http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2…-for-2012.html
Quote:
|
BMW fans, it’s time to get your blue, purple and red flags ready because your favorite German automaker has just announced its return to the DTM series for 2012. BMW and the DTM series made the announcement at this weekends’s race at the Hockenheimring, marking the return of BMW to the series after a lengthy 18 year absence. The timing couldn’t be better either with only two other automakers (Mercedes and Audi) currently competing in the notoriously fender-crunching competition. The M3 will form the basis of BMW’s entry into the series and you can be sure BMW will field a long list of factory cars with privateer teams lining up to get a piece of the BMW race cars. We also expect BMW to bring out the very best drivers from their motorsports program. 2012… we can’t wait! |
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2…-for-2012.html
Quote:
|
BMW fans, it’s time to get your blue, purple and red flags ready because your favorite German automaker has just announced its return to the DTM series for 2012. BMW and the DTM series made the announcement at this weekends’s race at the Hockenheimring, marking the return of BMW to the series after a lengthy 18 year absence. The timing couldn’t be better either with only two other automakers (Mercedes and Audi) currently competing in the notoriously fender-crunching competition. The M3 will form the basis of BMW’s entry into the series and you can be sure BMW will field a long list of factory cars with privateer teams lining up to get a piece of the BMW race cars. We also expect BMW to bring out the very best drivers from their motorsports program. 2012… we can’t wait! |
Just through i’d throw out there..
The Honda HSV after 6 rounds of competition in the superGT
Holds on to both 1st and 3rd position in the points..
1st place team is the Weider team driven by pinglingchingdingling san
and 3rd place team is the Keihen Real Racing team driven by oldmanglasses san-desu
Still..one of the best sounding road cars on the track….ever..
I mean ever..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebEMJy4cznQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ7p6avK3K8
Suzuka
Race Date:10 Oct 2010
Number of Laps:53
Circuit Length:5.807 km
Race Distance:307.471 km
Lap Record:1:31.540 – K. Raikkonen (2005)
* * * * *
PREVIEW
Japan Preview – Vettel and Alonso the favoured two?
Last year Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel walked the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. And the time before that, Fernando Alonso won the last race here, to clinch his second world championship. Both plan to repeat those feats, as Vettel shoots for his first title and Alonso his third.
Given this, and what each achieved in Singapore, they start favourites for what could be a gripping weekend, as rain showers are forecast each day.
It might be slightly tougher for Vettel, the aerodynamic excellence of the Red Bull RB6 notwithstanding, for championship leader Mark Webber will be going all out to increase his current score of 202 points and get back on the winning trail in the other Red Bull. Will he be the first man to win five races in 2010, or will that fall to Alonso, who can expect Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa to ride shotgun rather than challenge him?
Having gathered more points than anyone from the last five races, the Spaniard says: “This win means a lot to keep in the fight in the championship. We know there are still four races to go but it seems we can be competitive in any track, so thanks to the team. Great job at the factory. Great job at the track as well getting 100 per cent of our potential all the time, so let’s see in the remaining races. Forza Ferrari!
“When I said my chances were 50-50 after Monza it was really just yes or no, I can win or I cannot win. It depends on how things and how the races go. In fact if we are five drivers, we have around a 20 percent chance each of us, maybe Mark a little bit more because he’s in front. I was very bad after Spa in terms of championship points, not any more for the title fight. People thought a very bad 2010 championship etc, a lot of mistakes and now, after two races I am second in the championship, 11 points behind Mark, I think. Anything can happen in these four races, any of us can win two or three consecutive races and put you in a very good position or you have one or two retirements and you are completely out of it, you are mathematically out of the championship.
“So we need to keep concentration, keep the focus and as I said, the chances for all of us are more or less the same. It will depend on how these four races go, hopefully with no mistakes, with very high concentration from all the team and hopefully we keep the same way and keep momentum in Japan as well.”
“Suzuka should suit our car, but we still have to go there and prove it,” Vettel says. “I think we have a very competitive car this year on all circuits, so we can be confident. Last year was very good and I think we should get a good result again. Ferrari has made a step forward in the last couple of races, so they will be strong and don’t forget McLaren. There are still a lot of drivers fighting for the title and they are very close to each other, it’s tight and a lot of things can still happen. We need to make sure we get the best out of ourselves and then we’ll see.”
Webber, meanwhile, says: “I’m optimistic we can do well in Japan and the team did well there last year. The momentum is currently with Ferrari going into the race, as they have had two victories on the bounce, but the points situation is still very open. It’s nice that I have a little buffer, it’s not very big but it’s something I would rather have than not. Suzuka is a track that all the drivers love and I’m looking forward to it. I think we will be very competitive; we need to go there and get the maximum out of what we have.”
McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are both determined to claw their way back into firmer title contention, the former in particular desperate to finish a race after retirements at Monza and Singapore.
"I’m 20 points behind Mark, and that’s a reasonable gap, but it’s not an insurmountable one," Hamilton says. "I guess I’ll just have to keep my head down and hope for the best. I’m not going to think specifically about the world championship right now, I’m just going to try to enjoy the rest of the season – and whatever happens, happens. But I’ll keep fighting to the end, because it’s the only way I know.
“Suzuka is very much unfinished business for me. I raced the best I could last year, but our car just wasn’t fast enough. This year, I’m holding nothing back – I need a strong result to get my title hopes back on track, and that will be my complete focus from the moment I first sit in the cockpit on Friday morning. Now is not the time to hold back; now is the time to fight.”
Button believes he can still win the title, and says: “I think the world championship is still completely open: obviously, there’s no room for mistakes, but any of the top five drivers could easily steal the title. It might seem a disadvantage to be behind in the points standings, but, make no mistake, I know I can win this championship. I’m still as determined as ever to keep the number one on my car for 2011.
“I’ve spent such a large part of my Formula One career working in Japan that I almost consider it something of a second home nowadays. Tokyo is one of the greatest cities in the world – just an endlessly exciting place to discover and explore, and Suzuka is the perfect venue for the Japanese Grand Prix – one of the world’s truly great circuits, and a supreme challenge for any racing driver.
“I love the whole Suzuka experience – the fact that it’s a real trek to reach from Europe, the amusement park that you walk through to get to the paddock, the incredibly loyal and friendly Japanese fans – who cheer me on all weekend – and the whole atmosphere, which is invariably extremely tense and frantic, because the race always plays such a decisive role in the outcome of world championships.”
Suzuka is one of the world’s greatest tracks. It’s extremely technical and challenging, both for the drivers and the engineers, and features plenty of very high-speed corners and fast changes of direction.
“I’ve had some great results at Suzuka, but I’ve never won in Japan,” Button said. “I think it’s a circuit that suits my style – it’s all about scrubbing off as little speed as possible through the corners and maintaining a very smooth and precise rhythm: get it wrong and you’re usually scrabbling to regain your momentum for several more corners. It’s a punishing place.”
With so many different types of corner the perfect car will be strong in all areas: horsepower, handling balance and grip, and stability under braking. On this medium- to high-speed track aerodynamic performance is crucial but the long pit straight and the run to and out of Spoon Curve will favour cars with efficient F-ducts, too.
Bridgestone have once again brought their hard and soft compound tyres, for their last home-ground appearance in Formula One. Initial forecasts suggest the weather may not be too favourable, with showers possible each day and an ambient temperature varying between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius.
The race will run over 53 laps of the 5.807 kilometre (3.608 mile) circuit, or 307.471 kilometres (191.056 miles). It starts at 1500 hours local time, which is nine hours ahead of GMT. The track has been modified slightly, with revised kerbs and green concrete run-off areas in Degner 1 and the exit to the Spoon Curve.
http://www.formula1.com/news/feature…/10/11348.html
Japan Press Conference:
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin…/10/11350.html
Renault on The Challenge Of Suzuka:
Ask any driver on the grid to rank their favourite circuits and you can be sure that Suzuka will appear pretty near the top of most lists. It’s one of the old-school tracks; a rollercoaster ride that all the drivers relish, as well as being a technical challenge for the engineers. The reason the drivers rave about the place is probably because it’s so tricky to master. No other track, with the possible exception of Spa, can boast such a spectacular range of corners and hooking up the perfect lap always gives the drivers a real buzz. Renault explain more…
The famous sequence of ‘S’ curves, from Turns Three to Seven, stretches for 850 metres and is perhaps the most critical and demanding section, as Robert Kubica’s race engineer, Simon Rennie, explains: “The drivers have to work really hard through the first sector because each corner flows into the next. So they need the car to be consistent and predictable, with a good change of direction.
“If they get the line wrong through Turn Three, they will be compromised for Turns Four, Five, Six and Seven. This sequence only lasts for about 14 seconds, but it’s easy to lose half a second of lap time with just a small mistake. The best approach is to moderate the throttle, largely in fifth gear, with just a tiny touch of the brakes in Turns Four and Six.”
The challenging first sector confirms that local knowledge is crucial at Suzuka, which is why it’s a tough place for a rookie to get up to speed. “It’s probably more difficult to learn than most of the new circuits because there are no straightforward corners, the track is quite narrow, and it’s easy to make a mistake,” confirms Vitaly Petrov’s race engineer, Mark Slade. “Getting the car balance right is also more of a challenge at Suzuka because it’s so technically demanding, and if you don’t find the sweet spot with the set-up there’s a bigger penalty compared with other tracks.”
While the start of the lap is twisty, the end of the lap is quite the opposite. It may feature Turn 15, the legendary 130R, but it’s a watered down version of the original corner and no longer presents the same challenge for the drivers.
“130R will be taken flat for every lap of the Grand Prix with an apex speed around 305 km/h,” says Rennie. “Even if you’re tucked up close behind another car, it’s still easily flat, and it shouldn’t pose any problems with heavy fuel either. So the drivers will be on full throttle from the exit of Turn 14 all the way to Turn 16 – that’s 1.2 km in 16 seconds.”
130R may be a shadow of its former self, but it still represents the fastest corner on the circuit and the drivers will experience around 3.5G of lateral acceleration for nearly two and half seconds with a peak at 4G. It’s these high-speed corners that make Suzuka especially tough on tyres, which is why Bridgestone is supplying the harder end of their range this weekend (the hard and soft compounds).
“There is a lot of lateral loading on the tyres, which increases the wear rates,” explains Slade. “The braking and acceleration loads are also significant and there aren’t many parts of the lap where you’re braking in a straight line, so the drivers are really leaning on the tyre while braking. The nature of the tarmac is the final contributing factor because it’s very grippy and abrasive, which leads to high degradation.”
http://www.formula1.com/news/feature…/10/11349.html
INTERVIEW
Mark Webber Q&A: I am the title leader, but I’m not the favourite
http://www.formula1.com/news/intervi…/10/11351.html
Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: I want to stay at Williams in 2011
http://www.formula1.com/news/intervi…/10/11352.html
* * * * *
Really, really, REALLY looking forward to Suzuka. Absolutely love this track, its an amazing place and im so glad F1 has returned here. As we are really in the business end of the season, every race has the potential to be an absolute cracker. Especially here, at the legendary Suzuka.
It will be interesting to see how McLaren do here, they are clearly lacking in pace behind the RB6 and Alonso’s recent form in his Ferrari F10. They are really pushing to put everything they can into developing their car, so they might be better here, but every time I have thought we knew where everyone stood, someone did something and changed the picture, so I cant wait for Quali and the race.
Hopefully it will be an action packed race and we get some exciting racing between everyone. With McLaren picking up a 1-2.
VIA MOTORTREND
Quote:
|
The latest entry into America’s most popular motorsports series could very well be the first ever from Germany. According to Matthias Muller, the newly appointed CEO of Porsche, Volkswagen Group — his employer’s parent company — is considering entering NASCAR. Should it follow through, Volkswagen would be just the second foreign automaker to participate in NASCAR. Toyota was first, entering the competition in 2007. The German automaker will reportedly begin discussions with NASCAR officials once the current season ends in late November. One of the owners that Volkswagen is considering team up with is Roger Penske, who is currently associated with Dodge and has a history of success in the stock car series. Currently, Penske driver Kurt Busch is in 4th place and firmly in the Chase for the Cup, while other regular cup drivers Brad Keselowski and Sam Hornish Jr. are 26th and 27th, respectively. The factors that would not only enable a NASCAR entry, but also make marketing sense, are Volkswagen’s new Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant and the enigmatic "New Midsize Sedan" that will be built there. Whatever it ends up being called, it’s the most likely base for a NASCAR entry and also the most likely source of growth for Volkswagen, which has set ambitious sales targets in the coming years. What do you think? Does it make sense for Volkswagen to enter NASCAR with the New Midsize Sedan, or will the German automaker be wasting its time and money? Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/6690148/mo…#ixzz112mwLq5k |
Interesting, I guess we’ll see Herbie racing around soon
Group Lotus Developing LMP2 Car
By Matt Beer
Tuesday, September 28th 2010, 13:50 GMT
Group Lotus has announced that it is developing a brand new LMP2 car for the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours as part of a massive expansion of its motorsport strategy.
The British sportscar company has already launched a GT4 version of its Evora model, with GT2 and GT3 variations set to be made available as well, but will also be entering the prototype arena.
Its LMP2 coupe is being designed by Paolo Catone, who was the chief engineer behind the Le Mans-winning 908 HDi FAP, and will begin testing late next year.
"This very special project is under the expert direction of technical genius Paolo Catone," said a Lotus statement.
"The car is being developed to meet new ACO rules, it will have a closed cockpit and is due to be on-track late 2011, with an assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans planned for 2012."
Lotus has also promised that in addition to the GT2 version of the Evora, it will create an all-new GT2 car "based on one of our eagerly anticipated future road cars, set to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show."
The announcement of Lotus’ increased involvement in sportscar racing comes amid the backdrop of its escalating row with Tony Fernandes’ Lotus Formula 1 team over the use of the Lotus brand in motorsport.
Group Lotus also entered into a GP2 and GP3 partnership with multiple champion team ART last week, and is ramping up its grass roots motor racing programmes and its IndyCar involvement, as well as building a new test track at its Hethel factory in Norfolk that the company says "will be ideal for customer experiences, GT racing and F1 testing."
Lotus Motorsport boss Claudio Berro said: "Lotus is motorsport and racing is in our DNA. We have a special place in motorsport history and now as we unveil the beginning of our future plans it’s important for people to realise just how committed we are to doing our heritage justice.
"There is no better platform to demonstrate the transfer of technology from track to road car than a full range of pure motorsport activity, we have to tick all the boxes."
Rally driver James Girvan killed in competition [w/video]
Quote:
|
James "Jimmy" Girvan, former Scottish Rally Champion, has died as a result of a crash at the this past weekend’s Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally in Scotland. According to the BBC News, Girvan’s Subaru Impreza collided with some boulders then was thrown into the surrounding trees. Mike Ramsay, Girvan’s co-driver, had to be cut free from the vehicle but he escaped with a minor arm injury. Jimmy Girvan, 56, was pronounced dead at the scene. After the tragic accident, race organizers shut down the event, which itself serves as a memorial to legendary driver Colin McRae who was killed in a helicopter accident in 2007. We have video footage of the rally cars heading out from the first stage, including Girvan’s red Subaru Impreza. It was the last stage he finished at the event before his crash in Stage 2. You can watch the video after the jump, with Girvan and Ramsay pulling up to the starting line around the 1:20 mark. Our deepest sympathies go out to Girvan’s family, friends and colleagues. |
Sad news:(
Singapore
Race Date: 26 Sep 2010
Circuit Name: Marina Bay Street Circuit
Number of Laps: 61
Circuit Length: 5.073 km
Race Distance: 309.316 km
Lap Record: 1:45.599 – K Raikkonen (2008)
* * * * *
PREVIEW
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by itv.com/f1
After two of Formula 1′s most historic and charismatic circuits in Spa and Monza, the championship’s next destination is one of its newest venues – but a track that already looks set to earn a similar place in F1′s pantheon of great events.
In a slightly intangible way, the Singapore Grand Prix organisers have managed to get everything spot on. It’s not just that it’s a street circuit – so is the less fondly regarded Valencia. It’s not just that it’s a night race – so is Abu Dhabi, and that has the extra assets of a sunset start and a background of hotels that look like spaceships from the future. But something about Singapore’s Marina Bay has made it a classic, with a layout that gives drivers plenty to think about and promotes action-packed races. The scandal of 2008 – when Renault’s then-bosses ordered Nelson Piquet to deliberately crash and prompt a safety car that would perfectly suit team-mate Fernando Alonso’s strategy – seems to have added to Singapore’s mystique rather than tarnish the track, giving it a place in F1 folklore as the scene of one of the sport’s most memorable (albeit for the wrong reasons) incidents. Alonso was cleared of any involvement in that piece of cheating, as was everyone still involved with the Renault team, and the partnership responded with a brilliant – and absolutely fairly earned – third place in last year’s Singapore race (which Alonso then cheekily dedicated to the disgraced Flavio Briatore…) This is a big weekend for both Alonso and Renault once again, though they’re no longer a partnership. Alonso is the man with momentum in the title-chasing group, having out-scored everyone else in the last four races (even with his awful Spa weekend) and won in style at Monza. Any of the title contenders could make a claim to be the man to beat for Singapore: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber each have a street circuit win under their belts this year already, Lewis Hamilton won at Marina Bay last year, Alonso is on a roll, and Jenson Button is fresh from his one of his strongest drives of the year at Monza. However Alonso and Hamilton’s 2008 and 2009 Singapore wins mean that so far this fledgling grand prix has never been won by a driver who was part of that year’s title battle – which means Renault might be worth a bet this weekend. Under partial new ownership and leadership, Renault has put its old era behind it in emphatic style, with Alonso’s friend and replacement Robert Kubica leading an impressive resurgence. There could be no more poignant place than Singapore for Renault to take a symbolic first win since the scandal – and it’s not impossible given its form on the streets of Monaco, and the pace its updated car showed at Spa (though Monza two weeks ago brought a downturn). Alonso’s Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa is fired-up for Singapore too. He looked set to blitz the inaugural race until a disastrous pit stop during the caution period caused by Piquet’s crash. He’s since claimed that Renault’s actions could have cost him the 2008 title – for his race than fell apart, and had it not, Massa would’ve had enough points to beat Hamilton to that year’s crown. His argument overlooks the fact that Ferrari’s pit stop chaos just happened to occur in a stop triggered by the Piquet incident – there was the same chance of him being released with the fuel hose still attached had the stop happened in ordinary circumstances. Either way, Massa feels Singapore owes him, and his form on his one previous visit to the venue was excellent. Mercedes is the other team that was knocking on the door of wins for a while, but with its focus now on 2011 and many rivals bringing big upgrades for Singapore, it’s hard to see this weekend being fruitful for Nico Rosberg or Michael Schumacher, who will be getting used to night racing in F1 for the first time. He’ll soon pick up the body-clock-torment of staying on European time because of the evening race slot, which gives drivers the unusual experience of carrying on debriefs and press commitments into the middle of the night but then being allowed to sleep for much of the day. Speculation about Schumacher giving up on his comeback might at least die down this week now that Mercedes no longer has a ready-made replacement – Nick Heidfeld having moved even further away by returning to Sauber race duties in place of the disappointing Pedro de la Rosa. As Tonio Liuzzi and Giancarlo Fisichella proved last year, returning after a testing sojourn and switching cars mid-season is not easy in an era of zero testing. But Heidfeld is better-prepared than most: he’s spent the majority of his F1 career with BMW/Sauber so is familiar with the team (and he was still on board during the car’s gestation period late last year), and he has recent F1 test mileage from his Pirelli duties. Plus he has a habit of surprising – pulling off blinding overtaking moves when it’s least expected – and of quietly getting the most out of cars. He could be just what Sauber needs, and with Singapore being the sort of event where crazy things happen, it’s the ideal place for a level-headed and highly determined veteran to return. This is going to be an incredible F1 run-in: we have the closest and most unpredictable title battle in decades, the epic Suzuka, brand new adventure of Korea, drama-filled Interlagos and potential five-way decider venue Abu Dhabi still to come. It’s been a relentlessly astonishing season so far, and now the pressure on the title contenders is going to get even greater. There could be no better setting than Singapore for the start of an enthralling final chapter in this epic tale. |
NEWS
Interesting article about how many engines each driver has used:
http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2010/9/11273.html
* * * * *
As street circuits go, Singapore is one of the better ones. Like Monaco it has an appeal to it that others lack. The twisty track under the tracklights in the darkness is a wonderful setting and often serves up an exciting race.
I cant wait to see how everyone does. Will Red Bull’s dominance return as we get back to the higher downforce tracks? Will Ferrari continue their recent push for the title? Will McLaren improve and get back on top? It should be a great race, and whats making it even more interesting is that it is forcast heavy rain and lightning. Lovely.
Since Beaver hasn’t posted it yet, I thought I would. I hope it’s not a problem Beav
Quote:
|
Fernando Alonso comes to Monza under the greatest pressure to deliver a strong result to keep Ferrari in the hunt for the world championship. And yesterday he admitted here that this race, and the next in Singapore, will have a crucial effect on his and the Scuderia’s chances. "Before Spa we were all in a very small difference, small gap and after one race the gap has increased," he said. "But things change very quickly race-by-race, and this year with the new points system it can change very quickly. Our aim is to do six races at top level, best level we can, and then we will see. "Obviously the less races there are until the end of the championship, the more problems you have if you have a bad weekend. This weekend is maybe not the last, but one of our last chances will come here or Singapore to recover some good points.” Ferrari indicated before coming here that if they fail to score well they may well switch their focus from developing the F10 any further and move to working exclusively on next year’s car. "There are still six races to go and I am still confident that if you are on podium in all six and win some of them it is possible to be a contender in the last race,” Alonso continued. "We are still more or less calm of our chances, but knowing that Monza is an important race, and Singapore is. Another DNF or another problem is probably a last chance or a bye bye to the championship." He said that he is confident that Ferrari have identified why the car was less competitive than expected at Spa, after looking much better since Canada. "We should be competitive here," he said. "Spa didn’t get us what we expected, and the performance we had there was not as good as we wanted. We made some changes and some analysis of what happened and I think we understand some of the problems, and here we arrive with a better package that suits Monza." There seems to be a consensus that F-ducts can still be helpful here, since they should enable cars to reach around 339km/h on Monza’s long straights, whereas with the sort of rear wings they would have to run to get away with super-low drag packages, and speed exceeding 340km/h, the trade-off would be much less beneficial in terms of downforce lost in cornering. Alonso said Ferrari have become increasingly aggressive in their development. “I think we’ve been aggressive more or less every race in the last part of the championship. Halfway through the season we’ve been attacking the races and trying to be on the podium with a more aggressive approach, and here will be the same.” But he denied that he would regard not winning the title as failure in his first season with the Prancing Horse. “Ah, no. For sure, every championship you start or every first race you arrive to a new season you want to become champion at the end and if you cannot arrive to that goal, for sure it’s a disappointment for yourself and for the team because you’ve been preparing the championship towards the victory at the end. But I think the word failure or disaster or those sort of things are a little bit too extreme. We are in a very competitive sport, we know our opponents are very strong as well, very competitive, and the champion at the end is the one that deserves it most. If we are not champions, it’s because we didn’t do enough to do it, so let’s wait and see what happens. But this first season at Ferrari, so far, has been incredible, it has been the best of my life and I’m enjoying… I’m a super-happy man, so we will see what happens in the end.” |
Lewis Hamilton Q&A
Sebastian Vettel Interview
FIA Press Conference
Race Date: 12 Sep 2010
Circuit Name: Autodromo di Monza
Number of Laps: 53
Circuit Length: 5.793 km
Race Distance: 306.720 km
Lap Record: 1:21.046 – R Barrichello (2004)