With Volkmar Denner as its new chief executive, German supplier giant Robert Bosch appears determined to be a key player in the unpredictable realm of automotive infotainment. It won't be easy.
There currently isn't another vehicle like the Chevrolet Volt on sale in Canada. Ford plans to bring a plug-in electric Fusion to market in the fall of 2012 as a 2013. Interestingly enough other electric cars such as the Ford Focus Electric and the Nissan LEAF are all considered as comparable vehicles.
Electric vehicles are defined as using an electric motor (my electrical friends tell me that motor is the correct term and that engines use other sources of fuel) to power the wheels. How the electricity is provided is what makes the Chevrolet Volt distinctive.
Lighting up your life
Charging the 196-kg battery pack on the grid can be done by either an external 220-volt charging station, which takes about four hours, or by an internal 110-volt system, which takes up to 12 hours if the battery is absolutely flat. Off the grid, a 1.4L on-board gasoline engine powers the motor and charges the battery when required.
It is this 1.4L gasoline engine that creates the extended-range part of the designation. Chevrolet claims that if you had to run the entire time on the gas engine, you could go 500 km. When you add in the 80 km from the battery, you get a range of 580 km.
Pleasant compromise
By installing a gasoline engine, Chevrolet believes the Volt offers the best of all automotive worlds. If you charge up at home and head out for work, you can get up to 80 km on the electric charge in the battery. If your journey is longer or you get stuck in traffic, you don't need to hunt down one of the rare charging stations to be able to get home. If you do go onto the gas engine, you have still contributed considerably fewer emissions than a gasoline-only car.
With a bit of route planning and a driver tune-up (you really do need to relearn driving habits to get the most out of a Volt), I was able to make nearly a full 80 km on the battery charge. My fuel consumption readout came down to about 1.4L/100km for my trip.
The best part of this is that I managed to do this without being a rolling roadblock. Keep in mind that this was in light traffic, not rush hour and I was able to do all the good stuff like ease smoothly away from stoplights and use extra regenerative braking when slowing down.
With a bit of route planning and a driver tune-up, I was able to make nearly a full 80 km on the battery charge. (Photo: Michel Deslauriers)
A True Sleeper
One of my concerns, and of many others, is the degradation of the driving experience. No more thunderous blasts from the stoplight or aggressive cornering! Somebody forgot to tell the Chevrolet engineers that this was supposed to be a boring car. I admit it can be, if the owner is boring to start with.
Power from a stop is impressive since an electric motor produces maximum torque at full load and zero shaft speed. Put the transmission in low range and there is an additional torque multiplier as well as added regenerative braking. Do this and that muscle car beside you is in for a surprise. You may not win, but you aren't going to be far behind either.
If you choose to dive into a few corners, the low rolling resistance tires will start to moan long before the front end comes loose. Back off a bit and the noise goes away, serenity returns and you still go fast around corners. The Chevrolet Volt rewards smooth, energy conservative driving, not necessarily slow driving.
Modern Effective Design
Except for the badging on this five-door hatchback, you would never know that it is an electric car. Front grille and fascia as well as the tail are definitely identifiable as Chevrolet. Front and rear doors are cut generously into the sculpted sides and the roof line stays high until past the rear seat.
By keeping the battery pack in the centre of the car where the driveshaft hump would normally be, and by being a hatchback, the Chevrolet Volt actually has a decent-size cargo area. The only possible drawback to this system is that this is definitely a four-seat car, although all seats are comfortable with adequate space for long trip comfort.
The instrument cluster is definitely a bit on the PlayStation side, right down to a floating ball that tells how well you are driving; the objective is to keep the ball in the circle for maximum practical electrical usage.
By keeping the battery pack in the centre of the car and by being a hatchback, the Chevrolet Volt actually has a decent-size cargo area. (Photo: Michel Deslauriers)
Wired!!
I gather that some of my confederates don't like the Chevrolet Volt. I do, but maybe I'm just a bit crazier than they are and willing to try new ideas! The only concern I have towards sales is that I think Chevrolet, which used to offer the entry-level vehicles of General Motors, has missed its price point. At current MSRP, sales volume will not be as brisk as hoped for.
"This is one of the most exciting F1 season in years. The Hungaroring is not a typical F1 circuit, but the race to come in Spa, Belgium should be a good indicator of who has the upper hand," explains Giancarlo Minardi.
"For me, no driver is in a very strong position at this moment. Despite being first in the standings with a 40-point advantage, Alonso has not won the title yet. I see five driver who can clinch the title this year. Alonso's biggest threat will probably come from Raikkonen. The Lotus is quick and consistent. Unfortunately, Raikkonen is not able to qualify wery well,” Minardi added.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)
“The summer break will bring its load of upgrades. McLaren and Red Bull lost a bit of their dominance, but they can rely on very good drivers. Alonso is the driver in the best position. I will take benefit from every opportunity. He's also driving a very reliable Ferrari. That allows the engineer ot focus on the technical development. Unfortunatly, I don't think Ferrari will be able to win the constructors' title this year,” Minardi continued.
Taking about his team that became Toro Rosso, Minardi said: “I was sorry to see Giorgio Ascanelli (technical director) teave the team. After last season, the expectations were high. Now, they have to see what needs to be changed and start thinking about 2013. The clash between the management and the technical director was a sign of nervousness. Maybe the technical department did not agree with some of the decisions of the management. This, added to the lack of results, led to even more difficulties."
Sepp Wiegand has been handed a dream opportunity to further impress Volkswagen Motorsport bosses when he contests his country's round of the FIA World Rally Championship next week.
The 21-year-old rising German star, a former motocross rider, is being assessed as a possible factory driver for the German make in the future with an expanded programme in this year's Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
ADAC Rallye Deutschland will mark Wiegand's second appearance in a Volkswagen-run Skoda Fabia Super 2000 following an entry on Wales Rally GB last November, which ended in retirement when Wiegand's co-driver Timo Gottschalk fell ill. His outing in Germany comes on the back of a number of impressive performances in the IRC, his debut season of four-wheel-drive competition.
Sepp Wiegand. (Photo: WRC)
“Sepp and Timo are showing a superb performance in their first IRC season,” said Volkswagen Motorsport director Jost Capito. “That's why they deserve the chance to compete for the Volkswagen team at the German WRC round. Sepp and Timo were running for us [in] Great Britain in 2011 but unfortunately were forced to retire at that time. Now they're getting the opportunity to prove their skills at ADAC Rallye Deutschland.”
Wiegand will link up with team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen and Sebastien Ogier in an expanded Volkswagen attack on the Trier-based round from 23-26 August. He said: “It's a great honour to compete in the Volkswagen team at Rallye Deutschland. My team colleagues Sebastien and Andreas rank among the world's best drivers. Being in the same team with them is a great feeling. I'll probably be able to get a few pointers from them. On the other hand, it raises the benchmark for me to a pretty high level.”
Last Friday, Transport Canada published a safety recall on 4,296 Mercedes-Benz M-Class vehicles from the 2011 and 2012 model years.
The all-season floor mats may interfere with the throttle when the pedal is fully depressed, causing a delayed retraction. This could result in the vehicle not decelerating as expected when drivers lift their foot from the throttle. A crash may ensue.
Owners are advised to take their vehicle to a Mercedes-Benz dealership where the all-season floor mats will be replaced with an updated design.
Mercedes is considering a partial withdrawal from formula one at the end of 2013, the French weekly Auto Hebdo is reporting.
The Stuttgart carmaker, still yet to agree a new Concorde Agreement deal with Bernie Ecclestone, reportedly could then field only a 'semi-official' team from 2014.
Mercedes would however continue to supply customer engines, as it does currently to McLaren and Force India, whilst its 'semi-official' works team might be known as 'AMG F1', Auto Hebdo said.
AMG is Mercedes' high-performance arm.
Michael Schumacher, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)
The magazine speculated that Brackley based AMG F1, currently known as Mercedes AMG, would continue to be run by team boss Ross Brawn, with Michael Schumacher in the cockpit.
But Mercedes would focus more strongly on engineering than team ownership and management, Auto Hebdo said.
It is likely F1's only engine suppliers in 2014 will be Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari, meaning they all could take on more customers for the new V6 rules.
Reasons cited for Mercedes' rumoured change of direction are the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption scandal involving F1's chief executive Ecclestone, and the latter's push for Mercedes to make a long-term pledge to the sport.
Another reason mentioned is Mercedes' lack of success with its full works team since 2010, despite Nico Rosberg's breakthrough win from pole in Shanghai this year.
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)
The NAPA Auto Parts 200,the only Canadian round of the NASCAR Nationwide series will be held this weekend at the Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal with the participation of several local drivers.
Four series will be in action: the NASCAR Nationwide, the NASCAR Canadian Tire, the Grand-Am Rolex and the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC).
Good news: admission will be free on Thrusday!
Here is the schedule, subject to changes without notice.
Thursday, August 16th “Discovery Day” Free admission
9:00 am Venue opens to public
11:00 am - 11:30 am CTCC Practice Session
12:50 pm - 1:20 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Practice Session - GT
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Québec Drivers Autograph Session
1:20 pm - 2:20 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Practice Session
2:20 pm - 2:50 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Practice Session -DP
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm CTCC Qualifying Session
3:40 pm - 4:40 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Practice Session
4:50 pm - 5:50 pm NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Final Practice Session
Friday, August 17th 7:30 am Venue opens to public
8:30 am - 10:00 am NASCAR Nationwide Series 1st Practice Session
10:30 am - 12 noon NASCAR Nationwide Series 2nd & Final Practice Session
12:15 pm- 12:45 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Practice Session
12:45 pm - 1:15 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Practice Session-Trueman Akin only
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm NASCAR Nationwide Series Autograph Session Race
1:35 pm - 2:05 pm CTCC
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Qualifying - 1st Session
3:10 pm - 3:40 pm NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Qualifying- 2nd Session
4:00 pm - 4:15 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Qualifying Session - DP
4:20 pm - 4:35 pm Rolex Grand-Am Series Qualifying Session - GT
5:05 pm NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying Session
Saturday, August 18th 7:30 am Venue opens to public
9:15 am NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Drivers Introduction
9:30 am NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Race (23 laps, 100 K/62.1 miles or 75 minutes)
10:45 am Rolex Grand-Am Series Drivers Introduction
10:50 am - 11:00 am Rolex Grand-Am Series Reconnaissance laps
11:15 am Rolex Grand-Am Series Race (74 laps, 200.46 miles/321.9 or 2 hours)
2:00 pm NASCAR Nationwide Series Drivers Introduction
2:30 pm NASCAR Nationwide Series Race (74 laps, 200.46 miles/322.6km)
I'm fresh off the regional launch of the 2013 Chevrolet Spark. Although my thoughts on the car were generally positive, I found myself scratching my head wondering what the hell GM is doing to itself.
You see, the Spark has wedged itself at the bottom of Chevy's food chain where there was already very little room to spare. The challenge is many-fold where not only are there three models fighting for the same floor space and slice of the sales pie, but they are all new nameplates. I ask myself: "What is GM doing?"
2013 Chevrolet Spark (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)
Talk about an undertaking.
In many respects, dealers were already trying to explain the real differences between the $14,495 Sonic LS sedan and the $14,995 Cruze LS to consumers. Now comes a 5-door $13,495 Spark LS to complicate matters further. The price disparities between these cars -- not to mention the size, equipment and vocation -- are so narrow that I fail to see how it'll all work out.
GM reps, who are all too aware of what is going on, at the Spark's launch hinted that the lackluster sales of the Sonic sedan may call for the end of its existence on the Canadian market. The remaining 5-door's $15,495 asking price creates a larger, more "sellable" gap between the Spark and Sonic. The $14,995 Cruze LS remains an issue though...
My fear is that GM will be forced to increase the Cruze's entry-level price, possibly hurting the appeal of the best product Chevrolet's had in their portfolio for nearly three decades. In my opinion, I think the Sonic may be the lame duck and should be pulled altogether.
Once done, GM should introduce the incredibly enticing Cruze hatchback in NA, effectively replacing the Sonic; harsh to say perhaps, but no one will miss it. For the 2014 MY, Chevy should upgrade the Spark's 4-speed autobox and replace it with the Sonic's 6-speed unit and Bob will be their uncle. This is win-win.
What would Bob Lutz think? About Lutz: I'm almost done reading his book, Car Guys vs. Bean Counters, and will do a little write up on it shortly.
In this scenario, all bases are covered. A quirky, micro-subcompact car serves as the Chevy echelon's first step, and the two Cruze body styles cater to all manners of buyers looking for efficiency, economy, value, styling, and everything else under the sun. The only condition I can think of here is that the Cruze H/B would have to retail for the same price, or no more than $500 over the sedan.
GM dealers and marketing execs have a daunting task ahead of them with these three cars; how to clearly define the ins and outs of these like-minded cars will be tough.
With a strong second place finish at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin reached his primary objective, positioning himself once again in the NASCAR Canadian Tire championships' top 5.
For this last road course of the season, the Quebecer is counting on pleasing his fans and realizing another podium finish on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve behind the wheel of the n°47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge on August 18th.
« In Montreal, as in ICAR and Trois-Rivieres, our fans are in the stands and once more we want to offer a good performance on the track, and be in the front. With a second place finish in Trois-Rivieres, we have regained our position in the Championships top 5, we want to keep the lead we currently have and get another podium in Montreal », explains the n°47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge driver.
Photo: droits réservés
The Trois-Rivieres, Quebec resident has been invited to compete in the Nationwide series, race with Randy Hill Racing.
With only one active participation in the Nationwide Series as of last year, Dumoulin had skilfully crossed the finish line (starting 41st and finishing 28th) despite being faced with numerous mechanical problems and engine complications in the practice session.
During this weekend' race, Dumoulin will perform a « start and park » at the wheel of Randy Hill Racings' n°08 car. Last weekend in Watkins Glen, he was able to complete a few laps during the practice session. However, they faced a problem with a braking system that compromised their participation in the qualifying session.
We've all heard about Google's self-driving car and how it will change the way we drive to work forever (it's about to bring multitasking to a whole new level). While Google works on making sure their vehicles can properly recognize temporary construction signs and other tricky road situations, they've also decided it's time for their self-driving car to take on different terrains.
With a brand new Lexus RX450h controlled by Google's self-drive system, Google testers will make the commute to work alone; however, they will remain in the driver's seat to take back control should the need arise.
Google's first self-driving Prius provided some great circuit-and-bump results for the self-driving system with more than 300,000 miles logged (without a single accident, by the way), but Google now wants to test the system on snow-covered roads with the likes of the Lexus RX450h.
Here is a video of a slow but real lap around the 3.4-mile rosad course of Circuit of the Americas, home of this year's Formula 1 Grand Prix of the United States, November 16-18 in Austin, Texas.
The video was filmed by a race fan, XtremeGoD9. It is a slow lap because of the presence of heavy equipment on the tarmac, but the video provdes a very good idea of the layout of this new F1 circuit.
Think you're cool enough to own and drive one of Steve McQueen's cars? Well, for the right price, now you can. At this month's collector car auction, RM Monterey, held in California during the famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance motoring week (Aug 17-18), a selection of star-status vehicles from Steve McQueen's collection will be up for sale.
Yes, you could have the chance to drive the multimillion dollar '58 Ford GT40 Gulf featured in McQueen's Le Mans film. Or perhaps McQueen's '56 Fiat Series 306 -- also featured in Le Mans and used by both Carroll Shelby and Land Reventlow's race teams -- is more your taste.
If you want to relive Steve McQueen's actual racing days, you'll want to get your hands on his '61 Cooper T-56 Mark II Formula Junior Racing Car, or perhaps his unrestored (and the car he owned at the time of his death in 1980) '53 Hudson Hornet Sedan.
To round out the collection at RM Monterey, the exceptionally rare 1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 14-Louver 'Tour de France; (one of only nine ever built) will be up for auction, as well as the Hollywood star '65 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra that shared the limelight with Herbie the Love Bug in the '60s.
Time to get your wallet out and head to California.
Very few things are free in life these days. But Octane Management Inc., promoter of the NAPA Auto Parts 200 presented by Dodge, confirms its 2012 ''Discovery Day'' this Thursday.
Additionally, ten Québec drivers to meet their fans during this "Discovery Day".
Motorsports fans and families wishing to enjoy a very special and different summer vacations day will be admitted free of charge at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Gates will be opening at 9:00 am and all visitors will have until 6:00 pm to live freely the atmosphere of an auto racing weekend.
The fans will also have access to all areas of viewing around the circuit, including taking place in the grandstands to witness the action on track or choose to participate in some of the special activities of this "Discovery Day".
Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier. (Photo: Octane Management)
Between 1:00 and 2:00 pm, in a tent erected at the centre of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, autograph collectors are invited to meet ten Québec drivers engaged in the various classes of this weekend program.
The drivers who will be in attendance are:
Marc-André BERGERON
Driver of the Mazda # 47 in the CTCC (Canadian Touring Car Championship).
Patrice BRISEBOIS
Driver of the Dodge # 71 in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Patrick CARPENTIER
Driver of tyhe Toyota # 99 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Jean-François DUMOULIN
Driver of the Dodge # 04 in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Louis-Philippe DUMOULIN
Driver of the Ford # 08 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and
the Dodge # 47 in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Andrew RANGER
Driver of the Dodge # 27 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and
the Dodge # 27 of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Martin ROY
Driver of the Dodge # 90 of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Alexandre TAGLIANI
Driver of the Chevrolet # 30 of the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Isabelle TREMBLAY
Driver of the Dodge # 07 of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Jacques VILLENEUVE
Driver of the Dodge # 22 of the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Thirty minutes after the conclusion of the Québec drivers autograph session, at the same location, visitors are invited to meet the young, lovely and talented Québec singer and songwriter Marilou. The star singer knows for her radio hit single ''Wake Me Up on Friday'' will be meeting the fans until 3:00 pm. On Saturday, prior to the featured NASCAR Nationwide race Marilou will be singing the national anthems.
It is still possible to purchase NAPA Auto Parts 200 presented by Dodge tickets to see the likes of Kyle Busch, Danica Patrick, Elliott Sadler and other stars of NASCAR sharing the track with Canadians Patrick Carpentier, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, Ron Fellows, Andrew Ranger, Alex Tagliani and Jacques Villeneuve.
To order, one should dial 514-397-0007, visit the le www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca or go to the ticket office located at the exit of the Jean Drapeau subway station opening every day between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm, starting August 15.
Hybrid cars are certainly not part of a green trend that will disappear any time soon.
To prove that hybrids are reliable and easy to own as a regular car, Toyota has launched Canada's first Certified Used Hybrid Vehicle program. These hybrid vehicles will undergo the same scrutiny and rigorous multi-point inspections as a regular Toyota cars and trucks. Obviously, special attention will be given to the car's hybrid system and numerous related components.
Each of these cars will include a CarProof Vehicle History Report, a seven day/1,500 km exchange privilege, a free oil/filter change, membership in Club Toyota, a minimum of 12 months/20,000 km powertrain and roadside assistance coverage.
Since 2000, nearly 70,000 Toyota hybrid vehicles have been sold, demonstrating that there exists a strong demand for fuel-efficient, low-emissions, advanced technology vehicles.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recently announced its first new frontal crash test since 1995. The new test consists of a small overlap frontal crash test.
This test simulates, at 40 mph (64 km/h), crashes that occur on a car's front outer edges which often fall outside of the required crush-zone structures. The transfer of energy from the crash is directly transmitted through to the front wheel, suspension and firewall.
The new test is a direct result of information pulled from a 2009 Institute study where nearly 25% of vehicles involved in frontal accidents, resulting in serious or fatal injury to front occupants, were of the small overlap type.
The big news here is that of the 11 midsize luxury cars evaluated, only three of them earned good or acceptable ratings. In an unusual twist, at least for Toyota, their Lexus IS and ES cars performed poorly. The best results were had by the Acura TL and Volvo S60.
The makers of Ron Howard's new movie “Rush” have released four images of the film that will hit the screens in 2013.
Hollywood producer Ron Howard teams once again with fellow two-time Academy Award nominee, writer Peter Morgan, on “Rush”, a spectacular big-screen re-creation of the merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula 1 drivers, Briton James Hunt and Austrian Niki Lauda.
Photo: rushmovie.com
Here's the story of the film, as described on the official web site.
The epic action-drama stars Chris Hemsworth as the charismatic and easy going Englishman James Hunt and Daniel Brühl as the disciplined Austrian perfectionist Niki Lauda, whose clashes on the Grand Prix circuits epitomized the contrast between these two extraordinary characters, a distinction reflected in their private lives.
Photo: rushmovie.com
Set against the sexy and glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing, “Rush” portrays the exhilarating true story of two of the greatest rivals the world has ever witnessed - handsome English playboy Hunt and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Lauda.
Photo: rushmovie.com
Taking us into their personal lives on and off the track, “Rush” follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. If you make one mistake, you die.
Photo: rushmovie.com
Also starring Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara, “Rush” is produced by Andrew Eaton, Howard, Academy Award winner Brian Grazer, Eric Fellner, Morgan and Brian Oliver and executive produced by Cross Creek Pictures, Exclusive Media, Todd Hallowell and Tim Bevan. Universal Pictures will distribute the film in North America.
Rush was shot on location in the U.K., Germany and Austria.
In a recent interview given to British magazine Autosport, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh declared that Formula 1 must decide on one engine format and stick to it for 2014.
Autosport understands that there's been talks amongst the teams to introduce some sort of equivalency formula between the normally aspirated V8s and the new turbo V6 engines since some teams may not be ready to make the switch in two years.
There are concerns that there may not be enough engines available for all the teams or that certain smaller teams may find using turbo engines too expensive. This format would allow some teams to continue using V8s as a back-up option.
Withmarsh, who is also the chairman of FOTA, the Formula One Teams Association said that some sort of an equivalency formula would be an 'unattractive' option for the sport.
"I think you'd have to arrange, if you did it, such that the new turbo engines have advantage over normally aspirated, so you're creating a two-tier championship, which is I think not an attractive thing to have," Withmarsh declared.
With the longest ever grand prix career now behind him, and half a season into his new foray, Rubens Barrichello is still not willing to say he is done with formula one.
"I think there is still a way back," he said in an interview with Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.
Just shy of two consecutive decades on the grid, the 40-year-old Brazilian lost his Williams race drive and for 2012 had to cross the Atlantic to join his non-blood 'brother' Tony Kanaan in Indycar.
Rubens Barrichello, KV Racing. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)
He still studies F1 from afar.
Asked if he still watches the races, Barrichello admitted: "Every single detail.
"From Friday onwards, every practice session. I study each sector time. At five o'clock in the morning I am getting from my friends the latest information about the tyres and the setups. My wife thinks I'm completely crazy," he laughed.
Rubens Barrichello would so dearly love to still be there.
Rubens Barrichello, Williams FW33 in 2011. (Photo: WRi2)
He described the loss of his race seat to Bruno Senna - ironically the nephew of his late mentor Ayrton - as "unexpected".
"The engineers and mechanics all assumed that I would be driving (in 2012)," he said. "Of course there were rumours that Williams needed money, but I had put together some money from my sponsor BMC. I have no idea what Bruno brought in the end. Probably Adam Parr didn't want me anymore. I lost my cockpit and it was too late for alternatives."
Bruno Senna, Williams FW34. (Photo: WRi2)
Barrichello insisted he is not bitter, especially about Senna taking his seat. Indeed, he thinks the young Brazilian could have learned so much from him.
"I was really happy for him with his seventh in Hungary. He did a great race," he said. "As I said, if I was his teammate, he could get more out of himself. He lacks experience and he could have got it from me. He still needs someone to solve all the little problems."
Barrichello is upset he never got to drive Williams' Barcelona-winning 2012 car, after struggling throughout his last F1 campaign with a sub-standard machine.
The Williams team celebrating Maldonado's victory in Spain. (Photo: WRi2)
Asked if he knew this year would be better for the famous British team, he answered: "Yes, because we understood the problems we had last year. And because the new people are right. The move to Renault has made a big difference -- the big plus of that engine is the driveability."
He described the 2012 season overall as "sensational".
"My heart bleeds that I cannot be there," said Barrichello. "It's so close. Don't get me wrong; I am happy that I can drive here, and I don't see myself as a victim. I think it's just a shame for Williams, because I think I would have had a really great season this year. Not just for me, for the team. Williams would benefit from me. I would have been a good teammate as a teacher for Senna, Bottas and Maldonado -- next to me that would have gone much better than they do now. Look at Maldonado -- he had fewer accidents last year than this one. Pastor is super fast but with me on his side he races in a more controlled way."
While competitors have come and gone, the Volkswagen GTI has been the model of cheap and practical performance for more than three decades. The current GTI is the sixth iteration of a progressively more perfect icon and the very definition of the hot-hatch niche. As recognition of its excellence, we have named it an All-Star five times and Automobile of the Year in 2007 and 2010.
The latest auto news, reviews, prices, product and vehicle releases. Auto News 5
