May 19 (GMM) Toto Wolff has continued to narrow his focus on formula one with Mercedes. Since taking over as the German giant’s team boss, the 43-year-old has been diluting his shareholding in the rival Williams team. And on Tuesday it emerged that Wolff has sold his significant stake in HWA, the Mercedes-linked company involved […]
Mercedes expecting two-horse race in 2015
May 18 (GMM) Niki Lauda says he always knew 2015 would be a tougher challenge for Mercedes. The German outfit utterly dominated last year, but so far in 2015 Ferrari has put up a fight. “The higher you climb,” the F1 legend and team chairman told Kolner Express newspaper, “the thinner the air.” Barcelona winner […]
Ferrari not only attractive team – Bottas
May 18 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has played down talk of an impending switch to Ferrari, by insisting driving for other teams in F1 is also attractive. The impressive Finn is increasingly linked with the fabled Italian outfit, who have already warned existing driver Kimi Raikkonen that he will only race in 2016 if he performs […]
Honda engineer admits no F1 wins in 2015
May 18 (GMM) One Honda engineer has broken ranks and admitted the Japanese marque will not power a McLaren driver to victory in 2015. Despite the difficult, uncompetitive and unreliable birth in 2015 to the new works McLaren-Honda alliance, the ‘graphite-grey’ outfit has been a near-perfect picture of optimism. Drivers and bosses are refusing even […]
Verstappen heads to Monaco with bruised backside
May 18 (GMM) Max Verstappen is heading to Monaco with a bruise on his backside. With F1 taking a weekend off between the Spanish and Monaco grands prix, the Toro Rosso driver headed to Valkenburg in his native Holland to participate in a Red Bull-sponsored soap box derby. The 17-year-old sat at the wheel of […]
‘No plans’ yet for Button’s McLaren future
May 18 (GMM) Just five races into 2015, attention is already returning to the issue of Jenson Button’s future. Kimi Raikkonen may be a few months older, but 35-year-old is the oldest driver on the grid. Last year, he survived McLaren’s protracted dithering over its driver choice for 2015, but it is believed the British […]
CVC ‘worst thing ever’ for F1 – journalist
May 18 (GMM) According to one of the longest-serving and most influential F1 journalists of all time, the great Gilles Villeneuve would have “hated” the sport today. Five races into his new formula one career, Manor rookie Roberto Merhi said recently that, unlike the other category he races in – Formula Renault 3.5 – competing […]
Verstappen welcomes Strategy Group decisions
May 18 (GMM) Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen has backed the decisions taken last week by the Strategy Group. Comprised of the top teams, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA, the decision-making body last week responded to calls for change by announcing a raft of proposals to make the cars faster and louder and the races […]
Tyre debate returns to F1 paddock
May 18 (GMM) After a low-profile period for F1’s official supplier, suddenly “tyres” and “Pirelli” are being talked about again. Following the days of tyre explosions and disintegrations a couple of years ago, Pirelli chief Paul Hembery admitted last week that he is enjoying not being the “bad guy” anymore. But beneath the surface, discontent […]
Red Bull struggling to sell Austria GP tickets
May 18 (GMM) Red Bull is struggling to sell tickets for next month’s Austrian grand prix, official Dr Helmut Marko admits. Last year, the sport’s return to the rejuvenated ‘Red Bull Ring’ was a widely-proclaimed success. But as the energy drink company now complains loudly about the sport’s current regulations, Marko revealed: “Although we are […]
F1 changes yet to clear hurdles
May 18 (GMM) Time will tell how much last Thursday’s meeting of the Strategy Group will actually change the direction of formula one. The group – featuring the top teams, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA – met in England amid ever-loudening voices calling for urgent measures to turn around flagging audiences, disinterested sponsors and struggling […]
2015 Mexico race already sold out
May 15 (GMM) The Mexican grand prix is already sold out. While other races – even key markets like Germany – have struggled to fill the grandstands, it is reported that a full house will congregate at Mexico City’s revamped Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in early November. Auto Motor und Sport reported that “within hours” of […]
Audi foray discussed by Strategy Group
May 15 (GMM) It is believed a potential F1 foray for the Volkswagen Group was discussed on Thursday during the high-profile Strategy Group meeting. Rumours the VW brand Audi could enter the sport have been growing in recent weeks and days. Ralf Bach, a well-known German-language paddock correspondent, wrote on his blog f1-insider.com that Audi […]
Kvyat calm as pressure builds
May 15 (GMM) Daniil Kvyat insists he is staying calm amid his troubled time in formula one. Before the 2015 season, the 21-year-old was a rising star of the sport, having earned graduation to the championship-winning Red Bull team within a single season. The premier energy drink-owned outfit, however, is in deep crisis this year, […]
F1 should green-light new ‘tyre war’ – Coulthard
May 15 (GMM) David Coulthard thinks F1 needs a ‘tyre war’ once again. This week, the former F1 supplier Michelin revealed that its interest in working at the pinnacle of motor sport has returned. But boss Pascal Couasnon laid down his conditions: no more heavily-degrading tyres for “the show”, a modern 18-inch profile, and a […]
F1 approves ‘faster cars’ for 2017
May 15 (GMM) F1 on Friday confirmed that things are changing for 2017. Earlier, media reports suggested that Thursday’s meeting of the Strategy Group had resulted only in more dithering and indecision. In fact, a raft of changes has been agreed, with the intention of pushing them through the F1 Commission and World Motor Sport […]
FIA to outline Strategy Group results on Friday
May 15 (GMM) The news filtering out from Thursday’s landmark meeting of the Strategy Group is not encouraging. Amid the sport’s reported problems and widespread calls for change, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was not confident as the stakeholders headed for his facility at the Biggin Hill airport in England. “We will spend four or five […]
Ecclestone ‘will be replaced’ – Stewart
May 15 (GMM) Fernando Alonso, who tested Ayrton Senna’s old 1988 car recently, said this week he wishes he had raced in that era. “The cars were more racy,” said the McLaren driver, “with big tyres, big engines and not many limitations in terms of creativity for the designers.” F1 legend and triple world champion […]
Toro Rosso plays down Renault team takeover
May 14 (GMM) Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost has played down the chances of a team takeover by Renault. Earlier this year, at the height of Red Bull’s public spat with the French carmaker, it seemed inevitable that Renault was going to either buy and rebrand the junior outfit Toro Rosso, or quit formula one […]
Hakkinen understands Mercedes ‘team order’
May 14 (GMM) Mika Hakkinen says he can understand why Mercedes issued a ‘team order’ towards the end of the Spanish grand prix. After the Barcelona race, championship leader Lewis Hamilton claimed he “ignored” his team’s advice to bring the car home rather than try to chase down teammate Nico Rosberg. “I’m here to race, […]