Apr.1 (GMM) A meeting to analyse the future of F1’s qualifying format has already been scheduled for Bahrain. In the paddock on Thursday, the widespread feeling was that the sport was “crazy” to have not scrapped the new ‘musical chairs’ system after Australia. “It’s crazy,” said F1 legend Niki Lauda, “because we saw in Australia […]
Month: April 2016
Massa still waiting for new Williams nose
Apr.1 (GMM) The Williams team is still waiting for its highly-anticipated new ultra-short nose to touch down in the Bahrain paddock. But even when it does arrive from Britain, it will not get fitted to Valtteri Bottas’ car. “Felipe (Massa) has more points,” he is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper. “So if the front […]
Rivals surprised after Alonso sidelined
Apr.1 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s rivals were surprised on Thursday when it emerged the Spaniard had been sidelined in Bahrain for medical reasons. “I said ‘Wow’,” admitted fellow F1 veteran Jenson Button. Alonso’s countryman and friend Carlos Sainz added: “I knew he was not 100 per cent, but I did not expect that he would not […]
Paddock ‘Snapchat’ ban for Hamilton
Apr.1 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has banned Lewis Hamilton from filming footage for his increasingly notorious ‘Snapchat’ videos inside the F1 paddock. The reigning world champion has taken to summarising his global travels with the social media app, ranging from his famous motorcycle ‘selfie’ in Australia to bizarre footage of himself sitting on an airplane toilet […]
Ferrari admits Verstappen ‘interesting’ for future
Apr.1 (GMM) Ferrari has joined Mercedes in admitting its interest in F1 teen sensation Max Verstappen. “It is clear that he has a great future in F1,” Mercedes’ Toto Wolff said recently. “It would be stupid not to consider him as the opportunity arises. “But at the moment this is not an issue,” added Wolff, […]
Red Bull drivers try ‘halo’ alternative
Apr.1 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat have tried a mock-up of Red Bull’s alternative to the ‘halo’ cockpit protection concept. Unlike the chicken wishbone-style ‘halo’, the Red Bull alternative is essentially an open-topped canopy protected by a forward-facing, bulletproof windshield. Felipe Massa recently questioned whether the side supports would compromise visibility when drivers are […]