Friday, April 6, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
2014 Maserati Quattroporte spied testing around Nurburgring [video]
The new Maserati Quattroporte is known internally as the M156 and is due to be launched in 2013 following an anticipated debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
Should F1 race venues be rotated? | Debates and polls
Should F1 race venues be rotated? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
A new fashion for venues sharing a place on the F1 calendar is emerging. But is it healthy for the sport?
Should F1 race venues be rotated? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Button Steps Up Pre Season Training With Lance Armstrong
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Alonso the new favourite
 Fernando Alonso is the new favourite for the title |
?He is the man with the momentum and, on the same basis that I backed Mark Webber to win the title before Korea, is now my favourite to claim the world title in Abu Dhabi on Nov 14. ?When the cars are so evenly-matched you have to back the man in possession. Especially when that man is a two-time world champion and arguably the finest driver of his generation.?The Mirror?s Byron Young drew comparisons between Alonso and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher as the Spaniard bids to become the sport?s youngest ever triple world champion.
?Like Schumacher, Alonso accepts no opposition within his team. Ultimately he fell out with McLaren over their refusal in 2007 to bring Lewis Hamilton to heel. ?He returned to Renault on condition he was No.1, only to be at the centre of the Singapore cheat scandal - engineered to hand him victory. ?The Spaniard has always denied involvement but at the German GP in July he was brazen enough to radio Ferrari to rein in team-mate Felipe Massa so he could start the winning streak that has taken him to the brink of history.?
Jim Rathmann Roland Ratzenberger Hector Rebaque Brian Redman
Who remembers the 1988 Australian Grand Prix?
Land Rover DC100 Expedition concept revealed in New York early
Land Rover has given the DC100 Concept another new look, this time in Expedition trim on the occassion of the New York Auto Show which also marks the brand's 25th anniversary in the U.S. 
Vettel collision: A champion under pressure?
Sebastian Vettel's behaviour during and after the Malaysian Grand Prix has been causing a bit of a fuss in Germany over the past few days.
The media have lapped up his response to his collision with backmarker Narain Karthikeyan, in much the same way as their British counterparts would have done with a similar incident involving Lewis Hamilton, and Vettel has come in for a fair bit of criticism.
On the BBC after the race, Vettel called Karthikeyan an "idiot" for his role in the collision that cost the world champion fourth place.
Speaking in German, the word he chose was "cucumber" - a common insult in that country for bad drivers on the road.
Vettel faces increased competition from outside and inside his Red Bull Team. Photo: Getty/AFP
It has also been pointed out that shots from Vettel's onboard camera appear to show the 24-year-old Red Bull driver giving Karthikeyan a middle-finger salute as he drives past. This has led some to call for him to be punished by governing body the FIA, which so far is keeping a low profile on the matter.
Comparisons have been drawn with McLaren's Jenson Button - who also failed to score any points in Malaysia, but who reacted with his usual calm.
Vettel, some in Germany have said, doesn't know how to lose.
They point out that last year he won 11 races on his way to one of the most dominant championship victories in Formula 1 history. Failing to win four races in a row in that context, the critics say, should not elicit this kind of reaction.
Vettel has not spoken in public since leaving Malaysia, and Red Bull are shrugging it off.
After the race on Sunday, team principal Christian Horner defended Vettel's driving in the collision with Karthikeyan, saying that it was the Indian's "responsibility to get out of the way of the leaders as he is a lapped car".
Although the stewards penalised Karthikeyan for the incident, others are not sure it's quite so clear-cut.
One leading F1 figure told me: "It was completely Vettel's fault - he needed to give Karthikeyan more space. He only had to clear the last inch and he cut across the front of him. He was showing a bit of frustration and it bit him."
Certainly Vettel has found himself at the start of 2012 in a situation with which he is not familiar.
Vettel has had the fastest car in F1 since at least the middle of 2009, and he has used it to good effect.
But now things are different. Red Bull's new car is not a match for the McLaren, and it has also been behind one Mercedes and one Lotus on the grid in each of the first two races.
For a man who is as driven to win - to dominate even - as Vettel is, that will not be a comfortable situation.
Nor will it have escaped his attention that team-mate Mark Webber has so far out-qualified him in both races this year - again, quite a turnaround from 2011, when the Australian managed it only three times in 19 grands prix.
It is early days, but so far the comparison between the two Red Bull drivers looks much more like it was in the first part of 2010 - before the team started fully exploiting the exhaust-blown diffusers that dominated the last 18 months and which have been banned for this season.
Webber was never that comfortable in last season's Red Bull - and while he came to match Vettel on race pace in the second half of last season, he never really got on terms with him in qualifying.
Much of that was to do with the behaviour of the car on corner entry, where the exhaust-blown diffusers were so powerful in increasing performance.
Red Bull's decline has also coincided with the stiffening of the front-wing load test, an attempt to stop teams allowing the ends of the wing to droop towards the track at speed to increase downforce. Red Bull were noticeably better at doing this than the other teams.
It may be an unrelated coincidence, but this year's Red Bull suffers from understeer, a lack of front-end grip - a handling characteristic Webber is comfortable with, while Vettel prefers oversteer.
This is not the first time Vettel has been criticised for letting his emotion get the better of him when things are not going his way.
There was the infamous 'nutter' sign he directed at Webber following their collision in the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix.
There were also mistakes in Britain, Belgium and Singapore that year as he very nearly gifted the world title to Ferrari and Fernando Alonso, who lost it only after a strategic error in the final race.
Such was Vettel's domination in 2011 that it never arose- leading some to say he had reached a new level of maturity both in and out of the car.
The truth of that claim looks set to be tested this year, as Red Bull and Vettel struggle to regain a position that the driver at least seems to consider is rightfully his.
Meanwhile, his rivals will have been watching with interest.
Webber, Alonso, Button and Hamilton remember Vettel's behaviour in 2010 all too well.
Betraying his emotions in such an obvious way will be seen by them as a weakness - they will look at it and think he is rattled.
So it is true to say on the one hand that Vettel's reaction proves he is a winner.
But it is also the case that learning how to lose gracefully - as Button and Alonso, particularly, have learnt in recent years - also has its benefits.
Alberto Rodriguez Larreta Franco Rol Alan Rollinson Tony Rolt
Nissan 350Z by Senner Tuning
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The only Nissan sports car that us on everyone’s mind at the moment is the Nissan 370Z, so there’s a good chance that many have already forgotten about the old 350Z. Senner Tuning, however, has not and they have come up with a pretty cool upgrade package for the sports roadster. The package includes a polished exterior package, as well as an impressive upgrade under the hood. All of these changes do come at a significant cost, though. The package is priced at 23,900 Euro, or about $32,000 at the current exchange rates.
The exterior of the Nissan 350Z starts off with a chrome package for the front and rear blinkers, and the Z-symbol. A new LED Z-symbol has also been added on the back lights, as well as a new set of 20" matte black polished wheels.
The most significant changes were made under the hood. Thanks to some changes to the compressor and the addition of a new exhaust system, the engine’s output has been increased from 280 HP to an amazing 411 HP. Peak torque also went up from 267 lb-ft up to 342 lb-ft. Nothing has been said about how these power upgrades affected performance times, but they have surely been increased from the standard 0-60 mph sprint time of 5.4 seconds and top speed of 155 mph.
Nissan 350Z by Senner Tuning originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 3 April 2012 19:00 EST.
Emerson Fittipaldi Wilson Fittipaldi Theo Fitzau Pat Flaherty
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Formula One Goes High Definition
Campaign launched to save Team Lotus
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Rob Schroeder Michael Schumacher Ralf Schumacher Vern Schuppan
2013 Lincoln MKZ officially revealed [videos]
The evolution from concept to production reveals only minimal changes to the overall design and features a large retractable panoramic glass roof. 
A change of pace
Louis Rosier Ricardo Rosset Huub Rothengatter Basil van Rooyen
Formula One Goes High Definition
Red Bull under the spotlight
 Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel celebrate with Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the podium |
Driver escapes as tow truck falls over snowy cliff [video]
Unfortunately, the lorry driver was not so lucky as he suffered a number of broken bones and is now recovering in hospital. 
Monday, April 2, 2012
Formula One Goes High Definition
Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama | F1 Fanatic Live
Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Join us on F1 Fanatic Live to follow the second race of the 2012 IndyCar season.
Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Which teams made the best leaps forward in a season? | Your Questions Answered
Which teams made the best leaps forward in a season? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Your questions answered on which teams made great leaps of progress and forthcoming improvements at F1 Fanatic.
Which teams made the best leaps forward in a season? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Bobby Rahal Kimi Räikkönen Hernando da Silva Ramos PierreHenri Raphanel
Merkur Making a Comeback
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Make sure you are sitting down for this one? We all now know that Datsun is making a comeback in coming years, but Ford now plans to resurrect an old timer too. Ford just announced that the once maligned Merkur nameplate will return for the 2013 model year.
For those of you that are too young or just don?t remember it, there were two Merkur models built from 1985 through 1989: the XR4TI and Scorpio. The former was the maker?s coupe and the latter was the sedan. The XR4TI was actually a relatively fast car, bearing a 175-horsepower, 2.3-liter turbocharged engine. Unfortunately, Merkur failed due to terrible build quality which caused them to be on the side of the road more often than they were on the road ? I know, I owned an ?86 XR4TI.
Ford has already procured a facility in Germany to manufacture these cars and they will not be rebadged versions of European Fords. The XR4TI will hit the market around Christmas time bearing the ECOboost 2.0-liter engine, which will pump out a massive 286 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque, after some minor upgrades that Ford is staying quiet on. It will be mated to a six-speed transmission and Ford is exploring the possibility of all-wheel drive, but nothing is in the works for it yet.
The Scorpio will follow a few months later, as it hits showrooms in early-2013, bearing a slightly less impressive 3.5-liter V-6 ? the same engine that the base 2013 Taurus will have ? that cranks out 288 horsepower.
Both vehicles are still in development, but Ford plans to unveil them at the New York Auto Show on April 5th. Ford also made it quite clear that its intentions with these vehicles are to compete with fellow German automakers BMW and Mercedes, so expect these models to bear very advanced features. Quite a lofty goal for a once failed car company.
Hit the Jump for the Press Release.
Merkur Making a Comeback originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 1 April 2012 15:00 EST.
Team orders in spotlight again
| Will Christian Horner regret not utilising team orders in Brazil? |
?The extra seven points Alonso collected when Ferrari ordered Felipe Massa to move over for him in Germany earlier in the season are now looking even more crucial. ?And the �65,000 fine they picked up for ruthlessly breaking the rules will seem loose change if Alonso clinches the title in his first year with the Maranello team. ?Red Bull could have switched the result yesterday given their crushing dominance and still celebrated their first constructors' championship just five years after coming into the sport. ?That would also have given Webber an extra seven points, leaving him just one behind Alonso.?The Guardian?s Paul Weaver says that if Fernando Alonso does take the drivers? title in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari owes a debt of gratitude to Red Bull for their decision not to employ team orders in Brazil.
?If Alonso does take the title next week it would not be inappropriate were he and Ferrari to send a few gallons of champagne to Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes. ?While Red Bull should be heartily applauded for the championship they did win today their apparent acceptance that Ferrari might carry off the more glamorous prize continues to baffle Formula One and its globetrotting supporters. ?Their refusal to make life easy for Webber, who has led for much of the season and is still seven points ahead of Vettel, means that whatever happens in the desert next week Alonso, the only driver who was capable of taking the championship in the race today, only has to secure second place to guarantee his third world title.?The Independent?s David Tremayne is also of the opinion that Red Bull may regret not using team orders in Brazil.
?Had Red Bull elected to adopt team orders and let Webber win ? something that the governing body allows when championships are at stake ? Webber would have left Brazil with 245 points ? just one point off the lead. For some that was confirmation of his suggestion that Vettel is the team's favoured driver ? which generated an angry call from team owner Dietrich Mateschitz in Austria and was much denied by team principal, Christian Horner. ?And it sets up a situation where, if the result is repeated next weekend, as is likely, Vettel and Webber will tie on 256, five behind Alonso.?The Mirror?s Byron Young has put Lewis Hamilton?s fading title chances down to an inferior McLaren machine and he admits the 2008 World Champion now needs a miracle.
?Sebastian Vettel's victory sends the world title fight to a four-way showdown for the first time in the sport's history. ?Hamilton goes there as part of that story with a 24-point deficit to Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, but with just 25 on offer in the final round in six days' time it would take more than a miracle. ?Driving an outclassed McLaren he slugged it out against superior machinery and stiff odds to finish fourth.?
Ted Whiteaway Graham Whitehead Peter Whitehead Bill Whitehouse
Caption Competition 10: Alonso and Raikkonen | Caption Competition
Caption Competition 10: Alonso and Raikkonen is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
What did Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen find to talk about in the build-up to the Australian Grand Prix?
Caption Competition 10: Alonso and Raikkonen is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Mercedes reveals details about their future product lineup
Mercedes has revealed some new details about their 2020 growth strategy which intends to make them the world's largest luxury automaker. 
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Massa threatened with jail over team orders
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?A public raised on a diet of Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna were simply appalled and saddened in equal measure by Massa?s apparent lack of ambition.?