Kimi Raikkonen declined to hit back at Niki Lauda on Friday, despite the F1 legend calling him a "wimp". Told that triple world champion and Mercedes chairman Lauda has been talking about him, Raikkonen said at the Nurburgring: "Huh? To me? He (Lauda) hasn't spoken to me." The 2007 world champion was then told by the interviewer for Tagesspiegel newspaper that Lauda had said ignoring Red Bull's offer of a 2014 seat would make him a "wimp". "I don't care what he says," said the […]
Ahead of the German Grand Prix at Nurburgring F1Zone.net had a chat with Giedo van der Garde about his expectations in this race. “Depends on the rear tyres,” Caterham’s driver simply replied. The Dutch driver won races at Nurburgring during his pre Formula One career, a performance which he doesn’t expect to repeat again this year. “Nurburgring is not one of my favorite but it’s a nice track and the first part is very technical. The key here is that you have to be at […]
There was no sign of the tyre blowouts which marred last weekend's British Grand Prix in first practice in Germany on Friday although Ferrari's Fernando Alonso had an electrical problem with his car and failed to set a time. Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets ahead of Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg under gloomy skies, which mirrored the mood of Spaniard Alonso after he ground to a halt just off the track in his first practice lap. Ferrari said on Twitter that it was an electrical […]
McLaren’s Jenson Button is happy with Pirelli’s response to the tyre drama at Silverstone where five drivers suffered punctures during the race. Because the issues raised serious doubts about the driver’s safety, Pirelli decided to reintroduce the kevlar belt for this weekend. “For me and I think for all of us it was really a shock the issues that we had at Silverstone. I think is good that we have another tyre here. One that has been tested and was used - obviously for last […]
F1's tyre-gate saga has taken another dramatic twist, as drivers formally threaten to boycott the German grand prix. The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), led by Ferrari tester Pedro de la Rosa, warned at the Nurburgring that drivers will pull out of the Nurburgring round if there are signs the tyre-exploding crisis seen at Silverstone has not been solved. "The drivers have decided if similar problems should manifest themselves during the German GP, we shall immediately withdraw from the event," read the statement. The GPDA […]
Red Bull has turned to its fans to help it decide Mark Webber's successor. Team boss Christian Horner recently narrowed down the selection of Sebastian Vettel's new teammate for 2014 to a shortlist of three -- Kimi Raikkonen, or a current Toro Rosso driver. So on Red Bull's official Facebook page, a survey asking fans which of the three should get the job duly appeared. Finn Raikkonen attracted thousands of votes, while the second most popular choice was Australian Daniel Ricciardo. Raikkonen was not listening […]
Former F1 driver Mika Salo is expecting a return to Formula One for Finnish countryman Heikki Kovalainen to "snap into place soon". The highly-rated Kovalainen, ousted by Caterham at the end of last year in favour of sponsored 2014 drivers, is now being linked with the underperforming Dutchman Giedo van der Garde's cockpit. Told by Sky reporter Ted Kravitz at Silverstone last week that van der Garde is "not doing the business for you", Caterham chief executive Riad Asmat dodged the answer. "He'll come back […]
Sebastian Vettel insists talk about mind games and a July 'curse' will not distract his push for a first home win in Germany this weekend. Not only has the reigning three-time world champion never won at his home tracks at the Nurburgring or Hockenheim, the newly 26-year-old has actually never won a grand prix in the month of July. "There is no (July) curse," Vettel told Sport Bild this week. "On the contrary, there is more of a home advantage, so I'll try again this […]
A win at the Nurburgring will be the perfect tonic for Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn admits. This weekend's German grand prix is actually the team's and Nico Rosberg's home race, but Briton Brawn thinks countryman Hamilton "deserves" his breakthrough. Rosberg won Mercedes' first race of 2013 at Monaco, and he followed it up with the win at Silverstone last Sunday -- but only after local hero Hamilton suffered an exploded Pirelli. "He (Hamilton) deserves a win," said Brawn. Hamilton, 28, has had […]
Ferrari looks set to drop its plans to run rookies at the forthcoming young drivers test. Previously, only drivers with little experience were eligible to test at the Silverstone session. But the tyre-exploding British grand prix last weekend changed all that. The FIA has reacted to the Pirelli crisis by allowing teams to run their race drivers for tyre testing. But only rookies will be allowed to do actual development testing, amid reports the FIA will have inspectors at Silverstone to ensure compliance. Nonetheless, Ferrari […]
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has issued a statement to reiterate that the tyre company is working closely with the FIA and others after Sunday's tyre failures at the British Grand Prix. Pirelli earlier released their findings into the issues and appeared to lay some of the blame with teams. Pirelli unveils changes after Silverstone debacle But Hembery has denied such reports. "Contrary to the impression that some people have formed, I would like to underline the collaboration and support that we are receiving from […]
Pirelli has confirmed that changes will take place after five drivers suffered tyre failures during the British Grand Prix. Pirelli blamed the failures on a number of causes: the adoption of tyre pressures too low or at least lower than those provided by Pirelli, the adoption of camber angles pushed as well as the kerbs, most notably one at Turn 4. Rversed mounting of the rear tires was also to blame: a practice where teams use right rear tyres on the left rear (and vice […]