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GM's Opel/Vauxhall said it will cut workers' hours at two of its four German plants in response to a drop in demand for cars in Europe.

As a professional auto racing journalist, I am often asked: ''So, you must be spending a lot of time with the drivers, right?''

Honestly, I don't know how to answer. Yes, it's part of the job, but I can assure you that it has become more of a hide-and-seek game in recent years.

Most Formula 1, IndyCar and NASCAR drivers do not particularly enjoy life in the paddocks. They feel too vulnerable to autograph seekers, fans, groupies, photographers, and the media.

Photo: WRI2

Take NASCAR for example: Drivers usually make a beeline for their team's garage and motor home, preferably in a golf cart so as to move faster than people chasing them on foot.

In order to meet a driver and get an interview, one must normally go through their PR staff. However, in NASCAR, there's a whole sea of them -- one for the team, one for the sponsor, another for the driver himself, etc. That's a lot of folks, and oftentimes they don't communicate with each other. You can be granted a request, only to have it denied moments later by someone else. It happened to me back in April during a DTM race.

Last summer, I knew that Andrew Ranger was competing in the NAPA 200 in Montreal, but I never even saw him. And just try to talk to Jacques Villeneuve when he's in the paddocks; it's like ''Where's Waldo?''

Formula 1 has smaller quarters for drivers to ''hide'' in, so it's easier to stumble upon them. If they're not in too much of a hurry, they will agree to share a few words with you.

Of course, those pesky PR guys and gals quickly step in, like the control freaks that they are. Anytime you interview a member of a racing team, they stand nearby and record the whole conversation. Why? To prevent misquotes and out-of-context statements. It's impossible to get some one-on-one time.

More often than not, racing journalists will catch a driver... on television, like regular people!

As far as cars go, I've been a Mustang fan since childhood as my father owned a Mach 1 convertible in England during the early '70s. The vehicle was rarer than hen's teeth in the UK back then, and could halt London traffic on occasion. Yes, while most Brits peddled around in Lucas-riddled MGBs and their little Austin Whatchamacallits, I rode shotgun in one of America's greatest ever creations: the muscle-bred Pony car!


Of course since then, we've seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly sport the famous grille mascot. However, I'm pleased to announce that, of late, there's been nothing but thoroughbreds prancing around the blue oval corral; and this statement certainly pertains to the new 2013 Mustang GT convertible.

Yes, I know it still sports a solid rear axle which is perhaps viewed as a tad old-hat nowadays, but in many ways this simply adds to the charm of the vehicle. You see, while others attempt to recreate the old muscle-car flavour using present day platforms, the Mustang is the only one (in my book) that truly feels like the evolution of its granddaddy.


The evolution of an icon
The new Mustangs are instantly recognizable, and from pretty much any angle you wish to view them. For 2013, it receives a slightly more aggressive look to the front which, although differing in design, is quite reminiscent of the '68 version Mr. McQueen drove in Bullitt. This is then bought bang-up-to-date by the HID headlamps (standard on the V6 & the GT) and some pretty sharp looking LED lights which sit alongside these. The redesigned hood now sports functional heat-extractors which make the GT look fast even before it starts to move! Of course, my tester being bright, flaming red did help somewhat with this.

The interior complements the exterior as it simply looks perfect for a 2013 retro-classic, and Ford has cleverly managed to achieve this while loading the vehicle with a whole host of modern day electronic wizardry. Yes, you'll find the new and improved Sync incorporated into the system. You'll also discover a whack of Mustang-perfect playthings like the awesome new Track App which allows the driver to measure the G-Force, acceleration times and braking performance.

For 2013, it receives a slightly more aggressive look to the front which, although differing in design, is quite reminiscent of the '68 version Mr. McQueen drove in Bullitt. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Rein in the horses
On the road, the 2013 Ford Mustang GT is a blast to drive. The 5.0L DOHC 32-valve V8 offers up an abundance of power (420 hp @ 6500 rpm - up 8 hp from 2012), and will set light to the rear tires in a blink of an eye (0-100 km/h - 4.6 seconds). Of course, that's quick, but nothing more than one would expect from a Mustang as its bloodline has always demanded lively performance.

Solid rear end or not, the new wave of Pony cars can also handle the twists and turns. In fact, only a fool would totally believe that the days of solid rear axles are over. Simply look at any vehicle which needs strength and reliability from its drive train (trucks/off-roaders/rally/race cars) and you're just as likely to find a solid axle as anything else.

Of course, while performing straight line burnouts can be huge fun (provided it's done legally on private land or your local track), a rather crucial part of doing this is being able to stop which is why Ford thoughtfully provided my test vehicle with its optional Brembo system. Yes, once the braking choice of the chosen few (the fat-wallet brigade), these quality road anchors are now available from Ford and, in my opinion, are well worth the added expense.

The 5.0L DOHC 32-valve V8 offers up an abundance of power (420 hp @ 6500 rpm - up 8 hp from 2012). (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Rag-top reveries
Now it's been a while since I've driven a rag-top convertible, and I'd actually forgotten how much fun they could be. Yes, there's a certain price to pay with regards to shuttle shake, particularly when traversing rough country roads, but then you typically have to dig well into your pocket to source a soft-top which doesn't suffer to some extent from this affliction.

Ponies at a price
Speaking of pricing, my GT tester started out at $44,299, yet by the time all the bells and whistles were added it topped out at a tad over $50k. Now this may come as a shock to those who remember the Mustang as being the affordable performance car for the masses. The Pony is no longer a plain Jane with regards to features. In fact, it's loaded with everything you'd expect to find today, and then some.

Speaking of pricing, my GT tester started out at $44,299. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

One of these I simply have to mention may appear a tad gimmicky (which it is in all fairness), but it's also Cool (with a capital "C"). I didn't notice it at first when I parked the 'Stang outside the Chinese restaurant (and there was no mention of any surprise coming in my fortune cookie), but as I unlocked the vehicle, the step-in area on both sides illuminated with the perfect rendition of the Mustang Pony logo.

Within seconds, this was the talk of the parking lot and, while I typically own up to a press vehicle being on loan, on this occasion I'll come clean and admit to saying nothing of the sort! I simply stood there next to the 2013 Mustang GT with this huge, silly grin on my face which suggested; what, your car doesn't have this?

That was just one of many smile-a-lot moments I enjoyed during my week with the 2013 Mustang GT. Yes, the vehicle has some pretty fierce competition from the likes of Dodge & GM, and anyone contemplating one of these vehicles should probably drive all before coming to a decision. However, my mind's already firmly set because I still view the Mustang as the closest in spirit to the cars which all these are attempting to emulate.

NASCAR officials announced that Slugger Labbe, crew chief of Paul Menard's #27 Chevrolet has been fined $100,000 and suspended from competition until October 3rd following a post-race inspection conducted in Concord, N.C.

In a statement "the No. 27 team was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4K (race equipment that has been previously certified or previously approved by NASCAR for use in an event, pursuant to sub-section 8-12, has been altered, modified, repaired or changed in any manner. Intentionally modifying frame rails for the purpose of deceiving NASCAR's inspection gauges) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book.

"As a result, crew chief Slugger Labbe has been fined $100,000, suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Car chief Craig Smokstad has been suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, while crew member Grant Hutchens also has been suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31.

"Driver Paul Menard and owner Richard Childress have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship drivers' and owners' points, respectively."

Two years ago Richard Childress Racing's crew chief, Shane Wilson, was also fined $100,000 when Clint Bowyer's New Hampshire winning car was found out of spec at NASCAR's technology headquarters in Concord.

At the time under a different points system the team was penalized the equivalent of 38 points in today's rules.

Jeff Hammond, formerly a Cup crew chief and now a SpeedTV analyst explained "when NASCAR developed this new car, certain certifications were mandatory and were to be adhered to. When a chassis is certified, it is not to be altered from that point forward. I'm a little surprised the monetary fine wasn't greater and the suspensions don't extend through the end of the year.

"With that in mind, this penalty is more than fair. When NASCAR sets certain rules, they mean for them to be followed, and hopefully the message has been sent loud and clear that this car is not to be tampered with. There are certain areas they say teams can work in but this clearly is one of the areas that is off limits.

"I hope the message has resonated that NASCAR does not want this car altered or developed any further or any less.  Just leave it alone. I was a hardheaded crew chief, but even I understood there are certain rules you don't break. Unfortunately, as well as this team had done in climbing through the points, this penalty essentially strips them of any opportunity to make the Chase, even if they win three or four races. That's the worst part of this."

The penalty may not be the end of this.

"We're going to appeal it," team owner Richard Childress told FOXSports.com "That's all I'm going to say right now."

If you've recently spent $100,000 on the Fisker Karma hybrid, you're about to have it recalled thanks to a faulty cooling fan that can, apparently, catch fire.

Following a flaming Karma incident in Woodside, CA at the beginning of the month, Karma has decided a recall is the best course of action to replace the cooling fan (not the lithium ion battery which they say had nothing to do with the fire).

If you own a Fisker Karma (you lucky son of a ...), your cooling fan will be replaced and an additional fuse will be added for more protection. Your dealer will contact you for further details, or you can contact your dealer if you haven't heard from them already.

Source: driving.ca

Photo: Fisker Automotive

From GMM

Volkswagen has played down reports it is making plans to enter formula one in 2015.

The German weekly Sport Bild said the Wolfsburg based carmaker giant was planning to enter F1 with Sauber, or even considering getting involved in chassis design at its state of the art Porsche Motorsport Centre in Weissach.

The report said the FIA was aware of VW's plans.

But the marque's marketing and communications boss Stefan Moser said: "Nothing has changed since our last statement.

"We are continuing to focus on the WRC. Entering formula one is not an issue for us right now," he told Germany's motorsport-magazin.com.

Daimler would like to build a compact Mercedes-Benz with its partner Renault-Nissan according to the Financial Times Deutschland, which failed to provide sources.

Production would start in eastern Europe around 2016. A small SUV could even follow suit and share the same assembly line as some Infiniti vehicles.

Daimler wants to boost sales and attract more young customers by expanding its compact lineup from two current models (A-Class and B-Class) to five including a two-door coupe and later an SUV and shooting brake.

For now, representatives from Daimler and Renault-Nissan declined to comment on the report.

Source: autonews.com

"M" may have once been the most powerful letter in the alphabet, according to BMW, but that's all about to change thanks to brand new 2013 BMW Alpina B7.

Looks aside, the most important part about the brand new Alpina B7 is the engine which features two new Garrett turbochargers (bespoke to Alpina) that boost the 4.4L V8 to 540 hp and 538 lb-ft (20 of each horsepower and torque since 2012). Top speed jumps to 194 mph. Just in case the outgoing model wasn't fast enough for you.

Sitting on new 21" wheels, the 2013 Alpina B7 will be offered in rear-wheel sDrive or all-wheel xDrive platforms. And the old 6-speed gearbox has been replaced with an 8-speed number.

The 2013 BMW Alpina B7 will be available to order in the fall with prices starting at $128,495. Get your cheque books out.

Source: nationalpost.com

Photo: BMW

From GMM

Rubens Barrichello has once again refused to rule out returning to formula one.

The Brazilian, who with almost 330 grand prix weekends in his pocket is the sport's longest serving driver of all time, told a German magazine last week he can still imagine "a way back" to the grid.

Barrichello, who at 40 is three years younger than Michael Schumacher, switched to the US-based Indycar series for 2012.

"My problems have been with the tracks than are much bumpier than the ones in Europe," he is quoted as saying in Taubate, Brazil, where he gave a motivational speech.

"I am not criticising, but saying that the problem is just part of my adaption. The car is also totally different to the 19 that I drove in my life in formula one."

Barrichello said racing remains his chosen method of "expression".

"Formula one ended too early for me. I am the driver with the most experience, but I thought that it would last longer.

"Some people have tried to bury me, but actually it's not my time yet," he insisted.

For Barrichello, the excitement and competitiveness of F1's 2012 season has made his forced retirement even tougher.

He said he would "love" to still be there.

"My whole life has been an open book," he revealed. "As much as I am focused on Indy, if there is an invitation from formula one, I will think about it.

"You have got to take your offers, select the best three and make a decision," said Barrichello.

Finally, Barrichello moved to settle the argument about who is the greatest F1 driver of all time.

"I have no doubts about that: Ayrton Senna," he said, before smiling: "Or maybe you were hoping I would say Schumacher?"

From BMW press release

For the second time this season in DTM, two races are taking place within a week of each other. The teams must move house from Nurburgring to Zandvoort in record time. For BMW Motorsport, more than 350 tons of material must be transported from the Eifel Mountains to the Dutch North Sea coast, where it must then be assembled and made ready for the race weekend.

BMW Motorsport and its three teams are travelling with plenty of luggage. More than 30 trucks are making their way on the 360-kilometre journey to Zandvoort, carrying with them the cars, equipment and the BMW Motorsport Team and Media Hospitality.

Photo: BMW Motorsport

The schedule is a tight one. Long before the drivers climb into their BMW M3 DTMs for the first time at the “Circuit Park Zandvoort”, everything from the cars to the final paper serviettes must have been delivered and the garages and hospitality buildings completely set up by Thursday.

In Germany, teams first dismantled their garages and packed their equipment into special transport cases, before the first parts could be loaded onto the trucks three hours after the end of the race. The tire store and offices for the engineers were also sent on their way to Zandvoort, only to be reassembled there in record speed.

Photo: BMW Motorsport

The BMW Motorsport Team and Media Hospitality underwent the same process. As the Nurburgring race was on, those responsible for erecting the structures on the North Sea coast were already hard at work installing a second ground plate. Then, the hospitality building is taken apart. Step-by-step the front of the top floor was removed, followed by the roof panels and the steel framework.

Photo: BMW Motorsport

The team then loaded the container modules onto special trucks, using a 100-ton crane, before the false ceiling was removed and the ground floor dismantled and prepared for shipping in the same way.

The BMW Motorsport Team and Media Hospitality is far from a simple tent. Nowadays it is more of a modern multi-functional building - with kitchen and medical rooms - covering an area of 1,200m². It can be dismantled and reassembled again in just three days and nights!

Photo: BMW Motorsport

From press release

Formula 1 will return to Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours from September 11 to 13 when Ferrari, Mercedes AMG and Sahara Force India conduct their annual Young Driver Tests at the French venue.

Circuit de Magny-Cours, France (Photos: Circuit de Magny-Cours)

The 17-turn, 4.4km track will provide the teams' aspiring grand prix stars with a suitably demanding challenge as they tackle a combination of flowing, high-speed corners and slower technical sections. These characteristics also represent an ideal layout on which to hone car set-ups ahead of the season's crucial final seven rounds.

Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is no stranger to the roar of Formula 1 engines having played host to the French Grand Prix a total of 18 times between 1991 and 2008.

The venue has continued to stage numerous top-line racing events ever since, including international single-seater, touring car, GT and motorcycle championships.

During this period extensive upgrades have also been made to the circuit and its facilities, while the opening of a new motorway linking the track with Paris has significantly cut journey times and improved access.

Set-up for the test begins at the circuit on Sunday, September 9 before cars take to the track on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the following week.

A new book, titled Performance Thinking, written by Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D., has been released recently and it explains how to develop mental skills for the competitive world, sports (including motorsport) and for life.

Dr. Jacques Dallaire

Interestingly, Dr. Dallaire was one of my teachers at McGill University in the '80s. In fact, I introduced Jacques to the world of motorsport, and from that interest he and other researchers created the “McGill Motorsport Research Group” destined to help race car drivers with their physical and mental preparation -- a unique feat back then.

Over the years, Dr. Dallaire has worked closely with several famous and successful race car drivers, such as Indy 500 winners Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi and Helio Castroneves, as well as Formula 1 World Champions Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell.

Dr Dallaire started helping Nigel Mansell when he began his F1 career at Lotus. (Photo: WRI2)

In his book, Dr. Dallaire explains how our way of thinking has a direct influence on our performance -- in sports, in real life and at work. Throughout the 238 pages, Dr. Dallaire provides clear, simple examples to illustrates his theories. However, I strongly suggest that you read just a chapter at a time, then sleep on it, as there's a lot of crucial information to absorb.

The main objective of the book is to try to answer a fundamental and universal question: How do I mentally sabotage my own performance, and how can I learn not to?

So, Dr. Dallaire explain that individuals have first to learn the difference between their performance and the final outcome of the competition. The concept is to focus on our own performance without worrying about things we have absolutely no control over.


Since the mind can only actively process one thought at a time, it's better make it a positive one. In the case of a race car driver, that would be to think about the correct racing line through a corner rather that what's going to happen if I crash the car there?

OK, so how do I change my way of thinking?

In the last section of his book, Dr. Dallaire explains his A.C.T. model process (A game, Compare, Transfrom) that represents three key steps that are used in mental reconditioning.

An excellent book not only meant for motorsport champions, but for anyone who wants to perform better and more efficiently in their everyday lives.

Edited by Dallaire Consulting.
www.performanceprime.com

From press release

Budweiser racing and NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick go into high gear as they team up with Blippar, an innovative new augmented reality technology out of London, for their U.S. launch.

Launched in the UK in the summer of 2011, Blippar is the first image-recognition phone app aimed at bringing the real world into a world of exciting augmented reality experience, instantaneous content and digital discovery.



Users can "blipp" real world items - such as newspapers, magazines, products, posters, online images - to bring them to virtual life with overlaid digital information, videos, games or interactive experiences.

For the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, when fans view the Budweiser logo through the Blippar app on a mobile device, a vivid new world appears giving fans the chance to take their picture with NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick and enjoy interactive material and behind-the-scenes video content of Kevin Harvick.



Fans will be able to interact with the Budweiser logo on beer cans, packaging, posters and images on the internet.

To begin the fun, simply download the free Blippar app to your mobile device (Android, Iphone or Ipad) and begin viewing the Budweiser logo through your screen to watch it magically come alive!

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton "has told" his boss he wants to stay with McLaren in 2013.

The team's managing director Jonathan Neale said last week the 2008 world champion is "close" to agreeing a new contract.

And boss Martin Whitmarsh has now been quoted as saying Hamilton, 27, "has told me" he wants to stay at the Woking based team.

"If Lewis wants to stay in the team, which he has told me he does, then he should do," Whitmarsh is quoted by the BBC and the Independent newspaper.

"Lewis and I have spoken two or three times at length. I think we are closer than we have ever been," he added.

Spa Grand Prix President Étienne Davignon has locked the Belgian Grand Prix down for the next three years, Belgium's Lalibre.be reported on Tuesday.

Davignon confirmed the new deal between the Walloon Region, Spa Grand Prix and Formula 1 executives in a press conference. A deal that will allow Spa-Francorchamps' Belgian Grand Prix on the World championship calendar until 2015.

Organizers also announced that the 5,600 persons who purchased a ticket online via The Ticket Enterprise will be able to attend the race after all.

All 5,600 of them were left in the dark when the Dutch company went bust.

Event organizers promised that, upon proof of purchase, a ticket would be granted to them. But to be allowed in, they will also have to turn their rights to Spa Grand Prix, in order for the organizing committee to get the money back from The Ticket Enterprise.

From GMM

Felipe Massa has admitted his future remains unclear, despite talks with Ferrari about the 2013 season having begun "a long time ago".

The Brazilian, who is 13 places and 139 points behind his teammate Fernando Alonso in the drivers' championship, is at risk of seeing his Ferrari career end after seven seasons.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali said last week that Massa, 31, "knows what he has to do" to secure a new deal.

"I'll need to stay prepared and finish the races well to try to have better results in the second half of the year," the driver said at an event in his native Sao Paulo on Wednesday.

"The discussions began a long time ago, but until there is a deal finalised, nothing changes."

Massa said his own form is now on an upswing, after Ferrari improved the performance of the F2012 car.

But he denied that because Alonso is pushing for the championship, he faces an even tougher time to prove to Ferrari that he should stay in 2013.

"It won't hurt me," said Massa.

"If I'm near Alonso or in front of him I'll do what I can to help him win the championship, that's obvious."

Massa is quoted by Brazil's Globo as saying he has always been under pressure in F1.

"At Sauber I was fired after my first year, and being test driver I had to have good results to get another chance. Then in my first year at Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen was already signed and no one knew if Michael Schumacher would stop or not.

"Then we can speak about Valentino Rossi ... actually, in my career, I have been through more difficult times," he insisted.

"I am confident. I have a chance to continue with Ferrari. What we need to do is keep working on the car, because (in F1) nobody does anything alone.

"Yes the next races are super-important for my future, but it was also the same at the beginning of the championship.

"I'm 100 per cent focused on my results, and I believe so much in what I am capable of doing, which is what I've done many times."

Rumours indicate that IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard has initiated talks about double-header race weekends on street/road courses for the upcoming 2013 season.

The idea is to increase the number of races on the calendar next season, without having the costs escalating. In the event of a double-header, teams, sponsors and fans would all get more bang for their buck because they would all be already on site for the second race.

Promoters could offer better packages too, without having to invest more money and TV broadcasters could increase their viewership.

So, practices and qualifying could be held on Friday; one race could be presented on Saturday afternoon and another one on Sunday.

At the moment, only street and road courses are considered since crash damage for a road race isn't nearly as bad as on an oval, so a wreck on Saturday shouldn't put a team out of play for Sunday.

One of Canada's most influential unions on Wednesday approved a radical plan to merge with a smaller rival to create what would be the country's largest private sector union.

Consumer Reports' online magazine is firing more strong words at Ford in a scathing blog written about MyFord Touch.

West Coast Editor Mark Vaughn: Between LA and Monterey are some of the best roads in the world, including one stretch that I would say is THE best road anywhere in the world.