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EURO-RACECAR's reigning champion, Frenchman Eric Helary will contest the Loudon, New Hampshire round of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series as part of a new team from Europe!

Helary will contest this race race on September 22 as his grand prize for having secured the 2011 Racecar Euro Series championship.

Éric Hélary (Photo: EURO-RACECAR)

Since ir created the Racecar Series in 2009, Team FJ has made clear its desire to prepare European drivers for NASCAR competition and create a path to the USA.

Every year since the championship's inception, the title winner has been rewarded with a race seat for a NASCAR event on the other side of the Atlantic. Wilfried Boucenna and Lucas Lasserre were the pioneers, entering the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale near Los Angeles, and now Hélary is preparing to make his American bow.

EURO-RACECAR creators and promoters Team FJ recently acquired Fadden Racing, a vastly experienced K&N Pro Series East outfit for whom formerowner Mike Olsen won two titles. The team has three cars: one for road courses, the second for fast ovals and a third for short tracks.

Now aged 46, Helary won the 1988 French Formula Ford title, French Formula 3 title in 1990 and has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993 for Peugeot.

2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Review

2013 Honda Accord Preview

2012 Ford F-250 Super Duty Lariat Crew Cab Review

Other very interesting topics:

• Blog: This is how you sell a car?
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to make history in Paris
• 2013 Nissan Sentra preview
• More details about the all-new Volkswagen Golf VII
• 2012 Toyota Corolla LE review

From GMM

Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez has moved to silence the persistent rumours about Kimi Raikkonen's future.

Recently, the impressive F1 returnee and Finn was linked with a switch next year to his former title-winning team Ferrari.

And now amid the Lewis Hamilton rumours, some have mentioned 32-year-old Raikkonen as the ideal successor, reprising his five-year McLaren career of 2002-2006.

Lotus team figures have, however, revealed that Raikkonen is on a two-year contract.

But, in F1, contractual situations are usually complicated, with drivers and teams often only obligated in the event of certain performance-related criteria.

Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) fifth at Monza. (Photo: WRi2)

Lopez told Finland's Turun Sanomat that Raikkonen is staying in 2013.

"At least in the short term, Kimi is with us. We have an agreement that is based on performance, and it has been fulfilled," he revealed.

Gerard Lopez acknowledged, however, that a team should not "force anyone" to race its cars "if they don't want to be with us".

In that case, "Kimi wants to be here, as does Romain Grosjean," the Luxembourgian entrepreneur insisted, "and we are happy with them too."

Lopez said he has not been surprised by the McLaren and Ferrari rumours.

"No," he answered. "This is F1. Sometimes the rumours are true, sometimes someone has just come up with it, based on nothing."

What sells a car? What makes one person pick one product over another? What is one of the most important considerations taken into account when one shops for a new vehicle? After price, it's all about brand.


I've not gone and surveyed everyone I know or put together an investigation of any type; I'm basing this on experience, both professional and personal. I still hear comments like, Kia makes cheap cars and GM doesn't know how to build cars. However untrue, these thoughts still shape decisions.

Many things are said about Range Rover, most of which are positive. The negative remarks typically harp over reliability, and while they may be mostly true, the point on which all will agree is that nothing beats a real Range Rover when it comes to social standing.

Unapologetic
The Range Rover -- the big one -- is unmistakenly exactly that. And because of that, it stands alone on top of the pile of all luxury SUVs as the ultimate symbol of “I know what I'm worth.” It is this sense of worth, as opposed to wealth, that draws buyers to the Rover instead of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Lexus LX or Cadillac Escalade. Think of it as old money versus new money.

In fact, the Range Rover revels at being what it is. Their trucks, minus the ultra-cool and sophisticated Evoque, are brash and presumptuous. Theirs is a single-minded way of delivering authority; their trucks are large and in charge on the road. It is this kind of self-assurance that perfectly reflects the attitudes and feelings of their owners.

The Range Rover's straight slab-sided body panels also mimic the state of mind of its owner; everything must be clear and straightforward. Then again, it's a Range Rover and it could look like a 2001 Ford Escape, yet would probably still sell given what it is...

The Range Rover stands alone on top of the pile of all luxury SUVs as the ultimate symbol of “I know what I'm worth.” (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

The word on the cabin
Exceptional. The big Rover's interior styling is exceptional by its design, fit, finish, and its sumptuous materials. “Custom” is a word that applies to all Range Rovers, especially to this one. There are nearly countless combinations to choose from where interior leather and wood choices are concerned.

The richness of the woods, leathers and plastics is overshadowed only by how all the elements come together. The 2012 Range Rover Autobiography has an original and intricate dash layout, unlike any car in any price range.

The controls are large and intuitive and far more user-friendly than they might appear. The same goes for the numerous buttons on the wheel. The gauges, which are nothing more than digital images on a screen, are clear and customizable.

Finally, we get to the seats. These princely perches are supremely comfortable, offering up no pressure points. Should that not be the case, the nearly endless number of adjustments is sure to make the driving experience regal.

The 2012 Range Rover Autobiography has an original and intricate dash layout, unlike any car in any price range. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

The power to go with the stature
All big Range Rovers are powered by a 5.0L V8, as they should be. Of the five available trims, the first two, HSE and HSE Luxury, get a normally aspirated version which is good for 375 hp and equal torque. The other three, Supercharged, Autobiography and Autobiography Ultimate Edition, are boosted and produce 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque.

With its 6-speed autobox, the 2012 Range Rover Autobiography will tap 100 km/h in as little as 6.2 seconds. There are few near-2,675 kg (5,900 lb) vehicles out there that will reach the buck in so little time. The feats performed by this engine are tremendous; there are no other words.

What is also tremendous is the 2012 Range Rover Autobiography's thirst for fuel. My average of 18L per 100 km will not be an unusual result. As a note of interest, the low-fuel warning light comes on when the 104.5L tank's reserves are down to 8L. At 18L/100km, this does not leave much range for a fill-up. Best to travel with plenty of fuel at all times.

All big Range Rovers are powered by a 5.0L V8, as they should be. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

All conditions
The Range Rover knows no real boundaries. The combination of its standard air suspension and sophisticated Terrain Response system enable it to cross deserts, climb mountains, traverse jungles, and survive urban situations without shedding a single bead of sweat.

The Terrain Response systems features more modes and settings than 99% of owners will ever know what to do with. The same goes for the height-adjustable suspension and high/low range selector. All the owner/driver will ever know or realize is that this truck is supremely comfortable and stable.

The 2012 Range Rover Autobiography is truly at home in all conditions. I've done some mild off-roading on a few occasions with these vehicles and the limiting factor has always been the tires. Even so, this was how I was able to experience how the Terrain Response system masterfully manages each wheel.

On the beaten path, the Range Rover serves as a cushy layer of scented Semi aniline leather. Most of the road surface unpleasantries are filtered out before they reach the driver, which the typical owner will appreciate.

The Terrain Response system enable it to cross deserts, climb mountains, traverse jungles, and survive urban situations without shedding a single bead of sweat. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

If you have to ask
Neighbours and curious passersby alike could not help but do a double-take when catching a glimpse of the Range Rover Autobiography, especially as I always set the suspension to the lowest setting to ease the already difficult ingress and egress. Nearly all of them would ask about the truck's price.

My answer would be: “Base price, just shy of $95,000; as is, nearly $140,000.” To be fair, no one was ever surprised.

This is proof that the Range Rover need not explain itself, its reputation is forged.

British driver Lewis Hamilton dominated Sunday's Grand Prix of Italy for McLaren, to score his first-ever win at motorsport's cathedral of speed and the team's third victory on the trot.

Behind him, however, Ferrari suffered the indignity of being beaten by a customer team on their home ground as Sergio Pérez got some payback for Malaysia with a superb drive which made the maximum of some excellent strategy by Sauber.

Photos: WRi2

A damage-limiting drive from Fernando Alonso saw the Spaniard survive an uncomfortable off-course moment in the Curva Grande which was deemed by the stewards to have been caused by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, whom Alonso was attacking at the time.

The Ferraris of Alonso and Felipe Massa finished third and fourth, garnering Ferrari 27 points to move them back to third place in the constructors' points table behind Red Bull and McLaren.

Jenson Button looked set for second until he lost drive on the back straight on the 33rd lap, the McLaren team diagnosing a fuel pick-up problem.

In the automotive industry, the term “badge engineering” means multiplying versions of the same vehicle by simply changing a few appearance elements and slapping another badge on it.

When General Motors had up to nine divisions to feed simultaneously, it embraced badge engineering more than any other carmaker. Ten years ago, the GM group included Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Saab, and Saturn. They also had Geo and -- briefly in Canada -- Asuna.

Photo: General Motors

How can you sell products from nine divisions all at once? That's a lot of marketing efforts, advertising budgets, parts production, and dealer support. Quite a few divisions inevitably overlapped each other in regards to target audience.

Back in the '80s, I remember the Chevrolet Cavalier, the Pontiac J2000 and Sunbird, the Oldsmobile Firenza, the Cadillac Cimarron and the Buick Skyhawk as being more or less the same car ,but with different trim, equipment and logos on the grilles.

More recently, the Chevrolet Uplander, Pontiac Montana, Buick Terraza, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Saturn Relay were easily identifiable as being near copycat minivans with distinct badging.

Today, the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and (now retired) Saturn Outlook differ only by unique front and rear fascias, however, their powertrains and equipment levels are virtually comparable.

In Canada, all GM products are now sold under the same roof. Would you choose a Chevy Silverado or a GMC Sierra? A GMC Yukon Denali or a Cadillac Escalade? A Chevrolet Equinox or a GMC Terrain? What's the difference?

Wait. All these examples include a GMC product. If there's a division that still overlaps the others, it's GMC. Either scrap it, or make it the exclusive truck division.

In fact, when you look at the product lineup, the distinction between models that share similar platforms and powertrains, such as the upcoming 2013 Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore mini-crossovers, boast a different look and feel. The buying public may never notice the similarities, and we can't really call that badge engineering. That's good.

The problem is still the number of models offered on one showroom floor. GM's 2013 model range will be composed of no less than 31 nameplates, and I'm not counting the various body styles. Many of them compete against each other. That's bad, not as much for the buying public, but for GM and its shareholders.

An ever-increasing array of electric-vehicles are working their way into just about every auto-show, with this year's Mondial de Paris playing host to the e-XIV (electric-eXciting user Interface Vehicle) which has been developed by Korea's SsanYong Motor. The Korean automaker presented different versions of this same model in Frankfurt and Geneva last year.

This class electric B crossover is a range-extender hybrid: it utilizes a small gas-powered engine to re-charge the batteries, thus extending the vehicle's range. The e-XIV is equipped with an exclusive glass-paneled roof that offers a brighter passenger-compartment, while capturing all the available solar energy to further power the batteries.

SsanYong Motor has yet to release any further details about their concept vehicle; we will have to wait for the Mondial de l'auto de Paris to learn more.

e-XIV concept (Photo: SsangYong Motor)

e-XIV concept (Photo: SsangYong Motor)

Mini is keeping its promise: the MINI John Cooper Works GP, which will be limited to only 2000 units, will enter production before years end.

Thanks to its powerful 1.6 liter 4-cylinder, 215 horsepower engine, which is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, this is the fastest and sportiest MINI ever. Witness the outstanding 242 km/h top speed and its 6.3 second 0-100 km/h performance.

The metallic Thunder Grey JCW GP comes equipped with standard fog lights, xenon headlights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. As of today, there has been no information as to its price or Canadian market availability. The diminutive sportster will be previewed at the Mondial de l'auto de Paris, from September 29th to October 14th.

Photo: BMW

Photo: BMW

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton gave away more clues about his future after winning Sunday's Italian grand prix.

Although at Monza the Briton matched Mika Hakkinen's career tally of 20 wins, he looked miserable as he celebrated the Monza victory with his team.

Observing the post-race events, Express journalist Bob McKenzie wrote: "Hamilton looked like a man who has the world on his shoulders rather than in front of him".

And photos of the British team's traditional victory photograph depicted Hamilton, 27, as the only McLaren member without his fist aloft in triumph.

Team McLaren celebrating Lewis Hamilton's third victory. (Photo: WRi2)

"There appeared to be tension in the air," said another observer, writing for the French news agency AFP.

"As (team boss Martin) Whitmarsh hugged Hamilton, the embrace looked strained and then the 2008 champion struggled to raise a smile, or a clenched fist, when asked to by photographers."

Was Hamilton's mood indicative of a terminal falling-out with McLaren, on the eve of a rumoured 2012 switch to rivals Mercedes?

A report in the Daily Mail said Ron Dennis, McLaren's impresario who was at Monza for the grand prix, failed to applaud when Hamilton collected the winner's trophy.

Asked if it would be a shame if McLaren did not have two Britons at the wheel next year, Dennis answered: "It is not essential, we always have the two best available drivers."

Martin Whitmarsh is quoted as saying: "We want Lewis to stay if he wants to stay."

No joy for Lewis Hamilton, on Monza's podium. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

Writing in the Times, Kevin Eason suspects the cat may be out of the bag following a recent meeting between Hamilton and Bernie Ecclestone.

Not long after that get-together, Eddie Jordan was telling the world Michael Schumacher is going to be replaced by Hamilton next year.

Actually, Hamilton still has the entire paddock guessing.

Asked if it's a shame his teammate Jenson Button could not complete a McLaren one-two on Sunday, he teased: "Maybe next year."

Not, however, if some of Hamilton's McLaren colleagues have anything to do with it. One unnamed McLaren staffer told Der Spiegel at Monza: "We are extremely upset with him. He should go."

The Ford Transit Connect, which we've all come to know in this market, will be undergoing major upgrades in its 2013 version. The Ford Transit, which is the most likely replacement for the Ford E Series (Econoline,) will also be making its entry in the market in 2013. Here are a few tidbits of vital information about these two models.

Two engine options will be available for the North-American market: a conventional EcoBoost 3.5 liter V6, as well as an optional diesel power plant, with both motor combinations powering the rear axle, and offering a selection of wheelbases and overall vehicle height. The Transit Connect is available in either short or long wheelbase versions, the latter offering the largest cargo capacity in its class, along with numerous innovative new options.

These two Transit models will be available for delivery in the North-American market in the third-quarter of 2013. Pricing information has yet to be released.

2013 Ford Transit Connect (Photo: Ford)

Robert Kubica's racing return in a italian rally this week end showed the extent of the Pole's injuries on his right arm.

Kubica, who entered the local italian rally Ronde Gomitolo di Landa driving a Subaru Impreza WRC, won the event with more than a minute over his closest rival.



But this return was also the occasion to see how much his right hand and arm suffered in the accident that put him away from racing last year.

Following local medias' report, Robert Kubica "does not have the full mobility of his right arm". The former F1 driver can steer the car with both hands, but the movements of his right arm are limited. Kubica held the winning trophy and the bottle of champagne only with his left arm, never using his right arm.

What is it?

News 9 Sep, 2012

Lewis Hamilton has won the Italian Grand Prix, ahead of Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso

Ford CEO Alan Mulally says the automaker is considering adding a low-cost Fiesta-based subcompact to sell globally. "We are looking around the world at opportunities to offer a car priced below the Fiesta," Mulally told Automotive News Europe.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally says the automaker is considering adding a low-cost Fiesta-based subcompact to sell globally.

Lewis Hamilton's Italian Grand Prix ended as it started - in first place -, but Sergio Perez was the hero of the day, coming from 12th on the grid to finish second, large in Hamilton's mirrors.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) had a very encouraging start, pressuring the two front row-starting McLaren. When Jenson Button retired on lap 32, the Brazilian was able to take second. But behind him, in the second Ferrari, Fernando Alonso was quickly recovering from his bad qualifying the day before.

Having overtaken Paul di Resta (Force India), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), the Spaniard was knocking on Massa's door.

The two Ferrari drivers exchanged positions in very undramatic fashion, given Massa's fragile position within the team. It looked set for Hamilton to win, Alonso to come second and Massa to pick up a refreshing podium.

Except Sergio Perez (Sauber) was on a late charge, thanks to clever strategy. Sauber engineers had the Mexican starting on the harder compound, meaning he was flying in the last part of the race.

The picture was perfect: Massa letting Alonso by with Perez breathing dangerously down his neck - much like off the track.

In the end, Perez was able to get ahead of both red cars and just ran out of time to make a move on Hamilton.

Other notable twists include the two Red Bull retirements. First, it was Vettel who, after his drive-through penalty for aggressive driving while fighting with Alonso, came to a stop with fuel issues.

He was followed to the sidelines four laps later by Mark Webber, who spun out of the race.

This means both men have lost precious ground in the championship hunt. Hamilton (142 points) and Raikkonen (141) are now the two closest rivals to Alonso, whose lead has now grown back to 37.



Race results* - Italian Grand Prix (Monza)
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 53 laps 1.19'41"221

2 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 4"356

3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 20"594

4 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 29"667

5 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 30"881
6 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 31"259
7 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 33"550

8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 41"057
9 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 43"898
10 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 48"144
11 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 48"682
12 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 50"316

13 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'15"861
14 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap

15 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap
16 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1 lap

17 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1 lap

18 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1 lap
19 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1 lap



Fastest lap of the race by Nico Rosberg 1'27"239



Retirements

Lap 51 - Mark Webber

Lap 50 - Nico Hulkenberg

Lap 47 - Sebastian Vettel

Lap 32 - Jenson Button

Lap 8 - Jean Eric Vergne



Drivers' championship
1.Alonso 179; 2.Hamilton 142; 3.Raikkonen 141; 4.Vettel 140; 5.Webber 132; 6.Button 101; 7.Rosberg 83; 8.Grosjean 76; 9.Perez 65; 10.Massa 47; 11.Schumacher 43; 12.Kobayashi 35; 13.Di Resta 32; 14.Hulkenberg 31; 15.Maldonado 29; 16.Senna 25; 17.Vergne 8; 18.Ricciardo 4.

Constructors' championship
1.Red Bull-Renault 272; 2.McLaren-Mercedes 243; 3.Ferrari 226; 4.Lotus-Renault 217; 5.Mercedes 126; 6.Sauber-Ferrari 100; 7.Force India-Mercedes 63; 8.Williams-Renault 54; 9.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 12.

*Unofficial

From GMM

Valtteri Bottas is waiting in the wings at Williams, according to Toto Wolff.

Austrian Wolff doubles up as a Williams shareholder and executive as well as team reserve driver and Finn Bottas' manager.

In the context of Romain Grosjean's Monza race ban, the word in the paddock is that the FIA is also running thin on patience for Pastor Maldonado.

"Of course I don't hope that Pastor gets more penalties, and certainly not a ban," Wolff told Turun Sanomat newspaper.

"He wouldn't deserve that. He has certainly made mistakes, but he is aware of what has happened, and often the penalties have hurt him a lot.

"I don't want to see race bans, but if that were to happen, we have a third driver Valtteri Bottas ready to enter immediately," added Wolff.

Bottas, 22, has regularly practiced in Bruno Senna's Williams this year.

"Sometimes he has exceeded our expectations, but we want to keep Valtteri's feet firmly on the ground rather than have him thinking he is a superstar before he is a superstar," said Wolff.

Wolff also said it is too early to say if Bottas will have a full race seat in 2013.

"No, we don't know yet. We have only just begun to think about the situation and the timing of the decision," he said.

"We want to take (an overview of) the situation as a whole, rather than trying to do it a couple of weeks before Singapore."

From GMM

Christian Horner has confirmed that yet another alternator failure caused Sebastian Vettel to retire from Sunday's Italian grand prix.

Having lost his charge for victory in Valencia earlier this year with the same problem, the issue resurfaced at Monza on Saturday when the reigning world champion broke down in practice.

It struck again on Sunday; a big blow to the German's championship hopes.

"It has to be corrected quickly," team boss Horner told the German broadcaster Sky.

After the practice problem, alternator supplier Renault apologized to Red Bull.

"Today it cost us a lot of points," Horner said on Sunday. "We have to move forward with it urgently if we are to continue for the title."

With Mark Webber also retiring in Italy, is is defending champions Red Bull's first double non-points finish since Korea 2010.

Earlier at Monza, Vettel was penalised by the stewards for forcing his championshp rival Fernando Alonso wide at the Curva Grande.

Last year, it was Alonso who pushed Vettel wide at the very same corner.

"It looked quite the same as a year ago," Horner said. "I thought it was a normal racing incident, with Sebastian in front and taking his line.

"It was very surprising that we were punished for it," he insisted.

From CRC

After taking a lead on the very first stage of the 2012 Rallye Defi, Ken Block (Park City, Utah) and Alex Gelsomino (Park City, Utah) drove through bright sun, heavy rains and over rough roads on their way to victory. The Monster World Rally Team pair led the rally from start to finish, thrilling the fans at the fourth round of the 2012 Canadian Rally Championship.

On the very first stage of the rally, Block set the fastest time, beating his closest rival by 19 seconds. Over the following three stages, the team opened up a lead of nearly a minute.

Clouds and rain rolled in overnight, and Saturday offered a different challenge to drivers. Roads stayed wet as thunderstorms rolled through the region all day. The high humidity also caused a number fogged windshields, cutting already reduced visibility.

Block and Gelsomino continued to maintain their lead trading times with Antoine L'Estage (Ste-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) and Nathalie Richard (Halifax) through the second day. Although L'Estage has won the Rallye Defi six times, he did not have an answer to the pace of the leader and finished the event on the second spot on the podium.

Driving at the limit all weekend took a toll on L'Estage's car. Suffering two flat tires with seven kilometres remaining in the stage, L'Estage was forced to drive without stopping, losing more than 90 seconds and dropping even further back. Problems in the transfer case meant the crew had to rush to replace the part during the midday service.

Crazy Leo Urlichich (Toronto) and Carl Williamson (Swansea, Wales) battled both difficult conditions and an occasionally difficult car all weekend.

On the very first stage, the pair suffered driveline problems, losing power to the right rear wheel of the car. The pair had to contend with the problem for another three stages before they could have the service crew attempt repairs.

Despite these issues, the team was able to keep a secure hold on third place, rounding out the podium.

Pat Richard (Squamish, B.C.) and Alan Ockwell (Toronto) were one of the teams eliminated early, when mechanical problems sidelined the team just a few hundred metres from the finish of the third stage. It was a devastating blow to the team, who needed a strong performance to revive their championship ambitions.

In two wheel drive, only one car - the Ford Fiesta R2 of Ed McNelly (Dalton, New Hampshire) and Ole Holter (Long Beach, California) - made it to the finish. Even so, the rally was not easy, with the pair having a light roll on Saturday. With spectator help, they righted the car and made it to the finish.

From GMM

Jenson Button and Paul di Resta now share a manager.

Force India's di Resta, who recently dumped his former manager Anthony Hamilton, is now officially in the management stable headed by Richard Goddard.

The Scot has been advised by The Sports Partnership since the Hamilton split, which is now in the hands of the courts.

"Based on how it's gone and having seen what they've achieved with other clients, in and out of the sport of F1, it became clear that it was the right way to go," said di Resta.

The Anthony Hamilton split and tie-in with Button's management group comes at an interesting time, with di Resta linked with Lewis Hamilton's 2013 McLaren seat.

There may also be a conflict of interest issue, if Goddard is steering the careers on both sides of McLaren's garage.

Goddard said it wouldn't be a problem.

"There are two of us at the top of The Sports Partnership and if needed James (Williamson) could always look after one whilst I looked after the other," he told the Telegraph.

Anyway, di Resta said it is premature to be talking about a move to McLaren.

"It's always nice to have speculation, to see the interest," he said at Monza.

"But it's something I can't let my brain run away with. I'm in the car this weekend and expected to do a job. That is going to be the focus."