This video was brought to our attention via the McLaren Automotive twitter account. It features not one 12C, but two, roaming the empty streets of Sao Paulo. Those paying attention will put McLaren and Sao Paulo together and come up with Ayrton Senna. Something the makers of this film didn’t miss either.
The image above perfectly captures the life of Mark Webber at Red Bull. So close, and yet so far. He’s had his moments of genuine brilliance, but too often he’s been overshadowed by that young punk from Heppenheim. Still, there’s no harm in being eclipsed by a triple world champion*, we suppose.
For more Korean Grand Prix photos make sure you take the jump. Force India’s media portal must have joined its owner in having an arrest warrant placed on it, either that or there’s some technical glitch that means we can’t bring you any of their pics from Yeongam.
*In the process of being confirmed. We expect to have word by 18 November.
Mark Webber has edged out his Red Bull teammate to clinch a desperately close pole position at the Korean Grand Prix. Webber’s time of 1:37.242 was just 0.074 seconds faster than Sebastian Vettel (1:37.316).
The result at Yeongam is Webber’s first bona fide pole position for the year, after inheriting pole in Monaco following Michael Schumacher’s penalty. It was a welcome return to form for Webber, too, after his final practice session was compromised by software glitch, preventing him from running on the super soft tyres he used to claim his 11th career pole position.
In third place was McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton (1:37.469), who will start the race alongside the current championship leader, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso (1:37.534). It’s a Lotus–Ferrari third row, with Kimi Raikkonen (1:37.625) to start from P5; Felipe Massa (1:37.884) will line up at P6.
Despite losing drive in the latter part of Q2, Daniel Ricciardo (1:39.084) edged out his Toro Rosso teammate, Jean-Eric-Vergne (1:39.340). But they could do no better than P16 and P17 respectively.
So, we go into tomorrow’s race hoping Mark can make the most of his P1 and get a clean getaway, able to fend off the inevitable challenge from the four world champions immediately behind him.
You can read the full post-qualifying press conference transcript after the break, with thanks to the FIA.
[Pics: Red Bull/Getty Images]
Here’s your routine F1 picture fix, with over 90 images from the Japanese Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel was on top, cruising to an untroubled victory. The late afternoon sunlight was captured with great skill by some of the traveling F1 snappers. We trust, as always, that you will enjoy their work.
Sebastian Vettel has claimed pole position in an interrupted final qualifying session at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix. The Red Bull champion lapped the famed Suzuka circuit in 1:30.839 to finish ahead of his teammate, Mark Webber (1:31.090).
Both Red Bull drivers had shown good pace during practice and the fact they will line up alongside each other for tomorrow’s race is no real surprise. Nor is seeing Jenson Button (1:31.290) flying the flag for McLaren as he too has shown solid form during the weekend.
The leading drivers in Q3 were aiming for two flying laps, but most of the drivers had their second lap compromised after Kimi Raikonnen spun at the Spoon curve late in the session and brought out a temporary yellow flag.
Also compromised is tomorrow’s starting grid thanks to a series of penalties. Unfortunately for Button he will drop five places due to an unscheduled gearbox penalty. The same fate is faced by Nico Hulkenberg (Force India). While the retiree-in-waiting, Michael Schumacher (Mercedes AMG), will drop 10 places for ruining the race of Romain Grosjean (Lotus) in Singapore.
Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) qualified in his customary position one place behind teammate Daniel Ricciardo, but the Frenchman was deemed to have impeded the run of Bruno Senna (Williams) in Q1 and has been handed a three spot grid penalty.
We were also intrigued to see that Lewis Hamilton is wasting no time in preparing for his role with Mercedes next year by qualifying down in P9. Although we assume Martin Whitmarsh is less than impressed.
A few stats worth reflecting on for the statisticians in our readership. Today’s front-row lockout is the first for Red Bull this year, after achieving the feat seven times in 2011. More noteworthy, however, is Vettel racking up his 34th career pole, which places him one ahead of the great Jim Clark and four-time world champion Alain Prost. Only Ayrton Senna (65) and Michael Schumacher (68) stand ahead of the 25-year-old German.
The revised starting order is available HERE. And you can read what the three fastest men had to say after quali by checking out the transcript from the post-qualifying press release, courtesy of the FIA.
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
Here’s part 2 of our 2012 Paris Motor Show in pictures gallery, which brings you manufacturers from M–Z. Join us as we admire the McLaren P1, the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé, the Peugeot Onyx and the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.
We’re wavering a little with our admiration of the Mercedes-Benz A Class, but nothing can hide our amusement at the Nissan Terra or Vauxhall Adam, which must be a huge practical joke. We’re also lamenting the fact Seat has lost its styling edge with the new Leon and that Skoda has taken a step back with the incredibly bland looking Rapid.
And, of course, the Volkswagen Golf GTI is the model we’ll probably take home in the future.
Here we bring you some videos of the epic McLaren P1 from the floor of the Paris Motor Show. We expect McLaren will nail the objectives they have for this car, which is to pretty much redefine the hypercar market. Sure, it probably match the outright performance of the Bugatti Veyron, but as a useable road/track tool, this car will have few peers, if any.
As in football teams, no individual is bigger than the club. So, as the Hamilton era at McLaren ends at McLaren we must quickly adjust and start anticipating what the young Sergio Perez can do in an MP4/28. Flashy results with Sauber are one thing, but he’s in the big league now and patience is not a virtue at the front of the grid.
For his part ‘Checo’ understands the task ahead of him: “I’m under no illusion that it is indeed a very big step—as it would be for any driver—but I’m ready for it. So, while I’m still fully focused on doing my best for Sauber for the remainder of this season, I’m already massively looking forward to working with everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, and with Jenson, who’s someone I’ve long admired as a brilliant driver and a great champion.
“I’d like to thank Carlos Slim Jr, who has helped me since I was 14 years old, without whom I wouldn’t be where I am today. Our journey together over the past eight years has been an incredible one, and I’ll do everything in my power to deliver with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the results that he and I have been working so hard and so long to achieve together.”
Perez has a multi-year deal to prove his worth at McLaren. We’re interpreting multi-year as being two-years with an option, but that’s based on little more than gut feel.
The 22-year-old Mexican has only been in F1 for two years and now he’s earned himself a shot at the big time. We wish him well.
The F1 silly season is now in full swing with reports stating Michael Schumacher will be replaced at Mercedes by Lewis Hamilton for the 2013 season. More amazing, perhaps, Lewis will be paid £100m for his troubles, The Telegraph claims.
It’s being reported that McLaren only found out about the deal yesterday and an official announcement from Mercedes could come as early as tonight (Australian time), pending the expected sign off of the new F1 Concorde Agreement.
Michael Schumacher’s future is uncertain, but may involve an ambassadorial role with Mercedes.
Sergio Perez is now tipped to be the man to replace Hamilton at McLaren. Showing that F1 is as quick off the track as it is on, McLaren could even formalise their new signing later today as well.
[Source: The Telegraph]
McLaren Automotive promised us they would reveal the P1 at the Paris Motor Show. And they have, look at it. It’s spectacular, it looks bloody fast and it has presence. We love it!
You: I agree it looks awesome, but we already saw pics the other day. How much power does it have? How fast is it?
Us: Dunno. They haven’t said.
That’s right, all the build up, all the hype and all we can give you about the world’s latest and greatest hypercar is more hype! And motherhood statements. We’ve got heaps of motherhood statements:
“Of course, the McLaren P1 will have an immensely powerful engine, superb brakes and state of the art suspension controls.”
Paul Mackenzie, Programme Director
“It celebrates aerodynamics, great packaging and light weight. It is all about innovative technology. At the very beginning, we sought to develop a car that you could drive to a racing circuit, then press a button and race it.
“Maximum speed was never a priority. It’s much more technically challenging, and more meaningful, to develop a car that seeks to be the fastest-ever series production car on a racing circuit.”
Dan Parry-Williams, Chief Design Engineer
“It would have a level of racetrack performance never before seen in a series production road car.”
Simon Lacey, Head of Vehicle Technology
“I wanted it to look like a Le Mans racer with that low body, long rear deck and open mesh rear styling to put the mechanicals on view and to help cooling.”
Frank Stephenson, Design Director
So, aside from a promise that the P1 will have a power-to-weight ratio of at least 600PS per tonne we can’t really give you any firm details. McLaren says all the tech data will be released when the P1 is launched early next year. Initial deliveries are scheduled for late 2013.
If you want to read a bunch of McLaren employees claiming their car will be the best thing since ever, then read the presser after the break. Oh, actually, read the stuff about the MonoCage body shell, that’s pretty good.
These four patent drawings revealed by French website L’Automobile reveal the new McLaren P1 hypercar is expected to feature a rear wing air brake, as also seen on the 12C.
It’s also possible to make out a small air duct just ahead of the front wheel arch, which is not visible on the preview images McLaren released last week.
You know the drill by now, the official details are due on Thursday 27 September and we’ll bring them to you as soon as we can.
[Source: L’Automobile via WCF]
Photographers are presented a challenge under the artificial lights at the Singapore Grand Prix. But as you’ll see after the break they’ve done a great job of capturing the colour and excitement from one of the more unique races on the F1 calendar.
Many drivers took a few liberties flying across the Singapore Sling chicane and they’ve been captured for you here. There’s 106 photos in all, we trust you’ll enjoy them.
Also included below is a series of images featuring the winning design from Mark Webber’s Helmet Promo.