of the former world championship-dominant team pointed the finger angrily at its French engine partner. Renault hit back with equal venom, accusing Red Bull of pedalling “lies” about its only issue in 2015 being the struggling […]
Frustrated Perez braced for 2015 ‘pain’
Apr.9 (GMM) Sergio Perez is bracing to end the ‘pain’ of his current situation. The Mexican on Thursday admitted to feeling frustrated after the early phase of 2015 with the struggling Force India team. He had to sit out most of the winter amid the delayed 2015 car, and is once again now waiting for […]
Red Bull switches brakes for China
Apr.9 (GMM) As announced by Dr Helmut Marko after Malaysia, Red Bull has switched brake suppliers for the Chinese grand prix. Sebastian Vettel always disliked the feel of the Hitco brand, so when the German fled to Ferrari over the winter, Red Bull decided to use the brakes for its 2015 car. But in Malaysia, […]
Manor gets ‘2015 programme’ underway – Booth
Apr.9 (GMM) Manor is reportedly looking to get a 2015 car up and running later this season. Newly resurrected after the Marussia collapse, the British backmarker failed to run at all in Australia and then struggled for laps and pace in Malaysia. Now in China, Manor knows its current car – the 2014 machine hurriedly […]
FIA puts fuel flow spotlight on Ferrari, Mercedes
Apr.9 (GMM) Ferrari and Mercedes will be in the FIA’s spotlight this weekend in China. Some weeks ago, we reported that the governing body had told teams that the fuel flow rules would come under closer scrutiny from the Chinese grand prix. Until now, the rules have been policed with the use of a standard […]
Williams working to cool 2015 car
Apr.9 (GMM) First, the good news about Valtteri Bottas — he is no longer worried about his bad back. “It is not giving me any more trouble,” the Finn said in Shanghai on Thursday. “With the new seat, I am using different muscles, because the legs are positioned differently.” A bigger problem for Bottas now […]
China could leave Ferrari cold in Merc battle
Apr.9 (GMM) The F1 world is looking to the Shanghai skies amid the prospect of another Mercedes versus Ferrari battle this weekend. Although Ferrari has undoubtedly upped its pace significantly for 2015, many believe the extreme temperatures seen in Malaysia two weeks ago was the biggest factor in Sebastian Vettel’s surprise victory. Even technical boss […]