Feb.20 (GMM) How much progress has dominant 2014 title winner Mercedes made over the winter? The perfect man to ask on Thursday was Pascal Wehrlein. A DTM driver, the 20-year-old German began his duties at the Barcelona test at the wheel of the Force India. It is powered by Mercedes’ 2014 power unit, which was […]
F1 move ‘out of the question’ for Danica Patrick
Feb.20 (GMM) Danica Patrick has played down suggestions she might be in pole position to enter formula one next year. She already drives in Nascar for Stewart-Haas, the team co-owned by F1’s 2016 newcomer, Gene Haas. 32-year-old Patrick’s move from American racing to F1 would be an enormous publicity coup for the sport, as she […]
Lotus back on track for ‘top places’ – Gastaldi
Feb.20 (GMM) After a miserable 2014 season, Lotus appears back on track this year. Pastor Maldonado’s chart-topping time in the new Mercedes-powered E23 on Thursday would have been good enough to beat Lewis Hamilton to pole at the Spanish grand prix last year. However, the Venezuelan was fitted with soft Pirelli tyres, while the almost-as-quick […]
Manor takes another step to salvation
Feb.20 (GMM) Manor, the reborn Marussia team, took a step back from administration on Thursday. We reported earlier that the ailing backmarker’s administrators would on Thursday issue a statement confirming that a restructuring process (CVA) agreed with creditors is now in place. Indeed, the statement was issued to the media at 3pm UK. “With new […]
Massa, Lauda support helmet livery change ban
Feb.20 (GMM) The new ban on helmet livery changes was actually a compromise measure, it emerged on Friday. So far, news that drivers will be limited to just a single helmet livery per season has been highly controversial. “I am a fan of consistency,” Grand Prix Drivers’ Association president Alex Wurz said, “but seriously! What’s […]
Crash turns heads but Ferrari shining brightest
Feb.20 (GMM) Nearly three months after the chequered flag waved in Abu Dhabi, it was a pair of rookies who had pulses racing on Thursday. The press room at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya buzzed when images of Felipe Nasr’s Sauber with heavy rear damage, and the similarly-stricken Williams of female tester Susie Wolff, depicted the […]
Mateschitz denies selling F1 team to Audi
Feb.20 (GMM) Dietrich Mateschitz has denied reports he might be looking to sell his F1 team Red Bull to Audi. On Thursday, stories emerged in the German press suggesting that the Red Bull mogul and billionaire might be looking to go beyond his role as a team owner and buy into the sport’s commercial rights. […]
Vettel must beat Raikkonen in 2015 – Coulthard
Feb.19 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel must beat friend and new Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen in 2015. That is the claim of former F1 driver David Coulthard, who fears the quadruple world champion cannot afford to lose another internal battle this year. In 2014, Vettel was humbled by Red Bull newcomer Daniel Ricciardo, amid the German’s struggle […]
Bahrain confirms Qatar race talks ‘still on’
Feb.19 (GMM) Bahrain has admitted it is in “talks” amid reports neighbouring Qatar is about to join the F1 calendar. Earlier, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said that despite the oil-rich Arab state’s interest, nearby Qatar’s grand prix aspirations were being blocked by Bahrain. “They (Bahrain) said to me would I give them a guarantee I […]
Sirotkin confirms talks for Force India test seat
Feb.19 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin has admitted he is in talks with Force India. When the Silverstone based team sat out the recent Jerez test, we reported that it was because money promised by the Russian teen’s backers did not arrive. According to the rumour, once it was clear the team’s 2015 car was delayed, Force […]
Rosberg suffering inflamed nerve in neck – report
Feb.19 (GMM) Both of Mercedes’ race drivers are out of action at present. World champion Lewis Hamilton kicked off the team’s four-day test at Barcelona early on Thursday, but had to retire after a handful of laps, reportedly with a fever. Curiously, he was replaced not by his teammate Nico Rosberg, but by reserve driver […]
Hamilton unwell as Barcelona test begins
Feb.19 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein leapt rapidly from the Force India to the Mercedes cockpit as the Barcelona test began on Thursday morning. The 20-year-old German had just started running in the 2014 Force India when, in the works Mercedes, reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton fell ill. “Lewis Hamilton is unwell and not able to continue […]
No quick fix to McLaren-Honda problems – Ramirez
Feb.19 (GMM) A crucial month lies ahead for the new McLaren-Honda collaboration. That is the obvious view from the outside, after the innovative MP4-30 struggled for pace and laps not only at Jerez, but also reportedly early this week at Barcelona, as the British-Japanese outfit conducted private ‘filming days’ with the troubled 2015 car. The […]
F1 rumours firing for Audi yet again
Feb.19 (GMM) Rumours are once again doing the rounds that the Volkswagen Group is eyeing a place on the F1 grid. But according to Germany’s respected Auto Motor und Sport, this time the speculation has a twist — and former world champions Red Bull may be playing a role. Now, the VW brand strongly linked […]
Manor books crash tests for early March – report
Feb.19 (GMM) While Barcelona echoed to the sound of turbo V6 engines on Thursday, behind-the-scenes developments were also making noise. Force India finally began its winter programme at the Circuit de Catalunya, but only with the 2014 car and Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehrlein at the wheel. Wehrlein was then called up by his works employer […]
Age controversy will soon be old – Verstappen
Feb.19 (GMM) Max Verstappen thinks all the stories about his age will soon be old. The Dutchman’s impending debut at the tender age of 17 has been so controversial that the FIA has even changed the super licence rules for 2016. But that will not affect the new Toro Rosso driver, and Verstappen insists the […]
Sutil’s manager denies Le Mans reports
Feb.19 (GMM) Adrian Sutil’s manager has denied reports linking the German driver with a top Le Mans seat for 2015. The Swiss newspaper Blick reported this week that, after losing his place at Sauber, 32-year-old F1 veteran Sutil could keep his career alive in the top LMP1 endurance sports car category with Nissan. But Sutil’s […]
McLaren troubles continue in Barcelona
Feb.19 (GMM) McLaren-Honda’s troubled pre-season continued on Thursday as the second winter test at Barcelona began. At lunch on day one at the Circuit de Catalunya, Jenson Button’s work at the wheel of the MP4-30 was over when a design fault on the ‘MGU-K’ component of the Honda power unit’s energy recovery system was found. […]
Bottas preferred Bahrain over Barcelona
Feb.19 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has lamented the end of winter testing in the island Kingdom of Bahrain. Previously, F1 teams made the pre-season trip to the Middle East to avoid Europe’s cold winter, but the practice was stopped for 2015 as a cost-saving measure. So after this year’s track preparations kicked off recently at Jerez, […]
Sutil linked with Nissan seat for Le Mans
Feb.18 (GMM) Adrian Sutil could keep his top motor racing career alive in 2015 with a Le Mans seat. Late last year, the German veteran hinted he might take legal action against Sauber, as despite his 2015 contract the Swiss team signed pay-drivers Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson for this season. It was then a […]