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From GMM

Nigel Stepney's almost certainly highly controversial account of the 'spygate' scandal looks set to be published late this year.

In the wake of the sacked and disgraced former Ferrari engineer's plans a few years ago to release an explosive autobiography, the publisher pulled out.

It was rumoured at the time that Ferrari requested the book be withdrawn.

Nigel Stepney confirmed that his former publisher had been "put under pressure" by an unnamed party.

But he vowed to press on with his account of what happened amid the famous espionage scandal involving McLaren and Mike Coughlan back in 2007.

An official book description at Amazon said 'Red Mist' will include "an in-depth and honest account of the recent 'Stepneygate' saga in his own words."

The German-language Speed Week said it should hit the shelves in time for Christmas.

Honda Canada claims that the fourth-generation Honda CR-V for 2012 is all new and it just happens to look similar to the third-generation Honda CR-V it replaces.

I suspect that by keeping the hard body build points the same and changing everything else, Honda was able to keep an economy of scale going so that the MSRP for 2012 would be lower than 2011 for a comparably equipped vehicle. Controlling the price is certainly beneficial when competitors such as the Toyota RAV4, the Hyundai Tucson and the Subaru Forester have all followed the same strategy.


Exterior and interior
The outside has probably been changed the least. Unless you are an aficionado or have the new and the old parked side by side, you are not going to really see the differences.

Probably the most noticeable change is in the decrease in width of the crease in the side panels. Changes to front and rear facia are most likely to be overlooked simply because there isn't a large enough difference to stand out.

Inside is a different story. From the second I opened the door, I could see that the interior had been upgraded. Leather seating materials felt better and the front seat was more comfortable than in the past. When I moved to the back seat, the seat cushion and the seatback come together better so that I didn't feel as if there was a gap in support at my lower spine.

Probably the most noticeable change is in the decrease in width of the crease in the side panels. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Driving
I can still get the 10-way power assisted driver's seat into a comfortable position in a few seconds. In fact, the only gripe our family had with the Honda CR-V was that our $35,090 Touring trim level was, as my side seat cruise control put it, “touring for one”; the passenger seat does not offer the same level of adjustment that the driver's seat does, and over long “touring” distances this can make a considerable difference in comfort.

The solution was easy: she drove and I got to fidget about in the seat! I have no idea what a 10-way passenger seat would cost, but even as an option it would be worth it.

Another aspect of touring is interior noise. Honda has put quite a bit of effort into making the interior a bit quieter. When you stop and think about the size of empty space behind the front seat and that it can often act as an echo chamber, you can see what Honda is up against.

Strategic use of sound-deadening material, different carpeting and different interior materials all mean that sound absorption is better than in previous generations. One of the ways we amused ourselves while driving was to pick up the different sounds made by the different pavements used on highways (some drives are REALLY boring). They were never very loud, but were always distinctive.

I can still get the 10-way power assisted driver's seat into a comfortable position in a few seconds. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Engine and transmission
Power for all Honda CR-Vs comes from a 2.4L inline four that puts out 185 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque on regular unleaded fuel. At first, this engine seemed a bit underpowered when mated with the 5-speed automatic, which is the only transmission used in the Honda CR-V.

Driving this combination takes a bit of getting used to; I had to learn where torque peaked, where the part throttle kick-down point was and how many gears the transmission would drop when I put it down to the floor to get passing gear. Once I got those variables under control, the Honda CR-V took on a new personality.

Power for all Honda CR-Vs comes from a 2.4L inline four that puts out 185 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque on regular unleaded fuel. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Handling
Since AWD is standard in the Touring model, I had an extra variable to put into the handling mix. The Honda CR-V did well for a small sized SUV when it came to cornering and could hold its own when accelerating out. It also drove nicely in traffic and responded equally well to puttering about (the i-VTEC motor does a great job).

With all this cornering and puttering about on our streets, the Honda CR-V has to have a pretty good suspension under it. Honda has recalibrated the suspension and ride quality when pushed has improved noticeably. That translates into better control at low speeds where you never think of it.

Getting in and out of parking spaces is easy; excellent visibility from the driver's seat and proper use of the large mirrors means you can change lanes, anticipate other driver's moves and generally have an easier time carving through traffic. Think of it as relaxed aggressive driving.

Since AWD is standard in the Touring model, I had an extra variable to put into the handling mix. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Conclusion
Priced from $25,990, the Honda CR-V is available in four different trim levels, two of which offer FWD or AWD. The EX-L and Touring come only with AWD. Touring is the only trim level to have a navigation system as part of the standard equipment package.

Long drive or short, touring or toodling about, put the Honda CR-V in its various trim levels on your must-drive list.

By clinching the 2012 edition of the New England Forest Rally, fifth and second to last round of the Rally America series, Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard have made it three for three and NEFR.

But they were still disappointed, coming off a perfect win, the reason being they lost their title bid to Dave Higgins, second in New England. His lead cannot be overcome anymore by the Canadian duo, who in turn, stretched a lead of its own, in the North American standings.

Antoine L'Estage, Mitsuhishi Lancer (Photo: Neil McDaid)

"I want to congratulate David Higgins, his co-driver Craig Drew, and their entire team for their 2012 Rally America title," acknowledged L'Estage. "They are great competitors and our battles are always intense but remain fun and very sportsmanlike."

Canadian rallyman Ugo Desgreniers reached the overall podium, after his fellow Canadian Rally Championship competitor Crazy Leo, third for most of the rally, landed his Subaru in a swamp.

In Super Production (SP), victory went to Ramana Lagemann et co-driver Christine Beavis. Australian Will Orders, from Melbourne, took top honours in the two-wheel drive (2WD) class.

New England Forest Rally results - Rally America

1. Antoine L'Estage / Nathalie Richard - 1h10min11.2s
2. David Higgins / Craig Drew + 21.0s
3. Ugo Desgreniers / Erik Kirby + 6min34.1s
4. Ramana Lagemann / Christine Beavis + 6min39.2s
5. Will Orders / Toni Feaver + 6min26.1s
6. Christopher Duplessis / Alexander Kihurani + 9min07.7s
7. David Sterckx / Karen Jankowski + 10min34.2s
8. Lauchlin O'Sullivan / Scott Putnam + 11min07.7s
9. Evan Cline Grzegorz Dorman + 11min57.6s
10. Andrew Comrie-Picard / Jeremy Wimpey + 12min08.0s

2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Highline Review

2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid Review

2012 McLaren MP4-12C First Impressions

Other very interesting topics:

• Blog: The beige Corolla
• Smart headlights that make rain and snow invisible
• Ford's three-cylinder EcoBoost a small but mighty game-changer
• 2013 Ford Mustang buyer's guide

From GMM

A long period of speculation about Lewis Hamilton's future could end soon.

With the 2008 world champion's contract expiring, he told the Russian news agency Ria Novosti on a weekend visit to Russia that he is gearing up to talk with McLaren about 2013 and beyond.

"We haven't sat down and discussed anything yet but I'm sure over the summer break, when we have the summer break it would be nice to get something in place," said the Briton.

There have been rumours about Hamilton's alternatives beyond 2012, but he indicated that a new deal with McLaren is likely.

"These people have supported me; these are the people that got me into formula one," he said.

"But, you know, I want to win. I'm not that young any more so I want to make sure that whatever I do I make the right decision so I can maximise my career, you know. I just need to make sure that I'm winning."

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, at Montreal. (Photo: WRi2)

That note of warning coincides with a performance slump for the famous British team, but Hamilton indicated that he will look beyond the most recent disappointments.

"To be honest, you have to base your decisions on much, much longer than such a short period of time," the 27-year-old said.

"Only half a year cannot decide six years of partnership, or actually 13 years of partnership. I've been with them since I was 13, so it's 14 years, so it's much more than these small details, it's a much, much bigger picture."

I demonstrated Ford's Active Park Assist for my neighbour, using a 2013 Flex crossover. I actually put Peter in the driver's seat and had him cruise the street until the system alerted him to a parking space of sufficient size.

I then had Peter follow the simple instructions that are displayed on the navigation screen as the Flex cut the wheels right and left, backing into the spot with surgical precision. Peter was absolutely amazed at the accuracy of the system and the simplicity of its use.

Photo: Ford

After a few gleeful exclamations, a pall came over him as he lowered his voice and uttered, “This is bad for business.” I countered with a differing opinion, believing that active park assist programs are the next great step toward driverless cars.

Peter: “no... bad for my business!”

I should tell you that Peter's a registered massage therapist, owning a highly successful clinic. The way he sees it, if people no longer have to twist and contort in order to parallel park, they're less likely to seek massage therapy.

While Peter's comments were obviously made in jest, they illuminated a valid point. Aged drivers often find it difficult to adequately twist torso and neck to see where they're reversing. And there have certainly been times when back pain has interfered with my ability to do so.

A vehicle that can park itself could be of great benefit to seniors and those with limited mobility, such as me after a day of yard work. I'm sure that Ford won't put Peter on the street, I'm also sure that there will come a day when Peter will clamor for an active park system. We're all getting older, good thing that technology is getting wiser.

On the last days off before the arduous Hockenheim-Hungary Formula 1 double header, Russia was the centre of the sport's attention.

The World Series by Renault, which featured races of the Formula Renault 3.5, Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Eurocup Megane Trophy staged a first race ever on the Moscow Raceway.

Vitaly Petrov with Russian supporters. (Photo: Manuscript Agency)

Daniel Ricciardo also demonstrated the Renault-powered Red Bull car. The first international motorsport event on track in Russia attracted 85 000 people for this first event.

In downtown Moscow, modern F1 cars and current drivers including Lewis Hamilton, Vitaly Petrov and Charles Pic as well as Ferrari test driver Giancarlo Fisichella demonstrated their wares on a temporary street circuit around the Kremlin.

Pit lane of Moscow Raceway. (Photo: World Series by Renault)

Moscow City Hall spokesman Vladimir Chernikov admitted he hopes it was a prelude to something more.

"Moscow really is ready to hold a formula one stage," Chernikov said.

85,000 people watched the World Series by Renault race. (Photo: World Series by Renault)

Meanwhile, at Moscow Raceway, four time world champion Alain Prost said a street race in the Russian capital "could be possible".

"I know that Bernie (Ecclestone) and some constructors would love it," he said.

Spanish driver Daniel Juncadella won the annual Zandvoort Formula 3 Masters held on Sunday at Zanvoort, Netherlands, featuring the best F3 drivers from the British and Euroseries championships.

Daniel Juncadella (Photo: f3euroseries)

After claiming victory at the 2011 Macao Grand Prix - the other great F3 classic event - Juncadella was again victorious at Zandvoort on Sunday. Last year, he was forced to retired after he made contact at the start of the race with his teammate Roberto Mehri.

The Prema driver started from pole position, alongside fellow countryman Carlo Sainz Jr. But Sainz had a poor start, which allowed Juncadella's teammate Raffaele Marciello to move up to second.

Juncadella and Marciello captured a one-two finish for team Prema, while local heroe Hannes Van Asseldonk took third place. Juncadella became the first Spaniard to win the F3 Masters.

Final classification :
1 - Daniel Juncadella (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 25 laps in 39'28"564
2 - Raffaele Marciello (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 7"594
3 - Hannes Van Asseldonk (Dallara-Mercedes) - Fortec - 17"394
4 - Carlos Sainz (Dallara-Volkswagen) - Carlin - 18"473
5 - Pascal Wehrlein (Dallara-Mercedes) - Mucke - 22"008
6 - William Buller (Dallara-Volkswagen) - Carlin - 28"611
7 - Alex Lynn (Dallara-Mercedes) - Fortec - 29"450
8 - Michael Lewis (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 29"975
9 - Felix Rosenqvist (Dallara-Mercedes) - Mucke - 31"793
10 - Sven Muller (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 32"613
Etc.

From GMM

Almost half of the world's 25 biggest companies have been involved in formula one in the past five years.

And the new research by F1's industry monitor Formula Money said a third of the world's 100 top companies have in the same period been involved in F1 as sponsors, owners or investors.

They include three of the world's five biggest companies -- Ferrari sponsor Shell, Exxon Mobil (McLaren) and former Chinese grand prix backer Sinopec.

Journalist Christian Sylt said oil companies and carmakers are "naturally drawn to F1 due to the obvious affinity between the sport and their businesses".

The banking industry is also attracted to F1 "by the networking opportunities offered by the sport", Sylt added.

General Electric on CT01's car. (Photo: Caterham F1 Team)

The other top-25 companies involved in F1 recently are Toyota (8th), Red Bull and Lotus sponsor Total (11th), Toro Rosso supplier Volkswagen (13th), Caterham backer General Electric (16th), former Renault sponsor ING (17th), Samsung (22nd), ENI (23rd) and Mercedes owner Daimler (24th).

"The involvement of so many major companies is one of the factors that distinguishes F1 from other sports," continued Sylt.

American companies, like former Williams title sponsor AT-T, are also playing a big role, making up 17 per cent of the teams' sponsors -- the highest of any nationality.

From wrc.com

Craig Breen said his decision to return to the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship in Finland next month following the death of his codriver Gareth Roberts was the most difficult he's ever had to make.

The inaugural FIA WRC Academy champions were tackling the non-championship Targa Florio Rally in Sicily last month during a break from their SWRC campaign when Roberts lost his life in an accident on the second day of the event.

Breen, who suffered shock but was otherwise uninjured in the crash, has recruited fellow Irishman Paul Nagle to co-drive his Ford Fiesta S2000 on Neste Oil Rally Finland from 2-4 August.

“This has been the hardest decision of my life,” said Breen, 22.

“I will never fully come to terms with Gareth's death. It's only with the support of my own family and Gareth's family that I'm now ready to take the next step. I will never forget Gareth, we were firstly a driver/codriver partnership but most of all we were best friends.

“Getting back behind the wheel again without the little man will be emotionally very hard but I know that Gareth would want me to continue. From our first event together we were winners and now I want to continue on that road with the same ambition,” Green said.

Marussia Formula 1 team issue Monday a press release saying that the Cosworth-powered MR01 F1 car was not at fault in the accident that caused test driver Maria de Villota to lose an eye and endure extensive reconstructive surgery on her face.

Two weeks ago, the Spaniard had just completed the first straight line aero testing run of the day Duxford Airfield, was manoeuvring at low speed close to the team's test base off the main runway when the car went into the back of a truck. She was immediately taken to hospital with several injuries.

This is the press release issued today:

“14 days after Maria de Villota's accident at, the Marussia F1 Team has now completed its own detailed investigation into the cause of the crash.

The accident occurred on 3 July during a straight-line test, at which Maria was making her testing debut for the Team and driving an F1 car for the fourth time in her career.

The Marussia F1 Team conducted an initial analysis immediately after the crash. This aimed to identify the causes and contributory factors behind the accident and also served to determine if there were any car-related implications for the impending British Grand Prix. Having carefully examined all the data and supplementary information available at that time, the Team were satisfied that there were no such car-related issues and cleared its chassis for race weekend participation.

“Following its initial investigation, the Team proceeded to carry out further detailed analysis of the accident. An external forensic investigation was commissioned and carried out at Duxford Airfield (a FIA-approved and much used testing venue, compliant with the recommendations for a test of this nature) and with the team at the Marussia Technical Centre in Banbury. This external analysis has been carried out autonomously of the team's own internal investigation.

“As would be normal procedure, the Team's findings have been shared with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the independent UK regulator which acts in the public interest in respect of work-related accidents.

“John Booth, Team Principal of the Marussia F1 Team, commented: “We are satisfied that the findings of our internal investigation exclude the car as a factor in the accident. We have shared and discussed our findings with the HSE for their consideration as part of their ongoing investigation. This has been a necessarily thorough process in order to understand the cause of the accident. We have now concluded our investigatory work and can again focus on the priority, which continues to be Maria's wellbeing. In that regard, we continue to support Maria and the De Villota family in any way we can.”

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said the government is "looking for solutions" to help prop up car sales and soften PSA's decision to slash jobs and close a factory near Paris.

General Motors Vice Chairman and interim Opel CEO Stephen Girsky said changes have to be made at the carmaker to revitalize it, a German newspaper said, citing his e-mail to staff.

Next stop for the American Le Mans Series: Canada.

The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, or Mosport as it is formerly known, is the only Canadian stop on the ALMS calendar. For more than 40 years, the track has hosted several high profile series, the ALMS being only one of them.



Formula 1, IndyCar, Can-Am and World Endurance Championship and Trans-Am cars brought with them drivers such as Gilles Villeneuve, Jacky Ickx, Jacky Stewart, Frank Biela and A.J. Foyt.



The facilities, located in Bowmanville (Ontario), nowadays also feature a karting facility and an oval.

Still, to this day, the Mazda CX-9 surprises, but only those that give it chance. Somehow, this large crossover misses the mark as it should sell better than it currently does.

At roughly 100 units a month on average, the CX-9 is outsold three times over by the Toyota Highlander. Another close competitor is the Chevrolet Traverse that GM manages to deliver nearly five times more in the same period of time. Yet, we at Auto123.com picked and would probably pick it again over its competition.


It's got the look
The 2012 Mazda CX-9 is far better looking up close than it is from far. Unlike many cars on the road, the CX-9 requires an extra moment of attention to be fully appreciated. This may be one of the reasons why the take rate is lower than it should be.

The right colors and shadows accent the vehicle's voluptuous curves and highlight the handsome 20” wheels. The cabin is nothing but elegance and proper modern design.

Well appointed and crafted, it'll accommodate up to seven passengers without batting an eyelash. The seats are fairly comfortable, good for the long haul. Fit and finish are without reproach and the overall build quality is superior to most other Mazda products and a number of the players in the category as we found out first hand in the course of last year's seven-passenger SUV comparison test.

The right colors and shadows accent the vehicle's voluptuous curves and highlight the handsome 20” wheels. (Photo: Mazda)

It's got the power
Every competitor in the segment offers up a V6 engine. The CX-9 follows the trend and proposes one of the largest-capacity V6s with a 3.7L. Its 273 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque do not make it the most powerful; however, the big ‘ute has the get up and go to keep things interesting.

Handling is actually one of the 2012 Mazda CX-9's fortes. The fully independent suspension and meaty tires keep the large galoot on the straight and narrow, all the while allowing for more fun times behind the wheel than would be expected from a seven-seater vehicle with a curb weight of 4,550 lbs (or 2,068 kg).

With girth and grunt comes fuel consumption. On a long, mostly highway travelled road trip, the CX-9 gulped 12L/100km. At an average cruising speed of 110 km/h, the 6-speed autobox keeps engine revs low but, unfortunately, it's not enough bring the number anywhere near the 9.0L/100km mark predicted by Mazda.

Handling is actually one of the 2012 Mazda CX-9's fortes. (Photo: Mazda)

It's got cosseting power
The 2012 Mazda CX-9 caters to just about every need a family could have, including keep everybody on board sane on a long road trip.

Not only are the seats cozy but the ride is smooth enough not to wake those that may have dosed off. The well insulated cabin remains quiet well into highway velocities.

Take it for a test drive
Once more, although not an obvious pick in the segment, the CX-9 really deserves more attention than it gets.

Even if I repeat myself until I'm blue in the face, the fact remains that Mazda's big crossover will never be a sales leader in its segment. I suspect that, now that the CX-7 will see its plug pulled thanks to the ever-increasingly popular CX-5, the next CX-9 will be a very different beast.

Regardless, at $36,395, the 2012 CX-9's pricing is smack-dab in the middle of the pack. The tested GT with all-wheel drive and the Navigation package chimes in at $48,420, and ends up being a relative bang-for-the-buck bargain. With the same level of kit, some competitors are nearly $4,000 more.

Vauxhall, a European subsidiary of General Motors, will launch the new ADAM subcompact hatchback at the Paris Auto Show in September. And sources say this Fiat 500 rival could eventually be sold in North America as a Buick.

The three-door, four-passenger ADAM will make its market debut in the UK early next year with a choice of three trim levels - JAM (entry-level), GLAM (classier), and SLAM (sportier). Their gasoline engine will produce 70, 87 and 100 horsepower, respectively.

Much like Fiat, Vauxhall promises a wide selection of customization options, both inside and out.

Pricing has yet to be announced.

Source: Autoguide

Photo: Vauxhall / Fiat

DJ Kennington took the lead late in the race and won his third consecutive NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event, this time in Vernon, British Colombia.

Defending series champion Scott Steckly lost the lead to Kennngton on Lap 249 and, once in front, he remained there the rest of the way to win the A&W Cruisin' The Dub 300 at Motoplex Speedway and Event Park.

Jason Hathaway followed in second with Steckly, then J.R. Fitzpatrick and British Columbia native Jason White picking up his career best finish on an oval in fifth.

Kennington, who finished second to Steckly in this event the previous two seasons, started third in the race and needed just five laps to pass pole-sitter Ron Beauchamp Jr. to take the lead for the first time.

Rounding out the top 10 were Martin Roy, Jim White, Beauchamp, J.P Dumoulin and Noel Dowler. Not a great weekend for two-time NCTS champion Andrew Ranger who had qualified 8th and crossed the finish line in 11th.

The race was slowed six times by caution in the longest race of the year for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series competitors.

The series continues its visit to western Canada with the Edmonton 100 at Edmonton City Centre Airport on July 22.

Mercedes duo Jamie Green and Ralf Schumacher take win in the final round of the first day of the showcase event presented in Munich.

Drivers were paired after the qualifying rounds, according to their car and fastest lap. Thus, the best driver from each manufacturer was teamed with the fourth fastest, and the second with third quickest. Fifth and sixth fastest were eliminated.

After beating the pair Miguel Molina / Mattias Ekström (Audi) in quarterfinals, and then the duo of Gary Paffett / Christian Vietoris (Mercedes), Jamie Green and Ralf Schumacher emerged in the final against the Audi of Timo Scheider and Adrien Tambay.

Canadian driver Bruno Spengler (BMW) was associated with Augusto Farfus, the two men being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Scheider and Tambay, eventual finalists. Robert Wickens (Mercedes) was eliminated after the qualification rounds.

Although Brad Keselowski was dominant, he had some help from lapped traffic holding off Kevin Harvick for the Nationwide Series win at New Hampshire.

Austin Dillon finished third and took home the $100,000 Nationwide Dash 4 Cash bonus.

Keselowski led a race-high 131 laps but gave up the lead on restart on lap 155 when Harvick made contact with Amber Cope who was running 33-laps back.

"The 24 (Cope) every time you come to her she don't know whether she is going high or low," he said. "She wants to be Danica Patrick, but can't hold her helmet," said Harvick. It was Cope's second Nationwide race.

After Harvick's contact Keselowski retook the lead with 26 laps to go and sailed to the victory. It was a clean sweep for Keselowski, who took the pole earlier in the day - his third straight Nationwide Series pole at "The Magic Mile."

It was Keselowski's 19th victory in 182 Nationwide races, which ranks 15th on the all-time series wins list.

"Kevin (Harvick) raced me hard and there are very few guys that I'd like to race more than Kevin. He's a lot of fun to race with. I caught a little bit of a break in lapped traffic. That's the way it goes. You're always going to have some traffic.

"You're always going to have those that don't know where you're at. That's part of this series, different driver learning and trying to pick up their awareness on the race track."

"We've had great runs in the past, but we couldn't close the deal," said Keselowski, who now has two victories and nine top-10s this season. "It feels great to finally close the deal. It's a good two days on the Nationwide side - hopefully we can carry it over into Sunday and get another win."

Sam Hornish Jr. (Keselowski's teammate) finished fourth and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. the defending series champ finished fifth. After the race Stenhouse collapsed due to dehydration and exhaustion.

"I feel OK now," Stenhouse said after being released after being released from the track care centre. "They gave me some fluids and got good to go. I think just being a little sick all week, not eating much and not drinking enough fluids caught up with me after the race.

"I think we'll be good to go now."

Elliott Sadler, who finished seventh still holds the series points lead over Dillon by three points, and by 16 over Stenhouse.

Mattias Ekström (Audi) wins the individual trophy presented in Munich's Olympic stadium, after he defeated Jamie Green's Mercedes in final.

To reach the final, the Swede took down Joey Hand (BMW), Martin Tomczyk (BMW), and then Gary Paffett (Mercedes).

Jamie Green (Mercedes), the other finalist, who had won the team trophy on Saturday alongside teammate Ralf Schumacher, defeated Filipe Albuquerque (Audi), Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) and Bruno Spengler (BMW).

It was a disappointing day for Spengler, who was dominated in the first part of the semi-final, then back in the lead after his team BMW did a better tire change, but eventually out anyway.

The Canadian driver lost time when he went a bit wide in the antepenultimate lap (out of five), which allowed Green to take the lead back, and eventually win to reach the final.

Robert Wickens (Mercedes), the other Canadian on track in Munich, defeated Timo Scheider's Audi in the first round, but lost in the next round against Tomczyk.