Feb.12 (GMM) Talks to renew Malaysia’s F1 contract are still ongoing. Last month, Sepang circuit boss Razlan Razali travelled to London to discuss the expiring deal with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. “I am very confident this year’s F1 (race) won’t be the last,” he said. Three weeks on, a deal for 2016 and beyond still […]
‘Calm’ Williams sparked Massa revival
Feb.12 (GMM) A “calmer” environment may have contributed to the return to form of former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa. In 2008, the Brazilian went wheel-to-wheel with Lewis Hamilton for the world championship, but a year later he was fighting for his life after the qualifying accident in Hungary. Massa admitted to Spain’s El Confidencial that […]
Red Bull to speed up in Barcelona – Marko
Feb.12 (GMM) Red Bull will begin to step on the throttle at the forthcoming Barcelona test. That is the news of the energy drink marque’s Dr Helmut Marko, apparently responding to reports the 2014 runner-up failed to shine at the opening test at Jerez. Indeed, the camouflaged RB11 did not feature highly on the lists […]
Alonso waiting to set McLaren-Honda goal for 2015
Feb.12 (GMM) McLaren-Honda is beginning to play down its chances of bursting off the grid at the very start of the 2015 season. After its almost two decades with Mercedes power, the British team has struggled for laps and pace in the early phase of its new works partnership with returning Honda. Until now, McLaren […]
Ecclestone not worried as TV ratings decline
Feb.11 (GMM) Television ratings and major car manufacturers would appear to be ingredients Bernie Ecclestone cannot do without. F1, however, shed no fewer than 25 million viewers last year, but the sport’s supremo insists he is not worried because it “reflects the move FOM has made towards pay TV in several markets over the last […]
Williams backs Marussia’s 2014-car plan
Feb.11 (GMM) Williams on Wednesday said it would welcome Marussia back to the F1 grid — even if the struggling backmarker has to field a 2014 car. Marussia, now called Manor, is bidding to exit administration and rejoin the paddock this year. But at last week’s strategy group meeting, rival Force India blocked the dispensation […]
Marchionne not expecting ‘miracles’ from Ferrari
Feb.11 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne insists he is not getting carried away with Ferrari’s winter test form. The fabled Maranello marque struggled in 2014, prompting Fiat Chrysler chief Marchionne to take over from long-time president Luca di Montezemolo amid a radical personnel shakeup. The Italian-Canadian has warned that Ferrari’s return to winning form will not happen […]
No ‘explosion’ as Alonso’s Ferrari tenure ended – Briatore
Feb.11 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has hit back at claims Fernando Alonso’s relationship with Ferrari was in ruins when he left the fabled team. One of the Spaniard’s former contemporaries, David Coulthard, this week repeated the paddock perception of Alonso as perhaps the very best driver but with a fiery character. And now, more fireworks might […]
Wolff wants new Hamilton deal before Melbourne
Feb.11 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he would like to agree a new deal with world champion Lewis Hamilton before the season begins. The Briton remains under contract for the full 2015 season, but at the Jerez test recently he was spotted in intense negotiations with boss Wolff and team chairman Niki Lauda. Last week, […]
Alonso eyes McLaren-Honda success ‘soon’
Feb.11 (GMM) Arguably the biggest question mark heading into the 2015 season is the form of McLaren-Honda. Team management are hailing the tight packaging of their “size-zero” MP4-30, but problems with the returning Honda’s first turbo V6 effort meant McLaren left Jerez with low mileage and uncompetitive laptimes. Matt Morris, McLaren designer, admits Jerez was […]
Mercedes still favourite for 2015 – Haug
Feb.11 (GMM) Former chief Norbert Haug doubts that Mercedes’ rivals have been able to track down the German giant’s advantage ahead of the 2015 season. At the opening pre-season test at Jerez, it was Ferrari who surprisingly set the headline times. But Haug, the former head of Mercedes motor sport, said: “There are no points […]
Mercedes yet to show full potential – Costa
Feb.11 (GMM) Designer Aldo Costa denies Mercedes has played it too safe with the new title-defending W06. The Brackley team utterly dominated the first season of the new turbo V6 rules in 2014 and is expected to maintain that advantage this year. But as testing kicked off at Jerez last week, it was Ferrari that […]
Question mark over Red Bull’s 2015 form
Feb.10 (GMM) 2014 runner-up Red Bull has emerged as a big question-mark ahead of the new season. Last year, Daniel Ricciardo was the only driver other than the occupant of a Mercedes to see the view from the top of the podium. But after the first official test of the 2015 pre-season, the Australian’s best […]
Ecclestone eyes ‘second division’ with old Red Bull
Feb.10 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is working on a contingency plan in case the F1 grid continues to dwindle. If Marussia’s bid to return this year should fail, the pitlane looks set to house just nine teams in 2015. And with other teams including Force India, Sauber and even Lotus thought to be stretched financially, there […]
Vettel camp denies copying Schumacher helmet
Feb.10 (GMM) The Sebastian Vettel camp has denied claims the quadruple world champion’s 2015 helmet livery is based on a design once worn by the great Michael Schumacher. Publications including La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy) and Germany’s Sport Bild had made the link between Vettel’s new white design and an almost identical one reportedly worn […]
McLaren designer says race finish in Melbourne ‘realistic’
Feb.10 (GMM) McLaren-Honda is confident it will see the chequered flag in Melbourne. Together again after more than two decades, the famous British team and the returning Japanese manufacturer notably struggled at the opening winter test at Jerez. “I thought they would be on the same level as Renault and Ferrari,” said former McLaren driver […]
Nurburgring makes proposal to save German GP
Feb.10 (GMM) The Nurburgring has tabled an offer in the hope of keeping the German grand prix alive in 2015. The F1 paddock – and particularly Germany’s prominent representatives including Mercedes, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel – has reacted with concern to Bernie Ecclestone’s news that it is possible neither the Nurburgring or Hockenheim can […]
Alonso vows to sue over tax evasion reports
Feb.10 (GMM) Fernando Alonso is threatening legal action after being named on a list of those suspected of tax evasion. The so-called ‘Falciani list’, named after a whistleblower, features thousands of names of those with Swiss accounts who reportedly used the HSBC bank to evade tax by placing money offshore. Also on the list are […]
Ferrari tester says Mercedes is 2015 ‘favourite’
Feb.10 (GMM) Ferrari tester Marc Gene has acknowledged that Mercedes remains the favourite for the 2015 season. After Jerez, where the formerly struggling Maranello team surprised the F1 world with its headline test times, many predicted Ferrari might be in a position to challenge the ultra-dominant 2014 champions Mercedes this year. Also vastly improved at […]
Some teens can be ready for F1 – Verstappen
Feb.10 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he understands the FIA’s decision to clamp down on the age and inexperience of future rookies in formula one. In just over a month, the Dutchman will smash the all-time record for the youngest ever race driver on the grid, when he hits the throttle in Melbourne at the controversial […]