Autoblog

2011 Belgian Grand Prix was a hard day at the Spa [spoilers]

Noah Joseph — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:32:00 EST

Everyone deserves a little break once in a while. But once that vacation is over, it's time to get back to work.

For the Formula One circus, that break took the better part of a month, giving the drivers and their teams some much-needed R&R from the Hungarian Grand Prix that served as the eleventh of nineteen rounds the last weekend in July until this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Now that they're back in business, it was back to the thrilling season that's unfolded so far and into the home stretch for the last two rounds in Europe before the show hits the road to races overseas. Follow the jump to find out how the race at Belgium's indispensable Spa-Francorchamps circuit went down.

Continue reading 2011 Belgian Grand Prix was a hard day at the Spa [spoilers]

2011 Belgian Grand Prix was a hard day at the Spa [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bruno Senna to take Heidfeld's place at Renault for Spa

Noah Joseph — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Lotus, Renault

Most drivers who fail in F1 fail downwards - that is, they drop down to another form of motorsport and change focus. But if your name is Senna, you fail up.

Having tested for Honda before it closed up shop and quit F1, Bruno Senna took the only chance he had to get onto the grid when he debuted with the Hispania Racing Team. That didn't work out so well - mostly, truth be told, because the team wasn't up to speed - but after retiring from as many races as he finished and failing to score a single championship point, he was released by HRT.

The nephew of the late, great Ayrton Senna was then picked up as a test driver for the Renault team, which has now announced that it will be giving Bruno a chance to race again this weekend. He'll be taking the place of Nick Heidfeld, who himself was brought in to fill in for an injured Robert Kubica.

That Heidfeld was actually doing better than his teammate Vitaly Petrov in the standings so far this season didn't seem to deter the Renault strategists in their desire to shake up its driver lineup over the summer break. Whether Senna is kept on or replaced in turn will likely depend on his performance, so we'll be watching this weekend and waiting until the team makes a more detailed announcement.

Bruno Senna to take Heidfeld's place at Renault for Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 meets its father at Spa

Noah Joseph — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Though today the letters stand for power and performance, if you go back four decades, almost nobody had ever heard of a tuning garage called AMG. That was until the Mercedes-Benz tuner showed up at the 1971 running of the 24 Hours of Spa with... a luxury sedan. But not just any luxury sedan.

AMG took the 300 SEL 6.3, complete with wood dash and carpeted floors, bored it out to 6.8 liters and raised output up to 428 horsepower and 448 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 164 mph, the car qualified fifth out of sixty entries and went on to place first in its class and second overall, beating the likes of Niki Lauda and Hans Stuck. It was a pivotal moment that put AMG on the map.

Hans Heyer was one of the three drivers who alternated behind the wheel of the car dubbed the "Red Pig" that fateful day. And now forty years later, his son Kenneth Heyer is returning to Spa in a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 in matching livery to the original. It's a trip down the memory lane of AMG's history - though not the first - reuniting one of its first race cars to its most recent, seven of which, all told, will be contesting the Belgian endurance race this weekend. Scope it out in our high-res image gallery and follow the jump for more details in the full press release.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 meets its father at Spa

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 meets its father at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to debut in triplicate at Spa

Noah Joseph — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, MISC, Racing

The moment of truth is upon McLaren this weekend. After rolling out its MP4-12C road car to positive reviews, the racing team turned automaker is turning itself back into a racing team with the new McLaren GT division and its MP4-12C GT3 - the first GT racer from the Woking, UK outfit since the celebrated F1 GTR.

After launching the new GT3, McLaren went back to the drawing board and came out with a series of updates based on their preliminary testing, and along the way, took 20 orders from a variety of independent racing teams for next year. That's all well and good, but what really matters is whether or not the car can perform. And we're about to find out this weekend when a trio of MP4-12C GT3s debut at the 24 Hours of Spa at the famous race track in Belgium.

Truth be told, this isn't the first time the MP4-12C GT3 - try saving that three times fast - has driven at Spa, having joined the British GT Championship there earlier this month. The solitary entry placed 12th in the first race and a solid 4th in the second, but those results apparently didn't count towards anything, as it was an exposition entry.

This time, however, McLaren GT will be back with three cars and ten drivers out to prove what the new car can do. One car will feature McLaren's own factory test driver Chris Goodwin, another with Andrew Kirkaldy, head of the CRS racing team that formed the outfit together with McLaren, and a third with VonRyan Racing, one of the factory's first customers. We'll be keeping an eye out to see how they do. Follow the jump for the full press blast and scope out the high-res image gallery for a closer look at the machinery.

Continue reading McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to debut in triplicate at Spa

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to debut in triplicate at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intercontinental Le Mans Cup hits Spa-Francorchamps [spoilers]

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Peugeot, Racing

The second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup took place in Belgium, and even though the Audi R18 took to the starting line for the first time, Peugeot was able to take the top two spots on the podium after six hours of racing.

Interestingly, the qualifying results were the opposite of the race results: Audi racers occupied the first three positions on the grid, and although a Peugeot 908 was in fourth, it wasn't a team car, it was that of the Oreca squad. Due to an incident-strewn and red-flagged qualifying session, the first Peugeot Sport Total car was back in 13th, the second was in 18th, and the third wasn't even classified and started at the back of the grid.

In the race, however, it was Audi's turn for bad juju. The pole-sitting car spun at the first corner on the first lap, one of the drivers accidentally hit the pit-lane speed limiter button during the race, unscheduled stops for new tires and collisions ate away at their positions. Come the checkered flag, team Audi rallied to take third, fourth, and fifth positions, but first and second went to The Lions - that second-place car being the one that started at the back of the grid.

Even with the copious amounts of shenanigans pre-race and in-race, the results aren't totally surprising: Peugeot has a knack for emerging victorious at Spa - this was the team's fifth consecutive win in the Ardennes. Have a look at some of the action in the high-res gallery below.

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup hits Spa-Francorchamps [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Audi R18 racers qualify 1-2-3 at Spa

Jeff Glucker — Sat, 07 May 2011 17:05:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Peugeot

Audi R18 TDI race cars qualify 1-2-3 at Spa - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi's newest diesels are running strong. A trio of R18 TDI race cars have qualified 1-2-3 at the Le Mans Cup 1,000km of Spa. It should be noted, of course, that Peugeot's cars didn't get the chance to set qualifying times due to a red flag that ended the session for all teams.

Despite the lack of pressure from the French oil-burners, this is a strong debut showing for the new Audi R18 racers. We expect to see some exciting competition between the Audis and the 908s come race day.

New Audi R18 racers qualify 1-2-3 at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 May 2011 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R18 TDI to debut at Spa while Aston Martin watches from the pit lane

Noah Joseph — Sun, 01 May 2011 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Aston Martin, Audi

Audi R18 TDI (above) and Aston Martin AMR-One (below right) - Click either image for high-res galleries

There's plenty to be excited about in this year's Le Mans racing season, and the new Audi R18 TDI arguably ranks chief among them. Audi's new fixed-roof racer will make its debut at the Spa 1000km race next weekend, showing for the first time what it can do against a competitive field ahead of June's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"Although we tested at Le Mans recently, we'll learn a lot more about the new Audi R18 TDI and also how it fares against the competition at Spa," said Audi's double champion Allan McNish in preparation for the Belgian endurance race. "The 20-minute qualifying session on Friday afternoon will be the first time when we'll see the true performance of all of the new cars because it will be the first time when everybody is on the same playing field together at the same time."

That may not exactly be the case, however, because while Audi's chief rival Peugeot is sure to be mounting its own challenge, word has it that Aston Martin will sit this one out. The British team is also fielding a new racer in the AMR-One, but rather than take the opportunity to put its new LMP through the paces in a real racing scenario as Audi will, Aston's focus is on testing the car before the main event at La Sarthe. Follow the jump for official press releases from both teams.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R18 TDI (final livery)

Gallery: 2011 Aston Martin AMR-One

[Sources: Audi, Aston Martin]

Continue reading Audi R18 TDI to debut at Spa while Aston Martin watches from the pit lane

Audi R18 TDI to debut at Spa while Aston Martin watches from the pit lane originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 May 2011 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Belgian Grand Prix packs in the action [SPOILERS]

Noah Joseph — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2010 Belgian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

After the nearly month-long break that followed the Hungarian Grand Prix, F1 fans around the world have patiently awaited the return to business as usual on the grand prix circuit. And by business as usual, we mean nail-biting, wheel-to-wheel action and bitter rivalries. With that much pent-up anticipation, it would take some spectacle to make up for the hiatus. Fortunately, this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix - held at the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit - provided exactly that. Follow the jump to read how it went down.

Gallery: 2010 Belgian Grand Prix

Continue reading 2010 Belgian Grand Prix packs in the action [SPOILERS]

2010 Belgian Grand Prix packs in the action [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mark Webber and Red Bull F1 take us on a tour of Spa Francorchamps

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Red Bull's Mark Webber running Spa for the Red Bulletin - Click above to watch video after the jump

Although all the F1 focus was on Hungaroring this past weekend, Red Bull is gearing up for the race at Spa at the end of August. This time it's Mark Webber taking us around the Spa Francorchamps circuit in the Red Bull simulator, and if we can offer a little advice: he might want to be a bit more careful through Eau Rouge come race time... There'll be an augmented reality feature on the track at www.redbulletin.com soon, but for now you can follow the jump for the video.

UPDATE: Video linked fixed.

[Source: Red Bulletin]

Continue reading Video: Mark Webber and Red Bull F1 take us on a tour of Spa Francorchamps

Video: Mark Webber and Red Bull F1 take us on a tour of Spa Francorchamps originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spa Treatment: Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG "Thirty-Five" meets 300 SEL 6.8 AMG

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Sedan, Performance, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Legendary AMG rote Sau meets an even bigger, faster "Red Pig" - Click above for high-res image gallery

Fans of endurance racing need no introduction to the first ever AMG racing luxury sedan, the 300 SEL 6.8. You non-fans, however, do. Known affectionately as the rote Sau (i.e. Red Pig, though for some reason Daimler left this little factoid out of their otherwise way-more-than-comprehensive press release), the beyond-blueprinted engine (increased from 6.3 to 6.8 liters) kicked out 428 horsepower and allowed the pre-Hammer to smash its way to a startling second place finish at the 1971 24 Hours of Spa.

Let's rephrase that: the 300 SEL 6.8 AMG bullied its way to an utterly astonishing second place finish, and became the crowd favorite while doing so. Why so unbelievable? The Red Pig weighed a porcine 3,600 pounds, partly because AMG left the heavy air suspension and exotic wood trim in place. Luckily, Spa's long straights allowed the hard-working brakes plenty of time to cool down, and the heaviest car on the track finished the day way ahead of everyone save the winning Ford Capri and AMG's expectations.

Fast forward thirty nine years and look what we've got here: the 2011 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Thirty-Five. Why Thirty-Five? That's the same number the rote Sau wore back at Spa. But this is not your rich banker neighbor's S63. Long gone is the magnificent 6.2-liter V8, having been replaced by the all new yet still hand built twin-turbo 5.5-liter AMG V8. In "stock" form, this motor produces 544 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque. Though the S63 Thirty-Five's motivator has been BAMMED! up a notch to produce 571 horses (the same amount as the SLS AMG) and 664 lb-ft of twist. Yowza! The big sedan also gets AMG's frankly awesome wet clutch Speedshift MCT 7-speed transmissions that in full manual mode will embarrass all but the most exotic dual-clutches.

The run to 60 happens in about 4.3 seconds, which is impressive as even though Daimler left the S63 Thirty-Five's weight out of the press release, it ~~porks~~ clocks in right around 2.5 tons. Once again: Yowza! Also, the big AMG has a roll cage, and those ain't light. Both identically liveried cars got driven around Spa by none other than Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz, the men behind the wheel for the 1971 race. You can read all about it in the press release after the break.

Gallery: AMG S63 Thirty-Five and AMG 300 SEL 6.8

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading Spa Treatment: Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG "Thirty-Five" meets 300 SEL 6.8 AMG

Spa Treatment: Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG "Thirty-Five" meets 300 SEL 6.8 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bring the Noise: Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps reportedly safe... for now

Noah Joseph — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Government/Legal

Following earlier news that the Donington track, which was supposed to take over the British Grand Prix in lieu of Silverstone, had to declare bankruptcy comes a reversal of fortune for the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The longtime host of the Belgian Grand Prix looked to be in serious trouble with local authorities when nearby residents got fed up with the noise emanating from the track. Government officials threatened to shut down the circuit if the situation wasn't addressed, but now they appear to be singing a different tune.

According to the latest reports, the regional environment ministry has given Spa an exemption from noise regulations in light of the economic benefits the Belgian Grand Prix brings to the region. There are a few conditions, though. First of all, while they're willing to overlook the noise issue for the F1 race (and possibly a few other events), authorities will crack down at other times, even shutting down the track completely during parts of the summer. Beyond that, they've appointed a third party to monitor the noise levels, warning the track owners that their exemption will be up for review again within two years. So, while race organizers and fans can breathe a sigh of relief, it'll be a short breath, proving once again that racing and bureaucrats don't mix.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty]

Bring the Noise: Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps reportedly safe... for now originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Spa-Francorchamps circuit nearly has racing revoked license until 2026

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

Seems like every day brings something new in Formula 1, and lately none of it's been good. Now we hear that our absolute favorite track on the calendar, Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit, is on the brink of having its license stripped for - get this - 17 years.

Why? Because residents didn't appreciate that high-octane wailing brought on by the F1 circus, so the local Council of State instructed the circuit to conduct an environmental impact study. From the sounds of it, someone tried to get the study done the night before it was due, because the Council found it "seriously inadequate and incomplete." Instead of issuing a simple detention, the Council said "No race for you!" until, *gulp,* 2026.

Thankfully, Spa's director, Pierre-Alain Thibault, now says that "the situation has changed" since the original noise complaint was filed, that the circuit has worked with residents and lowered the decibels. Next year's race is provisionally scheduled for August 29, which gives Thibault a fair bit of time to talk to residents and challenge the Council's actions. A day's wrangling has given the circuit some breathing room to address all of the legal issues before it is officially closed, but it looks like they gotta lotta 'splainin' to do before they can guarantee a 2010 race. For the sake of F1 race fans everywhere, we hope Eau Rouge isn't taken from us. Hat tip to Ryan.

[Source: Crash.net | Image: nmajoros via CC 2.0]

REPORT: Spa-Francorchamps circuit nearly has racing revoked license until 2026 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: GP2 mechanic placed into coma after pitlane incident at Spa

Noah Joseph — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Safety

Serious injuries to the head temporarily left a mechanic in the GP2 series in a medically-induced coma following a pit-lane incident at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit this past weekend during a support race for the Belgian Grand Prix. The GP2 series is the second rung on the ladder below Formula One, and shares its calendar with F1's European races.

According to reports, an air gun left out of place in pit lane was caught by the wheel of Trident Racing's Ricardo Teixeira, tugging at the hose which toppled a metal beam onto the head of team mechanic Vasco Rossi. The mechanic was evacuated with serious - but not life-threatening - injuries to a nearby hospital where he was placed into a medically-induced coma, from which he has since reportedly emerged. We wish Vasco a full recovery.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Trident Racing]

REPORT: GP2 mechanic placed into coma after pitlane incident at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Reversals of Fortune at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:07:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

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

You asked for it, you got it, racing fans. For decades, Formula One has been dominated by a handful of teams. The world titles have been shared between Ferrari, McLaren, Renault (formerly known as Benetton) and Williams since 1984. And the fans complained: Not enough competition. The small teams stand no chance of winning. Bigger budgets mean bigger trophy cases. And so on and so forth. Well this season has certainly shaken things up. Teams that were once relegated to the back of the field have been winning races, while that quartet of formerly elite teams has been scrambling to keep up. But while Jenson Button and Brawn GP's dominance at the start of the season came as a huge, almost entirely unprecedented surprise to everyone inside or outside the world of grand prix racing, nobody could have anticipated what happened this weekend.

Those who tuned in on Saturday for the qualifying sessions at the Belgian Grand Prix were shocked to find Giancarlo Fisichella and his Force India car sitting on pole. Yes, Force India. The team that never scored a single point, never crossed under the checkered flag in any position better than ninth, and seems to retire from as many races as it finishes. Behind him on the starting grid came fellow Italian Jarno Trulli in his Toyota, followed by BMW's Nick Heidfeld. The big names, meanwhile, were scattered down the order: Rubens Barrichello, fresh off his victory in Valencia, qualified fourth. Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, sixth. Red Bull's pair of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber - the main challengers to Brawn's title lead - placed eighth and ninth, while defending champion Lewis Hamilton, two-time world champ Fernando Alonso and title leader Jenson Button qualified twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth, respectively. That's one heck of a messed-up starting grid, especially on a circuit as universally loved by the drivers as Spa Francorchamps. But how the race would unfold would prove just as surprising. Follow the jump to read on.

Gallery: 2009 Belgian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Reversals of Fortune at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Reversals of Fortune at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FOLLOW-UP: Jacques Villeneuve to race at Spa 24 Hours

Noah Joseph — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:42:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Jacques Villeneuve may have his eyes set on a return to Formula One, but he isn't about to sit around waiting for it. The former world champion has announced plans to contest the upcoming Spa 24 Hours in Belgium later this month.

In preparation, Villeneuve raced touring cars at the Spa 12 Hours, sharing a WTCC-spec Seat Leon with Jordi Gene and Pierre Yves Corthals, placing 28th overall. At the full round-the-clock event, however, the Canadian driver will be behind the wheel of a Mosler MT900R fielded by Gravity Racing International.

With the Speedcar Series mothballed, Villeneuve also announced he'll be coming home late next month for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the circuit named for his father. A far cry from F1, but a driver's got to work, right?

[Source: Autosport | Image: Marc Serota/Getty]

FOLLOW-UP: Jacques Villeneuve to race at Spa 24 Hours originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: McLaren and Ferrari embroiled in more controversy at the Belgian GP

Noah Joseph — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Belgian Grand Prix

Upsets, upsets and more upsets. The Formula One racing world thought it had put the politics between Ferrari and McLaren to rest, but the controversy between the two front-running teams reared its ugly head once more at this past weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Follow the jump to read how the weekend's events unfolded, and how the race results were turned on its head once again.

Gallery: 2008 F1 Belgian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: McLaren and Ferrari embroiled in more controversy at the Belgian GP

SPOILER ALERT: McLaren and Ferrari embroiled in more controversy at the Belgian GP originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fiat puts the Auto in Autonomy

Noah Joseph — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Earnings/Financials

Changes are coming to the family as the Fiat automotive empire alters its structure to give several of its divisions more autonomy. While the Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Fiat auto and Fiat light commercial vehicles have all been divisions within the same corporate hierarchy (not unlike the structure at its one-time potential partners at General Motors), each of those brands is now being spun off and individually incorporated.

The result is the creation of four new companies: Lancia Automobiles SpA, Alfa Romeo Automobiles SpA, Fiat Automobiles SpA and Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles SpA. This also means that the executives who were simply brand managers before are getting promoted to chief executive officer of their new corporations. All four will still be fully owned by the parent company, which is changing its name from Fiat Auto to Fiat Group Automobiles SpA. For those Tifosi left wondering, Fiat's precious baby Ferrari remains unaffected by the restructuring since it was already separately incorporated and is partially owned by Fiat with some shares owned by other interests.

What practical implication does this have? None to the American market where, until Alfa Romeo returns to the US, none of these brands are sold. Meanwhile, Fiat insists the restructuring will actually enable each unit to cooperate with the others more effectively. We'd bet this gives each of the brands the freedom to make independent strategic decisions, including the Fiat brand itself. The move comes shortly after Fiat Group head Sergio Marchionne stepped down as chief of the Fiat brand to concentrate on managing the group. With sales up and its financial health looking better than ever, the Fiat empire -- or whatever you want to call it -- looks poised to continue its climb upward.

[Source: Fiat via Italiaspeed]

Fiat puts the Auto in Autonomy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speed and Cocaine don't mix

Noah Joseph — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

When we say that racing drivers are "speed addicts", we're referring to the intoxicating exhilaration of velocity, not the chemical narcotic. Cocaine is another story, as Luca Moro is finding out...the hard way. The 33-year-old Italian GT driver tested positive for cocaine in a routine drug test at the Spa 24 Hours race in Belgium this past year. The driver has the recourse to appeal the revocation, but he's already tested positive twice.

As an international sports governing body, the FIA adheres to the policies and rules of the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA), and cocaine falls squarely in the category of their prohibited substances. The question we'd like to ask is, if cocaine isn't a performance-enhancing drug (like steroids, for example), and motor-racing isn't an athletic sport, what effect does Moro's cocaine use have on his competition?

Do you think the use of drugs should be prohibited in motorsports, or are the two completely unrelated? Leave your opinion in our comments section.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

Speed and Cocaine don't mix originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: On-board the Murcielago R-GT at Spa

Noah Joseph — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Supercars, Lamborghini

Standing in stark contrast to its rivals in Maranello, Lamborghini does not breed its supercars in motorsports. The Raging Bull does sometime wander onto the track, albeit without direct involvement from the factory in Sant' Agata Bolognese. Reiter Engineering is the German specialty firm that preps Lamborghinis for competition and races them, including the monstrous Murcielago R-GT, which, as we reported recently, is set to take on Le Mans next year, following its regular participation in FIA GT and Japanese Super GT events.

As dramatic as the pictures look, all angular, pumping with testosterone and foaming at the mouth, they don't do it justice. We can imagine seeing one in action up close must be a tremendously visceral experience, but this video, recorded in-car and trackside while lapping the Spa-Francorchamps, goes a long way in communicating the Raging Bull's unbridled potency and sheer speed.

Check out the video after the jump.

[Source: German Car Blog]

Continue reading VIDEO: On-board the Murcielago R-GT at Spa

VIDEO: On-board the Murcielago R-GT at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Dec 2006 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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