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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Well, that’s just crap!

Daniel Ricciardo

I drive all the way from Canberra to Melbourne and see Daniel light up the Albert Park crowd and track on the way to earning himself a front row start for the Australian Grand Prix.

On Sunday I watch the race at a pub with a great atmosphere which builds as Daniel holds off a fast charging rookie in Kevin Magnussen on his way to second place and the honour of being the first Aussie on the podium in Melbourne.

The crowd cheered loudly when Daniel crossed the line. It was a great moment and all was good with the world.

I cross the road from the pub to watch my football team play. They start well, really well. But end badly, really badly. They were rubbish. I’m in a bad mood.

While I’m driving home I remember how good Ricciardo was today. My mood improves a little.

I arrive at my mate’s place and he tells me the FIA is investigating Daniel for exceeding the fuel flow rate in his car during today’s race.

It’s late and I need to write a race report but the wind has been sucked out of my sails. Imagine how Daniel must be feeling.

And now it’s official. The FIA has excluded Ricciardo from the results of the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

Shit happens. Red Bull couldn’t have possibly tried to cheat because the cars are monitored by the FIA. It’s a bit like speeding in pit lane; nobody deliberatly does it, but mistakes are made.

The happy story is now that Kevin Magnussen has finished second his maiden grand prix. And as good as that is for the sport it’s just not the same as remembering the feelings of goodwill I experienced trackside and in Melbourne this weekend as we cheered our Daniel onto success.

Or so we all thought.

I’m going to bed.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing

2014 Australian GP: Qualifying report

2014 Australian Grand Prix

Well, what a great result the first qualifying session of Formula 1’s new world order delivered yesterday. Seeing our Daniel on the front row is the headline story here in Australia. The smiling West Australian deserves the accolades too, after he put in a masterful performance in all three quali sessions.

Lewis Hamilton’s experience and guile pipped Daniel for pole with the last lap of the session and closed the book on what would hve been an epic fairy tale debut for Ricciardo with Red Bull. It’s hard to deny Hamilton’s effort and he too attracted sentiment by equalling the pole position record of British great Nigel Mansell, with his 32nd P1 start.

It was no surprise to see Nico Rosberg round out the top three, although you get the feeling he may be a little surprised to miss out on the front row to a Red Bull, following the latter’s dreadful pre-season form.

Indeed, qualifying delivered big stories right down the grid, thanks in part to wet and windy conditions in Q2 and Q3. Almost overshadowing Ricciardo’s P2 result is the outstanding debut from McLaren’s rookie Kevin Magnussen who qualified on the second row for his maiden grand prix.

Also overdelivering on expectations were thw Toro Rosso drivers, Jean-Eric Vergne qualified in sixth, while teammate Daniil Kvyat will start his first race from P8. We suspect Renault, too, will be happy to see three of its cars in the top 10.

There were huge stories in who missed out on a chance at pole position, as well. Three world champions failed to make it into Q3 and a huge roar went out around the track when Sebastian Vettel missed the final cut. The world champ will start from P12, behind his championship alumni in Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen.

The woes of Lotus continue with Pastor Maldonado failing to record a lap time. As a former grand prix winner you suspect the stewards will use their discretion to give him the green light to race.

Grid penalties have sent Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Gutierrez further down the field than they would like and you can see the full starting grid after the break, along with the full press conference transcript.

We liked this question asked to Daniel Ricciardo:

(Mat Coch – pitpass.com) Daniel, a question close to every Australian’s heart: what are you like at starts?
DR: Let’s see how we go tomorrow! Bit up and down last year. I guess everyone watched the races. I think they were on the up so let’s see how we go tomorrow. I think it’s going to be interesting for everyone now, with the V6 turbos. I think it’s also a bit of a different animal off the line. Hopefully we get off well.

[Pics: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Motor Shows Video

Chris and Mark have a chat in Geneva

Chris Harris and Mark Webber

This week’s video update from Chris Harris was filmed at the Geneva Motor Show. You know the drill, he walks around points a few things he likes and a few things he doesn’t. Along the way he caught up with a couple of Porsche Nine Ninenteen drivers, including our very own Mark Webber.

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Caterham Ferrari Formula 1 Lotus McLaren Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing Toro Rosso

Quick reference guide to the 2014 F1 season

We’re just a couple of sleeps away from the start to the most unpredictable Formula 1 season in recent memory. Is anyone else excited?!

Judging by pre-season testing form we’ll be lucky if half of the 22 cars entered in Melbourne finish the race. Remember, too, there’s just five complete power units available per driver all year, so we suspect reliability will have a big say in the outcome of both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

After the break you’ll find a full calendar with start Australian Eastern start times, a list of all the drivers and their new permanent numbers along with links to all of the new cars for 2104.

Right now it looks like the Mercedes power unit is the weapon of choice, with Renault proving the least reliable. Let’s see what happens between now and 23 November when double points are up for grabs at the final race in Abu Dhabi.

For easy reference be sure to save this link: ausm.tv/f1guide2014

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Formula 1

Williams Martini Racing FW36 as art

Williams FW36 artwork by Cale Funderburk

It’s only been a week since Williams announced its new title sponsorship deal with Martini but already you can buy some pretty cool artwork through the Society6 website. Created by Cale Funderburk the treatment of the FW36 is graphic and simple in its execution. And we reckon it looks pretty good.

[Source: WTF1]

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Formula 1 News

“We are, and remain confident”

Michael Schumacher

The latest official update on the health of Michael Schumacher offers a small glimmer of hope. A statement issued by Sabine Kehm reads:

“We are, and remain confident, Michael will pull through and will wake up. There sometimes are small, encouraging signs, but we also know this is the time to be very patient. Michael has suffered severe injuries. It is very hard to comprehend for all of us that Michael, who had overcome a lot of precarious situations in the past, has been hurt so terribly in such a banal situation.

“It was clear from the start this will be a long and hard fight for Michael, and we are taking this fight on together with the team of doctors, whom we fully trust. The length of the process is not the important part for us. It is heart-warming to see how much sympathy his family is shown and I can say the family is extremely grateful for it.

“However, it should not be forgotten Michael’s family is dealing with an extremely intimate and fragile situation. And I would like to remind all of us Michael has always actively kept his family out of the public eye and consequently protected their private lives. We try to channel all the energies we have toward Michael and we firmly believe this will help him, and we believe he will also win this fight.”

[Source: The Guardian]

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz Video

Lewis Hamilton previews the Australian GP

Lewis Hamilton previews Australian Grand Prix

A terribly enthusiastic Lewis Hamilton appears in this Mercedes AMG team video to preview this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. Filmed at the wheel of the team’s simulator the 2008 world champion talks us around the 5.3km Albert Park circuit.

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Formula 1 Porsche WEC

Porsche would have returned to F1 if…

2014 Geneva Motor Show

We all know Porsche is making a much heralded return to LMP1 racing in 2014, with an assault on outright victory at Le Mans in June being the highlight.

However, under different circumstances Porsche might have been readying itself for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend. Indeed once Porsche had decided to return to top-line motorsport talk of an F1 return was discussed openly inside Porsche back in 2010.

Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche research and development boss, explains: “There were only two options—F1 or LMP. But Le Mans is our second home.

“What could have influenced it was if someone in the group had said ‘Yes, but Audi is there and you cannot compete with Audi’.

“If someone from senior management had said this is not possible, we would have had no other alternative [but F1].”

Porsche has committed to a three-year program with its LMP1 operations. A decision on any longer-term future is expected to be made in 2015.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s Porsche competed in F1 with a factory-backed team without any real success. Dan Gurney managed three second places in 1961 and a single third place finish in 1962.

Success was achieved in the role of engine supplier under the McLaren-TAG arrangement in the mid 1980s when Niki Lauda and Alain Prost won the drivers’ world championship in 1984 and 1985 respectively. McLaren won the constructors’ championship in both years as well.

Porsche last supplied F1 engines in 1991 to the Footwork Arrows team. Results were poor and the team swapped over to Ford engines part way through the season.

[Source: Autosport]

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Video

Red Bull’s guide to the 2014 F1 season

Daniel Ricciardo

Red Bull Racing has put together this nifty video guide for the 2014 F1 season. You’ll see our Daniel and their Sebastian go through the key points of difference between the 2013 cars and the new and so far troublesome RB10. If only the team’s pre-season testing went as smoothly as this!

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Motorsports News

The Nürburgring finds a buyer, positive signs

Nurburgring

The Nürburgring has been sold. But not to the American investment firm HIG Capital as first thought, but rather the German-based capricorn group.

With a background in motorsport it appears fans can rest easy that the Nürburgring is in capable and willing hands.

“The buyer will take over and continue to run the business operations of the Nürburgring, with its numerous motor races, music events, tourist and test drives as well as the hotels and holiday facilities,” an official press statement reads.

“The business strategy of the bidder is that the capricorn GROUP will develop and expand the Nürburgring into an Automotive Technology Cluster. This new approach goes well beyond pure motor sport and offers the prospect of further jobs in the region.”

The purchase price for the Ring was in excess of €100 million and capricorn promises to spend up to €25 million on development, which includes the Autmotive Technology Cluster. That’s to say not all of the money assigned for development will be focused on track operations.

Other plans include the dismantling and relocation of the failed ring°racer rollercoaster. Similarly, the controversial ring°card payment system will be scrapped.

Jens Lieser, who helped to oversee the sale explained: “We had two excellent offers that were presented to the creditors’ committee. Finally they opted for the offer that delivered the highest purchase price and good prospects for the region.”

Adam Osieka, a local businessman and active racer at the Ring, who will take on the role of Managing Director under the new ownership regime, said it was key to ensure the people of the Eifel region had a positive future.

“Responsibility for local people and safeguarding the interests of the region are key to sustainable success,” he said. “They are the foundation for the new economic prospects of the Nürburgring. If the Nürburgring does well, then the people in the region also do well.”

Meyrick Cox an English businessman and racer, who was involved in the HIG Capital submission says he hopes capricorn will do well.

“Of course we are disappointed,” said Cox. “We have great experience in this sector, and our consortium runs three circuits already (including the Circuit of the Americas), and has excellent experience with the F1 and music businesses. We hope that the winning bid can do as much good for the Nürburgring as we had planned.”

All 2014 race events and public access days are scheduled to go ahead as planned. Capricorn Nürburgring GmbH will officially takeover on 1 January 2015.

[Source: Bridge to Gantry]

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Ferrari Video

VIDEO: Sounding off in a LaFerrari

LaFerrari and Enzo

Looking at the sequence of media exposure surrounding the Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1 you’d swear there’s some sort of agreement from the manufacturers to let each of these mega hybrids have its time in the sun without stealing the limelight from each other. That leaves the LaFerrari as the third and final of the hybrid triumvirate to catch a few rays.

We’re not sure when the media superlatives will begin to fire from journos keyboards the world over but we do know one thing: the LaFerrari sounds bloody good!

We know this because we’ve watched this video showing the LaFez and an Enzo tearing up the hills outside Monte Carlo. Never mind its electric bits, just wait until you hear the roar from the LaFerrari’s 6.3 litre V12.We think you might like it.

[Thanks to Chris for the tip]

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Motorsports Porsche Video

Remembering the Porsche 911 GT1

2014 Geneva Motor Show

With 16 outright victories at Le Mans you’d reckon knowledge of Porsche’s success was pretty well established. But with its return to La Sarthe later this year Porsche took its most recent winning car, the 911 GT1-98, to the Geneva Motor Show to remind us of its race winning heritage all the same.

Finding archival footage of the 911 GT1 on the Tubes is not the easiest thing. Especially if you’re trying to find a decent clip of the car winning the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans.

We’ve assembled the best we could get our hands on, including a clip from the 1998 Petit Le Mans, and now see the pedigree which attracted Mark Webber to sign with Porsche. He should feel right at home!

There’s also a clip from Evo‘s Henry Catchpole talking about his time behind the wheel of a 911 GT1 strassenversion.

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