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News 8 Sep, 2012

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button to share the front row of the grid for the Italian Grand Prix

Rolls-Royce forecast a second year of record sales as growth fueled by Asian wealth outweighs the economic slump in Europe.

Five years ago, managers at BMW AG realized that with Germany's graying population the average age of their workers would jump from 41 to 46 by 2017. So they decided to make it happen sooner.

Five years ago, managers at BMW AG realized that with Germany's graying population the average age of their workers would jump from 41 to 46 by 2017. So they decided to make it happen sooner.

Honda needs the next generation of its bread-and-butter mid-sized car, the Accord, to be a hit in the United States, and pricing and incentives may play a key role in a tough mid-sized sedan market.

From GMM

An unusually-forlorn Romain Grosjean was an unhappy pitwall spectator on Friday as he began to serve his one-race ban for last Sunday's Spa crash.

The Frenchman arrived at the Monza paddock as practice began, to watch Lotus' reserve driver Jerome d'Ambrosio drive his black and gold car.

Asked by RMC Sport if he has thought deeply about the crash that wiped Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso out of the Belgian grand prix and also cost him EUR 50,000, Grosjean answered: "Think (about it), yes, but then again I would say no because I don't necessarily want to relive it.

"I just wanted to understand why (it happened) so I can go to the next race in Singapore stronger," he added.

Normally smiling ear-to-ear, Grosjean admitted it is hard to be trackside in such difficult circumstances.

"It is not pleasant to come to Monza and not race," he said. "It was a collective decision. We are together as a team in good times and in bad.

"We didn't ask, neither me nor the team, it (coming to Monza) just seemed natural.

"The team has offered me amazing support all week. So, today, I am happy to be here to try to help if I can. If Jerome has any questions, I will answer them with pleasure for the team to score points in the championship.

"It may also be interesting to see how Kimi (Raikkonen) works.

"I spent two sessions with the engineers on the pitwall and noticed a lot of interesting things that I want to try in Singapore."

Grosjean did not want to say if he thinks the penalty - the first time the FIA has banned a driver in almost two decades - is unfair.

"It's severe but I accept it, and hopefully we can grow from it.

"I think we are going to review some things, redesign the weekends a little bit, focus on different things to be better equipped for the starts.

"To throw everything away and start from scratch would be a mistake," added Grosjean.

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) muted all the rumours regarding his future by taking a convincing pole over his teammate Jenson Button, in the team's 63rd front row effort.

Nobody could touch the 2008 World Champion, that much was clear during qualifying ahead of Monza's Italian Grand Prix.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari), third, had his strongest qualifying effort of the campaign yet. The Brazilian was left by star teammate Fernando Alonso to carry the team on his shoulders, as the Spaniard could do no better than 10th - a disastrous result in front of the tifosis.

Massa was followed by Paul di Resta (Force India), who by taking fourth gave his team something to cheer for. Di Resta himself will drop five places on the grid Sunday because of a gearbox change, while his teammate Nico Hulkenberg was left dead last by mechanical issues.

Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) too had a good showing, in fifth place, beating two-time reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), as well as his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, respectively sixth and seventh.

Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) and Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) follow behind the trio, in eighth and ninth spots.

Notable drivers left outside the top 10 include Red Bull's Mark Webber (11th) - who failed to make it to Q3 by 0.067s - and Jérôme d'Ambrosio (16th), the Belgian driver standing in at Lotus for the suspended Romain Grosjean.



Qualifying results* - Italian Grand Prix (Monza)
1.Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'24"010 - Q3
2.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'24"133 - Q3
3.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"247 - Q3
4.Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'24"540 - Q3
5.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'24"802 - Q3
6.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'24"833 - Q3
7.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'24"855 - Q3
8.Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'25"109 - Q3
9.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'24"304 - Q3 ***
10.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'25"678 - Q3
11.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'24"809 - Q2
12.Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"901 - Q2
13.Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'25"042 - Q2
14.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'25"312 - Q2
15.Jerome D'Ambrosio (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'25"408 - Q2
16.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'25"441 - Q2
17.Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'26"382 - Q1
18.Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'26"887 - Q1
19.Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'27"039 - Q1
20.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'24"820 - Q2 **
21.Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'27"073 - Q1
22.Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'27"441 - Q1
23.Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'27"629 - Q1
24.Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - no time - Q1

*Unofficial results
**Ten-place grid penalty for Spa incident
***Five-place grid penalty for gearbox change

Luca Filippi, who was away from competition for one year, made a sensational GP2 return as he clinched victory in race 1 in Monza with team Coloni.

The Italian driver, who was without a racing seat since the end of last season, was expected in IndyCar this season but the deal was not finalized. He was called by team Coloni for Monza, where he took third position in qualifying.

Filippi then took the lead after mid race when he overtook poleman and early leader Max Chilton after the pit stops, to cruise to an emotional win on his home soil.

Behind him, Johnny Cecotto concluded a great comeback from 8th position on the grid to second at the finish line ahead of Marcus Ericsson and Max Chilton. Stefan Coletti, who took 8th position, will have the opportunity to start from pole position on race 2, thanks to the reverse grid regulation for the top 8.

As for the title contenders, Davide Valsecchi took the advantage in Monza. The Italian driver took 6th position while his rival Luis Razia, who span after a contact with Fabio Leimer, classified only 25th. And Valsecchi will start from third position on Sunday with the reverse grid.



Monza - Race 1 classification :
1 - Luca Filippi - Coloni - 30 laps in 48'03"604
2 - Johnny Cecotto - Addax - 4"028
3 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport - 5"377

4 - Max Chilton - Carlin - 7"631

5 - Fabio Leimer - Racing Engineering - 9"413

6 - Davide Valsecchi - Dams - 16"057

7 - Jolyon Palmer - iSport - 17"600
8 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 18"532
Etc.

From GMM

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has hinted Lewis Hamilton's management is in the driving seat of the current situation surrounding the 2008 world champion's unknown future.

Eddie Jordan was the one who dropped the Mercedes bombshell, but seasoned insiders are sensing the intrigue is really being steered by Simon Fuller, the wily Spice Girls manager who through his XIX Entertainment arm now handles Hamilton's career.

It is easy to surmise the Mercedes story was planted simply to ramp up Hamilton's 2013 price-tag, but it may not be just about that.

Indeed, Jordan - who is reportedly close to Fuller - said he suspects the Mercedes link is about 'brand Hamilton'.

"Fuller is trying to position Hamilton as a major global star like Beckham, and Mercedes is a much bigger global brand than McLaren," said the British television pundit and former F1 team owner.

McLaren team boss Whitmarsh agrees: "Lewis and his team are very interested in the Hamilton brand and providing anything that happens doesn't distract him from being a race driver, we are 100 per cent relaxed about it.

McLaren, though, famously guards the drivers' corporate and even personal images, and their ability to exploit and explore them.

"The life I have had has been very controlled and I am taking control of it," Hamilton said earlier this week.

"I am allowing myself to get who I am out, rather than the corporate McLaren driver some people want you to be."

That would put into context the recent 'WTF' and secret telemetry 'Twittergate' affairs.

Adapted from GMM

Tifosi favourite Fernando Alonso will not have to move five places down Sunday's Italian grand prix grid, but that's not to say his race bodes well.

Surely, Alonso must have felt relieved to hear he would not suffer any penalty despite his gearbox failing, but the news was probably overshadowed by a brake problem coupled to an engine failure on Friday.

Technical director Pat Fry explained that the latter glitch was because the Spaniard was using "a Friday engine at high mileage".

The man himself, meanwhile, said on Friday that even though the F2012 seems more competitive at Monza compared to Spa a week ago, "McLaren is the favourite to win" on Sunday.

Lotus and Mercedes look quick as well.

As predicted by Alonso, McLaren dominated qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton on pole ahead of his teammate Jenson Button.

The Spaniard, only 10th on the Monza grid, was quoted by AS newspaper: "As we said in Belgium, if we can not win then the best news is that McLaren is strongest.

"One (Hamilton) is 47 points behind, the other (Button) 63, so we can afford for them to win a few times without too much worry."

Alonso's closest points challenger, Sebastian Vettel, qualified fifth at Monza.

From GMM

With Ferrari still yet to re-sign him for 2013, Felipe Massa insists he sees no better alternative to him on the market.

Rumours say Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez are the frontrunners to replace Massa next season, but the Brazilian thinks he is the best choice.

"Many people want my seat," he is quoted by Spain's Mundo Deportivo newspaper, "but I do not see anyone better on the market.

"In my place I only see people like Hamilton or Vettel, but they're not available," Massa added.

Meanwhile, the 31-year-old said he will do everything to help his teammate Fernando Alonso win the 2012 title, even if he acknowledged he might be racing elsewhere next year.

"I have no contract yet for 2013, but I will help Fernando," he vowed.

"I am a professional and will behave like that."

Massa hailed the performance this year of Spaniard Alonso, who at the wheel of the same Ferrari model has scored a massive 129 more points, and is leading the championship.

"The F2012 is not a winning car, but Fernando is perfect," he said.

After he claimed his first success in Paralympic Games in London in the H4 category's time trial event on Wednesday, Alessandro Zanardi took a second gold medal in the individual road race.

The Italian driver, who lost his legs in a horrifying crash at the Lausitzring in Indycar back in 2001, competed in his first Paralympic Games this year in the H4 (wheel chair) category.

Alex Zanardi (Photo: Ralph Hardwick)

This is his second gold medal for Zanardi, who will now be looking for a third victory in the team relay race on Saturday.

Ironically, the H4 races of the events in the Paralympic Games used parts of the Brands Hatch circuit, where Zanardi raced in cars.

From GMM

Jean Todt has revealed he did not attempt to sign Fernando Alonso during his time as Ferrari boss due to an earlier betrayal.

The Frenchman, who is now the FIA president, reigned over Ferrari from the 90s until 2008.

At the end of 2006, he chose Kimi Raikkonen as the retiring 'number 1' Michael Schumacher's replacement, even though Spaniard Alonso - now Ferrari's long term hope - was also on the market.

Alonso was only subsequently brought to Ferrari by Todt's successor Stefano Domenicali, and Todt has now told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport exactly why.

He recalls 2000, the year before Alonso - then an impressive fresh-faced F3000 driver - made his F1 debut with Minardi.

"We (Ferrari) reached an agreement in principle with Fernando, but then (Flavio) Briatore signed him," said Todt.

"It was after his victory in F3000 in Spa when we got in contact with his manager, who came to my home in Maranello, and we agreed.

"It (Alonso signing with Briatore) was something I took badly and after that there was no more contact."

The rest - Alonso's two titles with Renault, his ill-fated switch to McLaren and finally his debut as a Ferrari driver in 2010 - is history.

Alonso's manager in 2000, Adrian Campos, confirms: "Ferrari told us to wait and not to sign with anyone else, but Briatore walked through the door with a contract under his arm."

Todt named the "very good leader" Alonso, as well as Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as "the favourites" to win the 2012 title.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole at Richmond International Raceway in the final race before the Sprint Cup Chase begins.

In doing so he stole the spotlight from teammate and outside pole, Jeff Gordon. And there is Kyle Busch, who is battling for the Wild Card spot in the Chase, down in fifteenth.

After his eleventh career pole, Earnhardt who qualified at 127.023mph, said the win on Saturday night is key. But for Gordon and Busch the pressure is really on.

Earnhardt's arc to become a threat for the Chase began with teaming him with crew chief, Steve Letarte.

"We've been working the last two years to improve ... and this year we made some gains," Earnhardt said. "It feels good to get a pole position and know that we're doing something right there.

"It gives us a good starting spot for [Saturday]. We feel pretty confident about the car after practice [Friday], and starting up front is an advantage. I'm happy that we're performing well and look forward to the race."

Meanwhile four-time champion Gordon told the media before qualifying that he's not going to be a nice guy on Saturday evening if someone, anyone, is in his way. Then after qualifying he said he's fine.

"I think [Friday] was a big mission accomplished for us," Gordon said. "We were very solid in practice all day. I know exactly where I left a little bit out there in [Turns] 1 and 2. I got everything out of it in 3 and 4. But in 1 and 2, I knew I got down to the yellow line too early and just couldn't get back to the gas as hard as I needed to.

"When you do that, you know that there's somebody out there that has a shot of getting you. Second is still a fantastic effort. We had a great practice [Friday], and our car was solid, so [I'm] pretty excited about this race [Saturday night]."

Regan Smith was third in a Chevrolet followed by Clint Bowyer's Toyota. Denny Hamlin, would could be the top seed following Richmond, was seventh fastest

There are a number of different scenarios to play out for the Wild Card which will be resolved on Saturday evening at the three-quarter mile oval.

One week after dominating a Nationwide race only to lose in Atlanta; Kevin Harvick bounced back with a win in Richmond.

With 17 laps remaining Harvick pulled away on a restart and held off last week's winner, Rick Stenhouse Jr., by almost two full seconds. Last week Harvick led a race-high 157 laps. At the three-quarter mile Richmond International Raceway he led a race-high 141-laps of the 250 lap event.

With his 38th career Nationwide Series victory (and fifth at Richmond) he snapped a 30-race winless drought. This win ties him with Carl Edwards for third place on the all-time career win list.

It's been a long time coming," Harvick said. "I know the first 37 seemed a whole lot easier than No. 38."

"I know we haven't won the races that we needed to, but, man, we've led a ton of laps and been in contention to win just about every race I've been in this car this year," he added.

"Sometimes you go through slumps like that, and when you break 'em, it just makes it that much sweeter."

Stenhouse who now is second in the points said "Kevin and I had a great battle there for a while. I gave it all I had. If we would have won two in a row, that would have been cool, but second's a great night."

Kurt Busch, who finished third in a car owned by his younger brother Kyle, had led just before that final caution but tagged a lapped car causing that final caution.

"When I had Harvick behind us while we were leading if I could hit it perfect we were going to hold him off," said Busch"“If I was off just a fraction he was right there. When I drove down into (turn) three, the lapped car chose inside and I chose inside and I was like, 'This isn't going to be good.'

"Ninety-nine percent of the guys go high, he went low and I just couldn't stay off him. I had to push hard to try to keep Harvick behind me and I made a mistake and got us behind there."

Point's leader Elliott Sadler had a tough race after tangling with Stenhouse on lap 183 and falling one lap down. He finished 12th and had his points lead shrink to just one over Stenhouse. Sam Hornish Jr. fell to fourth in the title battle after a cut tire caused him to crash on lap 156.

After repairs he rejoined the race but finished 30th some 50 points behind Sadler. Austin Dillon who finished sixth is now third 30 points in arrears.

GM has stopped the sale of several of its most popular 2013 vehicles because of a software glitch that affects their OnStar communication systems.

Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz unit won a U.S. lawsuit that accused the automaker of infringing a patent for a monitor to detect when a motorist is drowsy. The patent, owned by licensing company Ibormeith IP, is invalid, U.S.

Also in this episode: Ford pins European hopes on new models, and a stretch of Texas roadway will have its speed limit

Hyundai is giving fans a chance to see the 2013 PGA Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. All you have to do is go to the companyand#8217;s and#8220;Road to Kapaluaand#8221;

2013 Ford Mustang V6 Premium Coupe

We miss the V-8.

Next to that YouTube video of a baby panda sneezing and the bassline to "Hypnotize" by Notorious B.I.G., one of the greatest sounds you'll ever hear comes from the Ford Mustang's 5.0-liter V-8 when you stand on the throttle. As much as I enjoy the Mustang's V-6, it doesn't compare to the larger engine in sensory experience, and I spent much of my weekend in the green muscle car wishing it had two more cylinders.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Ford Mustang V6 Premium Coupe - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Ford Mustang V6 Premium Coupe - Automobile Magazine

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