Autoblog

Next year Formula 1 will see the introduction of KERS -- the Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The system stores the energy from braking and makes it available to the driver in an on-demand burst. Due to the magnificent braking forces in braking an F1 car, the system must be called on to store a sizable amount of electricity.

Red Bull got things buzzing last week when an eruption of smoke and fumes lead to a call to the fire department. Today, BMW test driver Christian Klien did three laps in a car equipped with an early edition of KERS, and came back to the pits. When a mechanic touched the car, he got a shock strong enough to throw him to the ground. The mechanic suffered slight injuries to a hand and a grazed arm, but was otherwise unhurt. BMW halted all testing while it looks into the issue, which could simply be a matter of improper grounding. Or, it could be time to suit pit crews up in rubber gear...

[Source: F1 Daily]

Click above for hi-res gallery from the 2008 Baja 500

We did the pre-run, now it was time for Autoblog to race the Baja 500 with driver Chad Hall and Team HUMMER. Our race day start time wasn't until 10:30, but we got to the start line at 8:30. And then we signed autographs and kissed babies. Well, Chad didn't, but people kept asking us for our autograph, so we obliged. Kids also constantly asked for "steeckers," but we didn't have any of those... Follow the jump to see how Autoblog fared as racing co-pilot, and be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res images below and the insane in-truck video after the jump.

Danica Patrick, who races for the Honda-powered Andretti-Green IRL team, has spoken of wanting to make the jump to the world's premier form of motorsport, Formula 1. Later this year, according to Honda F1 CEO Nick Fry, the team is going to give her that chance. Danica will be put into Honda's Earth Dreams F1 car in November, probably at the Barcelona or Jerez tracks in Spain, for a full-scale test. Said Fry, "We will put her into our car after the season at the latest and see how quick she is."

The recent record of IndyCar drivers succeeding on the other side of the pond is mixed. It's still too early to tell with Sebastian Bourdais at Toro Rosso, though he appears to be handling things well enough. Jacques Villeneuve did well, but Michael Andretti did not. Scott Dixon, the 2003 IRL champ and 2008 Indy 500 winner tested with Williams-BMW in 2004, but didn't get a seat. Danica's already won a place in U.S. racing history. We'll find out in November if she's fast enough to do it in Europe, as well.

[Source: Eurosport, Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty]

Yes, racing is a sport, even NASCAR. Talented people always make difficult things look easy, but wrestling a vehicle traveling well in excess of one-hundred miles an hour would beat down most mortals in short order. Wired has put up an informative rollover-fest that gives credence to the idea that while us auto writers might be the walking embodiment of a Boston Creme donut, professional racers don't share our gooey center. Driving race cars to win takes dedication on many levels -- time and money are biggies -- and success is unlikely if the mind and body are not as finely tuned as the chassis.

To capture the checkered flag, drivers toil in an environment that's hot and loud, and controls require strong, sure inputs. This ain't your two-finger cruise up the interstate in air-conditioned pleasantness. A regimen of weight training is necessary for the physical performance, while we really like the fact that gaming helps train the eyes and brain to process high speeds. What we don't like is that crunches are apparently necessary. How are we going to be taken seriously in a room full of auto journos if we're all trim and good-drivery? Thanks for all the tips!

[Source: Wired]

Formula 1 will hit the BBC air waves in 2009 after a long run on ITV. The move will require new figureheads to sit at the desk, and London's Times has said that Top Gear's Richard Hammond is the top man for the job. Economics at least partially drove ITV's decision to withdraw from F1 coverage. The coverage is expensive, so making money is challenging, even with newly rising star Lewis Hamilton making F1 more interesting for UK viewers.

Hammond's presence might help broaden the appeal beyond just racing fans, as would guest appearances by Jeremy Clarkson and James May, Hammond's cohorts on Top Gear. Letting Clarkson and May prowl the paddock could offer priceless moments of color commentary that would set YouTube alight. The BBC also plans to update the look, feel and pace of its coverage, and fans will be able to get at the presentation more easily with races going out across broadband digital outlets in addition to the standard radio and television. Thanks for the tip, Eric!

[Source: Times Online, Photo by Getty Images/Getty]

Click above to view video

Motorcycles always have that ever-present danger of turning their operators into hamburger should the rider take a spill. Racing crashes are especially nasty, and while leathers do offer protection from road rash, cushioning impacts to the upper torso is key to increasing survivability. Dainese, a manufacturer of cycling equipment, has been working on an airbag system to help riders avoid injury called the D-Air suit. The system relies on accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors embedded in the suit, and when a computer determines there's a need, an upper-body airbag is deployed in less than a half a second. It looks like a similar, although much more complicated design, than the Airbag Jacket by Impact Jackets, which has already saved at least one life that we know about. Of course, this would all be avoidable if people didn't insist on climbing onto a powerful engine supported by the minimum of wheels and zooming around at the highest possible velocity, but what fun is that? Check out video of the Dainese D-Air suit after the jump.

[Source: Winding Road]

North American Ariel Atom production has left the auspices of Brammo Motorsports and been taken up by Trak Motorsports Incorporated, which has been working feverishly to put together a sales and manufacturing operation while also working with Brammo to maintain momentum on orders and refits to Atoms currently underway or back for upgrades. TMI started with the Atom as Brammo's Canadian distribution partner, and the company also puts on the Ariel Atom Experience events that have given it a huge amount of practical experience with a fleet of race-flogged Atoms.

Brammo and TMI have held close business ties since before Ariel licensed Atom production to Brammo, and the two companies will maintain a relationship going forward. Brammo will be an official dealer of the forthcoming Atom 3, and they might also supply composite body parts to TMI. Brammo's sales territory and supplier relationship have yet to be fully determined, but don't look for Brammo to fold up its tent and leave the scene entirely. TMI's assumption of North American Atom manufacturing and support comes with a focused determination to produce the Atom 3 in a stable and secure manner from a new home base at Virginia International Raceway, as well as significant outreach efforts to fans and owners of the skeletal track weapon with a modest pricet ag offset by a voracious appetite for high dollar supercars. Thanks for the tip, nakul!

[Source: AtomClub.com]

Nothing is better at propagating a rumor like a nasty social disease than the internet, and the France family just got a lesson. A report surfaced in Europe that an investment firm based there was investigating the potential purchase of NASCAR. Brian France, chairman of NASCAR, dismissed the report as speculation. According to France, the death of his father, Bill France Jr. most likely kicked off the baseless chatter. The current scoop is that the France family is not stepping down from the top of NASCAR or International Speedway Corporation, another France enterprise. While rising energy prices have taken a bite out of profits, and will likely affect attendance attendance somewhat, France assures that NASCAR will be "just fine."

A couple of other items help fuel the speculation, too. International Speedway endured a couple of abortive efforts in Washington state and New York to add new tracks to its holdings, but the long term plan is indeed for new venues when the right ones present themselves. Television ratings are also down, but that doesn't affect NASCAR so much as whacking the price that can be charged for ad space during television coverage of NASCAR events. So, while it might have been fun to kick the ball around thinking of NASCAR without the Frances – not this time.

[Source: Auto News - Sub Req Photo: NASCAR.com]

SEAT, being under the VAG corporate umbrella, certainly knows what's been going on with Audi's racing diesels. Perhaps the division looks up to its Ingolstadt cousins with admiration, and it's hoping that imitation yields the same type of success. SEAT will be the first manufacturer to field a diesel-powered entry in the FIA's World Touring Car Championship. Two TDI racers will take to the macadam on July 28th and 29th in Sweden.

The car itself is a Leon sporting a 2-liter diesel engine that's based on the 170PS street-going mill. In WTCC trim, power is up to 280PS, and the turbocharger and gearbox have been swapped for racing units. The rules stipulate that a diesel car carry a 30kg weight penalty, and the attendant hardware for the powertrain shifts the weight distribution in a bad direction. SEAT is banking on the moves the chassis provides, as well as the muscular torque delivery of the diesel to make the Leon competitive.

Press release after the jump

[Source: SEAT]

Top-level athletes are being identified at younger ages all the time, with most tennis or gymnastics prodigies being noticed by age 10. Over in the UK, motorsports are huge, and four year-old Ben Kasperczack has just been signed to a four-year contract with Motorsport World. That's right, 'lil Ben isn't even old enough for kindergarten and he's been granted unlimited track time, his own mechanic, and all the equipment he'll ever need.

It's easy to dismiss such a contract as little more than a publicity stunt, yet Ben has shown an amazing knack for recognizing understeer and oversteer (most adults aren't as fortunate), and he knows just when his tires need changing. Since at age four he's completely fearless, Ben also maintains the most aggressive driving line possible, which makes him faster around the track than most adults.

We don't know if Michael Schumacher should worry about any of his records just yet, but the karting world will have to wait four more years before Ben Kasperczack competes in his first race with other drivers. Let the hype machine begin.

[Source: Winding Road]