Sep.5 (GMM) According to Bernie Ecclestone, the future of the Italian grand prix at Monza is hanging by a thread. Italian reports quote the F1 supremo as warning that, even after new meetings with circuit chiefs, the fate of the fabled and popular race is not looking good. “The renewal of the contract is unlikely,” […]
Drivers still nervous after Spa blowout saga
Sep.4 (GMM) Formula one drivers are still nervous about the tyre blowout saga, but Bernie Ecclestone has made clear he is perfectly happy with Pirelli. Just as he also negotiates with Michelin about the official supply contract beyond 2016, the F1 supremo indicated it is Pirelli on pole position, even after Sebastian Vettel said his […]
Gastaldi admits Lotus dramas not over yet
Sep.4 (GMM) Federico Gastaldi has admitted Lotus’ legal dramas are not over yet. Ultimately, the embattled Enstone team managed to escape the court bailiffs at Spa-Francorchamps and get to Monza just in time. But when it comes to the action brought by disgruntled former reserve driver Charles Pic, it is not over yet. “No, the […]
McLaren ‘best chassis behind Red Bull’ – Alonso
Sep.4 (GMM) McLaren is reverting to its older ‘long nose’ solution for the high-speed Italian grand prix. With struggling engine partner Honda, the British team has acknowledged that Monza’s long straights will leave Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button with blunt weapons this weekend. So McLaren has elected to take more engine-change grid penalties in preparation […]
Hamilton warns against Red Bull engine deal
Sep.4 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes should think again if it is considering supplying an engine to arch-rivals Red Bull. “It would be like giving Ferrari an engine,” the reigning champion, and current championship leader, told Spain’s Antena 3 broadcaster. “I think if we’re serious about winning world championships, we shouldn’t do it. Red Bull […]
F1 drivers argue for closed cockpits
Sep.4 (GMM) Among the F1 drivers, support is growing for the potential introduction of closed or covered cockpits. Jules Bianchi and Indycar’s Justin Wilson were the latest head injury-related casualties, but memories of the Henry Surtees fatality of 2009 and what happened to Felipe Massa in the same year are still fresh. “A helmet clearly […]
Mercedes spends all 7 tokens for Monza upgrade
Sep.4 (GMM) Mercedes could move yet another step ahead of its closest challenger Ferrari this weekend at Monza. Maurizio Arrivabene is playing down Ferrari’s chances of mounting a winning challenge at the high-speed Autodromo, and it appears he has good reason. Mercedes has confirmed that it is introducing a scheduled new specification of its ‘power […]
Sauber not worried about Haas debut
Sep.4 (GMM) Monisha Kaltenborn insists she is not “worried” about the looming debut next year of the new American team Haas. On paper, the Sauber chief might have reason to be concerned, given that Haas is set to apparently overtake the Swiss team as the preferred Ferrari-powered customer. But Kaltenborn said at Monza: “Why should […]
Teams win tyre pressure argument with Pirelli
Sep.4 (GMM) F1 teams have won an argument with Pirelli over tyre pressures at Monza. After the blowout saga of Spa-Francorchamps, F1’s official supplier informed teams on Thursday that they wanted an increase of 5 PSI in pressure for the similarly high-speed Monza. Lewis Hamilton predicted that would be a “disaster”. “I hope they don’t […]
2016 grid shaping up as silly season nears end
Sep.4 (GMM) As the ‘silly season’ nears its end, the 2016 grid is now shaping up. With Kimi Raikkonen all signed up again, Ferrari will field an unchanged lineup next year, as will Mercedes, Sauber and probably the two Red Bull teams. Fernando Alonso is contractually locked in at McLaren-Honda, and sources report that the […]
Grosjean not treating Monza as last Lotus race
Sep.4 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has not denied paddock speculation that, if the Renault deal now falls through, Monza could be Lotus’ final appearance at a grand prix. On the one hand, the Enstone team appears tantalisingly close to being bought and therefore rescued by the French carmaker, whose divorce from the Red Bull teams also […]
Williams keeps Bottas, Massa for 2016
Sep.3 (GMM) Williams will race into another season with Valtteri Bottas alongside Felipe Massa. The British team had options on both drivers for 2016, but it had been rumoured Finn Bottas was a candidate to switch to Ferrari, who ultimately re-signed Kimi Raikkonen. Brazilian Massa’s seat, meanwhile, had been linked with a paying driver like […]
Alonso ‘unhappy’ but ‘motivated’ – Sainz
Sep.3 (GMM) Carlos Sainz, the Spanish rookie who claims Fernando Alonso as a mentor, says the McLaren driver and double world champion is “unhappy” in 2016. Officially, Alonso has been putting a brave and optimistic face on 2015, despite McLaren-Honda’s dire performance. Sainz, who drives for Toro Rosso, paints a slightly different picture. “It’s a […]
Marchionne set for Red Bull engine talks – report
Sep.3 (GMM) Ferrari wants to re-enter the running to be Red Bull’s new engine supplier from 2016. Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport claims president Sergio Marchionne intends to visit the Monza paddock this weekend not only to support Ferrari, but to try to convince Red Bull to sign up for a supply of the Maranello-made […]
Vettel expecting no more boos from Tifosi
Sep.3 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is expecting a very different Italian grand prix. On the podium in 2013, when he wore Red Bull colours as F1’s dominant and reigning world champion, the German was booed with a ferocity rarely seen in the sport. It was a far cry from 2008, when the fresh-eyed rookie won against […]
FIA happy with safety of Pirelli’s tyres
Sep.3 (GMM) F1’s governing body on Thursday said it is satisfied Pirelli’s tyres are structurally safe. After Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel suffered high-speed blowouts at Spa-Francorchamps, the latter German lashed out at the quality and safety of Pirelli’s tyres. In the wake of Vettel’s outburst, Pirelli said it conducted a detailed investigation into the […]
Renault poised to sign Lotus purchase ‘option’
Sep.3 (GMM) Renault is now poised to sign an option to buy a majority stake of the ailing F1 team Lotus, the German publication Auto Motor und Sport reports. The fate of the beleaguered Enstone team, and Renault and partner Red Bull’s next steps in F1, are the subject of intense speculation in the Monza […]
No Pirelli directives issued yet – team boss
Sep.3 (GMM) How Pirelli will handle the aftermath of the Belgian tyre blowout saga remains unclear. The Italian supplier is poised to reveal the fruits of its investigation into Sebastian Vettel’s failure at Spa-Francorchamps. And Pirelli could also force teams to follow strict new guidelines on maximum engine set life, as well as camber settings […]
No engine talks with Honda yet – Booth
Sep.3 (GMM) Manor is not yet turning its attention to the matter of its driver lineup for 2016. The former Marussia team has fielded Briton Will Stevens alongside Roberto Merhi this season, although the security of the latter Spaniard’s seat has often been in question due to his lack of sponsorship backing. “Normally, we try […]
Pirelli set to announce tyre usage clampdown
Sep.3 (GMM) Pirelli on Thursday is poised to announce stricter guidelines regarding the use of its tyres by formula one teams ahead of the Italian grand prix. It follows the high-speed blowouts suffered by Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel at Spa-Francorchamps, even though Rosberg’s was said to have been a puncture. And it is believed […]