May 6 (GMM) Mercedes has admitted it is still working on fixing the engine problems that have thwarted Lewis Hamilton’s championship campaign so far in 2016. In China and again in Russia, the reigning triple world champion struck trouble with identical problems aboard two different V6 ‘power units’. Then in the Sochi race, the Briton […]
Month: May 2016
Ferrari can still win 2016 title – Marchionne
May 6 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari “deserves” to keep charging for the 2016 world championship. That is despite the fact Sebastian Vettel, widely regarded as Maranello’s lead driver, is already a whopping 67 points behind Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg. Ferrari and Fiat president Marchionne famously set Ferrari the target of winning immediately in 2016, but […]
2017 rules will not stop overtaking – Boullier
May 6 (GMM) Eric Boullier has hit back at suggestions the 2017 regulations could actually hurt formula one. Part of Mercedes’ opposition to the wider cars with bigger wings for next year was the argument that more downforce will just make overtaking more difficult. “I disagree with some comments made by our rivals in the […]
Red Bull waiting to decide future with Renault
May 6 (GMM) Red Bull is waiting until Canada before turning its attention to the future of its deal with engine supplier Renault. After a tumultuous semi-works relationship came to a head last year, the former world champion team agreed a one-year customer deal with Renault for 2016 involving the re-branding of the ‘power units’ […]
Kvyat can still revive F1 career – Salo
May 6 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat still has his supporters in formula one, despite being demoted by Red Bull after just four races in 2016. Igor Ermilin, the presidential advisor to the Russian automobile federation, called it the most “stupid decision I have ever seen in formula one”. He told Russia’s Sport Express: “It is surprising […]
Red Bull helping, not harming Kvyat – Marko
May 6 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says moving back to Toro Rosso will reduce pressure that Daniil Kvyat was struggling to cope with so far in 2016. Opinions are divided over Red Bull’s shock decision this week to promote teen sensation Max Verstappen to the senior team, resulting in the demotion of Kvyat. The timing […]
Verstappen not feeling pressure of F1 promotion
May 6 (GMM) Max Verstappen insists he is not feeling the heat of his sudden promotion to Red Bull’s senior F1 team. That is despite the fact Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s notorious driver manager, said Russian Kvyat has been demoted because he was not coping with the pressure of trying to keep up with […]
Top teams in leadership move against Ecclestone
May 5 (GMM) Mercedes and Red Bull have joined Ferrari in reportedly moving against F1’s long-time ‘supremo’ Bernie Ecclestone. Reports recently suggested Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne had proposed that the 85-year-old Briton be replaced by a new, three-pronged leadership team. When asked about the viability of Ecclestone’s continuing reign, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff told the […]
Mercedes’ Sochi engines survived race – report
May 5 (GMM) The engines used by Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton last Sunday at Sochi can be used again. That is the news of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, following Mercedes’ admission that both drivers suffered reliability problems during the Russian grand prix. The team claimed on Wednesday that Briton Hamilton somehow finished the […]
Raikkonen under fire over motocross track
May 5 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is under fire for building a motocross circuit on his land in Finland without obtaining the necessary permits. Yle, the Finnish broadcaster, reports that local residents have complained to authorities about the noise made by those using the circuit in Kirkkonummi, in the south of Finland. One resident said: “As […]
Ecclestone tells Hamilton to stop ‘moaning’
May 5 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has told reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton to stop “moaning”. Although the Mercedes driver has been generally more cheerful in 2016, the F1 supremo was apparently referring to Hamilton saying recent stewards decisions remind him of an “a——” karting official in his past. “I told him to get on with […]
Sauber staff waiting for wages again – report
May 5 (GMM) Sauber’s financial struggle rolls on, with the Swiss newspaper Blick reporting that team staff are now waiting for their April wages. Team boss and co-owner Monisha Kaltenborn says she is waiting for a key sponsorship payment. “I hope the money comes in the next days,” she said, “but we will solve the […]
Renault seeks champion driver of 2020 – Vasseur
May 5 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says Renault is looking to re-create its glory of the past by building towards success with a promising new driver. The French carmaker returned to full works team status for 2016 with Kevin Magnussen, a formerly McLaren-backed Dane, and the 2014 GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer. And nipping at the race […]
Dennis disputes new engine supply rule – report
May 5 (GMM) Ron Dennis has reportedly warned that he will not accept a new FIA regulation regarding the supply of engines to customer teams. In reaction to the Red Bull saga of late 2015, a new rule has been published in the 2017 rules whereby the FIA has the power to enforce deals between […]
MotoGP hot on F1’s heels – Marko
May 5 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has acknowledged that F1 is coming under threat by its two-wheeled equivalent when it comes to being the best form of top motor racing. As he this week ruled out returning to formula one, Flavio Briatore insisted: “The ‘show’ of racing has gone to MotoGP.” Marko, the head of […]
Honda questions need for louder F1
May 5 (GMM) Honda has questioned moves to further turn up the volume of F1’s current ‘power units’. With many believing the turbo V6 engines are not loud enough for the ‘show’, for 2016 additional ‘wastegate’ exhaust pipes were added. But the sound only went up by a few decibels, causing the FIA to announce […]
Not all surprised with Kvyat demotion
May 5 (GMM) The motor racing world reacted with surprise to the news of Daniil Kvyat’s demotion. “Really?” said Jenson Button on Twitter, after Red Bull announced the Russian’s return to Toro Rosso. “One bad race and Kyvat’s dropped, what about the podium in the previous race?” the McLaren-Honda driver added. But not everyone is […]
Kvyat, Verstappen to swap seats for Barcelona
May 5 (GMM) Red Bull Racing has ousted Daniil Kvyat and replaced him with Max Verstappen ahead of the Spanish grand prix next weekend. F1today.net, a Dutch website, had cited ‘various sources’ in reporting that Russian Kvyat, under fire for his clashes with Sebastian Vettel at Sochi, would swap seats with Toro Rosso’s Verstappen. Red […]
Renault right to revive Magnussen’s career – Coulthard
May 4 (GMM) David Coulthard has hailed the performance of Kevin Magnussen after the Dane opened Renault’s points account in Russia last weekend. The occupant of the sister yellow car, Jolyon Palmer, is under pressure to up his game but former F1 driver Coulthard said Magnussen is doing a good job. “It was a great […]
McLaren happy with 2017 rule changes – Boullier
May 4 (GMM) One team happy with the new rules for 2017 is McLaren-Honda, according to its boss Eric Boullier. Many drivers and some teams, like Mercedes, voiced opposition to the changes but Boullier said “Mercedes was against it because they are dominating” under the current regime. For 2017, the cars and tyres are getting […]