Strategy vital as smaller budget F1 teams shake down the big guns
May 16 (GMM) Five races in, and Formula One’s cleverest are still yet to decode the mystery of the unpredictable, fascinating 2012 F1 season which has seen the smaller teams challenge the establishment. As was the case when he utterly dominated last year, Sebastian Vettel is still leading the drivers’ points chase. But, before last [...]
Pirelli boss says they are ready to supply qualifying tyres
May 16 (GMM) Pirelli stands ready to supply special ‘qualifying tyres’ to Formula One teams next year should it be required of the Italian tyre giant. With the emphasis of the sport’s spectacle now relying on the complex and heavily degrading control tyres, it was the qualifying session that suffered last weekend in Barcelona. Arguably [...]
Russian GP preparations seriously delayed
May 16 (GMM) Preparations for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix in 2014 appear to have hit a roadblock. We reported last weekend that rumours were circulating in the Barcelona paddock that the Sochi race now appears “doomed”. The state owned Moscow news agency Ria Novosti now reports that political issues have created “serious delays” in [...]
Sutton Images Spanish Grand Prix 2012
May 16 (Sutton Images) All the action from the Spanish Grand Prix.
Massa’s biggest supporters fear his F1 career is on brink of collapse
May 15 (GMM) Speculation is mounting that Felipe Massa is on the verge of being replaced as Fernando Alonso’s teammate at Ferrari. After yet another below par performance, this time at the Spanish Grand Prix, even his allies in the Brazilian media are fearing his demise. This has prompted a frenzy of speculation over possible [...]
Klien says Alonso is the stand out driver this season
May 15 (GMM) Even amid the unpredictable 2012 Formula 1 season pecking order, the star performer is obvious – Fernando Alonso. That is the view of former F1 driver Christian Klien, who confirmed to the Austrian news agency APA that one of his current roles is a simulator driver for the sport’s latest winning team, [...]
Williams deny that cigarette caused Barcelona blaze
May 15 (GMM) Two days after winning in Spain, Williams is scrambling to put together the equipment it needs to contest next weekend’s Monaco grand prix, in the aftermath of a furious fire which raged through their pit garage in Barcelona – while rumours now suggest that a discarded cigarette caused the fire. Mere hours [...]
McLaren confident their mistakes won’t hurt Hamilton talks
May 15 (GMM) Martin Whitmarsh is sure that McLaren’s recent errors will not affect contract negotiations with their star driver Lewis Hamilton. The British team’s latest mistake not only cost Lewis Hamilton pole in Spain, it put the 2008 world champion to the very back of the grid. Asked if he worries that the now [...]
Sir Frank Williams believes Maldonado has the right stuff to be champion
May 14 (Reuters) Pastor Maldonado’s first Formula One victory in Spain showed that the Venezuelan has what it takes to be a champion, according to Frank Williams, who has seen a string of champions drive his winning cars – including the likes of Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna – said the [...]