Category: Motorsports

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Formula 1

VR masters of PR

Virgin Racing - Life's a beach

Virgin Racing looks set to be making the most of the PR opportunities that Formula One offers. Here is a YouTube clip which is described on the team’s official twitter page as being a “Jerez round-up”. Now, if the F1 pitlane was a government it is becoming clear that Virgin Racing would be the minister known as the master of spin.

Most of us would probably think a round-up from pre-season testing might include some feedback on the new VR01 racecar, a bit of discussion on lap times and general info on how the team is settling into F1. But not the guys at Virgin Racing, check it out below…

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Formula 1

F1 pre-season: Jerez test #2 schedule

Scuderia Toro Rosso - Sebastien Buemi, Jerez 2010

Tomorrow night (Australian time) the F1 circus returns to Jerez for the third of four sanctioned pre-season test windows. There will be four days of testing and as with the previous sessions the teams generally run one driver per day. The schedule of who will be driving when is available below.

A reminder that you can get the latest news from testing as it happens by subscribing to the AUSmotive F1 list on  twitter.

Fernando Alonso topped the time sheets at the first session in Valenica, while Jaime Alguersuari (pictured above) was on the pace in Jerez. Alguersuari posted the second best time last week, behind Lewis Hamilton who was able the most of the infrequent dry weather available on the last day of testing. The teams encountered mostly wet weather last week and the forecast for this week is pretty ugly as well. Let’s hope there’s dry weather in Barcelona for the final test window, which starts 25 February.

This week will be the first official test program for the new Lotus-Cosworth T127.

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Bathurst 12 Hour BMW

BMW takes out the Bathurst 12 hour

2010 Bathurst 12 hour

The Eastern Creek International Karts BMW 335i driven by Garry Holt, Paul Morris and John Bowe has won a dramatic 2010 Armor All Bathurst 12 hour race. They completed 202 laps in all and finished 3.3 seconds ahead of the East Holiday Parks Mitsubishi EVO IX. It was the second win at the event for Garry Holt and his team who also won the 2007 race.

However, the official winning margin only tells part of the story. The 2010 race was marred by heavy rain which caused a lengthy stint of around three hours behind the Safety Car. Also delaying the race, just as the Safety Car was about to pull in, was a freak incident where a massive gum tree fell and blocked Conrod Straight just after Forrest’s Elbow.

Eric Bana’s Mitusbishi EVO X was also involved in a nasty accident while co-driver Paul Hill was at the wheel. Hill had clipped the wall approaching Reid Park and came to a rest in the middle of the track. An unsighted Dean Herridge, in a Subaru Impreza WRX STi, drove into the back of Hill’s car ending the race for both teams.

There were eight Safety Car periods in all, the last of which caused the race to end under the control of race stewards. Providing some consolation the Safety Car pulled in before the last corner allowing drivers to cross the line at their own pace.

A list of top 10 finishers can be seen below, full results are available on the Natsoft website.

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Formula 1 Lotus

VIDEO: Lotus T127 launch & shakedown

Lotus Cosworth T127

Lotus Racing have provided some behind the scenes footage of the launch of their new Lotus Cosworth T127. There’s three clips in all and they can be seen below. The first Lotus in Formula One since the mid 90s was first revealed on Friday. It will be driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli.

For more on Lotus Racing make sure you bookmark their website.

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Bathurst 12 Hour

Can’t see the Forrest for the trees

2010 Bathurst 12 hour

Major disaster has been avoided at the Armor All Bathurst 12 hour race today after a massive gum tree fell over and blocked the track just after Forrest’s Elbow. It was around 1pm when the incident happened and the race was being held under Safety Car conditions due to consistent heavy rain.

The Safety Car period lasted almost three hours, due mostly to the inclement conditions. Ironically, conditions around the track were at the best they had been for quite some time when the tree came down. Thankfully some very quick work from race organisers and local SES volunteers had the track cleared and ready for racing in around 15-20 minutes.

Of course, with the race still being run, albeit behind the Safety Car, the field was on course at the time. Therefore they all came to a halt along the top of the mountain while the track was being cleared. Some images captured from the live stream can be seen below.

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Bathurst 12 Hour

LIVE STREAM: 2010 Bathurst 12 hour

2010 Bathurst 12 hour - live internet stream

The 2010 Armor All Bathurst 12 hour is currently streaming live online. Click on the image above to load the live stream, or you can watch the race right here on AUSmotive with the embedded stream loaded below.

Racing started at 6:30am and currently after a bit over quarter race distance Rod Salmon is leading the event in his Mitsubishi Evo X. Live results can be seen HERE.

A reminder, also, that Channel Seven will have an edited race highlights package going to air on Saturday 20 March (check your local guides).

UPDATE 11:30am: If you’re having trouble accessing the live scoreboard from the Bathurst12hour website, then check out the natsoft website which has regular updates.

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Formula 1 Lotus

Lotus unveils 2010 F1 car

Lotus Cosworth T127

Overnight Lotus Racing unveiled their 2010 Formula One racecar, the Lotus Cosworth T127.

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer, spoke at the launch and here’s a bit of what he had to say, “The last few months have been some of the most challenging of my career, but it’s been a challenge the whole team and I have thrived on since we first started work on the car up in Norfolk.

“I’m delighted that we’ve reached this point, and now we have a beautiful car that gives us a great base to work from for the season ahead and a fighting chance of going racing in the right way, with a winning mentality. The hard part starts now, and I know everyone in the team and I are up for whatever lies ahead.”

More images available after the break.

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Motor Shows Motorsports Porsche

OFFICIAL: Porsche GT3 R Hybrid

Porsche GT3 R Hybrid

Following yesterday’s post about the GT3 R Hybrid comes this official release from Porsche, including high res images which you can access by clicking on the pics you like. Porsche have described this car as a”racing laboratory” so we can expect this to be the first of many hybrid racecar applications from Stuttgart.

As reported the first public showing of the GT3 R Hybrid will be in Geneva, in a little over two weeks time. And, I’m not sure about anyone else, but I am really looking forward to seeing how this car runs in the Nürburgring 24 hour race. Will the KERS-style system provide a true advantage, or will it be a bit of a fizzer?

Oh, there’s a very good reason why the hybrid technology in this GT3 R sounds very similar to the KERS systems used in Formula One. A company called Williams Hybrid Power is behind the gizmo in the Porsche racecar. And, yes, it is that Williams. Seems Sir Frank reckoned he was on to a good thing and bought into to the energy storage system game, even if the technology wasn’t fully embraced at F1 level.

Yep, there’s a brief press statement from Williams Hybrid Power too. You can check out all these goodies after the break, so what are you waiting for…

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Formula 1

Virgin Racing VR01 shakedown

Virgin Racing

Just a few days ago now the first Virgin Racing formula one car, codenamed VR01, was driven for the first time. A simple shakedown at Silverston with Timo Glock at the wheel. According to trackside reports at Jerez, Glock is about to take the VR01 out for its first official test run. Before he does that, take a quick squiz at this YouTube clip courtesy of Virgin Racing.

If you would like a closer look at the VR01, then check out the Virgin Racing gallery.

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

OFFICIAL: Red Bull Racing unveils 2010 F1 car

Red Bull Racing RB6 - 2010 F1 car

The machine Red Bull Racing hopes will deliver 2010 success has just been revealed at Jerez. The RB6 is very much an evolution of last year’s car, and at first glance, it looks pretty much the same. The most noticeable changes, though, are to the car’s front wings and nose, as well as revised side pods. And that dramatic engine cover, of course.

Red Bull skipped last week’s test session at Valencia to give them more time to develop the car. This approach seems to have been confirmed by Christian Horner today who was quoted by Autosport F1 Editor, Edd Straw, as saying, “Like all teams we have quite an aggressive development program. We have components we will introduce in the next couple of tests.”

Adrian Newey explained further, “We have been able to design the rear suspension and gearbox with the double diffuser in mind.”

Meanwhile Mark Webber is keen as mustard to get the RB6 out on the track, “The car looks great. I’m really looking forward to what it can do.”

Webber also says missing testing last week was not a big issue, “Valencia is not the best track in the world for characteristics. We’d have liked to be there but I don’t think we lost too much.”

Thanks again to Edd Straw’s tiwtter feed for the trackside quotes. For live commentary from Jerez check out Autosport.com – lap times are already being posted, as inclement weather closes in.

Lots more pics from the Red Bull Racing launch after the break. Some high resolution studio shots of the preview pics posted earlier today are available. Click on any of the pics to load wallpaper-friendly sizing.

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Formula 1

Red Bull Racing previews 2010 F1 car

Red Bull Racing RB6 - 2010 F1 car

UPDATE: High resolution images NOW AVAILABLE

Red Bull have published these preview images of their new RB6 2010 racecar ahead of today’s official launch. With only a couple of hours to go until the full reveal, expect to see some higher res pics online very soon.

More of this very nice looking Red Bull machine after the break. From what we can see so far, the RB6 will be one of the nicest looking cars on the grid. Not that there’s any Aussie Mark Webber bias here at all!

[Source: RedBull.com]

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Formula 1 Lotus

2010 Lotus F1 car captured ahead of official reveal

2010 Lotus F1 car

Autosport.com have published what they are describing as the first image of the new Lotus F1 car. The photo was captured on Tuesday during the team’s shakedown at Silverstone. Speaking on twitter, Team Principal, Tony Fernandes stated, “Shakedown started. Quite a few tears.”

According to the Lotus website, the first Lotus F1 car of the 21st century is due for an official reveal at Jerez on Friday. More images and news as it becomes available.

[Source: Autosport.com | Thanks to Chris for the tip]