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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[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: Motorsports, Europe, Infiniti, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, McLaren

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

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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[Race Recap: 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix follows the template of this year and last [spoilers]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/22/race-recap-2013-bahrain-grand-prix-follows-the-template-of-this/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/22/race-recap-2013-bahrain-grand-prix-follows-the-template-of-this/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/22/race-recap-2013-bahrain-grand-prix-follows-the-template-of-this/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Infiniti, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Renault, Middle East, Racing

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

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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[Race Recap: 2013 Chinese Grand Prix a test of tires, carnage and a fight for second [spoilers]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/race-recap-2013-chinese-grand-prix-a-test-of-tires-carnage-and/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/race-recap-2013-chinese-grand-prix-a-test-of-tires-carnage-and/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/race-recap-2013-chinese-grand-prix-a-test-of-tires-carnage-and/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, China, Infiniti, Lotus, Ferrari, Renault, Racing, McLaren

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

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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[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: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Celebrities, Racing

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

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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[Ford bondage ads reportedly trigger firings at Indian ad agency]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/ford-bondage-ads-reportedly-trigger-firings-at-indian-ad-agency/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/ford-bondage-ads-reportedly-trigger-firings-at-indian-ad-agency/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/ford-bondage-ads-reportedly-trigger-firings-at-indian-ad-agency/#commentsFiled under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, India

Ford Figo India cartoon ad with Paris Hilton driving bound and gagged Kardashian family in trunk

You will probably remember the ads for the Ford Figo hatchback in India, the ones that showcased the extra large boot of the little hatchback by joking that you can fit three of your enemies in the trunk. One of the ads had Michael Schumacher in the front seat, obviously pleased about having Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso tied up in the back. But the other two had Paris Hilton and ex-Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi up front and three bound and gagged women in the back - in Hilton's case (shown above), it was the Kardashians.

This did not go over well, and Reuters reports that certain employees at JWT India have been fired over the matter. It is also reported that the images weren't actual advertisements, nor were they part of an actual campaign; JWT said they "were never intended for paid publication, were never requested by our Ford client." A JWT rep said the employees who created the ads did so on their own, Ford commented to Automotive News that the ads were "part of a creative exercise intended to test concepts for an advertising competition."

The problem, if the story is to be believed, is that the employees skipped the regular review protocols and uploaded their work to an ad industry site - they were found on Ads of the World. That page, like the employees, has been removed.

Ford bondage ads reportedly trigger firings at Indian ad agency originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fernando alonsofordford figoford indiaford india sexist adsindiajwtkardashiankim kardashianlewis hamiltonmichael schumachersebastian vettelsexist adssilvio berlusconiWed, 27 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EST

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20519764 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/fordfigoindiaad_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/fordfigoindiaad.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: Motorsports, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari

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

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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[Ford of India in hot water for Figo celebrity bondage ads]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/22/ford-of-india-in-hot-water-for-figo-celebrity-bondage-ads/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/22/ford-of-india-in-hot-water-for-figo-celebrity-bondage-ads/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/22/ford-of-india-in-hot-water-for-figo-celebrity-bondage-ads/#commentsFiled under: Marketing/Advertising, Ford, India

Apparently sensibilities in India, at least in the case of some Ford marketing partners, are downright lascivious at times. Case in point are a new series of print ads, presumably touting the vast cargo capacity of the Ford Figo hatchback, that involve more than a whiff of T&A, S&M and other sexy abbreviations.

In all seriousness, the advertising campaign is taking some major heat in the Indian press for being outrageously sexist. All three images - which seem to be produced by a graphic artist with some Heavy Metal work in his/her portfolio - show bound and gagged people stuffed into the Figo's boot. With a tagline reads, "Leave Your Worries Behind." one version features a peace-sign throwing Silvio Berlusconi holding hostage three buxom and barely clad women, all wearing ball gags with hands and feet bound. Charming. Another version shows Paris Hilton similarly kidnapping a trio of Kardashians, while a third (tame in terms of the clothing at least), has Michael Schumacher toting Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, and Lewis Hamilton.

Clearly in bad taste, at least, the Indian source also questions the timing of these risqué Ford ads, as the follow by days new anti-rape legislation passed by the Indian Parliament. Ford has responded in a statement, that it and its advertising partner (JWT India) "deeply regret" the ads, and claim that they "never should have happened."

Ford of India in hot water for Figo celebrity bondage ads originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1fernando alonsofordford figoford indiaford india sexist adskardashiankim kardashianlewis hamiltonmichael schumachersebastian vettelsexist adssilvio berlusconiFri, 22 Mar 2013 11:35:00 EST

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20514659 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/ford-figo-sexist-print-ad-silvio-berlusconi-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/ford-figo-sexist-print-ad-silvio-berlusconi-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: Motorsports, Infiniti, Lotus, Ferrari, Australia, Racing

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

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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 <![CDATA[Mercedes-Petronas AMG W04 launched to little fanfare, lots of pressure [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/05/mercedes-petronas-amg-w04-launched-to-little-fanfare-lot-of-pre/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/05/mercedes-petronas-amg-w04-launched-to-little-fanfare-lot-of-pre/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/05/mercedes-petronas-amg-w04-launched-to-little-fanfare-lot-of-pre/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Mercedes-Petronas AMG W04 launch

No indoor cocktail hour for the launch of the W04, the newest chassis built by the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team. Instead, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton spent a morning in photo and video sessions at the track in Jerez, Spain then paused a moment to introduce the car. The team will want the W04 to demonstrate the World Championship credentials of the team personnel and one of the team drivers, instead of the mostly humble performances we've seen over the past three years.

The W04 has been fitted with a new five-element front wing, pushrod front and pull-rod rear suspension, a second-generation Coanda exhaust and an "aggressively packaged" rear end. A small vanity panel, à la Infiniti Red Bull's RB9, covers the stepped nose.

Team principal Ross Brawn has called it "a clear step forward in design and detail sophistication," but as much as we truly respect Brawn's abilities and achievements, we heard him say similar things about the updated W03 last year before almost every race weekend from about mid-season. We really hope he's right this time, and so does the team's newest driver, Lewis Hamilton. We'll do our best to ignore the parallels of the Mercedes F1 team having signed a sponsorship deal with Blackberry, another company trying to find its way back to the top and still struggling, and just point you to the video below of the W04 in action.

Continue reading Mercedes-Petronas AMG W04 launched to little fanfare, lots of pressure [w/video]

Mercedes-Petronas AMG W04 launched to little fanfare, lots of pressure [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amgf1formula onelewis hamiltonmercedes amg petronasmercedes amg petronas w04mercedes-benzmercedes-benz amgnico rosbergpetronasw04wo4Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST

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20448037 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/mercedesamgf1w04_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/mercedesamgf1w04.jpg <![CDATA[2012 Brazilian Grand Prix: The circle is complete, and what a circle it's been [spoilers]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/26/2012-brazilian-grand-prix-the-circle-is-complete-and-what-a-ci/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/26/2012-brazilian-grand-prix-the-circle-is-complete-and-what-a-ci/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/26/2012-brazilian-grand-prix-the-circle-is-complete-and-what-a-ci/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Infiniti, Ferrari, South America, McLaren

The track between the lakes, the Circuit d'Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Brazil, yet again served up a fitting finale to the Formula One season. There were all kinds of ways for the two Driver's Championship contenders - Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull and Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari - to win and lose during the 71 laps of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and that was before the rain, before the yellow flags and safety car periods, and before the accidents.

The World Championship lead swapped hands at least three times during the race. By the end of Lap One, in fact, it was a fair question if either driver would have hands, or a car, steady enough to hold it...

Continue reading 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix: The circle is complete, and what a circle it's been [spoilers]

2012 Brazilian Grand Prix: The circle is complete, and what a circle it's been [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 brazilian grand prixbrazilf1fernando alonsoferrariformula 1interlagosjenson buttonlewis hamiltonmclarenred bullsebastian vettelworld championshipMon, 26 Nov 2012 13:45:00 EST

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20388045 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/bgp1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/bgp1.jpg <![CDATA[Final Recap: Days 2 and 3 notes, quotes, and takeaways from the US Grand Prix]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/20/final-recap-days-2-and-3-notes-quotes-and-takeaways-from-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/20/final-recap-days-2-and-3-notes-quotes-and-takeaways-from-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/20/final-recap-days-2-and-3-notes-quotes-and-takeaways-from-the/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Infiniti

The Texas grass no longer rustles with 2.4-liter V8 exhaust blown at 18,000 revs, the Texas dust is no longer raised by hard-compound Pirellis. We saw a lot and learned a lot while we were there as guests of Infiniti, and after our Day 1 and race recaps, here are the bits left over from our time spent with the carmaker and Red Bull Racing, including thoughts on a "wicked" race, Christian Horner's quest for a more level playing field, Infiniti "going longer and deeper," and why Mario Andretti should get a police escort at the beginning of a race but not a microphone at the end...

Continue reading Final Recap: Days 2 and 3 notes, quotes, and takeaways from the US Grand Prix

Final Recap: Days 2 and 3 notes, quotes, and takeaways from the US Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andreas siglaustinchristian hornerf1formula 1infinitilewis hamiltonmark webberred bulltexasus grand prixusgpTue, 20 Nov 2012 14:15:00 EST

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20383894 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/recap3_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/recap3.jpg <![CDATA[2012 US Grand Prix, remember the <s>Alamo</s> Circuit of the Americas [spoilers]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/19/2012-us-grand-prix-remember-the-alamo-circuit-of-the-ame/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/19/2012-us-grand-prix-remember-the-alamo-circuit-of-the-ame/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/19/2012-us-grand-prix-remember-the-alamo-circuit-of-the-ame/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports

F1 US Grand Prix graphic

There were 56 laps run in Austin's Travis County prairie to complete the inaugural United States Grand Prix at the newly minted Circuit of the Americas. Coming into the race, there were nothing but questions and calculations: Would the track be any good for Formula One? Could Red Bull Racing get the five points it needed to take the F1 Constructor's Championship? Would Turn One be the Golgotha everyone predicted? Would the race be the triumphal return to America that everyone was afraid to predict? Could Sauber get enough points to overhaul a struggling Mercedes-AMG Petronas team for fifth in the Constructor's Championship? Could Marussia manage a twelfth-placed finish to overhaul Caterham? Could official track ambassador Mario Andretti conduct a post-race interview?

And most importantly, could Sebastian Vettel put an end to the issue of the Driver's Championship? He would put up a Texas-sized fight...

Continue reading 2012 US Grand Prix, remember the ~~Alamo~~ Circuit of the Americas [spoilers]

2012 US Grand Prix, remember the ~~Alamo~~ Circuit of the Americas [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 us grand prixaustincircuit of the americascotaf1fernando alonsoferrariformula 1formula onelewis hamiltonred bullsebastian vetteltexasus grand prixusgpMon, 19 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST

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20383111 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/usgp1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/usgp1.jpg <![CDATA[Hamilton, Vettel forced to modify their helmets for the USGP]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/18/hamilton-vettel-forced-to-modify-their-helmets-for-the-usgp/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/18/hamilton-vettel-forced-to-modify-their-helmets-for-the-usgp/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/18/hamilton-vettel-forced-to-modify-their-helmets-for-the-usgp/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Racing

After years of waiting, Formula One racing is finally back in the United States, and while most drivers were focused on getting ready for the all-new Circuit of the Americas track, two of the sport's most popular drivers were involved in off-track distractions due to their helmet designs. For different reasons, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were both forced to make changes to their helmets before qualifying for the US Grand Prix according to Total F1.

USGP polesitter and season points leader Vettel's helmet had the words "gives you wings" written on the top of his helmet, which, as the motto for his Red Bull sponsor, goes against a Bernie Ecclestone rule that forbids advertising on top of racers' helmets. Total F1 says that this rule was made so as not to ruin the on-board camera view from above the driver.

Hamilton, on the other hand, was forced to alter his helmet due to the letters "H.A.M." painted on the back. While a casual observer might think this has something to do with his last name, these letters are actually an acronym for "hard as a mother******" which goes against the FIA's no-swearing policy. Both helmets were easily fixed with a little cover-up tape.

Be sure to also check out our Day 1 recap of the USGP race weekend.

Hamilton, Vettel forced to modify their helmets for the USGP originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20382891 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/vettelusgppractice_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/vettelusgppractice.jpg <![CDATA[2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The desert explodes, an old champion returns [spoilers, w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/05/2012-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-the-desert-explodes-an-old-champion/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/05/2012-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-the-desert-explodes-an-old-champion/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/05/2012-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-the-desert-explodes-an-old-champion/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Middle East

Valencia, a tight marina circuit, and Abu Dhabi, a flowing marina circuit, are annually among the top spots for the most boring Formula 1 races of the year. This year, however, during a season in which nothing has gone as usual - seven different winners in the first seven races, eight different winners throughout the year, just two races to go and both the driver's and constructor's championships still not decided - of course it is Valencia and Abu Dhabi that would provide two of the best races of the year.

What happened in the Emirates this weekend wasn't just a race, it was a melee, a medieval battle scene where everyone is thrown into the scrum and everything happens. Men clashed, men crashed, one man went flying and another was sent to an early ~~grave~~ retirement; one warrior did more with his weapon than many thought possible, another was pounded into the ground but fought his way back to the front, and an old warrior that we haven't heard from in a long time rose from the sands to claim the day.

And when the sun went down in the desert, the titanic clash for the World Championship honors still hadn't been decided.

Continue reading 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The desert explodes, an old champion returns [spoilers, w/video]

2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The desert explodes, an old champion returns [spoilers, w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20370956 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ab0_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ab0.jpg <![CDATA[2012 Korean Grand Prix: Fast and steady wins the race, takes the lead in the Championship [spoilers]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/15/2012-korean-grand-prix-fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-takes-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/15/2012-korean-grand-prix-fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-takes-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/15/2012-korean-grand-prix-fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-takes-the/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, South Korea

The Yeongnam track that hosts the Korean Grand Prix sees action just once a year, that being the Formula 1 race it was built to host. This year the word "action" is a barely accurate descriptor of what happened during the 55 laps, the suspense after qualifying and what the race result meant for certain drivers proving far more entertaining. But Ferrari's Fernando Alonso said after last week's Japanese Grand Prix, having had his once double-digit lead cut to four points, that we could look forward to a mini-season over the last five races between him and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

And what better way to start one than by having the top two title contenders, two title hopefuls and four world champions in the starting five on the grid? If the grid positions meant it was game on, however, Alonso might be hoping that for the next three races he and Ferrari can play the game a little harder. Make that a lot harder.

Continue reading 2012 Korean Grand Prix: Fast and steady wins the race, takes the lead in the Championship [spoilers]

2012 Korean Grand Prix: Fast and steady wins the race, takes the lead in the Championship [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20349898 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/kgp0_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/kgp0.jpg <![CDATA[Hamilton in, Schumacher out at Mercedes F1 in $100M deal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/28/hamilton-in-schumacher-out-at-mercedes-f1-in-100m-deal/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/28/hamilton-in-schumacher-out-at-mercedes-f1-in-100m-deal/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/28/hamilton-in-schumacher-out-at-mercedes-f1-in-100m-deal/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Performance, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Mercedes-Benz, Earnings/Financials, McLaren

F1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton chat during press conference

In 1995, a 10-year-old Lewis Hamilton walked up to McLaren team principal Ron Dennis and declared "I want to race for you one day." That fateful moment began a relationship between Hamilton, Dennis, and McLaren which culminated in the 2008 Formula One Championship. A relationship that, at least professionally, has come to an end.

Word from the UK's Telegraph is that Hamilton has left McLaren for the Mercedes-Benz factory team in a three-year deal that could be worth as much as $100 million. The departure of the 27-year-old driver from McLaren marks one of the biggest driver transfers in motorsport in recent memory. Though the German F1 team has won only a single race since returning to the sport in 2010, Hamilton and Mercedes both appear to be betting heavily on the turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine specifications for 2014.

The move has major ramifications for both teams. At McLaren, team principal Martin Whitmarsh said they had "no plan B" for their lead driver, however, it has already announced Mexican driver Sergio Perez as Hamilton's replacement in 2013.

The more controversial fallout is that Hamilton now replaces Michael Schumacher for next season. The seven-time World Champion first retired from Ferrari at the end of the 2006 season, returning to the sport in 2010 with Mercedes, where he has struggled. In reaction to the announcement, Schumi said that he would concentrate on the remaining races this season, and that he wished Hamilton well.

Hamilton's recent history with McLaren has been highlighted by salary disputes and comments on team tactics. Telegraph writer Tom Cary openly ponders the influence of XIX Entertainment - The London-based firm represents Hamilton, and stands to make more money from the new contract. As for Schumacher, there is no word on his plans after the current Formula 1 season.

Hamilton in, Schumacher out at Mercedes F1 in $100M deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20336173 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/f1-drivers-schumacher-and-hamilton_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/f1-drivers-schumacher-and-hamilton.jpg <![CDATA[Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button get animated in McLaren F1 cartoon]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/11/lewis-hamilton-and-jenson-button-get-animated-in-mclaren-f1-cart/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/11/lewis-hamilton-and-jenson-button-get-animated-in-mclaren-f1-cart/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/11/lewis-hamilton-and-jenson-button-get-animated-in-mclaren-f1-cart/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Videos, Celebrities

F1 racers Lewis Hamilton an Jenson Button get animated for Sky TV intro

The UK's BBC and Sky TV channels have split the broadcasting of Formula 1 races. Naturally, each channel puts together promos to showcase the upcoming race, such as the Beeb's recent stellar effort before the Monaco GP. In advance of last weekend's British GP, Sky aired the first in a series called Tooned, which will follow the capers of team drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

The shorts are being produced with British visual effects firm Framestore, who've taken home heaps of awards silverware of their own for commercials, music videos and movies like The Golden Compass and The Dark Knight. There will be 11 more to appear throughout the rest of the season, scroll down to watch the first.

Continue reading Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button get animated in McLaren F1 cartoon

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button get animated in McLaren F1 cartoon originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20275953 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/mclaren-cartoon_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/mclaren-cartoon.jpg <![CDATA[Lewis Hamilton orders custom Pagani Zonda with 760 HP and manual gearbox]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/lewis-hamilton-orders-custom-pagani-zonda-with-760-hp-and-manual/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/lewis-hamilton-orders-custom-pagani-zonda-with-760-hp-and-manual/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/lewis-hamilton-orders-custom-pagani-zonda-with-760-hp-and-manual/#commentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Celebrities

Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren MP4-12C

One day, someone will make a list of all the unique special-edition Pagani Zonda models and all the one-off Bugatti Veyron one-offs produced over the past few years. It'll be a gargantuan task, because there have been many of each, and we suspect that we only hear about some of them. And you can bet that most of the buyers ordering them have little to no idea how to get the most out of their new rides. However, if new reports prove accurate, the Modenese atelier's latest customer sure will.

That customer, according to reports, is one Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 Formula One World Champion has reportedly ordered his Zonda (dubbed 760 LH) with 760 horsepower - the same output as the 760 RS we reported on a couple of weeks ago - 20 more than the track-spec Zonda R and 90 than the Zonda Cinque. And what else did Lewis ask for on his? A manual transmission. Apparently he has enough time with paddle-shift gearboxes at work. Solid.

In addition to the McLaren grand prix cars he drives "at the office," Hamilton's also got a very rare McLaren F1 LM that was a gift from his employers upon clinching the World Championship, and something tells us that he's got a new MP4-12C waiting for him at home, too. Bringing a Zonda home, then, to park beside them would be high praise indeed.

Lewis Hamilton orders custom Pagani Zonda with 760 HP and manual gearbox originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20223173 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/lewis-roadcar_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/lewis-roadcar.jpg <![CDATA[Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton swap cars at The Glen [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/15/tony-stewart-and-lewis-hamilton-swap-cars-at-the-glen-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/15/tony-stewart-and-lewis-hamilton-swap-cars-at-the-glen-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/15/tony-stewart-and-lewis-hamilton-swap-cars-at-the-glen-w-video/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Racing

Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton at Watkins Glen

Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton at Watkins Glen - Click above for high-res image gallery

As far as racing disciplines go, F1 and NASCAR may appear to have about as much in common as soccer and the NFL; they may be classified under the same banner, but that's about the extent of it. But recent years have seen more crossover than ever before.

Juan Pablo Montoya may be the first among contemporary F1 drivers making a name for themselves in NASCAR, but he's hardly the last. Scott Speed has made the jump, as has Kimi Raikkonen. And there's sure to be more to follow. But the latest crossover just took place at Watkins Glen, where Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart - both champions in their own series - swapped cars for the day, just as planned.

Stewart slithered into the cockpit of Hamilton's McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23, while Hamilton climbed into Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet Impala. The experience was a first for Hamilton, who was keen to put his disastrous weekend in Montreal behind him and have a little fun. And it was a first for Stewart too, but this wasn't the first time he drove an open-wheel racer, having wracked up the IRL title in 1997, or his first time at The Glen, where NASCAR races every year.

The track is one of the few in the world to have hosted both NASCAR and F1, making this an ideal meeting place for a bit of a culture clash, enabled by Mobil1, which sponsors both their cars. Follow the jump for two videos documenting the encounter along with the brief press release, and check out the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton swap cars at The Glen [w/video]

Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton swap cars at The Glen [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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19967418 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/web-hamiltonstewart1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/web-hamiltonstewart1.jpg <![CDATA[Lewis Hamilton apologizes for joking insinuation of racism after Monaco GP penalty]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/lewis-hamilton-apologizes-for-joking-insinuation-of-racism-after/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/lewis-hamilton-apologizes-for-joking-insinuation-of-racism-after/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/lewis-hamilton-apologizes-for-joking-insinuation-of-racism-after/#commentsFiled under: Motorsports, Celebrities

Lewis Hamilton at the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton may be best known for his racing, but in the wake of a controversial performance at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, it was another race card he played altogether.

The young Brit was called in to speak with the race stewards regarding an incident with Williams rookie Pastor Maldonado. Towards the end of the grand prix, Hamilton collided with Maldonado and the latter was taken out of the race. The stewards deemed Hamilton at fault and handed him a 20-second time penalty (the post-race equivalent to a drive-through), though with Adrian Sutil finishing far behind him a lap down, the penalty affects neither Hamilton's sixth-place finish nor his position in the championship standings.

Speaking with the BBC after the stewards' decision, the McLaren driver jokingly channeled Sacha Baron Cohen's character Ali G and mused that the stewards were picking on him because he's black. Realizing the joke could be misconstrued and taken seriously, Hamilton doubled back and apologized to the stewards for his remarks.

The Maldonado incident was one of several that marred Hamilton's performance this weekend. After being docked several positions on the starting grid due to an illegal qualifying maneuver, Hamilton started in ninth place. Around halfway through the race, he tried to overtake longtime rival, Felipe Massa, but ended up colliding with the Ferrari that crashed out mere seconds later. The stewards had faulted a frustrated Hamilton for that incident as well and handed him a mid-race drive-through penalty.

Lewis Hamilton apologizes for joking insinuation of racism after Monaco GP penalty originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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