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[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[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: , , , , , , ,



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[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: , , , , , , ,



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[Watch Infiniti Red Bull Racing set a world record pitstop time in Malaysia]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/04/watch-infiniti-red-bull-racing-set-a-world-record-pitstop-time-i/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/04/watch-infiniti-red-bull-racing-set-a-world-record-pitstop-time-i/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/04/watch-infiniti-red-bull-racing-set-a-world-record-pitstop-time-i/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Infiniti Red Bull Racing conducts a world-record pitstop in Malaysia - video screencap

How quickly can you change a tire? The pit crew for Infiniti Red Bull Racing can do it in 2.05 seconds. Actually, they can change four tires in 2.05 seconds, and they did just that at the Grand Prix of Malaysia two weeks ago, setting a new world record for the quickest pitstop in the process.

There must've been something in the water over there in Malaysia, as the old pitstop record of 2.31 seconds set by McLaren in Germany last year fell six times during the course of the race. Five of those record-beating pitstops were performed by Infiniti Red Bull Racing, one for Sebastian Vettel on his first stop, which took 2.13 seconds, and four for fellow driver Mark Webber, who brought his car in on Lap 19 for what would be the quickest pitstop of the day and the new world record. Three other Webber pitstops were under the old record's time, and even team McLaren apparently beat its old record in Malaysia with a best time of 2.28 seconds.

What does a 2.05-second pitstop look like? Scroll down to watch these expert car handlers reshoe an entire car in less time than it takes you to find a tire iron. We've also included a video of the previous record-setting pitstop by McLaren that stood for about a year.

Continue reading Watch Infiniti Red Bull Racing set a world record pitstop time in Malaysia

Watch Infiniti Red Bull Racing set a world record pitstop time in Malaysia originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>infinitiinfiniti red bull racingmark webbermclarenpit stoppitstoprecord pitstopsebastian vetteltire changevideoworld recordworlds fastest pitstopworlds quickest pitstopThu, 04 Apr 2013 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20530068/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/04/watch-infiniti-red-bull-racing-set-a-world-record-pitstop-time-i/20530068/article-detail.xml 20530068 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/infiniti-red-bull-record-pitstop_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/infiniti-red-bull-record-pitstop.jpg <![CDATA[Infiniti hires Sebastian Vettel as Director of Performance]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/infiniti-hires-sebastian-vettel-as-director-of-performance/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/infiniti-hires-sebastian-vettel-as-director-of-performance/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/infiniti-hires-sebastian-vettel-as-director-of-performance/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Remember when, during the Grand Prix of the Americas weekend last November, we told you that Sebastian Vettel had worked with Infiniti on the new G Coupe and that there'd be more of that kind of involvement on the way? It's been made official with the three-time Formula One World Champion being named Infiniti's Director of Performance.

Although the announcement is fresh, Vettel's time on the job isn't, Infiniti saying that Vettel went to Japan, the Nürburgring and the Circuit de Catalunya to assist in the development of the Q50 sedan.

When we spoke to Andreas Sigl, the man in charge of Infiniti's F1 collaboration with Red Bull, about the tie-up he had also said, "Like Mercedes has AMG and BMW has M - whether it's called IPL or not - we want to have something in that space." If the brand is still serious about that, Vettel's chops could help them deliver the kind of performance they'd need as upstarts to challenge the ringleaders of that particular hi-po circus.

We might find out soon enough if Vettel's s better at taking team orders from Infiniti than Red Bull. There's a press release below with the officially sanctioned paragraphs outlining his new role.

Continue reading Infiniti hires Sebastian Vettel as Director of Performance

Infiniti hires Sebastian Vettel as Director of Performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>director of performancef1infinitiinfiniti q50sebastian vettelWed, 27 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20520565/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/27/infiniti-hires-sebastian-vettel-as-director-of-performance/20520565/article-detail.xml 20520565 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/sebastianvettelinfinitiperf_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/sebastianvettelinfinitiperf.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: , , , ,

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 http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20519764/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/27/ford-bondage-ads-reportedly-trigger-firings-at-indian-ad-agency/20519764/article-detail.xml 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: , , ,



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[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: , ,



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 http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20514659/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/22/ford-of-india-in-hot-water-for-figo-celebrity-bondage-ads/20514659/article-detail.xml 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: , , , , ,



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 <![CDATA[Infiniti-Red Bull Racing will seek a fourth title with the RB9 [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/05/infiniti-red-bull-racing-will-seek-a-fourth-title-with-the-rb9/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/05/infiniti-red-bull-racing-will-seek-a-fourth-title-with-the-rb9/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/05/infiniti-red-bull-racing-will-seek-a-fourth-title-with-the-rb9/#commentsFiled under: , ,



This is the car and the team that everyone wants to dethrone. The stability of this year's regulations means that the Infiniti Red Bull RB9 is a seriously honed RB8; however, that's a situation probably no other team would complain about seeing that the RB8 recovered from early stumbles and reliability issues last year to carry Sebastian Vettel to a third consecutive driver's title and the team to a third consecutive constructor's trophy.

The most noteworthy revisions to the car are the partial vanity panel that omits the driver cooling slot, the even narrower rear end - a feature of just about every car launched so far - and purple sidepods to showcase new title sponsor Infiniti. Adrian Newey, perhaps the most feared designer on the pit lane, said the nose and front wing could be changed relatively easily throughout the season, but he wanted to make sure to get the middle of the car - everything from the sidepods, back - as good as possible since they're more difficult to re-engineer. His track record leads us to believe he did just that.

Below are two videos, one of the making of the RB9, the other the launch at team headquarters in Milton Keynes.

Continue reading Infiniti-Red Bull Racing will seek a fourth title with the RB9 [w/video]

Infiniti-Red Bull Racing will seek a fourth title with the RB9 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>infinitiinfiniti red bull racinginfiniti red bull rb9mark webberrb9red bull rb9sebastian vettelTue, 05 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20447139/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/05/infiniti-red-bull-racing-will-seek-a-fourth-title-with-the-rb9/20447139/article-detail.xml 20447139 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/infinitired-bullrb9_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/infinitired-bullrb9.jpg <![CDATA[Red Bull Racing looks back on its young but impressive history]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/22/red-bull-racing-looks-back-on-its-young-but-impressive-history/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/22/red-bull-racing-looks-back-on-its-young-but-impressive-history/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/22/red-bull-racing-looks-back-on-its-young-but-impressive-history/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Red Bull Racing Review

It's been said that Red Bull is a marketing company that happens to sell energy drinks, and it's an argument that is not without merit. After all, nearly every form of motorsport (in addition to non-engine-powered sports) has some sort of sponsorship deal with the Austrian drink maker, and nowhere is that more recognizable than in Formula One.

Underlining that point is the video below. In it, you'll see how, in just five years' worth of time, Red Bull Racing has gone from an unknown quantity to the undisputed team to beat at the pinnacle of motorsport. Sure, RBR can't boast nearly as much history and tradition as teams like Ferrari, McLaren and Lotus, but it sure is hard to argue with its results.

Check out the full 30-minute video below.

Continue reading Red Bull Racing looks back on its young but impressive history

Red Bull Racing looks back on its young but impressive history originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Dec 2012 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adrian neweychristian hornerf1formula onemark webberrbrred bullred bull racingsebastian vettelSat, 22 Dec 2012 19:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20408436/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/22/red-bull-racing-looks-back-on-its-young-but-impressive-history/20408436/article-detail.xml 20408436 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/red-bull-racing-review_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/red-bull-racing-review.jpg <![CDATA[Vettel and Schumacher win 2012 Race of Champions Nations Cup for Germany, again]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/16/vettel-and-schumacher-win-race-of-champions-nations-cup-for-germ/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/16/vettel-and-schumacher-win-race-of-champions-nations-cup-for-germ/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/16/vettel-and-schumacher-win-race-of-champions-nations-cup-for-germ/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Race of Champions Germany 2012

With so many different cars, competitions, rulebooks and drivers gunning for wins each weekend in various racing events all across the world, how do you go about crowning the best of the best? Put more simply, Who is the best racing driver in the world?

No single event or series is ever going to answer that question properly, but the annual Race of Champions at least does a good job of choosing the most talented drivers in their respective disciplines and lining them up against each other and the clock.

There are actually two winners, one country and one driver. Yesterday, Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher defeated Romain Grosjean and Sebastien Ogier to take the Nations Cup to Germany for the sixth year in a row. Want to see how it all went down? Scroll down for two videos, one short recap and one full three-hour-long version.

Come back later today at 7:00 PM EST to see who's crowned the Champion of Champions during individual events!

Continue reading Vettel and Schumacher win 2012 Race of Champions Nations Cup for Germany, again

Vettel and Schumacher win 2012 Race of Champions Nations Cup for Germany, again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Dec 2012 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 race of championsgermanymichael schumachernations cuprace of championssebastian vettelSun, 16 Dec 2012 09:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20404321/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/16/vettel-and-schumacher-win-race-of-champions-nations-cup-for-germ/20404321/article-detail.xml 20404321 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/roc-germany-2012_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/roc-germany-2012.jpg <![CDATA[Ferrari's Montezemolo slams Ecclestone over Vettel overtake investigation]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/03/ferraris-montezemolo-slams-ecclestone-over-vettel-overtake-inve/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/03/ferraris-montezemolo-slams-ecclestone-over-vettel-overtake-inve/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/03/ferraris-montezemolo-slams-ecclestone-over-vettel-overtake-inve/#commentsFiled under:



Sebastion Vettel recently celebrated his third Formula One title by driving his Red Bull Racing car through the streets of Graz, Austria, but Ferrari is still caught up in the controversy it stirred up by asserting that Vettel made an illegal pass under yellow at the Brazilian Grand Prix. After Ferrari asked for clarification on the pass, Bernie Ecclestone called the whole issue a "complete joke," and now Luca di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari (shown above), has responded to Ecclestone's comments with some scathing words of his own.

According to ESPN F1, Montezemolo sarcastically said "you have to show respect for your elders, especially when they get to that stage in which they are no longer in control of what they say" in regards to Ecclestone. Seemingly putting the whole controversy to rest, though, Montezemolo went on to congratulate Vettel and Red Bull for the win in what he refers to as a difficult season.

The pass in question came on the fourth lap of the rainy race when Vettel seemed to have passed Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne under a local yellow. In the final standings, the resulting 20-second penalty would have knocked Vettel from sixth to eighth position, which would have been enough for Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to win the Driver's Championship by a single point. Despite flashing yellow lights, the FIA said that a green flag was waving making the pass legal.

Ferrari's Montezemolo slams Ecclestone over Vettel overtake investigation originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bernie ecclestonebrazilian grand prixf1ferrariformula 1luca di montezemolomotorsportsred bull racingsebastian vetteltoro rossoMon, 03 Dec 2012 15:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20392782/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/03/ferraris-montezemolo-slams-ecclestone-over-vettel-overtake-inve/20392782/article-detail.xml 20392782 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/luca-di-montezemolo-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/luca-di-montezemolo-628.jpg <![CDATA[Ferrari fails to take F1 driver's title from Vettel on questionable pass]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/30/ferrari-fails-to-take-f1-drivers-title-from-vettel-on-questiona/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/30/ferrari-fails-to-take-f1-drivers-title-from-vettel-on-questiona/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/30/ferrari-fails-to-take-f1-drivers-title-from-vettel-on-questiona/#commentsFiled under: , ,

F1 racer Sebastian Vettel at press conference with Fernando Alonso

On November 25, Sebastian Vettel took sixth place at the Brazilian Gran Prix, earning him enough points to take the 2012 Formula One Driver's Championship. It wouldn't be an F1 season finale without some drama, though, and this season, it came in the form of allegations by Ferrari that the Red Bull driver made an illegal pass under a yellow light.

Ferrari is looking into on-board footage that may show Vettel passing Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne, which would have resulted in a 20-second penalty if discovered during the race. If that had happened, it would have resulted in Vettel falling to eighth place, which would have caused him to lose the Driver's Championship by a single point to Fernando Alonso and the Ferrari team.

Ferrari has asked the FIA to review the footage, but it is reportedly unlikely that the Formula One governing body will penalize Vettel. According to the UK's Telegraph, the FIA has taken the position that it will not apply penalties retroactively, and to do so would reverse that stance.

Ferrari fails to take F1 driver's title from Vettel on questionable pass originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brazil gpbrazilian gran prixf1fernando alonsoformula 1formula onered bull racingsebastian vetteltoro rossovettelFri, 30 Nov 2012 15:44:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20391256/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/30/ferrari-fails-to-take-f1-drivers-title-from-vettel-on-questiona/20391256/article-detail.xml 20391256 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/vettel-alonso_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/vettel-alonso.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: , , , ,



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 http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20388045/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/26/2012-brazilian-grand-prix-the-circle-is-complete-and-what-a-ci/20388045/article-detail.xml 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[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:

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 http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20383111/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/19/2012-us-grand-prix-remember-the-alamo-circuit-of-the-ame/20383111/article-detail.xml 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: ,



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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1fiaformula 1formula onelewis hamiltonsebastian vettelus grand prixusgpSun, 18 Nov 2012 14:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20382891/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/18/hamilton-vettel-forced-to-modify-their-helmets-for-the-usgp/20382891/article-detail.xml 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[Grand Prix of the Americas, Day 1 Recap: a city arose in the fields, and it was good]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/17/grand-prix-of-the-americas-day-1-recap-a-city-arose-in-the-fie/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/17/grand-prix-of-the-americas-day-1-recap-a-city-arose-in-the-fie/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/17/grand-prix-of-the-americas-day-1-recap-a-city-arose-in-the-fie/#commentsFiled under: ,



The Circuit of the Americas is the miracle in the fields, the track that no one thought would be finished in time to hold its appointed race. But the Texans got past the turmoil, and even though the heavy machinery was still working on dirt roads as July, come November 18 there was a beautiful, and completed, Formula 1 facility for Travis County to call its own. It was dusty, sure. But it was done, and F1 could come to town.

Infiniti, sponsors of Red Bull Racing, invited Autoblog to watch the first grand prix in America since 2007, and the first GP on a dedicated F1 course since the Phoenix street circuit in 1991. Here's a little recap of what we saw and fount out on day one.

Continue reading Grand Prix of the Americas, Day 1 Recap: a city arose in the fields, and it was good

Grand Prix of the Americas, Day 1 Recap: a city arose in the fields, and it was good originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Nov 2012 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austinf1formula 1grand prixgrand prix of americagrand prix of the americasinfinitimark webberred bullred bull racingsebastian vetteltexasus grand prixSat, 17 Nov 2012 10:14:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20382618/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/17/grand-prix-of-the-americas-day-1-recap-a-city-arose-in-the-fie/20382618/article-detail.xml 20382618 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/gpoa1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/gpoa1.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: ,



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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 abu dhabi grand prixabu dhabif1fernando alonsoformula 1grand prixkimi raikkonenlewis hamiltonsebastian vettelMon, 05 Nov 2012 14:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20370956/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/05/2012-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-the-desert-explodes-an-old-champion/20370956/article-detail.xml 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 -1 2