Auto News 5

Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen scored the 20th win of his career in today's thrilling Australian Grand Prix from Fernando Alonso and a ‘disappointed' Sebastian Vettel.

The 2007 world champion capitalised on his fast starting E21 and used a two-stop strategy to overhaul Ferrari's three stopping Fernando Alonso to win his second Grand Prix for Enstone based team. On a side note, it was Lotus' first victory in a season opener since the 1970s, and Raikkonen's second victory in Melbourne since he drove for Ferrari in his championship year.

The start of the 2013 F1 season (Photo: WRi2)

The main surprise of the race was the lack of pace shown by both Red Bulls. Despite both cars locking out the front row in qualifying, Sebastian Vettel finished 22 seconds behind Raikkonen in third, and Mark Webber sixth after yet another poor getaway.

In the process, both fast starting Ferraris and Hamilton's Mercedes jumped Webber's bogged down car, with Massa leading his team mate and hustling Vettel's Red Bull for the lead in the opening stages of the race.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB9 (Photo: WRi2)

The leaders made their first round of pitstops early on due to the sharp degradation of the super soft Pirelli, but it was the kindness of Raikkonen's Lotus on its tyres and a two-stop strategy that pushed it into contention for the win.

Whilst Vettel and the Ferraris pitted, the Finn remained out on track until lap 34, taking advantage of his car's handling characteristics, which allowed him to work the two-stop strategy to his favour.

By the time Alonso had emerged from his third and final stop, the extra laps that Raikkonen had put in whilst his rivals pitted netted him a 7.7 second advantage over the Ferrari driver. Despite Alonso's best efforts on new tyres where for a short time it seemed he would carve the Finn's advantage, Raikkonen managed to stabilize the gap and cross the line to claim one of his ‘easiest victories yet' by 12.4 seconds.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F138 (Photo: WRi2)

Felipe Massa finished fourth behind Vettel after a strong race and was followed by Hamilton. The Force Indias of Sutil and di Resta finished seventh and eighth after the German returnee put in a sprited performance that saw him make a reverse strategy to the leaders work, and lead a large portion of the race only for tyre wear to see him drop back in the later stages.

Button rounded off a difficult day for McLaren in ninth and Grosjean rounded out the top-10 after a quiet race ahead of Sergio Perez.

Jules Bianchi once again stamped his authority as the best of the backmarkers in the Marussia by finishing 15th. The young Frenchman was the only backmarker to finish on the same lap as the leaders ahead of his compatriot Charles Pic, team-mate Chilton and the other Caterham of Giedo van der Garde.

The top 3 finishers (Photo: WRi2)

Race results* - Australian Grand Prix (Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne)
1 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 58 laps in 1.30'03"225
2 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 12"451
3 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 22"346
4 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 33"577
5 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 45"561
6 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 46"800
7 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'05"068
8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'08"449
9 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'21"630
10 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'22"579
11 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'23"267
12 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'23"857
13 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1 lap
14 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1 lap
15 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1 lap
16 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 2 laps
17 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 2 laps
18 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 2 laps

Fastest lap of the race: 1'29"274 by Kimi Räikkönen

*Unofficial

Retirements
Lap 1 - Nico Hulkenberg
Lap 25 - Pastor Maldonado
Lap 26 - Nico Rosberg
Lap 40 - Daniel Ricciardo

Drivers' championship
1.Raikkonen 25; 2.Alonso 18; 3.Vettel 15; 4.Massa 12; 5.Hamilton 10; 6.Webber 8; 7.Sutil 6; 8.Di Resta 4; 9.Button 2; 10.Grosjean 1.

Constructors' championship
1.Ferrari 30; 2.Lotus-Renault 26; 3.Red Bull-Renault 23; 4.Mercedes, Force India-Mercedes 10; 6.McLaren-Mercedes 2.

Adapted from GMM

Former world champion turned commentator Jacques Villeneuve is positive that, of last year's two title contenders, Fernando Alonso is the better.

The French Canadian said he has no doubt Spaniard Alonso will be in the championship hunt this year as well.

Fernando Alonso in Melbourne (Photo: WRi2)

"Ferrari will probably be better than last year, and Fernando always brings out something even more.  He is definitely the best driver," he told AS newspaper.

Told that Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is arguably the best, because he is the reigning triple world champion, French Canadian Villeneuve shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'so what?'.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB9 (Photo: WRi2)

"Vettel is nothing like Alonso or Hamilton.  He is a product of the team, and it is the team (Red Bull) that is the best."

Asked if he thinks Alonso deserved the 2012 title, Villeneuve answered: "It's obvious isn't it?

"He has two titles but Schumacher should have ten.  This is a very complicated sport and there are many factors in play."

From GMM

Yet another new name could be looking seriously at F1's radical engine rules for 2014.

It is already a poorly-guarded paddock secret that McLaren is likely to team up with the Japanese giant Honda, probably in 2015.

But with Marussia supplier Cosworth looking set to depart the sport at the end of the current season, the only confirmed engine manufacturers for the new turbo V6 era beginning next year are Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari.

However, another one could be Zytek, a British engineering company.

A leader in the hybrid field, Zytek currently works in the Auto GP, Le Mans and Renault World Series categories, and helped Mercedes to develop its KERS in 2009.

On Twitter, the company hinted it was looking closely at F1's 2014 rules, "but (we) can't say too much about that at this stage".

"Maybe we will do a whole power unit ourselves," Zytek added.

"Certainly we have all the elements needed for it in our skills/experience plus the (regulations) reset gives newcomers a chance.

"(It's) certainly a big job and needs serious money to turn the basic engineering concept into a competitive package."

Press release

It was always going to be a steep hill to climb for DeltaWing Racing; building a team from scratch a month out from its first race competition.

Despite the fledgling team's efforts and preparations for the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fuelled by “Fresh from Florida” today, the revolutionary car was forced to retire with engine failure after completing 10 laps in the second hour of the race.

The DeltaWing, with its new elements and powered by an Elan Motorsports Technologies engine, had completed more than 50 laps over two days of testing at Road Atlanta on March 6-7 before the crew arrived in Sebring on Saturday.

The 2013-spec DeltaWing racing at Sebring (Photo: ALMS)

Andy Meyrick drove the entirety of testing on Monday at the Sebring International Raceway, with the team feeling as though it had made daily improvements in advance of its debut in the LMP1 class by qualifying on Friday.

During its entire test and practice track time, the DeltaWing completed more than 100 laps of running and improved more than seven seconds from its fastest time on Monday to the car's fastest lap of the week set in Qualifying by Olivier Pla - a 1:53.866.

The honour of starting the DeltaWing's inaugural LMP1 race was given to Andy, from 15th position on the iconic endurance grid.

"We can see potential in the car and the team has done a fantastic job in a very short period of time," said Meyrick. "There were flashes of a potentially strong performance in warm up and so no doubt, given time, the car will be a competitive package."

The DeltaWing will race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in May 2013.

From GMM

It has been a nightmare start to Williams' 2013 season.

The deaths of Hugo Chavez and Ginny Williams were big commercial and personal blows for the famous British team, and now its new car has been denounced by Pastor Maldonado.

"It is undriveable at the moment," said the Venezuelan.

"I think we're back to two years ago with conditions in the team," added Maldonado, referring to 2011, when the Grove based team finished a woeful ninth before a marked improvement last year.

The Melbourne-spec Williams FW35 (Photo: WRi2)

Unlike Maldonado, his rookie teammate Valtteri Bottas just squeezed into Sunday morning's Q2 segment at Albert Park.

Maldonado is quoted by Brazil's Globo: "Perhaps, with less traffic, we would have entered Q2, but that's not the goal.

"The goal is to be among the top ten.  Now, we are nowhere."

"There's nothing else to say," he is quoted by Spanish television Antena 3.  "It's going very badly."

Audi scored its 11th overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring this weekend, in 61st running of the event.

The start of the 61st 12 Hours of Sebring (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer and Oliver Jarvis drove the No. 1 R18 e-tron quattro to the top step of the podium, followed by Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Lucas di Grassi in the sister car, scoring an eighth - and maybe last 1-2 finish for Audi.

LMP1 prototypes will disappear at the end of the year, when the ALMS changes rules to become the Unified SportsCar Racing championship.

The winning Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Neel Jani, Nick Heidfeld and Nico Prost rounded out the top 3 in Rebellion Racing's No. 12 Lola-Toyota.

Corvette led Ferrari in GT. Tommy Milner, Oliver Gavin and Richard Westbrook celebrated a dramatic win over Risi Competizione. In the No. 4 ZR1 Corvette, Westbrook overtook Matteo Malucelli's F458 Italia for the lead with only 13 minutes to spare.

Level 5 Motorsports scored another 1-2 finish, with team owner Scott Tucker earning his fourth consecutive class win at Sebring. Greaves Motorsports fell short in third.

PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports bagged its first PC win thanks to the late pass of driver David Ostella over Canadian Kyle Marcelli (BAR1). Alex Job completed the winner's board in GTC.

The podium (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Race results - 12 Hours of Sebring (Sebring International Raceway)
1 Fässler/Jarvis/Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 364 laps in 12h 00m11.638s
2 di Grassi/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) + 7.679s
3 Prost/Heidfeld/Jani (Lola-Toyota) - 5 laps
4 Graf/Luhr/Dumas (HPD-Honda) - 6 laps
5 Beche/Cheng/Belicchi (Lola-Toyota) - 10 laps
6 Tucker/Franchitti/Briscoe (HPD-Honda) - 18 laps
7 Tucker/Hunter-Reay/Pagenaud (HPD-Honda) - 19 laps
8 Kimber-Smith/Zugel/Lux (Zytek) - 22 laps
9 Cheng/Guasch/Ostella (ORECA) - 28 laps
10 Marcelli/Cumming/Johansson (ORECA) - 28 laps

Model: 2003 to 2009 Land Rover Range Rover

Vehicle Type: 4x4

The Verdict: If you're considering a used Range Rover from this generation, keep in mind that it's not a vehicle bought for reliability or affordable repair bills. If you're after a cheap-to-run sport ute, this isn't the model for you. Opting against a supercharged model will reduce your fuel bill -- slightly.

Price: Earlier models in this generation with higher mileage can be had for under $15,000, while a newer, low-mileage unit will relieve owners of $45,000 or more.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

What Owners Like: Luxury, go-anywhere capability, exclusivity and a great deal of “presence” are noted by owners. Smooth performance and an ultra-posh cabin are also noted.

What Owners Dislike: As it goes with expensive premium models, most owners don't report any “complaints” about their Range Rovers; though, almost all wish for better gas mileage.

History/Description: Capable, luxurious and packing world-class comfort features, the last-generation Land Rover Range Rover hit the road with V8 (or supercharged V8) power, four-wheel drive and a long list of goodies when it launched as a 2003 model.

Feature content included dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, navigation, and plenty more. Air suspension, a CD changer and xenon lights were on board, too.

Depending on the year and model in question, this posh off-roader could be kitted up via numerous trim levels and option packages to suit a variety of tastes and budgets.

Common Issues: Wiring. Sensors. Modules. The Range Rover (like all new cars) is full of electronic stuff that can experience issues, so approach a used model looking for signs of trouble. Be sure all electrically operated accessories function as expected, and check for any warning lights or messages.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Have the air suspension checked out by a mechanic after you toggle it through its various settings to confirm it operates without any warning lights illuminating. This is an expensive-to-repair system that will eventually wear out and fail.

Be sure to toggle the 4x4 system between its various modes too, checking for signs of trouble along the way.

Numerous Range Rover owners on forums say that buying from a dealer and bargaining for an extended warranty is a good idea.

Ensure the seller was fond of regular maintenance, including fluid changes, and be sure to get two working remote key fobs, too. A model with full service records is ideal for added peace of mind.

Take the Range Rover in question to a Land Rover dealership and have it inspected in the air for signs of rust, leaks, suspension wear, and tire condition. While beneath the vehicle, a mechanic can help uncover any potentially hidden issues that could cost money down the line. Have the computer “scanned” for any trouble codes, which could indicate issues, as well.

Confirm proper operation of the air conditioner, all power windows, and the sunroof, too. Finally, a “grinding” sound from the rear end during tight, low-speed corners could be a sign of a differential that's wearing or worn out.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

ASSOCIATE EDITOR SHERRICE GILSBACH: What a well balanced SUV this

Pininfarina may produce a small number of its Sergio concept at a price tag of about 3 million euros each, the company's chief executive said. "We are considering a very limited run of five to six units," CEO Silvio Angori said.

Ford, moving to close a growing deficit in its pension funding, will shift more of its plan's assets to fixed income to shield against changes in interest rates.

Norway's market for pure electric cars has in its very success shown the severe drawbacks to a model that relies on public subsidies worth as much as $8,200 per car, every year.

Toyota, which last year overtook GM to become the world's largest automaker even as its profit margins lagged behind the industry, is riding a weakening yen that has Detroit executives concerned.

Norway's market for pure electric cars has in its very success shown the severe drawbacks to a model that relies on public subsidies worth as much as $8,200 per car, every year.

Danica Patrick was pleased to hear Bernie Ecclestone talking about her.

"Yes I did see something about Bernie's comments and they sounded complimentary. It looked like he was kind of acknowledging my ability to drive a car. So that was kind," she said in Bristol, Tennessee.

The 30-year old has burst into the mainstream of North America again after winning the pole for NASCAR's biggest event, the Daytona 500. In the world of Formula 1, rumours have been coming and going about her.

"I've always said that unless that it would be something I would want to do for real, as in race a Formula One car, I don't see any point in testing it," Patrick clarified.

"It is a lot or work to get fitted in the car comfortable enough to go drive it. Then as a driver, for me at least, I run the risk of what if it doesn't go well, and then people judge me for that.  So, unless it was something that I was really serious, I wouldn't do it."

That attitude hasn't stopped Ecclestone being nice.

"I will say that Bernie over the years has actually sent a lot of messages. Any kind of big high point that happens in my career, whether it be at Indy, or Daytona now, or winning in Japan - things like that, he has sent messages. 
"He even sent me like a big picture one time that was signed by him. He's actually been really nice."

Then she referred to Bernie's quote from 2005 when she finished fourth at the Indy 500, the highest finish for a woman there until she finished third: "She did a good job, didn't she? Super," said Ecclestone in Indianapolis for the US Grand Prix.

"Didn't think she'd be able to make it like that. You know, I've got one of these wonderful ideas that women should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances."

"I don't necessarily think that his comments a long while back are representative of his opinion of me."

While Danica felt complimented; it's not the start of a new venue for her.

From GMM

Australian grand prix boss Andrew Westacott has ruled out organising a Melbourne night race.

Recently, from the paddock of the final winter test in Barcelona, drivers Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo, and team boss Christian Horner, called on the Australian promoters to install floodlights so that the action can be held after dark in future.

Bernie Ecclestone has been pushing for it for years, because the season opener could be beamed live to the bulk European audience at a better hour.

But Westacott is quoted by Speed Week: "How are we going to do that?

"We are in the middle of a city park, not to mention the huge cost to set up the lighting.  And it wouldn't just be for the track, but for basically the entire park.

"It's unthinkable," he added.

Audi has locked down the first row of the starting grid at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring.

Marcel Fassler put the No. 1 Audi R8 e-tron quattro on pole, only .009 second clear of Allan McNish in the sister prototype. By doing so, Fassler registered the first hybrid-powered pole of all Sebring's history.

Nick Heidfeld, in the Rebellion Racing No. 13 Lola-Toyota, placed third.

In GT, Risi Competizione earned the pole in its first race since coming back to the ALMS after a one-year hiatus. Gianmaria Bruni clocked the pole-winning lap aboard his No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia.

Corvette stands third, thanks to Oliver Gavin's performance in the No. 4 C6 ZER1, followed by Aston Martin, represented in the top 3 by Stefan Mucke and the No. 97 Vantage V8.

Ryan Briscoe took his first career Sebring pole in the P2 category, aboard Level 5's No. 551 HPD ARX-03b. He is followed by teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay in the sister car.

CORE autosport's Colin Braun set the pole in LMPC, while Andy Lally accomplished the same feat in GTC.


Qualifying results* - 12 Hours of Sebring (ALMS)
1.Fässler-Tréluyer-Jarvis (Audi R18) - Audi Joest - 1'43"886
2.Kristensen-McNish-Di Grassi (Audi R18) - Audi Joest - 1'43"895
3.Prost-Jani-Heidfeld (Lola B12/60-Toyota) - Rebellion - 1'46"456
4.Graf-Luhr-Dumas (HPD ARX-03c) - Pickett - 1'46"478
5.Beche-Belicchi-Cheng (Lola B12/60-Toyota) - Rebellion - 1'46"689
6.Dyson-Smith-Leitzinger (Lola B12/60-Mazda) - Dyson - 1'48"407
7.Tucker-Franchitti-Briscoe (HPD ARX-03b) - Level5 - 1'51"159
8.Tucker-Hunter-Reay-Pagenaud (HPD ARX-03b) - Level5 - 1'51"271
9.Kimber-Smith-Lux-Zugel (Zytek Z11SN-Nissan) - Greaves - 1'51"366
10.Sharp-Cosmo-Brabham (HPD ARX-03b) - Ext Speed - 1'52"703
(...)

*Unofficial

Kyle Busch was almost surprised to break the qualifying record on the way to his first Sprint Cup pole at the .533 mile Bristol Motor Speedway.

“After a couple of years of getting used to wrecking here, it sort of all fell into place,” Busch said. “I've never sat on a pole here at Bristol and qualifying is not everything here.  Most of my wins come from about 30th or worse...”

Driving a Toyota; Busch turned a lap in 14.813 seconds eclipsing the record held by Ryan Newman, who had run the first sub-15-second lap in 2003.

Friday's top nine qualifiers beat the 15-second-lap time, with Busch trailed by Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Brian Vickers, Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Martin Truex Jr. Joey Logano rounded out the top ten.

One of the reasons for his pole, Busch opined, “the track is getting a little bit of age on it so it's getting a little bit rougher and that's about all that we felt different from what we've had here in the past years."

Kahne, who drives a Chevrolet, went out after Busch's lap and was aware he had a big job ahead. “I knew Kyle (had put down a great lap and a track record. So I knew I had to go pretty hard,” he said.

“I just felt like I may have given up a little bit in (Turns) 1 and 2, which would have made it really close for the pole. But, we it was still really good between (Turns) 3 and 4. The car was balanced really nice. I wish we could have beat Kyle but he put down a great lap.”

Hamlin, Busch's teammate, said “Yeah, it was good.  Our car has really had a lot of speed since we got here.  We haven't been able to really mess it up too bad with any adjustments.  It's really for us been more about getting our car off the race track, so we're pretty happy with what we've got and where we're headed so far this weekend.”

Vickers, who shares his ride with Mark Martin in the Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota while running full-time in the Nationwide Series, was pleased. “It's good to be back in the Sprint Cup Series,” he said.

“The car was good -- it was really good, better than practice.  Rodney (Childers, the crew chief) did a great job all weekend.  I was trying to get too much out of the car and we ended up at a (14) .90 or .91 -- I think it probably had a mid to low .80 and trying to get a .70 was just too much.”

Sebastien Loeb Racing has announced it will not take part in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, nor in the 2013 European Le Mans Series season.

The team, founded by nine-time rally champion Sébastien Loeb and his associate Dominique Heintz, raced in last year's ELMS championship with an Oreca Nissan LMP2, and was gunning for a Le Mans entry this year.

Photo: Sébastien Loeb Racing

But the team lost the backing of a major sponsor, so was forced to scale back its ambitions to the FIA GT Series, the French Porsche Carrera Cup and the French GT championship.

Loeb Racing's exit means the Race Performance's Oreca Nissan LMP2 can now join the field for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

From GMM

F1 cars' standard electronic units, supplied by a McLaren subsidiary, are causing problems in 2013.

As the electronic control units (ECU) were upgraded ahead of the turbo V6 debut next year, teams struck trouble during recent testing.

McLaren Electronic Systems (MES) reacted to the bugs, but in Melbourne on Saturday, the telemetry links between the cars and FIA race control failed.

It meant drivers had to revert to watching trackside flags rather than cockpit lights, while race director Charlie Whiting was unable to automatically disable the cars' DRS systems, according to Auto Motor und Sport.

Meanwhile, a Melbourne power outage caused chaos among F1's international television broadcasters in the crucial buildup to qualifying -- which ultimately was delayed due to bad weather.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel has extended his contract with Red Bull to the end of the 2016 season, according to Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung.

Previously committed to the energy drink-owned squad only to the end of next year, the report said the reigning triple world champion has now inked an extension for 2015 with an 'option' for the following season as well.

The report said team boss Christian Horner admitted the news to a small group of insiders in Melbourne.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko said: "I can't imagine Horner said something like that."