Alonso: ‘Big step still required for next year’
After lingering at the tail end or the middle of the field, Fernando Alonso is now a consistent contender for a spot in the top-10 in qualifying and racing mode. McLaren-Honda’s progress of late has not gone unnoticed, and while the Woking-based outfit still has a fair amount of distance to travel to catch up…
I can hit back in title race – Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton says he has “no reason” to doubt he will hit back at Nico Rosberg in the drivers’ championship with six races remaining. While Hamilton was hampered by engine penalties in Belgium and a poor start in Italy, the defending champion endured a difficult weekend in Singapore while team-mate Rosberg excelled to take his…
McLaren likely to drop further down order – Alonso
Fernando Alonso expects McLaren to struggle to repeat its Friday positions throughout the rest of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. Despite a spin which saw him damage the rear of his car in FP1, Alonso finished first practice in ninth place and followed that up with eighth in the afternoon session. However, with the midfield…
Renault meeting 2017 deadlines – Bell
Renault chief technical officer Bob Bell says the French manufacturer is “meeting milestone deadlines” ahead of the 2017 Formula One season and its planned rules changes. Renault has endured a challenging return as a fully-fledged F1 team in 2016, with only seven points in the bank after 15 grands prix. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur said last weekend…
Red Bull appeals for rigorous track limits
Both Christian Horner and Daniel Ricciardo believe Formula 1 should provide better deterrents destined to prevent drivers from exceeding track limits. Modern F1 circuits offer spacious asphalt or grass run-off areas which drivers often transgress without incurring a harsh enough penalty, or indeed no penalty at all as Lewis Hamilton demonstrated in Mexico last weekend.…
Bubbles in the Sea, Craters in Earth Spark New Methane Worries
The headline in Nature World News on Tuesday was not subtle. ‘We’re F’d,’ it stated caustically. The subject? Methane plumes rising from the seabed witnessed by ocean researchers in the Arctic in recent weeks. Seen by a team of international scientists led by Professor Örjan Gustafsson from Stockholm University travelling in the Eastern Siberian Arctic…
Rosberg insists he did not settle for second in Mexico
Formula One points leader Nico Rosberg insists he did not settle for second place behind Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican Grand Prix. Having entered the weekend with a 26-point advantage over his title rival, Rosberg knew he could afford to finish P2 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and still keep a decisive edge…
Close quali gap shows Nico isn’t playing it safe – Lauda
Mercedes’ Niki Lauda says the close gap between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix shows the current Formula One points leader is not playing it safe with the title at stake. The Briton did secure a crucial pole position at Interlagos but his team-mate was only one tenth adrift.…
Verstappen arrival was big for my season – Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo admits “it was a big thing” when Max Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull and helped spur him on this season. Verstappen had impressed at Toro Rosso but it was still a surprise when Red Bull opted to replace Daniil Kvyat with the then 18-year-old at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutch driver…
Rosberg retirement a big boost for Ricciardo’s chances – Webber
Daniel Ricciardo’s title chances have increased meaningfully with the retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg, according to former Red Bull stalwart Mark Webber. Webber has always been a big fan of the man that succeeded him at the Milton Keynes-based outfit, tipping his countryman for the supreme title sooner rather than later. “Daniel was probably…