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 […]
Mother insists Verstappen is Belgian
Apr.5 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s mother says the 17-year-old is in fact Belgian. The Toro Rosso rookie, now making waves as the youngest ever driver and points-scorer in F1 history, is the son of former grand prix star Jos Verstappen. Jos is Dutch, and Max now competes with a Dutch racing licence. But the youngster was, […]
Renault expects Red Bull success ‘sooner or later’
Apr.3 (GMM) Renault insists it is not giving up on the 2015 season. After Australia, the French manufacturer clashed spectacularly with works partner Red Bull, indicating the pair are on the road to divorce. Remi Taffin, Renault’s F1 operations director, said he can understand Red Bull’s frustration. “It was a setback for Red Bull. They’re […]
Marko says Toro Rosso sale not likely
Apr.2 (GMM) Red Bull has played down reports Renault is set to buy Toro Rosso — and leave the former world champions without an engine deal. Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost said in Australia it would be “fantastic” if the French carmaker bought the Faenza based team, which is currently owned and controlled by Red […]
Marko admits Red Bull has ‘chassis’ problems
Apr.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has admitted for the first time that Red Bull has issues that run deeper than the Renault engine. A furious row between Red Bull and Renault erupted in and after Australia, with Cyril Abiteboul even accusing Adrian Newey of telling “lies”. The chief “lie”, according to the Frenchman, was that […]
F1 trio play down Ferrari’s Sepang form
Apr.2 (GMM) A trio of well-known F1 figures has questioned whether Ferrari can keep up its new winning form. Sebastian Vettel stunned the Sepang paddock by winning on merit last Sunday, despite the Italian team’s only recently-ended period of turmoil, and the apparent continuing dominance of reigning world champions Mercedes. But Mika Hakkinen, a retired […]
Text from Schu house made Arrivabene cry – report
Apr.2 (GMM) A text message sent from Michael Schumacher’s home in Switzerland reduced Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene to tears after the Malaysian grand prix. After a tumultuous period for the great Italian marque, seven time world champion and Ferrari legend Schumacher’s protege Sebastian Vettel broke through with a landmark and emotional win. But Arrivabene, who […]
Manor’s one-car Sepang race deliberate – report
Apr.2 (GMM) Manor has dismissed as “nonsense” rumours it only had the ability to run one car at a time last weekend in Malaysia. The governing FIA and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had reportedly warned the resurrected former Marussia team after Australia that another weekend spent silent in the pits would not be tolerated. Engines […]
Vettel, not Hamilton better for F1 – Capelli
Apr.2 (GMM) Another figure has hit back at Bernie Ecclestone’s claim that Lewis Hamilton is a better world champion than Sebastian Vettel. In Malaysia last week, F1 supremo Ecclestone criticised German Vettel for living a private life in Switzerland, while Hamilton “gets out on the street and supports and promotes formula one”. “He (Vettel) won […]
Young driver rule for 2016 ‘sad’ – Marko
Apr.2 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks Red Bull has proved that F1 took a wrong turn with its new-for-2016 super licence rules. Following widespread criticism of the energy drink company’s selection of 17-year-old Max Verstappen for the junior team Toro Rosso, the FIA reacted by introducing a new system for the allocation of super licences […]