Autoblog

Looks like Fernando Alonso and Robert Kubica didn't get enough head-to-head racing action last week in Japan. The first and second place finishers in Fuji decided to go at it once again when the pair reached this week's F1 stop in Shanghai. Rather than risk their multi-million dollar F1 race cars, and quite possibly their careers, the two opted to hit the local kart track instead. Alonso probably has a weight advantage in this scenario, but that shouldn't take away from his mad driving skillz. Watch the non-English video after the jump to see how it turned out and stick around for the victory lap. You'll get a chance to see the some of the best donuts you'll ever witness.

[Source: F1 Fanatic]

Takuma Sato's fans had pretty much given up on seeing their idol on track this past weekend at the British Grand Prix. Many of them had bought plane and/or GP tickets well in advance, only to be disappointed when Super Aguri followed Minardi, and Arrows in to the annals of Formula 1 history just two months ago.

So what did Taku do? Rent a kart track and invite his fans, plus a few select journalists, to race him in a 30-minute endurance race. Some fans, who had flown in from across Europe and of course Japan, were new to karting, so Taku graciously took them out for a few practice laps and providing one-on-one instruction. How many people get to have their first racing lesson from an F1 racer?

Takuma and his team mate won outright (of course), but then were disqualified for "speeding". Autoblog's team was in second right up to the final pitstop when we were penalized for over taking on a yellow flag, but we still made the podium.

As Formula 1's silly season kicks in to high gear, rumors around the paddock have Takuma moving back to Honda's F1 team next year (at the expense of Rubens Barrichello or Jensen Button), driving for Team Force India should the F1 newbies switch from Ferrari to Honda power next year, heading up team Japan in A1 GP or even leading an all new Team Honda USA (which should be called Team Acura surely) with Danica Patrick as his team mate. Unfortunately, Takuma wouldn't confirm or deny any such gossip.

Thanks to Taku management for the invite, to Apex Dream Drives for the pics (and speed) and to Takuma for a great day out.

Okay, so it's a typical grainy YouTube clip, and even appears to be black and white on first blush, but sit back and enjoy it for what it is and you won't be disappointed. Take a blast around the Isle of Man on a go-kart. In the rain. As you'll discover, even with these minuscule motors, passing can be a chore. We don't have a lot of information about the event, but we do know that there is an Isle of Man Kart Racing Association (IOMKRA) if this looks like your kind of thing. Follow the jump to see a few minutes of this insane action that we swear aren't sped up.

[Source: DieselStation]

Mazda vehicles are known for reasonable prices and outstanding handling. The company's long-standing "Zoom-Zoom" tagline, even for SUVs, shows that Mazda injects everything they make (except the B-Series) with a bit of race-car spirit. To help breed new Miata and RX-8 drivers, Mazda has decided to start with youngsters by throwing major dollars into karting.

At Sebring, Mazda announced a financial commitment of over $100,000 for prize money and operating costs, plus discounts on Mazda products for Kart racers in the sponsored competitions. Partnership agreements were signed with multiple sanctioning bodies and events, giving Mazda a major presence where young automotive enthusiasts grow on trees. The automaker is already involved in SCCA racing with sponsorships and big-dollar prizes for Mazda racers. Adding karting into the mix further increases Mazda's motorsports presence.

These latest moves demonstrate that the folks in Hiroshima are dead serious when it comes to exposing even more younger people to the Mazda brand. This cultivates potential new customers and ingrains them with a sense of brand loyalty at an early on. You can read the entire press release after the jump.

Scuderia Toro Rosso's Scott Speed will return to his racing roots in November, sliding into a shifter kart to race in the 10th running of U.S. karting's SuperNationals in Las Vegas.

Speed got his start in karting, and he's the only shifter kart pilot to win the SuperNats twice, in 2000 and 2001. (The picture shows Scott at the 2001 SuperNats. That's 2006 Champ Car title contender A.J. Allmendinger two karts back.) He'll be racing alongside brother Alex (U.S. national champion in 2003, 2004 and 2005) in karts prepped by his father, Mike.

The SuperNats have long been the one U.S. race that every karter wants to win, and the one-off appearance by America's one and only F1 driver is bound to attract competitors from across the country. (The $10,000 purse for the headline class won't hurt, either.)

If you want to see a Formula 1 driver practicing his racecraft up close and personal, be in Las Vegas November 10-12! Event details are here.

[Source: SPEED Channel]