Adrenaline Shot: The Aston Martin DB9 Special
James Bond started it with the DB5. Let us take an inside look at the latest iteration of the DB series, the DB9.
Showing posts with label Racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Racing. Show all posts
Is the 2013 Formula 1 season over?
The Palar Challenge 2013
There were a number of firsts in this edition of TPC. Beginning with the first time ever that we saw almost non-stop rain to the fact that the competition was won by a team competing at TPC for the first time, the wide range of terrain sure made for quite the challenge for all teams participating. With a mixture of near stock vehicles to completely competition prepped vehicles, it was also quite the sight for the participants and spectators alike!
It was heartwarming to see teams who participated from outside the region. Beginning with Team Gerrari who fielded 2 teams and had their vehicles trucked in all the way from Chandigarh (and with their we can do attitude) to Team Coorg who's relaxed and laid back style, it was truly a joy to see such diverse driving styles. We also cannot forget the team from Pune, the Pathfinders, the BODA boys from Bangalore, and the Hyderabad Jeepers who put their heart and soul into the event. Despite several challenges in the 3 days, they fixed their vehicles in the rain and darkness and still trucked on without losing their focus one bit. The same holds true for the boys from KTM Jeepers who we are sure would have been in contention for top honors hadn't it been for some minor mishaps along the way. The event also saw it’s only female driver who braved it all for 3 days and made it to the finish line. The list would be incomplete without the inclusion of legendary Rally Driver Mr. Jagat Nanjappa who was competing as part of the second Coorg team. It was truly an honor to watch a legend compete in the event. And finally to the local boys, Triveni for completing the entire event without a single breakdown. That in itself is something to be proud of. Palar is known to demand a sacrifice every time you set out and it was no different this time either. Even the marshals have faced several challenges during recces.
The Palar Challenge is truly a test of man and machine and considering the interest and participation in TPC 2013, it will be great to see the turnout for the event in 2014. Mark your calendars everyone!
Here are some of the videos that we took during the event:
You can also check out the Official TPC Facebook Page here.
Here are some of the videos that we took during the event:
You can also check out the Official TPC Facebook Page here.
R.I.P Professor Sid Watkins
It is a sad sad day for Formula 1... long time friend, head of the Formula 1 on track medical team and first responder, Professor Sid Watkins has passed away. A regular fixture at the races for almost 30 years, the Prof's (as he was affectionately called) absence will surely be felt by one and all. A world renowned neuro-surgeon, he was responsible for saving the lives of many a Formula 1 driver over the course of his tenure.
Beginning his long association in 1978, Watkins began the gradual process of changing attitudes and then changing the circuit medical facilities. At the time circuit medical centers were often nothing more than tents with little in the way of facilities. He was spurred on by such events as the death of Ronnie Peterson in 1979 after which Watkins began a campaign to ensure that the hospitals to which the injured were taken had the necessary facilities.
Watkins's common sense approach and willingness to speak his mind made him a respected figure in Formula 1 circles especially after the deaths of Ayrton Senna (who he was especially close friends with) and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994 at Imola. This was when the Prof was appointed to head a new body called the Advisory Expert Group which revolutionized not only car safety but also circuit safety and systems like the HANS head and neck support. There has not been a driver fatality in Formula 1 ever since.
We are sure the Singapore Grand Prix next week will have a special dedication in his memory.
R.I.P. Prof (1928 - 2012)
Ever wonder how Formula 1 cars are built?
They are the pinnacle of motor racing and are at the limit of what is technologically possible. We are of course referring to Formula 1. Considering the amount of money spent in designing and developing the cars not to mention the insane amount of money spent in marketing and promotions, it is still a highly secretive circle. There are trade secrets galore and even though you get to see the cars in plain view at every race, it doesn't even scratch the surface of what goes into the production of these million dollar machines. We found a video from Red Bull Racing that gives us a glimpse of some of the processes involved in making these cars. Here it is:
Red Bull reigns supreme at Silverstone
After a crazy weekend at Silverstone for the 2012 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix, it looks like Red Bull gave Mark Webber the wings he needed to pull off a fantastic victory from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and his teammate, Sebastian Vettel. What began as a rain soaked race weekend turned out to be a spectacular race day on Sunday and all eyes were on the Ferraris to repeat their performance from last year... not to mention home town favorites McLaren. But in the end, the team from Milton Keyes took the win with a well controlled and fast paced drive.
Alonso started off on the hard compound tires (along with Lewis Hamilton) unlike the rest of the pack who started the race on Intermediate tires, but was able to maintain his lead from Pole position for most of the race. In the end, Mark Webber managed to get past Alonso only on the 48th lap (out of 52), when Alonso's tires started fading away. Webber's teammate Sebastian Vettel tried to close the gap between his car and Alonso's Ferrari but was unable to do so and finished the race in 3rd position. Felipe Massa looked like he got his mojo back and drove a great race to finish in 4th place just a hair ahead of the flying Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. Special mention goes out to Grosjean who probably drove the best race of all the drivers and started in 18th position and finished in 6th position. Mercedes' Michael Schumacher fell down a couple of spots from his starting position to finish in 7th position followed by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton in 8th spot. Bruno Senna and Jenson Button rounded up the top 10 with seemingly lack luster performances.
Kamui Kobayashi took 11th after a strong race, which unfortunately was marred when he hit three mechanics when he slightly overshot his pit spot during his second stop. Thankfully no one was seriously injured, but the stewards fined the Japanese driver 25,000 Euro. Pastor Maldonado had yet another altercation during the race, this time it was with Sergio Perez when he drove into the his car as they were racing side by side. They both spun, but Perez was unable to continue thanks to suspension damage. The stewards subsequently reprimanded Maldonado and fined him 10,000 Euro for causing a collision. Here are the complete results of the race.
Webber’s win moves him to the second place in the Drivers championship with 116 points, trailing Alonso who still leads with 129 points. Behind them, Vettel is now third with 100 from Hamilton with 92 and Raikkonen with 83. Here are the complete standings.
Red Bull extended their lead in the Constructors’ championship with 216 points, with both Ferrari and Lotus, with 152 and 144, moving ahead of McLaren with 142.
The season now heads to Hockenheimring for the Formula 1 Grosser Preis Santander Von Deutschland 2012 (German Grand Prix) to be held from July 20th to the 22nd.
Alonso leads pack after drenched session
It was a drenched affair at Silverstone during qualification for the 2012 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix. With the rain playing havoc throughout the entire session causing qualifying to be red flagged in Q2 with 6 minutes and 19 seconds left on the clock, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finally put together a scorcher of a lap in the final session to earn the Pole position for the race. He will be joined by Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber on the front row. The final session was all about trying to get in at least one clean lap in the midst of all the traffic.
It was a session filled with spin outs, beachings and loads of hydroplaning. With the yellow flag coming out a few times it definitely caused many a flying lap to get cut short for safety reasons. Seven time former world champion Michael Schumacher (the Rainmeister) also managed to put in a quick lap to finish in third spot. And despite a seemingly lackluster lap, reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel managed to bring in the second Red Bull Racing car in fourth place. Ferrari's Felipe Massa, sort of on a second wind, was fifth, followed by the Iceman, Kimi Raikkonen in a Lotus that didn’t have KERS. Williams' Pastor Maldonado improved his Q2 time that was enough to snatch seventh from his Valencia sparring partner McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who was a disappointed eighth for McLaren. Nico Hulkenberg took ninth for Force India, while Lotus driver Romain Grosjean was tenth after his Q2 time (he did not run in Q3).
Here are the complete results from qualifying.
Notably missing from the top 10 was McLaren's Jenson Button who failed to make it out of Q1 due to traffic and the yellow flag just prior to his flying lap. He completed qualification in 18th place. The starting grid will be a little juggled though, as Kobayashi and Vergne have five and 10-place grid penalties respectively from Valencia, and Hulkenberg and Pic have five-places penalties for gearbox changes.
Alonso wins a thriller at Valencia
And what a race it was. After a slow start with not much action and Sebastian Vettel in the lead, the 2012 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe looked like it would end without much incident. All that changed at the half way point when the safety car was deployed after Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso collided with Heikki Kovalainen's Caterham. From that point on all the action began with front runners Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean retiring due to mechanical issues. Home favorite Fernando Alonso drove a superb race to take the lead and stayed there till the end. He was chased by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen and Williams' Pastor Maldonado. Lewis' race came to an end on the penultimate lap when Maldonado drove into Lewis car and was able to limp past the finish line in 10th place.
All this action meant Michael Schumacher was bumped up to 3rd place and on the podium for the first time since his return to Formula 1. Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber drove the most stellar race and finished in 4th place after beginning in 19th position. Both the Force India cars also finished in the points with Nico Hulkenberg finishing in 5th position and Paul di Resta in 7th. They were split by Schumacher's teammate Nico Rosberg. McLaren's Jenson Button finished in 8th place, no small feat considering the tire degradation issues that he faced throughout the race. Sergio Perez and Pastor Maldonado rounded up the top 10. Here are the complete results of the race.
With this race, and with Vettel and Hamilton not finishing the race, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso now leads the drivers standings with 111 points. He is followed by Red Bull's Mark Webber with 91 points and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton with 88 points. Here are the complete standings. Red Bull Racing still leads the constructors standings with 176 points followed by McLaren with 137 points and surprise surprise... Lotus-Renault with 126 points, aided by very consistent performances by both their drivers.
Formula 1 now heads to Silverstone for the 2012 Santander British Grand Prix to be held from July 6th to the 8th.
Sunny Valencia smiles down at Vettel during qualifying
It was an absolutely gorgeous day at the scenic Valencia Street Circuit in Spain, home of the 2012 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe. With most drivers taking their time and conserving the number of laps (and consequently their tires) owing to the rising track temperatures, Vettel put in a fiery final qualifying lap to take Pole position by almost 4 tenths of a second from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton. They take the front row on the grid followed by Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean who also put in some fantastic laps before being upstaged in the final seconds of Q1. Lotus' Kimi Raikonnen drove a calm and collected qualifying lap to finish in 5th spot followed by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg. Both Force India drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta also finish in the top 10 along with McLaren's Jenson Button.
Here are the complete results from qualification.
The surprises of the afternoon came from the Ferrari duo of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa who failed to make it to the final qualifying session and Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber who failed to make it out of the first qualifying session. Webber will begin the race in 18th position. Timo Glock starts from the back of the grid after skipping qualification due to an upset stomach.
The European Grand Prix begins at 2:00PM Valencia time. Click here to see your local timing. In India, the race will be broadcast on Star Sports starting at 4:30PM.
Oops! Audi did it again!
In spectacular fashion, Audi took all the top podium spots at the historic 24 Heures du Mans (24 Hours of Le Mans). Not that this is something new considering their performance the past few years but it is still worth noting that the 2012 edition of the race was won by the No.1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro, the hybrid that also took Pole position this year. It was a competitive race in the beginning with the Toyotas challenging the Audis, but as the hours dragged on, it finally took its toll on the Toyotas causing all of them to retire before the end of the race. From that point onwards, the Audis were basically racing themselves. The margin at the finish was just 1 lap between the first two Audis with the 3rd Audi finishing 3 laps down.
As the No.1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro of Andre Lotterer, Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer took the chequered flag at exactly 3PM Le Mans time, Audi Sport today secured their 11th victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Breaking up the Audis, and finishing in fourth place after a display of amazing consistency and reliability, was the No.12 Rebellion Racing Lola Toyota of Neel Jani, Nicolas Prost, Nick Heidfeld. Rounding out the top six was Le Mans newcomer JRM Motorsport whose No.22 HPD ARX-03a was in the reliable hands of former winner David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok, the first Indian to compete in the 80th installment of the Circuit de la Sarthe classic.
A notable mention on the innovative technology project operating under the 'Garage 56' banner in 2012, the Nissan DeltaWing, did not finish the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans due to accident damage, but it wasn't for want of trying. The SR-71esque racer retired after completing 303 laps and has been classified as having finished in 52nd spot.
A notable mention on the innovative technology project operating under the 'Garage 56' banner in 2012, the Nissan DeltaWing, did not finish the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans due to accident damage, but it wasn't for want of trying. The SR-71esque racer retired after completing 303 laps and has been classified as having finished in 52nd spot.
Here are the complete results of the race.
The pinnacle of endurance motor racing is upon us - Le Mans 2012
Created in 1923, the 24 Heures du Mans (24 Hours of Le Mans) is the most famous endurance race in the world. The historic race has even spurned movies by the likes of Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. Several of the top automotive manufacturers use the race as a showcase to display their technological prowess. The race conveys values of sportsmanship, of challenge and technologies which men, car manufacturers and the major makes seek to make their own, whether by taking part in the race, standing out through their achievements, or by becoming partners.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans technical regulations distinguish two major car families: The "Prototypes" and "Grand Touring", each of which is split into two parts. The "Prototype" category refers to cars exclusively developed for competition on track and which meet the technical regulations of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. The performance levels and technological development make this category overeign in endurance. The "Grand Touring" category features cars derived from models homologated for road use and which can be purchased. A minimum of 100 road cars must be built by the major car manufacturers and a minimum of 25 for the smaller makes.
Qualification for the 2012 race has been completed and the stage has been set. The race is scheduled for June 16th and 17th at the historic Circuit de la Sarthe. With top speeds exceeding 200mph, the day and night race is expected to have quite an awesome turn out... not to mention the fantastic racing action. This year's race is also special since Audi claimed the historic first pole for a hybrid car. With dry and warm conditions all evening, there was much to play for and it was the No.1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro driven by André Lotterer who claimed the second consecutive pole position for the No.1 crew, leading an historic 1-2-4-6 result for the hugely successful German marque. The German driver’s fastest time was 3:23.787, the Audi R18 e-tron quattro yielding a time almost two seconds quicker than last year’s pole and staking claim to being the first hybrid car to take a pole position. Here are the complete results from qualifying.
Indian driver Karun Chandhok completed his first qualifying session at Le Mans as his team JRM Racing set a time of 3:37.088, 11th quickest in the overall classification. He is set to become the first Indian driver to start the historic race. The trio of David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok will use the Honda HPD ARX-03a to contest the LMP1 category.
The 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will start at 3pm Le Mans time on Saturday, 16th June. The race can be seen live at www.fiawec.com.
7 in 7 at Montreal.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton took his 3rd Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada with an absolutely manic drive in a race that was a nail biter from the start to the end. The win puts him at the top of the 2012 Formula 1 Driver's Standing with 88 points to Fernando Alonso's 86. It was a fantastic race all throughout with pit strategy playing a vital role in determining the podium finishers.
Fernando Alonso led for a majority of the race followed closely by Sebastian Vettel when Lewis Hamilton pit from the lead. But Lewis' 2 stop strategy proved to be the downfall of Ferrari and Red Bull Racing who did not have the grip due to extreme tire wear to stop the absolutely blistering pace of the McLaren after its second pit stop. In the end, Vettel decided to pit and was able to salvage some solace in being able to get past Alonso in the penultimate lap to finish the race in 4th place. Renault's Romain Grosjean and Sauber's Sergio Perez also drove absolutely disciplined races and waited until the opportune moment to get ahead of Vettel and Alonso to finish on the podium.
The race also meant the 2012 Formula 1 season saw its 7th different winner in the first 7 seven races... it looks like history is continuing to be made this season. Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, Kimi Raikkonen, Kamui Kobayashi and Felipe Massa rounded out the top 10. Here are the complete standings of the race. The championship is still wide open for the drivers with the top 4 drivers separated by less than 10 points. Here are the current driver's standings.
We can now look forward to the 2012 Grand Prix of Europe to be held at the Valencia Street Circuit, Spain from the 22nd to 24th of June.
Vettel lays down the hammer at Montreal
Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing laid down the hammer during the qualifying session of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2012. After a seemingly effortless qualifying session, Vettel cruised to Pole position. McLaren's Lews Hamilton will accompany Vettel on the front row of the Canadian Grand Prix after finishing in second place, about 3 tenths of a second behind Vettel.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso came close to ousting Lewis from the front row but was unable to do so. He will start in Row 2 alongside Vettel's teammate Mark Webber. Mercedes' Nico Rosberg continued his fine form by qualifying in 5th place alongside Felipe Massa, who is fighting to keep his place at Ferrari and definitely needs a good result at Canada. Romain Grosjean, Paul di Resta, Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button round up the top 10. Tire management will be key in tomorrow's race especially considering the ambient temperature in Montreal is expected to hit about 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).
The qualifying sessions (Q3, Q2 and Q1) were devoid of much drama aside from some drivers almost losing it at the final corner of the track, the Wall of Champions corner, a fast chicane section leading to the front straightaway and the start finish line. Pastor Maldonado was on track to finishing in the top 5 when he lost control on the final corner and damaged the rear suspension of his Williams-Renault. Here are the results from Qualifying today.
History made at a Historic Race
It has never happened in Formula 1. 6 different winners in the first 6 races of a season. The 2012 season has made history with Mark Webber from Red Bull Racing taking the checkered flag at the 2012 Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco. And what a fantastic race it was with the top 6 drivers separated by a little over 6 seconds at the finish. Monaco is considered by most to be the hardest track in the calendar with very few areas for passing (if at all), but amidst all the drama, Webber drove a simply superb race to take the win.
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Webber's teammate Sebastian Vettel were all hot on his heels at a time differential of just 1.3s. Webber took the lead at the start and held it from Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, but the Lewis lost third to Alonso during their only pit stop. Felipe Massa seemed to be hot on the heels of Lewis' McLaren, but in the end it wasn't enough and he finished the race in 6th place. The Force India duo of Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg drove a superb race and collect some valuable points for the team by finishing in 7th and 8th positions ahead of former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen. Williams' Bruno Senna rounded out the top 10.
Michael Schumacher, who had the fastest time during qualifying (but was penalized), ran into Romain Grosjean at the start which ended the Frenchman’s race, while Pastor Maldonado damaged his Williams’ front wing in the traffic and also retired. Schumacher and Grosjean are under investigation for their incident.
View the complete results of the race.
The result of the race at Monaco means we have a new leader in the Driver's Championship. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leads the pack with 76 points, followed closely by the Red Bull Racing duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber who are both tied at 73 points. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is fourth with 63 points followed by Mercedes' Nico Rosberg with 59 points.
The result of the race at Monaco means we have a new leader in the Driver's Championship. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leads the pack with 76 points, followed closely by the Red Bull Racing duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber who are both tied at 73 points. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is fourth with 63 points followed by Mercedes' Nico Rosberg with 59 points.
View the current driver's standings.
The teams and drivers will head West next, for the Formula 1 Grand Prix Du Canada 2012 to be held from the 8th to 10th June at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal.
Cote d'Azur beckons Formula 1 yet again
It is the most prestigious race on the Formula 1 calendar. A star studded event attracting celebrities and the who's who of the motor racing world past and present alike, a victory here is pretty much the dream of every single driver on the starting grid. We are, of course, talking about the Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2012 in Monte Carlo. Will Sebastian Vettel repeat his victory from 2011 this year? Or will history be made with a 6th driver taking the podium in as many races?
It is a shame Michael Schumacher was penalized 5 spots at the Monaco Grand Prix after a superb drive during qualification to land the fastest time of the session (and silence his critics). The Mercedes driver will drop five places for causing a collision with Williams driver Bruno Senna, at the last race in Spain. His penalty means second place Mark Webber from Red Bull Racing will start tomorrow's race in Pole position, a familiar spot for him considering he won this race a couple of years ago. Webber will be joined on the front row by Schumi's teammate, fellow Mercedes Racing driver Nico Rosberg. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton starts off in third followed by Romain Grosjean in the first of the Lotus cars. Both the Ferraris showed up during qualifying today and will occupy the 7th and 8th spots with Michael starting in 6th place with his penalty alongside Fernando Alonso. They will be followed by Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen in the second of the Lotus cars. Pastor Maldonado finished qualifying in 9th place for Williams but was penalized 10 spots after his crash with Sergio Perez during the final practice session. As a result of the penalty, defending champion Sebastian Vettel, who did not run in the final qualifying session, will start in 9th place alongside Force India's Nico Hulkenberg who benefited from Maldonado's penalty after falling out after Q2 (second qualifying session).
The Monaco Grand Prix begins at 2:00pm Monaco time. Click here to see your local timing. In India, the race will be broadcast on Star Sports starting at 4:30PM.
Here are some of the highlights from the 2011 Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monaco.
It is a shame Michael Schumacher was penalized 5 spots at the Monaco Grand Prix after a superb drive during qualification to land the fastest time of the session (and silence his critics). The Mercedes driver will drop five places for causing a collision with Williams driver Bruno Senna, at the last race in Spain. His penalty means second place Mark Webber from Red Bull Racing will start tomorrow's race in Pole position, a familiar spot for him considering he won this race a couple of years ago. Webber will be joined on the front row by Schumi's teammate, fellow Mercedes Racing driver Nico Rosberg. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton starts off in third followed by Romain Grosjean in the first of the Lotus cars. Both the Ferraris showed up during qualifying today and will occupy the 7th and 8th spots with Michael starting in 6th place with his penalty alongside Fernando Alonso. They will be followed by Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen in the second of the Lotus cars. Pastor Maldonado finished qualifying in 9th place for Williams but was penalized 10 spots after his crash with Sergio Perez during the final practice session. As a result of the penalty, defending champion Sebastian Vettel, who did not run in the final qualifying session, will start in 9th place alongside Force India's Nico Hulkenberg who benefited from Maldonado's penalty after falling out after Q2 (second qualifying session).
The Monaco Grand Prix begins at 2:00pm Monaco time. Click here to see your local timing. In India, the race will be broadcast on Star Sports starting at 4:30PM.
Here are some of the highlights from the 2011 Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monaco.
Here is the newest entrant to the 24 Heures du Mans
This is the newest entrant to the 2012 24 Hours at Le Mans, the pinnacle of endurance motor racing in the world. It doesn't fly in case you were wondering if it did (it does look like the SR-71 on wheels). This is the Nissan DeltaWing. At this time, it is an experiment more than anything else but just look at it. The LMP1 class cars at Le Mans are already pretty radical but this DeltaWing makes those cars look like they were designed in a different era.
The whole idea behind the DeltaWing is efficiency. As a result of several boffins putting their heads together, this design has reduced the weight (compared to similar racers) by 50%, decreased the drag by 50% and most importantly, has decreased the fuel consumption by 50%! What this means is you don't need a crazy motor making insane amounts of horsepower to power the car to breakneck speeds. DeltaWing's designers are hoping the fact that the engine, driver, and most of the mass are over the rear axle of the vehicle will work towards its maneuverability. The wheels only need to turn a small amount because they're out at the end of this huge, rear-biased vehicle. The DeltaWing will be powered by a turbocharged, direct-injected 1.6-liter, four-cylinder with an output of around 300 horsepower. Known as DIG-T, the powerplant shares the same roots as the engine in the Nissan Juke.
The Nissan DeltaWing will be racing in the "Garage 56" spot (which is reserved for futuristic racers), will wear Number 0, and won't be classified in the results and as a result can't win any trophies. Still, something tells us that all eyes will be on this bad boy on the 16th and 17th of June, 2012 at Le Mans.
Update: The project is a collaboration between Highcroft Racing and ALMS founder Don Panoz and is built around the monocoque of last years Aston Martin AMR-One and at one stage could have been the future of Indy Car Racing. The fact that it has been built around the tub of the Aston means it had already passed the mandatory crash tests for the race. The #0 Highcroft Racing Delta Wing Nissan is driven by Marino Franchitti, Michael Krumm and Satoshi Motoyama. Krumm and Motoyama join because of their links with Nissan. Krumm has not driven here since 2005 and Moytoyama not since 1999.
The car was set a target of lapping in 3 mins 45 secs by the ACO and got within 3 secs at the Test Day with probably more to come. The car managed 50 laps on one set of Michelin slicks at test day and is estimated to use about half the fuel of a conventional car. The design brain behind the car Briton Ben Bowlby said "It's extremely difficult to have any certainty about finishing because every component is new. If I said we were going to finish then everone would say I was nuts".
Update: In case you were wondering what the steering wheel looks like and how it works, check out the image below.
Update (6/15/2012): The Nissan DeltaWing battled some minor technical problems during qualifying to record a time of 3:42.612 that places them 29th on the grid for the race tomorrow.
Update (6/24/2012): Here is a link with comprehensive information on the DeltaWing.
Maldonado wins 2012 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix
Pastor Maldonado and the Williams-Renault team took their first win since 2004 and his first ever Formula 1 victory (in only his 24th start) with a simply fantastic drive at the 2012 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished in 2nd place in his home race followed by the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. Kamui Kobayashi also drove a fantastic race for Sauber and put in some serious overtaking moves and finished in 5th place. He was followed by Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and the McLaren duo of Lewis Hamilton (who started dead last) and Jenson Button. Nico Hulkenberg from Force India rounded up the top 10th.
The race was filled with ups and downs that involved several overtaking moves (despite Spain being known to be a track where you couldn't overtake) and some incredible racing duels. It did seem as though several drivers were struggling with their tires across the entire race. In the end, it was a calm and calculated drive from the Williams-Renault driver that took the podium. Maldonado's win also marks a great gift on the 70th birthday of Sir Frank Williams, a Formula 1 icon who's team has seen some hard times especially over the past couple of seasons. And once again the driver in pole position went on to win the race at Catalunya!
The teams and drivers will now head to the South of France next, for the most-prestigious race in the calendar, the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2012 to be held from 24th to 27th May at Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Is a Pole to Win in the works for McLaren?
Interesting title isn't it? Since 2000, the person on pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix has gone on to win the race all but twice. That's a strong stat to go by. So will Lewis Hamilton and McLaren take the win? We'll find out tomorrow at the Formula 1 Gran Premio De Espana Santander 2012 in Catalunya, Spain. Lewis qualified in pole position, followed by Williams-Renault's Pastor Maldonado and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, racing at his home track.
It was an interesting qualifying session this time with only one driver from the top teams (McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari) making it into the top 10 and some drivers choosing not to run in Q3 to preserve their tires for the race. The surprises were from the Lotus duo of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen who start tomorrow's race in 4th and 5th place. Kimi by the way has won this race twice. So keep a look out for him. Sergio Perez starts off in 6th with a good result for Sauber-Ferrari followed by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg in 7th. Defending champion Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher (a 4 time winner here) and Kamui Kobayashi chose not to run in the Q3 and round up the top 10.
Tire management seems to be the key for the race this weekend as has been voiced by several drivers during the course of this past week. So, will staying out of Q3 help? Or will starting at the head of the pack make the difference? Tune in tomorrow!
The Spanish Grand Prix begins at 2:00pm Spain time. Click here to see your local timing. In India, the race will be broadcast on Star Sports starting at 4:30PM.
See the highlights from the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix below.
The Spanish Grand Prix begins at 2:00pm Spain time. Click here to see your local timing. In India, the race will be broadcast on Star Sports starting at 4:30PM.
See the highlights from the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix below.
2012 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix Tickets on sale
If you have ever wanted to watch a Formula 1 Grand Prix on Indian soil, now is your chance. Formula 1 has officially announced that ticket sales have begun for the 2012 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix. The race weekend is scheduled to run between October 26th and October 28th 2012 at the Buddh International Circuit, in Greater Noida.
Tickets can be purchased via the Formula 1 website for this race (and others as well). We'll make sure we're in attendance this year. How about you?
Sebastian Vettel takes the podium at Bahrain
It was a very subdued event at the 2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. No victory laps and no parades (due to the current political climate in Bahrain). But that didn't mean the on track action was subdued. It was anything but. Defending World Champion Sebastian Vettel won after a superb drive taking first place away from the Lotus twins of Iceman Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, who showed that Lotus can fight with and beat the big dogs in Formula 1. Red Bull Racing's and Vettel's teammate Mark Webber took fourth place followed by Mercedes' Nico Rosberg.
Force India's Paul di Resta came in fifth place after an impressive drive and bold 2 pit stop strategy. Most of the others opted for a 3 stop strategy owing to the track conditions (heat and dust). Ferrari's Fernando Alonso came in behind di Resta followed by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton who lost a possible podium position due to a couple of shoddy pitstops. His teammate Jenson Button was running in 6th place but had to retire on the penultimate lap due a broken exhaust. How is that for bad luck? Felipe Massa finished in 9th place followed by Michael Schumacher who after an amazing drive managed to get into the top 10 after starting the race in 22nd position!
Formula 1 heads to Europe next for the 2012 Grand Premio De Espana Santander at Calalunya, Spain to be held from 11th to 13th May.
It's a Red Bull McLaren sandwich at Sakhir
Now that the 2012 Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix is a go, despite the civil unrest that the officials have assured is under control, qualification for tomorrow's race has been completed and we have the results. It is a Red Bull Racing and McLaren show at the front of the grid. Defending champion Sebastian Vettel bounced back to take his first pole position of the season in Sakhir on Saturday afternoon, as Lewis Hamilton bumped Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber from the front row. Jenson Button finished in at fourth place.
After last weekend's stupendous performance, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg will start in fifth place followed by Torro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo in an excellent sixth position. This is one of Torro Rosso's best starts to date. To give you an idea of how competitive all teams are, Q2 was an intensely close session, with the top 14 separated by just seven-tenths of a second! 7 time world champion Michael Schumacher will start in 17th position due to a wing problem he encountered during the first qualifying session.
Now that the Red Bulls seem to be back in the mix, the 2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix seems to be heating up with all the top teams in contention for the win. Similar to China, the high speed straightaways and low speed corners coupled with the heat should make for a very compelling race tomorrow. Let's hope there aren't any disruptions due to the current political climate in Bahrain.
Haven't watched a Formula 1 race in a while? Why not brush up on some Formula 1 jargon before tomorrow's race?
Haven't watched a Formula 1 race in a while? Why not brush up on some Formula 1 jargon before tomorrow's race?
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