Month: July 2011

Categories
Formula 1 Renault

Williams F1 reunites with Renault

Williams-Renault engine deal

Williams F1 has reignited memories of its glory days by signing a new engine deal with Renault for the 2102 and 2013 seasons. The deal is being described as ‘long-term’ and both parties expect the relationship will continue into 2014 and beyond, following the switch to turbocharged V6 engines.

During the last Williams F1 deal with Renault Sport F1 (1989–1997) the partnership returned 63 race wins, four word drivers’ titles, five constructors titles.

Speaking at the announcement Sir Frank Williams said, “Our previous relationship with Renault was one of the most successful in Williams’ history but we will not allow ourselves to dwell too much on the past. We must look to the future and continue to re-build our on-track reputation, which I am hopeful that today’s announcement will help us to do.”

The full statement from Williams F1 can be read after the break, including a Q&A interview with Adam Parr, Chairman.

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Audi BMW Lamborghini Mazda Motor Shows Volkswagen

AIMS 2011: The stars

AIMS 2011 teaser

Updates from our visit to AIMS last Friday haven’t progressed as well as we had hoped, so to give you a taste of what’s to come here’s a quick teaser of the five cars that stood out the most for us.

1. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics
We’ve covered this car before, when it was first revealed way back in 2009. But seeing it first hand has given us an altogether new appreciation for it. The EffeicientDynamics concept is a genuinely stunning design that we now know previews the forthcoming i8 model. Forget the mechanical aspects of the car for a moment, though, and just appreciate every crease, curve and detail. It’s an astonishingly well made concept and almost makes up for BMW not displaying any other cars. That’s right, no 1M!

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Categories
Formula 1

Hispania Racing Team expected to confirm sale

2011 Monaco Grand Prix

Hispania Racing Team has been sold, just days after signing Daniel Ricciardo, it is being reported . It’s understood current HRT owner José Ramón Carabante has agreed to terms for an AU$32 million sale to Japanese investment bank Nomura.

Confirmation of the sale is expected in the next 24 hours. Daily operation of HRT is unlikely to change in the short term and we can still look forward to Ricciardo’s F1 debut this weekend.

However, this could be a story to keep watching. Only a couple of days ago Autosport reported HRT Team Principal, Colin Kolles, was stepping aside to allow the Carabante family a more hands on role with the team.

Categories
Motorsports Porsche

Don’t stand so close to me

A few weeks ago Audi racked up its 10th Le Mans victory. That put the German marque second on the all-time list of winning manufacturers; six behind Porsche.

Stuttgart, it would seem, is not impressed with the inroads being made by Ingolstadt and Porsche has announced they are coming back to Le Mans to race for outright victory in the LMP1 category.

Giving themselves plenty of time to get things right, Porsche will be racing at La Sarthe again in 2014. Game on!

[Thanks to Charlie for the tip]

Categories
Formula 1 News

Daniel Ricciardo secures Formula One seat

2011 European Grand Prix

Fantastic news for Australian F1 fans with confirmation Daniel Ricciardo has landed an F1 race seat with Hispania Racing Team for the rest of 2011.

It’s expected Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan will make way for Ricciardo at HRT under a new agreement struck between the Spanish team and Red Bull. This will allow Red Bull to compare Ricciardo to Vitantonio Liuzzi who has driven for both Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing in the past.

So far in 2011 Ricciardo has experienced F1 seat time in all Friday practice sessions for Toro Rosso. In the eight events completed the young West Australian, and 2009 British Formula 3 champ, has impressed to the point recent speculation has been rife Ricciardo might have displaced current Toro Rosso drivers Sebatien Buemi or Jaime Algeusuari before the year was out. Those two can rest easy, for now.

Ricciardo, who turns 22 today (1 July), is expected to have 10 races with HRT, starting with next weekend’s British Grand Prix, to establish his reputation in motorsport’s elite category. Assuming he performs well, it is thought he will get a drive with Toro Rosso or even Red Bull Racing in 2012.

Note: There are 11 F1 races remaining this year and it is understood Karthikeyan will be allowed to race in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in late October.

The 2011 British Grand Prix is now shaping to be the first time two Australians have made an F1 starting grid since Alan Jones (Shadow-Ford) and Vern Schuppan (Surtees-Ford) started the 1977 Austrian GP. Incidentally, that race was Alan Jones’ maiden Grand Prix win.

The official announcement from HRT can be read below.

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