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Sébastien Loeb took the first wins of his racing team after he won both French Porsche Carrera Cup races presented in the streets of Pau.

Loeb, who was making a one-off race in the championship, dominated free practice before before clinching pole position for both races.

The eight time rally world champion secured win in both races as well, on Saturday and Sunday, while his teammate Jean-Karl Vernay - 2010 Indy Light champion -, took second position in both rounds.

It was the first successes for Sébastien Loeb Racing Team, which is runs the European Le Mans Series and the French GT championship.

Giedo van der Garde (Caterham) won the first GP2 race presented this weekend in Barcelona thanks to a bold pit stop strategy.

The Dutchman, who started fifth place on the grid, ran third in the first part of the race behind poleman James Calado and Fabio Leimer, who were fighting for first position.

But Van der Garde and his Caterham team gambled on their mandatory pit stop when they choose to change only two tires, which helped Van der Garde to be back on track ahead of both Calado and Leimer, who also lost time in traffic.

Later, Leimer was penalized for having almost hit Calado in the pits, as both drivers stopped for their tire change at the same moment. The Swiss dropped down in the back of the field, and Stefano Coletti moved up to third.

Championship leader Davide Valsecchi was fourth ahead of Nathanael Berthon and Fabio Onidi. Max Chilton and Luiz Razia were seventh and eighth respectively, which allows the Brazilian driver to start from pole position for race 2 on Sunday.



Race results - GP2 (Barcelona)

1 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham - 37 laps in 1h00min22.966s
2 - James Calado - Lotus + 0.878s
3 - Stefano Coletti - Coloni + 3.811s
4 - Davide Valsecchi - Dams + 11.859s
5 - Nathanael Berthon - Racing Engineering + 15.795s

6 - Fabio Onidi - Coloni + 19.379s

7 - Max Chilton - Carlin + 19.768s

8 - Luiz Razia - Arden + 20.072s
etc.

From GMM

Stewards stripped Lewis Hamilton of pole position for the Spanish grand prix.

"This is such a disappointment. Today's qualifying session was one of the best I've ever driven," said the 2008 world champion, who has been relegated to the very back of the grid.

His McLaren engineer had instructed him to stop on the track with a "problem" after completing his pole lap.

It emerges that the team was worried Hamilton would not have enough fuel left in the car for the mandatory 1 litre FIA sample.

But rule 6.6.2 requires drivers to return to the pits after qualifying under their own power.

Sam Michael, the sporting director, argued a case of 'force majeure'.

The stewards said in a statement: "As the amount of fuel put into the car is under the complete control of the competitor the stewards cannot accept this as a case of force majeure."

"Since we accept that the stewards didn't agree with our interpretation of force majeure, we didn't contest their decision to penalise him," said team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

It means Pastor Maldonado inherits his first pole; the first for Williams since Nico Hulkenberg in 2010.

UPDATE: Following Hamilton's penalty the whole of the paddock reacted.

The Sun newspaper refer to the incident as a draconian "24-place grid penalty" imposed by the FIA after an "astonishing cock-up" by McLaren.

Writing in the Telegraph, Tom Cary said the severity of the disqualification "raised eyebrows", but agreed that "McLaren's mistake was horrendous".

He said it has been "a season of errors" by the famous British team, who are yet to get Hamilton's signature on a new contract beyond 2012.

"Hamilton must be seething," read an article in the Daily Mail newspaper, while The Times laid out McLaren's "catalogue of errors".

27-year-old Hamilton's "raw talent is being thwarted by mishap and cock-up," said journalist Kevin Eason.

"McLaren are lovely people but how the hell do they get themselves in this position?" wrote the Mirror's Byron Young on Twitter.

Even the non-English language media agreed.

"It was another great mistake by McLaren that could eventually cost Hamilton the championship," wrote Livio Oricchio in O Estado de S.Paulo.

Italy's La Stampa called McLaren's fuel gaffe a case of "harakiri".

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport added: "It was error number 13 for McLaren since last year".

While highly critical of McLaren's own-goal, however, the feeling in the paddock is that the stewards' penalty - although accepted by McLaren - was overly harsh.

"Back of the grid? Way, way too harsh", added Young on Twitter.

"Draconian penalty in my view," agreed PA Sport's Ian Parkes. "Dropping Q3 time would have sufficed."

Sky commentator Martin Brundle added: "(I) feel they should have deleted that (Q3) laptime only which would have put him sixth".

And excluding Hamilton from Q3 altogether would have put him 11th. Now, he will be "lucky to score a point", Auto Motor und Sport predicted.

In the Independent, however, David Tremayne noted: "Welcome to the draconian world of F1."

David Croft, the lead Sky commentator, said the FIA stewards had acted correctly.

"A good rule should be one that covers all eventualities with a penalty that acts as a deterrent which in this case is what happened.

"Too little fuel can't be tolerated," he added. "It seems harsh but had Lewis taken pole by one thousandth of a second, would it be harsh then?"

The Spanish fans - not Hamilton's biggest supporters dating back to his spats with Fernando Alonso in 2007 - were happy.

Asked on the El Mundo website whether the penalty was fair, 76 per cent answered yes.

The Volkswagen Golf has long been a favourite among frugal buyers with Euro-car tastes. In its five-door format, this German-engineered compact provides those enthusiasts with the driving dynamics they covet and the versatility they need.


Something big from something small
Volkswagen has done a commendable job of creating as much interior volume in the Golf that two additional doors could provide without transforming the car into a milquetoast wagon for the family sect.

Redesigned last year, not much changed for 2012 but then again, not much needed to change. The Golf 5-door is a benchmark distillation of practicality, versatility and spirited fun - even if its 2.5L 5-cylinder powerplant is less than exhilarating.

The vehicle is capable of seating five adults, although four is more realistic unless squeezing three onto the 60/40 split-folding rear seat is necessary. The 2012 Volkswagen Golf 5-door offers plenty of headroom all around and generous stretches of legroom up front. As one might expect, rear legroom is adequate but not great.

Along with its ability to transport the human form, the 2012 Golf 5-door is capable of ingesting numerous other forms as well, especially when its rear seat is folded flat. The relatively square shape of the cargo bay enables it to ingest notably large items with ease.

My road bike fit nicely into the back of my tester without the need to remove wheels, as I often have to do when using compact vehicles to transport my fave two-wheeler.

Redesigned last year, not much changed for 2012 but then again, not much needed to change. (Photo: Rob Rothwell)

Upscale cabin
Along with practicality, the Golf's cabin is noteworthy for its quality in both materials and assembly. Not so long ago, such surroundings were more the domain of upscale Euro rides, such as Audi. While my tester wasn't lined with leather, its seats were highly supportive, as VW seats always are.

Another characteristic of VW cabins, epitomized in the Golf, is straightforward logic-based designs. Three dials comprise the climate control setup, which makes life simple on the road. And it's there where the delight of the Golf shines through.

Along with practicality, the Golf's cabin is noteworthy for its quality in both materials and assembly. (Photo: Rob Rothwell)

Behind the wheel
The Golf has always been an inspiring car to drive, and the 5-door version maintains that spirit. Volkswagen has managed to find a sweet spot between ride quality and handling prowess that emphasizes both dynamics without favouring one over the other.

The Golf is highly nimble around town and has underpinnings that add delight to open roads where curves are sought by driving enthusiasts like sockeye by salmon fisherman. This is the same great chassis that earns the much worshipped Golf GTI its reverence, albeit tamerw.

The quick-witted Golf 2.5L is only dulled by its somewhat lazy 5-cylinder gas engine. The normally aspirated mill produces 170 hp @ 5,700 rpm and 177 lb-ft of torque @ 4,250 rpm.

Power flows to the Golf's front wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox or an optional 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. My tester was equipped with the autobox.

The engine/transmission combo left me feeling fine but not inspired. It seemed my tester would lazily depart from a standstill then over-compensate by delivering more acceleration than intended as the tachometer went past 3,000 rpm.

Although I adapted to this peculiarity, a more linear throttle response would help produce a more predictable feel to pulling away from a stop sign or traffic light. Still, the engine wasn't without its attributes, which included adequate operational refinement and suitable grunt.

The 5-cylinder gas engine produces 170 hp @ 5,700 rpm and 177 lb-ft of torque @ 4,250 rpm. (Photo: Rob Rothwell)

Not a fuel miser
Fuel economy for the 2.5L powerplant is rated at 9.9L/100km and 6.2L/100km, city and highway driving respectively. My around-town duties saw me averaging something closer to 11L/100km; such is OK frugality but nothing to laud.

In my view, the powerplant of choice in the Golf is the optional 2.0L TDI diesel engine. It delivers outstanding performance and is rated at 6.7L/100km and 4.6L/100km city and highway driving respectively, plus it's fastened to VW's race-inspired DSG automated gearbox.

For those serious about economy, this engine/transmission pairing is a standout.

Golf's 19th hole
While I wasn't enthusiastic about my tester's powerplant, it's a capable mill that will undoubtedly serve the masses with subdued but sound performance.

Despite my 5-cylinder apathy, I really enjoyed driving the 2012 VW Golf 5-door and would recommend it to buyers seeking a Euro-inspired, moderately priced compact. The base Golf 5-door, termed "Trendline," is stickered at $21,475.

My Sportline version held an MSRP of $26,650 with the automatic transmission. It was also equipped with VW's $775 Connectivity Package, which includes mobile phone Bluetooth and media interface with iPod connectivity, along with steering wheel-mounted controls and a multi-function trip computer.

Honda Civic EX

Ford Focus

Hyundai Elantra

Volkswagen is convincingly running away with the fuel economy crown. After a Passat 1.6 BlueMotion managed to cover 2,457 kilometres across Europe on a single tank of diesel, an American couple from Houston, TX completed a 2,617 km drive to Sterling, VA without filling up even once.

Photo: Volkswagen

Using a 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission, John and Helen Taylor drove their 2012 Passat TDI SE during daylight hours to experience normal traffic conditions. The pair took turns driving and didn't travel more than 14 hours per day.

''We're excited to have broken the record for the longest distance driven on one-tank of fuel,'' said John Taylor. ''The Passat TDI was the perfect car for the trip.''

The Taylors are true hypermiling champions and actually own more than 90 world fuel economy and vehicle-related records.

Pastor Maldonado will start the Spanish Grand Prix from pole, as penalty means Lewis Hamilton starts last

Lewis Hamilton has qualified on pole for the Spanish Grand Prix, ahead of Maldonado and Alonso

Porsche has dropped plans to build a two-seat vehicle that would have been smaller and cheaper than its Boxster model, CEO Matthias Mueller told a German newspaper.

The first Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works GP was produced in 2006 to mark the end of the first generation of the Mini developed by

MINI has unleashed its fastest car ever, in the form of the limited-run John Cooper Works GP II

Daimler is flooding Berlin with Smart cars to claim a greater share of Europe's burgeoning rent-by-the-minute urban auto market.

Ramped-up capacity by Chinese automakers during the heady days of 30-50 percent annual growth has bumped headlong into a domestic slowdown, and indigenous firms are now seeking buyers in far-flung corners of the world -- from Egypt to Ukraine to...

Greg Biffle has always been a tough competitor in a Sprint Cup race. Only as a qualifier - not-so-much. On Friday, he bumped Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne off the pole at Darlington, the track known as "too tough to tame."

Once again Biffle credited his crew chief Matt Puccia for the change in his qualifying results: "I've said it three times in these interviews now, I'm having such a great time driving these race cars. My guys and Matt Puccia are doing such a great job. This is what a race car driver looks forward to is showing up every weekend and having a really fast car to drive."

Biffle, driving a Ford, turned a lap of 180.2557 mph around the 1.366-mile oval - also known as the lady in black - to wrest his 11th career pole from Johnson and Kahne who were each at 179.566 mph.

"It was a pretty uneventful lap," Biffle said. "The car just had a ton of grip - it stuck to the race track really, really well. I felt like I was a little bit light down in Turns 1 and 2 - I should have been a little bit quicker down there - but I got a lot out of it in 3 and 4, so it was a great lap."

Five-time champion Johnson gets to start on the front row on the basis of his points standings breaking the tie with Kahne. Both are driving Chevrolets.

Johnson said "Greg certainly went down there and found it. I was watching. He had a blistering fast 3 and 4, and came back around and got us. But it was a productive day. We're learning a lot. I wish it was a Hendrick front row, but it was a solid day...”

Kahne added "I didn't necessarily think it was going to be a pole at the time, and then the speeds; everybody was really close from about a .40 to a .45; there were a lot of cars right there. And then Greg went out at the end and beat us."

Ryan Newman will start fourth. Danica Patrick, in her second Sprint Cup race qualified 38th. She said "I know the starting spot won't be great, but it was a step forward for me and those are the things I'm looking for along the way."

Like the law of unintended consequences, Joey Logano thought he'd help push Elliott Sadler on a restart with five laps to go at Darlington on Saturday night.

Only when Sadler spun his tires the push didn't go as planned and then the Nationwide race leader, Sadler, spun to the right into the wall wrecking his car.

"You just don't bump draft every place you go, especially not at a place like Darlington," Sadler said. He had been the series points leader entering the event.

Logano apologized to Sadler on his in-car radio moments after the incident. "Tell Elliott that I didn't mean to do that," he said. "I was trying to push him out ahead like the last restart. He started spinning his tires."

The race then went into a green-white-checker mode Logano blasted off on the restart holding off teammate, Denny Hamlin, by .255 seconds, for his second straight win, third of the season in a Toyota. Hamlin said he was running on seven cylinders at the end and couldn't keep up with his teammate.

Logano said it felt like "heart dropped" when spun Sadler added: "You don't want to be the guy that does something like that."

Logano denied any intentional harm. "At no point in my mind did I think, 'Man, I'm going to wreck him to win the race.'"

Brad Keselowski and Sam Hornish Jr. were third and fourth in Dodges, respectively.

Austin Dillon finished fifth in a Chevrolet.

Danica Patrick finished 12th and extreme sports star, Travis Pastrana finished 17th in his second NASCAR race.

"With rally, there's certain times that there's a 100-foot cliffs or trees or snow or fog or whatever and that's scary," Pastrana said "But this, you know what's coming up and the fact that it is still scary is still overwhelming."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the polesitter in a Ford Mustang, finished sixth, taking over first place in the standings from Sadler by a margin of 23-points.

Klaus Graf was the man to beat during qualifying for round 3 of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

Aboard his Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a, Graf covered Laguna Seca's famous racetrack in just 1min13.575s.

ALMS.com

Saturday night, with the help of his teammate Lucas Luhr, he will try to capture his team's first win at the Mazda Raceway - and break free of a tie for first place with Dyson Racing in the championship.

Level 5 Motorsports' Christophe Bouchut won the P2 pole by qualifying the HPD ARX-03b he shares with Scott Tucker and ex-F1 racer Franck Montagny in third overall. However, Montagny also recorded a lap in the team's second car, which enabled Level 5 to lock the front row.

ALMS.com

On its debut ALMS race, Dempsey Racing - TV star Patrick Dempsey's team - qualified third in P2, thanks to Jonny Cocker's 1min17.494s lap.

In GT, Darren Turner, in his Aston Martin Vantage, edged out Tommy Milner's Corvette.

ALMS.com

Turner can be proud of his team, which competed at the World Endurance Championship (WEC) Spa round, last weekend.

"The guys put (the car) on the plane and had to change things out when we got here, but we also have the hardest working team on the pit lane," Turner said.

Jörg Müller took third in class for BMW Team RLL, while Bruno Junqueira won his second LMPC pole at the wheel of RSR Racing's ORECA FLM09.

ALMS.com

Source: ALMS.com



Starting grid - American Le Mans Monterey (Laguna Seca, Cal.)

First row

Luhr/Graf (HPD ARX-03a) - Pickett - 1min13.573s

Dyson/Smith/Mowlem (Lola B12/60-Mazda) - Dyson - 1min15.358s


Second row

Tucker/Bouchut/Montagny (HPD ARX-03b) - Level 5 - 1min15.846s
Tucker/Diaz/Montagny (HPD ARX-03b) - Level 5 - 1min15.935s


Third row

Dempsey/Cocker/Foster (Lola B12/87-Mazda) - Dempsey - 1min17.494s

Junqueira/Drissi/Gonzalez (Oreca FLM09) - RSR - 1min17.867s


Fourth row

Popow/Kimber-Smith (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 1min18.092s

Guasch/Gidley/Hamilton (Oreca FLM09) - Pickett - 1min18.114s


Fifth row

Leitzinger/Dobson (Oreca FLM09) - PR1 - 1min18.396s
Bennett/Braun (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 1min18.423s


Sixth row

Richard/Ende/Lewis (Oreca FLM09) - Dempsey - 1min18.466s
Marcelli/Downs/Stirling (Oreca FLM09) - Merchant - 1min18.500s


Seventh row

Nicolosi/Vera (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 1min18.725s
Prendeville/Mitchell/Da Costa (Radical SR10) - Libra - 1min21.539s


Eighth row

Ducote/Downs/Burgess (Oreca FLM09) - Merchant - 1min21.645s

Fernandez/Turner/Mucke (Aston Martin Vantage) - Aston Martin - 1min22.229s


Ninth row

Gavin/Milner (Corvette ZR1) - Corvette - 1min22.661s

Mueller/Auberlen (BMW M3) - Rahal - 1min22.905s


10th row

Bergmeister/Long/Lietz (Porsche 997) - Flying Lizard - 1min22.919s

Magnussen/Garcia (Corvette ZR1) - Corvette - 1min22.919s


11th row

Sharp/Van Overbeek (Ferrari 458) - Extreme Speed - 1min22.923s
Hand/Mueller (BMW M3) - Rahal - 1min22.939s


12th row

Brown/Cosmo (Ferrari 458) - Extreme Speed - 1min22.942s

Henzler/Sellers (Porsche 997) - Falken - 1min23.356s


13th row

Miller/Maassen (Porsche 997 Cup) - Miller - 1min23.448s

Sweedler/Bell (Lotus Evora) - Alex Job - 1min24.473s


14th row

Neiman/Holzer (Porsche 997) - Flying Lizard - 1min26.787s
LeSaffre/Faulkner/Bleekemolen (Porsche 997 Cup) - Green Hornet - 1min27.495s


15th row

Hedfunf/Krohn/Tandy (Porsche 997 Cup) - 1min27.670s

Curtis/Bleekemolen/DI Guida - 1min27.673s


16th row

Cumming/Marsh/Ragginger (Porsche 997 Cup) - JDX - 1min28.155s
Faieta/Avenatti/Wagner (Porsche 997 Cup) - Competition - 1min28.618s


17th row

MacNeil/Lazzaro (Porsche 997 Cup) - Alex Job - 1min28.641s

Sofronas/Welch/Villeneuve (Porsche 997 Cup) - GMG - 1min29.298s


18th row

Plowman/Hansson/Pizzonia (Morgan-Judd) - Conquest - no time

Source: ItaliaRacing.net

Carroll Shelby, famous for his forward-thinking in sports car racing, has passed away at the age of 89, ShelbyAutos.com has announced.

Shelby, a Texan whose father was a mail carrier, made a name for himself by becoming, in 1959, the second American-born racer, after Phil Hill, to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"Unlike so many racers, he didn't come from a rich family[.] When I was a kid, American cars were big, clunky things, until Carroll used his ingenuity to make them compete with European cars," Jay Leno told the NY Times.

That's why most remember Shelby better as car builder. His idea of fitting big and true American V8s together with light and nimble British chassis was ground-breaking. In no time, his Shelby Cobras were rivals to the likes of Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar.

Carroll Shelby (1923-2012) (Photo: ShelbyAutos.com)

"In the history of our company there are a handful of men who have stamped their imprint on the heart and soul of what we do at Ford Racing and Carroll Shelby is definitely one of them," Ford racing director James Allison said to Autosport.com.

Before entering racing, Shelby was a fighter plane pilot during World War II. After the war, he went on to work in oil fields and farming, as well as racing, before starting in the 1960's a close relationship with Ford.

Shelby's legacy with the blue oval extends to today, many modern Fords bearing his name - the 2013 Shelby GT500 being one of them.

"Whether helping Ford dominate the 1960s racing scene or building some of the most famous Mustangs, his enthusiasm and passion for great automobiles over six decades has truly inspired everyone who worked with him," Edsel Ford II, grandson of Ford's founder Henry Ford, told the Chicago Tribune.

Source: ShelbyAutos.com

From GMM

A third team has decided to join Red Bull in Abu Dhabi for the young drivers' test.

Due to the calendar congestion at the end of this season, and also to cut costs, most teams have opted to drop the Abu Dhabi option in favour of testing young drivers in July, at Silverstone.

But Red Bull, and its second team Toro Rosso, are sticking with the original November plan, amid criticism July is too early to be assessing young drivers.

McLaren is now following suit.

"Our plan at McLaren at the moment is to test in Abu Dhabi," said the British team's sporting director Sam Michael, who said another factor against Silverstone is that teams are only half-way through their engine mileage allocations in July.

"Engines is a significant factor," the Australian explained.

"If you want to test at the end of the year, you have so many part-mileage engines that all have a little bit of mileage on them so you can effectively do it for free, in terms of your race engines," said Michael.

"If you try and do that in the middle of the year, you can't use your race engines so you have to prepare a special test engine."

History/Description: The Dodge Nitro brought a bit of toughness and manliness to the utility vehicle scene occupied by models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-7. With a driver-selectable four-wheel-drive system, plenty of ground clearance and a solid rear axle, this was a tough truck ready for towing and off-road use - though it was intended equally for use on the road more travelled, too.

Nitro packed standard V6 power, namely from a 3.7L or 4.0L V6 making 210 or 255-260 horsepower, respectively. Though rare, a manual transmission was available on some models. Automatics were fitted otherwise.

2007 Dodge Nitro (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Feature content included a slide-out cargo tray in the trunk, heated leather, premium audio, a household power outlet, a sunroof, automatic climate control and plenty more. Trim levels started with SE for a ‘basic' Nitro, with SXT, SLT and R/T filling the model range from less to more loaded, respectively.

What Owners Like: Nitro owners rate the ride, handling, sense of confidence, and all-season traction highly. The upgraded stereo is well liked, as is the styling and overall ‘bang for the buck' where feature content is concerned. Many owners also enjoy the ability to switch into and out of four-wheel drive ‘on the fly.'

What Owners Dislike: Common complaints include limited footwell space, limited headroom for taller drivers, and a long reach for the shifter - which is mounted to the passenger side of the centre console. Some owners wish for a higher quality feel to the cabin, too.

Common Issues: On a model with the automatic transmission, be sure to ‘feel' for any signs of slippage or a ‘shudder' at lower speeds and under light loads - which could indicate a problem with the transmission or torque converter itself, or the computer that controls the gearbox. If the transmission exhibits any of these symptoms, be sure to have the vehicle checked by a professional.

Additionally, some owners have reported transmission or torque converter replacement under warranty.

2007 Dodge Nitro (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Continue reading 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro Pre-Owned

Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières veteran Marc-Antoine Camirand has taken fourth place in race 1 of the Grand Prix Électrique de Pau.

The Canadian is taking part in his first ever race weekend on European soil. Just like Gilles Villeneuve, back in 1976, Camirand was given the chance to attend the Grand Prix de Pau by the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières organizers.

Camirand qualified fifth, aboard his all electric Andros Car Evo 2, and finished fourth in race 1.

"Of course, I would have prefer a podium finish. But considering this is my first time in this car and on this track, I'm satisfied," Camirand said.

The race was won by DTM driver Adrien Tambay, who is also the son of Patrick Tambay - who himself used to be very good friend with Gilles Villeneuve -.

Start of the second race of the weekend is scheduled for 3:00 pm, local time - 9:00 am, Canadian time -.

The World Touring Car Championship could present two rounds in Russia and India in 2013.

The arrival of Russia on the calendar would be quite normal, considering that the country has been involved in WTCC for several years, via the Lada work team - the Russian brand being set to come back full-time next season -, but also throughout the oil company Lukoil, which backs Gabriele Tarquini and Russian driver Alexei Dudukalo.

The Moscow Raceway, which will welcome Formula One soon, could host two rounds next season.

Website TouringCarTimes also revealed that WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti was in talks with India's Buddh International Circuit repsentents to present the opening round of the 2013 championship.

Moreover, Lotti said, although it was a last minute deal in 2012, Slovakia could be back in 2013 - since the race that was used to replace the aborted Argentinian weekend was a great success - 41 000 people showing up over the week end, among which the president of Slovakia.