Rob Veenstra

Rob founded GPToday together with Danny. He started as an intern at the end of 2004, after which he became the first journalist to be hired and wrote articles and various interesting columns for many years. He was regularly the daily hub of the news, but also provided live coverage of the test sessions.

News

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Red Bull, Renault poised to extend engine deal
Renault and Red Bull seem poised to extend their engine deal beyond 2016. After the breakdown of their semi-works partnership last year, the parties agreed to enter a customer s...

27 May 2016 13:58
- 2
Stewart: "Legal action wrong path for Bianchi family"
F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart has questioned the Bianchi family's decision to sue the sport over the death of their son. 25-year-old Jules Bianchi died last year as a result ...

27 May 2016 13:21
- 1
Daniil Kvyat 'not afraid' to say what he thinks
Daniil Kvyat insists he is "not afraid" of speaking his mind in the wake of his controversial demotion by Red Bull. Just before Max Verstappen won in Barcelona, it was...

27 May 2016 12:49
- 4
Ferrari to be first with modified 2017 test car
Ferrari looks set to get the jump on the F1 field for 2017 by being first out of the blocks with a test car. Top teams have put their hands up to help official supplier Pirelli ...

27 May 2016 12:07
- 1
'Monaco best chance for Red Bull to win again'
After Max Verstappen's surprise win in Barcelona, Red Bull appears poised to complete a back-to-back upset this weekend in Monaco. With Renault's much improved engine in...

27 May 2016 11:30
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Zandvoort eyes Dutch grand prix return by 2020
The Netherlands could be back on the F1 calendar by 2020. The famous Zandvoort circuit and the Dutch grand prix have been missing from the calendar since 1985. But with Max Ver...

27 May 2016 10:56
- 0
Toro Rosso wants up-to-date power units for 2017
Toro Rosso is moving to receive up-to-date engines from Ferrari in 2017. This year, after the collapse of the semi-works relationship between team owner Red Bull and Renault, To...

27 May 2016 10:22
- 0
McLaren boss: "Stoffel Vandoorne is not for sale"
Team supremo Ron Dennis has warned McLaren's rivals that Stoffel Vandoorne is "not for sale". The Belgian and reigning GP2 champion, who made his impressive F1 deb...

27 May 2016 08:43
- 5
Gerhard Berger involved in Rosberg's contract talks
F1 legend Gerhard Berger has admitted he is involved in Nico Rosberg's negotiations with Mercedes over a new contract beyond 2017. Earlier, the former Ferrari and McLaren dr...

26 May 2016 17:26
- 0
Bianchi family to sue FIA, FOM and Marussia
Jules Bianchi's family is launching legal action against F1 authorities over the death of the French driver. Bianchi, 25, died last year after a late 2014 collision with a t...

26 May 2016 16:53
- 1
FP2: Red Bull Racing strong as Ferrari struggles
Red Bull Racing looks to have a real chance to win in Monaco. Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest time in the second free practice for the Grand Prix of Monaco. The Australian was ...

26 May 2016 15:32
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Carlos Sainz benefits from Verstappen succes

Carlos Sainz thinks the quick success achieved by his former teammate Max Verstappen could also reflect well on him. Indeed, Spain's AS newspaper mentioned the 21-year-old a...

26 May 2016 14:55
- 3
Rosberg wants 'a few more years' at Mercedes
Championship leader Nico Rosberg has now played down swirling speculation that he might leave Mercedes at the end of the season. An Italian newspaper recently suggested talks wi...

26 May 2016 14:07
- 0
Daniel Ricciardo still in the game with new engine
Red Bull has made clear Daniel Ricciardo is still in the game at the energy drink company's top F1 team. Although the Australian is an established F1 star, it has been F1 te...

26 May 2016 13:31
- 2
Monza furious as Imola negotiates with Ecclestone
A Monza official has hit out at Imola, the former San Marino grand prix host that is reportedly shaping up as an alternative venue for Italy's annual F1 race. With negotiati...

26 May 2016 12:48
- 0
Alonso surprised by 'very optimistic' McLaren chiefs
Fernando Alonso on Wednesday sounded surprised when told that McLaren chiefs Ron Dennis and Eric Boullier have been making very upbeat comments lately. McLaren supremo Dennis ha...

26 May 2016 12:15
- 0
FP1: Lewis Hamilton fastest as Felipe Massa crashes
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has set the best time in first free practice for the Grand Prix of Monaco. He was a tenth quicker than team mate Nico Rosberg. Sebastian Vettel co...

26 May 2016 11:29
- 0
Gutierrez not joining Grosjean in Nascar outing
Romain Grosjean's teammate sounds uninterested in joining the Frenchman in a one-off Nascar outing. The pair race for Gene Haas' new F1 team, with the Californian also c...

26 May 2016 11:00
- 0
'Respect' intact but Mercedes tension lingers on
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg entered the Monaco paddock on Wednesday with the message that everything is 'ok' with their relationship. "Do I think everything is ...

26 May 2016 10:33
- 0
Renault embarks on partnership with Admiral Yachts
Renault Sport Formula One Team sets sail on an exciting new partnership with Admiral Yachts commencing at this weekend's Monaco Group Prix. The partnership with Admiral Yach...

26 May 2016 10:05
- 0
Renault eyes leap into Q3 with upgraded engine
Renault's works team is eyeing a sudden leap into Q3 this weekend in Monaco. After the eleventh-hour Lotus takeover, it has been an uncompetitive full works return for the F...

25 May 2016 14:29
- 4
Prost: "Verstappen doesn't act like an 18-year-old"
F1 legend Alain Prost says Max Verstappen has been impressive beyond his mere age of 18. Some pundits are warning the F1 world not to go overboard in praise for the sport's ...

25 May 2016 11:47
- 1
Michael Schumacher gets award for 'life's work'
Michael Schumacher will be honoured at an award ceremony this week, the German newspaper Bild reports. The report said the inaugural 'Nurburgring Award' trophy will go t...

25 May 2016 11:06
- 0
Mercedes has Hamilton's lifestyle under control
Toto Wolff is heading into Monaco this weekend determined that Mercedes' drivers will not crash again. From the moment Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg tangled and ended in t...

25 May 2016 10:33
- 3
Just 2 engines per driver per season by 2019
F1's long-life engine rules will get more than twice as arduous for manufacturers beyond 2019. A few weeks ago, after a long period of negotiations, changes to further conve...

25 May 2016 09:52
- 4
Video: Lap of Monaco onboard with Raikkonen
The streets of Monte Carlo host the Grand Prix of Monaco this weekend. As a preview a video of a lap onboard with Kimi Raikkonen around that track. ...

25 May 2016 09:21
- 0
Petrov: "Too soon to judge Verstappen greatness"
It might be too early to predict greatness for F1 teen sensation Max Verstappen, according to a former grand prix driver. Even before his first win in Barcelona, many insiders w...

24 May 2016 16:24
- 5
Renault has to decide on splitting their efforts
A decision is looming about how Renault will handle the transition from 2016 to 2017, team boss Frederic Vasseur has admitted. It is widely believed that, with the French marque...

24 May 2016 15:31
- 0
Felipe Massa not sure Red Bull has the best car
Felipe Massa is in a realistic mood about Williams' chances ahead of this weekend's race in Monaco. The British team was third overall in 2014 and 2015 but has clearly f...

24 May 2016 14:55
- 1
FIA developing a F1 engine 'sound generator'
F1's governing body is backing development of a "sound generator" to spice up the muted tones of the current generation of power units. After the turbo V6s fitted ...

24 May 2016 14:02
- 5
Father still trying to guide and coach Verstappen
Jos Verstappen has admitted that while he has taken a step back, he is still closely involved in his son's meteoric F1 career. It has been suggested that while Toro Rosso wa...

24 May 2016 13:30
- 1
'Next champions after Mercedes will be McLaren'
McLaren-Honda appears to be finally emerging from its long slump, with bosses Ron Dennis and Eric Boullier sounding particularly upbeat ahead of Monaco. Dennis, the Woking team&...

24 May 2016 12:49
- 5
F3 team Prema linked with possible F1 entry
The next new team for F1 could now be on the horizon, according to Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport. The publication suggested that Prema Powerteam, a lower-category Italian o...

24 May 2016 12:15
- 2
F1 deal Heineken to be announced in Montreal
F1 looks set to lift the lid on its major new sponsorship deal with Heineken ahead of next month's Canadian grand prix. Last week, following a leak in the press, F1 supremo ...

24 May 2016 11:58
- 1
Rio Haryanto admits he could lose Manor seat
Rio Haryanto has admitted for the first time that he might not make it through the 2016 season. Although backed by the Indonesian government and highly popular in his native cou...

24 May 2016 11:43
- 4
Mercedes rubbishes rumours about Hamilton
Mercedes has rubbished reports Lewis Hamilton might miss this weekend's prestigious Monaco grand prix. An Italian newspaper had suggested that Pascal Wehrlein may only have ...

24 May 2016 11:07
- 2
Lauda plays down Rosberg-to-Ferrari rumours
Niki Lauda has played down rumours Nico Rosberg might be contemplating a switch to Ferrari for 2017. After the Spanish grand prix, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera clai...

23 May 2016 14:05
- 5
Honda to use all remaining tokens for Belgium
Honda is planning to hand in all of its engine performance 'tokens' by Spa-Francorchamps in August. That is the claim of Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, citing the i...

23 May 2016 13:36
- 11
Le Mans rules out reviving Grand Prix of France
Le Mans has ruled itself out of the running to revive the French grand prix. Pierre Fillon is the president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the organiser of the fab...

23 May 2016 12:47
- 0
Montezemolo: "I expected a bigger step from Ferrari"
Luca di Montezemolo says he expected Ferrari to make a bigger step forward in 2016. Towards the end of 2014, Ferrari's long-time president was stepped down and replaced by S...

23 May 2016 12:11
- 2
Wolff: "16-year-olds racing in F3 not a good thing"
Toto Wolff thinks the world of premier motor racing might need to revisit the issue of driver age, following an enormous crash at the weekend. Li Zhi (Peter) Cong is currently i...

23 May 2016 11:20
- 3
Hamilton to miss Monaco after nightclub incident?
The next wild rumour is now firing in formula one, ahead of the championship's 'jewel in the crown' event in Monaco this weekend. Corriere dello Sport, an Italian ne...

23 May 2016 10:49
- 14
Verstappen says it's important to stay grounded
Max Verstappen is sure becoming F1's youngest ever winner will not go to his head. Hot on the heels of entering the category as the world's first 17-year-old grand prix ...

23 May 2016 10:05
- 1
Manor Racing hires Pavitt as marketing director
Manor Racing is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Pavitt as Marketing Director. Simon, who has over 15 years' sports marketing experience, joins the F1 team to ov...

20 May 2016 13:51
- 0
Todt: "Dominance in motorsport is just part of it"
Jean Todt has played down the need to stop Mercedes' dominance of F1, arguing that it has always been a feature of the sport. While the FIA has agreed with future measures l...

20 May 2016 11:54
- 0
Vasseur: "Renault looking for world champion of 2020"
Renault is open-minded about the composition of the driver lineup for its new works team beyond 2016, according to boss Frederic Vasseur. Having inherited Jolyon Palmer's co...

20 May 2016 11:12
- 3
Vettel expected Williams to be stronger in 2016
Sebastian Vettel says he expected Williams to be putting up a tougher fight in 2016. The Grove based team finished third overall in the past two world championships -- behind Fe...

20 May 2016 10:40
- 2
Force India could switch focus to 2017 very soon
Force India is reportedly considering halting its car development programme for 2016 in order to focus on preparing for next year's new rules. The Silverstone based team'...

20 May 2016 08:32
- 1
'Ricciardo still better overall package than Verstappen'
If Renault brings its new engine to Monaco, the French marque may only be able to supply one version apiece to the two French-powered teams. Although Renault has actually slated...

19 May 2016 16:56
- 20
Nico Rosberg not commenting on 'future' plans
The big rumour swirling in F1 circles at present is whether Nico Rosberg is really contemplating a switch from Mercedes for 2017. Italy's Corriere della Sera claims talks be...

19 May 2016 15:58
- 3
Vettel: "Ferrari giving everything to catch Mercedes"
Sebastian Vettel says Ferrari's aggressive strategy of full attack will not always work out for the ambitious Maranello team. The German insists he is driving a better car t...

19 May 2016 15:32
- 1
Real estate development threatens Monaco race
The future of the Monaco grand prix is under threat, race organiser Michel Boeri has warned. "The project of Mr Caroli, if it were to happen, would automatically lead to th...

19 May 2016 14:44
- 0
Honda not confirming Canada engine upgrade yet
Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa has played down growing reports that McLaren will get a highly-anticipated engine upgrade in Montreal next month. "It doesn't necessarily ha...

19 May 2016 14:00
- 1
Red Bull denies Ricciardo given worst strategy
Red Bull has denied Max Verstappen was deliberately given the preferred race strategy to win last Sunday's Spanish grand prix. While the young Dutchman - who had qualified j...

19 May 2016 13:26
- 6
Wehrlein feels he was auditioning for Mercedes seat
Pascal Wehrlein says he was more than happy to step in at the last minute and test the championship-leading Mercedes on Wednesday. The German marque turned heads early on Wednes...

19 May 2016 12:47
- 1
Jean Alesi's son Guiliano steps up to GP3 Series
Jean Alesi's well-known F1 face will be a common sight in the paddock this year. That's because his 16-year-old French son Giuliano, whose mother is Jean's Japanese ...

19 May 2016 12:15
- 1
Pirelli to monitor tyre pressures in-race from Monaco
F1 is fast-tracking a system whereby Pirelli and the governing FIA can monitor cars' tyre pressures live during a race. Last week, we reported rumours some teams may have fo...

19 May 2016 11:59
- 7
Button, Hamilton say no to 'dangerous' Indycar
Two fellow champions have no intention of following Fernando Alonso into Indycar once their F1 careers end. Two-time world champion Alonso told the Spanish press last month: &qu...

19 May 2016 11:38
- 2
Max Verstappen enjoyed post-win party in Spain
F1's newest and youngest-ever winner appears to have enjoyed his post-race celebrations after the Spanish grand prix. Just 18, some wondered if the Dutchman was even old eno...

19 May 2016 11:16
- 0
Brundle: "Rosberg has turned into a winning machine"
The sensational clash of Mercedes' teammates and championship foes in Barcelona made clear a "new Nico" Rosberg will no longer be pushed around. That is the view o...

19 May 2016 08:50
- 5
Barcelona day 2: Red Bull Racing stays on top
Red Bull Racing has had a good couple of days in Spain. After winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday the Austrian team today claimed top spot on the second of two days of test...

18 May 2016 18:01
- 0
Alain Prost: "Max Verstappen is already a star"
The sky is the limit for Max Verstappen, according to F1 legend Alain Prost. Just days after his shock switch from Toro Rosso, the 18-year-old made history in Barcelona as he wo...

18 May 2016 17:30
- 2
Pierre Gasly aiming for Toro Rosso seat in 2017
Pierre Gasly says the success of the Max Verstappen story is a boost to all up-and-coming young drivers. However, not everyone agrees with that. "Max is a bad example for t...

18 May 2016 16:44
- 1
Honda has plan to 'challenge Mercedes in 2017'
Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa is looking ahead with confidence to the grand prix in Monaco next weekend. Fernando Alonso called his Q3 breakthrough in Barcelona a "milestone&...

18 May 2016 16:03
- 5
Ecclestone: "Heineken upset over leaked F1 deal"
Bernie Ecclestone has all but confirmed reports the Dutch beer brewer Heineken is entering formula one with a major sponsorship deal. De Telegraaf, a Dutch newspaper, claimed la...

18 May 2016 15:22
- 3
Daniel Ricciardo happy with Renault engine step
Daniel Ricciardo is upbeat about the future after testing Renault's highly-anticipated engine upgrade in Barcelona. The Australian admitted to being "bitter" last ...

18 May 2016 14:54
- 3
Jorda: "Goal of being in an F1 car one day is still alive"
Carmen Jorda is not ruling out the possibility she might make her F1 test debut later in 2016. Although ridiculed at times for her development driver role at Lotus last year, th...

18 May 2016 14:18
- 3
Rosberg on Hamilton crash: "Suddenly I lacked power"
Nico Rosberg says he was not to blame for a technical issue that contributed to the crash with Lewis Hamilton last Sunday. After Mercedes team chairman pointed the clear finger ...

18 May 2016 13:43
- 6
Testupdate: Max Verstappen continues his momentum
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has set the fastest time on the morning of the second day of testing in Barcelona. The young Dutchman did a 1:23.267 on the soft tyres. McL...

18 May 2016 13:01
- 3
Ecclestone backs Melbourne to keep F1 fee secret
Bernie Ecclestone has joined the local state government in Australia in refusing to divulge the cost of the annual formula one race. The race fee paid by Melbourne organisers to...

18 May 2016 12:25
- 3
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