Jan.14 (GMM) Mercedes could once again be about to pull away from its rivals in the horse power department. Last year, Ferrari closed the gap on the German team, and also Renault and Honda made progress in 2018. But La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that a brand new, “deeply redesigned” power unit has been produced […]
Month: January 2019
Perez not worried about Lance Stroll as teammate
Jan.14 (GMM) Sergio Perez says he is not worried about becoming the number 2 driver at the team formerly known as Force India. The 28-year-old Mexican has been at the Silverstone based team since 2014. But now Lawrence Stroll has arrived as the new team owner, and he has installed his own son Lance as […]
F1 return now ‘long term’ goal – Sirotkin
Jan.14 (GMM) Sergey Sirotkin admits returning to formula one has become more of a “long term” goal. The Russian driver, backed by Russia’s SMP Bank, has lost his Williams race seat to Robert Kubica. Since receiving the bad news, he has already tested a DTM car for Audi, is slated to race in LMP1 sports […]
Haas boss targets fifth place again
Jan.14 (GMM) Gunther Steiner thinks Haas can do “a good job” once again in 2019. In 2018, the new American team surprised in its second year on the grid by finishing fifth overall. And boss Steiner thinks Haas can do it again. “When I look at the numbers, I’m sure we will have a good […]
Renault ‘attack years’ begin in 2019 – Budkowski
Jan.14 (GMM) Renault is about to begin “three years of attack”. That is the view of Marcin Budkowski, the French works team’s new executive director. Last year he caused a paddock stir when he was poached from a top FIA role. Now, he has been appointed to be centrally involved in the next phase of […]
Sources say Domenicali could return to Ferrari
Jan.14 (GMM) Stefano Domenicali could return to formula one. The Italian was ousted by Ferrari in 2014, following the great Maranello team’s failed attempts to win the title. But Ferrari has now ousted Maurizio Arrivabene and replaced him with technical boss Mattia Binotto. Some think Binotto handling both the team boss role and the technical […]
Formula E driver hits out at Verstappen ‘punishment’
Jan.14 (GMM) A Formula E driver has hit out at the FIA’s ‘community service’ for Max Verstappen. As punishment for shoving Esteban Ocon in Brazil last November, the FIA sentenced the Red Bull driver to unspecified community service. Dutchman Verstappen duly served his punishment by attending the weekend’s Formula E race in Morocco as “an […]
Arrivabene linked with Sauber role
Jan.11 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen thinks Sauber can do “great things” from 2019. The Swiss team took a big step forward last year with its up-to-date Ferrari engine, leadership by Frederic Vasseur, and backing by the Fiat brand Alfa Romeo. And now, Germany’s Auto Bild reports that with his existing Ferrari-Fiat links, ousted Ferrari boss Maurizio […]
Wehrlein admits to Ferrari ‘talks’
Jan.11 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has admitted to having “talks” with Ferrari. Reports suggest the former Manor and Sauber driver, who recently split with Mercedes and is now a Formula E driver, will work in Ferrari’s simulator in 2019. “The situation is that talks are taking place, but nothing has been confirmed yet,” German Wehrlein told […]
Vettel will struggle to beat Leclerc – Rosberg
Jan.11 (GMM) Charles Leclerc’s arrival at Ferrari will be one of the most fascinating aspects of the 2019 season. That is the view of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, referring to the fact that Sebastian Vettel will be joined at Ferrari next year by the 21-year-old youngster. Many think that with his friend Kimi Raikkonen […]
Arrivabene axed to keep technical boss – Piero Ferrari
Jan.11 (GMM) Ferrari had to oust Maurizio Arrivabene to ensure that Mattia Binotto stays with the great Maranello team. That is what Piero Ferrari, the only living son of founder Enzo Ferrari, has hinted in the pages of Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. Ferrari has axed its team boss Arrivabene and installed technical boss Binotto […]
Rookie Norris backs changes at McLaren
Jan.11 (GMM) Lando Norris has backed the changes that McLaren hopes will put the once-great British team back on track in 2019. McLaren had a dire season in 2018 but heads into this year with a new driver lineup in the form of Carlos Sainz and the British rookie Norris, the F2 runner-up. The latest […]
Ocon determined to race again in 2020
Jan.10 (GMM) Esteban Ocon says he is determined to return to racing in 2020. Despite his talent and his strong form in 2018, the Frenchman has lost his place at Racing Point Force India to Lance Stroll, the son of the team’s new owner. But Ocon, 22, continues to enjoy the strong backing of Mercedes. […]
Rivola hopes Leclerc given chance to win
Jan.10 (GMM) Massimo Rivola thinks Ferrari will give Charles Leclerc a fair chance to win the 2019 world championship. Many insiders think highly rated youngster Leclerc, who is replacing Kimi Raikkonen at the great Italian team this year, can give Sebastian Vettel a run for his money. But others think a clear number 1 policy […]
‘Weak’ Bottas loses main F1 sponsor
Jan.10 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has lost his major personal sponsor. Billionaire Antti Aarnio-Wihuri, boss of the Finnish conglomerate Wihuri, told Ilta Sanomat newspaper that sponsoring formula one has become “too expensive”. He also admitted that Bottas’ poor performance at Mercedes last year was another reason for the decision. “Partly it was not his own fault, […]
Arrivabene linked with Juventus CEO role
Jan.9 (GMM) In the wake of his Ferrari ousting, Maurizio Arrivabene looks set to step into the world of football. Already last October, the Italian denied he was about to leave formula one and accept a role at Juventus, the Italian football club connected to the Ferrari-linked Agnelli family. “I’ve been a member of the […]
Lauda still scheduled to leave hospital next week
Jan.9 (GMM) Niki Lauda’s doctor has played down rumours the Mercedes team chairman is back in a life-threatening situation with pneumonia. Earlier, it emerged that while on holiday with his family in the wake of his 2018 lung transplant, the F1 legend had to fly back to Austria to be treated for influenza A. It […]
Monza boss backs Arrivabene axe
Jan.9 (GMM) Monza boss Angelo Sticchi Damiani has backed Ferrari’s decision to axe team boss Maurizio Arrivabene. Following a power struggle between the pair and the loss of the 2018 world championship to Mercedes, Arrivabene has been replaced by technical boss Mattia Binotto. “The message is clear,” Sticchi Damiani told Corriere dello Sport. “There can […]
Sauber to debut 2019 car at Fiorano
Jan.9 (GMM) Sauber’s new car is expected to hit the track for the first time on February 14. France’s L’Equipe reports that the Swiss team will give its 2019 car a shakedown at Ferrari’s private test circuit at Fiorano. The first outing for the Ferrari-powered, Alfa Romeo-sponsored Sauber team will take place on the same […]
Wehrlein to be new Ferrari test driver
Jan.9 (GMM) Pascal Wehrlein will be Ferrari’s new test driver for 2019, according to international media reports. L’Equipe says the former Manor and Sauber driver, who recently parted with Mercedes’ development programme, will take over the role at Ferrari from Daniil Kvyat. Kurier newspaper says the 24-year-old’s main role will be in the simulator at […]