Sunday, March 31, 2013

2013 Car Launches: Force India launch VJM06 at Silverstone (+Pictures)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/GLjDQOSVcFE/2013-car-launches-force-india-launch.html

Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham Jack BrabhamÜ Bill Brack

Brown's motorsports marketing company for sale

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/31/2792138/browns-motorsports-marketing-company.html

Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne

Karthikeyan Makes Surprise F1 Return With HRT

Narain Karthikeyan has made a surprise return to Formula One after being announced as one of Hispania HRT’s drivers for the 2011 season. The Indian driver was unveiled as the first racer to be working with the Spanish based squad, who look likely to enter into a second season of racing despite on-going financial concerns. [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/karthikeyan-makes-surprise-f1-return-with-hrt/

JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger

Hamlin sidelined for six weeks due to back injury

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/27/2783296/hamlin-sidelined-for-six-weeks.html

Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams

Alonso and Massa at Ferrari Challenge Finals in Cheste (Pictures)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/KLdQX5WXw1g/alonso-and-massa-at-ferrari-challenge.html

Christian Danner Jorge Daponte Anthony Davidson Jimmy Davies Colin Davis

2012 Brazilian GP: Button wins, Vettel clinches third Championship Title

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/-N6qyASmiLE/2012-brazilian-gp-button-wins-vettel.html

Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham Jack BrabhamÜ

Vettel goes from fan favorite to villain

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/28/2785216/vettel-goes-from-fan-favorite.html

Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni

Vettel will get faster and faster... but will he be able to overtake?

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/10/vettel-will-get-faster-and-faster-but-will-he-be-able-to-overtake.html

Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot

Malaysian Grand Prix ?has put us on the map? ? PM | F1 Fanatic round-up

Malaysian Grand Prix ‘has put us on the map’ – PM is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Malaysian GP raising country's profile ? Pic doesn't regret leaving Marussia ? Villeneuve warns Vettel over team orders

Malaysian Grand Prix ‘has put us on the map’ – PM is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/Q4atIWUS_S8/

Ivan Capelli Piero Carini Duane Carter Eugenio Castellotti Johnny Cecotto

Journalists shocked at Korea award


Scarecrows adorn the entrance to a barren Korean International Circuit © Getty Images
Two leading Formula One journalists have expressed their surprise at Korea being named the best grand prix promoter of the season at the FIA?s annual prize gala in Monaco last Friday. The Korean Grand Prix received the Race Promoters' Trophy despite the event taking place at an incomplete facility with few race fans in attendance and team members and media staying at disparagingly dubbed 'love hotels'. "Korea. Korea? KOREA??!! I must have been somewhere else," said Times correspondent Kevin Eason on Twitter. Daily Mirror journalist Byron Young added, "The Korean GP, complete with event and flight chaos, shoddy hotels and things I won't mention, won the race promotors? trophy. Why?"

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/12/journalists_shocked_at_korea_a.php

Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber Skip Barber

Saturday, March 30, 2013

An entertaining Top-10 list to Challenge Your Knowledge of Aristocracy...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/zBc6zhFGEvk/an-entertaining-top-10-list-to.html

Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca Phil Cade Alex Caffi

Grosjean: Budget a priority for Lotus | F1 Fanatic round-up

Grosjean: Budget a priority for Lotus is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Grosjean says money is "key" for Lotus ? Whitmarsh untroubled by criticism ? Vettel becomes Infiniti "performance director"

Grosjean: Budget a priority for Lotus is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/Wp03L74qwOY/

George Constantine John Cordts David Coulthard Piers Courage Chris Craft

Why Mark Webber?s next move may be from Casey Stoner?s playbook | 2013 F1 season

Why Mark Webber’s next move may be from Casey Stoner’s playbook is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

The Malaysian Grand Prix row marked a new low in Mark Webber's relationship with team mate Sebastian Vettel. But he has more than that on his mind.

Why Mark Webber’s next move may be from Casey Stoner’s playbook is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/_FUUZC4qwHE/

Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen

Doctors use Formula One pit crews as safety model

American Medical News reports hospitals in at least a dozen countries are learning how to translate the split-second timing and near-perfect synchronisation of Formula One pit crews to the high-risk handoffs of patients from surgery to recovery and intensive care.
"In Formula One, they have checklists, databases, and they have well-defined processes for doing things, and we don't really have any of those things in health care."

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/doctors_use_formula_one_pit_cr.php

Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick

Alonso and Hamilton ?would have done the same as Vettel? ? Horner | 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

Alonso and Hamilton ‘would have done the same as Vettel’ – Horner is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

"If Alonso or Hamilton had been in that position they'd have done the same... let's not kid ourselves that this is something unique to Sebastian."

Alonso and Hamilton ‘would have done the same as Vettel’ – Horner is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/Vrj0XHRXgxQ/

Jack BrabhamÜ Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca

Marussia Virgin Racing Launch Their 2011 Car

Marussia Virgin Racing have launched their car to take on the 2011 world championship in a lavish London ceremony. The Marussia name now preceeds Virgin following a major tie up with the Russian sportscar manufacturer and the team at the end of 2010. �It has led to the new car being designated as the MVR-02. [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/marussia-virgin-racing-launch-their-2011-car/

Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen

F1: Vettel Surprised By Reaction, Says Horner

'He probably underestimated the effect of his actions,' says Christian Horner of Sebastian Vettel disobeying a team order...

Source: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-sebastian-vettel-surprised-by-reaction-says-christian-horner/

Johnny Claes David Clapham Jim ClarkÜ Kevin Cogan Peter Collins

Fisker furloughs workforce, trying to save cash - report

Fisker has furloughed their entire U.S. workforce in an effort to save cash.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/i0ge44wo3X0/fisker-furloughs-workforce-trying-to-save-cash---report

Jim ClarkÜ Kevin Cogan Peter Collins Bernard Collomb Alberto Colombo

Penske: Time to move on from Logano-Hamlin dustup

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/27/2783483/penske-time-to-move-on-from-logano.html

Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer

Lexus moves to trademark the GS F moniker

Lexus has downplayed the possibility of a GS F, but the company appears to be keeping their options open as they have filed a trademark for the moniker in the United States.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/A2PHdg-yHio/lexus-moves-to-trademark-the-gs-f-moniker

Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson

2014 Scion tC debuts in New York [videos]

Scion has introduced the 2014 tC at the New York Auto Show. It features revised styling and an upgraded interior.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/_NDcpaI_Byg/2014-scion-tc-debuts-in-new-york-videos

JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler Pedro Diniz Duke Dinsmore Frank Dochnal

Vettel?s Two-headed Coin...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/Xer_s01wvyQ/vettels-two-headed-coin.html

Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger

Friday, March 29, 2013

DRIVEN: Ford C-Max Raises Hybrid Ante

The new gas/electric car blends car, crossover and minivan classes in a fuel miser with superior drivability and accommodations.

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/driven-ford-c-max-raises-hybrid-ante/

Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo

Ecclestone defends Vettel after latest apology | F1 Fanatic round-up

Ecclestone defends Vettel after latest apology is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Ecclestone says Vettel was right... ? ....as Malaysian GP winner apologies again ? Vergne 'dropped back to avoid crash'

Ecclestone defends Vettel after latest apology is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/wXSkYEji2CM/

Colin Davis Jimmy Daywalt JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler Pedro Diniz

Vettel set for titles aplenty


© Daily Telegraph
Tom Cary says in his column in the Daily Telegraph that the man dubbed ?Baby Schumi? has plenty of time to match or even surpass his compatriot?s record haul of seven world titles after he cinched his first in the Abu Dhabi night.
?Here, after all, is a young man, already dubbed ?Baby Schumi? by Germany?s tabloid press, winning the first of what will presumably be multiple world championships, and all at the tender age of 23. Plenty of time yet to match Schumacher's incredible haul of seven world titles. And yet, their phenomenal ability to drive racing cars apart, there is little similarity between the two men. ?There are still lingering doubts over his racing ability but with such blistering qualifying pace he is nearly always leading from the front anyway. Vettel is set for multiple world championships. Just don?t call him Baby Schumi.?
The Guardian?s Paul Weaver says it was difficult to begrudge Vettel his moment of glory after he won the first of what will be many world titles. He also looks back at some of the season?s highlights.
?An amazing Formula One season produced its final twist here on Sunday when Sebastian Vettel, who had never led the title race, won his first world championship. It is difficult to begrudge him his glory, for he had more poles (10) than any other driver and shared the most wins (five) with Fernando Alonso. There will be red faces as well as red cars and overalls at Ferrari, though, for deciding to bring their man in when they did, only to see him re-emerge into heavy traffic. ?Among the highlights, and every race felt like a highlight after the bore-start in Bahrain, there was that wonderful beginning to his McLaren career by Jenson Button, who won two of his first four races, even though he couldn't keep up the pace, especially in qualifying. ?Hamilton once again drove his heart out, and outperformed a car that looked a little too ordinary at times. He was superb in Montreal. Then there was Webber, the Anglophile Aussie who was the favourite among most neutrals to win the title. There was that spectacular crash when he ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen and the most famous of his four wins, at Silverstone, when he said to his team at the end of the race: 'Not bad for a No2 driver.' ?But in the end there was only one German who mattered. It was the remarkable Vettel. This will be the first of a clutch of championships for him.?
The Independent?s David Tremayne focuses on the plight of the other title contenders, writing it is easier to feel more sorry for one than the other.
?It was impossible not to feel for both Webber and Alonso. Yet while a frustrated Alonso gestured at Petrov after the race, the Australian, predictably, refused to complain about his pitstop timing. ?A world championship seemed an inevitable part of Sebastian Vettel's future, but it came a little sooner than most expected, after his recent tribulations. You wouldn't bet against several more, and if that record-breaking streak continues, perhaps even Schumacher's achievements will be overshadowed.?
And the Mirror?s Byron Young elaborates further on the petulant behaviour of Fernando Alonso on his slowing down lap after his title dreams ended behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov.
?Fernando Alonso was hurled into more controversy last night for a wild gesture at the former Lada racer who cost him the title. But the Spaniard brushed off accusations he gave Russian Vitaly Petrov the finger for ruining his title hopes by blocking him for 40 laps as they duelled over sixth place. "The Ferrari ace was caught on television cruising alongside the Renault driver on the slowing down lap and gesticulating from the cockpit. Petrov was unrepentant: "What was I supposed to do? Just get out of his way, pull to the side? I don't think that is how we race. It was important for the team for me to get points."

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/vettel_set_for_titles_aplenty_1.php

Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham

F1 2012 Championship Standings after United States GP

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/ihD5XwEJ6UA/f1-2012-championship-standings-after_19.html

Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown

NASCAR's France pleased with season and Gen-6 car

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/27/2783760/nascars-france-pleased-with-season.html

Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan Clemar Bucci

Ferrari drivers understand team comes first, says Domenicali

Stefano Domenicali says that managing two competitive drivers it?s not easy ? but stresses that Ferrari?s drivers are mature enough to understand that the team comes first. Ferrari has not been without team order controversies in the past, and with … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2013/03/26/ferrari-drivers-understand-team-comes-first-says-domenicali/

Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi

TexxArse Twister - Austin does F1 in style: Part III

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/R7SH2ARufEY/texxarse-twister-austin-does-f1-in_14.html

Bob Christie Johnny Claes David Clapham Jim ClarkÜ Kevin Cogan

No frills India set to thrill

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/10/no-frills-india-set-to-thrill.html

Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to miss at least six weeks

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/26/2782068/nascar-driver-denny-hamlin-to.html

Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler

Lewis wants to see US night race

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/10/lewis-wants-to-see-us-night-race.html

Colin Chapman Dave Charlton Pedro Matos Chaves Bill Cheesbourg Eddie Cheever

No need for a flux capacitor - just go to Goodwood

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/09/no-need-for-a-flux-capacitor---just-go-to-goodwood.html

Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder

Hyundai HND-9 Concept revealed - previews new Genesis Coupe

Hyundai has presented the HND-9 Concept at the 2013 Seoul Motor Show this week. Serves as a preview for the next-gen Genesis Coupe.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/D4sR8m0Qq0I/hyundai-hnd-9-concept-revealed

Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham

Thursday, March 28, 2013

TexxArse Twister - Austin does F1 in style: Part II

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/R2bnfzrG5E0/texxarse-twister-austin-does-f1-in.html

Jimmy Bryan Clemar Bucci Ronnie Bucknum Ivor Bueb Sebastien Buemi

Queen of Dance...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/9fii8wJjHNw/queen-of-dance.html

Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler

Life in the pit lane


The Mercedes pit crew prepare for Michael Schumacher in Singapore © Getty Images
Away from the world of multi-million-pound car development laboratories and drivers whose small change takes care of the Monte Carlo harbour fees, another drama will play out in Singapore this week. The Independent's David Tremayne joins F1's unsung heroes.
These are not select millionaires but up to 16 ordinary, yet gifted, guys; team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, are paid real-world wages of between �30,000 and �50,000 a year, are drilled to perfection ? and whose split-second synchronisation brings their teams huge rewards.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/life_in_the_pit_lane.php

Andrea de Cesaris Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok

Scion celebrates 10th anniversary in New York with five special editions

Scion is celebrating their 10th anniversary by introducing a variety of 10 Series models at the New York Auto Show.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/MqIS9V-ikiY/scion-celebrates-10th-anniversary-in-new-york-with-five

Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham Jack BrabhamÜ Bill Brack

SIX Possible Replacements For Mark Webber At Red Bull

What a few seasons the Red Bull team and Sebastian Vettel have experienced, winning three consecutive Drivers? and Constructors? Championships. But will it soon be time for Vettel?s team-mate Mark Webber to move on? The Aussie is about to enter his seventh season with the Milton Keynes based team, in which time he has achieved [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/XlWYGPowbbw/six-possible-replacements-for-mark-webber-at-red-bull

Gary Brabham Jack BrabhamÜ Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla

Vettel takes over at the top

As Sebastian Vettel put down his winner’s trophy after holding it up in celebration on the Korean Grand Prix podium, Fernando Alonso tapped him on the back and reached out to shake his hand. It was a symbolic reflection of the championship lead being handed from one to the other.

After three consecutive victories for Vettel and Red Bull, the last two of which have been utterly dominant, it does not look as though Alonso is going to be getting it back.

Alonso will push to the end, of course, and he made all the right noises after the race, talking about Ferrari “moving in the right direction” and only needing “a little step to compete with Red Bull”.

“Four beautiful races to come with good possibilities for us to fight for the championship,” he said, adding: “Now we need to score seven points more than Sebastian. That will be extremely tough but we believe we can do it.”

Alonso (left) and Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel won the Korean GP by finishing ahead of team-mate Mark Webber and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso (left). Photo: Reuters

Indeed, a couple of hours after the race, Alonso was quoting samurai warrior-philosophy again on his Twitter account, just as he had in Japan a week before.

"I've never been able to win from start to finish,” he wrote. “I only learned not to be left behind in any situation."

Fighting against the seemingly inevitable is his only option. The facts are that the Ferrari has been slower than the Red Bull in terms of outright pace all year, and there is no reason to suspect anything different in the final four races of the season.

Vettel’s victory in Korea was utterly crushing in the manner of so many of his 11 wins in his dominant 2011 season. The Red Bull has moved on to another level since Singapore and Vettel, as he always does in that position, has gone with it.

Up and down the pit lane, people are questioning how Red Bull have done it, and a lot of attention has fallen on the team’s new ‘double DRS’ system.

This takes an idea introduced in different form by Mercedes at the start the season and, typically of Red Bull’s design genius Adrian Newey, applies it in a more elegant and effective way.

It means that when the DRS overtaking aid is activated – and its use is free in practice and qualifying – the car benefits from a greater drag reduction, and therefore more straight-line speed than its rivals.

Vettel has been at pains to emphasise that this does not help Red Bull in the race, when they can only use the DRS in a specified zone when overtaking other cars. But that’s not the whole story.

The greater drag reduction in qualifying means that the team can run the car with more downforce than they would otherwise be able to – because the ‘double DRS’ means they do not suffer the normal straight-line speed deficit of doing so.

That means the car’s overall lap time is quicker, whether in race or qualifying. So although the Red Bull drivers can’t use the ‘double DRS’ as a lap-time aid in the actual grands prix, they are still benefiting from having it on the car.

And they are not at risk on straights in the race because the extra overall pace, from the greater downforce, means they are far enough ahead of their rivals for them not to be able to challenge them, let alone overtake them. As long as they qualify at the front, anyway.

It’s not all down to the ‘double DRS’, though. McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe said in Korea: “They appear to have made a good step on their car. I doubt that is all down to that system. I doubt if a lot of it is down to that system, actually. You’ll probably find it’s just general development.”

BBC F1 technical analyst Gary Anderson will go into more details on this in his column on Monday. Whatever the reasons for it, though, Red Bull’s rediscovered dominant form means Alonso is in trouble.

While Red Bull have been adding great chunks of performance to their car, Ferrari have been fiddling around with rear-wing design, a relatively small factor in overall car performance.

They have admitted they are struggling with inconsistency between the results they are getting in testing new parts in their wind tunnel and their performance on the track, so it is hard to see how they will close the gap on a Red Bull team still working flat out on their own updates.

The Ferrari has proved adaptable and consistent, delivering strong performances at every race since a major upgrade after the first four grands prix of the year.

But the only time Alonso has had definitively the quickest car is when it has been raining. It is in the wet that he took one of his three wins, and both his poles.

But he cannot realistically expect it to rain in the next three races in Delhi, Abu Dhabi and Austin, Texas. And after that only Brazil remains. So Alonso is effectively hoping for Vettel to hit problems, as he more or less admitted himself on Sunday.

How he must be ruing the bad breaks of those first-corner retirements in Belgium and Japan – even if they did effectively only cancel out Vettel’s two alternator failures in Valencia and Monza.

If anyone had reason on Sunday to regret what might have been, though, it was Lewis Hamilton, who has driven fantastically well all season only to be let down by his McLaren team in one way or another.

Hamilton, his title hopes over, wasted no time in pointing out after the race in Korea that the broken anti-roll bar that dropped him from fourth to 10th was the second suspension failure in as many races, and a broken gearbox robbed him of victory at the previous race in Singapore.

Operational problems in the early races of the season also cost him a big chunk of points.

Hamilton wears his heart on his sleeve, and in one off-the-cuff remark to Finnish television after the race, he revealed a great deal about why he has decided to move to Mercedes next year.

“It’s a day to forget,” Hamilton said. “A year to forget as well. I’m looking forward to a fresh start next year.”

In other words, I’ve had enough of four years of not being good enough, for various reasons, and I might as well try my luck elsewhere.

There was another post-race comment from Hamilton, too, that said an awful lot. “I hope Fernando keeps pushing,” he said.

Hamilton did not reply when asked directly whether that meant he wanted Alonso to win the title. But you can be sure that remark is a reflection of Hamilton’s belief that he is better than Vettel, that only Alonso is his equal.

Whether that is a correct interpretation of the standing of the three best drivers in the world, it will take more than this season to tell.

In the meantime, if Alonso and Ferrari are not to be mistaken in their belief that they still have a chance, “keeping pushing” is exactly what they must do. Like never before.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/10/as_sebastian_vettel_put_down.html

Jorge Daponte Anthony Davidson Jimmy Davies Colin Davis Jimmy Daywalt

Gone Green Sea Turtles spotting!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/jesrCJkDbuQ/gone-green-sea-turtles-spotting.html

Art Cross Geoff Crossley Chuck Daigh Yannick Dalmas Derek Daly

Robert Kubica Hospitalised Following Rally Accident

UPDATE ON KUBICA’s CONDITION: �http://wp.me/p3uiu-11K Renault Lotus F1 driver Robert Kubica has been airlifted to hospital following a car accident while competing on a rally. The incident, described as a high speed accident, left the Pole injured and he had to be airlifted to hospital. �His co-driver Jakub Gerber was uninjured in the incident. While [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/robert-kubica-hospitalised-following-rally-accident/

Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell

Audi A3 / S3 sedan - photo album

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/YsK8Di69EA4/audi-a3--s3-sedan

Ivor Bueb Sebastien Buemi Luiz Bueno

Hamlin diagnosed with compression fracture in back

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/25/2779081/hamlin-diagnosed-with-compression.html

Sebastien Buemi Luiz Bueno Ian Burgess Luciano Burti Roberto Bussinello

Q2: What a shower!

Nico Rosberg set the fastest time of the Q2 session in Kuala Lumpur, but the session was a little odd as rain arrived in the middle and so the men who got through were those who had had their runs and got it right. The rest had no chance. Mark Webber was three-tenths down on [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/q2-what-a-shower/

Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

2013 Car Launches: Lotus launch the new E21 (+Pictures)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/wY9dQf6IVwk/2013-car-launches-lotus-launch-new-e21.html

Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa Bob Bondurant

Vettel celebrates third consecutive drivers? crown in Graz (Pictures+Video)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/w-nyQW9Ar3Q/vettel-celebrates-third-consecutive.html

Jimmy Bryan Clemar Bucci Ronnie Bucknum Ivor Bueb Sebastien Buemi

Time running out for Alonso

As Sebastian Vettel headed down the pit lane after winning the Indian Grand Prix, team-mate Mark Webber's Red Bull behind gave him a couple of little nudges as they headed to their correct parking places.

"I switched off the car," Vettel said. "I was told to park the car under the podium and I couldn't remember where it was from last year and Mark gave me a little bit of a push."

He added that he thought it was his "only mistake" of the day, which sounds about right.

The victory was his fourth in a row, a new achievement for the German despite his domination on the way to the world championship last year, and he has now led every racing lap since Lewis Hamilton's McLaren retired from the lead of the Singapore Grand Prix four races ago.

It also moves Vettel to one win short of the tally of Sir Jackie Stewart. At this rate, Vettel will not only pass the Scot's number of victories before the end of the year but join him as a three-time world champion as well.

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Vettel is still only 13 points ahead of his only remaining realistic rival, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, which is less than a driver earns for a third place, but it is the scale of Red Bull's current superiority that has led many to suspect the battle is already effectively over.

Vettel was fastest in every practice session in India and took yet another pole position. After the German's crushing wins in Japan and Korea, the only surprise at the Buddh International Circuit was that Red Bull's margin over the rest of the field was smaller than expected in qualifying.

In the race, though, Vettel was completely untouchable.

In the first 20 laps, he was not that much faster than team-mate Mark Webber in second place, and the Australian was being pretty much matched by Alonso.

But then Vettel cut loose, suddenly lapping 0.5 seconds faster than before. Team boss Christian Horner admitted that, not sure about tyre wear, Vettel had simply been measuring his pace in the opening third of the race.

Ferrari and McLaren both appeared to be in better shape after the single pit stops, more comfortable on the 'hard' tyre than the 'soft', but even then it was clear Vettel was in total control.

For the dispassionate observer wanting to see close racing, Red Bull's current form may be depressing, but it is hard not to admire what they have achieved this season.

For the first time in two years, they started the championship without a dominant car, and although they had strong race pace they were struggling to qualify at the front - the position from which they used to crush their opposition in 2011.

But they have worked away diligently at a series of upgrades aimed at allowing them to run the car as they did last year, and the breakthrough came in Singapore.

Further modifications came on stream in Japan and Korea and now Red Bull have a car that on pure pace is out of reach of their rivals.

It is the qualifying pace that is the key - start at the front and you can run in clear air, dictate the pace of the race, and are not affected by the turbulence of other cars. In this position, Vettel is close to unbeatable.

The start of the season, when there were seven different winners in seven races, seems a very long time ago.

Red Bull are a brilliant team, managed without compromise by Christian Horner and led by a genius designer in Adrian Newey, working in perfect harmony with a great driver. In many ways, it is similar to the way Lotus boss Colin Chapman and Jim Clark dominated the mid-1960s.

How they have done it, BBC F1 technical analyst Gary Anderson has expanded on in his column. For now, the problem for their rivals is what to do about it.

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Alonso was as impressive in India as he has been all season, aggressive and inch perfect in the opening laps as he fought past both McLaren drivers, and relentless in his pursuit of Webber for second place.

The fact that the Spaniard passed the Australian was down to a degree of luck, it has to be said. Webber's Kers power-boost system was working only intermittently, and crucially he got held up behind some backmarkers, allowing Alonso to close to within one second - which meant he was within the margin that allows use of the DRS overtaking aid.

Once there, it took only two laps for Alonso to pass Webber, who without Kers, was defenceless on the long straight against a Ferrari with better straight-line speed anyway, and also employing Kers and DRS.

Nevertheless, to even keep the Red Bulls honest was quite an achievement by Alonso - no-one else was even close.

If there is such a thing as a driver 'deserving' the world title more than another, most people in F1 would say Alonso has been the stand-out competitor of the year.

As Lewis Hamilton put it in India: "Fernando unfortunately doesn't have as quick a car as Sebastian; it's nothing to do with his driving skills, that's for sure."

F1, though, is not purely a drivers' championship - he has to have a car, and at the moment Alonso is fighting an unequal battle with inferior equipment.

And in any case, Alonso himself would undoubtedly say that the driver who ends the season with the most points is the deserving champion.

Red Bull are now virtually certain to clinch a third consecutive constructors' title - indeed they seem likely to do so in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

For all Vettel's recent domination, though, in purely mathematical terms the drivers' championship remains wide open.

Thirteen points sounds a decent amount but the margin between Vettel and Alonso is, in F1's old scoring system abandoned only at the end of 2009, the equivalent of less than four points.

One retirement by Vettel, or a marginal improvement in the performance of Ferrari in the final three races, could tip the balance back in Alonso's favour. Time, though, is running out.

Alonso said on Sunday that the team did have improvements due in the next three races, and there was a hint in some of the other things he said over the weekend that the team expect them to amount to something more substantial than Ferrari have introduced for a while.

McLaren sporting director Sam Michael said on Sunday evening: "The performance can swing from one track to the other by a couple of tenths, and that's all there is in it at the moment - 0.2-0.3secs in terms of qualifying.

"And if you can have that performance, from the front row you have a better chance. So even if no-one upgraded their cars there would still be a reasonable chance that people could have a go at them.

"If Ferrari have a competitive car, then obviously Alonso can still do it."

In the context of the overpowering brilliance of Red Bull, though, that is a big if.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/10/time_running_out_for_alonso_in.html

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2014 Kia Forte Koup uncovered in New York

Kia has introduced this week in New York the third body style of the Forte/Cerato which will go on sale in Q4 2013 with pricing to be announced closer to its launch.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/f-bVrV94DKU/2014-kia-forte-koup-uncovered-in-new-york

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Column: Vettel, sorry? Not if he wins in the end

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/25/2778799/column-vettel-sorry-not-if-he.html

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2013 Car Launches: Force India launch VJM06 at Silverstone (+Pictures)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/GLjDQOSVcFE/2013-car-launches-force-india-launch.html

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Vettel sprouts a second finger

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/10/vettel-sprouts-a-second-finger.html

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Team Lotus Launch Their 2011 Machine The T128

Team Lotus (the one who raced last year) have become the second team to officially pull the covers off their new 2011 car. The green and yellow liveried machine will start be raced by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen this season under the name of Team Lotus as the management’s row with Group Lotus, now [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/team-lotus-launch-their-2011-machine-the-t128/

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IMS Hall of Fame museum ? 2010 visit

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/neeiqTl5pIM/ims-hall-of-fame-museum-2010-visit.html

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Ecclestone: Red Bull and Mercedes wrong to use team orders | F1 Fanatic round-up

Ecclestone: Red Bull and Mercedes wrong to use team orders is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Ecclestone criticises use of team orders ? Watson says Vettel should be suspended ? Boullier open to Kubica return

Ecclestone: Red Bull and Mercedes wrong to use team orders is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/lXTqesl_FrI/

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McLaren confirms entry-level model due in 2015

In an interview given to Autocar at Geneva Motor Show, McLaren boss Ron Dennis confirmed a new model below the MP4-12C.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/huAkDO1b0qY/mclaren-confirms-entry-level-model-due-in-2015

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Merdad Collection prepares two-door 2013 Range Rover

After axing the rear doors of a Porsche Cayenne, Merdad Collection has applied the same recipe for the 2013 Range Rover.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/WYSbfzy1Fvs/merdad-collection-prepares-two-door-2013-range-rover

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