Jul.11 (GMM) Mercedes must up its game to help Lewis Hamilton win the 2017 world championship. That is the admission of team bosses Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda, who acknowledged that the Briton’s fight against Sebastian Vettel took a hit in the last two races. “I will now be consulting with Toto because something must […]
Month: July 2017
Red Bull writes off 2017 championship
Jul.11 (GMM) Christian Horner has backed frustrated team driver Max Verstappen in declaring the 2017 world championship basically over for Red Bull. After yet another technical retirement in Austria, and amid rumours he wants out of the team, Verstappen declared: “I no longer think about the world championship, but having good individual races.” Some interpreted […]
Whiting defends FIA jump start system
Jul.11 (GMM) Charlie Whiting says there is nothing wrong with F1’s jump start system. Video evidence showed Valtteri Bottas’ front wheels were moving before the five lights went out in Austria, and Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo were convinced that the Mercedes driver indeed jumped the start. But F1 steward Mika Salo said there is […]
Liberty hits out at Silverstone ‘posturing’
Jul.11 (GMM) F1 owner Liberty Media has hit out at what it regards as “posturing” by British grand prix promoter the BRDC. It is believed the Silverstone-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club has now told Liberty it is exercising a 2019 break clause in its race deal. Liberty says that decision is “regrettable”. “Our focus is […]
Vandoorne ‘took step forward’ in Austria
Jul.11 (GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne left Austria feeling more upbeat about the future at McLaren-Honda. Earlier, the team’s Anglo-Japanese collaboration appeared destined for divorce, while Belgian rookie Vandoorne was being consistently outclassed by Fernando Alonso. But Vandoorne said he felt happier overall as he left Austria, as reports emerged that team executive Zak Brown retains his […]
Alonso not ruling out Ferrari for 2018
Jul.11 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says it is not the right time of year to be counting or ruling out his possibilities for the future. The fiery McLaren-Honda driver is clearly on the market for 2018, but Mercedes and now Ferrari have said they are not interested in signing him up for now. When asked specifically […]
Bosses ‘sorry’ about Verstappen problems
Jul.11 (GMM) Red Bull chiefs have apologised for Max Verstappen’s run of disastrous car reliability in 2017. Amid rumours the Dutchman wants out of his 2018 contract, Verstappen has been decrying his constant technical problems, including a clutch failure in Austria. “After a while you think ‘How long can this go on?’” the 19-year-old is […]
Marchionne confirms Sassi’s F1 exit
Jul.11 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that Ferrari engine boss Lorenzo Sassi has left the F1 team. We reported at the weekend that the respected designer was either ousted by team president Marchionne, or called up to work at the Ferrari parent Fiat Chrysler. Marchionne indicated to La Gazzetta dello Sport that the latter is […]
Wolff looking ahead to 2019 driver market
Jul.11 (GMM) Mercedes looks set to keep Valtteri Bottas on board for 2018. Since replacing Nico Rosberg, the Finn has won two races and is just 15 points behind his triple world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton. But boss Toto Wolff said another factor in play is the driver market for 2019, when big names including […]
Ferrari ‘ready’ to extend Vettel deal
Jul.11 (GMM) Ferrari is ready to sign a new contract with Sebastian Vettel. The 2017 championship leader’s first three-year deal contract with the Maranello team runs out this year. President Sergio Marchionne is quoted by Italian media: “I have told him very clearly that we are ready if he wants to stay with us. “It’s […]
Magnussen ‘best teammate since Alonso’ – Grosjean
Jul.10 (GMM) Romain Grosjean has named Kevin Magnussen as his best teammate since Fernando Alonso. In 2017, the French and Danish duo are paired together at the American team Haas. Grosjean had a troubled F1 debut for Renault in 2009 when he was paired with Spanish double world champion Alonso, but since then he has […]
Calls grow for driver penalty system overhaul
Jul.10 (GMM) Calls are growing for F1 to overhaul its system of penalising drivers for technical problems. Former F1 driver Mark Webber was the first to bring up the issue of a driver suffering an engine or gearbox problem only to get further punished with a grid demotion. “A lot of people turn on the […]
Horner tips Red Bull to keep Kvyat
Jul.10 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat is on track to stay at Toro Rosso in 2018. That is the view of Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner, even though the Russian was criticised on all sides for his first lap crash in Austria. It was similar crashes that put the young Russian’s entire F1 career under a […]
Verstappen ‘confident’ amid Ferrari rumours
Jul.10 (GMM) Amid intense speculation about his future, Max Verstappen was suddenly in a better mood after the Austrian grand prix. That is despite the fact he retired with yet another technical problem on lap 1, and having stormed out of the Baku circuit just two weeks ago without speaking with the media. There are […]
Red Bull takes up option on Sainz contract
Jul.10 (GMM) Carlos Sainz and Red Bull have confirmed that the Spaniard is definitely under contract to drive for Toro Rosso in 2018. The news clarifies the ‘drama’ in Austria at the weekend, when the 22-year-old driver said it is “unlikely” he will stay with Red Bull’s junior team for a fourth consecutive season. Red […]
Marchionne questions plans for next F1 engines
Jul.10 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has thrown a potential spanner in the works of F1’s plans for its next engine regulations. It was thought the sport was speeding towards keeping the basic 1.6 litre V6 engines beyond 2020, but adding another turbocharger and removing much of the complex and expensive ‘hybrid’ elements. “Double turbo instead of […]
Raikkonen must increase commitment – Marchionne
Jul.10 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has issued a wake-up call to Kimi Raikkonen, whilst rejecting rumours Max Verstappen or Fernando Alonso are in the running to replace him. “We have not reached out to Red Bull about Verstappen and we are not interested in Alonso,” the Ferrari president was quoted as saying in Austria. “We have […]
Bottas in fight for 2017 title – Hamilton
Jul.10 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas is in the hunt for the 2017 world championship. That is the claim of his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, after Finn Bottas won his second grand prix of the season in Austria. “Of course he is,” Hamilton told the Finnish broadcaster C More. “He is 15 points behind me, which is […]
Liberty should buy Silverstone – Brown
Jul.9 (GMM) Silverstone could come to regret axing its long-term British grand prix contract. That is the warning of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, mere hours before the circuit-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) is tipped to exercise a break clause in its current race deal. Reports say the BRDC is breaking the Bernie Ecclestone-negotiated […]
Hamilton-Vettel ‘aggression’ to increase – Lauda
Jul.9 (GMM) Niki Lauda has warned that tensions between F1’s two championship protagonists look set to heat up rather than cool down. After Baku, Lewis Hamilton made clear he thought Sebastian Vettel should have been punished more heavily for crashing into him deliberately. But FIA president Jean Todt told reporters in Austria: “Sebastian has had […]