McLaren’s Brown still pursuing ‘big brands and big branding’
While Zak Brown is no longer seeking a title sponsor for McLaren, the American executive says the team is still pursuing commercial partnerships with big brands. McLaren’s depressed on-track performance in the last three years has taken its toll on the Woking-based outfit’s ability to secure major sponsorship deals, with the team recording a net…
Vergne fends off Lotterer to deliver a Techeetah 1-2 in Santiago
Poleman Jean-Eric Vergne fended off Techeetah team mate André Lotterer to win an action-packed ePrix held on the streets of Santiago. Formula E’s maiden race in the Chilean capital was a close fought affair and delivered the first one-two finish for a team in the burgeoning all-electric series. Vergne sparked ahead from pole but was…
Formula 1 is ‘unfinished business for Manor – Lowdon
If a budget-cap is introduced into F1, then Manor could jump back into the fray says team boss Graeme Lowdon. Lowdon departed Manor F1’s failing operation at the end of 2015, along with colleague John Booth, a year before the outfit’s demise from Grand Prix racing. He then took the British racing marque into the…
Last in line, Toro Rosso unveils STR13
Toro Rosso completed the presentations of Formula 1’s class of 2018, unveiling its Honda-powered STR13 in the Barcelona pitlane. The car will take to the track this morning in the capable hands of Brendon Hartley, with team mate Pierre Gasly taking over duties tomorrow. The Faenza-based squad has gone for a livery which appears similar…
Annoyed Vettel ‘not good enough’ after losing pole to Raikkonen
Ferrari pulled off a dream front-row lock-out for their home race, the Italian Grand Prix, in qualifying on Saturday. And while Sebastian Vettel was delighted to see the team achieve a 1-2 over their Mercedes rivals, he certainly wasn’t happy to miss out on pole for himself. Vettel had topped the first two rounds of…
Ex-Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne dies aged 66
Ex-Fiat Chrysler and Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne has died, days after the 66-year-old was replaced at the helm of both automotive groups following complications from shoulder surgery. Marchionne passing was confirmed on Wednesday by Exor NV, the holding company if Fiat’s founding Agnelli family. Born in Chieti, Italy, on June 17, 1952, Marchionne entered the…
Todt lectures anti-Halo drivers with ‘short memories’
FIA president Jean Todt says he is bewildered by F1 drivers’ negative comments on the Halo given the fact that the device was developed and introduced at their request. The governing body has made the cockpit safety element’s presence mandatory in F1 this year and in several other junior single-seater series. The Halo’s introduction did…
Mercedes: No difference between works and customer engines
Toto Wolff denies Mercedes was the target of the FIA’s clampdown on engine parity rules, denying there as ever been any difference between its engines and those allocated to its customers. Earlier this year, the governing body reminded manufacturers that their customers must have access to the same software and power unit modes as works’…
Amazing Leclerc continues F1 breakthrough with first career points
Sauber’s Charles Leclerc made the most of an eventful and chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a flawless performance that delivered to the rookie a P6 finish and his first championship points. The Frenchman launched his race from P13 on the grid, but skillfully muscled his way up to 8th within the first ten laps of…
Julian Assange on the TPP, NSA Spying, and his Own Ambiguous Future
In an hour-long interview aired Wednesday, Julian Assange spoke with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! at the Ecuador embassy in London and shared his perspective on NSA spying, the pending Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement, and other controversies. The Wikileaks founder currently awaits his own fate as he faces investigations by both Sweden and the…