Apr.13 (GMM) Red Bull-Renault and McLaren-Honda are bracing for a difficult Bahrain grand prix. Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko’s frustration boiled over in China on Sunday, declaring to Kleine Zeitung newspaper: “With so many problems, this is hardly motor sport anymore.” Indeed, it was nothing short of a miserable Shanghai race for the former […]
Category: Recent stories
Rosberg vows to ‘move on’ after Hamilton run-in
Apr.13 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has vowed to move on after his post-race run-in with teammate Lewis Hamilton in China. Addressing his fans in a video posted on social media from the Shanghai airport, the German said “constructive criticism” had been exchanged in team meetings “and we’re moving on to Bahrain”. “Now it’s a thing of […]
Arrivabene backs ‘sensitive Iceman’ Raikkonen
Apr.13 (GMM) Ferrari’s team boss has backed Kimi Raikkonen after a difficult start to the 2015 season for the Finn. While new teammate Sebastian Vettel has finished on the podium in all three races so far, Raikkonen is just fifth in the championship. He ran into trouble in both Australia and Malaysia, and technical boss […]
Bianchi father furious at FIA investigation
Apr.13 (GMM) Jules Bianchi’s father has admitted he is angry about the investigation into his son’s horror 2014 crash. More than six months after that fateful day in Japan, 25-year-old Frenchman Bianchi remains in a coma in his native Nice. His father, Philippe, said he agreed to a new interview with the local Nice-Matin newspaper […]
Founder says Sauber ‘future’ back on track
Apr.13 (GMM) Having emerged from the comfort of his pre-season low profile, Peter Sauber is now declaring confidently: “We’re back.” In recent times, the Swiss team’s 71-year-old founder has been content to sit in the background while new boss and co-owner Monisha Kaltenborn steers the ship. But as the Giedo van der Garde saga exploded […]
Manor could change livery for Barcelona
Apr.12 (GMM) Manor has not ruled out keeping its current driver lineup for the rest of the season. Until now, the former Marussia team as well as Roberto Merhi have admitted that the Spanish rookie is not guaranteed his place throughout 2015. Merhi, 24, has not even given up his full-time race seat in the […]
Force India confirms ‘B’ car for Austria
Apr.12 (GMM) Force India has confirmed reports it is working on a ‘B’ version of its 2015 car. With winter troubles having delayed this year’s VJM08, drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg are now struggling merely to race out of the ignominious ‘Q1’ segment of qualifying. “It is disappointing to go out in Q1,” German […]
Ecclestone wants Mercedes power for entire grid
Apr.12 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone would like to see every car on the grid equipped with a Mercedes engine. The F1 supremo is increasingly frustrated with the current turbo V6 rules, as Mercedes is dominating and many fans and promoters are unhappy with the milder engine note. Asked specifically what he wants, Ecclestone told Sport Bild: […]
F1 sparks causing issues in Shanghai
Apr.12 (GMM) F1’s new sparks have been blamed for a couple of incidents ahead of the Chinese grand prix. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton drove to pole on Saturday, but not before complaining repeatedly about an unusually hot seat. “We changed the seat,” said team boss Toto Wolff, “improved the insulation but in the end we did […]
Alonso under attack in China
Apr.12 (GMM) In China, Fernando Alonso has come under attack. First, the criticism came from a presenter of Sky Italia’s coverage of formula one, who issued a highly critical ‘tweet’ about the McLaren-Honda driver. Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Alonso’s revenge was that he refused to speak to the Italian broadcaster at all […]
Women drivers ‘more afraid’ than men – Verstappen
Apr.12 (GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted he is sceptical that female drivers can compete head-to-head with men in formula one. Bernie Ecclestone’s proposal that an all-women’s grand prix series be created has been controversial, with one commentator suggesting it is tantamount to “sexual apartheid”. But 17-year-old Verstappen, who has made history this year as the […]
Ferrari unhappy with Raikkonen qualifying
Apr.12 (GMM) Ferrari was not happy with Kimi Raikkonen’s performance after qualifying in Shanghai. Until now, the Maranello team and the Finn have said Raikkonen, after a poor 2014 season, is fully back up to speed this year with the vastly improved SF15-T car. But Raikkonen’s troubles only continued on Saturday, and this time Ferrari […]
Rosberg accuses Hamilton of spoiling China GP
Apr.12 (GMM) It was after the chequered flag flew that the real fireworks began in China between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Rosberg, beaten in Shanghai, re-fired old tensions with his Mercedes teammate by accusing Briton Hamilton of deliberately spoiling his race. Rosberg had been heard during the race asking strategists to push Hamilton’s pace, […]
Fifth engine rule not in place yet – Wolff
Apr.12 (GMM) There is still no agreement on the introduction of a fifth engine per driver in 2015. Dismayed that the strict allocation of just four ‘power units’ per driver this year was discouraging track action on Fridays, Bernie Ecclestone recently proposed that a fifth engine be added to the allocation. Reports subsequently emerged that […]
‘Short nose’ finally coming in Spain – Marko
Apr.12 (GMM) Red Bull is hoping its long-awaited ‘short nose’ will put the former world champions back on track. Having pointed the finger of blame squarely at engine supplier Renault, team owner Dietrich Mateschitz has already written off the 2015 title, telling the Austrian press this week that “second place” is now the best Red […]
‘Bad’ eye not reason for Rosberg mood
Apr.12 (GMM) A frustrated Nico Rosberg admitted he lost pole by “the blink of an eye” in China. He was referring to the mere four-hundredths gap to Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, not the conspicuously red eye he was sporting after qualifying in Shanghai. Rosberg explained that he has been dealing with the left eye problem […]
Lauda tells Rosberg to ‘sort himself out’
Apr.11 (GMM) Niki Lauda has urged Nico Rosberg to “sort himself out” after a mediocre start to the 2015 season. German Rosberg fought teammate Lewis Hamilton all the way to the 2014 title finale, but so far this year has conspicuously lagged behind the new reigning champion. “Yes, Nico is definitely a little bit behind […]
Hamilton ‘not worth $200 million’ – Rosberg
Apr.11 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s monetary value has a limit, according to Nico Rosberg. While the German has struggled so far in 2015, reigning world champion Hamilton is leading the 2015 standings and on top form. Off-track, however, Hamilton’s season has been less smooth as he handles his own negotiations for a new Mercedes contract beyond […]
Ferrari plays down title hopes
Apr.11 (GMM) Ferrari’s technical boss has played down hopes the fabled Maranello marque might already be ready to charge for the title. Sebastian Vettel won in Malaysia, is just three points behind Mercedes’ championship leader Lewis Hamilton, and teammate Kimi Raikkonen was second fastest in China on Friday. “That was very surprising,” 1997 world champion […]
McLaren-Honda ready to race away from Q1
Apr.11 (GMM) McLaren-Honda might already be leaping into the F1 midfield. Initially dead-last in 2015, upbeat members of the new Anglo-Japanese collaboration have insisted much of the progress made in recent weeks has been invisible publicly. But the cat might be out of the bag in China. “I was looking for Alonso’s name in the […]