Wheelers Blog & News tagged "F1"

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton gets a step closer towards retaining his title as the world champion by winning first place in the Russia Grand prix during the 15th stage of the world championship of the Formula One at Sochi circuit. Hamilton was ahead of German Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Mexican Sergio Perez (Force India-Mercedes). Mercedes team dominated the 15 stages so far, and only Vettel broke this “domination” with his victory in Malaysia, Hungary and Singapore. Hamilton won 9...

Global tire company Pirelli confirmed that it has extended its contract with World Championship Formula One. The announcement was made in the Russian resort of Sochi during the F1 race. There have been some rumors in the recent period saying that it could be possible for the French company Michelin to be the official supplier of tires for the F1 once again. However, Pirelli, based in Milan the Italian city, holding the supply of tires for the competition since 2011 will continue its...

 For the second consecutive year Rasamny Younis Motor Company RYMCO has teamed up with Infiniti Middle East to provide one lucky motorist from the Middle East the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a real Formula One car with instruction from Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver Daniil Kvyat. This campaign was launched back in September 10th and will continue until October 10th, where all Infiniti Q50 test-drivers will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win an all-expenses paid...

McLaren's current F1 driver Fernando Alonso said in a television interview that he should have left his former team Ferrari sooner than he did since things were not getting better. Alonso was moved from Renault to McLaren and then to Ferrari, where he spent five seasons with them and now returned to McLaren. Alonso said to CNN: "I had to leave Ferrari before one or two seasons, the car was not good enough and things were getting sad. After 5 years in Ferrari I got the second place, I saw...

The previous Canadian world champion of F1 in 1997, Jacques Villeneuve is thrilled to be back where he belongs: ON THE TRACK! Yes the genuine racer will be competing in the 2015/2016 season of the Formula E. The Ventury team announced last week that Villeneuve will be joining them for the second season of the series. The new member of the team made his first public appearance with them on the British Donington Park circuit during the 1st pre-season testing period on Monday. The contract...

 Echoes urging Formula 1 to be more exciting have been heard all year long!  Starting with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner and now Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, the nostalgic feeling of how Formula 1 used to be, is becoming contagious! Raikkonen stated that it was before much more thrilling and “dangerous” and it’s now too safe and slow. F1 chiefs must do something about it to make it more appealing to the fans. With today’s long achievements of the automotive industry, it is expected...

Schumacher continues to recover from a skiing accident that occurred in December 2013. His agent asked the public to always be reminded of how serious the injury is. Schumacher spent several months in a coma following the crash, before he was transferred to a Swiss hospital after being conscious again in late June 2014. Since September 2014, he continues his rehabilitation at his home on Lake Gland in Geneva. “Schumacher's rehabilitation costs are €140,000 a week, while the total cost...

Michael Schumacher's manager says the condition of the seven time world champion is "improving".   Sabine Kehm, who is now guiding Schumacher's son Mick on his first steps in single seaters, appeared in the Barcelona paddock ahead of the Spanish grand prix.   When asked about the mostly unknown fate of F1's most successful driver ever, she was quoted by Sky Italia: "There are small improvements, but the road is still very long."   The latest news about 46-year-old former Ferrari and...

The Lotus F1 Team has teamed up with Warner Bros Pictures to produce a one-off Mad Max Hybrid. Described as an F1 car "reimagined for a post-apocalyptic future," the Mad Max Hybrid features spikes, flame throwers and five-spoke alloy wheels with off-road tires.  The model also has skulls mounted on the front wing.   In a statement, Lotus F1 Team CEO Matthew Carter said “[The] Lotus F1 Team is always viewed as a challenger team, so this was a fantastic opportunity to work with Warner Bros...

Audi appears to have taken a step closer to formula one.   Mere days ago, constant rumours that the Volkswagen brand is considering a grand prix foray were given a boost by former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.   "A mutual friend told me that (Red Bull owner Dietrich) Mateschitz is thinking of selling and is trying to convince Audi to come in," said the Italian.   Auto Express, a British weekly, went straight to Audi chairman Rupert Stadler to ask him for a "yes or no" answer...

Eyebrows were being raised on Thursday as Fernando Alonso refused to take his dark sunglasses off during the official FIA press conference.   Earlier this week, on social media, the McLaren driver showed photographs of a stye in his eye, and then his trip to McLaren's driver simulator in Woking -- wearing dark glasses inside.   "I have to keep them on," the Spaniard said as he prepared for Thursday's media activities ahead of his home grand prix.   A source explained that an eye...

Sauber has backed former FIA president Max Mosley's renewed call for a budget cap in formula one.   Earlier this week, ahead of the Strategy Group's crunch meeting on May 14 about the future, Mosley told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that teams should revisit the idea of limiting their budgets to $100 million per year.   Under Mosley's plan, those who sign up to the budget cap would get much more technical rules freedom, while teams who want to spend more would be limited to the...

Bernie Ecclestone has joined Max Mosley in fearing for the very survival of formula one.   Former FIA president Mosley, a famously close ally of Ecclestone's until the end of his reign in 2009, warned this week that the current state of the sport could see it "collapse".   Now, F1 supremo Ecclestone has told Sport Bild: "I will not watch formula one destroy itself because some people made a mistake."   The 84-year-old, who wants F1 to revert to its V8-powered days, sees the new turbo...

Although disappointed, Toto Wolff had to chuckle late on Sunday when asked if Malaysia signalled the "end of an era" in formula one.   Although it was somewhat of a jibe at his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo and team Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel observed that his win for Ferrari was arguably the "first time Mercedes got beaten fair and square" in the new turbo V6 era.   But is it premature to say the 'era' of Mercedes' domination is now over?   "Formula one is a bit extreme sometimes,...

Lewis Hamilton has slammed a newspaper report that suggested he was demanding $1.5 million per week to sign a new Mercedes deal.   Boss Toto Wolff has already rubbished the claims, telling a reporter "You must question where you get your drugs from".   The original report, labelled as exclusive by the London newspaper The Times' correspondent Kevin Eason, cited sources who said Hamilton "has decided that he must be the best-paid man on the grid".   Indeed, Hamilton's negotiations with...

Bernie Ecclestone has described the fate of F1 legend Michael Schumacher as a "tragedy".   15 months ago, the seven time world champion fell whilst skiing with his son Mick in the French alps, suffering serious brain injuries.   "I know nothing about his current condition," F1 chief executive Ecclestone, who has known the now 46-year-old German for over two decades, said.   "This may sound strange," the 84-year-old Briton told Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper, "but it would have...

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...

The FIA's new super licence points system would even have locked Michael Schumacher out of F1. Apparently reacting to the controversial debut this year of 17-year-old Max Verstappen, the sport's governing body will clamp down hard on the qualifications for the mandatory F1 driving credential in 2016. But as the details of the licence points system for junior categories emerged this week, some calculations show that many of the sport's top names would have fallen foul of the FIA's tough new...

The seven-time Formula One racing champion, Michael Schumacher, who suffered from massive head injuries while skiing last December 2013 can now respond to external stimuli, but is still not able to speak or move, according to reports cited by International Business Times. Here are more details about Michael Schumacher Health Update.  Michael Schumacher left the hospital in order return home in Switzerland after nine months of treatment. Most of the time, he spends "looking into...

Mercedes chairman Dieter Zetsche says he wants formula one to maintain a healthy grid. As backmarkers hit the wall in 2014 and three more small teams argue loudly about costs and power, talks to fix the sport's issues have so far produced scarce results. But Zetsche told Germany's Sport Bild: "Of course we have an interest that, within certain limits, we have a broad field of competitors." He said there are talks behind the scenes about how F1's commercial income is split between the big...

Jules Bianchi is no longer in Japan, his family announced on Wednesday. The Frenchman, who crashed during the Japanese grand prix early last month, has until now been in a critical condition in the Mie hospital not far from Suzuka. But the 25-year-old's parents announced on Wednesday that "Jules has made an important step". While "still unconscious", Bianchi is "no longer in the artificial coma", they said. "He is breathing unaided and his vital signs are stable, but his condition is...