Sep.17 (GMM) Carlos Sainz says he is sure Toro Rosso does not favour his high-profile teammate Max Verstappen. He told Spain’s AS newspaper in Singapore that he is not worried he might be dropped by the energy drink-owned team after an impressive first season in F1. Asked if he has been confirmed for 2016, Sainz […]
‘Silly season’ now about engines, not drivers
Sep.17 (GMM) The focus of the 2016 ‘silly season’ has turned from drivers to engines. Earlier this week, it appeared that the pieces of the ‘power unit’ puzzle for next year were falling into place. Red Bull was moving from Renault to Ferrari, with Lotus switching from customer Mercedes status to become the works Renault […]
Rossi selects 53 as permanent F1 number
Sep.17 (GMM) Alexander Rossi has selected 53 as his permanent race number ahead of his F1 debut in Singapore this weekend. The Californian GP2 front-runner, who is replacing Manor regular Roberto Merhi at five of the remaining grands prix this season, told reporters he actually selected the number 16. “That’s the number I used in […]
Rossi replaces Merhi in Singapore
Sep.17 (GMM) Roberto Merhi and Fabio Leimer on Thursday are digesting the latest news out of the Manor team. For Merhi, his race-by-race deal with the struggling backmarker comes to an end for now, as the Californian GP2 title-contender Alexander Rossi prepares to make his debut in Singapore. Spaniard Merhi will only return to the […]
Mateschitz buys another Austrian circuit
Sep.17 (GMM) Dietrich Mateschitz is adding another Austrian race track to his collection. Reports in Austria – in the Osterreich and Salzburger Nachrichten newspapers – say the Red Bull mogul and billionaire is buying the Salzburgring. Billionaire Mateschitz brought F1 back to Austria two years ago after buying and reconstructing the A1-Ring, which he renamed […]
Ferrari official denies Williams switch reports
Sep.17 (GMM) A Ferrari official has denied rumours he could be about to move to Williams. Italy’s Corriere della Sera had reported that Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll might be on the verge of buying into the British team. He would take his son Lance with him to Grove, even though the 16-year-old is currently a […]
Vettel can imagine Red Bull-Ferrari tie-up
Sep.17 (GMM) One of the loudest questions being asked around the Singapore paddock is ‘What engine will power Red Bull next year?’ That the energy drink stable is splitting with Renault is now widely known, even though it is an unofficial fact that former team driver Sebastian Vettel thinks is “sad”. Vettel, now at Ferrari, […]
ORF says F1 future ‘not decided yet’
Sep.17 (GMM) The Austrian broadcaster ORF says it has not taken a decision about its future in formula one. Reports this week claimed the long-time F1 broadcaster may no longer be prepared to pay the annual fee of EUR 15 million to Bernie Ecclestone. An ORF spokesman said: “Whether and under what conditions formula one […]
Pirelli imposing lower pressures in Singapore too
Sep.17 (GMM) Pirelli and the FIA were on Thursday issuing a technical directive to the teams, amid efforts to prevent a repeat of the post-Monza tyre pressure controversy. Actually, according to the letter of the new rules mandating minimum tyre pressures, Lewis Hamilton should have lost his victory, one team manager believes. “The FIA just […]
Engine penalty shadow now looming for Rosberg
Sep.17 (GMM) The spectre of grid penalties now loom for Nico Rosberg, as the German will begin to use his fourth and final engine of the season in Singapore. Earlier, it emerged that the new-specification unit that Mercedes removed from Rosberg’s car before qualifying at Monza is in fact not damaged. That remains the case. […]
Button rules out Haas move
Sep.17 (GMM) Jenson Button says the wait on his future is nearing an end, as he rules out a switch to the new Ferrari B-team Haas. The F1 veteran left Monza recently declaring that, by Singapore, his next move may be known. Now he is setting a new deadline — the end of September. Button […]
Merhi to be replaced by Rossi – report
Sep.16 (GMM) Roberto Merhi’s time in formula one could be coming to an end. The Spanish rookie has been on a race-by-race deal with struggling backmarker Manor all season, but in recent days it had appeared his seat was more secure. That is because he has finally stopped splitting his time between F1 and the […]
Thai beer sponsors Raikkonen
Sep.16 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has aligned with yet another alcoholic drink. Early this month, we reported that the Ferrari driver is the new face of the tinned gin and dry ‘Iceman Long Drink’. And now in Bangkok, the ‘Iceman’ himself was present as Singha Corporation and its beer brand was unveiled as his new personal […]
No more ‘duck’ nose for Sauber – report
Sep.16 (GMM) The centrepiece of Sauber’s new package for Singapore is a short nose, the respected Swiss correspondent Roger Benoit claims. The struggling Swiss team has rarely updated its 2015 car this year, but a major aerodynamic package will be raced by Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson in Singapore this weekend. Benoit, writing in the […]
Renault confirms engine supplier days ‘over’
Sep.16 (GMM) Carlos Ghosn has confirmed that Renault will cease to be merely an engine supplier in F1 beyond the end of 2015. “We have said very clearly: it’s over,” the German news agency DPA quoted him as saying at the Frankfurt motor show. Currently the supplier to Red Bull and Toro Rosso, who are […]
Ricciardo unsure as Red Bull eyes ‘customer’ status
Sep.16 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not convinced that reverting to engine ‘customer’ status will be a guarantee of success for Red Bull. In the new ‘power unit’ era so far, the former quadruple world champions have struggled with Renault’s V6. The French carmaker’s CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed on Tuesday that Renault will no longer merely […]
Magnussen to miss Singapore with broken hand
Sep.16 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen will miss this weekend’s Singapore grand prix after breaking his hand. The Dane, who is McLaren’s reserve driver, tweeted a photo of his plastered arm and confirmed that he “Won’t be in Singapore for the night race this year”. “Next year! Better stick to four wheels,” he added. A team spokesman […]
Vandoorne not new McLaren reserve
Sep.16 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne has not been drafted into McLaren’s lineup as reserve driver, the British team said on Wednesday. Regular reserve Kevin Magnussen is not in Singapore this weekend after breaking his hand in a cycling crash. The Dane has also been linked with a move for 2016 to Haas. So when fellow McLaren […]
BMW rules out F1 return
Sep.16 (GMM) BMW has issued a clear “no” on the issue of a potential F1 comeback. First with Williams, and then as team owner in the BMW-Sauber era, the German carmaker raced throughout almost all of last decade. After pulling out at the end of 2009, BMW returned to the German touring car championship in […]
McLaren will not stop Magnussen exit
Sep.16 (GMM) McLaren has denied reports it allowed the option on Kevin Magnussen’s contract to “lapse”. The reports coincided with intense speculation the Danish driver is set to leave Woking to drive for the new Ferrari ‘B’ team Haas in 2016, partnered by either Esteban Gutierrez or Jean-Eric Vergne. Magnussen, absent in Singapore this week […]