Feb.4 (GMM) Mercedes chiefs have admitted that F1 unexpectedly turned up the volume for 2015. Last year, as the turbo ‘power units’ replaced the screaming normally-aspired engines of the past, the biggest controversy was the loss of volume. But trackside observers at this week’s first 2015 test at Jerez unanimously agree that the new cars […]
Force India denies rumours of team collapse
Feb.4 (GMM) Force India and also F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone have played down reports about the health of the Silverstone based team. Amid rumours the team is in financial trouble and could miss the season opener in Melbourne, a Force India spokesperson said on Monday: “We will definitely be in Melbourne and are still planning […]
Lauda puts on red sweater for Ferrari ‘surprise’
Feb.4 (GMM) Ferrari is emerging from crisis and turmoil to become perhaps Mercedes’ biggest threat for the 2015 title. The beleaguered Italian team has been playing down its prospects amid sweeping personnel changes, but newcomer Sebastian Vettel and the SF15-T car hit the Jerez test track with immediate pace this week. Continuing Ferrari driver Kimi […]
2015 Force India set to miss another test
Feb.4 (GMM) Yet another official test will pass before Force India’s 2015 car is debuted, it emerged on Wednesday. Already absent at Jerez, the Silverstone based team is fending off speculation of financial trouble that could even mean the season opener in Melbourne is in doubt. But Force India declared: “We’ll be there come Melbourne.” […]
Rival teams will stop ‘Manor’ revival – report
Feb.4 (GMM) Marussia’s 2015 comeback could be thwarted because the team does not have a new car ready to race. It emerged on Wednesday that the backmarker team, to be known now as Manor, could exit administration ahead of the new season. Mark Kleinman, the city editor for Sky News, revealed that heading the consortium […]
Jerez sees F1 move up a gear for 2015
Feb.4 (GMM) As the first test of the 2015 pre-season nears its end, more questions have emerged than have been answered. McLaren, for one, has struggled with its odd-sounding new works Honda V6, but team figures are gushing about the ‘size-zero’ car for its revolutionary engine. Fernando Alonso finally managed some consecutive, if uncompetitive laps […]
Nurburgring ‘surprised’ by Ecclestone comments
Feb.4 (GMM) The apparent demise of F1’s historic German grand prix is causing a stir in the country. Although he later diluted his comments, Bernie Ecclestone triggered controversy when he told the Rheine Zeitung newspaper that Germany will not host a race in 2015. And major dailies including Welt and Bild are reproducing the F1 […]
Dennis upbeat despite horror start for McLaren-Honda
Feb.3 (GMM) McLaren are continuing to put a brave face on its troubled start to the 2015 pre-season. After two of the 12 official test days before Melbourne, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have each managed just 6 laps apiece in the Honda-powered MP4-30. “At least they are consistent,” a paddock insider smirked, according to […]
Vettel pace raises hopes of Ferrari revival
Feb.3 (GMM) Ferrari is emerging as a shock contender to take on mighty title defenders Mercedes in 2015. After Nico Rosberg stunned the paddock with his 157 laps on the W06’s debut on Sunday, world champion Lewis Hamilton could manage ‘only’ 91 on Monday amid a water leak. But the Mercedes driver said at Jerez: […]
F1 has turned up engine volume for 2015
Feb.3 (GMM) F1 has turned up the volume for 2015. As per the engine ‘freeze’ rules, 2014 manufacturers Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari have been allowed to upgrade their turbo V6s by a value of up to 48 per cent since the end of last season. Still, the slight relaxing of the homologation rules – the […]
Hamilton could retire after new Mercedes contract – report
Feb.3 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton is on the cusp of agreeing a new deal that could see him live out the remainder of his F1 career at Mercedes. The reigning world champion has at Jerez been locked in tough talks with team chiefs Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff, amid speculation Mercedes might be eyeing Fernando Alonso […]
Wolff not expecting driver ‘harmony’ in 2015
Feb.3 (GMM) Toto Wolff is not expecting the current mood of peace between Mercedes’ drivers to last. Last year, the relationship between teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg deteriorated badly amid their two-horse duel for the 2014 title. But as soon as the final chequered flag waved in Abu Dhabi, German Rosberg congratulated the world […]
German GP demise ‘a disaster’ – Lauda
Feb.3 (GMM) Niki Lauda says the demise of the German grand prix would be a “disaster”. Amid the Nurburgring’s ownership troubles and Hockenheim not agreeing an alternative deal for 2015, the Rhein Zeitung newspaper on Monday quoted Bernie Ecclestone as saying: “I’m as sad as the fans that there will be no formula one race […]
Ecclestone ‘sad’ at 2015 German GP demise
Feb.3 (GMM) The fate of this year’s German grand prix remains dim, as local reports suggest Bernie Ecclestone has now written off the scheduled July race. Amid the Nurburgring’s ownership troubles and Hockenheim not agreeing a replacement deal for 2015, the Rhein Zeitung newspaper on Monday quoted F1 supremo Ecclestone as saying: “I’m as sad […]
Haas in no rush to sign 2016 drivers
Feb.3 (GMM) Gene Haas says he is in no rush to sign a pair of drivers for his 2016 F1 team. Accompanied by his team principal Gunther Steiner, the Californian is this week visiting the Jerez test, even though his Ferrari-powered outfit will not go racing for more than a full 12 months from now. […]
Hamilton, Dennis say Alonso not Mercedes-bound
Feb.2 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton and Ron Dennis have dismissed speculation Fernando Alonso could be planning to spoil their respective plans. While Nico Rosberg pounded around Jerez on Sunday in the impressive new Mercedes, world champion Hamilton was meeting with bosses Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda. The hot topic was a new contract, as the Briton’s […]
Kvyat loses wing, Lotus impresses with nose
Feb.2 (GMM) Red Bull and Lotus caused a stir on Monday as the first test of the 2015 pre-season continued at Jerez. Daniil Kvyat had a bad start to life as a race driver for the energy drink company’s senior team by running off the Spanish circuit and damaging the front wing. “That was the […]
Day of contrasts marks start of test season
Feb.2 (GMM) F1’s 2015 test season kicked off on Sunday amid stark contrasts, as Mercedes looked set to extend its utter dominance into a second championship campaign. The German giant, in fact, stunned rival engineers up and down the pitlane as Nico Rosberg pounded around the Jerez circuit almost 160 times — a first-day feat […]
Force India may miss Melbourne opener – report
Feb.2 (GMM) Rumours about the health of the Force India team are continuing to worsen. The Silverstone based squad has not fully explained its absence from the Jerez test this week. On social media, German driver Nico Hulkenberg posted a photo of himself training in the snow, remarking: “If I can’t be at Jerez I’m […]
McLaren not ruling out livery change
Feb.2 (GMM) McLaren supremo Ron Dennis is not ruling out a change of livery for the newly-launched MP4-30. We reported last week that, amid raised expectations of an orange or iconic red and white livery to herald the new works Honda partnership, some fans were disappointed when the familiar silver and black car was launched […]