Thanks to the efforts of Don Panoz, both owner of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and a Garage 56 managing partner, the eco-friendly DeltaWing racer could have a go in the series next year.
D-Day is approaching, the DeltaWing has started testing in Europe ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Panoz hinted the most famous endurance race in the world may very well not be the ultimate goal of the venture.
"The amount of effort that has gone into preparing the car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been truly remarkable and a real credit to everyone involved," Panoz said before going on about what is coming up after.
"We are currently in discussions with our partners regarding [our future] but the challenging scenario is the fact that the car doesn't conform to the current ACO rules[.]
"However, we'd also love to see the car compete in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and we're working towards that goal."
And at this stage, racing in the ALMS is more than a vague dream.
"We have already had discussions with IMSA regarding a rules framework where the DeltaWing could run against either P1 or P2 cars in the ALMS. The secret will be to come up with a set of rules where the cars are competitive, without being overly dominant."
Adrian Newey, the technical director of the Red Bull racing Formula 1 team, will compete in the second round of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo at his home track of Silverstone, June 2-3.
The 53-year-old Englishman will share the No. 1 Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo 570-hp V10 race car with Alberto Sabbatini, Editor in Chief of Italian magazine
Autosprint.
Newey is also an accomplished race car driver. He's competed in the Classic Le Mans race, as well as in other spec series plus taken the wheel of the Red Bull RB5 at Goodwood in 2010.
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| Photo: Blancpain |
Swiss newcomer Stefano Comini dominated the opening round of the 2012 season in Monza on April 14-15 with victory in both races. He leads the drivers' points standings with 30 points.
The number of cars on the grid for Silverstone is likely to be 18 with a UK entry joining the fray.
Competition for the title is fierce with new teams entered from Italy, France, Germany, the Czech Republic and 13 new contenders from all over Europe.
Jacques Villeneuve, who won the Formula 1 drivers' championship in 1997, will return to NASCAR with Penske Racing for two races in 2012.
Shocked? Well, you should be.
Villeneuve wound up with the best time at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Montreal last summer after a solid performance during the qualifying session. He got off to a good start and stayed in first place for a while, but when the race was interrupted, he reacted too late to the green flag and got schooled like a rookie.
Moments later, Villeneuve didn't slow down enough to complete the first turn and went off the track. And instead of safely heading straight, he abruptly steered left and slammed into Marcos Ambrose. Day over.
''I hit the snooze,'' he confessed.
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| Photo: Sébastien D'Amour |
How could he be so distracted behind the wheel of the best car from the best team? What exactly was going through his mind? That was inexcusable.
Naturally, I assumed that Villeneuve had burned his bridges with Penske. Yet here he is again. But why?
It looks like Penske has forgotten all about that awful day and wants him to drive their #22 Dodge Challenger not once but twice - at Road America in June and at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in August.
The organizers of the Montreal race must be thrilled. Villeneuve will sell tons of tickets.
Despite his foolishness and quirky character, JV remains a big fan favourite. You should have heard the crowd going wild when he earned the pole position last year.
Let's just hope he will stay focused and won't ''hit the snooze'' again!
From GMM
Michael Schumacher is racing for retirement if his run of poor form continues.
That is the view of Nick Fry, the chief executive of Mercedes' Brackley based formula one team.
Despite looking more competitive in 2012 than in the first two seasons of his controversial return to F1, seven time world champion Schumacher has scored just 2 points so far, compared to Shanghai winner and teammate Nico Rosberg's 41.
So after a meteoric career spanning 91 grands prix, will he bow out on a low?
"I am sure if we get to the end of this year and it continues as it has done for the last few races I think he will probably be asking himself that question," Fry is quoted by the
Daily Mail.
Fry this week named Mercedes' former DTM protege Paul di Resta as an ideal successor for Schumacher, whose contract runs out late this year.
"There is time to go and we are not making any decisions yet," Briton Fry, who deputised for ill team boss Ross Brawn recently in Barcelona, insisted.
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| Michael Schumacher, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2) |
It is a similarly worrying time for Schumacher's 2006 Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa, who - as his own contract runs out - is struggling notably against Fernando Alonso.
In an open motivational letter to Ferrari staff this week, team president Luca di Montezemolo insisted Brazilian Massa "must bring home the results we expect from him".
Electric-motorcycle maker Zero Motorcycles has launched a line of 2012 Zero DS bikes designed specifically for police patrols and security agencies.
SRT Viper Cup driver David Pintaric got a little wide in his Viper ACR-X at Road America, and the result was the violent end-over-end tumble you see posted above.
The image above shows a frightening moment for the Ferrari P 4/5 Competizione team during the Nürburgring 24 Hours race last weekend.
In 1972, the Dow Jones closed above 1,000 for the first time, the Olympic Games in Munich were marred by the killings of 11 Israeli athletes, gasoline averaged 55 cents a gallon, Bobby Fischer became the world chess champion and the last U.S.
Big Willie Robinson was as much legend and myth as flesh and bone, and at six feet, six inches and weighing 300 pounds, with 21-inch biceps and a 58-inch chest, there was a lot of flesh and bone.
Last week we bench-raced the four-cylinder versions of the
La Mille Miglia, or the and#8220;1,000 Milesand#8221; is one of Italy's most famous road rallies.
Also in this episode: We take a closer look at the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco,
About 90,000 white-collar Ford retirees and the financial advisers who help them are facing a major decision: Continue to receive a monthly check from the defined-benefit pension plan, or leave the plan by taking a lump sum that the automaker will...
Last week we indulged the Hell Garage Demons' obsession with
South Africa's Ambixtra Sustainable Technologies believes that its so-called Variable Spark Ignition system can replace conventional spark plug technology. To find out how, Matthew Beecham talked with Deon Smit, CEO and James Mackenzie, vice president of development, Ambixtra Sustainable Technologies.
Premier, famous for the 1960s Fiat-based Indian Padmini taxi, has agreed a deal with Fiat to supply 1.3 litre multi-jet diesel engines for its compact Rio SUV.
Rapid response by US Tier 1 automotive suppliers and OEMs to the crisis in resin production has been hailed by a major vehicle association, with the car sector's action appearing to be contrast to other industry users of the critical component.
Sundaram Clayton has begun production at its new plant in the auto hub of Oragadam, 45km from Chennai.
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