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Mazda Targa Tasmania

Mazda Motorsports ready for Targa Tasmania

Targa Tasmania 2011

Mazda has announced they will be entering three cars in this year’s Targa Tasmania, which starts next week.

Driving two specially prepared turbocharged Mazda RX-8 SPs (pictured above during last year’s prologue) will be young rally-ace Brendan Reeves and newcomer Matt Rickards. They will be guided by experienced navigators Rhiannon Smyth and Bernie Webb respectively.

The third Mazda Motorsports entry will be a Mazda3 MPS driven by husband and wife duo of Simon and Sue Evans.

Allan Horsley, Mazda Motorsport boss, says the team is keen to make its presence felt. “We’ve got a good mix of youth and experience with each of our drivers extremely capable behind the wheel,” he said.

“And with the long term forecast predicting that we’ll see some rain during Targa, this presents a great opportunity for the two-wheel Mazdas, which handle exceptionally well in the wet, to gain some time on our four-wheel-drive rivals.”

Categories
Audi

Ducaudi announcement imminent

Audi rumoured to buy Ducati

The Audi buyout of iconic motorcycle maker Ducati we reported on last month is close to being finalised, Reuters reports. It’s understood Audi has completed its checks into the company and has found no problems.

Audi currently holds rights to exclusive talks with Ducati’s major shareholder, Investindustrial, about a possible takeover but they expire on Sunday (15 April).

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera has already reported a deal between Audi, Volkswagen and Investindustrial will be signed next week (18 April).

Assuming all goes ahead as expected the Volkswagen Group will be keen to exploit Ducati’s expertise in high-revving lightweight engine technology. The application of such technology to cars will no doubt find its way from city cars and supercars alike, as lightweight continues its resurgence as the new black in auto making.

[Source: Reuters]

Categories
Formula 1

VIDEO: Niki Lauda’s crash recreated for Rush

Niki Lauda's crashed recreated for Rush

Dale from Bridge to Gantry was on scene yesterday to record some genuine behind the scenes footage of the Ron Howard movie Rush. Watch the clip after the break.

Concentrating on the dramatic 1976 Formula One season, and the battle between Lauda and James Hunt for the world championship, Lauda’s crash will no doubt be central to the movie’s action.

Rush stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in the James Hunt role and is due for release in 2013.

For more on Lauda’s game-changing accident, which ended F1 racing on the Nordschleife, check out our previous AUSringers article from 2008.

[Source: PistonHeads]

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Toyota Video WRC

In the beginning…

Sebastien Loeb, Toyota Corolla WRC

In the early stages of Sebastien Loeb’s WRC career he ran a few races in a Toyota Corolla. After the break you can enjoy a short and sweet clip from 2000 showing the, then, young French starlet forging a career that would go on to become superior to all those to have gone before him.

Categories
Lotus

Group Lotus releases first class rant

Lotus Elan

Rumours of troubles for Lotus since DRB-Hicom lobbed in at Proton are not new. A couple of months back we were being told to keep calm and carry on. However, a recent article by Joe Saward questioning the future of Group Lotus has inspired the car maker to respond with one of the world’s best dummy spits.

According to Saward: “It is fairly clear now that Group Lotus’ current recovery plan is finished, at least in its current form. There is major due diligence going on at Hethel and the word is that Proton’s new owner DRB-Hicom is not happy with the news that is filtering back to Malaysia.”

Tony Fernandes, former suitor of sorts to Group Lotus and the person who brought the Lotus name back into F1, didn’t help matters by tweeting Dany Bahar, Group Lotus CEO, and the Proton Chairman had been sacked.

Sniffpetrol has also chimed in with its observations.

Read below for the official reply from Group Lotus.

Categories
Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes’ shareholder wants to quit F1

2012 Australian Grand Prix

Ingo Speich, a fund manager from the Daimler shareholder Union Investment, has called on Mercedes to quit Formula One.

According to Speich the three-pointed star has lost ground to its closest rivals Audi and BMW, “Mercedes is no longer the measure of all things in the premium sector,” he told Die Presse.

Speich aired his views at Daimler’s AGM and was applauded by other attendees. He said Daimler has endured “a lost decade” and suggested a withdrawal from F1 could allow the company to better concentrate its efforts on regaining lost ground.

We’re not sure if Speich’s comments will carry genuine weight, but boardrooms are where F1 battles belong, not in the political spotlight as we’re currently witnessing in Bahrain.

[Source: WCF]

Categories
Porsche

Porsche takes over Nardo proving ground

Nardo proving ground, Italy

Porsche has just announced they will be taking over the running of the Nardo proving ground in May. It’s not immediately clear if they have bought the facility or entered into a long-term management contract. Although, the former option seems a distinct possibility.

The warmer climate of southern Italy should allow for year-long use. Matthias Müller, President and CEO of Porsche AG, says Nardo’s 12.5km oval circuit and accompanying grounds will provide a welcome balance to existing facilities in Weissach.

“The Nardò proving ground with its high-speed and vehicle handling circuit ideally complements our facilities in Weissach. With the systematic development of the company in Nardò as part of Strategy 2018, Porsche is proving to be a reliable employer and business partner in Apulia as well,” said Müller.

Categories
Formula 1 News

Bahrain GP: “We’re all hoping the FIA calls it off”

2010 Bahrain GP

An unnamed F1 team principal has said the teams don’t want to race in Bahrain later this month. The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for 22 April, the weekend after the Chinese GP.

The unidentified team boss told The Guardian: “I feel very uncomfortable about going to Bahrain. If I’m brutally frank, the only way they can pull this race off without incident is to have a complete military lockdown there. And I think that would be unacceptable, both for F1 and for Bahrain. But I don’t see any other way they can do it.”

To this point the teams had, at least publicly, supported the FIA and its decision to race in the troubled Gulf state. But with new reports of more violence, which left seven Bahraini policeman injured, three seriously, the time has come for those inside F1 to share their thoughts.

If nothing else you’d think someone had the guts to condemn Bernie Ecclestone who described the attack on authorities as, “a lot of kids having a go at the police. I don’t think it’s anything serious at all.”

Our anonymous team principal added: “We’re all hoping the FIA calls it off. From a purely legal point of view, in terms of insurance and government advice, we are clear to go.

“But what we find worrying is that there are issues happening every day.

“We have a lot of people. Our first and foremost priority has to be our employees. And their families.

“That’s what concerns us most, even though we’ve not said anything about it. It seems to me that while there has been some political progress in Bahrain they’re not quite ready. The best thing would be for the race to be postponed until later in the year, or even cancelled.”

You know what, it’s great that one team principal has spoken out. But it would be even greater if that person agreed to be identified. If he truly stands by the damning comments made to The Guardian he should be willing to take the lead and own those opinions.

He claims his views are shared by the other teams. Is the wrath of Bernie Ecclestone so great that concerns for the welfare of others must be so callously put to one side in fear of commercial recrimination (if that’s what it is)?

Perhaps behind the insular walls of the F1 paddock the identity of this team principal is known. But, whoever you are, stand up. Put your name to your comments. The time for silence has passed.

[Source: The Guardian | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Ford Volkswagen WRC

Jari-Matti Latvala talking to Volkswagen

Jari-Matti Latvala

Current Ford WRC driver Jari-Matti Latvala could be driving for Volkswagen in 2013. Latvala’s manager, Timo Jouhki, confirmed meeting with Volkswagen saying: “I had a positive meeting with Kris Nissen and Carlos Sainz, who seem to have a good team with the right people and really interesting technical details on the car.”

The 27-year-old Finn has over 100 WRC starts and six wins to his name, including this year’s Rally Sweden, and his added experience would complement Sebastien Ogier well at Volkswagen you would think.

Jouhki also confirmed discussions are ongoing with Ford so there may be no movement at all. However, with Ford’s involvement in the WRC not certain beyond this year it’s probably wise for Latvala to consider all options.

[Source: World Rally Blog | Pic: Ford WRT]

Categories
Ferrari Formula 1

Honouring Gilles Villeneuve

Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari 312 T4

Gilles Villeneuve would be 62 if he were still alive today. He was just 32 when he died, succumbing to injuries sustained during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder.

Given the reverence with which he is remembered, Villeneuve Sr had a modest F1 record. Just 67 race starts and six wins. Incredibly promising, no doubt. However, the measure of Gilles Villeneuve is not in the tale of his statistics, but in the tales of admiration and respect from peers and fans alike.

Mario Andretti, 1978 World Champion, had this to say about Villeneuve: “At the wheel, Gilles would always give it his all. Nobody else ever drove quite like him: sideways in a fast way… there was only one like Gilles. I always wonder what career he would have had if it hadn’t been for that untimely death. A world championship was imminent, I’m sure.”

To honour the spirit of Gilles Villenueve, his son and 1997 World Champion, Jacques, will drive a Ferrari 312 T4 around Fiorano on 8 May, the 30th anniversary of his father’s death.

It should be a fitting tribute for one of the sport’s great icons.

To play our part we bring you a small clip from the 1979 French Grand Prix featuring a fierce battle for track position between Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux. Villeneuve himself described it as, “My best memory of Grand Prix racing.”

They don’t race like this any more!

Categories
Motorsports Nissan

Con of the future

Kelly Racing Nissan Altima V8 Supercar rendering

A little while back you may have heard the news that Nissan will be coming back to top level touring car racing in Australia next year. But they don’t really have a V8 sedan, so what car would they enter?

We can tell you they will be using a Nissan Altima and Speedcafe.com has produced this artist’s rendering of the Kelly Racing Nissan Altima V8 Supercar. You can download it for yourself, if you like.

The latest fifth-generation Altima was only revealed a few days ago, at the New York Auto Show. It’s a front-wheel drive model, powered by a 2.5 litre four-cylinder or a 3.5 litre V6.

Let’s repeat that: a front-wheel drive model powered by a 2.5 litre four-cylinder or a 3.5 litre V6.

But, under the new V8 Supercar “Car of the Future” regulations the Nissan Altima is eligible for entry into the series when the category commences its new world order next year. All of a sudden the Altima will become a rear-wheel drive, V8 powered racing taxi. (Actually, that last bit is true, too, thanks to a deal that will see the new Altima introduced to the NYC taxi fleet.)

That’s right, thanks to the introduction of a control chassis and a control engine all that will differentiate one V8 Supercar from another will be its outer skin and bagdes; which, you’ll be pleased to know, are real. Yep, the badges will be about the only real things on the bloody car.

What a con!

Categories
Porsche Video

A mechanical marriage of man and machine

Chris Harris, Classic 911 rally car

En route to film his latest piece for Drive, Chris Harris shares with the viewer his reasons for buying a modest diesel-powered Volkswagen Passat Estate. A bit later in the film he reveals the recipe for the driving he enjoys the most.

As it turns out it’s a Porsche 911—no real surprise there—but it’s not a fancy pants modern 911. No, he likes to get his thrills at the wheel of a 365hp, 1000kg classic tarmac rally 911. And why not!

Harris explains it like this: “Everything you do has an effect on the behaviour of the car.” It’s a mechanical marriage of man and machine, with no electronic nannies to be seen.

The opening part of the clip is mostly talking and explanation about the racing category the 911 has been created for. At the end, though, when Harris is blasting around the track—what a symphony of sounds!

[Thanks to James for the tip]