Mar.2 (GMM) Red Bull has dropped the RB11’s ‘camouflage’ test livery. Throughout the winter, the 2015 car has been running in a novel black and white colour scheme designed to throw rival teams’ spy photographers and designers off track. But the livery also proved highly popular among the fans, prompting calls for Red Bull to […]
Alonso entourage suspects car failure – report
Mar.2 (GMM) A second week has begun with the saga surrounding Fernando Alonso’s testing crash still high in the headlines. The most important issue, of course, is the McLaren-Honda driver’s health, and Spanish media report that he will visit doctors – probably in his native Oviedo where he has been recuperating – within the next […]
Honda freezes engine unsure of 2015 ‘tokens’
Mar.2 (GMM) After a troubled winter, 2015 newcomer Honda has now locked in McLaren’s ‘power unit’ for this year’s campaign. It has completed only a fraction of the running of frontrunners like Mercedes over the Jerez and Barcelona tests, but on Saturday, the FIA’s deadline fell and the Japanese marque duly presented its turbo V6 […]
Arrivabene willing to ‘provoke’ Ecclestone
Mar.1 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene is quickly climbing the ladder as arguably one of the most popular team bosses in formula one. A former Philip Morris executive, and bearing a striking resemblance to the ‘Marlboro man’, the 57-year-old Italian emerged from the chaos of last year’s Ferrari to put the fabled team firmly back on track. […]
Mercedes to ‘help’ save German GP – Wolff
Mar.1 (GMM) Concerns are growing that Germany really will be dropped from the 2015 calendar. Officially, the country is still set to host a grand prix in July, but neither the Nurburgring or Hockenheim are actually yet to agree a concrete race deal with Bernie Ecclestone. Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda admits the chances of […]
Teams warn Ecclestone of ‘cash flow crisis’
Mar.1 (GMM) Two weeks before the 2015 season begins, the shape of the grid remains unclear. And that is not just because the backmarker Manor’s planned resurrection in Melbourne is not yet confirmed. Force India, for instance, has only just got its 2015 car up and running, after months of rumours of near-terminal financial and […]
McLaren expecting Alonso health news ‘soon’
Mar.1 (GMM) McLaren boss Eric Boullier is confident the Woking team will not be without its star driver for the Melbourne season opener in two weeks. The recovering Fernando Alonso’s last-minute substitute at the final Barcelona test this week was Kevin Magnussen, who managed just 39 laps on Saturday before more technical trouble struck for […]
McLaren expecting to struggle for ‘a few races’
Mar.1 (GMM) McLaren is expecting to struggle through the opening few races of the season. While the rest of the sport gets up to speed for the second year of F1’s challenging new ‘power unit’ era, the newly Honda-powered team is struggling not only for pace but also simply to run the new MP4-30. But […]
Mercedes in ‘another dimension’ – Ricciardo
Mar.1 (GMM) Earlier, Daniel Ricciardo was planning a full title tilt for 2015. Now, he is in little doubt: “The two Mercedes will on the front row in Melbourne,” the Red Bull driver said confidently in Barcelona. He was speaking on Saturday, on the eve of the final day of winter testing. In the paddock, […]
Vettel hails ‘awesome’ pace from new Mercedes
Feb.28 (GMM) After a winter of apparent ‘sandbagging’, Mercedes finally let the cat out of the bag on Friday. Team boss Toto Wolff, however, denies that the ultra-dominant reigning 2014 champions have been hiding the potential of the new W06 car until now. “Our programme was planned from the beginning,” he said. “Other may have […]
Report of $231m deal for Hamilton ‘like satire’ – Wolff
Feb.28 (GMM) Toto Wolff has scoffed at a media report purporting to know the dizzying value of Lewis Hamilton’s next Mercedes contract. Although the reigning world champion now has no manager, the parties remain locked in protracted talks about a new deal beyond 2015. London’s Times newspaper said the current discussion is about a new […]
Manor racing to be ready for Melbourne – Booth
Feb.28 (GMM) Team founder John Booth is confident the former Marussia team will make it to Melbourne. Having fought to secure new investment and convince its creditors to exit administration, the team has secured a place on the 2015 entry list against all odds. But the race is not won yet. Having initially sought to […]
McLaren quiet on Alonso’s ‘medical situation’
Feb.28 (GMM) McLaren has counted itself out of the continuing speculation about Fernando Alonso’s medical condition. Rumours have been rife ever since Sebastian Vettel said he witnessed the “strange” manner in which the Spaniard lost control of his McLaren last Sunday. But amid continuing speculation about the nature of the crash, Ferrari’s Vettel on Friday […]
‘Manor Marussia’ on 2015 entry list
Feb.28 (GMM) As predicted earlier, the FIA on Friday published the official 2015 entry list that includes a place on the grid for the revived ‘Manor Marussia’ team. Although the backmarker’s Russian investor is long departed, it is believed the team has had to keep ‘Marussia’ in its name in order to qualify for its […]
Villeneuve admits Alonso crash saga ‘weird’
Feb.27 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve has counted himself among scores of experts, pundits and fans who have been left “confused” by the Fernando Alonso saga. Spaniard Alonso spent four days in hospital and is now sitting out this week’s Barcelona test action, after a crash described by McLaren-Honda as “normal” that Ron Dennis said on Thursday […]
Alonso hit wall at 105kph – report
Feb.27 (GMM) Fernando Alonso struck the wall at 105 kilometres per hour last Sunday. That was the claim on Friday of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, as the period of great mystery and controversy surrounding the Spaniard’s bizarre accident continues. Many eyes are pointing in McLaren-Honda’s direction, wondering if the Woking camp is being defensive […]
Carmen Jorda’s rivals unhappy with Lotus news
Feb.27 (GMM) Fellow race drivers have reacted with dismay to the identity of Lotus’ new F1 development driver. The Enstone team announced on Thursday that 26-year-old Spanish female driver Carmen Jorda will attend grands prix in 2015, work on the simulator and even test the new E23 car. Jorda, whose father Jose Miguel was also […]
Caterham assets auctions set to go ahead
Feb.27 (GMM) While Marussia pushes hard to return in 2015 as Manor, another ailing backmarker appears to have reached the end of the line. Early in February, it emerged that Caterham’s administrators had appointed an auctioneer to begin arranging for the sale of assets beginning in March. Indeed, a series of auctions hosted by Wyles […]
Rival doubts McLaren using Manor for advantage
Feb.27 (GMM) An engineer for a rival team has rubbished suggestions McLaren is only supporting Manor in order to gain a self-interested advantage. Although owed millions by the former Marussia team, McLaren is among the list of major creditors who have agreed to be repaid at a later date so that Manor can bid to […]
Verstappen has seat fitting for Red Bull car
Feb.27 (GMM) Max Verstappen is shaping up as a reserve driver for Red Bull’s premier F1 team. The Dutch 17-year-old, whose grand prix debut this year is controversial due to his age and inexperience, will line up on the Melbourne grid for the first time next month with Toro Rosso. That is Red Bull’s second […]