Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[F1 boss Ecclestone staring down bribery charges]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/f1-boss-ecclestone-staring-down-bribery-charges/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/f1-boss-ecclestone-staring-down-bribery-charges/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/f1-boss-ecclestone-staring-down-bribery-charges/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bernie Ecclestone F1 boss suited with hand up

Controversial Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is facing bribery charges from German prosecutors. The long-rumored indictments stem from the 2006 sale of the racing series from Germany's Bayern LB bank to CVC Capital partners. The charge could result in Ecclestone facing jail time and losing his iron grip on the F1 series.

Ecclestone, 82, is said to be "100 percent" relaxed about the pending charges, despite the fact that Bayern's former chief risk officer, Gerhard Gribkowsky, is already incarcerated and serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for admitting to taking a bribe worth nearly $43 million. According to reports, German prosecutors are alleging that Ecclestone was responsible for that money. For his part, Ecclestone has repeatedly asserted his innocence, maintaining that he is a victim of blackmail.

If the case goes to trial, Germany's The Local says Ecclestone is not likely to appear in court until this fall, as much of the case's extensive documentation will need to be translated into English.

F1 boss Ecclestone staring down bribery charges originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bayern lbbernie ecclestonebriberycoercioncvc capital partnersf1formula oneThu, 16 May 2013 18:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20572559/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/16/f1-boss-ecclestone-staring-down-bribery-charges/20572559/article-detail.xml 20572559 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/bernie-ecclestone-f1-boss-testify_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/bernie-ecclestone-f1-boss-testify.jpg <![CDATA[Honda returning to F1 as McLaren partner]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/honda-returning-to-f1-as-mclaren-partner/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/honda-returning-to-f1-as-mclaren-partner/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/honda-returning-to-f1-as-mclaren-partner/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Honda and McLaren announce new F1 efforts by showing three race cars throughout history

McLaren Honda team formation - executives shaking handsHonda must really love Formula One racing, as evidenced by today's announcement that the Japanese automaker is returning to the world's most popular motorsport for the fifth time in its history. Honda has entered into a team partnership with McLaren to develop and manufacture power systems - the engine and energy recovery system - for the 2015 F1 season. McLaren will be in charge of chassis development and running the day-to-day operations of this newly formed team, which will be called McLaren Honda.

Honda says its decision to reenter F1 racing had to do with new regulations for the 2014 season that require cars to be powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injection turbocharged V6 engine paired with an energy recovery system. Apparently the chance to develop this particular powertrain for F1 racing was too enticing for Honda to pass up, which suggests it has bigger plans for the knowledge learned while developing these systems beyond just winning races.

As mentioned, this is Honda's fifth foray into F1 racing, the first being back in 1964 when it participated as its own team through 1968. Its longest stint came from 1983-1992 as an engine supplier, during which time it partnered with many teams, including McLaren, and won six Constructor Championships. Honda then returned from 2000-2005 as an engine supplier for British American Racing (BAR) before buying that team outright and running it as Honda Racing from 2006-2008. Then the global economic crisis hit. Honda's return to the sport will surely be welcomed by fans as its partnership with McLaren should produce a formidable team. It's a strong signal that the company has returned to health after a few tumultuous years, and hopefully its rediscovered motorsports mojo will help yield more passionately engineered street cars.

Continue reading Honda returning to F1 as McLaren partner

Honda returning to F1 as McLaren partner originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula 1formula onehondahonda engine suppliermclarenmclaren hondaThu, 16 May 2013 09:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571998/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/16/honda-returning-to-f1-as-mclaren-partner/20571998/article-detail.xml 20571998 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/mclaren-honda-announcement-03-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/mclaren-honda-announcement-03-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Vettel and Coulthard drive Russia's very unfinished Sochi Circuit]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/vettel-and-coulthard-drive-russias-very-unfinished-sochi-circui/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/vettel-and-coulthard-drive-russias-very-unfinished-sochi-circui/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/16/vettel-and-coulthard-drive-russias-very-unfinished-sochi-circui/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Coulthard and Vettel drive Infiniti M sedans on the site of Russia's future grand prix circuit

The next Winter Olympics will happen in Sochi, Russia from February 7-23, 2014. Sometime after that, barring any delays, a portion of the Sochi Olympic Park will be turned into the Sochi Olympic Park Circuit, a 3.65-mile track for the first Russian Grand Prix in 100 years (the last of two Formula One grands prix were held in St. Petersburg).

As we've come to expect from the Infiniti Red Bull team, it recently sent Sebastian Vettel and brand ambassador David Coulthard to the unfinished venue to run the route in Infiniti M sedans and offer some impressions. With average cornering speeds above 62 miles an hour, Coulthard called it a fast street circuit in the Monaco vein. You can watch them try it out - yes, that's Vettel gone airborne above - and avoid a "White Van Man" in the video below.

Continue reading Vettel and Coulthard drive Russia's very unfinished Sochi Circuit

Vettel and Coulthard drive Russia's very unfinished Sochi Circuit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david coulthardf1formula 1formula oneinfinitiinfiniti mrussian grand prixsebastian vettelsochisochi olympic park circuitvettelvideoThu, 16 May 2013 08:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569418/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/16/vettel-and-coulthard-drive-russias-very-unfinished-sochi-circui/20569418/article-detail.xml 20569418 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/vettel-coulthard-infiniti-sochi_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/vettel-coulthard-infiniti-sochi.jpg <![CDATA[Recap: 2013 Spanish Grand Prix is Catalan for 'Lottery' and 'More pit stops']]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/recap-2013-spanish-grand-prix-is-catalan-for-lottery-and-mor/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/recap-2013-spanish-grand-prix-is-catalan-for-lottery-and-mor/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/recap-2013-spanish-grand-prix-is-catalan-for-lottery-and-mor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



This year's Formula One season might qualify as being just as crazy as last year's, only it's a different kind of crazy. Instead of a new winner every Sunday, how the winner actually manages to take the victory is the mystery, and just when we thought the season might have settled into a groove regarding team performance, here comes the Spanish Grand Prix to remind us that we don't know anything until the race has been run.

There were many similarities to past weekends to being this one: Mercedes-AMG Petronas showed awesome one-lap pace, Fernando Alonso did well enough in qualifying to get fifth on the grid but talked up the race pace of the Ferrari, Kimi Räikkönen was the equivalent of a racing photobomber, never saying much but always showing up in the picture, Felipe Massa wasn't really big on the tires and McLaren might want to consider starting a blues band they spend so much time singing them.

Then the lights went green and things went nuts...

Continue reading Recap: 2013 Spanish Grand Prix is Catalan for 'Lottery' and 'More pit stops'

Recap: 2013 Spanish Grand Prix is Catalan for 'Lottery' and 'More pit stops' originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 spanish grand prixf1felipe massafernando alonsoFerrariformula 1formula oneinfiniti red bull racingkimi raikkonenlewis hamiltonlotusmercedes-amgnico rosbergspanish grand prixTue, 14 May 2013 09:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20567561/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/14/recap-2013-spanish-grand-prix-is-catalan-for-lottery-and-mor/20567561/article-detail.xml 20567561 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/sgp09b_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/sgp09b.jpg <![CDATA[Sir Stirling Moss apologizes to Susie Wolff for slight against women drivers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Stirling Moss

Stop us if you've heard this one: public personality speaks his unfiltered mind in a public forum, one of his unfiltered comments makes people go "OMG did he really say that?!", the Internet shock-and-rehash machine goes dynamo, public personality issues an apology. You didn't stop us, but we'll assume you are familiar with the formula, and Sir Stirling Moss is the latest in the automotive world to follow the script. In April, while a guest on a BBC Radio 5 special, Moss said he believed women "have the strength, but I don't know if they've got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel" and win a Formula 1 race.

People who didn't even know they had hackles got their hackles up over that one. Moss was also publicly rebuffed by Susie Wolff, a test driver for the Williams F1 team who happens to be a woman. Interestingly, Wolff apparently did say she trains harder in order to be strong enough, but she was talking about muscular, not mental, fortitude.

As for Moss, on May 9 Wolff let everyone know via Twitter that Moss called her to apologize for his comments. Wolff said it was buried, ending the tweet with the same comment she made after the BBC interview aired: "He's entitled to his opinion."

Sir Stirling Moss apologizes to Susie Wolff for slight against women drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 May 2013 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In advance of this year's 24 Hours of Nürburgring race, and as a "thank you" to German motorsports fans, Mercedes-Benz has arranged quite the driving demonstration at the legendary German track. Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will pilot a the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 W02 - the team's 2011 F1 car that carried the Silver Arrow name - around the Nordschleife. As far as we know, this will be the first time that an F1 car will have lapped the North Loop since Nick Heidfeld drove a BMW Sauber car around it in 2007.

This will be far from Schumacher's first go with the Nürburgring: In 2011 he drove a classic Silver Arrow Stromlinie W196 (pictured above) for a demo lap around the Grand Prix track, and in 2007 he infamously punted a Ferrari prototype on the Nordschleife.

There's no word from Mercedes as to how exactly Schumacher will drive for his 'Ring run this time. Heidfeld's lap was slowed massively by his car wearing hard, demonstration tires and for slow-downs to film the event. We have every expectation that Schumi will be subject to the same demands of safety and public relations.

Of course, having the all-time fastest lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in your CV is something that we'd guess might tempt the über-competitive driver, and he'll certainly have the car to make that happen. Stefan Bellof holds the record for the fastest-ever lap of the 'Ring in its current configuration and length, with a time of 6:25.91 in 1983, at the wheel of a Porsche 956. (Niki Luada has the record at the original length, with a lap of 6:58.6 in 1975, in a Ferrari 312T.) Pundits analyzed the fast bits of Heidfeld's 2007 run, and figured his full-pace time, on admittedly unsticky tires, would have clocked in at around 6:12.

Again, we're not suggesting that Schumacher will have the green light to drive at full speed, but it does sound as though the now one-year retired driver is amped for the opportunity. Said Schumacher, "Posting a lap in a modern Silver Arrow on the most beautiful and most testing circuit in the world, what a brilliant mix - it's every motor racing driver's dream!" We'll keep our fingers crossed on May 19, and hope that the lap is a hot one.

Continue reading Schumacher to drive Mercedes F1 car on Nürburgring Nordschleife

Schumacher to drive Mercedes F1 car on Nürburgring Nordschleife originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept - front three-quarter view

It recently came out that Porsche mulled a return to Formula One but chose a return to Le Mans instead, citing F1 technology's lack of relevance to its road cars. Well Porsche, take this: the Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept, "a bridge between the world of F1 technology and that of production cars." The French Formula One legend took a 17-horsepower electric Twizy and replaced the back seat with an 80-hp KERS unit, just like the ones it produces for its F1 customer teams. Then it added tires from a Formula 2 Renault and a steering wheel derived from a Formula 3.5 Renault, a front splitter, sidepods and open-wheeler mirrors. Yes, it's absurd - and by absurd we mean outstanding.

There are two KERS modes the driver can use, the first a Recovery mode that uses the Twizy's main 17-hp electric motor to recoup energy since the city car can't produce enough energy through braking to repower the KERS unit. The other is Boost mode, which allows a 13-second burst using the combined 97 horsepower available with the two motors. A single-seater-style rain light is affixed out back, and it illuminates when in Boost mode. The result is a Twizy that can dash from 0-60 miles per hour as quick as Renault's fastest car, the Megane Renaultsport 265, listed by Car magazine at six seconds. The Twizy's top speed in Boost mode climbs from 53 mph to 68 mph.

It will be shown at various events throughout the year, starting with the World Series by Renault race in Aragon, Spain on April 27 and 28. You can read all about it right now in the press release below.

Continue reading Twizy Renault Sport F1 is a racy EV that defies categorization

Twizy Renault Sport F1 is a racy EV that defies categorization originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula onekersrenaultrenault twizyrenaultsporttwizy renault sport f1Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20548990/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/25/twizy-renault-sport-f1-is-a-racy-ev-that-defies-categorization/20548990/article-detail.xml 20548990 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/twizy-renault-sport-f1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/twizy-renault-sport-f1.jpg <![CDATA[Renault offers shadowy glimpse of F1-influenced electric car concept]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/23/renault-offers-shadowy-glimpse-of-f1-influenced-electric-car-con/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/23/renault-offers-shadowy-glimpse-of-f1-influenced-electric-car-con/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/23/renault-offers-shadowy-glimpse-of-f1-influenced-electric-car-con/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Renault mystery F1 EV teaser

Well, what have we here? Truth be told, we're not entirely sure. The teaser image above comes from Renault, and its contents are about as opaque as the message with which it arrives:

"This prototype vehicle, which features muscular styling and impressive performance credentials, provides a bridge between the world of Formula One and that of electric vehicles. It's a concept car that will make a lot of noise... but, in total silence."

So, the gist is that Renault is readying an EV concept influenced by F1. Beyond that, and the picture above displaying some of the car's electric drivetrain, we don't have much to go on. Fortunately, we won't have to wait long to find out what they are up to - the unnamed concept will be revealed in two days' time, on Thursday, April 25 at the company's plant in Valladolid, Spain.

Continue reading Renault offers shadowy glimpse of F1-influenced electric car concept

Renault offers shadowy glimpse of F1-influenced electric car concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The sand, the wind, the penalties, the contact and the one crash - all of them collided to make the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix a surprise affair from day to day and lap to lap. Oh, and did we mention the tires? Pirelli made a last-minute swap after the amusement park ride that the Chinese Grand Prix turned into with the soft compound tire, and brought medium and hard compounds to the desert. That didn't stop things from falling apart for some teams - literally - and that didn't stop the one team that seems to love the hard compound Pirelli tire.

Continue reading Race Recap: 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix follows the template of this year and last [spoilers]

Race Recap: 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix follows the template of this year and last [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 bahrain grand prixbahrain grand prixf1fernando alonsoferrariformula onegrand prixinfinitiinfiniti red bull racingkimi raikkonenlewis hamiltonlotusred bullromain grosjeansebastian vettelMon, 22 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20546744/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/22/race-recap-2013-bahrain-grand-prix-follows-the-template-of-this/20546744/article-detail.xml 20546744 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/bgp1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/bgp1.jpg <![CDATA[Stirling Moss doubts whether women have the mental strength to race F1]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/stirling-moss-doubts-whether-women-have-the-mental-strength-to-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/stirling-moss-doubts-whether-women-have-the-mental-strength-to-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/stirling-moss-doubts-whether-women-have-the-mental-strength-to-r/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sir Stirling Moss

In the latest episode of, "Do us a favor and keep your mouth shut," Stirling Moss has been quoted as saying that he believes women lack the mental fortitude to compete in Formula One. "I think they have the strength, but I don't know if they've got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel," Moss said during a BBC Radio 5 special on women in F1. He went on to say that F1 drivers needed tremendous concentration in his day. He continued with, "The mental stress I think would be pretty difficult for a lady to deal with in a practical fashion. I just don't think they have aptitude to win a Formula 1 race."

We're sure it has nothing to do with the mountain of sexism that stands between women and success in motorsports in general.

The 83-year-old Moss is a legend in the racing world, having won 16 Formula One Grand Prix events during some of the sport's most dangerous and harrowing times. Between 1948 and 1962, he competed in 529 races ranging from F1 to rally and won a staggering 212 of those. But a pedigree doesn't excuse his comments.

Susie Wolf, who is currently in her second season as a test driver with Williams, disagreed with Moss's statements. "It makes me cringe hearing that," she said. "I've got a lot of respect for Sir Stirling and what he achieved, but I think we're in a different generation. For Moss, it's unbelievable that a female would drive a Formula One car, which is enough."

Wolf isn't alone. While F1 has been difficult to access for female drivers, nearly every corner of racing has seen spectacularly talented and successful women drivers compete on nearly every level. There's Janet Guthrie, the first woman to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500, Shirley Muldowney who won three championships in Top Fuel drag racing, and Lyn St. James who raced the Indy 500 seven times, including her last appearance in 2000 at the age of 53, to name just a few. Even Moss's own sister, Pat Moss, saw some success as a rally driver. Then there are today's women in motorsports, which are quickly becoming too numerous to count, none of whom received more attention than Indy/NASCAR driver Danica Patrick.

Stirling Moss doubts whether women have the mental strength to race F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Formula One fans and commentators have spent the three weeks since the Malaysian Grand Prix discussing two things more than any other: that pass, and tires. Sebastian Vettel spent days giving his tongue an Olympic workout on the verbal gymnastics parallel bars before finally admitting he passed his Infiniti Red Bull teammate Mark Webber on purpose partly for reasons of payback, partly out of a desire to win - he doesn't apologize for it and he would do it again.

Then came those Pirellis - every single driver and team representative interview touches on how important it is to understand the tires and manage their degradation. Two races in, though, it seems no team has any clue yet how to make the race-weekend compounds work predictably. The only thing predictable about the soft compound tires that Pirelli brought to China was that they would last for six laps, and that led to an odd qualifying session with drivers reluctant to leave the pits or even set a time.

It also led to the first pole position for an Englishman in a Mercedes-Benz since Stirling Moss did it in 1955.

Continue reading Race Recap: 2013 Chinese Grand Prix a test of tires, carnage and a fight for second [spoilers]

Race Recap: 2013 Chinese Grand Prix a test of tires, carnage and a fight for second [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 chinese grand prixchinese grand prixEsteban Gutierrezf1fernando alonsoforce indiaformula onegrand prixjenson buttonlewis hamiltonmclarenrenaultsaubersebastian vettelsergio perezMon, 15 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20540353/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/15/race-recap-2013-chinese-grand-prix-a-test-of-tires-carnage-and/20540353/article-detail.xml 20540353 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/china-f1-gp-1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/china-f1-gp-1.jpg <![CDATA[Vettel reserves the right to continue disobeying team orders]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/14/vettel-reserves-the-right-to-continue-disobeying-team-orders/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/14/vettel-reserves-the-right-to-continue-disobeying-team-orders/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/14/vettel-reserves-the-right-to-continue-disobeying-team-orders/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber

So says he. While speaking with reporters, Sebastian Vettel said he would probably disobey team orders again if those orders included instructions not to challenge his teammate Mark Webber. As you may recollect, Vettel found himself in hot water after he passed Webber at the Malaysian Grand Prix to take the win. Vettel later apologized for his actions, saying, "I messed up." Apparently being sorry only goes so far. When asked if he would do the same again, Vettel said that he probably would and that his actions at the Malaysian GP were a form of indirect payback for a lack of support at past races.

Webber caught flack last season after appearing to obstruct Vettel twice at the Brazilian GP as the German driver fought for a team win against Fernando Alonso.

Moving forward, Red Bull has said it will not implement team orders at the end of a race, and Vettel has not been punished by the team for taking the win. The driver said that he failed to understand the order given during the race over the radio and that he immediately apologized to everyone involved. He also said he would have yielded the position if he had been ordered to do so.

Vettel reserves the right to continue disobeying team orders originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula 1formula onemark webberred bullred bull racingsebastian vettelSun, 14 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20538838/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/14/vettel-reserves-the-right-to-continue-disobeying-team-orders/20538838/article-detail.xml 20538838 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/vettel-webber_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/vettel-webber.jpg <![CDATA[Emotional photography captures the essence of classic F1 racing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/10/emotional-photography-captures-the-essence-of-classic-f1-racing/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/10/emotional-photography-captures-the-essence-of-classic-f1-racing/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/10/emotional-photography-captures-the-essence-of-classic-f1-racing/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Around the Autoblog office, we know Dick Kelley from his days on the public relations teams for Toyota and Mitsubishi, but more recently, he's been showing us a little of his past. Before working the PR machine, Kelley had a photography career that spanned three decades from the early '70s to the late '90s - the first half of which was spent documenting Formula One races on film.

Other than a display at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Kelley says his images are "never-before seen," but that has all changed with a new website showing a vast number of timeless, emotional shots mostly of drivers. Motorsports photography is hard enough just when you're trying capture the cars, but catching the drivers and/or teams in candid images is an art form - and almost unseen these days.

Head over to his website or Facebook page to check out a selection of images including the 1978 shot of Gilles Villeneuve winning in Canada shown above as well as other shots of racing greats like Emerson Fittipaldi, Bobby Rahal, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell.

Emotional photography captures the essence of classic F1 racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>formula oneracing photographyrichard kelleyWed, 10 Apr 2013 14:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20535023/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/10/emotional-photography-captures-the-essence-of-classic-f1-racing/20535023/article-detail.xml 20535023 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/richard-kelley-f1-photos_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/richard-kelley-f1-photos.jpg <![CDATA[Ron Howard's Rush trailer sets stage for an epic F1 drama]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/08/ron-howards-rush-trailer-sets-stage-for-an-epic-f1-drama/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/08/ron-howards-rush-trailer-sets-stage-for-an-epic-f1-drama/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/08/ron-howards-rush-trailer-sets-stage-for-an-epic-f1-drama/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ron Howard's Rush F1 biopic - trailer

The story of the 1975 Formula One World Championship - and the rivalry cum friendship between Niki Lauda and James Hunt that lies at its core ­- is one step closer to making its Hollywood splash. The first theatrical trailer of Rush has cropped up on YouTube, and it's safe to say that we're more excited than ever to watch the movie when it hits theaters on September 20.

Based on some of the cuts we see here - Lauda's infamous crash at the Nürburgring and a dark and sodden start to the 1976 Japanese Gran Prix - it appears that no effect expense was spared to make the Ron Howard film as convincing as possible. Should performances from Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth stand up, Rush could be more than just a diversion for hardcore racing fans. Follow on below for the official trailer.

Continue reading Ron Howard's Rush trailer sets stage for an epic F1 drama

Ron Howard's Rush trailer sets stage for an epic F1 drama originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1976 formula one championshipchris hemsworthdaniel brühldaniel bruhlf1f1 movieformula 1formula onejames huntniki laudaron howardrushrush movierush trailervideoMon, 08 Apr 2013 09:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20533577/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/08/ron-howards-rush-trailer-sets-stage-for-an-epic-f1-drama/20533577/article-detail.xml 20533577 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/rush-trailer-v3-628-opt2_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/rush-trailer-v3-628-opt2.jpg <![CDATA[Ecclestone wonders if F1's upcoming turbo V6s should get augmented sound [w/videos]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/08/ecclestone-wonders-if-f1s-upcoming-turbo-v6s-should-get-augment/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/08/ecclestone-wonders-if-f1s-upcoming-turbo-v6s-should-get-augment/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/08/ecclestone-wonders-if-f1s-upcoming-turbo-v6s-should-get-augment/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Renault's 2014 Formula One engine - standalone view

While every team on the Formula One grid is worried about making a good showing in this year's championship at the same time as they develop a brand-new car for next year's championship, Bernie Ecclestone and F1 circuit promoters have a different concern: how next year's cars will sound. The current cars use 2.4-liter, naturally-aspirated V8s that can reach 18,000 revolutions per minute and employ dual exhaust, next year's engine formula calls for 1.6-liter turbocharged V6s that are capped at 15,000 rpm and are constrained to a single exhaust outlet. Ecclestone and promoters like Ron Walker believe the new engines sound like lawnmowers and that the less thrilling audio will keep people from coming to races. If Walker's Australian Grand Prix really is shelling out almost $57 million to hold the race, every ticket counts. As a fix, according to a report in Autoweek, Ecclestone "suggests that the only way to guarantee [a good sound] may be to artificially adjust the tone of the V6s."

However, neither the manufacturers nor the governing body of F1, the FIA, think there will be a problem. Ecclestone fears that if the manufacturers "don't get it right" they'll simply leave the sport, but the only three carmakers and engine builders left next year, Renault (its 2014 "power unit" is pictured), Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari are so embedded that it would stretch belief to think they'd leave the table over an audio hiccup - if said hiccup even occurs. And frankly, these issues always precede changes to engine formulas, as they did when the formula switched from V10 to V8; fans, though, are probably less focused on the engines and more on the mandated standardization of the sport and the spec-series overtones that have come with it.

No one knows yet what next year's engines will sound like, but we've assembled a few videos below to help us all start guessing. The first is an engine check on an Eighties-era John Player Special Renault with a 1.5-liter V6 turbo, after that is Ayrton Senna qualifying in 1986 in the Lotus 98T that also had a 1.5-liter V6 turbo, then you'll find a short with a manufactured range of potential V6 engine notes, and then the sound of turbocharged V6 Indycars testing last year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Any, or none of them, could be Formula One's future.

Continue reading Ecclestone wonders if F1's upcoming turbo V6s should get augmented sound [w/videos]

Ecclestone wonders if F1's upcoming turbo V6s should get augmented sound [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.6-liter turbo2014 formula one enginesbernie ecclestoneecclestonef1ferrariformula 1formula onemercedes-benzrenaultv6Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20532882/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/08/ecclestone-wonders-if-f1s-upcoming-turbo-v6s-should-get-augment/20532882/article-detail.xml 20532882 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/renaultf12014_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/renaultf12014.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota may return to F1 under Lexus banner]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/03/toyota-may-return-to-f1-under-lexus-banner/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/03/toyota-may-return-to-f1-under-lexus-banner/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/03/toyota-may-return-to-f1-under-lexus-banner/#commentsFiled under: , ,



A new report in from the website Club Lexus claims to have insider knowledge about a return to Formula One racing by Toyota, this time under the auspices of the Lexus brand. Toyota competed in F1 from 2002 through the 2009 season. That final year saw the team return competitive, if inconsistent results, but the larger economic woes in the automotive market made a decision to pull the plug relatively easy at the time.

Now, citing recent interviews with Toyota executives and insider sources, Club Lexus says that the move to re-enter F1 for the 2014 season is "all but finalized." The choice to go with the Lexus nameplate over Toyota makes some sense, too, considering the success that rival Infiniti has had in recent years through its partnership with Red Bull Racing. Further, the emerging Lexus identity as a performance car builder, with a strong background in hybrid vehicles, could help the F1 move resonate with buyers.

A few technological factors and formula changes within F1 offer some credence to the Lexus rumor, too. F1 will increase the available capacity of KERS from 60kW to 120kW, a change that theoretically benefits the hybrid-savvy Toyota. What's more, 2014 will see a switch from the current 2.4-liter V8 engines to 1.6-liter turbocharged V6s. A Lexus team that goes racing in 2014 will be on a level playing field with the rest of the grid then, with all teams adjusting to and continuing to develop the new engines.

Toyota may return to F1 under Lexus banner originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula onelexustoyotaWed, 03 Apr 2013 08:43:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20527043/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/03/toyota-may-return-to-f1-under-lexus-banner/20527043/article-detail.xml 20527043 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/toyota-return-formula-one-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/toyota-return-formula-one-628.jpg <![CDATA[Lewis Hamilton laying down 'off the hook' tracks for his own album? [w/videos]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/29/lewis-hamilton-laying-down-off-the-hook-tracks-for-his-own-alb/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/29/lewis-hamilton-laying-down-off-the-hook-tracks-for-his-own-alb/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/29/lewis-hamilton-laying-down-off-the-hook-tracks-for-his-own-alb/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

F1 driver Lewis Hamilton walking with girlfriend and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger

Formula One racecar driver Sebastian Vettel is diversifying his resume by becoming the Director of Performance for Infiniti, and it also sounds like his rival Lewis Hamilton is also dabbling in some extracurriculars. According to Yahoo!, the 28-year-old Hamilton has apparently been stealing away time in a recording studio to record his own pop music album over the last year. The report, which quotes singer/songwriter Angel, indicates that Hamilton might have a second career waiting for him after racing.

So far, Hamilton and Angel have written about 12 songs across various music genres, and another interesting element to his involvement in the music industry is that his girlfriend, Nicole Scherzinger (above), is the lead singer for the Pussycat Dolls as well as a former judge for the reality singing contest, X-Factor. For those who are interested, it doesn't sound like he's ready to put out an album just yet. For the moment, it appears Hamilton's duties in Austin, Texas will be limited to lapping the Circuit of the Americas rather than the performing on the local music scene.

Us? We're just hoping for an eventual duet with fellow F1 racer and musical hopeful Jacques Villeneuve. Yeah, we went there. In the meantime, we'll have to keep hope alive by watching Hamilton and friends sing Wonderwall by Oasis in one of the videos below.

Continue reading Lewis Hamilton laying down 'off the hook' tracks for his own album? [w/videos]

Lewis Hamilton laying down 'off the hook' tracks for his own album? [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angelf1formula 1formula onelewis hamiltonnicole scherzingeroasisvideowonderwallFri, 29 Mar 2013 19:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20523186/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/29/lewis-hamilton-laying-down-off-the-hook-tracks-for-his-own-alb/20523186/article-detail.xml 20523186 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/lewis-hamilton-with-nicole-scherzinger_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/lewis-hamilton-with-nicole-scherzinger.jpg <![CDATA[Race Recap: 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix is a fool in the rain]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/race-recap-2013-malaysian-grand-prix-is-a-fool-in-the-rain/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/race-recap-2013-malaysian-grand-prix-is-a-fool-in-the-rain/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/race-recap-2013-malaysian-grand-prix-is-a-fool-in-the-rain/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Humidity, hunger and heartbreak were the takeaways from the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix. A proper track with a wider variety of straights and corners than the street circuit in Australia, the second race of the season was expected to be a better test of the performance of the 11 teams on the grid. It was also supposed to be a more accurate test of the Pirelli tires, the bits of rubber at the four corners of the car still at the top of the performance agenda for all the top teams except for McLaren, which even larger issues with its new car to deal with.

Then it rained. Then it rained some more. Then it rained so hard just before the race that numerous drivers slid off the track on the parade lap. Then came the race, and then came the figurative tears and ones of the crocodile variety as well.

Continue reading Race Recap: 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix is a fool in the rain

Race Recap: 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix is a fool in the rain originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1felipe massafernando alonsoferrariformula oneinfiniti red bulllewis hamiltonmalaysiamalaysian gpmark webbermercedes-amg petronasnico rosbergsebastian vettelMon, 25 Mar 2013 15:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20516110/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/25/race-recap-2013-malaysian-grand-prix-is-a-fool-in-the-rain/20516110/article-detail.xml 20516110 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/malaysiaf1gp_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/malaysiaf1gp.jpg <![CDATA[Robert Kubica would give it all back to be in F1 again]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/19/robert-kubica-would-give-it-all-back-to-be-in-f1-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/19/robert-kubica-would-give-it-all-back-to-be-in-f1-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/19/robert-kubica-would-give-it-all-back-to-be-in-f1-again/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Robert Kubica hasn't been in a Formula One grand prix race since a rally crash left him injured in early 2011, but that doesn't mean the driver has stopped thinking about F1. According to Autosport.com, Kubica is headed back to WRC2, but remains focused on getting back into an F1 driver's seat. While he had received offers to race in DTM, he chose to stick with rallying because the demanding physical challenges should provide better preparation for a return to open-wheel racing.

"I would pay all the money I have to be back in the cockpit of a Formula One car," he said while speaking to reporters.

Kubica believes that physically, he may be able to compete on a course like Barcelona, but the more challenging Monaco Grand Prix would be beyond his reach. Kubica is expected to work with Citroën in the testing phase of the company's World Touring Car Championship program in 2014 as well.

Robert Kubica would give it all back to be in F1 again originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>citroenf1formula 1formula onekubicarobert kubicaworld rally championshipwrcTue, 19 Mar 2013 18:36:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20509948/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/19/robert-kubica-would-give-it-all-back-to-be-in-f1-again/20509948/article-detail.xml 20509948 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/robert-kubica-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/robert-kubica-628.jpg <![CDATA[Recap: 2013 Australian Formula One Grand Prix is all about the rubber [w/spoilers]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/17/recap-2013-australian-formula-one-grand-prix-is-all-about-the-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/17/recap-2013-australian-formula-one-grand-prix-is-all-about-the-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/17/recap-2013-australian-formula-one-grand-prix-is-all-about-the-r/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



A pre-season full of talking points was swapped for a brand-new set of talking points after the running of the opening grand prix of the 2013 Formula One season. The consistency of the regulations from last year to this year and the triplicate dominance of Infiniti Red Bull Racing meant that no one would have been that surprised if the relative order of things remained the same. But teams found so many ways to switch things up that, in typical pre-season fashion, no one was ready to make any bets on in-season performance, and a couple of surprising players suffered the ignominy of getting it really wrong: McLaren knew it was in trouble from the very first test, while Williams drivers applauded their car as the best in years, only to have Pastor Maldonado call it "undriveable" on the very first day of practice in Melbourne.

And then there were those Pirellis, the Italian company talking up the fact that its super soft tires would only go off so quickly that it would force teams to pit at least twice during the race.
Even then, no one could have seen the first round of pit stops beginning on Lap 5.

Nevertheless, someone had to win the 58-lap race - and that someone did it in what is becoming his usual style.

Continue reading Recap: 2013 Australian Formula One Grand Prix is all about the rubber [w/spoilers]

Recap: 2013 Australian Formula One Grand Prix is all about the rubber [w/spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Mar 2013 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 australian grand prixadrian sutilaustralian grand prixf1fernando alonsoferrariformula 1formula onegrand prixinfiniti red bullkimi raikkonenlewis hamiltonlotussebastian vetteltorro rossoSun, 17 Mar 2013 18:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20507196/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/17/recap-2013-australian-formula-one-grand-prix-is-all-about-the-r/20507196/article-detail.xml 20507196 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/ausf101_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/ausf101.jpg -1 2