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

Display:

Manor signs Fabio Leimer as official reserve driver
The Manor Marussia F1 Team is pleased to announce that it has signed Fabio Leimer as an Official Reserve Driver for the remainder of the 2015 season. 26 year old Leimer, from Ro...

04 Jun 2015 10:53
- 1
Honda looking to catch Ferrari and Williams in 2015
Honda still has its sights on the podium in 2015. After a highly unreliable and uncompetitive start, the new works collaboration with McLaren netted its first points last time o...

04 Jun 2015 10:02
- 0
Video: A lap onboard around Montreal with Massa
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal hosts the Grand Prix of Canada this weekend. As a preview a video of a lap onboard with Felipe Massa around that track. ...

04 Jun 2015 09:10
- 0
Ferrari adds 30 horse power with engine upgrade
Ferrari's token-upgraded engine will bring it just 15 horse power short of dominant Mercedes' turbo V6. That is the claim of Germany's Sport Bild as the world of F1 ...

04 Jun 2015 08:32
- 0
Sauber not satisfied yet despite progress in 2015
Sauber is not resting on its laurels, having recovered from its disastrous 2014 season. "Yes, 2014 was a disaster," admitted team boss and co-owner Monisha Kaltenborn....

03 Jun 2015 16:53
- 1
Maldonado has been very unlucky so far - Lotus
Pastor Maldonado's millions do not guarantee his place on the grid. That is the claim of Lotus chief executive Matthew Carter, as pressure continues to pile on the shoulders...

03 Jun 2015 16:25
- 0
F1 generated more revenues than FIFA World Cup
F1 has been more lucrative than the FIFA World Cup in the past fifteen years. That is the finding of F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, writing for Forbes. He said the pinna...

03 Jun 2015 16:06
- 0
Symonds says relaxed Massa is an 'incredible' driver
Williams appears more than happy with Felipe Massa. In recent weeks, the star of the early 2016 'silly season' has been Valtteri Bottas, who is strongly linked with a po...

03 Jun 2015 15:20
- 1
Renault anticipating two grid penalties per car in 2015
Every engine manufacturer in F1 has been busy preparing upgrades for its 2015 'power units'. Ferrari and Honda have traded in the very first in-season performance 't...

03 Jun 2015 14:54
- 0
Juncadella spends two days a week in Mercedes sim
Dani Juncadella is just one of a handful of drivers who work for reigning champions Mercedes in the sophisticated Brackley simulator. Last year a reserve driver for Force India,...

03 Jun 2015 14:19
- 0
Verstappen to undergo medical check on Thursday

Max Verstappen has a date with the doctor ahead of the weekend's Canadian grand prix. Because of the magnitude of his huge head-on shunt into the Ste Devote barriers in Mona...

03 Jun 2015 13:21
- 0
F1 to have single tyre supplier until at least 2020
A tyre war has been ruled out in formula one at least for the next four seasons. Pirelli and, it seems, Michelin have both put their names forward for the newly-announced tender...

03 Jun 2015 12:44
- 0
Alonso remains highest paid F1 driver in 2015
Fernando Alonso remains the highest paid driver in formula one this year. That is the claim of the latest edition of Business Book, having published a detailed salary ranking of...

03 Jun 2015 12:07
- 0
McLaren upgrade for Austria set to feature short nose
McLaren on Wednesday confirmed it is bringing a significant package of aerodynamic upgrades to the MP4-30 car in Austria. Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button left Monaco recently ...

03 Jun 2015 11:45
- 0
Bankrupt promoter doesn't affect Russia GP preparations
The Russian grand prix has hit back at reports that its promoter is bankrupt. Early this week, a Russian court declared that the government-owned 'Formula Sochi' company...

03 Jun 2015 11:23
- 0
Bourdais enjoys racing after horrible F1 experience
French driver Sebastien Bourdais has slammed formula one. The 36-year-old arrived in F1 late last decade with an impressive pedigree on America's premier open wheeler scene....

03 Jun 2015 11:03
- 0
Mercedes interested in 'balance of power' in Canada
It is not clear if Ferrari and Honda will deploy their performance-upgraded engines this weekend in Canada. The FIA this week has informed all the teams that the aforementioned ...

02 Jun 2015 16:45
- 0
Small teams don't like 'customer car' solution
F1's smaller teams are pushing back hard against the latest moves to introduce 'customer cars'. Four teams - Manor, Force India, Sauber and Lotus - are reportedly at...

02 Jun 2015 16:00
- 2
Lowe plays down Mercedes' Monaco mistake
Mercedes on Tuesday appeared keen to put the strategy blunder of Monaco into the past. The late pitstop cost Lewis Hamilton a sure second career victory in the Principality, but...

02 Jun 2015 15:26
- 1
Renault rumoured to turn Manor into factory team
Bob Bell's shock switch to the F1 backmarker Manor has added fuel to speculation about the future of engine supplier Renault. Earlier, former Mercedes technical chief Bell w...

02 Jun 2015 13:51
- 0
Canadian GP promotor talking to potential investors
The Canadian grand prix is partly for sale, the Montreal daily La Presse reports. The newspaper said promoter Francois Dumontier, with a new ten-year race contract with Bernie E...

02 Jun 2015 12:12
- 0
Honda spends first tokens on power unit for Canada
Engine manufacturers are finally preparing to deploy in-season performance 'tokens' in 2015. Until now, although Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda had made modificati...

02 Jun 2015 11:52
- 0
Russian GP company Formula Sochi bankrupt
A company involved in the Russian grand prix has been declared bankrupt. Media outlets including the Spanish agency EFE said Formula Sochi, owned by the government, was declared...

02 Jun 2015 11:00
- 1
Hamilton relationship more difficult now - Rosberg
Mercedes' title-duelling duo keep a wary eye on one another while training in the same gym. That is the claim of Nico Rosberg, who with his lucky third-consecutive Monaco vi...

02 Jun 2015 10:38
- 0
'French paparazzi' not respecting Schumacher's privacy
Sabine Kehm has pointed the finger at the "French paparazzi" for trying to invade Michael Schumacher's privacy. It emerged last week that ever since the F1 legend ...

02 Jun 2015 09:47
- 0
Verstappen and Sainz working together 'really well'
Max Verstappen says he is still getting on well with his rookie teammate. The young Toro Rosso duo, whose combined age is an amazing 37, have been making their mark on formula o...

02 Jun 2015 08:20
- 0
F1 drivers all looking to fast WEC cars - Dumas
F1 drivers are now taking the world of prototype sports cars seriously. That is the claim of Romain Dumas, a French driver who races for Porsche in the increasingly high-profile...

01 Jun 2015 16:27
- 0
Briatore says Alonso is under 'no pressure' at all
Flavio Briatore has scoffed at claims Fernando Alonso is feeling the "pressure" of his move to McLaren-Honda. Undoubtedly, the trajectory of the Spaniard's F1 care...

01 Jun 2015 16:00
- 0
MotoGP has a lot to teach Formula 1 - Arrivabene
F1 can learn from its two-wheeled equivalent, according to Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene. The Italian made a visit to Mugello at the weekend, as the Ferrari-owned circui...

01 Jun 2015 15:14
- 0
Bosses vote Hamilton best driver on current F1 grid
Team bosses have voted Lewis Hamilton the best driver in formula one today. Germany's Auto Bild magazine ran the survey amongst all ten rival team principals in the paddock,...

01 Jun 2015 14:53
- 0
F1 teams paying 'absurd' driver salaries - Mosley
F1 teams should have less money to squander on "absurd" driver salaries. That is the view of former FIA president Max Mosley, speaking to the men's magazine GQ not...

01 Jun 2015 14:32
- 1
Bob Bell joins Manor as technical consultant
As part of its long term strategy, the Manor Marussia F1 Team is pleased to announce new appointments to its technical and engineering teams. Under the technical leadership of J...

01 Jun 2015 13:38
- 0
German F1 broadcaster wants the sport to improve
RTL, F1's free-to-air broadcaster in Germany, wants the sport to improve. We reported last week that, with the traditional market already losing its grand prix in 2015, Germ...

01 Jun 2015 12:52
- 0
Italian grand prix must stay at Monza - Arrivabene
Monza should be the permanent home of the Italian grand prix. That is the claim of Maurizio Arrivabene, Ferrari's team boss. At the weekend, he made a visit to Mugello, whic...

01 Jun 2015 12:14
- 1
Jail was 'a real risk' for Kaltenborn in Van der Garde saga
Monisha Kaltenborn has admitted she feared starting her 2015 season in jail. Until now, the Sauber chief has not spoken at length about the 'Giedo van der Garde saga' th...

01 Jun 2015 11:54
- 3
Max Verstappen feels fine after Monaco crash
Max Verstappen has demonstrated he is not injured in the wake of his huge Monaco crash. Many predicted the 17-year-old will suffer physically after his big hit into the Ste Devo...

01 Jun 2015 11:39
- 0
Hamilton yet to explain stopping on track in Monaco
Mercedes is yet to explain why Lewis Hamilton stopped on track immediately after the Monaco grand prix. Following the strategy bungle that cost the Briton a sure victory, Hamilt...

01 Jun 2015 11:08
- 0
Dennis asks Danish companies to power Magnussen return
McLaren supremo Ron Dennis jetted into Denmark this week to ask local companies to power Kevin Magnussen back onto the grid. As Fernando Alonso was drafted in for the start of t...

01 Jun 2015 08:51
- 0
GP2 team ART on pole to join F1 grid for 2016
An early frontrunner to be the twelfth team in 2016 has already emerged. The FIA surprised the F1 media on Thursday by announcing it is searching for another team to join newcom...

29 May 2015 17:03
- 0
Grosjean 'annoyed' by going through brake-test inquiry
Romain Grosjean on Friday hit back at Max Verstappen's claim he "brake-tested" the rookie Dutchman in Monaco. It was 17-year-old Verstappen who was penalised by th...

29 May 2015 17:01
- 0
Renault not surprised by clampdown on engine upgrades
Renault says it is "not surprised" the FIA is clamping down on supposedly non-performance engine upgrades in formula one. As the mid-year month of June approaches, it ...

29 May 2015 16:52
- 0
Ferrari didn't close the gap to Mercedes - Briatore
Flavio Briatore insists Ferrari has made no progress in 2015. Several times recently, the Italian has defended Fernando Alonso's decision to leave Maranello just as it appea...

29 May 2015 16:30
- 2
Seriousness of driver interest picking up a bit - Haas
Haas, the new American F1 team for 2016, is now turning its attention to drivers. It emerged recently that due to his link to the team's technology partner Ferrari, Esteban ...

29 May 2015 16:21
- 0
Red Bull Racing open to lineup change for 2016
Red Bull is open to changing its driver lineup for 2016, according to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. The news follows Dutch teenager Max Verstappen's meteoric debut for t...

29 May 2015 15:27
- 0
Magnussen not losing hope for rapid return in F1
Kevin Magnussen says he is not losing hope for a rapid return to the F1 grid. After a solid debut for McLaren last year, the 22-year-old Dane was relegated to the reserve role f...

29 May 2015 14:43
- 0
FIA wants to plug F1 drivers into the telemetry
F1's governing body wants to plug the drivers into the telemetry. Omnicorse, a specialist Italian publication, claims the FIA will test the real-time collection of heart, re...

29 May 2015 13:28
- 2
Free F1 TV coverage in danger for German fans
F1's struggling German market could be dealt yet another major blow. The country's traditional spot on the race calendar was axed for 2015, and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclest...

29 May 2015 12:13
- 0
Mercedes to base future decisions on logic - Wolff
Mercedes has resolved to rely less on data and more on human input in future, following the strategy disaster of the Monaco grand prix. Ever since Lewis Hamilton lost a sure vic...

29 May 2015 12:03
- 3
Ferrari not violating restrictions on wind tunnel use
A recent inspection by F1's governing body cleared Ferrari of wrongdoing as it pushes ahead with aerodynamic development in 2015. The story was first reported on Tuesday by ...

29 May 2015 11:05
- 0
No excuse for Williams slump in Monaco - Symonds
Felipe Massa has backed Williams to recover immediately from a bad weekend in Monaco. Valtteri Bottas said after the street race that it was the "second year in succession&...

29 May 2015 10:21
- 0
Ecclestone would be happy if Indian GP came back
Bernie Ecclestone is not ruling out a return to the F1 calendar for India. Last week, a source close to the former promoter Jaypee indicated that the New Delhi race - scrapped f...

29 May 2015 09:51
- 0
FIA launches selection proces for new F1 team
F1's governing body has commenced the search for a new formula one team. Up and down the paddock, fevered discussions about the future of the sport are currently taking plac...

29 May 2015 09:23
- 0
Hamilton saga 'cannot be changed' now - Hakkinen
Mika Hakkinen has tipped Lewis Hamilton to bounce back from the Monaco grand prix. Regarding the basic strategy error that cost the world champion a sure victory on the fabled s...

28 May 2015 16:50
- 1
Talks between Lotus and Renault in decisive phase
International media sources believe Lotus is on the cusp of being sold. Just two weeks ago, amid rumours the Enstone team was in talks with its former owner Renault, Lotus chief...

28 May 2015 16:33
- 0
FIA pushing hard for regulations to be respected
The FIA is pushing hard for its regulations to be fully respected by F1 teams in 2015. With the governing body having already clamped down in the area of fuel flow, Auto Motor u...

28 May 2015 14:37
- 0
Ecclestone open to new promoter for Italian GP
Bernie Ecclestone says he is open to working with a new race promoter if it saves the embattled Italian grand prix. With the F1 supremo warning that Monza must pay more to stay ...

28 May 2015 13:47
- 1
De Villota investigation 'sad and unfortunate' - father
Maria de Villota's father has expressed disappointment with the way an investigation into a 2012 crash was concluded. Britain's Health and Safety Executive this week ann...

28 May 2015 12:49
- 0
FIA not banning alcohol sponsorship in F1 - Todt
Jean Todt has ruled out banning alcohol sponsorship in formula one. During the Monaco grand prix weekend, a European alcohol policy group called Eurocare said the amount of alco...

28 May 2015 12:08
- 2
Spanish grand prix might lose backing of Barcelona
The Spanish grand prix might be losing the backing of the city of Barcelona. At the Circuit de Catalunya's latest F1 race earlier this month, it was announced that the Spani...

28 May 2015 11:36
- 1
Wolff sure one race doesn't 'tip over' Hamilton trust
Lewis Hamilton is not at Brackley this week as Mercedes tackles the bungled mess of the Briton's Monaco grand prix. The reigning world champion was dominant all weekend in t...

28 May 2015 10:58
- 0
'Less gears to turn up the revs and increase the noise'
Niki Lauda thinks F1 has turned up the volume in 2015. "Look at last year," the Mercedes team chairman told the British broadcaster Sky in Monaco. "The noise has ...

28 May 2015 10:10
- 2
Rosberg wants wife at every race as 'lucky charm'
Nico Rosberg wants his 'lucky charm' at every grand prix as he chases the 2015 title. In Australia, Malaysia, China and Bahrain, Mercedes teammate and reigning world cha...

28 May 2015 09:34
- 0
Lotus engineer denies Verstappen was 'brake-tested'
A Lotus boss has denied Max Verstappen's claim he was "brake-tested" by Romain Grosjean on Sunday. Teenage rookie Verstappen was penalised by the stewards for his ...

28 May 2015 08:26
- 0
Capelli says Ecclestone wants to preserve Monza
Bernie Ecclestone wants the Italian grand prix to stay on the calendar. That is the claim of Ivan Capelli, a former F1 driver who now represents the organisers of the historic a...

27 May 2015 16:50
- 0
Ferrari acknowledges limited potential of SF15-T
Ferrari might already be looking ahead to 2016. Although the Italian team has taken a big step forward this year, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims boss Maurizio Arrivabene could n...

27 May 2015 16:04
- 0
Renault looking forward to Montreal after Monaco boost
Cyril Abiteboul left Monaco with a smile on his face. It has been a tough period for Renault's F1 chief, as he realised the scale of the performance and reliability problems...

27 May 2015 15:11
- 0
Verstappen claims he was 'brake-tested' by Grosjean
Max Verstappen claims he crashed at Monaco on Sunday after being "brake-tested". The 17-year-old, whose formula one debut in 2015 has been controversial, was punished ...

27 May 2015 14:47
- 0
Mercedes will not pay back Hamilton with 'gift win'
Toto Wolff has ruled out taking drastic measures as Mercedes analyses what went wrong in Monaco. The German giant's team boss has already said those responsible for Sunday&#...

27 May 2015 13:35
- 0
Drivers can no longer express their thoughts - Ecclestone
It was Michael Schumacher who kicked off the era of the 'modern driver'. That is the view of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, following his widely-published comments about ...

27 May 2015 13:12
- 1
Marussia cleared of wrongdoing in De Villota crash
Maria de Villota's family is considering legal action, after the former Marussia team was cleared of wrongdoing in a 2012 crash. Spaniard de Villota died in late 2013, fifte...

27 May 2015 11:20
- 0
<< Previous Next >>