Feb.26 (GMM) McLaren has joined fellow creditor Ferrari in helping the former Marussia team to survive. Ferrari, owed millions by the struggling backmarker, has agreed to keep supplying its 2014-spec turbo V6 engine to the team reborn as ‘Manor’ for 2015. McLaren, a separate technology partner, is also owed millions by Manor. But the struggling […]
Button predicts unpredictable Melbourne grid
Feb.26 (GMM) Jenson Button is predicting an unpredictable grid for next weekend’s Melbourne season opener. As the final four-day test of the winter pre-season begins on Thursday in Barcelona, the McLaren-Honda driver said the pecking order has changed since last year. “A year ago,” the Briton is quoted by Speed Week, “it was clear that […]
Now FIA helping Manor’s quest for 2015 grid
Feb.26 (GMM) F1’s governing body has joined McLaren and Ferrari in actively supporting the former Marussia team’s quest to return to the sport this year. Although owed millions by the struggling backmarker, Ferrari has agreed to keep supplying its 2014-spec turbo V6 engine to the team reborn as ‘Manor’ for 2015. McLaren, a separate technology […]
Alonso could miss Melbourne season opener
Feb.26 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s manager has sidestepped suggestions the Spaniard might have to sit out the Melbourne season opener. After four days in hospital, the 33-year-old is now resting with his family in his native Oviedo in the wake of his Barcelona testing crash. He will not take part in the final four-day winter test, […]
Arrivabene denies Gutierrez is Ferrari ‘pay driver’
Feb.25 (GMM) Ferrari has denied that even the great Italian team is now heading down the ‘pay driver’ road. Outspoken former F1 driver Mark Webber insisted this week that the fact drivers have so readily “paid their way” onto the grid in recent years is “rubbish”. “That’s not what we want in the sport,” he […]
Wehrlein says Mercedes in super licence talks
Feb.25 (GMM) Rising star Pascal Wehrlein is hoping talks with the FIA clear the path for his potential formula one debut in 2016. The 20-year-old German is now one of the hottest new names in the paddock, having been appointed Mercedes’ official reserve driver for 2015. He tested the title-winning W05 last November in Abu […]
Force India sets Friday debut for delayed 2015 car
Feb.25 (GMM) Force India has finally released a picture of its long-delayed 2015 car. Amid rumours of financial and supplier trouble, the Silverstone based team was missing at the first Jerez test, and ran only with its 2014 car in Barcelona last week. Now, the embattled Vijay Mallya-run team has announced that its VJM08 – […]
Cloud still hangs over Monza GP
Feb.25 (GMM) A cloud continues to hang over the future of the iconic Italian grand prix. Last year, Bernie Ecclestone warned that because the current contractual terms are “a disaster”, once the deal expires after the 2016 race, formula one will say “bye-bye” to Monza. Worsening the situation, it then emerged that the new, so-called […]
Alonso ‘going home to rest’ – report
Feb.25 (GMM) After three nights in hospital and amid swirling speculation about his testing crash, Fernando Alonso is finally going home. That was the claim on Wednesday of the Spanish sports daily El Mundo Deportivo, reporting that the McLaren-Honda driver is “going home to Oviedo to rest”. Alonso will “not take part in the test […]
Alonso to sit out Barcelona test
Feb.25 (GMM) McLaren-Honda has confirmed that Fernando Alonso will sit out the final test of the winter this week. Earlier on Wednesday, three nights in hospital after his testing crash at Barcelona, the Spaniard finally returned home to his native Oviedo. McLaren said in a statement that Alonso will now spend the next few days […]
Speculation now rampant after ‘normal’ Alonso crash
Feb.25 (GMM) McLaren’s media statement has not stopped rampant speculation about the crash that left Fernando Alonso in hospital for four days and counting. Many insiders are blaming the Woking based team, not only for waiting 28 hours to explain the bizarre accident but then insisting it was entirely “normal”. But drivers are rarely knocked […]
Wolff sells more of Williams stake
Feb.25 (GMM) Toto Wolff has offloaded more of his stake in the Williams team. Ever since the Austrian bought into Mercedes early in 2013 and began working as its F1 and motor racing chief, his more than 15 per cent stake in Williams has been quietly on the market. In June of last year, it […]
Manor eyes freight deadline, signs Will Stevens
Feb.25 (GMM) The former Marussia team on Wednesday said it is back on track for 2015. Now called Manor, founded for the junior categories by John Booth 25 years ago, the outfit has exited administration, set up camp at the old F3 headquarters in South Yorkshire, and is working hard on preparing a car. Earlier, […]
Technical expert says Ferrari back on track
Feb.25 (GMM) One of F1’s most respected technical journalists agrees that Ferrari is back on track after its disappointing 2014. Giorgio Piola, a veteran of hundreds of grands prix as a technical illustrator, said the biggest step forward taken by the Maranello team is on the ‘power unit’ side. “The car seems better overall and […]
Nurburgring says German GP cannot afford Ecclestone fees
Feb.25 (GMM) A deal to keep the German grand prix on this year’s F1 calendar still has not been struck. The Nurburgring was scheduled to return in 2015, but the financially-troubled circuit is tied down in an ownership crisis. Bernie Ecclestone has said the sport could simply revert to Hockenheim, but amid the F1 supremo’s […]
Williams fast, Red Bull slow on top speed chart
Feb.25 (GMM) Williams has the fastest car in 2015. That is not the finding of the stopwatch, but the speedtrap at the Barcelona test last week. Valtteri Bottas’ top speed of 337.5kph on the front straight demonstrated not only the power of the Mercedes engine, but the low drag of the FW37 car. Just 1kph […]
Vettel exit could hurt Red Bull – Webber
Feb.25 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel’s team switch for 2015 could hurt Red Bull and help Ferrari. that is the claim of the former F1 star Mark Webber, even though they were the best of enemies as teammates. During their time as Red Bull teammates between 2009 until Webber’s retirement in 2013, Vettel won 38 grands prix […]
Palmer chose reserve seat over Manor for 2015
Feb.25 (GMM) Jolyon Palmer opted for the reserve seat at Lotus rather than hoping talks with the former Marussia team bore fruit for 2015. 24-year-old Briton Palmer, whose father Jonathan was also a F1 driver, won the GP2 title last year and had hoped it would be his ticket to a race seat. Instead, he […]
Alonso does not remember crash – Briatore
Feb.24 (GMM) Flavio Briatore says Fernando Alonso does not remember the crash that has left him in a Barcelona hospital. McLaren has denied wild conspiracy theories about the cause of the accident that so far has seen the Spanish driver spend two nights in hospital recovering from concussion and the effects of his post-crash sedation. […]
Alonso-Vettel switch was right – Briatore
Feb.24 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s departure from Ferrari, replaced by fellow former champion Sebastian Vettel, was one of the highest-profile driver changes in the history of formula one. But according to Flavio Briatore, a guiding hand throughout the management of Alonso’s fascinating career, it was simply the natural result of the Spaniard spending five years at […]