Apr.10 (GMM) World champion Lewis Hamilton has questioned Max Verstappen’s maturity. A controversy broke out after the Bahrain grand prix, where Hamilton called his Dutch rival a “d——d” following a clash. But Sebastian Vettel leapt to the defence of Hamilton’s “human” reaction, and even Verstappen agreed. “At the moment he said that, he was still […]
Month: April 2018
Williams car ‘simply not good enough’ – Kubica
Apr.9 (GMM) The true extent of Williams’ 2018 troubles are becoming ever clearer. In Melbourne, it looked likely that the once-great British team’s new car has not been born well. And in Bahrain, it was a Williams that was dead last not only in qualifying, but also the race. Arguably struggling the most is rookie […]
‘New era’ for Honda is coming – Tost
Apr.9 (GMM) A “new era” in F1 involving Honda and Red Bull could be dawning. That is the prediction of Franz Tost, the boss at Toro Rosso. In Bahrain, Pierre Gasly stunned F1 by driving his newly Honda-powered car to the best result of the Japanese manufacturer’s return to formula one. It comes just two […]
Brown denies McLaren juniors promised F1 debut
Apr.9 (GMM) A McLaren junior driver has backtracked after saying Zak Brown has promised him he will move into F1 next year if he wins the Formula 2 title. Nyck de Vries had told a Dutch publication that the promise is “spelled out in black and white” in his contract, “and that’s what Zak told […]
Grid girl comeback comment ‘a joke’ – Hamilton
Apr.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has backtracked after enthusiastically hailing the return of F1 ‘grid girls’. Despite new F1 owner Liberty Media having banned ‘grid girls’ for 2018, organisers of the grands prix in Monaco and Russia indicated they would bring beautiful women back to the sport this year. Hamilton responded by adding the caption ‘Thank […]
Horner defends Hamilton ‘d******d’ slur
Apr.9 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel and Christian Horner on Sunday defended Lewis Hamilton after the Bahrain grand prix. Following a clash with Max Verstappen, world champion Hamilton called the Dutch driver a “d******d”. “It’s a human reaction,” said race winner and championship leader Vettel, intervening as a reporter asked Hamilton about the crude insult. “I feel […]
Mercedes says Ferrari simply faster in Bahrain
Apr.8 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Ferrari’s pace in Bahrain vindicates his pre-season claim that Mercedes will struggle to win another title in 2018. Prior to Melbourne, where Mercedes’ new car proved to be the fastest in the field, boss Wolff had claimed Ferrari and Red Bull would be tough challengers. “I always said that Ferrari, […]
Ecclestone warns against unnecessary change
Apr.8 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is making a low-profile visit to the Bahrain grand prix. Ousted by Liberty Media just over a year ago, the former F1 supremo is attending the race as a guest of his friend, Bahrain’s King Hamad. 87-year-old Ecclestone’s visit coincides with a tense time in the F1 paddock, with Liberty having […]
Honda boost could mean engine deal for Red Bull
Apr.8 (GMM) McLaren figures have been left red-faced after being outperformed by their old Honda engines in Bahrain. Newly Honda-powered Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly will start the race from an impressive fifth on Sunday — while Fernando Alonso did not even make the ‘Q3’ qualifying segment. Stoffel Vandoorne was even slower, and both were also […]
Monaco boss hits out at F1’s Halo
Apr.8 (GMM) Monaco grand prix boss Michel Boeri has lashed out at F1’s new safety concept. Already in the past days, Boeri said he will buck the new ‘grid girl’ ban and feature beautiful women on the grid prior to the May 27 race next month. And political correctness aside, now he says modern F1 […]
Only Williams voted to tweak cars for overtaking
Apr.8 (GMM) An emergency meeting in Bahrain to improve the overtaking situation in formula one broke on Saturday without a solution being agreed. Technical directors got together at the Sakhir circuit to discuss measures to make it easier for one car to pass another, following the unexciting Australian grand prix. “They were unable to agree […]
Pirelli tweaks tyres after Mercedes request
Apr.7 (GMM) Pirelli looks set to modify the design of its 2018 tyres, following a proposal by world champions Mercedes. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Mercedes’ request followed Barcelona testing, when the team suffered from extreme blistering. Pirelli boss Mario Isola confirmed: “The new asphalt is blacker and smoother and producing even more grip. […]
Mercedes tweaks tyres after Mercedes request
Apr.7 (GMM) Pirelli looks set to modify the design of its 2018 tyres, following a proposal by world champions Mercedes. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Mercedes’ request followed Barcelona testing, when the team suffered from extreme blistering. Pirelli boss Mario Isola confirmed: “The new asphalt is blacker and smoother and producing even more grip. […]
Sainz backs Toro Rosso-Honda to bounce back
Apr.7 (GMM) Carlos Sainz has backed his former team Toro Rosso to bounce back. Just after the Spaniard left for Renault, Toro Rosso surprised the paddock by performing well with its new Honda engines in Barcelona testing. But then the sort of reliability problems and lack of performance that had become customary during the McLaren […]
Ferrari not commenting on budget cap
Apr.7 (GMM) Ferrari was silent after Liberty Media announced in Bahrain that it is pressing ahead with new engine rules and a budget cap for 2021. Earlier, president Sergio Marchionne – who was not present for Friday’s key meeting – had warned that changes like those might result in Ferrari quitting the sport. And amid […]
Hamilton eyeing key F1 meetings in Bahrain
Apr.6 (GMM) F1’s future is speeding ahead in Bahrain. Some are predicting Friday fireworks, when Liberty Media presents its potentially explosive financial and engine plans for 2021 to the teams and manufacturers. But the next day, the FIA and Liberty will head another meeting, to urgently discuss the ‘overtaking problem’ as was seen in Melbourne. […]
Stroll hits back after Villeneuve comments
Apr.6 (GMM) Lance Stroll says he remains unfazed by Jacques Villeneuve’s constant criticisms. After fellow French Canadian Stroll made his 2017 debut, 1997 world champion Villeneuve said he was the worst rookie in Williams’ great history. Now, Villeneuve has told Sky Italia that Williams reserve Robert Kubica may deliberately sabotage the development of the team’s […]
Verstappen does not back ‘party mode’ ban
Apr.6 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he does not agree that Mercedes’ so-called ‘party mode’ engine setting should be banned. The Dutch driver’s Red Bull team boss, Christian Horner, has proposed that ‘parc ferme’ conditions apply to engine settings throughout qualifying. It would effectively mean that Mercedes would not be able to use ‘party mode’ to […]
Ricciardo not commenting on Ferrari rumours
Apr.6 (GMM) The 2018 season has begun with uncertainty hanging over the heads of two key top drivers’ futures. Lewis Hamilton is still yet to agree a 2019 contract with Mercedes, and at the same time Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo is potentially on the move. Dr Helmut Marko, a Red Bull official, thinks the holdup […]
Monaco, Russia to ignore ‘grid girl’ ban
Apr.6 (GMM) Monaco and Russia look set to buck the trend and bring ‘grid girls’ back to formula one. Before the 2018 season began, F1 owner Liberty Media said grid girls will be banned, and replaced on the grid by children or ‘grid kids’. But Monaco grand prix boss Michel Boeri said there will be […]