Jul.15 (GMM) The Brazilian oil company Petrobras is considering adding Toro Rosso to its formula one roster. The semi-public Brazilian multinational already sponsors Williams, but the team’s engine deal with Mercedes means it actually uses Petronas lubricants and fuel. Brazil’s UOL reports that Petrobras executives therefore met recently with representatives of Renault and Toro Rosso. […]
Month: July 2016
Source plays down Arrivabene exit claims
Jul.15 (GMM) An insider who is famously close to Ferrari has played down rumours Maurizio Arrivabene could lose his job. Sections of the infamously tough Italian press have declared that the Maranello marque is once again in “crisis”, after starting the year hot on Mercedes’ heels but now having fallen behind Red Bull. Not only […]
Apple linked with F1 rights buyout
Jul.15 (GMM) Apple, the famous American multinational technology company, has been linked with buying F1’s commercial rights. Potential buyers of the majority stake in the sport currently owned by CVC have been the subject of speculation for some time, but it is the first time Apple, the famous Steve Jobs-founded creator of the iPhone, has […]
Perez to assess future in summer break
Jul.14 (GMM) Sergio Perez is still not willing to pledge his future to Force India. The team’s supremo Vijay Mallya made a rare paddock appearance at Silverstone last weekend where he insisted that the Mexican driver and his teammate Nico Hulkenberg are staying put for 2017. Mallya was responding to rumours that Perez might be […]
Vettel pressed for new Raikkonen deal – source
Jul.14 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel insisted that Ferrari keep Kimi Raikkonen for 2017, according to a British newspaper. The Italian team had openly contemplated replacing the ageing Finn, with the impressive Force India driver Sergio Perez apparently at the top of the list. But when asked if he was surprised when Ferrari re-signed Raikkonen, Perez answered: […]
Grosjean mourns Bianchi but opposed to Halo
Jul.14 (GMM) Even the sad memory of his friend Jules Bianchi does not mean Romain Grosjean backs the proposed ‘Halo’ device. Also French, Haas driver Grosjean says he paid his respects ahead of the Monaco grand prix in May. “I went to his grave and I am also in constant contact with his father Philippe,” […]
Candidates queue up for Palmer’s seat
Jul.14 (GMM) Jolyon Palmer may face a struggle to hang onto his Renault seat beyond 2016. That’s because the potential suitors are queuing at the door, including Stoffel Vandoorne and Esteban Ocon. Belgian Vandoorne is actually under contract to McLaren but the British team has not decided whether or not to hang onto Jenson Button […]
Villeneuve slams F1 driver ‘babies’ over safety car
Jul.14 (GMM) Two former grand prix winners are leading the criticism of F1’s new tendency to start any wet race behind the safety car. The issue has arisen after the British grand prix, where spectators last Sunday were deprived of a normal start from the grid following a pre-race rain shower. “If it suddenly rains […]
Full season for Haryanto not assured – manager
Jul.14 (GMM) Rio Haryanto’s run in formula one could now be coming to an end. While there have been mixed reports over whether the Indonesian rookie will stay at Manor all season, the 23-year-old is in fact only signed up for the first 11 races of 2016. That would take him onto to the chequered […]
Haas leaves driver question open for now
Jul.13 (GMM) Haas is leaving its driver lineup for the 2017 season open for now. It is almost certain that Romain Grosjean is staying at the new American team next year, particularly after Ferrari re-signed Kimi Raikkonen. “It is not true that I went to Haas only because of Ferrari,” the Frenchman, referring to Haas’ […]
‘Getting noticed’ difficult at Manor – Wehrlein
Jul.13 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has indicated he wants his F1 career to step up a notch for 2017. A few days ago, the Mercedes-backed rookie said he would be happy to stay with the backmarker team Manor next year. “First and foremost this is a huge opportunity and I need to take advantage of this […]
Red Bull would vote against Halo
Jul.13 (GMM) Red Bull has indicated it will vote against the introduction of the ‘Halo’ cockpit protection for 2017. That is despite the fact that, at the Silverstone test on Tuesday, Red Bull youngster Pierre Gasly tested the innovation for the energy drink team. “It was strange to see something in front of me but […]
Nasr now sees future for Sauber team
Jul.12 (GMM) Sauber has leapt back into contention to retain Felipe Nasr for 2017, after it had looked like the Brazilian was losing patience. The Swiss team has struggled financially in 2016, but rumours are now abounding that Sauber will shortly make official a buyout or rescue deal. “It’s a big change,” Nasr, whose personal […]
Italian press sees Ferrari in ‘crisis’ again
Jul.12 (GMM) The Italian press thinks Ferrari has entered another period of “crisis”. Despite earlier looking a likely title challenger for Mercedes in 2016, the Maranello team has fallen clearly behind Red Bull in both performance and reliability. It has left the partisan Italian media wondering what has gone wrong. “One wonders if hasty decisions […]
Top three to have 2017 tyre advantage – Symonds
Jul.12 (GMM) Pat Symonds thinks F1’s three top teams will get an advantage by spearheading the track development of the new, bigger Pirelli tyres for 2017. A 24-day separate track programme on specially-modified older cars will begin in August, shared equally between top teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. F1’s fourth-quickest team is Williams, whose […]
F1 legends tip Hamilton to win title
Jul.12 (GMM) Two experienced veterans of the world of formula one are tipping Lewis Hamilton to win a third consecutive world championship in 2016. Thanks in part to Nico Rosberg’s controversial radio-call penalty, the British driver closed to within a single point of the championship lead by winning at Silverstone. After a sluggish start to […]
‘Ricciardo’s smile now on Verstappen’s face’
Jul.12 (GMM) A season and a half into his meteoric F1 career so far, Max Verstappen is continuing to impress. In his sixth race since switching from Toro Rosso, the 18-year-old Dutchman finally outqualified his highly-rated teammate Daniel Ricciardo at Silverstone before racing to the podium. Not only that, he secured yet another official ‘driver […]
McLaren wants Alonso to stay – Boullier
Jul.12 (GMM) McLaren boss Eric Boullier says he has no doubt about wanting Fernando Alonso to remain a part of the Honda-powered project. While the future of Jenson Button is up in the air, Boullier said in an interview with Spain’s AS sports newspaper that Alonso should still with the Anglo-Japanese team. “I don’t think […]
Todt happy with F1 at present
Jul.12 (GMM) FIA president Jean Todt says he is happy with formula one at the moment. The Frenchman told Italy’s Radio Uno that life as the president of F1’s governing body is “challenging and interesting”. And he said those who constantly criticise the sport “do not understand much”. “F1 is in a good condition but […]
Calls grow for radio clampdown to end
Jul.12 (GMM) There are growing calls for F1 to scrap its “ridiculous” ban on technology-related driver coaching on the radio. Although initially intending to appeal, Mercedes has now decided to accept the stewards’ decision to demote Nico Rosberg from second to third place at Silverstone, after the German was told how to solve a gearbox […]