Feb.23 (GMM) Sergio Marchionne has backed the move to delay a technical revolution in formula one until 2017. It had appeared that Ferrari was leading the charge for rapid change, when on the very day the F1 Commission met to vote on proposed changes for 2016, it published images of its radical-looking ‘concept car’. But […]
Drivers ‘express themselves’ by changing helmets
Feb.23 (GMM) F1 is robbing drivers of one of the last ways they can truly express themselves. That is the claim of Jens Munser, a helmet livery painter made famous in recent years by the ever-changing colours worn by quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel. Last week, it emerged that, to help spectators better recognise their […]
De la Rosa set for Mercedes switch – report
Feb.23 (GMM) Pedro de la Rosa could be set to return to formula one with Mercedes. In recent years, the Spanish veteran worked closely with his countryman Fernando Alonso at Ferrari as official reserve driver. But, like Alonso, the almost 44-year-old has now departed Maranello, triggering speculation he might be set to return to his […]
Top teams told camera mountings illegal – report
Feb.23 (GMM) Top teams and likely title challengers Mercedes and Ferrari will have to modify their cars ahead of the season opener in Melbourne. That was the claim on Monday of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, revealing that the solutions to mount the mandatory television cameras at the front of the respective cars are illegal. […]
2015 Renault is ‘two thirds’ new – Taffin
Feb.23 (GMM) Renault has been able to make a substantially new ‘power unit’ for 2015 after its disappointing start to the turbo V6 era. That is the claim of the French marque’s F1 operations chief Remi Taffin, who countered suggestions the so-called ‘engine freeze’ means that dominant Mercedes’ advantage is now locked in for years. […]
No manager makes Hamilton talks ‘difficult’
Feb.23 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s lack of a manager is making contract negotiations with the reigning world champion more difficult. That is the admission of Toto Wolff, who after the split between Hamilton and his manager Simon Fuller is now having to tread the fine line between maintaining good relations with the British driver and negotiating […]
Ferrari ‘fine’ after Marchionne’s revolution
Feb.23 (GMM) So far, Sergio Marchionne’s revolution is going exactly to plan. Last year, as Ferrari badly faltered at the start of the new turbo V6 era, the Fiat Chrysler chief was the big mover behind a huge shakeup at Maranello. And so Italian-Canadian Marchionne made a visit to the Barcelona test at the weekend […]
Wild speculation follows mysterious Alonso crash
Feb.23 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s testing crash has triggered wild speculation about the cause. So far, McLaren is saying nothing except that it was a “normal” crash necessitating medical checks. “Fernando’s accident was just one of those things that happens in testing,” said team boss Eric Boullier, insisting the same is also true of his trip […]
Lauda told Mercedes to ‘put hammer down’
Feb.23 (GMM) After seven days of apparent sandbagging, did Mercedes finally let the cat out of the bag on Sunday? Until now, it has been Ferrari’s test pace at Jerez and now Barcelona that has appeared the most impressive, but many believe dominant 2014 champions Mercedes have been deliberately running with heavy fuel or de-rated […]
Force India preparation ‘not ideal’ – Hulkenberg
Feb.22 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has admitted Force India’s preparation for 2015 is “not ideal”. Although the strongest rumours of unpaid suppliers and financial strife have been played down, the Silverstone based team’s 2015 car is yet to be seen. And speculation says the 2014 car is only lapping at the Circuit de Catalunya this week […]
Gutierrez could drive Ferrari in Mexico
Feb.22 (GMM) Esteban Gutierrez is set to make his debut at the wheel of a Ferrari. After two years with Sauber, the 23-year-old has taken his Mexican sponsors to Maranello, where he is now the official reserve driver. New team boss Maurizio Arrivabene thinks that despite his difficult time since debuting in F1, Gutierrez has […]
Alonso airlifted to hospital after crash
Feb.22 (GMM) Fernando Alonso was “conscious” as he was airlifted to hospital on Sunday after a crash on the final day of the Barcelona test. The Spaniard was initially taken to the circuit medical centre by ambulance, after his McLaren hit the unprotected concrete wall at turn four. The Circuit de Catalunya said Alonso is […]
Good and bad news for Honda engine ‘freeze’
Feb.22 (GMM) The news on Sunday was both good and bad for Honda. The good is that McLaren’s struggling new works partner has found two more days in its delayed programme before the 2015-spec turbo V6 must be homologated. On paper, the deadline is actually February 28, but that is a Saturday and FIA inspectors […]
McLaren-Honda will not win first race – Button
Feb.22 (GMM) For now, McLaren’s problems will not go away. At the start of the Barcelona test, a faulty seal on the Honda’s MGU-K unit forced Japanese engineers to return the drawing board. The new part was fitted on Saturday, but it too failed and left Jenson Button at the bottom of the timesheets. Before […]
Vettel could ignore livery change ban
Feb.22 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted he might ignore F1’s new ban on helmet livery changes. Reports have indicated the German has made about 60 livery changes since debuting in formula one. But it has also been a growing trend among Vettel’s peers as well, moving Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt to clamp down on […]
Horner says Manor ‘deserves’ F1 return
Feb.21 (GMM) Christian Horner on Saturday insisted he would welcome the former Marussia team back to F1. Earlier, despite vocally championing the rights of struggling teams, Force India in fact blocked the reborn ‘Manor’ team’s quest to bounce back in 2015 by using its car of last season. But Williams made clear it supports Manor’s […]
Faster rivals have Mercedes’ eyes ‘wide open’
Feb.21 (GMM) A fascinating picture is beginning to emerge from winter testing, as multiple teams threaten to step up and challenge Mercedes. Until now, Ferrari has appeared surprisingly as the biggest threat to Mercedes’ supreme dominance. “They could be our opponents this year,” 2014 runner-up Nico Rosberg admitted on Friday, as he tested in Barcelona […]
McLaren admits Melbourne approaching too quickly
Feb.21 (GMM) For F1’s top teams, 2015 is a case of putting the troublesome first year of the new turbo V6 era in the past and setting sights on closing the big gap to Mercedes. It is bad news for McLaren, the British grandee who struggled last year and relished the prospect of kicking off […]
Renault considers buying F1 team – report
Feb.21 (GMM) Renault is reportedly considering buying a team and going it alone as a full constructor once again. Bruised by the ‘crash-gate’ affair, the French carmaker sold its works Enstone team to Gerard Lopez in 2010, who renamed it Lotus. But according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Renault is now considering buying it […]
First Ferrari target is a podium – Vettel
Feb.21 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel says he has arrived at Ferrari with the passion the most fabled name in formula one deserves. “Many things have changed” at the Maranello team, the former Red Bull driver and German told the Italian broadcaster Rai. “Even a driver,” he smiled. Indeed, it was rare to see the former quadruple […]