Autoblog

Video: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton hit the road to Silverstone in a VW Bus

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton doing the Magic Bus thing to Silverstone - Click above to watch video after the jump

Now that the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team has two World Championship Winning drivers who don't hiss and break into hives when they hear each others' names, principal sponsor Vodafone is making the most of it. Recently the two built - and we use that word loosely - one of their own cars. More recently, for a spot of fun before Silverstone, Hamilton and Button hopped into a 1966 VW Camper and drove from the McLaren Technical Center to the track, stopping at a gas station along the way to hand out race tickets. You'll find the shenanigans in the video after the jump. Great tip, Focus!

[Source: Vodafone-McLaren F1]

Continue reading Video: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton hit the road to Silverstone in a VW Bus

Video: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton hit the road to Silverstone in a VW Bus originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Heroes on Heroes - Hamilton, Button visit McLaren's crypt

Zach Bowman — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Celebrities, Racing

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren crypt - Click above to watch video after the jump

Objects have a way of moving through time in a way that we as mere humans can only dream of. Given the proper storage environment, limited humidity, a little care and a lot of good luck, a car can sail through the decades without a scratch. While owners fade to dust and the powers that brought them from vision to reality wander from memory, the vehicles themselves continue on just as they were in the moments of their highest glory. If you've been very, very lucky, you just might have experienced something like the video after the jump.

While we doubt too many people get private tours of the McLaren storage center, it's entirely possible that you've had a one-on-one moment with a special car of some kind. Maybe it belonged to an uncle, grandfather or parent, or maybe you reached out and touched a famous racer while the museum guards weren't watching. Either way, it's easy to feel the weight of years slip off so that you might make a connection with another point in time.

A new video has cropped up showing Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton as they poke around in the McLaren garage, and what they find is something more than special. Hop the jump to see for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Heroes on Heroes - Hamilton, Button visit McLaren's crypt

Video: Heroes on Heroes - Hamilton, Button visit McLaren's crypt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Lewis and Jenson put their McLaren together themselves

Noah Joseph — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Hamilton and Button try their hand at mechanics - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Grand Prix racing sure has come a long way since the old days of driving your car to the track, lining up on the grid and fixing problems yourself track-side. Just how far? Well, the two reigning world champions had to find out the hard way.

In a promotional video for McLaren's title sponsor Vodafone, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were left to hand-assemble their own F1 car, without any help. Shameless marketing ploy? Sure, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a watch, so check it out in the video after the jump, where you'll clearly see a better team dynamic than Lewis enjoyed with Fernando Alonso back in the day.

[Source: YouTube via PistonHeads]

Continue reading Video: Lewis and Jenson put their McLaren together themselves

Video: Lewis and Jenson put their McLaren together themselves originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton charged by Australian authorities for hooning

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 23 May 2010 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Australia, Celebrities

It would seem that the only good time Lewis Hamilton had at the Australian Grand Prix was when he was actually smoking the tires of his loaner Mercedes C63 AMG. Once that burnout was complete, though, the wheels came off: Hamilton got nicked by the police under Melbourne's anti-hoon laws, had the car impounded, qualified 11th for the race and finished sixth.

And it's not over: Lewis has been officially charged by a Melbourne court with intentionally losing control of a vehicle. A summons for a court date of August 24 was given to his Australian solicitor, but with the Belgian Grand Prix taking place on August 29 the chance of his appearing on that date seems slim. If nothing else, charging a former Formula 1 world champion - and Swiss resident, to boot - is the best lesson to every non-world-champion out there who plans to visit Melbourne: Do. Not. Hoon. Hat tip to Robert

[Source: The Age]

Lewis Hamilton charged by Australian authorities for hooning originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 May 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren gives Button and Hamilton extra bling for good luck

Noah Joseph — Sat, 15 May 2010 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

Lewis & Jenson's diamond-encrusted steering wheels and helmets, 2010 Monaco GP
Click above or below-right for high-res image gallery

We've seen F1 teams pulling all kinds of shtick in an effort to edge out the competition. But embedding diamonds into the helmets and steering wheels? Well, it seemed to work in 2008 for Lewis Hamilton, and he, for one, is hoping it'll work again this year at the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix.

McLaren has partnered with Steinmetz Diamonds to carry off the bedazzling, creating commemorative wreath emblems for both its world champions. The results were unveiled on Wednesday at Steinmetz's villa in Monte Carlo, and both Hamilton and Button will be using them during this weekend's race. Only in Monaco, kids. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: McLaren]

Continue reading McLaren gives Button and Hamilton extra bling for good luck

McLaren gives Button and Hamilton extra bling for good luck originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 May 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton to sign with Mika Hakkinen as manager?

Noah Joseph — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Let's take a brief look at where the careers of two of McLaren's most successful contemporary drivers are at these days. On the one hand, we have Lewis Hamilton, 2008 world champion. After years of being successfully handled by his father, Lewis professionally disengaged from Anthony's management earlier this year. McLaren's been taking care of its star in the meantime, but team principal Martin Whitmarsh is reportedly encouraging Lewis to retain independent management.

On the other hand, we have Mika Hakkinen, 1998 and 1999 world champion, who retired from F1 in 2001. Since then, Mika raced a few seasons in DTM, but after retiring from that series as well in 2007, he started managing drivers in feeder series like Formula 3, working alongside his own longtime manager Didier Coton at the Aces Group out of Monaco. Maintaining strong ties with McLaren, Hakkinen remains a brand ambassador for team sponsor Johnnie Walker, whose anti-drunk driving campaign he fronts along with Hamilton.

Recently Hakkinen's been making waves with the suggestion that he could start managing Formula One careers. Connect the dots, and it looks like a match made in heaven. If it materializes, we could expect confirmation to come soon.

[Source: ESPN]

Lewis Hamilton to sign with Mika Hakkinen as manager? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 May 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Hamilton's Hoontastic Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG slated for charity auction?

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Auctions, Etc., Australia

Even when McLaren makes mistakes, it makes money. Lewis Hamilton was busted putting ~~a little~~ a lotta extra temperature into the tires of a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG loaned to him during his stay in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. The car was impounded by the Victorian State Police, Lewis paid a fine to remedy his deed and McLaren paid to get the car out.

Turns out there are so many buyers interested in owning said car that Mercedes dealers are bidding to win the car so they can re-sell it. Tips suggest the dealers will have to pay a healthy slice more than the $AUD 148,900 ($136,198 USD) MSRP, and Mercedes will donate any amount above market value to charity. The eventual retail, however, will add another premium above what the dealer paid, and it's a good guess that the dealer won't be donating that money to charity. For that extra dough, the retail buyer will get a surprise "special item" to help tell the story... and maybe justify a markup likely to be on the far side of absurd. Great tip, Andrew!

[Source: Brisbane Times]

Followup: Hamilton's Hoontastic Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG slated for charity auction? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video Followup: Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes-Benz C63 nicked for hoonage

Zach Bowman — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Performance, Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Australia, Celebrities, Luxury

Lewis Hamilton's hoonage aftermath - click above to watch the video

Australia's ABC News was on hand to document the aftermath of Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton's "over-exuberant" driving, and has been kind enough to share the video with the rest of the world.

As you may recall, Hamilton had his loaner Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sedan impounded after lighting up the rear tires on public streets. Since Melbourne has notoriously vitriolic anti-hoon laws, the British driver will be facing a stiff fine on top of doing without his car for two days. Something tells us that even after his sixth-place finish at the Australian GP, Hamilton won't have any trouble finding another set of wheels. Hit the jump to see the action.

[Source: ABC News via YouTube]

Continue reading Video Followup: Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes-Benz C63 nicked for hoonage

Video Followup: Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes-Benz C63 nicked for hoonage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton busted for doing burnouts in public?

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:39:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Australia

Police only recently released the name, after only confiding that a 25-year-old Briton with Swiss residency was arrested in a Mercedes sedan doing burnouts in a Melbourne, Australia suburb. Yep, that's Lewis Hamilton, driving down a stretch of section used for the Albert Park track in a Benz sedan and lighting the tires up (sounds oddly familiar). The road was open for public use, and the public watchdogs - Victoria state police - nabbed him for it.

Under Oz's anti-hoon laws his car was impounded and will be held for two days. Hamilton might have been celebrating topping the timesheets for Friday practice. If he can win the race on Sunday, he might be able to celebrate ~~winning a brand new car~~ getting the Mercedes out of impound. And who knows, if Bahrain was any indication of the season, after qualifying this could be the most exciting thing to happen all weekend.

[Source: The Age | Image: Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images]

Lewis Hamilton busted for doing burnouts in public? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Shots: McLaren MP4-12C takes the stage at company unveiling

John Neff — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:56:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, UK

McLaren MP4-12C at company unveiling - Click above for high-res image gallery

Early this morning, at least in the U.S., McLaren Automotive had a coming out party in its home town of Woking, England. We were there in person and witnessed the unveiling of not only a new sports car company, McLaren Automotive, but also its flagship product: The MP4-12C. This will be the first of an entire range of new McLaren sports cars, and the company best know for its exploits on the F1 race circuit appears to have built a doozy of a supercar to kick things off.

McLaren F1 drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were on hand at McLaren's technology center to pull back the sheet on the MP4-12C. The rear-wheel-drive supercar features a mid-mounted 3.8-liter V8 producing 600 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque with an 8,000-rpm redline. Comparisons with the legendary McLaren F1 will no doubt be made, but no performance numbers are available for the MP4-12C yet and, we suspect, their missions in life are not exactly the same. The MP4-12C appears to be a supercar you could live with on a daily basis, more like a Gallardo than a Murciélago (though we suspect it might leave both in the dust).

Since we were there, we also meandered about McLaren's facilities and captured stills of a bare MP4-12C chassis, rolling bodies on the assembly line, the XP11 prototype that was used for testing and various historical McLaren automobiles that were hanging out in the lobby. Check out the virtual tour of today's big event in the high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C At Company Unveiling

Live Shots: McLaren MP4-12C takes the stage at company unveiling originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anthony Hamilton leasing fleet of F1 cars for GP Prep Drivers Academy

Noah Joseph — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Motorsports, Racing

Few know how to raise a future Formula One driver like Anthony Hamilton. The father of 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton fostered his son's development from birth through his F1 debut and world title the following year, and is still one of the most visible managers or family members in the sport. But Anthony isn't only interested in getting his own son into the sport, he apparently wants to help others as well.

Hamilton Sr. is in the process of arranging for several teams to lease their 2009 cars to him through his new GP Prep Drivers Academy. So far McLaren, with which the Hamiltons obviously share the closest ties, has already agreed to provide two cars, and negotiations are reportedly under way with other teams as well.

The driving force, so to speak, behind GP Prep is a result of the mid-season test ban still in place in Formula One. Because testing has been so severely curtailed, many aspiring drivers don't have a chance to get behind the wheel before their grand prix debut. Case in point Jaime Alguersuari, who incidentally backs the Hamilton venture, and who completed half a season with Scuderia Toro Rosso last year but couldn't participate in a test session until just a couple of weeks ago. Or recuperating drivers like Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa, who had to "borrow" old 2007-spec cars from Ferrari's client services department in order to get back up to speed.

GP Prep will manage to circumvent the rules because it's not part of any particular team, so who's to say what they can and can't do. The costs, however unbelievably, for a single day of testing will reportedly approach those of racing a full grand prix weekend. Still, there are more than a handful of drivers who'll want to take the opportunity to get up to speed - literally and figuratively - and sponsoring teams anxious for them to get there.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images]

Anthony Hamilton leasing fleet of F1 cars for GP Prep Drivers Academy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton wishes you a Merry Christmas with his F1 car

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:18:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Merry Christmas from Lewis Hamilton -- Click above to watch video

McLaren Formula One engineers use their laptops to find out what their MP4-series F1 cars are doing. Put one of the teams many computers in front of Lewis Hamilton, and he uses it to make the car do things - in this case, make a little music and dance a little jig. It's just his, and Vodafone's, way of saying Merry Christmas, folks. Follow the jump to see the vid.

[Source: Vodafone UK]

Continue reading VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton wishes you a Merry Christmas with his F1 car

VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton wishes you a Merry Christmas with his F1 car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes Grand Prix searches for drivers while dispelling board's concerns

Noah Joseph — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Mercedes-Benz

The new Mercedes GP car rendered - Click above to view in high-resolution

With two manufacturers leaving the series, four new teams joining the grid and a giant game of musical chairs amongst the drivers ensuing, the off-season between the 2009 and 2010 Formula One World Championships is packing in as much action as the racing itself. But few developments have garnered as much attention as the coup orchestrated by Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, withdrawing from McLaren after fifteen years as its active partner in favor of a more conventional engine supplier role, while buying over 75% of the Brawn GP outfit to enter the sport as a full manufacturer team under the Mercedes Grand Prix banner.

The acquisition has drawn public criticism from Erich Klemm, employee representative on the Daimler board and chairman of its Corporate Works Council, who decried the move as an unnecessary cost when money is tight and other automakers are withdrawing from the series. Chairman Dieter Zetsche responded that the acquisition of the Brawn team will give the company more exposure for less cash: The deal reportedly cost the German automaker some $336 million, but its operating costs are expected to drop to about $74 million annually by 2011, analyzed as far less than what Mercedes was contributing annually to the McLaren budget.

Zetsche might have more trouble, however, explaining to the board how their star driver slipped through their fingers and defected to the team they just ditched. McLaren just announced the recruitment of Jenson Button to team up with Lewis Hamilton for a twin-champ "super team," and Rubens Barrichello is off to Williams next season, leaving the new Mercedes GP team looking for new drivers. Considering they're the reigning champions suddenly flush with cash, they shouldn't have much trouble, though.

Zetsche and Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug are reportedly keen to capitalize with an all-German line-up, fueling speculation that Michael Schumacher could rejoin Mercedes (whose junior driving program gave him his start) and Brawn (who orchestrated all seven of his world championships). Nico Rosberg is thought to already have signed on to switch places with Barrichello, while Nick Heidfeld has been linked with a switch from the departing BMW to its arch-rival Mercedes. Toyota's Timo Glock was also reportedly in the running, but the young German driver signed with newcomer Manor GP instead. Haug has indicated an announcement will come within the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.

[Source: F1 Live]

Mercedes Grand Prix searches for drivers while dispelling board's concerns originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Getting Back to Work at the 2009 European Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:14:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2009 European Grand Prix at Valencia - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ever come back from vacation only to feel like you need another vacation? We've all been there, so we can all empathize with the performers in the Formula One circus. After the last grand prix in Hungary, the premier racing series took a much-needed break for nearly a month, ostensibly to regain their energy and regroup for the final rounds.

But for most parties, the would-be vacation proved to be anything but restful. On top of all the usual off-track posturing that typically occurs between races, two teams had to replace their drivers, a former multiple world champion nearly came back out of retirement, a major automaker announced its withdrawal from the sport, a whole slew of legal battles were fought, and all the parties ratified a new comprehensive commercial agreement for the years ahead. So much for a vacation.

Recuperated or not, however, it was back to work this weekend for the 2009 European Grand Prix, held for only the second time at the Valencia circuit on Spain's sun-drenched Mediterranean coast, where everybody had something to prove. Follow the jump to read how it unfolded.

Gallery: 2009 European Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Getting Back to Work at the 2009 European Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Getting Back to Work at the 2009 European Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Of Champions and Shadows at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2009 Hungarian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

Jenson Button and his Brawn GP team cast a dominating shadow over the start of this year's Formula One World Championship, taking the checkered flag at six out of the seven races this season to take a commanding lead for the title. But as Button and Brawn cast a dark shadow over the competition, the skies over the paddock at this past weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix were darkened even further, with the drivers getting a taste of their own mortality after Felipe Massa was hospitalized with severe injuries to his head after being hit by a spring during Saturday's qualifying session.

Driving an F1 car - in a grand prix no less - takes an extraordinarily focused person, ignoring the laws of physics and all that can go wrong in order to even get some heat into the tires, much less extract the car's true performance potential. Winning a grand prix takes an even more rarified breed of individual, outgunning the other exceptionally talented and driven drivers to claim victory. Only 102 people have managed that feat in the history of the sport. But it takes a champion to see a fallen comrade and still marshal the fortitude to reel in the win.

Gallery: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Of Champions and Shadows at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Of Champions and Shadows at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazing 1,500 fps video from the German Grand Prix

Chris Shunk — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:21:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Click above to watch the video after the break

Formula 1 is wicked fast, yet in super slow motion at 1500 fps, it can be almost as fun to watch. After the jump are two videos that are definitely worth your time. The first video shows the massive amounts of stress exerted on the F1 cars as they barrel around corners. At 1500 fps, they almost look as if they could come apart at any moment.

The second video demonstrates the importance of technique on the circuit. The video is an overlayed comparison of the third sector approaches of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton during the Friday practice session at the German Grand Prix. Vettel was faster than Hamilton through the first two sectors, but Hamilton passed him with a textbook brake and acceleration at the third chicane. Good stuff. Follow the jump for your viewing pleasure. Thanks to AC for providing us the original video after we inadvertently overwhelmed the servers at Axis of Oversteer!

[Source: Axis of Oversteer]

Continue reading Amazing 1,500 fps video from the German Grand Prix

Amazing 1,500 fps video from the German Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: TAG Heuer names a winner in McQueen vs. Hamilton Duel

Noah Joseph — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Videos

Click above to watch the video after the jump

It's the stuff that dreams are made of. Gearhead dreams, anyway: Who would be the fastest between a racing icon of yesteryear and a champion of today? That's the question which Swiss watchmaker and longtime F1 sponsor TAG Heuer posed with its latest contest, The Duel.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the timeless Monaco wristwatch, TAG pitted two of its most famous brand ambassadors - the late great Steve McQueen and reigning Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton - against each other with trick video editing. Online contestants registered their bets on who would win the virtual race, and three winners received a Monaco wristwatch, Hamilton helmet or a test drive in an F1 car. Follow the jump to watch the video and see which of the two TAG Heuer crowned as all-time champion of our imaginations. Thanks for the tip, James!

[Source: TAG Heuer]

Continue reading VIDEO: TAG Heuer names a winner in McQueen vs. Hamilton Duel

VIDEO: TAG Heuer names a winner in McQueen vs. Hamilton Duel originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen moonlighting as cab drivers

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen in Vodafone's Taxi GP commercial - Click above to watch video

Vodafone has created an online game called Taxi Grand Prix that looks pretty neat. You choose a team of two actual taxi drivers on the roads in Great Britain, and when a race begins, the distance your two drivers travel whenever they have fares is added to your team's distance. Whichever team's drivers clock up 308 kilometers fastest wins.

To promote the game, the cell phone company has created a series of vids featuring McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen as boy racer black cabbies. In this intro spot, the two fight to get to a single fare in Spring Hill. Based on the amount of driving they do, it looks like the pickup is in Orkney. And while the spot is a bit of fun -- and the only time Heikki has been in front of Lewis all year -- the game itself looks a lot cooler than the commercial. Follow the jump to watch the video.

[Source: The Sun]

Continue reading Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen moonlighting as cab drivers

Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen moonlighting as cab drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oil Painting: Lewis Hamilton rendered in used Mobil 1

Noah Joseph — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Celebrities

Components from F1 cars - especially championship-winning F1 cars - don't go to waste. Collectors eagerly snap them up and put them on display as fast as the teams will release them. But in this case, the motor oil from Lewis Hamilton's title-winning McLaren-Mercedes MP4-24 was used to create a tribute to the driver.

The painting you see here (at right, click to view in high resolution) was commissioned by ExxonMobil from David Maculuso, who has been painting with recycled motor oil for several years. Macaluso describes the F1-spec Mobil 1 that ran through Hamilton's Mercedes V8 last year en route to the title as an ideal medium, the engine dirt suspended in the viscose giving the final work unique texture and depth. A limited run of 50 lithographic reproductions will be offered to the public, while the original will be displayed at ExxonMobil's pavilion at the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which conveniently coincides with National Oil Check Week in the UK. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: ExxonMobil]

Continue reading Oil Painting: Lewis Hamilton rendered in used Mobil 1

Oil Painting: Lewis Hamilton rendered in used Mobil 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIA imposes three-race ban on McLaren, then suspends it

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2009 Australian Grand Prix - Click above for a high-res gallery

The FIA World Motor Sport Counsel has issued, and then retracted, a three-race on ban on McLaren after an investigation discovered the F1 team mislead race stewards at the Australian Grand Prix.

The episode that led to the probe involved McLaren accusing Toyota's Jarno Trulli of overtaking Lewis Hamilton while the safety car was out, resulting in a 25-second penalty for Trulli and catapulting Hamilton to a third-place finish. Later, it was discovered that Hamilton had been in radio contact with his team, telling him to let Trulli pass. Hamilton was subsequently disqualified for lying to officials and soon thereafter made a public apology amidst rumors that the young champion would quit the sport. That didn't happen, and with the three-race ban retracted - unless additional evidence surfaces or another breach of the sporting code takes place in the next twelve months - McLaren and Hamilton are ready to race on May 10 at the Spanish GP.

According to the FIA, the council felt McLaren's handling of the situation, including the team's principal, Martin Whitmarsh, was "open and honest." You can find that gem, along with the rest of the FIA's statement in the brief release below the fold.

Gallery: 2009 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix

[Source: Formula1]

Continue reading FIA imposes three-race ban on McLaren, then suspends it

FIA imposes three-race ban on McLaren, then suspends it originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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