Niki Lauda has lashed out at Luca di Montezemolo's claim that the 2014 rules have reduced the F1 field to little more than "taxi drivers". "Whoever says the races are 'economy runs' and that the drivers are 'taxi drivers' is lying," the Mercedes chairman angrily told Italy's Autosprint. "It is absolutely not true," triple world champion and former Ferrari driver Lauda added.
In his harsh critique of the controversial 'new' face of F1, Ferrari president Montezemolo claims drivers are easing their cars to the chequer because of the new 100kg per race fuel limit. But Lauda insists Ferrari must simply have not done a good enough job with the new rules. "In Malaysia, where we were first and second, we finished the race with 5 kilograms of fuel left over," he said. "And other teams were in the same condition."
"Last year, when the Pirelli tyres were so weak and erratic, we had to slow down much more during the race but no one complained then. And because of the tyres, we were saving fuel (in 2013) more than now, because a couple of kilos more weight would affect the performance so much. Yet no one said the drivers were 'taxi drivers'," Lauda charged. (GMM)
'Taxi driver' claim absolutely not true - Lauda
- Published on 17 Apr 2014 14:56
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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A. Antonelli
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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G. Russell
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
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