Category: Motorsports

Categories
Formula 1

Donington Park revival gets the rubber stamp

Donington Park

You may remember news from last July that Silverstone is to be stripped of its Formula One rights after the 2009 British Grand Prix. From 2010 the race is set to be held at Donington Park, after a new 10-year deal was struck with Bernie Ecclestone. However, the North West Leicestershire complex needs a radical revamp to bring it up to modern day requirements. The last Grand Prix held at the circuit was in 1993, won on a rain soaked afternoon by Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna in a McLaren.

The rubber stamp for the new works has just been granted and the £100M (AU$215M) project is about to begin. There are just 17 months to go until the 2010 British Grand Prix.

Owner of Donington Park, Simon Gillett, is raring to go, “It starts in earnest now, and time to start focusing on 2010 and delivering the best grand prix in the world. That is what I’ve always said we would deliver, and that is what we are going to do.”

Interestingly, part of the deal with Gillett and his local district council is to create a sucessful traffic management plan to allow for easy access for fans. The current site is not well served by public transport and this is something that will need to be resolved. If Gillett fails to appease the council they have the power to impose an injunction thereby stopping the race.

Gillett plans to implement various park’n’ride initiatives in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas to bring racegoers to Donington Park. He will also limit the amount of on site parking available.

As with most decisions made in F1 these days there seems to be a fair amount of backroom politics going on, so it will be interesting to see how smoothly this development runs over the next 17 months.

Source: TimesOnline

Categories
Motorsports News Nissan

Nissan GT-R to lead touring cars, again

R35 Nissan GT-R

The good old days of the Nissan GT-R leading the best Australian touring cars in the land are coming back. The GT-R will be leading the way for the V8 Supercar field during 2009 after signing on to fill the vacant Safety Car position following the departure of the Chrysler 300C.

I know what you’re thinking, and no, the GT-R probably won’t be quicker than the purpose built racing Falcadores. That said, it’d be kinda fun if we were given a chance to see just how close a $150K Nissan would go against cars from the premier Australian racing category.

Rumours that Jim Richards will be driving the Safety Car in 2009 remain unconfirmed (more info after the jump).

Source: CarAdvice

Continue reading “Nissan GT-R to lead touring cars, again”
Categories
Motorsports News

Jacques Villeneuve wanted by Supercheap Racing

Supercheap Auto Racing chase Jacques Villeneuve

Melbourne’s Herald-Sun newspaper is reporting that Supercheap Auto Racing is chasing 1997 F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve to fill the seat left vacant by Paul Morris.

Morris is the team principal of Supercheap Racing and he thinks the Villeneuve deal might just come off, “This is real. Absolutely. He is pretty keen to do it,” Morris said.

“It would be the full season. Not just one race. If we can make a bit of a buzz about it then I think it can definitely happen.

“We would have to write about $2 million in sponsorship so we could run the car and pay him to drive.”

Paul Morris knows ex-Aussie Barry Green, a key member of Villeneuve’s management team, and the topic of Villeneuve in a V8 Supercar came up midway through 2008. The newspaper report claims Villeneuve was offered a drive at last year’s Bathurst enduro race but time commitments saw it fall through.

However, Morris, who is travelling to the United States next week, is keen to talk to Green again to see if a deal to bring Villeneuve to Australia can be worked out. “The next step would be to get him out here to drive the car,” he said.

Watch this space. If Villeneuve was to race in the V8 Supercar category he would certainly attract a broader motorsport audience to the series.

Source: Herald-Sun (Thanks to Chris for the tip.)

Update 10 January: There’s some great attention seeking quotes HERE from Paul Morris—he was just getting started when he said this, “We need people in there who have got profile. The current crop of drivers are more worried about where their sunglasses are sitting on top of their hat; they are all as boring as bat shit and not many of them have any real personality.”

Categories
Carmageddon Formula 1 Honda

Honda Racing F1 Team still for sale

Honda Racing F1 Team still for sale

Despite earlier reports that Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helú had saved Honda’s Formula One outfit, the British based team is still looking for a buyer.

Speaking to the Telegraph in the UK, Team Principal Ross Brawn said “We would love it if it were true, but it’s pure speculation from various members of the media. It’s just been one of those rumours which has developed a life of its own.”

However, Brawn remains hopeful a buyer is not far away, “There has been a huge amount of interest,” he said. “It’s now got to the stage where we need to filter out the serious from the not so serious. We’re all hopeful that something will happen.” It is believed two interested parties could be Indian industrialist Vijay Mallya and Prodrive’s Dave Richards, who now has more time on his hands after Subaru’s withdrawal from the WRC.

Brawn says the team is ready to start the season in late March, “We have enough funding to get us through to Melbourne and we still have a competitive package.”

Source: Telegraph.co.uk (Thanks to Lee for the tip.)

Categories
Ferrari Formula 1 Renault

Alonso could have finished Kimi’s Ferrari career

Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa - teammates in waiting?

According to a report from Diario AS, a Spanish newspaper, Fernando Alonso was offered Kimi Raikonnen’s seat at Ferrari for the 2009 Formula One season. However, Alonso’s loyalty to Renault saw him turn down the opportunity to drive alongside Felipe Massa, the report claims.

The Spanish newspaper says Ferrari’s interest came too late and Alonso did not want to leave Renault without a lead driver just three months from the start of a new season. It is believed Alonso wanted an offer from Ferrari by mid-November last year. Rumours have suggested for some time that a contract already exists for Alonso to join Ferrari for the 2010 season, after his Renault contract has expired.

The article goes on to claim that Ferrari are worried Renault will finish above them in 2009 and Ferrari’s tifosi will start asking why Alonso wasn’t secured sooner.

Source AS.com via autoblog (Picture via FernandoAlonso.com)

Categories
Audi Targa Tasmania Top Gear

AUSmotive – Best Stories 2008

AUSmotive.com

For my last post of the year, a quick reflection on my favourite stories from 2008.

Getting a world exclusive on Top Gear filming in Vietnam was right up there—thanks to Andrew for giving me the scoop on that one, it has provided some nice traffic to the site, that’s for sure, with Jalopnik and autoblog just a few to reference the story.

Sharing my experiences as a Targa Tasmania service crew member for friend and privateer entrant ‘Robbo’ was also a rewarding process to go through. All going well, I should be back on board helping out Robbo in 2009, so stay tuned for that.

Credit goes to Ross and Debra for taking me back to my youth by bringing their Audi RS2 to the Shannons German Autofest. If I made a list of the cars that have shaped my love for most things automotive the RS2 would be in the top five. Putting together that piece and seeing the car up close and personal was a real highlight.

I also enjoyed covering the MINI CHALLENGE during 2008, there were plenty of thrills and spills, and here’s to a bigger and better 2009 for the MINI team.

A special mention to Gabe and his team at MotoringFile/BimmerFile for their support, their willingness to reference both AUSmotive and AUSringers has been a great help in building up traffic.

Finally, thank you to all of the readers out there. Your comments have been great, but, please, post lots more of them! Page loads and unique visitors to the site have really grown in the last few months, a trend I hope will continue well into 2009. If you have any feedback about AUSmotive that you would like to pass on, please share your thoughts below in the comments section. Your feedback can only aid the continual improvement of this site and help me provide the content you want to read.

Thanks
Liam

Categories
Citroen News WRC

Citroën jumps to Atkinson’s aid

Citroen offers Chris Atkinson lifeline

Australia’s Chris Atkinson received a nice Christmas present recently with news Citroën will offer him a drive in the opening rally of the 2009 season.

Atkinson will drive for Citroën’s Junior Team in Rally Ireland which runs from 30 January–1 February next year. While he has only been confirmed for the one race so far, a statement on Citroën Sport’s website offers hope of more to come, “we will be joined in Ireland by Australia’s Chris Atkinson who is already a familiar face in the sport. It is our belief that our association with Chris will not stop there.”

The 29-year-old Australian driver claimed five podium finishes during the 2008 WRC season and his drive at Rally Ireland will see him behind the wheel of the championship winning C4 WRC. This will provide a great opportunity for Atkinson to benchmark himself against five-time world title winner Sebastien Loeb.

Citroën Sport’s full statement can be read below.

Continue reading “Citroën jumps to Atkinson’s aid”
Categories
Formula 1 Honda News

Honda F1 team saved by Slim’s picking?

Honda F1 saved by Carlos Slim Helu

The dreams of the Honda F1 team appear to have come true with news Mexican telecommunications billionaire Carlos Slim Helú (inset pic) has bought the team, according to a report in Italian newspaper La Stampa. Slim is reported to be the world’s second richest man and has proven experience in motorsport with his Telmex company being a long time supporter of the US based Chip Ganassi Racing.

The news is yet to be confirmed in an official capacity, and autosport.com is reporting that Slim is just one of four parties in negotiations with Honda F1 Racing.

However, according to the La Stampa article it is believed Slim paid the £1 asking price announced by Honda when confirming plans to quit Formula One. If this news comes to fruition it is likely the revitalised team will keep Britain’s Jenson Button for one of the driving positions, while the other drive will go to Brazilian Bruno Senna (pictured above during testing in November). Bruno is the nephew of F1 legend and triple world champion Ayrton Senna. This means the former Honda driver, Brazilian veteran Rubens Barichello, could be forced into retirement.

Importantly, master tactician Ross Brawn will also be kept on staff and assuming Slim throws the full weight of his finances behind the team, the F1 circus will see the welcome the addition of new privateer player on the starting grid.

Source: autoblog, AFP & autosport.com. (Thanks to Nick and Dylan for the tips.)

Categories
Motorsports News

2008 Race of Champions

Race of Champions 2008 - Sebastien Loeb and David Coulthard

The 2008 Race of Champions has been run and won. Sebastien Loeb was the winner, claiming his third ROC title. Loeb took the trophy after edging our retiring F1 stalwart David Coulthard in the third and deciding race.

For Australian viewers, Channel When are living up to their name by broadcasting highlights of the event at a date that is yet to be confirmed.

If you can’t be bothered waiting for that you can watch a few highlights below, courtesy of WorldCarFans and YouTube.

Continue reading “2008 Race of Champions”
Categories
MINI Challenge

2009 MINI CHALLENGE – Speculative calendar

2009 MINI CHALLENGE calender

I was just checking out the MINI CHALLENGE website and was interested to see this calendar listed on the site. To the best of my knowledge nothing official has been announced, but if these dates come to fruition then the second year of the Aussie MINI CHALLENGE is in for a very big year.

As you can see the first date pencilled in the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. A great way to kick off the year! The series will continue to support the V8 Supercars at most rounds, and while new events like Townsville and Homebush Bay have been added, it looks as though the iconic Bathurst round has been dropped. The MINI CHALLENGE also looks set to make a mark on the Gold Coast during the A1GP round. Wakefield Park in Goulburn also looks to have missed out on a repeat appearance for the single make series.

As with the 2008 season, expect some good television coverage courtesy of Channel 7.

AUSmotive expects changes to this calendar are likely and if you don’t see them here first, keep an eye on the official website.

Categories
MINI Challenge

2008 MINI CHALLENGE climbs the Mountain

A case of better late than never with these two clips of the Australian MINI CHALLENGE at Bathurst. Of course, Mount Panorama circuit is probbaly the best in the country, and rates pretty highly as one of the best circuits anywhere in the world. It was fitting then that the racing here was some of the best the we saw in the first year of the MINI CHALLENGE.

Held over the V8 Supercar weekend 10-12 October, these two clips contain a few highlights from the Round 6 action, including full coverage of Race 2. Just watch as Jason Bargwanna strikes to claim one of the most opportunistic wins you’re likely to see.

The second clip can be seen after the jump.

Continue reading “2008 MINI CHALLENGE climbs the Mountain”
Categories
Carmageddon News Subaru WRC

Subaru withdrawal creates World Rally Crisis

Subaru pulls out of WRC

More news to shock to the motorsport world with confirmation that Subaru has pulled out of the World Rally Championship, with immediate effect.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Executive of Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s owner), Ikuo Mori said, “Our business environment has changed dramatically due to the rapid deterioration of the global economy.”

“In order to optimise the management resources and to strengthen the Subaru brand further, Fuji Heavy decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest time,” an emotional Mori explained.

Subaru’s latest rally car only made its debut in May, at the Acropolis Rally in Greece. The company has a strong and loyal following in the WRC and it draws heavily on its rallying heritage to promote its brand. Subaru’s withdrawal leaves just two major manufacturers chasing the world title in 2009. Suzuki also quit the WRC earlier this week. Now, only Citroen and Ford remain with factory backed teams. It will be fascinating to see how the WRC copes with these latest developments.

Australia’s Chris Atkinson now joins Jenson Button in looking for a drive, after Honda’s withdrawal from Formula One.

Factory backed racing teams seem to be dropping like nine pins. With the US Government keeping its auto industry on life support, it begs the question, will Ford be next?

UPDATE: Statement from SWRT website can be read below.

UPDATE (17 December): Statement from Subaru Australia has been added to the end of this article.

Source: Reuters & Subaru World Rally Team

Continue reading “Subaru withdrawal creates World Rally Crisis”