Category: Motorsports

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Toyota Video WEC

VIDEO: Toyota’s 30 years of Le Mans

Toyota's 30 years of Le Mans

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Toyota’s first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Back in 1985 its hopes were pinned on the 85C-L, the two-car effort managing a respectable 12th place for the #36 car, while the #38 entry did not finish.

Today, Toyota will fight for the ultimate Le Mans success with the TS040. Again the team will have two cars, carrying the numbers #1 and #2. And with four second place finishes at the Circuit de la Sarthe (1992, 1994, 1999 and 2013) you could say Toyota is due for a win on Sunday afternoon.

You can relive Toyota’s Le Mans history with a very slick short film after the break.

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Audi Nissan Porsche Toyota WEC

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans spotter guide

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans spotter guide

The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held this weekend and as always the talented Andy Blackmore has made his legendary spotter guide available as a free download.

[Source: spotterguides]

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Ford WEC

Ford set to return to Le Mans in 2016

Ford GT

Ford has announced it will be holding a press conference in Europe on Friday where it is expected to confirm its return to Le Mans with a GT-based entry in the 2016 race.

Chip Ganassi is tipped to lead a two-car team in the World Endurance Championship in the LMP1 category, along with a two-car United Sportscar Championship team. That will culminate in a four-car assault for outright victory in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The iconic Ford GT40 won Le Mans four times in success from 1966–69.

[Source: Racer]

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Audi Nissan Porsche Toyota WEC

2015 LM24: Quick reference guide to LMP1 cars

Porsche 919 hybrid

The official FIA WEC website brings us a quick reference guide to the class of 2015 LMP1 cars. This year we have representation from Audi, Nissan, Porsche and Toyota. And the best thing about LMP1 is that the cars are all different.

Front-engined, mid-engined; rear wheel drive, front wheel drive, all wheel drive; petrol, diesel and all with varying types of energy recovery systems. It really is a technological masterclass, which will eventually heavily influence the cars we drive on the roads.

In order to try and equalise performance the cars have strict fuel flow limitations they must adhere to. That is, each car has a capped amount of fuel it can use on a single lap, using the 13.6km Circuit de la Sarthe as the basis.

You can download a full season PDF guide (54mb) from the WEC website, which goes into greater detail. After the break a quick reference guide is all yours.

The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on the weekend of 13–14 June, with an official test session to be held this Sunday.

[Source: FIA WEC]

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Ford Video WRC

The wheels are falling off

Jari Ketmoaa, Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Rally Portugal

Jari-Matti Latvala won Rally Portugal on the weekend, rounding out a dominant 1-2-3 clean sweep for Volkswagen. We’ll get to that another time. Until then, another Jari made headlines with his spectacular aerial work.

Watch Jari Ketomaa launch his Ford Fiesta high into the sky. That was the good part. It soon turned very bad and very ugly.

Thankfully both Jari and his co-driver, Kaj Lindstrom, emerged without injury.

[Thanks to Julian for the tip]

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Motorsports Porsche

2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R revealed

Porsche 911 GT3 R

Porsche has used the eve of the Nürburgring 24 Hour race to unveil its 991-based 911 GT3 R. This is the race going version of the 911 GT3 RS and can be all yours for the small matter of €429,000 plus taxes.

Tipping the scales at 1220kg Porsche’s newest GT3 racecar has 368kW (500hp) on tap from its 4.0 litre flat six engine with direct fuel injection. That power is driven through the rear wheels and controlled by a 6-speed sequential gearbox.

Porsche says it has improved the aero and brakes compared with the old 997-based GT3 R as well as reducing its repair and maintenance costs.

The order book is open now and first deliveries are scheduled for December. Too soon to see a new GT3 R racing at the Bathurst 12 Hour? Let’s hope not.

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Citroen Motorsports Video

VIDEO: Sebastien Loeb tackles the Nordschleife

Sebastien Loeb, Citroen C-Elysee WTCC, Nurburgring

In case you missed it the WTCC crews have been to the Nordschleife and even better they will be holding a full on race meeting there as part of this weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hour support program.

With thanks to Citroën here’s a full lap of the Grand Prix track and Nordschleife with motorsport icon Sebastien Loeb at the wheel. The low angle of the camera is awesome, even if it flattens out the dramatic elevation of the Nordschleife.

For what it’s worth Loeb’s Nordschleife time is a bit over seven minutes, while his best time during the official test day for the full 25+ kilometre lap, including GP track, was 8:40.517. That’s fast for a FWD racecar and within around 20 seconds of the fastest GT3 machines.

It’s also worth noting that Sabine Schmitz will be racing a Chevy Cruze in the two WTCC races this weekend as well.

[Thanks to Stu for the tip]

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Formula 1 McLaren

McLaren updates MP4-30 livery

McLaren-Honda MP4-30

McLaren has a new car! Yes, a brand new MP4-30 ready to tackle the world’s best at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Alas, for McLaren, it’s nothing more than a new coat of paint. With all the problems the team is currently having with its much heralded Honda reunification you’d reckon the last thing they’d be concerning themselves with is the livery. Especially when it looks like a re-worked version of last year’s Sauber C33.

The original livery for the MP4-30 wasn’t much chop and this revision isn’t much better. If nothing else, and for McLaren’s sake, let’s hope this new livery brings in some better fortunes for the mechanical bits underneath the bodywork.

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Motorsports News

Adriana ponders Pirelli buyout

Because Adriana Lima

Adriana Lima woke in a sweat this morning with news that Chinese company ChemChina is about to launch a €7.1b deal which will give it a controlling stake in the Italian tyre giant Pirelli.

The deal, agreed to by Pirelli shareholders on the weekend, involves a complicated series of moves that will see ChemChina buyout current investors in order to gain the majority control it seeks. ChemChina’s ultimate goal is to make Pirelli, the world’s fifth-largest tyre maker, a privately owned company.

Pirelli has said there will be no impact on jobs. Although, current chairman and CEO Tronchetti Provera will relinquish his chairman’s position but will stay on as chief executive. ChemChina is expected select a new chairperson.

And what does Adriana Lima really think about seeing the 143-year-old Italian icon slip into foreign ownership?

Oh, we lost you after, “Adriana Lima woke in a sweat…” Yeah, that’s fair enough.

[Source: Reuters | Pic: Pirelli]

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Formula 1 McLaren

Fernando Alonso en route to Malaysia

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso could be back on track at the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend after undergoing recent tests at Cambridge University. The tests conducted measured his short and long term memory as well as his reflexes.

Alonso’s adviser, Luis Garcia Abad, was circumspect in regards to the recent health checks, but did say he expects the dual world champion will be going to Sepang.

“It is private so I cannot confirm or deny it, but I have no doubts he will go to Malaysia as planned,” he said.

It’s understood Alonso will be subjected to a final round of tests by the FIA once he has arrived in Malaysia. Assuming he passes he should be given the all clear to return to competition.

The 33-year-old Spaniard has been recovering from concussion after crashing his McLaren-Honda MP4-30 during testing in Jerez on 22 February.

[Source: BBC]

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Formula 1

German Grand Prix dropped from 2015 F1 calendar

2014 German Grand Prix

It’s official, the German Grand Prix has been removed from the 2015 F1 calendar. The move was ratified last Friday by the World Motor Sport Council with this small disclaimer that:

“The German Grand Prix has been withdrawn as the CRH [commercial rights holder] and promoter did not reach agreement.”

A revised 19-race calendar can be viewed after the break.

[Source: FIA | Thanks to Stu for the tip]

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Formula 1

Some hope for 2015 German Grand Prix?

2013 German Grand Prix

After accepting yesterday that the German Grand Prix was likely to be struck off the 2015 F1 calendar a glimmer of hope may yet exist for German F1 fans.

Nürburgring-based blog Bridge to Gantry reports F1 teams have been busy trying to book accommodation for the weekend of 18–19 July, the date allocated for the German Grand Prix.

Under the usual alternating arrangement between Hockenheim and the Nürburgring the 2015 race was due to be held at the Ring. However, financial issues had seemingly prevented that from happening and a deal was hoped to be reached with management at Hockenheim to host this year’s grand prix.

Yesterday it was widely reported that the Hockenheim boss Georg Seiler had said: “We have no more hope that the Formula 1 takes place here.”

Today, it appears a return to the Ring might be on the cards. There’s not a lot of concrete info on offer for this rumor at this stage, other than the tip that an announcement may be coming very soon.

Who knows if anything serious will come from this, but it would be a real shame if there is no grand prix in Germany, so let’s hope there’s some truth to this story.

[Source: Bridge to Gantry]

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