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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Eric Boullier backs Alonso's Le Mans move
Eric Boullier says he supports Fernando Alonso's move into the world of Le Mans racing. Some believe that the McLaren driver getting permission to split his time between F1 ...

05 Feb 2018 12:06
- 2
Brown: "Ferrari-Liberty confrontations inevitable"
Zak Brown thinks the showdown between Ferrari and Liberty Media was "inevitable". With Liberty reportedly proposing a fairer income distribution system among other thi...

05 Feb 2018 11:45
- 2
Sergey Sirotkin hits out at 'pay driver' label
Sergey Sirotkin says he is ignoring those who call him a 'pay driver'. Some, including sections of the media, say the Russian secured Williams' second seat for 2018 ...

05 Feb 2018 11:19
- 6
'Several broken exhausts' on test rigs at Mercedes
Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes is pushing the development of its 2018 car to the limit.Italy's Corriere dello Sport claims that with Ferrari and Red Bull closing in, Merce...

05 Feb 2018 10:58
- 5
Boullier: "Renault engine one second faster than Honda V6"
Eric Boullier says McLaren will get a one second per lap boost simply by using a different engine in 2018. After three years with Honda, the British team lost patience and will ...

05 Feb 2018 10:26
- 12
Bernie Ecclestone: "Liberty doing everything wrong"
Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has lashed out at the sport's new owners Liberty Media. The 87-year-old said last week that he strongly disagrees with Liberty's deci...

05 Feb 2018 09:00
- 15
Jack & Jones to sponsor Haas F1 Team in 2018
Menswear brand Jack & Jones will be seen on Haas F1 Team personnel and its racecars during the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship as part of a new partnership with the ...

02 Feb 2018 14:16
- 5
Series boss says Formula E will eventually overtake F1
The boss of Formula E says he thinks the all-electric series will eventually overtake F1. Series chief Alejandro Agag took a swipe at F1 after Liberty Media announced this week ...

02 Feb 2018 11:55
- 14
Felipe Massa laments end of Brazilian F1 drivers
Felipe Massa says he is "disappointed" that his retirement means there are no more Brazilians on the F1 grid. "Of course I am," he told France's Auto Heb...

02 Feb 2018 11:20
- 2
Domenicali: "Alonso needs Le Mans to prove skills"
Fernando Alonso is racing outside formula one to "prove" he remains one of the world's best drivers. That is the view of his former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali...

02 Feb 2018 10:49
- 1
'Matter of time' before Hamilton signs new Mercedes contract
It is only "a matter of time" before Lewis Hamilton signs a new Mercedes contract. That is the claim of his boss Toto Wolff, even though reports of a new deal have bee...

02 Feb 2018 10:17
- 4
Niki Lauda slams 'dumb' grid girl ban for F1
Niki Lauda has slammed Liberty Media's decision to ban grid girls. The F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman told Austria's Der Standard newspaper that the move is "...

02 Feb 2018 09:13
- 14
Haas F1 Team drivers exchange compliments
Haas' two F1 drivers are exchanging compliments ahead of the 2018 season. Late last year, Romain Grosjean said his relationship with Kevin Magnussen is "the best I'...

01 Feb 2018 09:51
- 2
WEC eyeing calendar tweak for Fernando Alonso
The world endurance sports car championship is reportedly considering changing the date of a key race so that Fernando Alonso can take part. This week, McLaren announced that Al...

01 Feb 2018 09:08
- 3
Formula 1 drivers to wear biometric glove in 2018
F1 drivers will wear a 'biometric glove' in 2018. Late last year, we reported that the glove developed by the FIA will include a 3mm sensor that feeds lifesaving data to...

01 Feb 2018 08:37
- 4
McLaren welcomes Airgain as new team partner
McLaren Technology Group today announced a new multi-year partnership with Airgain, a global leader in wireless connectivity platforms, that will build on both companies’ ...

31 Jan 2018 15:38
- 3
Barcelona working to finish resurfacing by Friday
Operators of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya are rushing to get the track back up and running after a full re-surfacing. We reported this week that Pirelli is concerned that ...

31 Jan 2018 15:11
- 0
Mapfre renews and expands sponsorship deal with Renault
After a positive first year of collaboration in 2017, Mapfre has agreed to renew and expand its agreement with the Renault Sport Formula One Team. The Spanish insurance company ...

31 Jan 2018 14:46
- 1
French GP would welcome 2018 start time shift
Paul Ricard has suggested it would welcome a proposal to tweak the start time of its French grand prix this year. We reported this week that, to avoid a clash with a world cup f...

31 Jan 2018 13:04
- 0
Zak Brown predicts 'solid season' for McLaren
Zak Brown insists formula one will remain Fernando Alonso's "number 1 priority" in 2018. That is despite the fact that it has been announced officially that the Sp...

31 Jan 2018 12:27
- 5
Niki Lauda denies scaling back F1 involvement
Niki Lauda has denied that he is beginning to pull away from formula one. Throughout the team's ultra-successful 'power unit' era, the F1 legend has been Mercedes...

31 Jan 2018 11:50
- 0
'Williams lineup more an investment than a gamble'
Paddy Lowe says Williams' 2018 driver lineup is an "investment" rather than a "gamble". The British team has been criticised for choosing the well-sponso...

31 Jan 2018 10:39
- 3
Nurburgring in talks with Liberty over 2019 F1 return
The Nurburgring has indicated it wants to return to the F1 calendar in 2019. Although there was no German grand prix at all in 2015 or 2017, the country is returning to the sche...

31 Jan 2018 09:43
- 3
Mercedes wants active suspension back in Formula 1
Mercedes has reportedly suggested that active suspension should be reintroduced in F1. The suggestion follows news that some teams including Red Bull will no longer be able to u...

31 Jan 2018 08:46
- 4
Robert Doornbos plays down Dutch GP chances
Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos has played down hopes of a Dutch grand prix revival. In recent days and weeks, off the back of Max Verstappen's meteoric popularity, Zandvoo...

31 Jan 2018 08:25
- 0
Backer: "Calling Sergey Sirotkin pay-driver a pure lie"
Calling Sergey Sirotkin a pay-driver is a "pure lie". That is the claim of Boris Rotenberg, the Russian billionaire who is widely credited for being the new Williams d...

30 Jan 2018 11:43
- 13
Ralf plays down son David Schumacher's winning start in F4
Ralf Schumacher has played down the stunning start to the single seater career of his son David. Ralf, a six-time grand prix winner, was on hand to support the start of his 16-y...

30 Jan 2018 10:25
- 1
Liberty Media wants to change GP start time
The start time of grands prix could be set to change, according to France's Auto Hebdo. The report claims that, following a recent meeting between Liberty Media and the spor...

30 Jan 2018 09:14
- 8
Pirelli concerned about new Barcelona track surface
Pirelli is reportedly concerned that a new track surface in Barcelona could make pre-season F1 testing a challenge next month. Just a month before F1's only winter testing a...

30 Jan 2018 08:50
- 0
Pirelli hopes to see 'five or six' teams fighting for victories
McLaren should have a competitive car in 2018. That is the view of Mario Isola, the F1 boss for the sport's sole tyre supplier Pirelli. "The world championship this yea...

29 Jan 2018 13:16
- 5
Force India: "Halo caused teams a lot of work"
Integrating 'Halo' with this year's cars is a huge challenge for designers. That is the claim of Force India's sporting chief Otmar Szafnauer, referring to the c...

29 Jan 2018 12:48
- 1
Helmut Marko: "Alonso made Honda look bad"
Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull's new plan for 2018 is still on track. Recently, Marko said the team had learned from 2017, when it started with a car off Mercedes and Ferrari...

29 Jan 2018 12:02
- 14
Sergey Sirotkin: "2018 Williams more aggressive"
Sergey Sirotkin says Williams' 2018 car is "much more aggressive" than its predecessor. It has emerged that the British team will beat many of its competitors to t...

29 Jan 2018 10:41
- 3
Alonso: "Facts show McLaren will be better in 2018"
Fernando Alonso says he is likely to return to Daytona in the future. The Spaniard had a less than perfect endurance sports car debut at the American event in 2018, but he said ...

29 Jan 2018 09:56
- 2
Gerhard Berger: "F1 at risk of political turmoil"
Toto Wolff says he misses F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone's ability to get things done. The Mercedes boss says Liberty Media has been in a "honeymoon period" since su...

29 Jan 2018 09:09
- 3
Fernando Alonso wants Indy 500-style orange McLaren
Fernando Alonso has admitted he would like McLaren to adopt an all orange colour scheme in F1 this year. Last year, the Woking-based team revealed a brand new orange and black l...

29 Jan 2018 08:35
- 5
Top teams not on board with new F1 merchandise plan
F1's top three teams are reportedly not on board with plans made by Liberty Media to change how merchandise is sold at grands prix. Until now, teams have sold from individua...

26 Jan 2018 11:12
- 7
Fernando Alonso says Le Mans chances '50-50' for 2018
Fernando Alonso says it is "50-50" whether he will race this year at Le Mans. Currently, the Spaniard - having contested the Indy 500 last year - is preparing for his ...

26 Jan 2018 10:33
- 0
Aston Martin eyes F1 collaboration with Cosworth
Aston Martin has indicated it is open to collaborating with Cosworth on a F1 engine foray. The British luxury carmaker is now Red Bull's title sponsor, but it is interested ...

26 Jan 2018 09:51
- 5
No pay TV deal for F1 for 'critical market' Germany
Germany's long-running pay-TV deal has ended. Although Sky is thriving in the British and Italian markets, the broadcaster will no longer have rights to the sport for 2018 a...

26 Jan 2018 09:08
- 8
Juan Pablo Montoya backs Alonso's 'triple crown' bid
Juan Pablo Montoya has applauded Fernando Alonso's efforts to secure motor racing's elusive 'triple crown'. Last year, Alonso tried to add an Indy 500 win to his...

25 Jan 2018 10:54
- 2
Zak Brown: "McLaren to leap to the front in 2018"
Zak Brown has tipped McLaren to "leap to the front" early in 2018. With Honda power, the once-great British team had an abysmal three years to 2017, but for this year ...

25 Jan 2018 10:23
- 12
Kevin Magnussen: "Haas F1 can be like Force India"
Haas F1 Team has the potential to be as competitive as top F1 privateer Force India. That is the view of Kevin Magnussen, the Danish driver who races for the small American outf...

25 Jan 2018 09:46
- 2
Mercedes offers Wehrlein a role as F1 test driver
Toto Wolff has confirmed that Pascal Wehrlein will be a Mercedes "test driver" in 2018. Having debuted at Manor, the young German has now lost his race seat after his ...

25 Jan 2018 09:08
- 5
Fernando Alonso no longer ruling out Nascar
Fernando Alonso is no longer ruling out a future move into Nascar, America's premier tin-top series. Earlier in January, although the McLaren driver last year did the Indy 5...

25 Jan 2018 08:10
- 2
Paddy Lowe backs 80kg minimum driver weight for 2019
F1 will end the controversial topic of driver weight by introducing a new rule for 2019. Driver weight has been a thorny topic in recent years, as heavier cars put more pressure...

24 Jan 2018 10:08
- 9
'Ferrari engine reaches power peaks of 1000 horse power'
Ferrari looks set to join Mercedes in knocking on the door of 1000 horse power from its 2018-spec 'power unit'. Earlier this month, Mercedes was believed to be just 50hp...

24 Jan 2018 09:41
- 7
Mercedes: "Sauber-Ferrari alliance a threat to us"
Toto Wolff says he might be looking to emulate Ferrari's move by more closely aligning with other F1 teams. The American outfit Haas is already regarded as a kind of Ferrari...

23 Jan 2018 09:49
- 12
Sean Bratches defends F1 internet-pay TV plans
Sean Bratches has defended Liberty Media's plans to ramp up internet coverage of F1 while moving the sport away from free-to-air television. Fans have noticed recently that ...

23 Jan 2018 09:08
- 11
Toto Wolff plays down friendly meeting with Vettel
Toto Wolff has played down a friendly meeting on the Austrian ski slopes with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel. Before German Vettel last year re-signed with Ferrari through 2020,...

23 Jan 2018 08:30
- 0
Williams: "Kubica could be considered for 2019"
Robert Kubica could now be a contender to race for Williams in 2019. The British team's technical boss and shareholder Paddy Lowe said he does not regret assessing the Pole&...

22 Jan 2018 13:01
- 12
Daniil Kvyat could race at Le Mans in 2018
Daniil Kvyat could add another important job to his CV in 2018. Following his departure from the Red Bull programme, Ferrari signed up the Russian to be a development driver thi...

22 Jan 2018 12:16
- 2
Sean Bratches confirms more F1 demo events for 2018
Sean Bratches has confirmed that more F1 live events will take place in 2018. Last year, every team and driver except Lewis Hamilton attended a demonstration of F1 cars in Londo...

22 Jan 2018 11:28
- 2
Graeme Lowdon: "Manor could return to F1"
Manor is not ruling out a return to formula one. The F1 team went out of business after 2016, switching instead to world endurance sports car racing. For 2018, Manor will contes...

22 Jan 2018 10:39
- 5
Monza boss admits Italy GP future again in doubt
Monza boss Angelo Sticchi Damiani has admitted the future of the Italian grand prix is not secure for the future. After a period of uncertainty, the historic race is firmly on t...

22 Jan 2018 09:47
- 7
Renault could become first to 'launch' 2018 car
Renault could become the first team to reveal its 2018 car. Mercedes revealed recently that it will 'launch' its championship defending contender at Silverstone on Febru...

22 Jan 2018 08:36
- 2
Vandoorne: "Big pressure on McLaren in 2018"
Stoffel Vandoorne says McLaren is under "big pressure" to perform in 2018. Days ago, the Belgian's boss at the British team - Eric Boullier - insisted: "We do...

19 Jan 2018 14:10
- 1
Nico Rosberg: "Kubica's race dream still alive"
Nico Rosberg insists Robert Kubica's dream of returning to the formula one grid remains alive. Legions of the Polish driver's fans are disappointed that Williams elected...

18 Jan 2018 14:50
- 8
McLaren boss not worried about Renault reliability
Team boss Eric Boullier says he is not worried about engine reliability for 2018. After three bad years with Honda, McLaren has switched to customer Renault power for this year....

18 Jan 2018 13:44
- 3
Toro Rosso holding Japanese culture seminars for staff
Toro Rosso is looking to avoid some of the pitfalls of the ill-fated McLaren-Honda partnership. With McLaren dumping its works backing after three woeful years, Honda power is n...

18 Jan 2018 13:02
- 6
Marchionne: "Haas-Maserati deal would be good"
Sergio Marchionne has repeated his hint that a deal between Haas and Maserati could be on the cards. Last month, the Ferrari president sealed the deal on a title sponsorship bet...

18 Jan 2018 12:05
- 10
Former driver defends Kvyat's new role at Ferrari
Russia's first F1 test driver has backed Daniil Kvyat as he is snapped up by Ferrari for 2018. Some are declaring that Red Bull refugee Kvyat's move to a development rol...

18 Jan 2018 10:39
- 0
Canada GP promoter opposes Friday axe plans
A race promoter says he is basically happy with Liberty Media's new approach as the sport gets together in London this week. Liberty has convened a series of major meetings ...

18 Jan 2018 09:46
- 3
Sirotkin's father: "Sergey stronger than Kubica"
Sergey Sirotkin's father says the young Russian secured the Williams seat because he was "stronger" than Robert Kubica. Many Williams, F1 and Kubica fans are disap...

18 Jan 2018 08:38
- 9
Salo: "Williams has put together hungry lineup"
Williams has put together a "hungry" driver lineup for the 2018 season. That is the claim of former Ferrari and Toyota driver Mika Salo, who is now the sporting direct...

17 Jan 2018 10:42
- 22
Marchionne: "New Ferrari either a monster or garbage"
Sergio Marchionne thinks it's possible Ferrari has put together a "monster" of a formula one car for 2018. The Italian publication Autosprint says the 2017 runner-...

17 Jan 2018 08:46
- 8
Giovinazzi: "F1 still priority despite Formula E test"
Antonio Giovinazzi insists formula one remains his "priority". With the support of Ferrari, the Italian made his F1 debut early last year as he temporarily replaced th...

16 Jan 2018 14:28
- 2
Mercedes describes 2018 engine rules as 'crazy'
Andy Cowell has described as "crazy" the new engine rules for 2018. Although Mercedes has dominated throughout the 'power unit' era, engine boss Cowell says he...

16 Jan 2018 11:05
- 6
Sergio Marchionne denies eyeing Ferrari buy-in
Sergio Marchionne has denied that he has plans to buy into Ferrari after stepping down as Fiat president. The Italian-Canadian has already announced that he will retire as Fiat ...

16 Jan 2018 09:56
- 3
Pirelli defends expansion to seven tyre compounds

Pirelli has defended its decision to expand its range of tyre compounds for 2018. The number of compounds for the coming season has blown out to seven, with the introduction of ...

16 Jan 2018 09:16
- 10
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