Lorenzo welcomes Rossi back at Yamaha while Stoner slams the Italian
Valentino Rossi indicated at the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, that he might not stay with Ducati. On August 10th, Yamaha Factory Team announced that “The Doctor” had come home.
It was obvious that the seven-time champion was unhappy in his current ride with the Ducati Team even though there were signs of improvement. Rossi’s mannerisms in the MotoGP paddock, as well as in the Ducati garage, indicated that he felt they were still not on par with the Honda and Yamaha teams – their new prototype bike had simply missed the mark in 2011, and Ducati was still off the pace of their two main rivals this year.
As the 2010 season came to a close, Rossi was excited when the Italian team wooed him away from the Yamaha Factory Team. Obviously the Japanese team did not hold a grudge after the Italian parted ways with them in favor of riding for his homeland team. Rossi left Yamaha with four championships and 46 grand prix victories.
He rejoins his teammate, who challenged him for the championship even as a rookie. Jorge Lorenzo joined the team in 2008, and in 2010, the Spaniard won his maiden championship. This year, he holds the points lead after 10 grand prix events; five of which won.
Lorenzo is pleased to have Rossi back as a teammate. His current one, American Ben Spies, announced just prior to the first of the two races on American soil that he would not renew his contract with Yamaha. In an interview during the Colin Edwards’ Boot Camp, Lorenzo said, “We are both winning riders and neither wants to lose. I think our relationship has got better, though maybe it’s got better because we were in different teams.”
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Lorenzo welcomes Rossi back at Yamaha while Stoner slams the Italian
Valentino Rossi indicated at the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, that he might not stay with Ducati. On August 10th, Yamaha Factory Team announced that “The Doctor” had come home.
It was obvious that the seven-time champion was unhappy in his current ride with the Ducati Team even though there were signs of improvement. Rossi’s mannerisms in the MotoGP paddock, as well as in the Ducati garage, indicated that he felt they were still not on par with the Honda and Yamaha teams – their new prototype bike had simply missed the mark in 2011, and Ducati was still off the pace of their two main rivals this year.
As the 2010 season came to a close, Rossi was excited when the Italian team wooed him away from the Yamaha Factory Team. Obviously the Japanese team did not hold a grudge after the Italian parted ways with them in favor of riding for his homeland team. Rossi left Yamaha with four championships and 46 grand prix victories.
He rejoins his teammate, who challenged him for the championship even as a rookie. Jorge Lorenzo joined the team in 2008, and in 2010, the Spaniard won his maiden championship. This year, he holds the points lead after 10 grand prix events; five of which won.
Lorenzo is pleased to have Rossi back as a teammate. His current one, American Ben Spies, announced just prior to the first of the two races on American soil that he would not renew his contract with Yamaha. In an interview during the Colin Edwards’ Boot Camp, Lorenzo said, “We are both winning riders and neither wants to lose. I think our relationship has got better, though maybe it’s got better because we were in different teams.”
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F1 ‘would not allow’ Indycar tracks - Barrichello
Aug.15 Rubens Barrichello has admitted that driving an Indycar after an almost two-decade formula one career was a rude awakening.
And not just the speed difference.
Asked by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport if his new mount felt slow even after Williams’ uncompetitive 2011 car, the Brazilian said: “Yes, at first.
“But when you come to Indianapolis, you think differently about the speed.”
The biggest difference, he explained, is the driving style he now needs to deploy.
“I am driving a car that is 200 kilograms heavier, so my precise and smooth style that I had over 19 years in formula one is not needed here,” said the 40-year-old.
“I have to be aggressive, against my instinct,” said Barrichello.
Another major difference, said the winner of 11 grands prix, are the circuits.
“As the former president of the GPDA, I have to say that we would not allow these circuits in F1. No formula one drivers would go there,” said Barrichello.
“They are very bumpy, there is no run-off. You have to get used to it after being spoiled in formula one.
“If we would take the Indycar to the European tracks, I would look better,” he insisted.
Barrichello said that it is for that reason that - perhaps strangely - he is performing better this year on the ovals compared to the bumpy road and street circuits.
“I’ll tell you why,” he explained. “It’s because a precise and smooth driving style works best on the ovals. I can drive there (on ovals) according to my instincts.”
Another rude awakening, said Barrichello, has been the technology shift.
“In formula one of course, there are many electronic toys that do not exist here.
“Even in the car setup of the Indycar there are not too many adjustments you can make; just the classical dampers, springs, anti-roll bars.
“There is nothing wrong with that, there is simply less money available. Here, you can put together a car for five million dollars.
“In formula one you need more like 50 million,” said Barrichello.
McLaren 12C Can-Am Edition racing concept to debut at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
McLaren GT, the new race car manufacturing arm of the McLaren Group, is presenting a dramatic track-focused concept at the Pebble Beach Concours, the 12C Can-Am Edition. The one-off design study is finished in historic McLaren Orange and satin black, and is the debut appearance of a 12C racing variant outside Europe.
• Track-only design concept weighs 1,200kg (2645.5lbs) and features unique aerodynamic package with a 30 per cent increase in downforce
• More powerful 12C with increased engine performance of up to 630hp
• Debut showing of a 12C racing concept variant designed for the North American market
The 12C Can-Am Edition is finished in striking shade of McLaren Orange, in tribute to cars of Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme which were extremely successful throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The bold hue is in dramatic contrast to the roof, door and bumper sections, finished in satin black, while carbon fibre also features on the side radiator vanes, wing mirrors and engine cover. The McLaren badges on the front and rear are also finished in carbon fibre. Beneath the surface, the 12C Can-Am Edition shares the same carbon fibre MonoCell chassis as the 12C road car.
Being purely a concept at this stage, and designed as the ‘ultimate track car’, the 12C Can-Am Edition is not subject to the regular racing regulations, despite being based on the 12C GT3 race car. The revised version of the familiar 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine features a unique engine calibration and optimised cooling system, which allows a power output of up to 630hp, making it the most powerful 12C derivative ever shown. The overall dry weight is just 1,200kg (2645.5lbs).
The unique aerodynamics of the 12C Can-Am Edition, as with the 12C GT3 race car, have been honed by McLaren Racing using Formula 1 technology and simulation to optimise downforce. This unique package offers an increase in downforce of 30 per cent.
The optimised aerodynamic package includes a carbon fibre front splitter, carbon fibre dive planes, and a carbon fibre wing which dominates the rear of the car. The wing is held in place by polished aluminium mounts. An imposing carbon fibre diffuser helps to further maximise the aerodynamic package, fitted beneath the two-tone rear bumper.
The extra power output of the 12C Can-Am Edition is kept in check with a braking system developed by Akebono. The highly efficient braking system sits behind a set of black satin-finished forged lightweight racing alloy wheels, shod with Pirelli racing slick tyres which complete the exterior revisions.
Martin Whitmarsh is giving up his chairman seat in the Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA), and the McLaren boss did not waste any time speaking about the future engine plans. He claimed that allowing the current V8 engines should not be on the same track as the new generation V6 turbo engines in 2014. The concern is mainly the costs to the smaller teams will be too high of a price tag. Whitmarsh also stated that the V6s will be in short supply.
Aug.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff, a shareholder and now Williams’ new executive director, has ruled out testing the famous British team’s 2012 car.
Williams test driver Susie Wolff’s husband, and Friday driver Valtteri Bottas’ manager, Wolff is also a racing driver.
He raced single seaters in the 90s and in 2002 finished sixth in the FIA’s NGT (now GT2) championship.
He also won a race in the GT1 class and more recently achieved success in Austrian rallying and won the 2006 Dubai 24 hour race.
And a Youtube video (below) of his Nordschleife lap record and spectacular 270kph Porsche crash is legendary in racing circles.
But Wolff, 40, insists he has no plans to test the Renault-powered FW34.
“As you know, I was more ambitious than talented and there is no ambition to drive a formula one car because I think it would just look ridiculous,” he said.
Instead, in the wake of chairman Adam Parr’s surprise departure, Wolff is taking his new job - helping Sir Frank Williams to run the Oxfordshire based team - very seriously.
“The answer is yes, I’m going to spend more days at the factory and I enjoy it, it’s what I want to do now,” he said.
SRT Motorsports confirms Dodge will leave Cup and Nationwide end of 2012 season
The rumor mill that started back March of this year, has now been confirmed by SRT Motorsports: Dodge is leaving the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the end of the 2012 season. What is odd is they recently unveiled their 2013-spec cars for next year.
During the teleconference today in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of SRT stated: “Dodge has decided to withdraw from NASCAR competition at the end of the 2012 season.”
In Mooresville, NC on March 1st, the first inkling of a possible pull out by Dodge, wonderings of what will happen to the Chrysler brand began. Their main NASCAR team since 2003, Penske announced they would become part of the Ford Racing family in 2013 with a multi-year contract.
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