Auto News 5

The debut of the Volkswagen XL1, touted by VW as the world's most fuel-efficient production car, marks VW's entry into the plug-in hybrid market.

Susan Docherty, head of Chevrolet and Cadillac in Europe, is girding for an industry sales slide of 6 percent this year atop last year's 8 percent drop. But there's a bright side: She has seen this play before.

PSA is planning to produce its compact, mid-sized and SUV models on a common platform that also is likely to underpin models made by alliance partner GM.

VW Group and BMW Group predicted a "difficult" 2013 as the European auto market contracts, vehicle prices in the region drop and growth in China slows.

GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky isn't happy with the lukewarm reception the Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid has received in Europe.

PSA sold its stake in French bank BNP Paribas for about 177 million euros ($229 million) to boost financing as part of a restructuring at Europe's second-largest carmaker.

New Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann says he can revive the beleaguered European brand and stem its persistent losses -- with plenty of help from parent company General Motors.

VW Group remains open to making further acquisitions, though the German group has its work cut out integrating its 12 brands, CEO Martin Winterkorn said.

You no longer need to travel to Hiroshima, Japan, to visit the Mazda Museum. Thanks to Google Street View, you can now take a virtual tour from the comfort of your home!

Online visitors have access to five areas of the museum: the Entrance Hall, the History and Future areas, as well as the Technology and Rotary Engine exhibits.

Also on display are legendary Mazda cars such as the Cosmo Sport (110S) from the 1960s, RX-7 models from the 1970s and 1980s, and the original Miata roadster.

Just go to http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/museum/guide.html

Photo: Mazda

Dear Formula 1 fans, here are the photos of all F1 cars as they ran Friday the first two free practice sessions in Melbourne, Australia.

We chose to show you side shots of the 11 cars to help you compare the various components, such as the front wings, noses, air boxes, sidepods and rear wings.

Red Bull RB9 Renault (Photo: WRI2)

Ferrari F138 (Photo: WRI2)

McLaren MP4-28 Mercedes (Photo: WRI2)

Lotus E21 Renault (Photo: WRI2)

Mercedes AMG W04(Photo: WRI2)

Sauber C32 Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

Sahara Force India VJM06 Mercedes (Photo: WRI2)

Williams FW35 Renault (Photo: WRI2)

Toro Rosso STR8 Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

Caterham CT03 Renault (Photo: WRI2)

Marussia MR02 Cosworth (Photo: WRI2)

The 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is now on sale at Canadian Hyundai dealers with a base MSRP of $27,999. The Limited model retails for $30,199, while the Limited with Technology Package costs $33,999.

Both the electric motor and battery are now more powerful, reportedly allowing speeds of up to 120 km/h in full electric mode (range has yet to be announced).

The 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid achieves 4.9L/100km on the highway, regardless of the trim level, and either 5.4L/100km (base model) or 5.5L/100km (Limited models) in the city.

Available features include LED position lamps, heated leather seats, keyless entry with proximity sensor, push-button start, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Audi Sport is displaying great form, ahead of the 2013 12 Hours of Sebring. The German team topped all four practice sessions.

Even the series' reigning champion team, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing, couldn't get anywhere close Audi. The best it managed in its final outing before qualifying was fourth, 2.4 seconds off the pace.

Audi is setting the pace in Sebring (Photo: Audi Sport)

In P2, Greaves Motorsport and Level 5 Motorsports are still trading fastest laps, which makes it very tough to pick out a favourite between the two.

The story in GT belongs to Ferrari - led by returnee team Risi Competizione - and Corvette. Having been quickest in two out of four test sessions, Risi seems to have the edge.

DragonSpeed, CORE Autosport and RSR Racing all featured so far in LMPC, while in GTC, the Alex Job, NGT and Flying Lizards are heading the charts.

Qualifying for the race started at 1:15 pm ET.

From GMM

The future of the so-called 'resource restriction agreement' - a gentleman's pact among teams to control costs - has moved under a dark cloud.

The controversial agreement has been a subject of discussion behind closed motor home doors for some time, with many teams wanting the FIA to get involved to expand and enshrine the arrangement in the actual rules.

But FIA president Jean Todt, who arrived in Melbourne on Friday afternoon, has cast serious doubt not only on the latter possibility, but even on the future of the gentleman's pact.

"I think F1 does cost too much," he acknowledged to the Financial Times.

He added, however, that "A lot of teams prefer to have the privilege of competition rather than reduce costs".

"I hope that a sensible approach from teams will be reducing costs. But it's not something we all have to agree together," said Todt.

"We are the regulator. If they don't want to reduce costs, that's it. It's not our responsibility to do things that teams do not want."

Team Red Bull Racing at work at night. (Photo: WRi2)

Todt sounded happier about the state of the FIA's financial situation, in the context of a new agreement with Bernie Ecclestone, and higher entry fees from the teams.

The agreement "will be good" for the Paris-based federation, the Frenchman said.

But the governing body has not got off to a good start in Australia, after the white shirts bearing the FIA logo for the race stewards to wear got lost in the mail from Place de la Concorde, according to a report in Speed Week.

From GMM

McLaren on Friday admitted it is now "worried" about the pace of the new MP4-28 car.

Jenson Button was just ninth in opening practice in Melbourne, before lagging more than two seconds off the pace in the second ninety minute session.

Team newcomer Sergio Perez was consistently even slower.

"I think we should be worried about the pace," team boss Martin Whitmarsh told British broadcaster Sky. "It is a tough day in the office for everyone at the moment, we are lacking grip and there is a lot of head scratching at the moment."

Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-28. (Photo: WRi2)

While most top teams - notably continuing pacesetters Red Bull - simply evolved their 2012 cars for the final season of V8 regulations, McLaren unveiled a radical new car for this year, including novel pull-rod front suspension.

"I think we are still learning and there is a lot we still need to learn about this car," Martin Whitmarsh added, "but we have struggled frankly to quite understand how it is performing."

Sporting director Sam Michael likened McLaren's new struggles to Ferrari's of early last year, when Fernando Alonso would ultimately go on to challenge for the title.

"By the fourth or fifth race they were there," he said.

The Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series (ALMS) have agreed on a name for their unified series, set to debut next year.

From 2014, the two series will be known as United SportsCar Racing.

Names for the five future classes were also revealed.

The top category, that combines the ALMS' P2 class and the Grand-Am DP category will be known simply as the "Prototype" class (P).

The ALMS will merge with Grand-Am next year (Photo: ALMS.com)

The Prototype Challenge (PC) class, seen before in the ALMS, remains untouched, much like the GT class of the ALMS, which will from next year be known as the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class.

GT cars from the Grand-Am field will merge with cars from the ALMS' GTC field into one GT Daytona (GTD) category.

Finally, the GX class, born this year in Grand-Am, remains the same.

Furthermore, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) was nominated as the Unified SportsCar Racing's sanctioning body.

Just three months after Sebastian Vettel was crowned world champion at the final race of 2012 in Brazil, the first practice session of the 2013 Formula 1 season began at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit at 12:30 pm local time.

Almost 40 had minutes had elapsed until (one of) the local heroes, Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo claimed 2013's first recorded lap time with a 1:36.09. The first of the ‘top five teams' to record a flying lap was Kimi Raikkonen with a 1.29.029 in his black and gold Lotus. Unsurprisingly however, it was Vettel in the Red Bull who assumed his regular position at the top of the timing sheets with a 1:27.211; just ahead a second ahead of the two Ferraris of Felipe and Fernando Alonso.

Lewis Hamilton put in a good performance on his first outing as a Mercedes driver, as he outpaced team-mate Rosberg by half a second and finished the session in fourth. The other Aussie favourite Mark Webber was fifth, and Raikkonen rounded out the top six. Formula 1's latest comeback kid Adrian Sutil returned in style by finishing eighth ahead of Jenson Button's McLaren, Romain Grosjean's and McLaren newcomer, Sergio Perez in 10th.

Whilst the ‘who is fastest in 2013' question still remains unanswered, the session indicated that following an inconclusive winter testing, the teams still have yet to fully understand the 2013 Pirelli tyres as cars returned to the pits after ten laps with grained or ‘mozzarella effect' tyres.

Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Guiterrez finished the session in 15th and 16th respectively and staked their claim as the best of the newcomers. Jules Bianchi impressed by finishing just 3/10ths behind Ricciardo, making him the best of the back markers ahead of the two Caterhams and team-mate Max Chilton who ended the session last of the 22 runners.

The only notable incident of the session was Paul Di Resta beaching his Sahara Force India after spinning on the approach to turn five. However, the car was undamaged in the incident.

Australian Grand Prix
Friday March 15, 2013

First Practice session 1 - Results*
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'27"211 - 16 laps
2 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'27"289 - 17
3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'27"547 - 16
4 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'27"552 - 18
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'27"668 - 18
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'27"877 - 17
7 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'28"013 - 17
8 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"426 - 19
9 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'28"440 - 19
10 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'28"520 - 15
11 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'28"597 - 19
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'28"786 - 19
13 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"910 - 18
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"443 - 20
15 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"928 - 19
16 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'30"203 - 17
17 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'30"729 - 17
18 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'30"969 - 19
19 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"263 - 24
20 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'32"176 - 23
21 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"274 - 21
22 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"388 - 18

*Unofficial results

From GMM

F1 teams will make do with a normal test programme early next year, despite the introduction of radical new engine regulations.

Some of the engine suppliers reportedly want either an earlier or an extended winter test period ahead of the 2014 season, as F1 switches from V8 to turbo V6 engines.

But the FIA's Charlie Whiting is quoted in Melbourne by Russia's f1news.ru: "We have been talking with the teams, and they do not want to increase the number of test days."

Meanwhile, the German-language Spox quotes Briton Whiting as saying he is not expecting the outbreak of any new technical controversies, in the wake of the Renault engine mapping and Williams exhaust stories.

But "In the course of a year, you never know what is going to happen," he smiled.

Mercedes V6 turbo engine. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

Sebastian Vettel once again clocked the fastest time in second practice for the Australian Grand Prix with a 1:25.908s lap.

The current world champion spent most of the afternoon ahead of his competitors and finally finished the day 0.264 seconds ahead of Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, despite the Australian topping the time sheets briefly during the super soft runs.

Sebastian Vettel, the quickest of the day. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Nico Rosberg once again underlined the impressive pace of the Mercedes by finishing the session in third, whilst Hamilton wound up the day in seventh. However, towards the end of the session, both cars suffered mechanical issues that saw the 2008 world champion finish his day in the gravel and Rosberg by the side of the road.

McLaren continued to struggle with its new MP4/28 and the Woking team endured a poor afternoon with Button and Perez finishing down in 11th and 13th respectively. The team's main competitors, Lotus and Ferrari finished in the top 10 with Raikkonen and Grosjean finishing fourth and fifth, and Massa and Alonso occupying sixth and eighth.

Lewis Hamilton in Melbourne. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)

The question of tire longevity was also answered when the teams ran with higher fuel loads. This resulted - most notably on the super soft tire - in lap times dramatically decreasing after the initial flying laps, and long run pace slowing progressively. Before tomorrow's qualifying, engineers will have to figure out how much the drivers can push in the session, and how much of a bearing it will have on race pace.

The heavy fuel and worn tire combination saw Webber spin on worn tires in the final minutes after a long run.

Other spinners were Caterham's Giedo Van der Garde who dropped his car in the gravel at turn six and ended up at the bottom of the time sheets, and Jean-Eric Vergne who took full advantage of the run off area just after turn four in his Toro Rosso.

Further down the grid, Jules Bianchi impressed in the Marussia, finishing once again ahead of both Caterhams and his team-mate.

Jules Bianchi, impressed in the Marussia MR02. (Photo: Marussia F1 Team)

Australian Grand Prix
Friday March 15, 2013

First Practice session 2 - Results*
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'25"908 - 33 laps
2 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'26"172 - 31
3 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'26"322 - 26
4 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'26"361 - 38
5 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'26"680 - 32
6 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'26"748 - 35
7 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'26"772 - 28
8 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'26"855 - 32
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'27"435 - 35
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'28"187 - 34
11 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4-28-Mercedes) - 1'28"294 - 30
12 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"311 - 37
13 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4-28-Mercedes) - 1'28"566 - 33
14 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'28"627 - 31
15 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'28"772 - 33
16 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'28"852 - 36
17 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'28"968 - 36
18 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"386 - 39
19 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'29"696 - 32
20 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'30"165 - 37
21 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'30"600 - 36
22 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"450 - 11

*Unofficial results

Robert Kubica unveils the livery of his Citroën DS3 RRC and the rounds he will contest in the European Rally Championship this season.

The Pole will be backed by groupe Lotos, an oil company from Poland. His co-driver will be his fellow countryman Maciak Baran aboard his works DS3 RRC. Kubica will make his ERC debuts next week in Rally Canarias (21 to 23 march), before contesting rally Azores, Tour de Corse, and Rally Poland, where we can expect a huge amount of fans.

Robert Kubica will also be at the start of selected rounds of the WRC2, the former-S2000 championship, in the World Rally Championship.

From Caterham

Spanish racer Sergio Canamsas has today finalised a deal to contest the 2013 GP2 Championship with Caterham Racing.

In addition to his GP2 role, Canamsas will be Caterham F1 Team's 2013 development driver and his duties will include F1 simulator work at Leafield Technical Centre, as well as straight-line aero testing for the F1 team.

Sergio Canamasas. (Photo: GP2 Series)

The 24-year-old drove for the team at both pre-season tests in Spain and performed consistently throughout. He will drive the No. 14 Caterham Racing car in 2013 and partners GP2 rookie and Caterham F1 Team reserve driver Ma Qing Hua in the number 15 car.

This year sees Canamsas enter his first full season in GP2, having competed in ten races last year with the Venezuela Lazarus team. Sergio is familiar with the GP2 car and race setup, therefore the team has high expectations for him.

Canamsas' resume boasts seasons in World Series by Renault, European F3 and Spanish F3 and in 2013 he hopes to consolidate his experience and be a front runner in GP2.