Categories
Formula 1

F1 teams ready for Mugello test

Mugello, Italy

Official in-season testing is about to return to Formula One for the first time in four years. Interestingly the Mugello Circuit in Italy has been chosen for the testing, a venue that has never seen an F1 race.

It’s a nice free flowing and fast track, which is all very well, but with 16 races on the 2012 calendar still to run, Mugello is only comparable to Silverstone and Suzuka. Having said that the 5.245km track is owned by Ferrari and it has been have put to good use in the past by Ferrari and other F1 teams, when testing schedules were not so regimented. The lap record is 1:18.704 and is held by Rubens Barichello.

The Mugello test will run for three days and where confirmed we have listed the driver lineups for each team. You’ll see quite a lot of the reserve drivers appearing and in the case of HRT, well, they won’t be there at all. They’re busy moving their team base apparently.

Categories
Citroen WRC

Sebastien Loeb wins 2012 Rally Argentina

Citroen DS3 WRC, 2012 Rally Argentina

Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena have added to their remarkable record with victory in Rally Argentina on the weekend. It is their seventh consecutive win in the event and their 70th WRC win overall.

The Citroën master pairing finished 15.2 seconds ahead of their teammate Mikko Hirvonen. The one-two result gives the French team a healthy 45 point lead from Ford in the manufacturers’ title race.

Although it is worth noting that half way through Day 2, when the Citroëns held a safe lead back to third place of around 90 seconds it was decided the leading pair should hold station. “I spoke to both the crews and they agreed that it was the best solution,” explained Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal.

Ford driver Mads Osteberg took the final podium step, over three minutes behind Loeb. Stand-in driver Ford Dani Sordo was on track for fourth place until he stopped and withdrew from the rally on the very last stage.

Loeb’s third win for the year puts him on 91 points in the drivers’ championship, ahead of Petter Solberg (73) and Hirvonen (70).

After the event Loeb summed up his feelings, saying: “It’s great to get back to winning ways after drawing a blank in Portugal. Everything went really well this weekend. Although the first few stages didn’t go quite how we’d have liked, we stayed calm and in the end we were able to take control of the race.”

Meanwhile, Hirvonen had this to say: “This result is perfect for the team and the twenty points I scored this weekend take me back up to third in the overall standings. I have made further progress in my understanding of the DS3 WRC and I can’t wait to compete in the coming rallies!”

The WRC now returns to Europe for the Acropolis Rally at the end of May.

Categories
Lamborghini

Remembering the Lamborghini Aventador J

Lamborghini Aventador J

$2.66 million.

That’s what was required to buy the one-off Lamborghini Aventador J, which starred at the Geneva Motor Show back in March. The identity of the buyer, for now, remains unknown but the sale figure was confirmed by Lamborghini’s CEO, Stephen WInkelmann, as being €2.1m (AU$2.66m).

In return the buyer received one of the coolest cars money can buy packed with a 700hp punch, thanks to a 6.5 litre V12 engine sourced from the comparatively staid Aventador LP700-4.

Speaking about the J, Stephen Winkelmann, Lamborghini CEO, proclaimed: “The new Lamborghini Aventador J is the most radical open supersports car of Lamborghini’s history.”

And with that sale price, we’re guessing it has become the most expensive Lamborghini in history too.

There’s a short video from Lambo after the break to remind you of the Aventador J’s finer qualities.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Categories
Motorsports Safety Issues Video

VIDEO: Four minutes of madness

Crazy crash video

The video you’re about to see takes us back to a world before the six-point safety harness. Indeed helmets seem optional and the creator of the HANS device would have been laughed out of town.

Some of the footage is shocking, some of it genuinely amazing—that people got up and walked away from some of these crashes has to be seen to be believed. All we can say is, thank goodness they don’t crash ’em like this any more.

Categories
Formula 1 News

Grand Prix of America street circuit now under construction

New Jersey Grand Prix site

Pitpass brings word that planning for the 2013 Grand Prix of America in New Jersey is well underway. This should help ease rumours that the quasi-New York GP could be deferred until 2014.

The above pic shows a tailored Porsche Cayenne fitted with a camera rig that has reportedly been sent out on the roads of Weehawken and West New York to capture some promotional footage.

It’s understood work on the pit garages and paddock complex has begun at the Port Imperial site, while engineering for the 5.14km street circuit is also being finalised. With the NYC skyline in full view and elevation changes of around 50 metres it will be one of the sport’s most spectacular locations.

The race has been pencilled in for June next year and we suspect it will be huge. Will we see you there?

[Source: Pitpass]

Categories
BMW

Hmm, this BMW X4 doesn’t look too bad

BMW X4 rendering

Back in 2010 rumours of a BMW X4 started to gain momentum. Then, in January this year BMW confirmed those rumours when they announced the X4 will be built at their Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.

However, BMW isn’t rushing into things and we won’t see the X4 until 2014. So we have to make do with renderings for now. We’re not sure if we’re just becoming used to the basic X6 shape—something we have abhorred since it was launched—or if we’re just going a bit barmy, but this X4 rendering almost look okay to us.

Help!

[Source: WCF]

Categories
Aston Martin

You’re too late, all the One-77s have been sold!

Aston Martin One-77

Great news for Aston Martin with word via their latest accounts that business is booming. Headlining the financial figures is confirmation all of their One-77 supercars have now been sold. Remember, it was reported one greedy bugger ordered 10 of them!

Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s CEO, is only too happy to spread the good news, “Our 2011 results demonstrate the energy, passion and ongoing resilience of Aston Martin—a truly unique, independent manufacturer. We are on track with our expansion plans around the world, especially in China, and are investing in new models.

“The Aston Martin brand is stronger than ever. This is demonstrated by intense interest in the new V12 Zagato, recently shown at the Geneva Motor Show, and our $1.93-million One-77 supercar—all 77 of which are now sold.”

Aston’s revenue for the year ending 31 December 2011 came in at $817.3m, an increase of 7% and the highest figure recorded since 2008, before the GFC. Pre-tax earnings are almost $113m and they’ve locked in $122m in projected sales since the V12 Zagato was first shown to European audiences in Geneva.

Even better than that, they’ve given a couple of Aussies a factory drive in the 2012 Nürburgring 24 hour race. Details to be posted on AUSringers soon.

[Source: Auto Guide]

Categories
Nissan

How fast is the 2013 Nissan GT-R?

2013 Nissan GT-R

Bloody fast!

According to the DragTimes website this stock MY12 (2013) Nissan GT-R completed the standing quarter mile in 10.8 seconds. Not once, not twice, but three times. The sprint from 0-60mph alone took a mere 2.7 seconds.

The times were set at the Palm Beach International Raceway in the US and video of the runs, including in-car footage, can be seen after the break.

[Source: DragTimes]

Categories
Motorsports News Video

It’s another new lap record for Bathurst

Chris Gilmour, Formula 3, Mount Panorama official lap record holder

Motor racing returned to Bathurst over Easter and even though it was a few weeks ago now we’d be remiss not to bring you this video.

You see, Chris Gilmour, a Formula 3 driver from Queensland, set a new official lap record around Mount Panorama in Bathurst.

Gilmour finished second at the race meeting, but was pretty satisfied to set a new benchmark for the 6.213km circuit. “It’s pretty amazing to be here, full stop – but to do something like set the outright lap record that gets talked about so much is pretty special. It requires so much commitment and a great car to do the job here and we had that,” Gilmour said.

Until a few months ago the official lap record, set under race conditions, at Bathurst was held by Jamie Whincup in a V8 Supercar. His mark was 2:08.4651 set during the 2007 Bathurst 1000.

At the Bathurst 12 Hour in February, Allan Simonsen lowered the official race record to 2:06.3311 at the wheel of a Ferrari 458 GT3.

Gilmour, in his Formula 3, broke the record by the best part of two seconds on the way to a 2:04.6187 benchmark. You can watch video of the record lap after the break. It’s pretty special watching on board footage from an open wheeler on the Mountain too.

[Source: bathurstmotorfestival.com.au | Thanks to Ryan for the tip]

Categories
Motor Shows Seat

Auto China 2012: Seat Ibiza Cupra Concept

Seat Ibiza Cupra Concept

If you reckon the Polo GTI needs a little more spice Seat is here to help. They’ve just taken the covers off their Ibiza Cupra Concept in Beijing and it looks pretty much ready to roll off the production line to us.

We have already discovered the Pogo is a damn good package. The Polo is even made in Spain, too. So with Seat’s increased local flavour added to the Ibiza, Volkswagen’s little hot hatch in drag has been granted a new lease of life.

The styling retains Seat’s more extroverted cues but possesses more maturity and refinement than we’ve seen before. After all the hyperbole and angst that Chris Bangle endured during his time at BMW, the flame-inspired body panels of the Seat prove (to us anyway) that Bangle was bang on the money.

James Muir, President of SEAT, explains the Ibiza is key to their entry into the Chinese market: “Emotional design and refined dynamics guarantee driving fun on every single kilometre. We are presenting the Ibiza Cupra Concept at the Beijing Motor Show because this compact athlete will be an important element in the development of our brand in this key market.”

Hey James, what about Australia?

Categories
Mercedes-Benz Motor Shows

Auto China 2012: Mercedes Concept Style Coupé

Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé

This we like. A lot.

It’s the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé, remember we had an unauthorised preview last week. Now the sleek four door “coupé” is strutting its stuff on the show floor in Beijing.

Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz, says the Concept Style Coupé perfectly represents their new design direction. “Its breathtaking proportions, sinewy fluid surfaces and sculptural lines are the physical expression of our dynamic design idiom.”

What we like about this concept is that it’s based on the new A Class. So it’s not a huge luxo-barge that will be out of reach for most consumers. Rather, with its 155kW 2.0 turbocharged four cylinder engine, 7-speed double clutch ‘box and all-wheel drive system, it’s a kind of Golf GTI/R sedan hybrid. Which means, when they make it next year, that we can expect it to be a genuinely credible proposition in its class that shouldn’t cost an outrageous fortune.

Of course, it’s not new to see a stylish and sporty sedan, but in a segment that has become a hatchback staple, the further democratisation of the four door coupé style to a more affordable segment is quite refreshing.

Bravo Mercedes. Please don’t cock it up when you switch the production lines on.

Categories
Formula 1

What happens next?

Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone showed Kimi Raikkonen before the Bahrain Grand Prix that he still has a very firm grip on the control of Formula One. But he is 81-years-old now and that grip won’t last forever. So what happens when Bernie retires?

Will the sport be better off without the cantankerous old so and so? More importantly, has the sport got a bona fide plan in place to succeed one of the sporting world’s most ruthless and effective leaders?

Established F1 photographer Darren Heath has gathered his thoughts away from the viewfinder and suggested there is more to Bernie than an insatiable appetite for money. Least of all his ability to get his own way.

Each and every time one or more parties is linked with purchasing the rights to F1, Ecclestone appears to either out-think or out-flank the suitors for his prize. As yet he has remained at least one step ahead of the game.

The genesis for Ecclestone’s dominance in F1 lies with his former role as team owner of Brabham in the 1970s and 80s. He understands the sport.

Bernie – for his sins ­– is at heart a racing man through and through, competing behind the wheel long before he realised the sport’s commercial potential. Though he may appear cold, heartless and sometimes old-fashioned, just below the hard-edged exterior is a man who loves ‘his’ sport and (most of) those in it.

Eventually, though, Bernie will have to yield. What then?

No major investor – once the Ecclestone era ends – is going to care one iota about the sport and what it means to you and me. He, she or they will of course care about turning a rapidly realised profit – and a healthy one at that.

20 grands prix a year will seem like child’s play once we’ve got NASCAR-like 34- race schedules to enjoy… And don’t expect any of it to be on terrestrial TV.

It’s well worth reading Darren Heath’s full observations. Follow the source link below for more.

[Source: darrenheath.com | Pic: LAT Photographic]