Auto News 5

German driver Michael Schumacher has been penalised for a race accident during the Grand Prix of Singapore held Sunday.

Schumacher, who drives for the Mercedes AMG team has been punished by the Singapore stewards for his collision with Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne during the race.

Schumacher receives a 10-place grid penalty for the next round in Japan.

Schumacher and Vergne both retired immediately after the Mercedes driver slammed into the back of the Frenchman's STR7 on the race's restart following the first safety-car period.

The Japanese Grand Prix takes place at Suzuka from October 5-7.

Photos: WRi2

Giedo Van der Garde won Race 2 of the GP2 series in Singapore, last round of the season. Davide Valsecchi was already crowned champion on Saturday, and DAMS took the teams' title.

After he started from pole position for having finished 8th on Saturday, the Dutch driver remained in first position from start to finish, to take his second win of the year ahead of Marcus Ericsson and Fabio Leimer.

Tony Fernandes happy with Van der Garde's victory at Singapore. (Photo: GP2 Series)

Behind them, Luiz Razia took 4th position, Davide Valsecchi (5th) - he already secured drivers' title on Saturday -, and teammate Felipe Nasr (7th) gave DAMS the teams' championship.

Race 2:
1 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham - 21 laps in 46'36"606

2 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport - 1"719
3 - Fabio Leimer - Racing Engineering - 5"684

4 - Luiz Razia - Arden - 7"393
5 - Davide Valsecchi - Dams - 7"942
6 - Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 8"562

7 - Felipe Nasr - Dams - 8"718

8 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 15"394

Championship (final):
1. Valsecchi 247 points; 2. Razia 222; 3. Gutierrez 176; 4. Chilton 169; 5. Caladoet Van der Garde 160; 7. Leimer 152; 8. Ericsson 124; 9. Cecotto 104; 10. Nasr 95, etc.

Performing comparison tests are great for discovering the tiniest detail differences between models within a specific category. Driving them back-to-back, on the same day, and in the same conditions provides us with valuable data on which ones are the best. Because, let's be honest, there are no bad new cars or trucks for sale anymore.

Usually, our plan is to round up the new or redesigned models in a category and pit them against our current favourites, such as Auto123.com Award winners or victors of previous comparison tests. A good old Toyota RAV4 and a brand new Ford Escape were among the six competitors we took on our latest comparo drive of compact crossovers. And one thing hit me:

In its current form, the RAV4 has been around since 2005, launched as a 2006 model. The 2013 Ford Escape is all new for the US and Canada and is based on the European Ford Kuga, but tailored for the North American market.

Photo: Michel Deslauriers

The Toyota looks old, mostly because its styling is so familiar with so many on the road today. The Ford looks modern, edgy, sophisticated.

The RAV4 uses a good, old 2.5L four, which develops 179 hp. The Escape we tested boasts a 1.6L turbo-four with direct injection, good for 178 hp and better fuel consumption ratings.

Technologically speaking, the RAV4 can be equipped with Bluetooth, a navigation system and an intelligent key system. That's about it. In the Escape, you can get a MyFord Touch infotainment system, active park assist (i.e., it parks by itself) and a blind-spot monitor -- all stuff the Toyota doesn't offer yet.

On paper, the Ford is better equipped, more fuel efficient, more sophisticated and, well, newer.

Yet, despite its age, the Toyota RAV4 has more interior space. Its outward visibility is better (function over form, right?). It still offers a great ride. It's just as versatile as it was in 2005. It's as fuel efficient as the Ford's 1.6L EcoBoost. OK, I'll stop there; let's not spoil the results of our upcoming comparison test.

Bottom line: Some vehicles age gracefully, some don't. However, in this case, when you compare a 6-year-old design to a new one, they don't seem worlds apart anymore; at least not to the average consumer who is simply looking for an affordable, reliable, cheap-to-run and easy-to-live-with vehicle.

Is the “newness” factor really important to you? Or would you rather get a good deal on a car or truck that's been around for a while?

From GMM

Paul di Resta on Sunday admitted his best-ever formula one result in Singapore will not hurt his chances of stepping up to a better team.

Force India openly wants to keep hold of the talented Scot, but di Resta has been linked with the potentially vacant seats at the McLaren and Mercedes teams.

"I would like to think I am capable of stepping up to one of the bigger teams," he said on Sunday after finishing fourth in Singapore; his best result since debuting last year.

"But I'm not getting carried away," he is quoted by the Telegraph. "When the time is right hopefully someone will step up and give me the chance to do that because I want to be in a car that wins races week in week out."

Paul di Resta at Singapore. (Photo: Sahara Force India)

Sahara Force India is powered by Mercedes engines, and the German carmaker played a big role in his formative career, taking him to the DTM championship in 2010.

"I have worked with manufacturer teams before and there is a big difference," said di Resta. "But my loyalties lie here for the moment so I will remain focused on the job in hand."

The 26-year-old recently split with his manager Anthony Hamilton and signed with the Jenson Button-linked stable headed by Richard Goddard.

Di Resta admits the current period of speculation is hard to deal with.

"It is what it is," he said. "It is a difficult position to be in but I have people taking care of that side of things for me. I'm happier than I ever have been with what's going on around me. It feels like things are clicking into place and long may that continue."

Volvo Cars CEO Stefan Jacoby suffered a mild stroke last week and will take sick leave for the next month. Jacoby, 54, was placed under medical supervision and has already started the recovery process, the automaker said.

Volvo Cars CEO Stefan Jacoby suffered a mild stroke last week and will take sick leave for the next month. Jacoby, 54, was placed under medical supervision and has already started the recovery process, the automaker said.

Unionized workers at Ford's Canadian operations have voted in favor of a four-year labor agreement with the company. Some 82 percent of the Ford workers who voted backed the deal, the Canadian Auto Workers said.

News 23 Sep, 2012

Sebastian Vettel wins the Singapore Grand Prix, after Lewis Hamilton is forced to retire from the race

Lithium demand, seen doubling in the next eight years on sales of batteries used in electric vehicles, is spurring a U.S. company to build a factory to extract the metal from brine in California.

Volkswagen has dropped its appeal of a court ruling in a brand infringement case against estranged partner Suzuki.

Fiat says it has revised the platform that underpins the Fiat Punto and Alfa Romeo MiTo subcompacts so that it can now underpin minivans, compact SUVs and crossovers.

Fiat and the Italian government said they will look for ways to improve the company's manufacturing efficiency, as the automaker pledged to keep building cars in Italy while shifting its focus to foreign export markets.

Fiat says it has revised the platform that underpins the Fiat Punto and Alfa Romeo MiTo subcompacts so that it can now underpin minivans, compact SUVs and crossovers.

Max Chilton earned his first ever GP2 victory in race 1 in Singapore. Davide Valsecchi took fourth place, and already secured the 2012 title before the second round.

Chitlon, who started second on the grid, moved  up to the lead at the start, as poleman Luca Filippi had a poor start and dropped down in the middle of the field. The safety car was brought out early by a first lap pile up.

The Brit pulled away in front at the restart, and eventually took his first GP2 victory ahead of Esteban Gutierrez and Fabio Leimer. Davide Valsecchi was fourth ahead of Luiz Razia, which was enough to secure the 2012 title before the second round in Singapore.

Valsecchi therefore takes over as champion from Romain Grosjean, who he replaced at team DAMS.

Luca Filippi had a high speed crash in the last lap, which brought the safety car out again for the end of the race. The Italian driver will not take part to the second race as his car cannot be fixed for Sunday.

Race 1 :
1 - Max Chilton - Carlin - 28 laps in 1h01'48"095
2 - Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 1"363
3 - Fabio Leimer - Racing Engineering - 4"894
4 - Davide Valsecchi - Dams - 5"945
5 - Luiz Razia - Arden - 6"295
6 - Felipe Nasr - Dams - 8"798

7 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport - 14"229

8 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham - 15"147

9 - Rio Haryanto - Carlin - 48"855

10 - Nathanael Berthon - Racing Engineering - 49"445
Etc.

From GMM

All eyes will be on Romain Grosjean as the beleaguered Frenchman kick-starts his formula one season on Sunday.

After a string of incidents in 2012, the Lotus driver was finally banned for a race at Monza recently for causing the first corner chaos at Spa.

He has qualified a solid eighth for his comeback race in Singapore, well ahead of his teammate Kimi Raikkonen and alongside Red Bull's Mark Webber on the grid.

Grosjean told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport he is "not particularly nervous" about the start of the race.

Australian Webber, however, is.

"Yeah, he's okay.  He knows I've a good right hook on me so he will stay away from me," he joked.  "He better put his sneakers on if he hits me."

Eyes on Sunday will also be on 2012's other 'bad boy' Pastor Maldonado, who amid an up-and-down season qualified superbly on the front row in Singapore.

Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton, desperate to shrink the gap between himself and points leader Fernando Alonso, might be forgiven for wanting a more predictable racer with which to share Sunday's dash to the first corner.

"I am happy for Pastor.  He's taken a lot of heat throughout the year," said the Briton.

"Of course I want to do well tomorrow.  As long as I have a good start I think I am in a good position," Hamilton added.

Although Austin Dillon didn't dominate Saturday's Nationwide race at Kentucky Speedway as he did in June, the final result was the same - a victory.

In late June he led 192 laps of the 200 lap race. This time it was merely 65 laps led, and he did win the pole.

"This one wasn't easy," Dillon said "there were a lot of good teams out here. These guys built an awesome race car. We brought the same car back (from the June victory) and we adjusted on it. I know the track and the car worked well. I got on and off pit good and that got us the lead."

Sam Hornish Jr. finished second and Brendon Gaughan third.

Dillon's teammate, Elliott Sadler retook the Nationwide Series points lead with a fifth place finish, while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who won last week's race at Chicago fell to second place, due to a 17th place finish, four points behind due to a number of misfortunes.

Stenhouse Jr. led the opening 32 laps of the race, and then his luck turned sour due to damage during a competition caution pit stop on Lap 33 and to add insult to injury he scraped the outside retaining wall 10 laps later.

"Our first mistake was on pit road," Stenhouse said. "The No. 14 (Eric McClure) came in there and knocked the right front end, which put us back in the pack.  Then, we don't handle very well, and I got loose and into the wall which cut a tire down. It was just one thing after another, but we rebounded to a 17th place finish.

"Seriously fun race, but we just made too many mistakes. We'll make it back up though, no problem. We have a strong team. Mike Kelley (his Crew Chief) and the guys are doing an awesome job. We still had one of the strongest cars at the end of the race after fixing it, so we'll go get them next weekend," Stenhouse Jr., said.

Sadler failed to capitalize to an even greater extent due to a mechanical issue late in the race. "We just lost power steering," Sadler said.

"Nobody could touch us today we were so freaking fast, but about 10 laps before that last green flag pit stop with about 50 laps to go, I lost power steering and the car was really locking up on me. It wouldn't go left, it wouldn't go right. I couldn't correct the car, so I really had to drive it safe and straight into the corners."

"It's all about drive and how bad you want it, and we really want this championship right now. I think it's a three-man race between myself, Stenhouse Jr., and Elliott. It's going to go down to the wire," Dillon said.

From GMM

Jaime Alguersuari on Saturday said the world should know his plans for 2013 in "a little while".

After losing his Toro Rosso seat at the end of last year, the young Spaniard became Pirelli's main test driver and a commentator for British radio.

But he told his 100,000 Twitter followers after touching down in Singapore this week that his plans for a return to action in 2013 are now set.

Asked by Marca sports newspaper if he knows he is going to be racing next year, he admitted: "Yes, I will race, for sure."

Asked what colours he will be wearing, the 22-year-old added: "No, obviously I cannot say yet."

So, when?  "In a little while.  I don't know if it will be tomorrow or a month from now."

Alguersuari then hinted that his next employer could be Sauber or Force India.

Pressed for more details of his 2013 destination, he answered: "In formula one, in a good team.  A team to be in the top ten.

"A team between fifth to seventh in the constructors' championship.  Being in the points consistently."

Mercedes, Sauber and Force India are currently fifth, sixth and seventh respectively in the 2012 constructors' points standings.

Asked if his 2013 plans are "concrete", Alguersuari insisted: "Yes, otherwise I would not say that I will race in 2013."

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) was left leading the Singapore Grand Prix when Lewis Hamilton's gearbox failed. The reigning world champion eventually converted the lead into his second win of the season.

Hamilton had led from the start when he retired on lap 22. His teammate Jenson Button picked up a second podium finish in as many race, as he crossed the line second.

The last step of the podium was once debated between Pastor Maldonado (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Ferrari). A bad pit stop call followed by a hydraulic failure on Williams' part handed third place to Alonso as Maldonado retired.

In the championship standings, Alonso still leads, but now over Vettel, by 29 points.

Fourth place in the race was earned by Paul di Resta (Force India), followed by a quiet Nico Rosberg (Mercedes). Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean brought their Lotus home in formation, respectively in sixth and seventh spot.

A brave drive after an early puncture earned Felipe Massa (Ferrari) eighth spot. Australians Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) and Mark Webber (Red Bull) rounded out the top 10.

Noteworthy drives include Michael Schumacher's and Timo Glock's. The first crashed into Jean-Éric Vergne (Toro Rosso) on lap 38, while the second crossed the line in an unexpected 12th place, good enough to put his team Marussia ahead of rival Caterham in the manufacturers' standings.



Race results* - Singapore Grand Prix
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 59 laps 2.00'26"144
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 8"959
3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 15"227
4 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 19"063
5 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 34"759
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 35"7
7 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 36"6
8 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 42"8
9 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 45"8
10 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 47"1
11 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 50"6
12 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1 lap
13 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1 lap
14 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1 lap
15 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1 lap
16 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap
17 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1 lap
18 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 2 laps
19 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 2 laps

Fastest lap of the race by Nico Hulkenberg in 1'51"033

Retirements
Lap 22 - Lewis Hamilton
Lap 33 - Narain Karthikeyan
Lap 41 - Pastor Maldonado
Lap 41 - Michael Schumacher
Lap 41 - Jean Eric Vergne

Drivers' standings
1.Alonso 194; 2.Vettel 165; 3.Raikkonen 149; 4.Hamilton 142; 5.Webber 133; 6.Button 119; 7.Rosberg 93; 8.Grosjean 82; 9.Perez 65; 10.Massa 51; 11.Di Resta 44; 12.Schumacher 43; 13.Kobayashi 35; 14.Hulkenberg 31; 15.Maldonado 29; 16.Senna 25; 17.Vergne 8; 18.Ricciardo 6

Constructors' standings
1.Red Bull-Renault 298; 2.McLaren-Mercedes 261; 3.Ferrari 245; 4.Lotus-Renault 231; 5.Mercedes 136; 6.Sauber-Ferrari 100; 7.Force India-Mercedes 75; 8.Williams-Renault 54; 9.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 14.

*Unofficial results

From GMM

According to the latest buzz in the Singapore paddock, the 'Lewis Hamilton saga' could be almost at the finish line.

Previously, it was rumoured the McLaren driver was so close to agreeing a switch to Mercedes next year that Michael Schumacher had started looking around for a new team.

Writing in Kleine Zeitung newspaper, correspondent Karin Sturm even revealed she had spotted Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm talking in the paddock with Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn.

But the German Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag reports something quite different.

Apparently the seven time world champion is now close to getting the nod for another season with Mercedes in 2013, because Hamilton is now tipped to stay at McLaren.

The newspaper said the British team has upped its financial offer from around EUR 12m to 15m per season.

"If McLaren extends, Schumi stays at Mercedes," the report concluded.

Former McLaren driver and British television commentator Martin Brundle has heard the same.

"(I've) been told Hamilton contract should be sorted in a few days," he told his 275,000 Twitter followers.

"If so, (the) music stops and there will be a huge rush to sit down."

Asked by the Spanish newspaper El Pais if he will be able to convince Hamilton to stay, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh answered on Saturday: "I am confident we will find a way."

D.J. Kennington won the 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship by earning the ultimate victory at the Pinty's 250 presented by Dodge, at Kawartha Speedway.

For the veteran stock car racer it was a series' high seventh win in more than 12 races this season. 

Kennington took the lead from pole sitter J.R. Fitzpatrick on Lap 231 and was never bothered afterward by any of his other challengers. Fitzpatrick had led a race-high 216 laps, losing the lead only after a pitstop and when Kennington overtook him for the race-winning pass.

Runner-up Andrew Ranger finished second in front of Fitzpatrick. Peter Shepherd III and Martin Roy rounded out the top five. Roy entered the weekend having already clinched the Rookie of the Year honors.

Kennington took the points lead early in the season on the strength of a five-race winning streak and finished it off with back-to-back victories. He ended 27 points ahead of Fitzpatrick and 35 over Ranger. Steckly and Ron Beauchamp Jr. were fourth and fifth, respectively.

The new NCTS champion will be honoured along with NASCAR's other touring series champions on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the NASCAR Touring Series Awards at the Grand Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.