Jul.16 (GMM) Honda looks set to match the power of Mercedes’ title winning engine with its next upgrade. After Max Verstappen won in Austria, Red Bull is now hoping Honda’s ‘spec four’ upgrade will be available at Spa, Monza, or as a best-case scenario even before the summer break in Hungary. AS newspaper thinks the […]
Month: July 2019
Gasly ‘perfect’ at Silverstone – Horner
Jul.16 (GMM) Pierre Gasly thinks he has put his F1 career back on track. After Austria, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko said the Frenchman’s recent performances had been “unacceptable”. But Gasly appeared to have bounced back strongly at Silverstone, finally looking near the pace of his highly rated teammate Max Verstappen. “We had many meetings […]
McLaren to remain ‘independent’ – Seidl
Jul.16 (GMM) McLaren is determined to remain “independent”. That is the view of the British team’s new boss Andreas Seidl, following comments made by works Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo had joked that if Renault and its engine customer McLaren collaborated in the area of the chassis, they would produce a “pretty decent racing car”. […]
Hamilton steps back from claims of ‘racism’
Jul.16 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has distanced himself from suggestions that the British media has an attitude with “racist undertones” about Lewis Hamilton. Heading into his home race, one reporter for the left-wing newspaper The Guardian asked the Mercedes driver about his British “accent”, the time he spends in the US, and the fact that he […]
Silverstone wants new race date for 2020
Jul.16 (GMM) Silverstone is pushing for a new race date on the 2020 calendar. At the British grand prix, Lewis Hamilton complained that his home race had not been scheduled to avoid clashes with the cricket world cup and Wimbledon finals. Silverstone’s owner, the BRDC, is now pushing for a new race date for 2020. […]
F1 allowing ‘hard racing’ again
Jul.16 (GMM) Formula 1 may now be allowing “hard racing” once again, according to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. In Austria, the young Monaco-born driver was disappointed when Max Verstappen was not penalised for his aggressive overtaking move. But at Silverstone, the pair went wheel-to-wheel again, and at one point Leclerc even pushed his former karting rival […]
Furious Haas boss slams ‘unacceptable’ weekend
Jul.15 (GMM) Gunther Steiner says Haas’ two drivers made a bad situation even worse at Silverstone. The American team had spent the entire race weekend embroiled in a saga with its controversial title sponsor Rich Energy. That situation may now end up in the courts. “Our client is entitled to recover by way of damages […]
Bottas took ‘good step’ towards 2020 contract
Jul.15 (GMM) At Silverstone, Valtteri Bottas took a “good step” towards a new deal to stay at Mercedes in 2020. That is the claim of his team boss Toto Wolff, even though other drivers are being linked with the plum seat alongside Lewis Hamilton. Wolff told German television RTL that both Hamilton, the actual race […]
Hamilton’s father urges Alonso to return
Jul.15 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s father has urged Fernando Alonso to return to Formula 1. In 2007, Hamilton made his debut for McLaren, with two-time world champion Alonso as his teammate. The pair clashed badly and Alonso left the team after that season. But now, Hamilton’s former manager and father Anthony Hamilton thinks Alonso should return […]
Raikkonen could have worked harder in F1 – Rosberg
Jul.15 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has defended the racing ethos of F1’s oldest and most experienced current driver. He is talking about Kimi Raikkonen, who astonished with his talent when he entered the sport with almost no experience in 2001. But the best part of two decades later, many think the now 39-year-old Raikkonen should have […]
Vettel could lose number 1 status – Ralf Schumacher
Jul.15 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is at risk of being usurped by his young Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. After standing on the Silverstone podium, Leclerc said it had been “the race I enjoyed the most in my Formula 1 career”. At the same time, it may have been one of 32-year-old quadruple world champion Vettel’s least […]
Todt wants F1 to reduce driver aids
Jul.15 (GMM) Jean Todt has added to his list of suggestions for improving Formula 1. Earlier, the FIA president said the sport should look into reintroducing refuelling, as the cars have become much heavier than in decades past. “With a lighter car, we could fight harder,” said championship leader Lewis Hamilton when asked about Todt’s […]
Silverstone denies new race fee is $25m
Jul.14 (GMM) Silverstone has played down reports about the new British GP race fee. Earlier this week, Formula 1 announced that Silverstone will remain on the calendar for the next five years at least. The circuit-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club had terminated the previous contract for financial reasons. British newspapers claimed the new fee is […]
Renault back on track after failed upgrade
Jul.14 (GMM) Daniel Ricciardo says Renault is getting back on course after a recent setback. At Paul Ricard, for the French works team’s home race, Renault brought a major car upgrade but some of the parts did not work. But at Silverstone, Ricciardo was ‘best of the rest’ in qualifying behind the top three teams. […]
Kvyat hoping fatherhood can wait until after race
Jul.14 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat is crossing his fingers that fatherhood can be held at bay for another day or two. The Russian’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet, whose father is the F1 legend Nelson Piquet, is due to give birth to their first child at any moment. “Honestly yes, there is the risk that it will happen […]
Stronger Giovinazzi good for Raikkonen – boss
Jul.14 (GMM) Frederic Vasseur says it is good that Alfa Romeo’s second driver is now closer to the pace. Earlier, it was said that of the 20 drivers on the grid this year, it is Pierre Gasly, Robert Kubica and Alfa’s Antonio Giovinazzi who were struggling the most. But Italian Giovinazzi finally scored his first […]
Verstappen slams ‘match-fixing’ accusation
Jul.14 (GMM) Max Verstappen has slammed suggestions that he was “gifted” victory at the recent Austrian GP. Two weeks ago, the Dutchman won at the Red Bull Ring after a thrilling battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. But fellow Dutchman and former F1 driver Michael Bleekemolen suggested afterwards that Mercedes, having won every other race in […]
F1 ‘must’ impose budget cap – Seidl
Jul.14 (GMM) F1’s proposed budget cap for 2021 “must become reality”. That is the view of Andreas Seidl, the new team boss at McLaren. The German arrives at McLaren from Porsche, where he oversaw the German marque’s domination of the world endurance championship and Le Mans. But in Formula 1, he says teams like McLaren […]
Ocon hoping for ‘competitive’ 2020 car
Jul.14 (GMM) Esteban Ocon is now hopeful he will be back on the Formula 1 grid next year. Sitting on Mercedes’ reserve bench in 2019, the ousted Force India driver has been linked with Valtteri Bottas’ place for next season. But the rumour mill is also suggesting that Renault, Haas or Williams could be options […]
Gasly puts career back on track in Britain
Jul.14 (GMM) Pierre Gasly has begun to put his Red Bull career back on track. The Frenchman’s struggles since replacing Daniel Ricciardo this year have fired up speculation that he may be ousted — even before the end of the season. But Gasly has been competitive all weekend at Silverstone, and he qualified fifth, right […]