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Polish driver Robert Kubica missed out on a certain win at the recent Rallye du Var because of a mistake made by his co-driver.

Emanuele Inglesi, who was calling the notes to Kubica aboard their Citroën C4 WRC, called the wrong corner, causing the pair to crash and the car to perish in the ensuing fire, as Citroën boss Yves Matton confirmed to Autosport.

The sad end to Kubica's outing at the French rally has not diminished Matton's admiration for the former F1 driver.

"He was beating his rivals on every stage and all the time he was so motivated," the British publication is quoting him saying.

"In the end, he crashed because of the wrong pacenote - he was 40km/h too fast and it was impossible to take the corner. Unfortunately, the car is finished because it caught fire."

31-year-old Finnish rally driver Juho Hanninen, who was released of his contract by Skoda, is expected to contest two rounds of the World Rally Championship (WRC) with M-Sport in 2013.

"My goal has always been to drive and compete at the highest level and on now there is the chance with M-Sport," the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion told Autosport.

His nomination puts Hanninen in the hot seat for the last drive available at M-Sport.

Still according to British medias, Evgeny Novikov, Petter Solberg and Citroën's Thierry Neuville, are all in the running. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mads Ostberg have already been confirmed.

Hanninen had been with Skoda for your years prior to his departure.

From GMM

HRT is missing from the FIA's official entry list for 2013.

It was already known that the Spanish team has not signed the crucial Concorde Agreement for next season and beyond, and that staff had been told in Brazil the outfit will fold within a week if a buyer is not immediately found.

Photo: Pirelli

A brawl reportedly broke out at HRT's Madrid headquarters after the Brazilian grand prix, when mechanics returning from Sao Paulo were due to receive redundancy compensation.

F1's other eleven teams were all listed on the FIA's 2013 entry list, published by the governing body on Saturday evening.

It is not the final version, however, as several teams have yet to inform the FIA of their driving lineups.



2013 FIA Formula One World Championship Entry List (provisional)

1.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2.Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
3.Fernando Alonso (Scuderia Ferrari)
4.Felipe Massa (Scuderia Ferrari)
5.Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes)
6.Sergio Perez (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes)
7.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus F1 Team)
8.TBA (Lotus F1 Team)
9.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team)
10.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team)
11.TBA (Sauber F1 Team)
12.TBA (Sauber F1 Team)
14.TBA (Sahara Force India F1 Team)
15.TBA (Sahara Force India F1 Team)
16.Pastor Maldonado (Williams F1 Team)
17.Valtteri Bottas (Williams F1 Team)
18.TBA (Scuderia Toro Rosso)
19.TBA (Scuderia Toro Rosso)
20.TBA (Caterham F1 Team)
21.TBA (Caterham F1 Team)
22.TBA (Marussia F1 Team)
23.TBA (Marussia F1 Team)

Honda became the first Japanese automaker to manufacture cars in Canada in 1986. Twenty-six years later, the six millionth vehicle came out of its Alliston, Ontario assembly plant.

"Nearly 1.7 million Honda Civics have been proudly parked in driveways all over this country," said Dave Gardner, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Honda Canada Inc. "Our plant capacity was 50,000 vehicles when we started and we're now building 390,000 vehicles per year. This growth is the result of hard work and dedication of all the Associates who have worked with us over the years to produce the quality and reliability that Honda customers truly value."

In 2011, 51% of all Honda vehicles sold in Canada were built in Alliston. With the addition of CR-V production in 2012, that proportion now exceeds 70%.

Rolls-Royce aims to increase its global dealerships to 120 from 105 within five years to target millionaires in markets like Chile, Thailand and Vietnam, who are unfazed by Europe's debt crisis.

Manthey Racing will be Porsche's official representative team in 2013, fielding two 991-type Porsche 911 GT3 RSR race cars in the upcoming World Endurance Championship (WEC) season.

2013 marks the 911's 50th anniversary, making it the perfect opportunity to introduce the new generation of racers, according to Hartmut Kristen, head of motorsport at Porsche.

Porsche, the manufacturer, has not raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since its overall win of 1998.

Moreover, the comeback is actually part of Weissach's plan to return to the LMP1 category.

Porsche's official team will be known as Porsche AG team Manthey.

Model: 2008 to 2012 Honda Accord
Vehicle Type: Sedan

History/Description: The 2008 model year marked the Honda Accord's entry into its eighth generation. The Japanese automaker's popular model had, by now, earned a very solid reputation for reliable operation, sensibility, and long-term value.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

For this particular generation, it was available in both coupe and sedan variants with several engine and transmission combinations, and a slew of trim-levels and options. Look for upscale features like heated leather seats, voice-command navigation, a sunroof, steering-wheel mounted controls, dual-zone climate control, wood trim and plenty more. Accord “LX” was the basic model, while “EX” and “EX-L” or “EX-L Navi” represented midrange and top-line, respectively.

Under the hood, Accord boasted a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine tuned for 177 or 190 horsepower, depending on the model in question. A 3.5L V6 created 268 horsepower. Coupe models got either the up-level 4-cylinder or the V6, either of which could be teamed with a manual or automatic gearbox. Accord V6 sedan models only came with the automatic.

What Owners Like: On-board storage space, fuel economy, overall comfort and also the model's reputation were typically cited as key purchase factors by owners of 8th-generation Accords. Intuitive controls and a safe, solid road feel were also noted.

What Owners Dislike: Common complaints include the use of cheap interior materials, uncomfortable and stiff seats, the lack of a manual mode on the automatic transmission, and bland styling.

Common Issues: Thousands of owners complained of premature brake component wear. Signs of this include a “pulsation” during moderate braking felt through the pedal, or a “squealing” sound during coasting or light brake application. Be sure to have the brakes inspected on any used Accord you're considering.

Oil consumption is another well-documented issue with this generation of Honda Accord, especially those with the V6 engine and automatic transmission. Every engine will “use” some oil between oil changes, but shoppers are advised to check the oil in the model they're considering (while the engine is cold) to ensure it's fresh and full. This issue was likely caused by a side effect of Honda's cylinder deactivation system, and a software update available at your dealer was released to help fix it.

Listen for a “whine” or “hum” from the power steering pump while you steer at a low speed, or while stopped. If any unusual noise is noted, it's likely caused by a faulty o-ring which allows air to enter the system. This is a relatively easy fix.

On board, check the condition of the leather seats, if equipped, for signs of excessive wear, tearing, fading or abrasion.

Note that Accord models with extensive modifications to suspension or engine control systems should be avoided. Intake and exhaust upgrades are typically safe if the parts and installation are of high quality.

The Verdict: Largely, it looks like the Accord is one of the most reliable, no-nonsense vehicles in today's used market. Buy confidently if the model you're considering shows none of the common issues and has a thumbs-up from a Honda mechanic during a pre-purchase inspection.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

Adapted from Aston Martin

The Racer's Group (TRG) and Aston Martin Racing announced today the formation of a partnership to bring a factory-supported Aston Martin Racing program to North America starting in 2013.

The partnership commenced with TRG-AMR North America's acquisition of 10 brand new race cars to compete in varying North American sports car series. The Aston Martin Vantage GTE will be unveiled at the American Le Mans Series' annual Winter Test on Feb. 7-8 in preparation for the March 16 running of the 12 Hours of Sebring.

In the GRAND-AM Rolex Series and Pirelli World Challenge, the highly competitive Vantage GT3 is in its final homologation stages and will be ready to race for new customers after the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The new Vantage GT4, running in the Continental Tire Challenge, will debut at the January test days and will be ready to race in support of and alongside the highly successful Multimatic team already running in the championship.



TRG has a legacy of motorsport success that dates back to the 1990s with extraordinary wins and championships that include the Rolex 24 At Daytona (four times, once overall), the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Petit Le Mans, four championships and more than 50 major racing victories.



Equally, Aston Martin Racing is rich in heritage. It began racing in 1949 and by 1951 the DB2 had swept the podium in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Aston Martin returned to GT racing as a factory team in 2005 with the DBR9 GT1, which went on to record back-to-back victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 and 2008, as well as winning the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship.

On the back of a strong performance during the series' last collective tests, Norman Nato earned himself a drive at DAMS for the 2013 Formula Renault 3.5.

The 20-year-old Frenchman, who previously raced in karting, Formula 4 and Formula Renault 2.0, will be making his debut in the championship.

Norman Nato during his Formula Renault 2.0 days (Photo: Norman Nato)

"It's a pleasure to have Norman onboard with us," said Jean-Paul Driot, team manager.

"He has had a remarkable career in karting and quickly progressed through the racing ladder. His test with us was impressive. He was fast and communicated well with the engineers.

"I'm sure he will be racing for wins in no time at all."

DAMS has not yet announced who will race alongside Norman.

Mazda announced it would race a diesel-powered Mazda6 in the new GX class at the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona.

Never before has anyone raced a car with a diesel engine in the Grand-Am history.

The GX class was created ahead of the next season for the expressed purpose of promoting innovative pieces of engineering, such as the SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine that will power Mazda's Mazda6.

Mazda's SKYACTIV-D (Photo: Grand-Am.com)

Sylvain Tremblay, Jonathan Bomartio, James Hinchcliffe and Marino Franchitti will share the wheel of the No. 70 entry at the twice-around-the-clock race.

From GMM

Moves are afoot to revive the defunct Turkish grand prix.

Formula one raced at the Hermann Tilke-penned Istanbul Park - featuring the famous four-apex Turn 8 corner - between 2005 and 2011.

Bernie Ecclestone and race organisers could not agree a new race fee for 2012 and beyond.

But late last week, British journalist Bob Mackenzie, of the Daily Express, revealed that the F1 chief executive is "pushing for a return" of the Turkish event, "after ruling out a French race".

Greek website gocar.gr said the decision will be made in the coming week.

Turkey's change of fortune is due to a local businessman, Vural Ak, buying the circuit's management rights.

"I've known Bernie Ecclestone for many years," he said.

Ak, who is willing to pay $5m out of his own pocket, said Ecclestone is asking for a $26 million fee for the race.

He said the Turkish government is willing to put in $13.5 million, "So we are close to the sum of about $20 million a year".

Ecclestone said: "It is an issue that we would be happy to discuss with those responsible.

"We would very much like to return to Turkey."

Ford Canada has issued a recall on 1,098 Fusion sedans from the 2013 model year due to a problem with the headlamps.

Apparently, the low beam projector coating may not have properly cured during the manufacturing process. Over time, this could cause the coating to become hazy, reducing the brightness of the low beam lamps and affecting visibility on the road.

Ford dealers will therefore replace the headlamp assemblies on all affected units.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Lesley Wimbush