Sep.5 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has agreed to help Pirelli with tyre testing later this week. The triple world championship openly admits to disliking track testing, and often pulls out of scheduled sessions with injury or illness. But after winning his second race on the trot last weekend and taking over the championship lead from Ferrari’s […]
Month: September 2017
Force India in talks with Perez sponsors
Sep.5 (GMM) Force India looks set to keep Sergio Perez on board for 2018. Despite his on and off-track clashes with teammate Esteban Ocon, the Mexican driver had said recently he hoped his future would be decided by Monza. Now, the parties are targeting Singapore in two weeks. “There’s not much left to agree with […]
‘No panic’ despite bad race at Monza – Vettel
Sep.5 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says there will be “no panic” at Ferrari after a bad home race at Monza. The German lost his long championship lead to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in the Italian grand prix, following a second consecutive defeat to the Briton. The Italian press said it was a “cold shower” for Ferrari at […]
McLaren, Renault waiting for Toro Rosso decision
Sep.5 (GMM) The ball is in Red Bull’s court as the McLaren-Honda saga rolls on. As the teams packed up in Monza, it seemed clear that McLaren and Honda were set to split. “I’m still trying to get a good performance from us to convince them (to stay),” Honda’s Yusuke Hasegawa said on Sunday. “But […]
Alonso wants to be ‘loyal’ to McLaren
Sep.5 (GMM) Fernando Alonso says he wants to be “loyal” to McLaren as he weighs up his future in F1. Boss Zak Brown said before departing Monza that he thinks it’s “likely” the Spaniard will sign a new deal for 2018, so long as McLaren dumps Honda and switches to Renault power. Alonso told Spain’s […]
F1 officials ‘too conservative’ in rain – Horner
Sep.4 (GMM) Christian Horner has criticised F1 officials for acting “too conservatively” during Saturday’s rain-affected qualifying session at Monza. The local and international audience reacted with frustration as race control repeatedly delayed in 15 minute increments the qualifying session due to rain. “To be honest, I think they acted very conservatively. I would say too […]
Wolff admits having ‘coffee’ with Verstappen
Sep.4 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he met with Max Verstappen’s father at Monza. Amid the high-profile talks involving McLaren, Honda, Toro Rosso and F1 officials at the scene of the Italian grand prix, another notable meeting took place rather more quietly. It was between Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, and former F1 driver Jos […]
Ferrari ’embarrassing’ at Monza – Marchionne
Sep.4 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari’s performance at home at Monza was “embarrassing”. As Mercedes drove to a one-two, the team’s drivers admitted they turned down their engines while easily beating Ferrari’s third-placed Sebastian Vettel to the podium. “Mercedes power is definitely better than Ferrari power,” said new championship leader Lewis Hamilton on the podium, […]
Pregnant Williams to miss last races of 2017
Sep.4 (GMM) Team boss Claire Williams will not attend any more races in 2017. The 41-year-old, who is the daughter of team founder Sir Frank Williams, is due to give birth to her first child – a baby boy – in the coming days. Claire said at Monza that she will be working from home […]
Hamilton wants to know Schumacher condition
Sep.4 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he would like to know the current physical condition of F1 legend Michael Schumacher. At Monza, the Briton sped past the all-time record for pole positions – 68 – formerly held by seven time world champion Schumacher. “For everything he did for the sport and raising the bar, to be […]
McLaren poised to announce 2018 Renault deal
Sep.4 (GMM) McLaren is poised to announce its switch from Honda to Renault power for the 2018 season. It was a weekend of high-politicking at Monza, with the outcome expected to be McLaren dumping Honda, the Japanese supplier moving to Toro Rosso, and Fernando Alonso staying at a newly Renault-powered McLaren for 2018. “We know […]
Bottas staying at Mercedes in 2018 – Lauda
Sep.4 (GMM) Mercedes is now poised to announce that Valtteri Bottas is staying put for 2018. Team boss Toto Wolff said at Monza that keeping the Finn at the team for a second season is a “no brainer”. Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda now tells the German broadcaster RTL: “I can say that he will […]
Special Halo colour for title leader – Todt
Sep.4 (GMM) Jean Todt has an idea to spice up the popularity of the ‘Halo’ safety innovation for 2018. Many drivers, insiders and fans are unhappy that the cockpit protection system will affect the aesthetics and ‘DNA’ of formula one from next year. FIA president Todt said at Monza that Halo is being brought in […]
Renault to complete 2018 lineup soon – Prost
Sep.3 (GMM) Renault looks set to complete its 2018 driver lineup prior to Singapore in a fortnight. It appears likely the French team will oust Jolyon Palmer, and the highest profile candidate to replace him would be former Renault champion Fernando Alonso. However, boss Cyril Abiteboul and Alonso himself have played down claims of a […]
Marko, Lauda, criticise delayed qualifying
Sep.3 (GMM) F1 veterans Dr Helmut Marko and Niki Lauda have hit out at Saturday’s farcically-delayed qualifying session at Monza. In the past, rain would not have necessarily stopped play at Monza, but in 2017 the FIA decided to delay proceedings for hours after Romain Grosjean’s aquaplaning crash. “We have the best drivers here, the […]
Car failure to decide title – Todt
Sep.3 (GMM) Jean Todt thinks reliability will decide the outcome of the 2017 world championship. The FIA president said he is enjoying the close battle between his old team, Ferrari, and reigning champions Mercedes. “I am really enjoying watching it. Everything is still open,” Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper quotes the Frenchman as saying at […]
Ferrari and Mercedes ‘absolutely equal’ – Marchionne
Sep.3 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has backed Ferrari to remain toe-to-toe with Mercedes for the rest of the 2017 championship battle. The Italian team had a bad qualifying at its home circuit at Monza — ironically perhaps the least-suitable track for this year’s Ferrari package. But president Marchionne said: “Compared to when I was here a […]
Heavyweights at Monza as Honda saga nears conclusion
Sep.3 (GMM) The heavyweights have descended on Monza as the saga about Honda’s future in F1 steps into its highest gear. Toro Rosso seems to be the key to the outcome of McLaren-Honda’s looming divorce, as the team has imposed a 6pm Sunday deadline for a conclusion. The easiest way McLaren can split with Honda […]
Ocon clash doesn’t affect contract talks – Perez
Sep.2 (GMM) Sergio Perez is hoping clarity over his future is now only a fortnight away. At Monza, just a week after their huge falling out over their latest collisions at Spa, Perez and his teammate Sergio Perez said they have moved on. But Mexican Perez told Spain’s Diario Sport that tension remains. “It bothers […]
Verstappen’s father in Mercedes talks at Monza
Sep.2 (GMM) High-level meetings at Monza could affect the future of Max Verstappen in formula one. Bild newspaper reports that the Red Bull driver’s father Jos met with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the Mercedes motor home ahead of the Italian grand prix. Also in the Monza paddock, and at the same time, Dr Helmut […]