GPR Motorsport the company that has been commissioned by series organisers TOCA to carry out the design, validation, prototype manufacture and testing programme for the new NGTC subframe/suspension will be responsible in conjunction with the team for the build process... [read more]
Austin who for the last 5 years has moved on from a successful racing career to running his own team commented "This is a great step for us and a fantastic challenge. We are convinced that the NGTC concept is going to make the BTCC even more competitive and exciting and that the Audi will be a race winner.”
The last time the Audi name was represented in the BTCC was back in 1998. Two years before, the legendary German manufacturer had captured the title on its series debut with full factory backing running the somewhat controversial at the time four wheel drive A4. Indeed 1996 saw title winner Frank Biela totally dominate the season - which naturally at the time raised questions over permitting a 4WD car to enter the series.
Pictured above is an artists impression that has been released. However it should be noted that this is based on an Audi RS4 which has raced in the Italian run "SuperStars International Series".
The Pershore based team hope to announce their driver line up for the two cars in January.
Editorial: Neil Tozer
Photo: BTCC
12.13.2010
BTCC // AUDI NAME WILL RETURN TO TOURING CAR RACING IN 2011
NEWS // SUPERSTARS SERIES CONFIRMS EXPANDED SERIES
Organizers have also confirmed that the double race format will be retained for 2011.
Sharing the bill at all except the Spanish round will be the Superstars GT Sprint series.
April 10th - Monza, Italy
May 8th - Valencia, Spain
May 22nd - Portimao, Portugal
June 19th - Donington Park, United Kingdom
July 10th - Misano, Italy
Aug 7th - Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Sept 11th - Hockenheim, Germany
Sept 25th - Mugello, Italy
Oct 10th - Vallelunga, Italy
Editorial: Neil Tozer
Photo: Superstars Series
12.11.2010
NEWS // AUDI UNVEILS R18 LMP1 CHALLENGER
For the first time since 1999, Audi will contest Le Mans with a closed coupe again. "In the future, aerodynamic efficiency will be even more important at Le Mans than it was in the past," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "A closed car has clear advantages in this respect. Our computer simulations have been confirmed in the wind tunnel and during initial track tests."
Significantly smaller engines than those used before will be prescribed at Le Mans in 2011 as the rule makers aim to achieve a substantial reduction of engine power. By opting for a 3.7-liter V6 TDI unit, Audi retains the diesel concept that saw its first victorious fielding in 2006. "From our point of view, the TDI continues to be the most efficient technology," says Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Development at Audi Sport. "There are good reasons why the share of TDI units among Audi’s production models is as high as it is."
Through the innovative V6 TDI engine for the Le Mans 24 Hours, motorsport is yet again performing pioneering work for the production arm at Audi where there is a growing trend towards smaller, more economical but yet powerful engines.
Another new development is the six-speed transmission in the R18 which has been specifically modified for use with the smaller engine.
For the development of the closed R18, engineers at Audi Sport were able to draw on the experiences gained in 1999 with the R8C and in 2003 with the LMP1 of the corporate "sister brand" Bentley that was victorious at Le Mans. "Also the Audi A4 DTM, which for example, features a heated windshield, allowed us to shorten the development cycle with respect to the ventilation of the cockpit, the doors and the heating of the windshield," explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Engineering at Audi Sport.
The chassis and aerodynamics package contains a lot of know-how from the R8, the R10 TDI and the R15 TDI whereas the fitting of identically sized front and rear wheels is new to an Audi Le Mans sports car. This configuration allows a more balanced weight distribution.
The R18’s headlights, which are the first to completely consist of LEDs with optimized amount of light, are a technical highlight. The new generation of headlights was developed in close cooperation between Audi Sport and the Technical Development (TE) division of AUDI AG and by using at Le Mans, will be prepared for future use in production vehicles. Audi’s light designers had the chance to make their mark on the development as well: The LEDs of the daytime light form the shape of a "1" which is intended to inspire associations with Audi’s historic brand logo.
The Audi R18 has been designed for progressive electrification, which Audi Sport is planning to drive forward step by step. "But efficiency is always the crucial factor for us," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "No matter which form of energy recovery we may choose the key aspect for Audi - in motorsport as well as on the production side of the house - is that it provides a true advantage."
The development of the new Audi R18 started in mid 2009. The V6 TDI engine has been running on the dynamometers since the summer of 2010. The R18, with Allan McNish at the wheel, completed its first test on a racetrack at the end of November.
The racing debut of the Audi R18 is planned for the Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) 6 Hours on May 8. Prior to the event, the new prototype will be able to do its first laps on the race track at Le Mans during the official test day on April 24 and gather important data for the race on June 11 and 12.
Audi is planning to field three Audi R18 cars at Le Mans, which will be entered by Audi Sport Team Joest, the most successful Le Mans team of all time. In addition, Audi Sport Team Joest will contest the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC), consisting of a total of seven endurance races on three continents (including the Le Mans 24 Hours) with two cars. At the opening race at Sebring on March 19, the team will use two "R15 plus plus" cars. "Sending the R18 into a race at such an early point in time would be difficult in terms of logistics and interfere with our development program," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
Images and Info: Audi Sport
Editorial: Neil Tozer
12.09.2010
NEWS // LOTUS PARTNERS WITH RENAULT FOR 2011 F1 SEASON
Follow the link for the official press release... [read more]
Genii Capital and Group Lotus join forces in Lotus Renault GP
Genii Capital and Group Lotus plc today announced the creation of Lotus Renault GP, the successor to the Renault F1 Team that will contest the 2011 FIA Formula One™ World Championship. This exciting announcement is made in the context of a strategic alliance between the two companies that will provide Group Lotus with significant technological and commercial opportunities for its range of road cars.
Following the return of the Lotus name to Formula 1™ in 2010, under licence from Group Lotus, this historic announcement marks the complete return of the Lotus manufacturer to the sport, with the full backing of its parent company Proton. Group Lotus plc will become a major equity partner of Genii Capital in Lotus Renault GP, and the two parties have concluded a title sponsorship agreement that will run until the end of the 2017 season. With the continued support of Renault as a supplier of engines and technological and engineering expertise, Lotus Renault GP enjoys a strong, stable platform for future success.
Gerard Lopez, Chairman of Renault F1 Team, commented: "We are delighted that we can now go public with the news that we will be racing as Lotus Renault GP in 2011. It is extremely exciting to begin a new era for the team in partnership with Group Lotus, and we will continue to enjoy a strong relationship with Renault over the coming seasons. It is a tribute to the excellent work this year by the team in Enstone that we have been able to attract both major sponsorship and new investment for a very bright future."
Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: "I can think of no better platform for automotive brand communications than motorsport and F1 is the very pinnacle of open-wheel racing. We're well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in F1 and I'm delighted to be able to formally clarify our position once and for all: we are Lotus and we are back."
The new partnership has been enabled by Renault selling its remaining shares in the team to Genii Capital. Group Lotus plc will subsequently become a major equity partner in Lotus Renault GP, which it will co-own with Genii Capital.
Renault will continue its strong support of the team with which it won the 2005 and 2006 world championships, as a supplier of engines and technological and engineering expertise. Reflecting this technological support, Lotus Renault GP will continue to compete with the Renault chassis name and Renault will enjoy pre-eminent brand exposure on the livery.
For 2011, the Lotus Renault GP cars will race in a new interpretation of the iconic black and gold colours that were last used when Lotus and Renault joined forces in the 1980s. This livery, which has been on the drawing board for over two months in order to reinterpret its iconic graphic signature to suit modern media requirements, is sure to strike a powerful chord with the sport's enthusiasts around the world.
The team scored a strong fifth-place finish in the 2010 constructors' championship, which included three podium finishes for Robert Kubica. Next season, Lotus Renault GP is aiming to take another step forward which will see it competing regularly with the most prestigious names in Formula 1™.
Image and Info: Renault
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
12.08.2010
NEWS // FERRARI UNVEILS NEW GT2 CONTENDER
12.04.2010
NEWS // TOURATECH SPONSORS STREET FOR 2011 DAKAR RALLY
“The idea to create a limited edition shirt was awesome and ended up raising way more money than we expected" said Street. "The guys at Touratech have done a lot of the groundwork which has given me more time to focus on training and preparing for the race.”
Prior to Dakar, Jonah was a dominant force in Baja with 3 consecutive wins in the Baja 500 and four 2nd place finishes in the Baja 1,000. In his first Dakar Rally, he posted multiple top-3 stage finishes and managed 17th overall. In the 2009 Dakar Rally, Jonah won stage 5 before pulling out of the race with an injury. In the 2010 Dakar Rally, Jonah finished 7th overall, and a few months later became the first American to win Rally Mongolia. Many people close to the sport regard Jonah as America’s best chance for a win at Dakar in 2011.
Fans can help Jonah get to Dakar by purchasing a limited edition T-shirt or joining Jonah’s fan club called the Riff Raff.
Images and Info: Touratech-USA
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
12.01.2010
NEWS // MALDONADO CONFIRMED @ WILLIAMS F1 FOR 2011
Venezuelan-born Maldonado started his motorsport career in karts at the age of seven, his passion for the sport ignited by a father and uncles who all competed. Having won seven national karting titles, Pastor moved into Formula racing in 2003. With three series championships and 30 wins to his credit, most notably a superlative victory at Monaco in only his debut year in GP2 in 2007, Pastor brings a wealth of experience to the team at only 25 years of age... [read more]
Pastor’s promotion into the pinnacle of motorsport follows an impressive 2010 campaign in the GP2 championship in which he was crowned champion and became the only driver to have ever won six successive feature races in a single season. Pastor also comes to the team with nearly 2,000kms of F1 testing mileage in hand having driven all four of the Abu Dhabi test days. Pastor will make his debut in the team’s 2011 race car, the Williams Cosworth FW33, in February’s winter test programme.
Pastor commented, “I feel very privileged that Williams has selected me as one of their race drivers. It is a great way to end what has already been an amazing year for me. I tested with the team in Abu Dhabi, but can’t wait to start working with everyone properly to be in the best possible shape going into next year. I will be doing my best over the winter to prepare myself, and I know the team will be working hard to ensure a successful season. 2011 will be the first time in nearly thirty years that a Venezuelan has driven a Formula One car so I will be looking to get some good results in return for the support my country has given me to help get me to this position today.”
Images and Info: Williams F1
Editorial: Neil Tozer
11.22.2010
NEWS // FORD UNVEILS FOCUS RACE CAR CONCEPT
According to their press release, Ford has teamed up with a number of professional racing teams to develop its Focus Race The car's first appearance in competition will be at the 2011 British Touring Car Championship, but it will also race in the China Touring Car Championship and at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in Germany.
Follow the link for the official press release... [read more]
New Focus Race Car Concept: L.A. Auto Show debut for Ford's next global touring race car
* Focus race car concept by Ford Racing makes its global debut at the 2010 Los Angeles International Auto Show
* Powered by a 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost™ turbo engine, the Focus race car concept is built to compete in global road and touring car racing
* All-new Focus, Ford's latest offering, will be raced by touring car teams globally, building on Ford's history in engineering race-ready platforms. First race appearance for the car is anticipated to be in the 2011 British Touring Car Championship
* Focus race car concept hints at future potential as Ford coordinates with and provides technical support to private race teams around the world to develop one common race car capable of winning major touring car categories
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2010 – Ford Motor Company is putting racing on the map at the
2010 Los Angeles International Auto Show with the debut of the Focus race car concept, demonstrating future potential for the all-new 2012 Ford Focus to compete in road and touring car championships with teams around the world.
The Focus race car concept is a dramatic example of Ford's global approach to product development and builds on the company's comprehensive approach to leveraging its global product platforms.
This race car concept, powered by the sophisticated 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost I-4 engine, is the first to benefit from a collaborative effort between Ford and race teams around the world that have already built and raced successful Focus race cars. The Focus race car concept has been based around rules governing circuit racing in the United States and beyond.
"This teamwork has resulted in a global racing platform using a common Focus body and a safety cage built to FIA regulations – a competitive platform that can be tailored for regional competition, based on different rules," said Jost Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development. "By leveraging our collective experience and Ford technology worldwide, this approach parallels our global dedication to the Focus production car and specifically its exciting performance derivative, the new Focus ST, to deliver a competitive race car that can be campaigned around the world."
Using the all-new Focus as its base, the Focus race car concept features AST performance coil-over adjustable dampers, Ford Racing upgraded sway bars with adjustable end links and front brakes with 320-millimeter two-piece rotors and race pads. The Anthracite 18-inch wheels and Hoosier race tires put the finishing touches on the exterior.
In addition to the FIA Super 2000 regulations roll cage, interior components include a Recaro® racing seat, AIM MXL Pista data system and AIM SmartyCam. Ford Racing fire suppression system and Ford Racing six-point safety harness round out the modifications that bring the car from street-spec to race-ready.
"There has been tremendous interest from the racing world in the new Focus, and it's the perfect fit for a global touring car," said Capito. "Even more, by working with professional private race teams, we're ensuring Focus has the support it needs to compete and win around the world."
Benefits will stretch beyond the track
Professional private race teams are partnering with Ford to develop common technical specifications for the race car, which will conform to FIA Super 2000 regulations with potential to adopt to other regulations.
The teams are being brought together by Ford to harness their strengths and define roles for the development of the race car. Ford will also support the race teams by providing data, advanced engineering tools, state-of-the-art testing facilities and production parts, resulting in teams racing more competitive cars that are developed with greater efficiency.
"Ford's commitment to using motorsports to influence high-performance vehicles will be highly evident, as the development of the Focus touring car will also provide valuable input as we develop the upcoming Focus ST production car," said Capito. "It's very similar to how the Mustang team was able to apply learnings from the Ford Racing Boss 302R to the 2012 Mustang Boss 302."
The first race appearance for the Focus is targeted for the 2011 British Touring Car Championship. Globally, the race car has the potential to run in many national and regional championships, such as the China Touring Car Championship and 24-hour endurance races like the classic Nürburgring in Germany.
Images and Info: Autoblog
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
11.16.2010
NEWS // CHEVROLET RETURNS TO OPEN-WHEEL RACING
Chevrolet to Compete in 2012 IndyCar Series with New V-6 Engine
Returns to Open-Wheel Competition as Engine Maker in Partnership with Team Penske
2010-11-12
INDIANAPOLIS – Chevrolet will compete in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series with a new twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V-6 racing engine powered by renewable E85 ethanol fuel. The new purpose-built Chevy IndyCar engine will be developed jointly by General Motors and Ilmor Engineering.
Team Penske is the first IndyCar team to commit to Chevrolet power in 2012. The Chevrolet IndyCar engine will be available to all entrants in accordance with the series' regulations.
"Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been a proving ground for manufacturers since Louis Chevrolet, our co-founder, first raced here in 1909," said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. "Our return to IndyCar as Chevrolet enters its centennial year is natural. At the same time this engine program will be a showcase for the efficient and powerful engine technologies that parallel new Chevrolet vehicles like the Camaro, all-new Cruze compact and Equinox crossover."
Chevrolet competed previously in Indy-style competition as an engine manufacturer in 1986-93 and 2002-05 with V-8 engines, winning 104 races, powering six driver champions, and scoring seven Indianapolis 500 victories. The new Chevrolet IndyCar engine program will reunite one of the most successful partnerships in motorsports when Team Penske introduces the Chevrolet engine in 2012. Team Penske previously tallied 31 open-wheel victories with Chevrolet engines, including four Indianapolis 500 wins.
"Our vision is to design, build and sell the world's best vehicles – and racing is one of the best ways to showcase what we can do," said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. "Re-entering IndyCar racing will help us take our advanced engine technology to the upper bounds of what's possible. And it will also provide a dynamic training ground for engineers, who'll transfer the technologies we develop for racing to the products we sell to our customers.
"GM has become a recognized leader in implementing direct-injection technology in both 4-cylinder and V-6 engines," Stephens said. "Building on this foundation, our new partnership with Ilmor will give us even more opportunities to accelerate our advanced propulsion technology strategy. We'll work to further increase performance, while using the least amount of fuel – and we'll also learn how to get the most out of E85 ethanol."
The Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 will have a displacement of 2.4 liters. The powerplant will have an aluminum block and cylinder heads, and will be a fully stressed chassis member supporting the gearbox and rear suspension. Technical details and specifications will be released at a later date.
"We are excited to have engine manufacturer competition again in the IZOD IndyCar Series, beginning in 2012," said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. "Chevrolet brings a strong passion for racing, technology, relevance and innovation, which is a great fit for our new car platform. We are excited about the future of IndyCar racing with the addition of Chevrolet."
Image: Curtis Creager
Info: General Motors
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
2010 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX // RACE RESULTS
Follow the link for complete results... [read more]
2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix // Race Results:
1 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 55 1:39:36.837
2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 55 +10.1 secs
3 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 55 +11.0 secs
4 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 55 +30.7 secs
5 11 Robert Kubica Renault 55 +39.0 secs
6 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 55 +43.5 secs
7 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 55 +43.7 secs
8 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 55 +44.2 secs
9 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 55 +50.2 secs
10 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 55 +50.8 secs
11 22 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber-Ferrari 55 +51.5 secs
12 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 55 +57.6 secs
13 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 55 +58.3 secs
14 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 55 +59.5 secs
15 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 55 +63.1 secs
16 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 55 +64.7 secs
17 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 54 +1 Lap
18 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 53 +2 Laps
19 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 53 +2 Laps
20 20 Christian Klien HRT-Cosworth 53 +2 Laps
21 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 51 +4 Laps
Ret 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 43 Gearbox
Ret 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 0 Accident
Ret 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 0 Accident
2010 Formula One World Championship // Driver Standings:
1 Sebastian Vettel German RBR-Renault 256
2 Fernando Alonso Spanish Ferrari 252
3 Mark Webber Australian RBR-Renault 242
4 Lewis Hamilton British McLaren-Mercedes 240
5 Jenson Button British McLaren-Mercedes 214
6 Felipe Massa Brazilian Ferrari 144
7 Nico Rosberg German Mercedes GP 142
8 Robert Kubica Polish Renault 136
9 Michael Schumacher German Mercedes GP 72
10 Rubens Barrichello Brazilian Williams-Cosworth 47
11 Adrian Sutil German Force India-Mercedes 47
12 Kamui Kobayashi Japanese BMW Sauber-Ferrari 32
13 Vitaly Petrov Russian Renault 27
14 Nico Hulkenberg German Williams-Cosworth 22
15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Italian Force India-Mercedes 21
16 Sebastien Buemi Swiss STR-Ferrari 8
17 Pedro de la Rosa Spanish BMW Sauber-Ferrari 6
18 Nick Heidfeld German BMW Sauber-Ferrari 6
19 Jaime Alguersuari Spanish STR-Ferrari 5
20 Heikki Kovalainen Finnish Lotus-Cosworth 0
21 Jarno Trulli Italian Lotus-Cosworth 0
22 Karun Chandhok Indian HRT-Cosworth 0
23 Bruno Senna Brazilian HRT-Cosworth 0
24 Lucas di Grassi Brazilian Virgin-Cosworth 0
25 Timo Glock German Virgin-Cosworth 0
26 Sakon Yamamoto Japanese HRT-Cosworth 0
27 Christian Klien Austrian HRT-Cosworth 0
Image: F1Fanatic
Info: Formula One
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
11.13.2010
2010 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX // QUALIFYING RESULTS
Follow the link for complete results... [read more]
2010 Abu Dhabi GRand Prix // Qualifying Results:
1 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1:39.394
2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:39.425
3 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:39.792
4 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:39.823
5 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 1:39.925
6 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:40.202
7 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:40.203
8 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 1:40.516
9 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:40.589
10 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 1:41.018 1:40.901
11 11 Robert Kubica Renault 1:41.336 1:40.780
12 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:40.783
13 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:40.914
14 22 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:41.113
15 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:41.418
16 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:41.642
17 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 1:41.738
18 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 1:41.824
19 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:43.516
20 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:43.712
21 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:44.095
22 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:44.510
23 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:45.085
24 20 Christian Klien HRT-Cosworth 1:45.296
Image and Info: FIA
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
NEWS // KTM 450 RALLY COLLECTS WIN @ RALLYE DU MAROC
Images and Info: Hell for Leather
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
NEWS // LOTUS TO REVIVE FAMOUS JPS LIVERY
To bring the fans even closer to the team in its second season head of marketing Silvi Schaumloeffel today explained how the 2011 livery will be designed: "We have worked all year to make sure our fans are given unprecedented access to our team. We are all very excited about the move to a black and gold paint scheme for next season, and we want our fans to help us design the livery that will be racing around the world next year. We will shortly be announcing exactly how the fans can take part in our design process, so keep an eye on our website www.lotusracing.my for more details. The person who designs the livery we finally choose will be joining us at our first test next year to see the car out on track for the very first time, so for Lotus and F1 fans it is the chance of a lifetime to help us take the next step forward in our amazing story in 2011."
Riad Asmat, Lotus Racing Chief Executive, added his thoughts on the next step in the Lotus Racing story: "When we first unveiled our 2010 car there was unanimous praise for our decision to bring the historic green and yellow livery back to the modern F1 grid. I know the return to the track of the legendary black and gold will be met with even more universal support as it strikes such an emotional chord with fans around the world. Giving those fans the chance to help us bring it back to the contemporary grid is true to our core belief of putting our supporters right at the heart of Lotus Racing - we can't wait to show the world what we come up with.
Image and Info: Lotus F1
Editorial: Neil Tozer
11.10.2010
NEWS // PASTRANA LEAVES SUBARU RALLY TEAM FOR NASCAR?
Subaru Bids Farewell to Travis Pastrana
-- Driver departs after 5 seasons --
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Nov. 10 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today bid farewell to Travis Pastrana as the company's lead driver. Travis began his relationship Subaru in 2004 from the world of supercross and freestyle motorcross and officially joined Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) in 2006 having run abbreviated development seasons with Subaru in 2004-2005. During his career as an SRT USA driver, Travis piloted his Subaru Impreza WRX STI to 150+ stage wins, 40 podiums, and 22 event victories en route to earning four consecutive Rally America National Championship titles (2006-2009) and becoming the youngest-ever U.S. Rally champion in history. Within the ESPN X Games Rally Car Racing format, Travis went on to win two gold, one silver and one bronze medal with Subaru Rally Team USA.
Tim Mahoney, CMO of Subaru of America said, "Travis brought Rally to a whole new audience through the rally championship and of course through his spectacular appearances at X Games. We wholeheartedly thank him for his outstanding performances with Subaru Rally Team USA and wish him well in his future endeavors."
Subaru recently celebrated breaking its all-time sales record for the brand in the US. The company surpassed its previous record set in 2009 with two months of 2010 remaining and expects to top 250,000 sales for the year.
Image and Info: Autoblog via Subaru
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
11.08.2010
SEMA // CASWELL & THE BAJA BIMMER - DAY FOUR
Big thanks to Miller, a leading manufacturer of arc welding and cutting equipment for supplying Bill the welding tools needed to get the car ready for the 2010 Baja 1000.
Keep an eye out for future updates from Bill as he continues this build and epic racing adventure, It’s going be awesome!
Photo/Editorial: Curtis Creager
2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX // RACE RESULTS
Follow the link for complete results... [read more]
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix // Race Results:
1 5 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 71
2 6 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 71 4.243 4.243
3 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 71 6.807 2.564
4 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 71 14.634 7.827
5 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 71 15.593 0.959
6 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 71 35.320 19.727
7 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 71 43.456 8.136
8 10 Nico Hülkenberg Williams-Cosworth 70 1 lap 1 lap
9 11 Robert Kubica Renault 70 1 lap 1.178
10 23 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 70 1 lap 0.471
11 17 Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 70 1 lap 7.367
12 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 70 1 lap 0.510
13 16 Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 70 1 lap 12.796
14 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 70 1 lap 0.032
15 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 70 1 lap 0.712
16 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 70 1 lap 0.701
17 22 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-Ferrari 70 1 lap 1.250
18 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 69 2 laps 1 lap
19 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 69 2 laps 0.842
20 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 69 2 laps 6.218
21 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 69 2 laps 1.232
22 20 Christian Klien HRT-Cosworth 65 6 laps 4 laps
25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 62 9 laps 3 laps
15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 49 22 laps 13 laps
Image and Info: F1Fanatic
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
MotoGP // LORENZO ENDS 2010 W/VALENCIA WIN
After the horrid weather of last weekend’s event in Portugal, the mild sunny Valencia weekend was a godsend. It made for practice sessions that were actually of use on race day. In qualifying Jorge Lorenzo put in his usual long string of fast runs and Casey Stoner did his usual bare minimum of laps while clocking one or two that were just blistering. Stoner took pole at the very end of the session by pulling more than three tenths on Lorenzo, seemingly out of nowhere. Valentino Rossi looked disappointing until near the end of the session when he surprisingly shot to fourth while Marco Simoncelli snatched his first-ever front-row start by coming third. This was a milestone for him but not too surprising, as his form has been quite competitive in the late season. Starting grid was as follows: Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Marco Simoncelli, Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden, Ben Spies, Colin Edwards, Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, Marco Melandri, Randy DePuniet, Aleix Espargaro, Hector Barbera, Loris Capirossi, Hiroshi Aoyama, Carlos Checa and Alvaro Bautista.
Stoner and Lorenzo hit turn one in the same order they got off the line, Hayden shot to third and Dani Pedrosa climbed to fourth. Valentino Rossi, however, sank immediately and inexplicably to tenth. By turn two, Pedrosa was in second and Lorenzo down to fifth. Lap one began to settle in and the top ten over the line the first time were: Stoner, Hayden, Pedrosa, Simoncelli, Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Spies, Rossi, Melandri and Barbera. Lap two saw Simoncelli and Lorenzo tussling back and forth with Jorge trying to shoot up the inside for a pass in the final turn before the front straight. Simoncelli had the line and kept it firm, forcing Lorenzo to come about as close to crashing as is possible. Miraculously, he managed to stand the bike up and regroup. He did lose a few places but he had managed to pull out of a bobble that would have taken out almost any other rider.
Just as lap three got going Nicky Hayden ended his season in the gravel trap after a high-speed lowside into turn one. He wasn’t happy. Commentators initially suspected Pedrosa was responsible, but on replay he was absolved of any part in the crash. He may never live Estoril, 2006 down. As the camera cut back to the race, Rossi had somehow ascended to fourth place and looked to be on a charge. Similarly, Lorenzo had managed to keep his composure and was, as of lap four, back to fifth place. Stoner, meanwhile, had failed in his usual disappearing act, hinting that this race may not turn out to be completely processional.
Laps six and seven saw Rossi and then Lorenzo slide past Simoncelli, both thankfully without incident. The two Fiat Yamaha riders then began to creep up on Stoner and Pedrosa up front. It was at this moment that Dani began to fade. Only after the race was it revealed that he was still suffering badly from the injuries he sustained at Motegi, he reported weakness and numbness in his arm. On lap ten, both Rossi and Lorenzo dispatched him within two corners. He sank backwards from there despite a heroic effort. From there, Stoner, Rossi and Lorenzo checked out but stuck together as a group. Jorge would pass Rossi on lap twelve, but Rossi refused to be dropped just yet and the two of them closed in on Stoner as a pair.
On lap thirteen, the camera cut to Nicky Hayden in his garage, leathers all scuffed up, looking justifiably disconsolate. The Dorna feed then cut to a replay of his crash and then quickly back to Nicky who looked to lip readers to be uttering words unsuitable for television. Poor Nicky had a decent year that too often looked a little more promising than it turned out.
Meanwhile, Pedrosa began to be swallowed up into the group behind him which consisted of Simoncelli, Dovizioso and Spies. As they all swapped places, Rossi began to drop back a little from the front two. He later explained that his shoulder injury from much earlier in the year started to sap his endurance and he decided third was good enough and backed off accordingly. Lorenzo finally got the best of Stoner early in lap 23 and the podium from there was settled. The only action left to speak of was the battle for fourth place. Ben Spies, after sitting in sixth contentedly watching Simoncelli and Dovizioso go at it, pounced with four laps left and passed both riders in front of him. He was briefly challenged by Dovizioso but ultimately took fourth, capping a great rookie season.
Jorge Lorenzo pulled off his ninth victory of the season after very nearly being knocked off his bike on only the second lap. He did so wearing a gold, 12,000 Euro, Swarovsky crystal encrusted helmet (no joke, it will be a long time before a more garish helmet appears in MotoGP). He also crushed the hopes of both Stoner and Rossi to score one last victory for their respective manufacturers, as they both migrate elsewhere as of Monday. It was, for Jorge, a very fitting punctuation mark on a stellar season. Rossi had special t-shirts made as a goodbye to the Yamaha M1 that he and others so painstakingly developed over the past seven seasons. He even reprised his stopping-to-kiss-the-bike move from his first win for Yamaha at Welkom, South Africa back in 2004. Lorenzo, for his part, had shirts made up reading “3_ _” he penciled in the 83 in parc ferme to signify the record 383 points he hauled in this season. Stoner, true to his understated self, had no celebration whatsoever.
Elsewhere, last week’s wonderboy, Marc Marquez, did the business to secure the 125cc title by coming in fourth place. After his insane race last week and the nine other wins this season, he richly deserved it and we congratulate him. He is only 17 so let’s hope he keeps his form long enough to become Lorenzo’s Lorenzo in a few year’s time.
Valencia defied the odds to be a pretty great race after all. On to 2011!!!
Image: MotoGP
Editorial: Jeff Winterberg
11.06.2010
2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX // QUALIFYING RESULTS
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix // Qualifying Results:
1. Nico Hülkenberg 1’14.470
2. Sebastian Vettel 1’15.519
3. Mark Webber 1’15.637
4. Lewis Hamilton 1’15.747
5. Fernando Alonso 1’15.989
6. Rubens Barrichello 1’16.203
7. Robert Kubica 1’16.552
8. Michael Schumacher 1’16.925
9. Felipe Massa 1’17.101
10. Vitaly Petrov 1’17.656
11. Jenson Button 1’19.288
12. Kamui Kobayashi 1’19.385
13. Nico Rosberg 1’19.486
14. Jaime Alguersuari 1’19.581
15. Nick Heidfeld 1’19.899
16. Vitantonio Liuzzi 1’20.357
17. Timo Glock 1’22.130
18. Jarno Trulli 1’22.250
19. Heikki Kovalainen 1’22.378
20. Sebastien Buemi* 1’19.847
21. Lucas di Grassi 1’22.810
22. Christian Klien 1’23.083
23. Adrian Sutil* 1’20.830
24. Bruno Senna 1’23.796
Image and Info: F1Fanatic
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
BTCC // WRATHALL TO MAKE SERIES DEBUT IN 2011
Preston based Wrathall said “It’s a major step up for our family-run team and myself but the BTCC is the big time and we feel, particularly with the benefits of the new NGTC regulations, that the timing is right. I enjoyed a terrific run in 2010 with the Ginetta G50 title but moving to a front-wheel-drive touring car in a championship that has millions of fans worldwide and is famed for its door-to-door action is going to require a different approach on and off the track.”
The team expects to take delivery of the car in February 2011 with testing scheduled for early March.
Photo/Editorial: Neil Tozer
11.04.2010
NEWS // PEUGEOT UNVEILS 90X LE MANS PROTOTYPE
Follow the link for additional images and the official press release... [read more]
PEUGEOT 90X BREAKS COVER
In parallel with its 2010 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP race programme, Peugeot Sport is busy designing and developing a new prototype that will defend its colours in 2011.
Peugeot Sport's principal mission accomplished
Having been kept secret in Peugeot Sport's factory in Vélizy, near Paris, the team's new endurance challenger – known under the codename 90X – has been out for its first track test. "Our objective was to start track testing before the end of the year," says Peugeot Sport Director Olivier Quesnel. "I am pleased to report that we have now done that. Even so, there is still a long way to go and a considerable amount of work to be done as we prepare for 2011."
The 90X's technical characteristics
The 90X complies with the new ACO's 2011 regulations, and notably incorporates the extra "shark fin" bodywork on the engine cover. This new feature is designed to help prevent the car from becoming airborne in the case of a high-speed spin. As with the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, Peugeot Sport has opted for a closed cockpit design, which still meets the mandatory 900kg weight requirement. "We are still exploring several options with regard to the engine and technology we will use," points out Bruno Famin, the Technical Director of Peugeot Sport. "Work on the engine's development is ongoing. Endurance racing is an ideal proving ground to provide us with the opportunity to showcase all the brand's technologies."
Images and Info: Peugeot
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey
