Jun.16 (GMM) Imola has emerged in the running to return to formula one. Currently, the future of the Italian grand prix at historic Monza is under a cloud, as F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone demands a higher annual race fee. And now, another Italian circuit – the former long-time San Marino grand prix venue Imola – […]
F1’s Hulkenberg, Mallya, put Le Mans in focus
Jun.16 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has named Nico Hulkenberg as one of the very best drivers in F1 today. Before German Hulkenberg won Le Mans on debut at the weekend, the Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 had asked Alonso to nominate his top-three drivers on the grid. “He chose Hamilton, Hulkenberg, and after thinking some more, Ricciardo,” […]
Chester thinks F1 car could win Le Mans
Jun.16 (GMM) Lotus’ technical boss thinks a formula one car could win at Le Mans. The fabled 24 hour sports car race is in the headlines at present, after full-time Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg won on Sunday for Porsche. Not only that, former grand prix winner Mark Webber has switched full-time to the ever-burgeoning […]
Four teams tweaked ‘flexi’ wing designs
Jun.16 (GMM) Four teams made modifications to their front wing designs ahead of the recent Canadian grand prix. In the days after Monaco, we reported that the FIA was clamping down once again on the well-trodden area of so-called ‘flexi wings’ in formula one. Spain’s El Confidencial reported that a new 50 Newton-metre load test […]
No Austria practice for Manor’s Leimer – report
Jun.16 (GMM) Fabio Leimer will not make his Friday practice debut in Austria this weekend. In Canada two weeks ago, the 2013 GP2 champion was unveiled as the new Friday and reserve driver for backmarker Manor. It has been reported the Swiss driver’s first Friday outing could be at the Red Bull Ring, but only […]
VW says ‘no talks’ about F1 project
Jun.16 (GMM) Volkswagen has issued another denial to seemingly constant speculation it might be considering a foray in formula one. VW Group brands including Audi and Porsche, already with Le Mans prototype programmes, are regularly linked with potential deliberations about a F1 project. But Jost Capito said Volkswagen itself is happier in a series like […]
Energy recovery is ‘greatest difficulty’ – Honda
Jun.16 (GMM) McLaren and Honda are working hard to improve their relationship as the once-great collaboration struggles at the start of a new era. After Canada, reports suggested frustrations were beginning to show in the McLaren camp, but a source for the British team told Brazil’s Globo the relationship with Honda remains “good” and “healthy”. […]
McLaren and Honda play down Manor rumours
Jun.16 (GMM) McLaren and Honda have played down speculation linking Manor with a supply of Japanese power for 2016. Honda, returning to F1 this year, decided to focus exclusively on McLaren, but boss Yasuhisa Arai has said repeatedly he is open to adding a customer in the future. Reports have linked backmarker Manor with such […]
Lauda agrees F1 should be more ‘risky’
Jun.15 (GMM) Niki Lauda has agreed with Kimi Raikkonen that F1 would benefit from a boost of danger. 2007 world champion and Ferrari driver Raikkonen was quoted last week as saying one thing that would improve the modern face of the sport is if F1 was “a little more dangerous”. “It (danger) is part of […]
Boullier safe after plane scare
Jun.15 (GMM) Eric Boullier had a scare on Sunday as he returned from a visit to the fabled Le Mans race. The McLaren boss was sharing a journey on a private plane with friend Zak Brown, a well-known F1 sponsorship figure, when the aircraft developed a fault. Brown, describing the incident as a “close call”, […]
Todt visits Ferrari – report
Jun.15 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt made a visit to Maranello last Friday. That is the claim of the well-known Ferrari media insider Leo Turrini, writing on his Quotidiano blog. Before Todt was spotted enjoying the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race at the weekend, he travelled to Ferrari’s Italian headquarters, Turrini said. Tongue in […]
F1 analysis deepens as Hulkenberg wins Le Mans
Jun.15 (GMM) Full-time F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg has described winning the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race as the “best day of my career”. On debut, the 27-year-old veteran of 84 grands prix on Sunday beat the sister Porsche prototype starring former F1 driver Mark Webber. “It’s probably the best day of my career, maybe […]
India GP promoter ‘waiting’ for government help
Jun.15 (GMM) Sameer Gaur, representing the former Indian grand prix promoter Jaypee, says he is “waiting” for the government to put the F1 race back on track. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said last week New Delhi can return to the calendar as early as 2016 but he is “waiting for the promoters to get back […]
Ferrari should explain Raikkonen spin – Hakkinen
Jun.15 (GMM) Ferrari should clarify the thorny issue of Kimi Raikkonen’s Montreal spin. That is the view of fellow Finn Mika Hakkinen, the former double world champion who thinks there have been mixed messages about the cause of the incident that stopped Raikkonen from finishing on the podium. Amid intense speculation about Raikkonen’s future, team […]
Report links Manor with Honda switch
Jun.15 (GMM) Backmarker Manor is emerging as the front-runner to become Honda’s first F1 customer. The Japanese carmaker returned to F1 in 2015 as the works partner for McLaren, with whom it dominated the sport some decades ago. Honda decided to focus only on McLaren this year, but F1 boss Yasuhisa Arai said recently he […]
Hamilton talks ‘good sex’ with Playboy – reports
Jun.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has talked openly about sex with the famous men’s magazine Playboy, according to German reports. As Bernie Ecclestone enthuses about the reigning world champion being a “super promoter of the sport”, Hamilton reportedly said of sex: “When it comes to good sex, nothing comes close”. “The best thing is probably good […]
Better Renault engine not ready yet
Jun.15 (GMM) Renault-powered teams face a longer wait for performance improvements in 2015. After a dire start to the season for the French manufacturer, boss Cyril Abiteboul said after Canada that with reliability now under control, Renault can finally turn its attention to power. But until a better engine arrives, Red Bull and Toro Rosso […]
Leimer heads to Austria for FIA check – report
Jun.15 (GMM) Fabio Leimer is heading to Austria this week hoping to fire up his Manor chances. The Swiss driver and 2013 GP2 champion was trackside in Canada with the backmarker team recently, in his new role as official reserve. And Blick, the Swiss newspaper whose F1 correspondent is the paddock veteran Roger Benoit, said […]
Berger slams decision to cancel F3 race
Jun.15 (GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger has criticised the decision to cancel a recent Formula 3 race at historic Monza. The decision was taken after a spate of terrifying wheel-to-wheel crashes, but Berger thinks it was the wrong message to what is “the best school” for rising driver talent. Until recently, former grand prix winner […]
McLaren ‘short nose’ passes crash test
Jun.15 (GMM) McLaren has put its major upgrade for the Austrian grand prix back on track. We reported last week that a much-needed aerodynamic package for the MP4-30 car was in doubt because the centrepiece – a Mercedes-like ‘short nose’ – had repeatedly failed the mandatory FIA crash tests. A spokesman had told us: “We […]