Mar.28 (GMM) Pirelli’s F1 project is “business as usual” despite the EUR 7 billion takeover of the historic Italian company by China. It emerged earlier this week that state-owned China National Chemical has secured control of Pirelli, which until now has been in Italian hands for more than 140 years. Pirelli chief executive Marco Tronchetti […]
Hamilton has signed new Mercedes contract – report
Mar.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has now scribbled his name on a new contract beyond 2015, according to a Spanish newspaper. After the reigning world champion said he hopes the deal is “done” this weekend in Malaysia, El Mundo Deportivo said Hamilton has indeed now signed up for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. “The official […]
Mercedes made fuel mistake with Rosberg in Australia
Mar.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton may not have been as dominant in Melbourne as first thought. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that a detailed investigation by Mercedes showed that it got its numbers wrong regarding Nico Rosberg’s fuel strategy. Team boss Toto Wolff had said after Australia that the German “did not have the weapons” […]
Engine customers no fix for Honda troubles
Mar.27 (GMM) Adding a customer or two to its roster would not speed up Honda’s F1 programme. That is the claim of Yasuhisa Arai, who was asked if the fact Honda is working exclusively for McLaren this year is one reason the Japanese marque is struggling. Indeed, Ferrari has two customers (Sauber and Manor) on […]
Ecclestone lets frustration show in Malaysia
Mar.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone cut a frustrated figure on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Malaysia, the F1 supremo refused to accept the blame for the axe of the German grand prix. The 84-year-old said organisers simply would not pay the right price. “It’s funny how these people dig up all this money for things like […]
Tension high as Red Bull and Renault head for divorce
Mar.27 (GMM) The tension between Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Renault’s Cyril Abiteboul was palpable on Friday, as the warring F1 partners appeared headed for divorce. Horner said Frenchman Abiteboul, who earlier this week accused Adrian Newey of telling “lies”, was “brave” to be seated right alongside him in the official FIA press conference. Franz […]
Drivers could get extra engine for 2015 – report
Mar.27 (GMM) Drivers may be allocated an extra engine to use throughout 2015, it emerged on Friday. Bernie Ecclestone sat down with team bosses in Malaysia and reportedly agreed that the new-in-2015 limit of just 4 ‘power units’ per driver for the whole championship can now be lifted to 5. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport […]
Ricciardo admits Red Bull chassis not best in 2015
Mar.27 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has admitted Red Bull’s engine is not its only problem in 2015. In and after Australia, the former champion team took its long-time partner Renault to task, with Red Bull officials suggesting the only problem with the RB11 is its ‘power unit’. Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul hit back at those “lies”, […]
Rule stops Hamilton from wearing green helmet
Mar.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton cannot wear a special helmet this weekend in Malaysia. To celebrate title sponsor Petronas’ home race, the reigning world champion and Mercedes both revealed Hamilton brought a special green helmet to Malaysia. “How mega is this?!” the team captioned a photo on Twitter, while Hamilton also said on the social networking […]
Rosberg’s pregnant wife unwell – report
Mar.27 (GMM) Nico Rosberg’s mind is on the other side of the world as he also concentrates on his job this weekend in Malaysia. Back at his home in Monaco, where he has lived almost his entire life, the Mercedes driver’s new wife Vivian is unwell. According to Bild newspaper, she is struggling with hyperemesis […]
Massa denies doubting Mercedes engine parity
Mar.27 (GMM) Felipe Massa has denied ever saying Williams may be running inferior engines than Mercedes’ works team. “I hope we have the same engine,” Brazilian Massa had said in Australia. “I believe we have the same engine, so it’s the car. Maybe.” That was on Saturday, and after the Melbourne race he repeated that […]
Doubts remain as Rosberg says Alonso saga ‘strange’
Mar.27 (GMM) The FIA does not intend to release the findings of its investigation into Fernando Alonso’s Barcelona test crash. Although the Spaniard is back up and running after his one-month recovery, big questions remain about what happened on the exit of turn 3 on February 22. Alonso muddied the already bizarre waters even further […]
Manor fires up Ferrari engine at Sepang
Mar.26 (GMM) By the sound of it, Manor appears on course to hit the track this weekend for the first time in 2015. The former Marussia team tried the patience of the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone in Australia, when it stayed silent in the pits all weekend. Reportedly, amid suspicions the team is simply turning […]
Red Bull eyes future as engine maker – report
Mar.26 (GMM) Red Bull could be ramping up efforts to go it alone in formula one as an engine manufacturer. In the days between Australia and Malaysia, open war broke out between the energy drink-owned camp and its works engine supplier. Renault, now openly contemplating a return to full team ownership, hit back furiously this […]
Mosley tells moaning Red Bull to ‘live with it’
Mar.26 (GMM) Max Mosley has told those complaining about the F1 rules to “live with it”. As Red Bull protests bitterly about Mercedes’ domination amid arguably overly-complex and foolhardy regulations, Dr Helmut Marko pointed his finger at the FIA. “We need a leadership in formula one that can force decisions,” he told Speed Week. “Just […]
Red Bull fracas just ‘frustration’ – Ricciardo
Mar.26 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo has dismissed as “frustration” the unseemly spat between Red Bull and its works engine partner Renault. After Melbourne, it became clear that while Ferrari has markedly improved its engine over the winter, Renault arguably went backwards. Red Bull figures including Adrian Newey, Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko lashed out, but […]
Now Force India signs low-profile development driver
Mar.26 (GMM) Force India has become the next F1 team to court controversy with its signing of a ‘development driver’. Lotus has faced criticism of trading credibility for money, as it unveiled first Carmen Jorda and then Adderly Fong as the newest members of the Enstone team. Between the pair, they have contested five seasons […]
Williams confirms Bottas return
Mar.26 (GMM) Williams on Thursday confirmed Valtteri Bottas’ return to action in Malaysia. The Finn sat out the Melbourne season opener with a torn disc in his lower back, but has since been working on his recovery with a physiotherapist. “Following final approval by the FIA medical team in Malaysia today, we are pleased to […]
Alonso declares ‘locked steering’ caused crash
Mar.26 (GMM) Fernando Alonso on Thursday said he crashed in Barcelona last month because his steering “locked”. The news has thickened the already convoluted plot even more, after weeks of rumours, speculation and contradiction in what will be remembered as one of the most bizarre incidents in the history of F1. Mere days ago, McLaren […]
Manor told it must run cars in Malaysia
Mar.26 (GMM) Manor has been told it must fire its engines this weekend in Malaysia. In Australia, where the former Marussia team stayed in the pits all weekend, suspicions arose that Manor never even intended to exit the Albert Park pits. “They couldn’t have raced if someone had gone there with a machine gun and […]