May 13 (GMM) Red Bull looks poised to agree a new customer engine deal with Renault. Relations between the parties has improved this year, with Red Bull – rebadging the units as Tag-Heuer – much happier with performance. Daniel Ricciardo said recently a new deal is “likely”, but Auto Motor und Sport says the two […]
Month: May 2016
F1 serious about engine ‘convergence’
May 13 (GMM) F1’s governing body on Friday said it is serious about ‘performance convergence’ when it comes to the engines in F1. When asked for his dream regulation on Friday, Red Bull’s Christian Horner joked: “Mercedes engines for everyone, free of charge!” But part of the new rules package agreed in the past days […]
Dennis says no Honda customers before title
May 13 (GMM) Ron Dennis has indicated he will not give the green light for Honda to begin supplying engines to customer teams. A new rule means engine manufacturers in F1 must be prepared to supply up to three teams per season, but McLaren supremo Dennis has a reported contractual veto guaranteeing an exclusive works […]
Hulkenberg happy with Force India upgrade
May 13 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg on Thursday sounded upbeat about a major upgrade package introduced by Force India for the Spanish grand prix. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said the Silverstone based team has taken “practically a new car” to Barcelona, featuring new wings, floor, sidepods, engine cover and brake ducts for an up to […]
Palmer dismisses Renault axe rumours
May 13 (GMM) Jolyon Palmer on Thursday said he is not worried about rumours Renault might oust him before the end of the 2016 season. The French marque’s new works team is actively promoting the young careers of Russian-backed Sergey Sirotkin as well as French youngster Esteban Ocon. Ocon will even drive Palmer’s yellow car […]
Massa opposed to visor tear-off ban
May 13 (GMM) Felipe Massa says he does not support the FIA’s forthcoming ban on discarding helmet visor tear-offs on the track. Actually, the ban was originally intended for the start of the 2016 season but F1 will now enforce it as of Monaco later this month. “I don’t think there’s a need for it […]
Ferrari engine only Sauber update in Spain – Nasr
May 13 (GMM) Sauber’s only update for the Spanish grand prix is a new Ferrari engine specification. That is the news of Brazilian driver Felipe Nasr, amid the Swiss team’s obvious financial troubles. Most teams launch significant chassis and aerodynamic upgrades at the first European race of the season. But Nasr was quoted by Brazil’s […]
‘Hearsay’ replaces real information about Schu
May 13 (GMM) A lack of information about Michael Schumacher’s condition means “hearsay” is instead being reported by the media about the F1 legend. That was the view of a Brazilian media panel this week, following speculation the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver is in grave health 30 months after his skiing crash. “There are […]
Wehrlein plays down Haas rumour
May 13 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has played down an early ‘silly season’ rumour about a potential switch to Haas for 2017. The German-language motorsport-magazin.com noticed in Barcelona that Gunther Steiner, Haas’ team boss, was heaping praise on the Mercedes-backed rookie following his debut for Manor this year. “Wehrlein has surprised me with how well he […]
Spa not hurt by Shell’s sponsor axe – promoter
May 13 (GMM) The promoter of the Belgian grand prix has played down reports the Spa-Francorchamps race has lost its naming sponsor. Oil giant Shell announced this week that it is pulling its trackside advertising deal with F1 as well as the naming rights to the Belgian race. But Andre Maes told La Derniere Heure, […]
Marchionne’s pressure not negative – Vettel
May 13 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says the pressure put on Ferrari by its president Sergio Marchionne is positive. This week, with the Maranello marque having failed to win one of the four races so far, Marchionne declared that he “expects” victory in Barcelona, because Ferrari “deserves” it. When asked about the effect that sort of […]
Bottas waiting for 2017 ‘silly season’
May 13 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is not ruling out playing a role in the 2017 ‘silly season’. A year ago, the Finn found himself in the middle of the rumours about Kimi Raikkonen’s future at Ferrari. Bottas stayed at Williams, where he has had a less than perfect start to 2016 although he finished a […]
Ricciardo surprised by Kvyat decision
May 13 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo on Thursday said he was taken by surprise when he saw on his mobile last week that Dr Helmut Marko was calling from Graz. When you see that, “You know that something is up,” the Australian smiled in Barcelona. Marko told Ricciardo that he has a new teammate in the […]
Kvyat given ‘just words’ not reason for decision
May 13 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat was stoical but admittedly unhappy on Thursday as the world’s media pressed him about being dropped by Red Bull. “First of all, I think the word ‘dropped’ is a bit heavy because I still get quite a good chance with Toro Rosso,” said the Russian. But he did admit that […]
Teams using trick to reduce tyre pressures
May 12 (GMM) Rumours some teams have found a loophole around Pirelli’s minimum tyre pressure rules are doing the rounds in the Barcelona paddock. Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt claims McLaren wrote a letter to the FIA seeking clarification about a supposed technical trick that lowers tyre pressures once a car is running. […]
Monaco tear-off ban surprises Grosjean
May 12 (GMM) Romain Grosjean was surprised on Thursday amid reports the FIA would ban the discarding of helmet tear-offs on track from Monaco. “It’s funny,” the Haas driver is quoted by Speed Week in Barcelona. “I thought the ban had applied since Australia.” Grosjean explained that he had been storing the plastic strips in […]
‘Sources’ play down Schumacher health reports
May 12 (GMM) “Official sources” have played down alarming reports about the health condition of F1 legend Michael Schumacher. A US source called ‘Newseveryday’, whose report was repeated by respected international publications, had quoted a doctor supposedly involved in Schumacher’s recovery as saying the former Mercedes driver needs “a miracle to stay alive”. “The truth […]
Renault will improve car for 2017 – Petrov
May 12 (GMM) Renault should be back on track with a much more competitive car next year, according to former driver Vitaly Petrov. The Russian, who made his F1 debut in a yellow car built by Enstone in 2010, said the current state of the team is understandable in light of the past 12 months. […]
Ecclestone ‘joking’ in London GP quote – report
May 12 (GMM) A respected F1 correspondent has slammed as “nonsense” suggestions the sport is only a small step from a London street race. The story lit up global headlines this week when F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was asked by ITV News London if a grand prix in the British capital is a possibility. “The […]
Modern F1 not too ‘easy’ – Massa
May 12 (GMM) Felipe Massa has hit out once again at the suggestion that driving formula one cars in the modern era has become too easy. The Brazilian veteran has raced across F1’s V10, V8 and now V6 eras, but he said the challenge is simply “different” today rather than easier. “Sure, it used to […]