Wheelers Blog & News

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 promise.   "Talented drivers must not be thrown on to the scene too early," he said.   "I am sure he is talented and will have a chance to show it."   That chance will...

Ferrari looks to have beaten McLaren-Honda to the reborn Manor team's door. Earlier, we reported that with the former Marussia team now exiting administration, McLaren could play a role in the resurrection of the backmarker. Writing on his blog f1-insider, German correspondent Ralf Bach had said Ron Dennis was keen to emulate Ferrari's new alliance with the 2016 entrant Haas in terms of having a de-facto 'B-team'. Bach said Manor might nominate Woking as the venue for its wind tunnel...

While Barcelona echoed to the sound of turbo V6 engines on Thursday, behind-the-scenes developments were also making noise. Force India finally began its winter programme at the Circuit de Catalunya, but only with the 2014 car and Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehrlein at the wheel. Wehrlein was then called up by his works employer to replace the ill Lewis Hamilton, leaving race regular Sergio Perez to step into his cockpit of last season for mainly Pirelli tyre testing. The really important...

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has laid on five demanding desert selective sections for car, bike and quad entrants taking part in this year’s Sealine Cross-Country Rally, the third round of the 2015 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies and round two of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, on April 18-24. There will be no super special stage or ceremonial start on this occasion and the competitive action will get underway on Monday, April 20 with the first...

Mid-season helmet livery changes have been banned, according to reports on Wednesday. The respected German publication Auto Motor und Sport and the international news agency Reuters report that F1 drivers this year will have to start and finish the season with the same helmet colours. German correspondent Tobias Gruner said it was a proposal by Bernie Ecclestone that was adopted by the governing FIA and team bosses at Tuesday's meeting of the F1 Commission. Gruner said it means "the days...

At first glance you could easily mistake these images as emanating from the mind of aFerrari fanboy, when in fact they have been penned by Maranello’s design division in tandem with its F1 aerodynamic department. This is what Ferrari thinks it’s Formula One cars will look like in the future. The aim was to "come up with an F1 car that is technologically advanced, and captivating to the eye.” The second part of the brief has obviously been accomplished, and this was the important as Ferrari...

One of the facts of life is that nobody wants someone else driving their car. Whether it be your best friend or your girlfriend, no one knows your ride like you do. So why then do people so willingly hand their keys to the valet when prompted? As these five valet fails prove, parking a car isn’t as easy as it sounds. Yes, a parking lot can be a dangerous place and everyone has an off day at work every now and then. Still, when your job is to park Lamborghinis and Bugattis you’ve got to be on...

Nearly 14 months after his late 2013 skiing accident, little new is known about the great Michael Schumacher's medical progress. The 46-year-old is reportedly cared for by a private medical team numbering 15 professionals around the clock at his mansion on the shores of Lake Geneva. But in a new report published by the UK newspaper Express, it is claimed the seven time world champion "remains mute with limited awareness of his environment", and still "unable to walk". "Progress is...

Dominant 2014 champion Mercedes thinks its rivals can catch up. Germany's authoritative Auto Motor und Sport on Thursday estimated the marque's advantage last year at as much as 60 horse power. Many believe that is too great a gap to bridge in just one winter, but Renault has worked hard on its structure and engine, Ferrari set the test pace at Jerez and newcomer Honda is famous for having dominated F1 in the 80s. Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell agrees: "The rules of physics and...

On the one hand, it’s hard to pass up on a Ferrari. Any Ferrari. But there was another past supercar (not a Lamborghini) that really put the Prancing Horse on notice: the original AcuraNSX. The Japanese made it clear to the Italians and the rest of the world at large that a supercar could have superior build quality and an interior not constructed from what was essentially recycled cardboard. But the first NSX changed all that and then some. Problem was Acura/Honda didn’t do enough to keep...