Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Opel details Karl exterior design in walkaround video

Opel has released a video in which they explain the Karl's exterior design. On sale by mid-2015.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/G8L9XlgKjBs/opel-details-karl-exterior-design-in-walkaround-video

Roger Penske Cesare Perdisa Luis PerezSala Larry Perkins Henri Pescarolo

Impressions from the German Grand Prix

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/jdPml96GTRc/impressions-from-german-grand-prix.html

Harald Ertl Nasif Estefano Philippe Etancelin Bob Evans Corrado Fabi

J. Earnhardt breaks collarbone in motorcycle crash

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/04/3985728/j-earnhardt-breaks-collarbone.html

Didier Pironi Emanuele Pirro Antônio Pizzonia Eric van de Poele Jacques Pollet

F1 2011 Launch Catch Up ? McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Renault?

Catching up on the launches in one mega post. �Here in you’ll find quick interviews with senior members of the team and photos from the Red Bull, Sauber, Renault Lotus, Toro Rosso, Mercedes and McLaren launches. Apologies for being somewhat late, the whole blog isn’t running at full power until the season starts again. Red […]

Source: https://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/f1-2011-launch-catch-up-mclaren-mercedes-red-bull-sauber-toro-rosso-renault/

Gene Force Franco Forini Philip FotheringhamParker AJ Foyt Giorgio Francia

Will Piquet Score Again in Hungary Next Weekend?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/Bi9TVTkBwDQ/will-piquet-score-again-in-hungary-next.html

Nico Rosberg Mauri Rose Louis Rosier Ricardo Rosset Huub Rothengatter

Ferrari reveals the most expensive models sold at auction in 2014

Ferrari has announced they have dominated the collector car market as nine out of ten of most expensive cars sold at auction in 2014 were from the Italian automaker.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/FzLNdp5HFz0/ferrari-reveals-the-most-expensive-models-sold-at-auction

Renato Pirocchi Didier Pironi Emanuele Pirro Antônio Pizzonia Eric van de Poele

Hamilton's tough decision

Since BBC Sport chief analyst Eddie Jordan reported on this website last week that Lewis Hamilton was on the verge of switching to Mercedes from McLaren next year, Formula 1 has been awash with speculation about the 2008 world champion's future.

McLaren did their best at last weekend's Italian Grand Prix to dismiss the story - team boss Martin Whitmarsh even joked: "Any sentence that begins, 'Eddie Jordan understands' is immediately questionable, isn't it?"

But it was noticeable that not only did McLaren not deny the story was true, they said very little to suggest Hamilton was staying with them.

From Whitmarsh, it was: "Lewis and his management have made their position clear to us", "my understanding is we're talking to him" and "I'm pretty convinced we will have a very good, competitive driving line-up next year."

None of which translates as "Hamilton is staying".

From second left - Lewis Hamilton, Martin Whitmarsh, Jenson Button

Hamilton was triumphant at Monza, but how many more races will he win with McLaren? Photo: Getty

As for the doubts cast on the veracity of the story, the source is strong and credible, and the core information - that Hamilton has agreed terms on a contract with Mercedes for next year - is based in fact.

That does not necessarily mean Hamilton will move but it does mean he is thinking about it seriously. And you can make what you will of his downbeat behaviour throughout the Monza weekend - even after he won the race.

In the paddock, the general view was that a move would be a mistake - but it is a much more complicated decision than that.

Firstly, McLaren have undoubtedly been more competitive than Mercedes in the last three years. Between them, Hamilton and team-mate Jenson Button have won 16 races since the start of 2010; Mercedes only one, with Nico Rosberg in China this season.

Over an extended period, McLaren have a winning pedigree beyond that of any other team. Only Ferrari have won more grands prix, and they have been in F1 for 16 years longer.

Hamilton, who has been nurtured by the team since he was 13, says: "I want to win." On pure performance, there's only one choice, right?

In F1, things are rarely that simple.

Yes, McLaren usually have a good car, but until this year it had been a long time since they had unquestionably the best.

It was close with Ferrari in 2007-8, although hindsight would suggest now that the McLaren was probably not quite as good then. In which case, you probably have to go back to 2005 to find the last time McLaren had conclusively the fastest car in F1.

This is known to have irked Hamilton in 2010-11, and played some part in the cocktail of issues that led to his difficult season last year, when his frustration at the car's inability to compete for the title and problems with his family and his girlfriend led to what he admitted was his worst season in the sport.

That all changed this season. The McLaren is again setting the pace. But a series of operational problems in the opening races badly affected Hamilton, costing him 40 points. Add those points to his current total and he would be leading Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, not trailing him by a win and a fourth place.

Hamilton has done well to disguise his disappointment publicly, but it was around this time that his management started approaching McLaren's rivals about job opportunities.

On top of that, McLaren are entering an uncertain period. For the first time next year, they will have to pay for their Mercedes engines - that's in the region of eight million euros they cannot spend on the performance of the car unless they find it from other sources.

Tied in with this is the question of salary. McLaren have made it clear they cannot afford Hamilton at any price. The word is they have offered him a cut in money for next season, on the basis that they cannot afford anything more. This might be offset by other compromises, such as over PR appearances, flights and so on.

Already on about half of what Alonso earns at Ferrari, one can imagine how that has gone down with Hamilton - especially as McLaren's portfolio of sponsors makes it very difficult for a driver to do personal deals elsewhere to top up his earnings. That's because almost anywhere he looks there's a clash with a company that has links with McLaren.

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Meanwhile, Mercedes are by definition a "works" team with factory engines, have the might of an automotive giant behind them. They can pay Hamilton a lot more than his current salary - believed to be about �13m - if they want to. And at Mercedes there is also a lot more freedom for a driver to do personal sponsorship deals.

The funding for Mercedes' F1 team comes entirely from external sponsors - and the budget is reputedly significantly less than enjoyed by Red Bull and Ferrari. But it is underwritten by the parent company so even if there is a sponsorship shortfall it doesn't affect the team.

Performance-wise, the team that is now Mercedes actually won the world title more recently than McLaren, when they were Brawn in 2009. Ironically, the man who won it was Button. His success - and what he interpreted as the team's ambivalence about him staying - led to him moving to McLaren.

Admittedly, Brawn's success in 2009 was tainted by the row over double-diffusers that clouded that season. Once everyone had them, the car was no longer as competitive as it had been.

Mercedes have certainly been under-performing since then, but that can at least partly be explained by the fact that Brawn, facing serious financial problems, slashed their staff by 40% in 2009. As Mercedes, they have been slowly building levels up again.

The pressure on the team to up their game is massive - hence the huge investment in terms of staffing and resources in the last 18 months or so.

And while they are a long way behind McLaren this season, they are on an upward trend, even if it is significantly slower than either the team or the Mercedes board would like.

Equally, few in F1 would disagree that Hamilton is one of the three best drivers in the world, alongside Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. Mercedes don't have any of them.

It's impossible to know how much faster the car would go in their hands than it has done so far in those of Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. Some might argue not at all. But, that's not how Hamilton, who raced and beat Rosberg in their formative years, will look at it.

Add all that up, and the decision doesn't seem so easy after all.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/09/hamiltons_tough_decision.html

Jimmy Reece Ray Reed Alan Rees Clay Regazzoni Carlos Reutemann

Ferrari confirms departure of Fry and Tombazis

As had been rumoured engineering director Pat Fry and chief designer Nicolas Tombazis are both leaving Ferrari as part of a reorganisation under new boss Maurizio Arrivabane. Meanwhile James Allison’s position as the overall technical boss as been strengthened in … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2014/12/16/ferrari-confirms-departure-of-fry-and-tombazis/

Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza

Hamilton saga nearing endgame

Only Lewis Hamilton truly knows where he wants to drive next season - and perhaps not even he does just yet. But the signs are that the saga that has been occupying Formula 1 for months is nearing its endgame.

Hamilton has two competing offers on the table for his future - one to stay at McLaren and one to move to Mercedes.

The word at the Singapore Grand Prix - for what it's worth - was that he is leaning towards staying where he is; one McLaren insider even suggested that a deal could be inked within days.

At the same time, there may be a complication. There are suggestions that earlier this year Hamilton signed something with Mercedes - a letter of intent, a memorandum of understanding, perhaps - that he would need to get out of before he could commit to McLaren. His current team have heard talk of this, too. Hamilton's management deny this.

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The conventional wisdom is that Mercedes are offering Hamilton more money and that the deal is sweetened further by greater freedom over personal sponsorship deals. Those are highly restricted at McLaren because of the team's breadth of marketing tie-ups.

But BBC Sport understands it is not quite as simple as that.

For one thing, some sources say the figures quoted for the Mercedes offer in the media so far - of �60m over three years - are significantly larger than what is actually on the table.

Of course, in theory, as one of the largest car companies in the world, Mercedes can afford to pay almost any figure it wants.

But the board's commitment to Formula 1 has been in question all year. While it is understood that the company has now reached an agreement with the sport's commercial rights holders defining the financial terms under which they have committed for the next few years, F1 is not a money-no-object exercise for them.

McLaren believe their offer to Hamilton is broadly similar to Mercedes', and that in terms of total remuneration he could actually end up earning more money if he stays where is.

How so? Well, it seems the headline salary figures may not differ that much - although I understand Mercedes' offer is larger.

Mercedes offer greater freedom in terms of new sponsorship deals with which Hamilton can top up his income, and out of which his management group - music industry mogul Simon Fuller's XIX - would take a cut that some sources say is as great as 50%, a figure XIX say is wildly exaggerated.

McLaren, by contrast, have strict rules around their driver contracts - they do not allow any personal sponsorship deal that clashes with any brand owned by a company on their car.

So deals with mobile, fashion, household products, perfumes, oil and so on are all out. Jenson Button is allowed to have his deal to endorse shampoo because it was signed before McLaren had GlaxoSmithKline as a partner.

McLaren, I'm told, have loosened some of their restrictions in an attempt to give Hamilton more freedom.

And in their favour is that all contracts contain clauses that define bonuses for success; in McLaren's case for wins and championships. These amount to significant amounts of money and on current form Hamilton would earn more in bonuses with McLaren than with Mercedes.

Financially, it is in XIX's interests for Hamilton to move to Mercedes - that is where they will earn most money.

But that may not be the case for Hamilton, which of course begs the question of whether the driver and his management group actually have conflicting interests.

While Hamilton has steadfastly refused to discuss his future with the media, he has been consistent in one thing. As he put it at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month: "I want to win."

He knows exactly how good he is and it rankles with him that he has so far won only one world title.

In which case, the last few races will have given him pause for thought.

McLaren started this season with the fastest car in F1, the first time they have done that since at least 2008 and arguably 2005.

But Hamilton's title bid was hampered by a series of early season operational problems that prevented him winning until the seventh race of the season in Canada. Was it during this period that he signed that "something" with Mercedes?

After a slight mid-season wobble through the European and British Grands Prix in late June and early July, though, McLaren have come on strongly.

Upgrades introduced at the German Grand Prix gave them a big step forward, making the McLaren once again the fastest car.

Progress was disguised in Hockenheim by a wet qualifying session, which allowed Alonso to take the pole position from which he controlled the race.

Even then, though, with Hamilton out of the reckoning after an early puncture, Button ran the Spaniard close.

Since then, it has been all McLaren. Hamilton won from pole in Hungary and Italy; Button the same in Belgium. Then in Singapore Hamilton lost an almost certain victory, also from pole, with a gearbox failure.

Meanwhile, Mercedes have floundered. And while rival teams agreed that a big upgrade to the silver cars in Singapore did move them forward a little, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher only just scraped into the top 10 in qualifying and were anonymous in the race until Schumacher's embarrassing crash with Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne.

Undoubtedly, Mercedes will have given Hamilton the hard sell.

They'll have pointed out that they have won the world title more recently than McLaren - in their previous guise of Brawn in 2009.

They'll have said they are a true works team backed by a huge car company, whereas McLaren are from next year paying for their "customer" Mercedes engines.

They'll have argued that, in team boss Ross Brawn, Mercedes have the architect of the most dominant dynasty in F1 history - the Ferrari team of the early 2000s - who is determined to do it again. Triple world champion Niki Lauda, who is expected to be given a senior management role at the Mercedes team, has also been involved in trying to persuade Hamilton to join the team.

And they'll have said Hamilton has relative commercial freedom with them to make as much money as he wants.

What they won't have said is that the 2009 world title came about in rather exceptional circumstances and that at no other time has the team looked remotely like consistently challenging the best - whether as BAR, Honda or Mercedes.

And they won't have said that McLaren - for all Hamilton's frustrations over the cars he has had since 2009 and the mistakes that have been made in 2012 - have a winning record over the past 30 years that is the envy of every team in F1.

Of course, the past does not define the future, but the future is built on the past.

It's possible that the near future of F1 is one of Mercedes hegemony, but it would be a hell of a gamble to take for a man who professes he just "wants to win".

If the latest indications about his mind-set are correct, perhaps that is what Hamilton has now realised.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/09/hamilton_saga_nearing_endgame.html

Ralph Firman Ludwig Fischer Rudi Fischer Mike Fisher Giancarlo Fisichella

The Home Racers Assessed

The German Grand�Prix provided an opportunity to add the garnish to an already euphoric population, who are still celebrating their World Cup win. With four countrymen on the grid, and one driving a silver arrow, there was a high chance of German success once the lights went out. The Hockenheimring gave Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/b0XFeG5hVG0/the-home-racers-assessed

Lance Reventlow Peter Revson John Rhodes Alex Ribeiro Ken Richardson

F1?s most popular drivers and teams of 2014 revealed | 2014 F1 season review

F1 Fanatic readers' loyalties were divided between Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in 2014.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/ITS8U-dG5_8/

Peter de Klerk Christian Klien Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi

Montezemolo lands spot on F1 board as Bernie returns

Former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemlo has been appointed to the board of the F1 Group, main shareholder CVC has announced. Meanwhile Bernie Ecclestone has been reappointed to the board after stepping down earlier this year during his legal dramas. … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2014/12/18/montezemolo-lands-spot-on-f1-board-as-bernie-returns/

Gerard Larrousse Jud Larson Niki Lauda† Roger Laurent Giovanni Lavaggi

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Toyota Camry - Driven

Mark McNabb had yet another crack at the 2015 Camry, this time in its loaded-up XLE trim level.

It hadn?t been long since my first drive experience with the revised 2015 Toyota Camry. I spent a couple days along the northeastern edge of Florida?s sunny coastline driving every trim level the Camry had to offer. But recently a Camry showed up at my door, ready for a weeklong stint. Remembering back to my first drive experience, I knew the week would be full of pleasant, uneventful driving. This would especially be the case since the week?s loaner was fitted with the swanky XLE trim with near-Lexus levels of luxury.

The car also came loaded with options, including the 3.5-liter V-6, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, the Entune infotainment system with seven-inch touchscreen, the Technology Package, illuminated door sills, and the rear spoiler.

The Camry proved to be a great fit for the week?s activities that including tooling around town, hauling kids in car seats, and taking a short two-hour road trip for a wedding. So how?d it do? Click past the jump for the rundown.

Click past the jump for more on the 2015 Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry - Driven originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 5 December 2014 13:00 EST.

read more



Source: http://feeds.topspeed.com/~r/topspeed/~3/OTEhvWrnheQ/2015-toyota-camrydriven-ar166527.html

HeinzHarald Frentzen Paul Frere Patrick Friesacher Joe Fry Hiroshi Fushida

F1 Fanatic?s must-read articles of 2014 | 2014 F1 season review

Did you miss out on any of these articles during 2014? Catch up on some of F1 Fanatic's best and most popular offerings this year.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/FW6T6l3PW2Q/

Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger

Would Vettel or Alonso be more deserving champion?

On the surface, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso seem very different. Alonso is all dark, brooding intensity; charismatic but distant.

Vettel is much sunnier - chatty, long answers, always ready with a joke and, as the Abu Dhabi podium ceremony proved, a salty English phrase.

Underneath, though, they share more than might at first be apparent. Both are highly intelligent, intensely dedicated to their profession, and totally ruthless in their own way.

Equally, although Alonso’s wit may be less obvious than Vettel’s, it is highly developed, bone dry, effective, and often used to tactical ends.

Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso

Sebastian Vettel (right) leads Fernando Alonso in the Championship going into the penultimate race of the season. Photo: Reuters  

And they are both, of course, utterly fantastic racing drivers.

These two all-time greats head into the final two races of a marathon and topsy-turvey 2012 Formula 1 season separated by a tiny margin. Ten points is the same as a fifth place - or the margin between finishing first and third.

Vettel, on account of being ahead and having comfortably the faster car, is favourite. But within F1 there is a feeling that Alonso would be the more deserving champion, so well has he performed in a car that is not the best.

But is that a fair and accurate point of view? Let's look at their seasons, and you can make your own judgement.

THE GOOD

Vettel

It seems strange now, in the wake of Red Bull's recent pulverising form, but at the start of this season the world champions were struggling.

The car always had very good race pace - it was right up with the quickest from Melbourne on - but qualifying was a different matter.

In China, Vettel did not make it into the top 10 shoot-out in qualifying; in Monaco he did – just - but then did not run because he didn’t feel he had the pace to make it worthwhile.

In both races, though, he was competitive, taking a fifth place in China and fourth in Monaco, where he nearly won.

That was the story of the first two-thirds of Vettel’s season. He kept plugging away, delivering the points and keeping himself in contention in the championship.

He took only one win – in Bahrain, from pole – and he should have had another in Valencia, when he was as dominant as he ever was in 2011 only to retire with alternator failure.

Then, when Red Bull finally hit the sweet spot with their car, he delivered four consecutive wins (one of them inherited following Lewis Hamilton’s retirement in Singapore), the last three from the front row of the grid, including two pole positions.

And in Abu Dhabi there was an impressive comeback drive to third after being demoted to the back of the grid, albeit with the help of a significant dose of luck.

Alonso

It is hard to think of a race in which, assuming he got around the first corner, Alonso has not been on world-class form.

In Australia, when Ferrari were really struggling with their car at the start of the season, he fought up from 12th on the grid to finish fifth (including getting up to eighth on the first lap).

His three victories have been among the best all year –in the wet in Malaysia from ninth on the grid; in Valencia from 11th, including some stunning, clinical and brave overtaking manoeuvres; and a superbly controlled defensive drive in Germany, holding off the faster cars of Vettel and Jenson Button for the entire race, by going flat out only where he needed to, lap after lap after lap.

Then, to pick out some other highlights, there was beating the Red Bulls to pole in the wet at both Silverstone and Hockenheim; his rise from 10th on the grid to third in Monza, including a courageous pass on Vettel a couple of laps after being forced on to the grass at nearly 200mph; and splitting the Red Bulls to finish second in India.

THE BAD

Vettel

Impressive Vettel has been this year, flawless he has not.

In Malaysia, he cost himself a fourth place by sweeping too early across the front of Narain Karthikeyan’s HRT while lapping it. There was a hint of frustration and a sense of entitlement about the move – as there was in his post-race comments in which he called Karthikeyan an “idiot”.

In Spain, he was penalised for ignoring yellow caution flags.

In Hockenheim he overtook Jenson Button’s McLaren off the circuit, earning himself a demotion from second to fifth place, despite the drivers being warned only a month or so before that they could not benefit by going off the track.

In Monza, he earned a drive-through penalty for pushing Alonso on to the grass at nearly 200mph, in presumed retaliation for a similar move the Spaniard had pulled on Vettel in the same place the previous year. Again, this was despite the drivers being warned that they had to leave room for a rival who had any part of his car alongside any part of theirs.

In qualifying in Japan, he got away with blocking Alonso at the chicane, despite Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne being penalised for doing the same thing to Williams’s Bruno Senna earlier in the session.

And in India he appeared to break guidelines about having all four wheels off the track at one of the chicanes on his only top-10 qualifying lap, but kept his time because the only available footage was from outside the car, and showed only the front wheels. So the FIA had to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Alonso

Er… Has Alonso made any errors at all this year?

Well, he did cost himself a couple of points in China when he ran off the road attempting to pass Williams’s Pastor Maldonado around the outside of Turn Seven – a move that Vettel did pull off against Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen.

He spun in a downpour in second qualifying at Silverstone, just before the session was red-flagged because it was too dangerous.

And some argue that, defending a championship lead, he should not have put himself in the position he did at the start in Japan, where his rear wheel was tagged by Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus on the run to the first corner, putting Alonso out of the race.

The claim is that Alonso had everything to lose and that, while he did nothing wrong, trying to intimidate Raikkonen into backing off, and squeezing him twice, was too big a risk.

The opposing view of that incident is that Raikkonen, who was behind Alonso, had a better view of the situation and should have realised he wasn’t going anywhere from where he was and backed off.

THE MISFORTUNE

Vettel has lost points from two alternator failures, one in Valencia when he was leading and one in Italy when he was running sixth. And third became fourth in Canada when a planned one-stop strategy had to he aborted. That’s 36 points lost.

Alonso was taken out twice at the start – once definitely not his fault (Belgium, when Romain Grosjean’s flying Lotus narrowly missed his head); and once arguably not (Japan).

He lost a possible win in Monaco because Ferrari didn’t realise that if they left him out a bit longer before his pit stop he could have overtaken leader Mark Webber and second-placed Nico Rosberg as well as third-placed Lewis Hamilton.

He should have finished second in Canada and probably won in Silverstone - rather than being fifth and second - but for errant tyre strategies, and he would have been on the front row and finished at least second in Monza had his rear anti-roll bar not failed in qualifying.

That’s 60-odd points lost.

A POST SCRIPT

While we’re analysing Vettel and Alonso, spare a thought for Lewis Hamilton.

The McLaren driver finally lost any mathematical chance of the title after his retirement from the lead in Abu Dhabi. He is 90 points behind Vettel.

Hamilton has said that he has driven at his absolute best this season, and it’s hard to disagree – he has not made a single mistake worth the name.

But his year has been a story of operational and technical failures by his team.

At least three wins have been lost (Spain, Singapore and Abu Dhabi), as well as a series of other big points finishes, as detailed by BBC Radio 5 live commentator James Allen in his blog.

Without that misfortune, Hamilton would be right up with Vettel and Alonso, if not ahead of them.

So, if you’re thinking about ‘deserving’ world champions, if such a thing exists, spare a thought for him too.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/11/benson.html

Robert Doornbos Ken Downing Bob Drake Paddy Driver Piero Drogo

F1 WAG: Natalie Sifferman

Jerome d?Ambrosio may not be on the grid, but that shouldn?t stop us from taking a look at his other half, right? We think that?s the case, so here is out gallery of the lovely Natalie Sifferman. Enjoy CLICK HERE TO REVEAL OUT NATALIE SIFFERMAN GALLERY

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/zfmwbg34kkU/f1-wag-natalie-sifferman-2

Riccardo Paletti Torsten Palm Jonathan Palmer Olivier Panis Giorgio Pantano

Would Vettel or Alonso be more deserving champion?

On the surface, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso seem very different. Alonso is all dark, brooding intensity; charismatic but distant.

Vettel is much sunnier - chatty, long answers, always ready with a joke and, as the Abu Dhabi podium ceremony proved, a salty English phrase.

Underneath, though, they share more than might at first be apparent. Both are highly intelligent, intensely dedicated to their profession, and totally ruthless in their own way.

Equally, although Alonso’s wit may be less obvious than Vettel’s, it is highly developed, bone dry, effective, and often used to tactical ends.

Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso

Sebastian Vettel (right) leads Fernando Alonso in the Championship going into the penultimate race of the season. Photo: Reuters  

And they are both, of course, utterly fantastic racing drivers.

These two all-time greats head into the final two races of a marathon and topsy-turvey 2012 Formula 1 season separated by a tiny margin. Ten points is the same as a fifth place - or the margin between finishing first and third.

Vettel, on account of being ahead and having comfortably the faster car, is favourite. But within F1 there is a feeling that Alonso would be the more deserving champion, so well has he performed in a car that is not the best.

But is that a fair and accurate point of view? Let's look at their seasons, and you can make your own judgement.

THE GOOD

Vettel

It seems strange now, in the wake of Red Bull's recent pulverising form, but at the start of this season the world champions were struggling.

The car always had very good race pace - it was right up with the quickest from Melbourne on - but qualifying was a different matter.

In China, Vettel did not make it into the top 10 shoot-out in qualifying; in Monaco he did – just - but then did not run because he didn’t feel he had the pace to make it worthwhile.

In both races, though, he was competitive, taking a fifth place in China and fourth in Monaco, where he nearly won.

That was the story of the first two-thirds of Vettel’s season. He kept plugging away, delivering the points and keeping himself in contention in the championship.

He took only one win – in Bahrain, from pole – and he should have had another in Valencia, when he was as dominant as he ever was in 2011 only to retire with alternator failure.

Then, when Red Bull finally hit the sweet spot with their car, he delivered four consecutive wins (one of them inherited following Lewis Hamilton’s retirement in Singapore), the last three from the front row of the grid, including two pole positions.

And in Abu Dhabi there was an impressive comeback drive to third after being demoted to the back of the grid, albeit with the help of a significant dose of luck.

Alonso

It is hard to think of a race in which, assuming he got around the first corner, Alonso has not been on world-class form.

In Australia, when Ferrari were really struggling with their car at the start of the season, he fought up from 12th on the grid to finish fifth (including getting up to eighth on the first lap).

His three victories have been among the best all year –in the wet in Malaysia from ninth on the grid; in Valencia from 11th, including some stunning, clinical and brave overtaking manoeuvres; and a superbly controlled defensive drive in Germany, holding off the faster cars of Vettel and Jenson Button for the entire race, by going flat out only where he needed to, lap after lap after lap.

Then, to pick out some other highlights, there was beating the Red Bulls to pole in the wet at both Silverstone and Hockenheim; his rise from 10th on the grid to third in Monza, including a courageous pass on Vettel a couple of laps after being forced on to the grass at nearly 200mph; and splitting the Red Bulls to finish second in India.

THE BAD

Vettel

Impressive Vettel has been this year, flawless he has not.

In Malaysia, he cost himself a fourth place by sweeping too early across the front of Narain Karthikeyan’s HRT while lapping it. There was a hint of frustration and a sense of entitlement about the move – as there was in his post-race comments in which he called Karthikeyan an “idiot”.

In Spain, he was penalised for ignoring yellow caution flags.

In Hockenheim he overtook Jenson Button’s McLaren off the circuit, earning himself a demotion from second to fifth place, despite the drivers being warned only a month or so before that they could not benefit by going off the track.

In Monza, he earned a drive-through penalty for pushing Alonso on to the grass at nearly 200mph, in presumed retaliation for a similar move the Spaniard had pulled on Vettel in the same place the previous year. Again, this was despite the drivers being warned that they had to leave room for a rival who had any part of his car alongside any part of theirs.

In qualifying in Japan, he got away with blocking Alonso at the chicane, despite Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne being penalised for doing the same thing to Williams’s Bruno Senna earlier in the session.

And in India he appeared to break guidelines about having all four wheels off the track at one of the chicanes on his only top-10 qualifying lap, but kept his time because the only available footage was from outside the car, and showed only the front wheels. So the FIA had to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Alonso

Er… Has Alonso made any errors at all this year?

Well, he did cost himself a couple of points in China when he ran off the road attempting to pass Williams’s Pastor Maldonado around the outside of Turn Seven – a move that Vettel did pull off against Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen.

He spun in a downpour in second qualifying at Silverstone, just before the session was red-flagged because it was too dangerous.

And some argue that, defending a championship lead, he should not have put himself in the position he did at the start in Japan, where his rear wheel was tagged by Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus on the run to the first corner, putting Alonso out of the race.

The claim is that Alonso had everything to lose and that, while he did nothing wrong, trying to intimidate Raikkonen into backing off, and squeezing him twice, was too big a risk.

The opposing view of that incident is that Raikkonen, who was behind Alonso, had a better view of the situation and should have realised he wasn’t going anywhere from where he was and backed off.

THE MISFORTUNE

Vettel has lost points from two alternator failures, one in Valencia when he was leading and one in Italy when he was running sixth. And third became fourth in Canada when a planned one-stop strategy had to he aborted. That’s 36 points lost.

Alonso was taken out twice at the start – once definitely not his fault (Belgium, when Romain Grosjean’s flying Lotus narrowly missed his head); and once arguably not (Japan).

He lost a possible win in Monaco because Ferrari didn’t realise that if they left him out a bit longer before his pit stop he could have overtaken leader Mark Webber and second-placed Nico Rosberg as well as third-placed Lewis Hamilton.

He should have finished second in Canada and probably won in Silverstone - rather than being fifth and second - but for errant tyre strategies, and he would have been on the front row and finished at least second in Monza had his rear anti-roll bar not failed in qualifying.

That’s 60-odd points lost.

A POST SCRIPT

While we’re analysing Vettel and Alonso, spare a thought for Lewis Hamilton.

The McLaren driver finally lost any mathematical chance of the title after his retirement from the lead in Abu Dhabi. He is 90 points behind Vettel.

Hamilton has said that he has driven at his absolute best this season, and it’s hard to disagree – he has not made a single mistake worth the name.

But his year has been a story of operational and technical failures by his team.

At least three wins have been lost (Spain, Singapore and Abu Dhabi), as well as a series of other big points finishes, as detailed by BBC Radio 5 live commentator James Allen in his blog.

Without that misfortune, Hamilton would be right up with Vettel and Alonso, if not ahead of them.

So, if you’re thinking about ‘deserving’ world champions, if such a thing exists, spare a thought for him too.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/11/benson.html

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Kasey Kahne nips Smith at Daytona finish line

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/04/3985772/kasey-kahne-nips-smith-at-daytona.html

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Sponsored Video: Bosch wiper blades ? Invented for life

For families with young children, life on the road can prove challenging, especially when you?re potentially embarking on a half-term trip away to Norfolk or travelling to the Peak District in search of the escape from the norm. Cries of ?Are we there yet? inevitably echo around your car a mere ten minutes after leaving [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/VmsCpOFj8d0/sponsored-video-bosch-wiper-blades-invented-for-life

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Vettel wins, but has to work for it

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/vettel-wins-but-has-to-work-for-it.html

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Money talks. Live with it.

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/07/money-talks-live-with-it.html

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Paul Walker's Nissan Skyline From "Fast & Furious" up for Sale

Run, don’t walk, to the bank and pull out your life savings, as Paul Walker’s

A heavily modified Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is listed at Classic Trader, the auto classifieds that sells a lot of classic exotics. So what?s so special about this particular Skyline other than the fact that it?s blue, has 550 horsepower under its hood, and only 6,000 km (3,728 miles) on the odometer? Well, it?s a Hollywood car driven specifically by the late Paul Walker in Fast & Furious — the fourth installment in the franchise.

This Skyline is actually one of nine Skylines that were used in the making of the movie, but according to Top Gear, this one is the only real Skyline in the movie. The rest were apparently makeshift units created by using plastic bodies on Volkswagen Beetle chassis. We won?t blame you if become nauseous after reading that.

This one, though, is the real deal. It?s got all the bells and whistles of the GT-R R34, including a 2.6-liter, twin-turbo, straight-six engine that was fitted with a front-mounted intercooler from Turbonetics. That setup allows it to pump out an impressive 550 ponies with the power sent to all four wheels courtesy of a six-speed Getrag transmission.

It also has a loot bag of aftermarket options, which isn?t at all surprising considering the nature of the movie it appeared in. It has plenty of Nismo parts, including a bumper with side skirts, lowering springs, V-Spec NUR pedals, and an NE-1 exhaust, all of which are consistent with what a full-fledged drag Skyline should have at its disposal. A Momo Alcantara steering wheel was also installed, as well as a custom roll cage, a Sony head unit, a custom heads-up display for the dash-mounted PC, and an MFD Xenarc Display unit with all gauges programmed to the Skyline?s ECU.

As you can expect, this Skyline doesn?t come cheap, nor should it considering that it also comes with a ?40-page appraisal from a well known accredited appraisal company documenting the build and movie car history.? For the privilege of owning Paul Walker?s Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 from Fast & Furious, interested buyers need to have at least �600,000 at their disposal, which is about $940,740 as of 12/4/14.

We did say "at least" because given the car?s history and who drove it, the price for this Skyline GT-R R34 is expected to reach more than $1 million.

Click past the jump to read more about Paul Walker’s Nissan Skyline.

Paul Walker's Nissan Skyline From "Fast & Furious" up for Sale originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 7 December 2014 12:00 EST.

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Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble

NASCAR: Kyle Busch closes on Phoenix sweep

Kyle Busch closes on Phoenix sweep By Diego Mejia Sunday, February 27th 2011, 07:28 GMT Kyle Busch could make further NASCAR history this weekend by completing a full sweep of victories in its top-level championships at Phoenix in a single weekend, having already dominated in the Trucks and Natiowide Series races at the one-mile oval. Related posts:
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Source: http://doxcar.com/nascar-kyle-busch-closes-on-phoenix-sweep/

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Monday, December 29, 2014

Red Bull Auction

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/8biHq8xHkjg/red-bull-auction.html

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Tom Higgins put ’shine on the NASCAR experience

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/04/3984993/tom-higgins-put-shine-on-the-nascar.html

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Hungarian Grand Prix Preview ? The Soap Opera Lands Again

Next stop for the Formula One soap opera carries on this weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg overtook Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ Championship on his home patch at the German Grand Prix. The star, who was born and raised in Monaco, was not allowed to wear his racing helmet he created especially [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/DcWUfIs_fYc/hungarian-grand-prix-preview-the-soap-opera-lands-again

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Let's Check Those Beasts

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/cFGtP47yxow/lets-check-those-beasts.html

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Hungarian Grand Prix ? The Top FIVE

Situated just outside of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, the Hungaroring has played host to a race every year since 1986 when it became the first race to take place behind the Iron Curtain. Tight and twisty, the track has never been renowned as an overtaking haven, often heavily favouring drivers who start on the front [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/w7Jcsv58_6k/hungarian-grand-prix-the-top-five-2

Jimmy Bryan Clemar Bucci Ronnie Bucknum Ivor Bueb Sebastien Buemi

Team Lotus Launch Their 2011 Machine The T128

Team Lotus (the one who raced last year) have become the second team to officially pull the covers off their new 2011 car. The green and yellow liveried machine will start be raced by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen this season under the name of Team Lotus as the management’s row with Group Lotus, now […]

Source: https://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/team-lotus-launch-their-2011-machine-the-t128/

Jimmy Daywalt JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler Pedro Diniz Duke Dinsmore

Jeff Gordon wins at Phoenix to snap 66-race drought

Jeff Gordon Ends Drought Jeff Gordon snaps 66-race winless streak by taking the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at PhoenixJeff Gordon Ends Drought AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Just before peeling off what he called a lame burnout near the finish line, Jeff Gordon screamed into his radio, the emotion pouring out with his voice. [+] Enlarge Jared C. Related posts:
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Source: http://doxcar.com/jeff-gordon-wins-at-phoenix-to-snap-66-race-drought/

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F1?s most popular drivers and teams of 2014 revealed | 2014 F1 season review

F1 Fanatic readers' loyalties were divided between Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in 2014.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/ITS8U-dG5_8/

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Red Bull Auction

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/8biHq8xHkjg/red-bull-auction.html

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Nico Rosberg Feels Better

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogvasion/FormulaOne/~3/43A6l5j28GQ/nico-rosberg-feels-better.html

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J. Earnhardt breaks collarbone in motorcycle crash

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/04/3985728/j-earnhardt-breaks-collarbone.html

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

Earnhardt Jr. aiming for a season-sweep at Daytona

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/04/3984956/earnhardt-jr-aiming-for-a-season.html

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F1: Alonso: 2011 tyres will hurt top teams

Alonso: 2011 tyres will hurt top teams By Matt Beer Monday, February 28th 2011, 19:07 GMT Fernando Alonso says he is not in favour of the move towards less durable tyres for 2011, as he fears this will end up penalising faster cars. Related posts:
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Source: http://doxcar.com/f1-alonso-2011-tyres-will-hurt-top-teams/

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Your guide to NASCAR's Coke Zero 400

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/04/3985665/nascar-coke-zero-400-guide.html

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Ferrari concerned over F1?s falling popularity | F1 Fanatic Round-up

In the round-up: F1 'risks racing at empty tracks' ? Haas buys Marussia factory ? Maldonado 'doesn't deserve reputation'

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