Categories
Ferrari Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Mark Webber wins 2012 British GP

Mark Webber, 2012 British Grand Prix winner

Mark Webber has managed to make hay while the sun was shining at Silverstone and won the 2012 British Grand Prix. Webber headed home polesitter Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel.

The race itself was quite nondescript and, once again, it was tyre strategy that had as much influence on the result as outright race pace. Following the awful conditions for yesterday’s qualifying the teams weren’t expecting today’s sunny weather. Of course, a dry race start meant drivers were free to choose from either the soft or hard compound slicks.

Alsono and Ferrari played their card early by choosing to start the race on hards, while their competitors behind went for softs. For the most part it looked as though Ferrari had made the right call; Alonso led the majority of the race and was able to rejoin in the lead after making his final stop.

The soft tyres were the slower of the two compounds and Alonso saved them for last, while Webber ran them in his first stint. With 14 laps left to go it was soon apparent that Alonso would be at the mercy of Webber, as his soft tyres lost their grip. And so it came to pass on lap 48 with a sterling move from Webber to take the race lead around the outside of Alonso. From there Webber was able to hold station and win by three seconds.

It’s the Australian’s second win in 2012, following his victory in Monte Carlo, and the ninth of his career. Today’s win is also Webber’s second at Silverstone, adding to his “not bad for a number two driver” race in 2010.

We didn’t see much of Daniel Ricciardo today, but he did what he needed to do and out qualified his Toro Rosso teammate, Jean-Eric Vergne, and then finished ahead of him in the race, even if it was only by a bit over two seconds.

Fernando Alonso continues to lead the drivers’ championship, albeit with his margin cut by 7pts thanks to Webber’s win. The Aussie remains second in the title race and is building some momentum. While Sebatsian Vettel’s third place has moved him into third in the championship as well.

Final placings and updated championship positions are listed below. We’ll have a bumper pictorial of Webber’s win for you in the next 24–48 hours.

Continue reading “Mark Webber wins 2012 British GP”
Categories
BMW Holden Hyundai Kia Mazda Mitsubishi Nissan Toyota VFACTS reports

New vehicle sales report – June 2012

FCAI banner

Not content with May’s sales figures—an all-time record for that month—Australian car buyers have now set a new record for any month, registering 112,566 vehicle sales in June. That’s a staggering increase of 16,409 sales compared to June 2011.

Year-to-date sales total 547,854 vehicles and you’d suggest that means Australia will once again top one million annual sales.

The Toyota HiLux was the country’s highest selling model in June with 4,308 sales, ahead of the Mazda3 (3,924) and Toyota Corolla (3,804).

It’s no surprise, then, to see Toyota continue their stranglehold as the best selling manufacturer. They sold 21,649 vehicles last month, compared to 10,632 by Holden and 9,672 for Hyundai.

Continue reading “New vehicle sales report – June 2012”
Categories
BMW Lamborghini

Lamborghini Murcielago drives through BMW Motorrad dealership

Lamborghini v BMW

This black Lamborghini Murcielago has caused chaos after taking out a number of motorcycles at this BMW Motorrad dealership, north of Milan in Italy.

Apparently two bystanders were included in the skittles knocked down by the Murci. Although, thankfully there doesn’t appear to be any reports of serious injury.

It’s been suggested the driver of the Lambo was moving pretty fast before losing control. So it seems to be a case of too much horsepower, not enough talent.

[Source: Marchettino]

Continue reading “Lamborghini Murcielago drives through BMW Motorrad dealership”
Categories
Ferrari Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing

2012 British GP: Qualifying report

2012 British Grand Prix

Rain, rain, rain! That’s pretty much the story from qualifying at the British Grand Prix last night. After a marathon effort Fernando Alonso (1:51.746) put his Ferrari on pole, just edging out Mark Webber (Red Bull, 1:51.793). Michael Schumacher (Mercedes AMG, 1:52.020) showed he’s still quite handy in poor conditions and qualified third.

A lengthy delay interrupted Q2 as the rain became too heavy to continue and the session was red flagged. By then Jenson Button (McLaren), usually quite comfortable in wet weather, had already missed the cut in Q1. A yellow flag in the closing stages of Q1 hindered his late charge and he’ll be one to watch during the race.

It took well over an hour for the rain to ease and when Q2 resumed an almost comical line up of cars were waiting for the green light at the pit exit. With a little over six minutes left in Q2 every driver managed to improve his previous best time. There were no unlucky misses this time and all of the remaining front runners made it through to Q3.

The final qualifying period saw drivers running full wet weather tyres and with improving track conditions times fell by the lap. Soon intermediate tyres were the best option and Alonso claimed provisional pole with three minutes left in the session. Webber quickly raised the bar on Alonso, but the Ferrari ace was good enough, and ballsy enough, to find an extra five hundredths on Webber to claim his first pole position since 2010.

The final qualifying order has been shaken up quite a bit thanks to a mix of penalties for gearbox changes and steward sanctions. The finalised starting order can be seen here.

A full transcript from the post-qualifying press conference can be read below, with thanks to the FIA.

[Pics: Ferrari, Mercedes AMG, Red Bull/Getty Images]

Continue reading “2012 British GP: Qualifying report”
Categories
Video

VIDEO: The amazing self-healing engine

If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and have a weekend messing about with a cruddy old car coming up then this video will provide you with all the DIY inspiration you need.

Featuring a Triumph Spitfire engine rebuild, captured by still photography, the man behind the spanners proved he’s equally adept behind a computer as well. This animated YouTube masterpiece is the result. Enjoy!

[Thanks to Tim for the tip]

Continue reading “VIDEO: The amazing self-healing engine”
Categories
WRC

VIDEO: 10 years of great times in the WRC

Stage 1 Technology celebrates 10 years in WRC

For the past 10 years Stage One Technology has been handled the important task of timing for the WRC. No more so were their abilities highlighted than in Rally Jordan last year, when Sebastien Ogier won the race by just 0.2 seconds.

To celebrate Stage One has compiled three minutes of WRC highlights. You’ll see some amazing jumps, some happy teams and faces of total desperation. Just make sure you keep an eye out for the zebra horse crossing.

Continue reading “VIDEO: 10 years of great times in the WRC”
Categories
News Porsche Volkswagen

Volkswagen ready to takeover Porsche

Volkswagen-Porsche merger complete

The protracted negotiations for the addition of Porsche to the Volkswagen Group stable have been completed and will take effect on 1 August, the two companies have announced. Plans for this move started in 2009 and Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of Volkswagen AG (pictured right), says the deal is, “good for Volkswagen, good for Porsche and good for Germany as an industrial location.”

New German tax laws have enabled the deal to be brought forward, after complications saw the original deadline for completion of the merger missed at the end of last year. Volkswagen will hand over one ordinary share to Porsche and assume total ownership of the holding company controlling the sportscar maker. In exchange Porsche will receive €4.46b.

At the press conference announcing the finalisation of the takeover Volkswagen’s CFO, Hans Dieter Pötsch, explained the benefits of the approach taken. “The course we are following makes strategic sense and will bring sustained benefits for all stakeholders, it creates transparency as to future developments, and lays the foundations for swiftly intensifying cooperation between Volkswagen and Porsche AG. For Volkswagen, our sound financial and liquidity position and maintaining our strong rating are also important”, he said.

With plans for massive investment Dr Winterkorn told reporters to expect big things. “We’re wrapping up one of the most significant projects in the automotive world,” Winterkorn said. “Together we are more capable than ever of becoming the best auto company on the planet.”

Continue reading “Volkswagen ready to takeover Porsche”
Categories
Citroen WRC

Atkinson secures Citroën drive for Rally Finland

Chris Atkinson, Qatar World Rally Team

Chris Atkinson has secured a temporary drive with the Qatar World Rally Team for Rally Finland (2–4 August). Regular driver Nasser Al Attiyah will be competing for Qatar at the London Olympics and, rather than let the Citroën DS3 WRC sit idle, the former Subaru works driver and his co-driver, Stéphane Prévot, have been thrown the keys.

Benoit Nogier, Head of Citroën Racing Technologies, explains they have maintained contact with Atkinson for the last few years: “Ever since Chris Atkinson took part in the 2009 Rally Ireland in a C4 WRC, we have kept in touch and maintained good relations with him.

“As Nasser’s Citroën DS3 WRC was available for this rally, we offered Chris the chance to lease the car and compete for the Qatar World Rally Team. We are therefore very pleased to have him back with us in one of our Customer Racing teams for one of the championship’s flagship events.”

As you’d expect Chris is raring to go and hopes to make the most of his opportunity: “We are really looking forward to racing with the Qatar World Rally Team. Competing in the best rally in the Championship in the best WRC is a superb opportunity and I can’t wait to test the car to share my feeling for it with the team and give them my initial feedback.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but we have got everything it takes to go after a good result here.”

With any luck Chris and Stéphane will enjoy a trouble free run; we wish him all the best.

[Source: Citroën]

Categories
Formula 1

Our thoughts with Maria de Villota

Maria de Villota

We update with you sad news this morning that Marussia F1 Team test driver Maria de Villota has lost her right eye following a testing accident at Duxford Airefield in Cambridgeshire, UK, on Tuesday.

In an official statement John Booth, Team Principal of the Marussia F1 Team, explained: “Maria emerged from theatre at Addenbrooke’s Hospital this morning after a lengthy operation to address the serious head and facial injuries she received in the accident at Duxford Airfield yesterday.

“We are grateful for the medical attention that Maria has been receiving and her family would like to thank the Neurological and Plastics surgical teams. However it is with great sadness that I must report that, due to the injuries she sustained, Maria has lost her right eye.

“Maria’s care and the wellbeing of her family remain our priority at this time. Her family are at the hospital and we are doing everything possible to support them.”

De Villota’s car made impact with a team truck at relatively low speed. The cause of the accident is yet to be confirmed, but speculation suggests the MR-01’s anti-stall device may have cut in as de Villota was coasting to a halt, causing the car to lunge forward.

“With regard to the accident, we have embarked on a very comprehensive analysis of what happened and this work continues for the moment,” Booth said.

Our thoughts are Maria de Villota and her family, as well as the Marussia F1 Team who will bring heavy hearts to this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

[Source: Marussia F1 Team]

Categories
Renault

VIDEO: New Renault Clio explained

Renault Clio IV

Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice-President, Renault Corporate Design used the following words to describe the fourth-generation Clio: “New Renault Clio was conceived as a piece of sensuous sculpture which stimulates desire. Like muscles, its curves express the dynamism radiated by the DeZir concept car. No acute or aggressive angles, just voluptuous curves that make you want to go up to it and caress it.”

In the video below you can hear Laurens and his mates, Antony Villain and Yann Jarsalle, explain in further detail the passion and emotion behind the Clio IV.

Continue reading “VIDEO: New Renault Clio explained”
Categories
Renault

Next-gen Renault Clio RS loses its soul

Renault Clio IV RS at Goodwood Festival of Speed

According to evo, the rumours suggesting the new Clio RS will exclusively feature a dual clutch transmission have been confirmed by Renault.

Compounding the loss is word the Clio hot hatch will be powered by a 1.6 litre turbocharged four cylinder (with around 150kW). Gone is the free-revving normally aspirated four-pot, swapped for a default turbo solution. Gone is the slick shifting manual box, swapped for a granny-friendly twin clutch transmission.

On the plus side, the Clio IV should tip the scales around 100kg lighter than the Clio III. We’re sure Renault Sport won’t forget how to make the Clio a cracking drive, we just think it’s a shame that, on paper, it is taking something of a cookie cutter approach.

Oh, if you’d already put one and one together regarding Renault reuniting with Williams, well, don’t. There’s no plans to revive the iconic Clio Williams badge.

[Source: evo]

Categories
MINI

MINI Countryman Coupé does Paceman U-turn

MINI Paceman Concept

A few months back we passed on word that the production version of the MINI Paceman Concept would be called the Countryman Coupé. It now appears we need to back that truck up and return to the Paceman name.

According to MotoringFile, MINI’s Brand Manager, Dr Kay Segler, has confirmed with them that the Paceman badge will make its debut when the production model goes on sale later this year.

The thinking behind the return to the concept name is that it will help MINI to create a unique model line for the Paceman, distinct from its Countryman roots.

[Source: MotoringFile]