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Citroen WRC

VIDEO: Robert Kubica crashes out of Wales Rally GB

Robert Kubica, Citroen DS3 WRC, Wales Rally GB

Robert Kubica’s debut in a WRC car hasn’t gone to plan, being forced to retire from the event after crashing out twice.

The new WRC2 champion was on the back foot from the start of the event after his co-driver, Maciek Baran, retired prior to Wales Rally GB. Kubica and Citroën drafted in Michele Ferrara to join the Pole, which brought with it the added difficulty of having his notes read to him in Italian.

It’s not really surprising to learn that misunderstandings with pace notes have been blamed for Kubica’s two accidents. In the first accident, on Friday morning (see video below), Robert’s car suffered only minor damage and he was able to re-start the rally from 36th place on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, on SS11 Kubica went off again and was forced to retire.

It’s been an awful weekend for Citroën with Mikko Hirvonen also crashing out of the event after suffering heavy impact into a muddy bank on Day 1. The crash was blamed on an error from his co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen and the resulting blow left the interior of the DS3 WRC and both crew covered in mud.

Dani Sordo is the sole remaining driver for Citroën with one day left to run in the rally. Sadly for Dani his rally was compromised from the start after being given a five minute penalty for the team using its ninth chassis for the year.

You won’t be surprised to learn that Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala are fighting for the win in their Volkswagen Polo R WRCs. We’ll bring you a full update after the rally is over.

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Ferrari Video

VIDEO: Richard Wagner drives a Ferrari 288 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

Nineteenth century composer Richard Wagner drives a Ferrari 288 GTO! Who knew? Thanks to the mysterious Tax the Rich gang we now have the video to prove it.

[Thanks to Richard for the tip]

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Formula 1 Lotus Red Bull Racing

2013 United States GP: Qualifying report

2013 United States Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel snatched P1 from Mark Webber’s hands early this morning at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, to collect his 44th career pole position.

In their final laps in Q3 Webber (1:36.441) already held provisional pole and he looked to have done enough improving by several tenths. After the first two sectors of his final lap Vettel (1:36.338) was behind Webber but the four-time world champion nailed the final sector to edge his Red Bull teammate by 0.13 seconds.

Romain Grosjean (1:37.155) was the best of the rest, putting his Lotus on P3. One of the favourites to be his teammate in 2014, Nico Hulkenberg (1:37.296) will start alongside in his Sauber. A nod to the future of Formula 1 as well, perhaps.

The third row is the best Mercedes AMG and Ferrari could muster, with Lewis Hamilton (1:37.345) to line up from fifth place and Fernando Alonso (1:37.376) from sixth. Still, they’d be much happier than their teammates who will start well down the grid. Nico Rosberg (1:38.364) didn’t make Q3 and will start from P13 and he’ll have Felipe Massa (1:38.592) alongside him, way back on the seventh row of the grid.

Sergio Perez (1:37.452) will have a wry smile after putting his McLaren well inside the top 10, with Jenson Button (1:38.217) qualifying thirteenth, but sent back three place for passing under a red flag in FP1; he’ll now start from P16.

Heikki Kovalainen (1:37.715) did pretty much what was asked by Lotus and he will line up from P8, with Valtteri Bottas (1:37.836) and Esteban Gutierrez (1:38.034) rounding out the top 10.

Daniel Ricciardo (1:38.131) just missed Q3 and will start from P11, four places ahead of his Toro Rosso teammate, Jean-Eric Vergne (1:38.696), who moved up one place to P15 following Button’s penalty.

“Overall, I am pretty happy with eleventh, which is clearly very close to making the cut to Q3,” said Ricciardo. “Now I’m looking forward to the race: I’m just outside the top 10, I’m on the clean side of the track and I get a free tyre choice.”

Due to the time difference back to the United States the FIA hasn’t got the press conference transcript available just yet, but it can’t be far away. In the meantime you can see the full starting positions for tomorrow’s race after the break.

UPDATE: Word just through from race stewards that Esteban Gutierrez has been given a 10-spot grid penalty for impeding traffic in Q1. That puts him back to P20 for the race. Max Chilton has also been penalised with a drive-through penalty which must be served in the first five laps of the race.

UPDATE #2: The post-qualifying press conference transcript has now been added.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1 Lotus

Heikki Kovalainen says yes to Kimi’s sloppy seconds

Heikki Kovalainen

Nico Hulkenberg: No.
Michael Schumacher: No.
Heikki Kovalainen: Yes!

At last, Lotus has announced who will fill-in for the injured Kimi Raikkonen at the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix. After a couple of false starts, Heikki Kovalainen is the man. The 32-year-old Finn will enjoy a popular return to the grid after previous stints with Renault (now Lotus F1 Team, 2004–07), McLaren (2008–09), Lotus (now Caterham, 2010–12).

Lotus is currently on 297 points in the Constructors’ Championship; behind Ferrari (323) and Mercedes AMG (334). Team Principal, Eric Boullier, explains experience outweighed the exuberance of youth at this late stage in the season.

“On the one hand we had our reserve driver Davide Valsecchi—who is a talented young driver that has shown a great deal of promise—and on the other we had the opportunity to bring in a seasoned Formula 1 competitor in Heikki,” Boullier said.

“Whilst we have every faith in Davide’s abilities, we are obviously involved in a tight Constructors’ Championship battle, so it was decided that the experience Heikki could bring to the team would be invaluable as we aim to finish the year in the best position possible.

“We must thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for their professional conduct in allowing Heikki to join us for the final races of this season.”

Heikki is just happy to be back on the grid and we hope it goes well for him.

“Jumping into a car so late in the year when you have not been competing in the races all season will be a challenge,” Kovalainen said. “But I know the team at Enstone well so I have no concerns about getting up to speed.

“This is a great opportunity for me, so I would like to thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for allowing me to take advantage of it.”

Continue reading “Heikki Kovalainen says yes to Kimi’s sloppy seconds”
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Formula 1 McLaren

Kevin Magnussen to drive for McLaren in 2014

Kevin Magnussen, McLaren

We knew it was coming and yesterday’s announcement from Sergio Perez gave McLaren the freedom to confirm Kevin Magnussen will drive for the team in 2014.

The 21-year-old Dane, son of former F1 driver Jan Magnussen, won the Formula Renault 3.5 championship this year and has already immersed himself into the McLaren way.

“I’ll put it simply: this team is the best,” he said. “It’s been my dream to drive for McLaren ever since I was a small kid, and it’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve dedicated almost every day of my life to achieving the goal of becoming a McLaren Formula 1 driver.”

Magnussen is also looking forward to working with Jenson Button, 12 years his senior. “In Jenson, I have absolutely the ideal team-mate,” added Magnussen. “He’s extremely quick, obviously, but he’s also very experienced and superbly capable from a technical perspective. He’s a Formula 1 world champion, which is what one day I also hope to become, and I’m determined to learn as much as I can from him.”

As you would expect, McLaren Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh has high hopes for his young charge, saying Magnussen “is clearly very talented and very determined, and we therefore have high hopes for him. Moreover, every time he’s tested our Formula 1 car, he’s been very quick and very methodical, and his feedback has been first-class.

“Furthermore, the manner in which he won this year’s World Series by Renault 3.5 Championship was truly outstanding, showcasing as it did not only his impressive natural pace but also his increasing maturity and ability to structure and manage a championship campaign.”

McLaren’s full statement is available after the break.

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Categories
BMW

BMW Australia to price M235i from $79,900

BMW M235i

EXCLUSIVE

BMW Australia is arming its dealers with pricing and specification details for the forthcoming 2 Series Coupe. Local allocations will begin production in January 2014, meaning you could start seeing them in showrooms by March, possibly late February.

Let’s get straight into it then, thanks to a reliable tip-off, we can reveal there’ll be three 2 Series models offered in Australia:

BMW 220i Coupe – $50,500*
BMW 220d Coupe – $52,500*
BMW M235i Coupe – $79,900*
*Manufacturer’s list pricing (includes GST & LCT), correct at time of publication.

We’ll focus on the M235i for now. Costing well over 80-grand driveaway, at full retail price, we’re seeing the reality of BMW’s aim of placing a higher premium on the 2 Series Coupe compared with the 1 Series hatch. The M135i currently has a list price of $64,900 and $15,000 buys a lot of options. On the other hand you get an extra 5kW and a pretty face in the M235i.

Like the F20 M135i, standard pricing for the F22 M235i includes the well received 8-speed auto transmission. Other base equipment includes Professional navigation, extended Bluetooth connectivity, Cruise Control with braking function and dual zone climate control.

Crucially, for performance-minded buyers, the M235i pricing will position it in between the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG hatchback ($74,990) and four-door CLA 45 AMG ($86,900).

Further details for the Australian 2 Series range can be found after the break.

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Categories
Formula 1 Lotus

Michael Schumacher rejects last-gasp Lotus offer

2012 Brazilian Grand Prix

The chase for a replacement driver to cover for Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus has taken another dramatic twist with revelations 44-year-old Michael Schumacher was offered a chance at a second comeback to Formula 1.

Schumacher, who retired from F1 a second time after the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, has declined the two-race offer. Lotus is apparently unwilling to promote its reserve driver, Davide Valsecchi, and Nico Hulkenberg has already knocked back Lotus. It’s now expected Heikki Kovalainen will stand-in for Kimi in Austin and Sao Paulo.

Sabine Kehm, Michael’s manager, confirmed the offer from Lotus: “It is true they were asking and I can understand why. Everyone can see Michael is still very fit.

“I think it is fair to assume Michael would still be strong but he has happily settled in his new life.”

So was this a desperate move from Lotus, or do you think Michael could have made a valuable contribution?

[Source: BBC | Pic: Mercedes AMG]

Categories
McLaren Motorsports Video

Would you say no to the McLaren MP4-12C GT3?

McLaren MP4-12C GT3

Chris Harris was offered an impromptu drive of a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 and, for our benefit, of course, he cancelled his plans and took to the track. He discovered the brakes are first class, but the car’s front-end didn’t talk to him like he thought it might. A connection to the MP4-12C road car? Not so much.

Watch the video after the break to see if he enjoyed himself.

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Categories
Formula 1 McLaren

Sergio Perez confirms McLaren departure

Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez has released a dignified statement confirming he will leave McLaren at the end of the 2013 Formula 1 season:

Sergio Perez says goodbye to McLaren

First of all, I would like to thank McLaren for giving me the opportunity to be with them this season. It has been an honour for me to have been in one of the most competitive teams in the sport and I do not regret even a bit having joined them. I have always given the best of me for the team and still despite this I could not achieve what I aimed for in this historic team.

I am committed to delivering very good results in these last two races, especially in Austin. I am so much looking forward to see all my people gathered together, feel their energy and show them the best of me. I would like to say to every single one of my fans around the world and in my country that I am eternally grateful to them. They have never let me down, especially in difficult moments like these. I truly appreciate their support, they have never forgotten me.

I have met a lot of new people at McLaren and I have made many good friends as well. From the top management level to the marketing, accounting and engineering departments to the mechancics, the cooks, the catering people and basically everyone on the team, I am eternally grateful to them. It has been a learning experience to me.

I would like to wish the team the very best in the future. I will always be a fan of McLaren. In the meanwhile I will be looking at my future to ensure my position in the best possible package to fight for wins.

Thanks to McLaren and all of its partners for this season, you can rest assured that I will never give up.

It’s a harsh business F1 and despite results not matching expectations, for driver or team, it would seem as though Perez has not been given enough time to prove himself at McLaren.

Perez’s announcement paves the way for McLaren to officially announce 21-year-old Danish driver Kevin Magnussen as the driver who will race alongside Jenson Button in 2014. Expect that confirmation to come after this weekend’s race in Austin.

[Source: sergioperez.mx | Pic: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes]

Categories
Formula 1

Has Bernie sold an F1 slot to Mororcco for $600m?

Bernie Ecclestone with the King of Morocco Mohammed VI

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, Bernie walks into mine.”

They’re probably not the words used by the King of Morocco Mohammed VI, but after meeting with Bernie at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it’s being reported the F1 supremo has negotiated a gig for Mororcco to appear on the already crowded Formula 1 calendar.

Speculation began following a testimony given by Eccelstone earlier this week while answering bribery claims in the British High Court.

The court was presented minutes of a 2004 Formula 1 board meeting where it was alleged Ecclestone requested a press release to be issued confirming his job security.

“I travel the world making business on a handshake,” explained Eccelstone. “And all of a sudden I’m no longer in any position to do anything, so who would want to accept my signature on a contract?”

And here’s where the $600m handshake came up. “I’ve just signed a contract now for 600 million-odd with people over the weekend,” he added. “I can’t do that if people think I’m going to be fired in the morning.”

Bernie charges around $40m per year for a country to host an F1 race and with the fee increasing year on a year a new 10-year deal would come in around that $600m mark.

The link to Morocco is the photo above and Bernie revealing late last year he has previously held talks about taking F1 to the north African country.

“I met the king of Morocco a couple of years ago and talked about F1,” Ecclestone confirmed, before adding, “what reason would it be good for us? The manufacturers are not selling anything there. How many people would come?”

[Source: Autoweek | Pic: AP Photo/Luca Bruno]

Categories
Formula 1

Hulkenberg says no to Kimi’s sloppy seconds

2013 Korean Grand Prix

Kimi Raikkonen’s hurty back has given Lotus an empty racecar for the next two grands prix and word is the team has offered the drive to Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg. Despite being one of the favourites to replace Kimi on a full-time basis in 2014 Hulkenberg has turned down the chance to fill in for Raikkonen in the US and Brazil.

Hulkenberg’s manager, Werner Heinz, told Bild, “We had an offer from Lotus, are available and have discussed about it. But we decided that Nico will drive the last two races with Sauber.”

Isn’t it nice to see such loyalty in F1 these days. Let’s forget for a moment that Nico shares an empty wallet with Kimi, thanks to Sauber’s own financial plight and that contractual issues might have made a late season switch problematic for Hulkenberg.

What we do want to know, though, is can we now put a line through Hulkenberg’s name on the shortlist of drivers in the sights of the Lotus F1 Team for 2014?

And in a late development it looks like Caterham reserve driver and former F1 regular Heikki Kovalainen is willing to answer Lotus’ SOS and lap up Kimi’s sloppy seconds.

[Source: Adam Cooper | Pic: Sauber Motorsport AG]

Categories
McLaren

The McLaren P1 really sells out this time

McLaren P1

We don’t mean sells out in the sense that McLaren has loaned out its P1 hypercar to Big Ted for review purposes, or that it’s the subject of a fairy tale Nürburgring lap record, we mean all 375 examples of the 903hp hybrid have been sold.

Which just goes to show that McLaren’s marketing team knows a lot more about the car game than us. As if you needed any proof.

Buyers in all markets around the world, except Europe, had been keen to make fools of us early and they got busy signing cheques ages ago. But the Europeans had to make sure they still had a pay cheque coming in before they could commit to buying the very desirable P1. Which they have now done.

Well done McLaren and well done to the 375 buyers who got their name on an order form. Would any of you like to give us a drive?

[Source: Autocar]