F1 Today – 31/08/2015
Stronger in Monza
Romain Grosjean believes that Louts will be stronger than they were at Spa in Monza where he scored the team’s first podium of the season. The Frenchman recovered from ninth place following a gear box penalty to finish third.
Louts who are powered by Mercedes who’s power unit suits both Spa and Monza because of their high speed nature. Grosjean thinks that the fast Monza circuit will suit the team even more than Spa.
He told ESPN “On paper, Monza should suit our car better than Spa so in theory a podium could be possible again!” Grosjean said. Adding for Monza “You need your car to be as slippery as possible and quick in a straight line, and in that regard we’ve looked pretty strong so far in 2015.”
His podium in Spa came after Sebastian Vettel suffered a spectacular tyre blowout on the penultimate lap. Vettel had been successfully holding Grosjean in the battle for third but Grosjean believes he would have caught the German.
Audi entry speculations
Audi motorsport boss Wolfgang Ullrich has dismissed the continuing speculation that the German manufacturer could be about to join the sport.
Audi has been linked to buying Red Bull who has been threating to quit unless Audi joins the sport either as an engine supplier or buyer for the team.
The German has dismissed a move to F1 as nothing but “pure speculation”, confirming commitment to the FIA World Endurance Championship, DTM and GT racing.
Ullrich says speculation about a F1 team has been a long-running theme of his time at the helm at Audi. He told NBC Sports “This is a discussion I’ve lived with for 20 years, and we never did it. So I would be surprised if we did it tomorrow.”
He said it is not possible to enter the sport without more than a year preparing for the sport. The Audi story has become a annual reports and with Red Bull’s threats to quit it has gained a little more traction in 2015.
Audi motorsport boss Wolfgang Ullrich has dismissed the continuing speculation that the German manufacturer could be about to join the sport.
Audi has been linked to buying Red Bull who has been threating to quit unless Audi joins the sport either as an engine supplier or buyer for the team.
Not excited by pole trophy
Lewis Hamilton has described winning the pole trophy this season is not “particularly exciting” and say he would rather win races.
The trophy was introduced last year but if it was used through the 30-year old’s career he would of won it four times. The world champion currently looks unbeatable in the championship and has good form at the moment. He is more than a race win ahead of his team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton says “the pole trophy is not particularly exciting but getting poles is definitely a great thing.” He said he would give it up for the world championship.
He told Eurosport “I’m really happy with how the qualifying has gone this year. It’s been a huge step for me.” Hamilton now sits third off the record pole with twenty adrift of Michael Schumacher’s all-time record and eighteen adrift of Ayrton Senna.
Offers from other teams – Magnussen
Kevin Magnussen says he has offered from other teams for 2016 as his future with McLaren remains uncertain. The Dane was dropped in favour of Fernando Alonso at the end of last year.
Alonso is currently on a three year deal but Jenson Button is currently waiting for McLaren to see if the team takes up an option in his contract. If they don’t Magnussen will need to fight GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne waiting in the wings and who could be promoted either in Button’s place.
He admitted to F1i that there “Yes we can say other [F1] teams have reached out, it’s no secret. So I do think I still have a future.”
Adding “You can always talk to people. It is quite sensitive … Not many, but some interesting ones. There aren’t many Formula One teams available actually – some interesting ones.”
Magnussen has not been race in any other series and is hopeful his career will continue in a positive direction.
Rosberg becomes father
Nico Rosberg has announced on Twitter that his wife Vivian has given birth to his daughter on Sunday afternoon. The Mercedes driver tweeted “our full moon baby girl was born yesterday afternoon. We are overwhelmed and totally in love. Best wishes, V + N”
He added in French “Thank you to the team hospital Princess grace! You have fantastic summer”
He told reporters last weekend “The baby seat is in the Mercedes ML and it took me two hours to put it in there. It was one of the toughest recent experiences!”
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